Story & Lesson Highlights with Danny Schnitzlein of Marietta

Danny Schnitzlein shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Danny, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
People know me as a children’s author, but only a few people know that I’m an artist (painter). I used to teach acrylic painting and had a few of my paintings shown in galleries. A few years ago I did the exercise: “Imagine you’re dead. Now what do you wish you had done?” My immediate answer was, I wish I had spent more time making art. It’s important to me, so I need to do it.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Danny Schnitzlein. I’m a children’s author. I’m most known for my picture book “The Monster Who Ate My Peas.” It’s a story about a boy who makes a deal with a monster to eat his dreaded peas, but the monster keeps asking for bigger and bigger things in return. Kind of like Faust for children. The book will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year and Peachtree Publishing is putting out a new version with an updated cover. I’ve gotten to edit some of the text that has bugged me over 25 years. My editor, Kathy Landwehr, has a great talent for seeing the big picture and the tiny details. I always enjoy working with her.

My most recent book, Gnu and Shrew, is a fable about dreamers and doers. Successful people are a little of both. Gnu dreams of ways to get across the river to the treasure. He also dreams about what he’ll do with the money. But Shrew works each night, plugging away at a solution. It’s my first book that’s not written in verse. I love African and Caribbean folk tales. The language is so musical and every word is essential. I tried to capture the flavor of those stories in this book. The National Science Teaching Association voted it a Best STEM book. (STEM stands for “Science Technology Engineering Mathematics).

I’ve also written songs and scripts for children’s television, including SALSA, which teaches Spanish, and The Organwise Guys, a show that teaches good health. I’m currently adapting one of my books as a musical screenplay.

I also working on a humorous middle grade story about the world’s first scientist, who happens to be a caveman. He’s fascinated by rocks and likes to smash them against each other. In the process he invents stone tools, and fire. His tribe of hunters and gatherers is skeptical of his new career. They don’t see the immediate value in science. I started writing this book long before the current dangerous backlash against science. Curiosity, exploration, thinking for yourself. These are essential traits, but too many people just want to be told what to think.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Anxiety and fear. Our parents teach us to be fearful because they’re worried we might get hurt. Fearfulness can help us in some situations. But too much fear can prevent you from accomplishing your goals. Some of us inherit anxiety in our DNA. It helped our caveman ancestors be alert to hungry lions, tigers, and giant eagles. But anxiety doesn’t serve us well in the modern world. Many of my books feature characters who are overwhelmed by their fears. To defeat their monsters, they have to face their fears. It’s impossible to shed anxiety completely. But there are ways to dispel it and calm it.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would say, “You can accomplish anything you want. Don’t be afraid. Just follow your dreams, do the work, and believe in yourself.” My father forbid me to major in English because he was afraid I wouldn’t find a job. This really pulled the rug out from me and it hurt my confidence. I switched my major to television production, graduated, and got a job making tv commercials. But I found my way back to writing eventually. And when I published my first book, there was no one prouder than my dad.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Kindness. Our society is in the middle of a kindness crisis. Since bullying became part of national politics, it’s spilled over into our everyday lives. Kids see adults behaving this way, and it gets normalized. We need to care about and support others, especially those who need extra help, people with disabilities, and low-income folks. I have an adult child with physical disabilities. Giving her the care she needs while also doing my job is a huge challenge. One or the other always suffers. Talk to anyone and you’ll discover they’re dealing with something difficult, either personally, or with a friend or family member. We need to care about each other. Kindness is a strength, not a weakness.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace in nature, hiking in the forest, surrounded by trees. Also, I’m a guitarist. Creating songs and playing music gives me peace. Reading books. Also, our family dog has a super power of “snuggling.” She’s great at making me feel peaceful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dannyschnitzlein.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannyschnitzlein/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danny.schnitzlein
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGqFOYKN_3SuekEUXK3dlhQ
• Soundcloud: Danny Schnitzlein
• Other: @dschnitz.bluesky.social

Image Credits
Allen and Jenny Hansen (author photo)