“This Boy Will Do Great Things” coming in the summer of 2026

In a small village in Botswana, Dima lives where elephants roam, hippos splash, and snakes lurk in tall trees. His name means “This boy will do great things,” and deep in his heart, Dima believes it. With courage, curiosity, and love for the wild, Dima follows his dream—and changes his village forever.



Writing my first Children’s Picture Story Book was no easy task. With the help of my Children’s Book Critique group, I was gently guided on the right path. My illustrator, Chelsa, did a wonderful job of visually interpreting the story. Here is the cover preview. Two years in the making, my book will be published in the summer of 2026 with a book launch at Village Books in Bellingham, WA in the fall. Dates TBD.

In the heart of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, where elephants roam and hippos stir the quiet waters, a young boy named Dima grows up with a deep love for wildlife. Years later, he turns that childhood desire into purpose, becoming a wildlife guide dedicated to protecting the animals he once watched in wonder. When Susan meets Dima in 2023, she recognizes a kindred spirit—two dreamers who followed their childhood passion and found a way to make the world a better place.

Through Dima’s eyes, children will discover the beauty of the Okavango Delta, the wonder of the natural world, and the courage it takes to follow one’s passion. Most of all, they’ll see themselves reflected in the hopes, dreams, and family bonds that connect us all—no matter where we live.



The book will be available worldwide on Ingram Sparks. More details coming…..

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6 thoughts on ““This Boy Will Do Great Things” coming in the summer of 2026”

  3. Susan, I enjoyed meeting you in David’s class at Village Books, and have just finished reading your Pink Flamingos memoir. It was particularly fascinating for me because I, like so many others of our age, contemplated joining the Peace Corps at the same time, and Africa was where I wanted to go. I chose college and an art program instead. I, too, had a remote agricultural upbringing, on a ranch in Central Washington, similar in the conservative community (yep, Paul Harvey on the radio, for sure) and the animals and tractor driving for field work, but with lovingly indulgent immigrant Eastern European grandparents. Your powerful story has made it clear to me that I could never have done what you did, and it’s a good thing for everybody I didn’t try. I appreciate and admire your attitude toward caring for others, and your strength and skill in living it.

    Happy Summer Solstice,

    Kristina

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  4. Hello Kristina, it was nice meeting you also. So many women in my age group have similar comments to yours. They wish they could have and then life took them on a different path. In my second book, Never the Same Again, you can see that all the 50 authors who contributed were changed forever by their overseas experience.

    I look forward to crossing paths with you again in the writing community.

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