November 15, 2025 • 18 mins
Guest: Nellie Nakhel — author, advocate, and founder of Lovely Life Library, a creative space where children’s stories celebrate neurodiversity and inclusion.
Diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, Nellie transformed what once felt like a barrier into her greatest creative strength. Through her storytelling and teaching, she’s helping kids and adults alike see that thinking differently isn’t a limitation — it’s a superpower.
Together, Paul and Nellie explore how neurodiversity shapes learning, creativity, and empathy, and what it means to create stories that make every child feel seen.
Notable Quotes
“If I can make even one child feel better about their differences, that’s success to me.” — Nellie Nakhel
“Neurodiversity isn’t something to overcome — it’s something to celebrate.” — Paul Cruz
Nellie Nakhel is an author, educator, and advocate for neurodiversity. As the founder of Lovely Life Library, she creates inclusive picture books that help children embrace their differences with pride. Her work blends her background in psychology, her experience in higher education, and her personal journey with dyslexia to empower learners of all kinds.
To purchase Nellie's Lovely Life Library's 7 books through Amazon
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to buy through our affiliation links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast!
For Amazon US and International Buyers (except Canada)
1. "Rising With Dyslexia” - https://amzn.to/3MuXVx3
2. "Light Of Hers” - https://amzn.to/48JPkxS
3. "Shining in Silence: The Story of a Deaf Dancer" - https://amzn.to/44iD9H6
4. "The Waves of Anxiety: And Learning How to Swim" - https://amzn.to/48zi9yn
5. "Breathe, Little One: It's Not So Easy...But I'm Trying!" - https://amzn.to/48PHoez
6. "Leo, the Lion Who Taught Me" - https://amzn.to/4iRiNup
7. "Every Believes In Something: Together in a World of Differences" https://amzn.to/4aKZMI2
For Amazon Canada Buyers:
1. "Rising With Dyslexia” -https://amzn.to/4rQACxV
2. "Light Of Hers” - https://amzn.to/4q3u11e
3. "Shining in Silence: The Story of a Deaf Dancer" - https://amzn.to/3KXr6ID
4. "The Waves of Anxiety: And Learning How to Swim" - https://amzn.to/3MpxN6R
5. "Breathe, Little One: It's Not So Easy...But I'm Trying!" - https://amzn.to/4abf8p9
6. "Leo, the Lion Who Taught Me" - https://amzn.to/48vSqXu
7. "Every Believes In Something: Together in a World of Differences" https://amzn.to/4oOjVjK
🔗 Learn more: lovelylifelibrary.com
Connect with Nellie Nakhel
- Website: lovelylifelibrary.com
- Instagram: @nellienakhel_lovelylifelibrary
- Facebook: nellie.nakhel
- Her books can be found on Amazon and Ingramspark
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Paul Cruz (00:00):
Hello and welcome to the Neurodiversity Voices
(00:02):
Podcast. I'm your host, PaulCruz and I'm thrilled to have
you join me on this journey ofexploration, advocacy, and
celebration of neurodiversity.Together, we'll have meaningful
conversations, share inspiringstories, and challenge
misconceptions aboutneurodiversity. This podcast is
(00:23):
for everyone, whether you'reneurodivergent yourself, an
educator, a parent, or justsomeone curious to learn more.
My goal is to amplify voices,foster understanding, and spark
change in the way we view andsupport neurodiversity.
I'm so excited to have you as wecelebrate the beauty of diverse
minds and work toward a moreinclusive future. So sit back,
(00:48):
relax, and let's get started.Welcome back to the
Neurodiversity Voices podcast,where we celebrate the minds
that think, learn, and createdifferently. I'm your host,
Paul, and today we're divinginto a story that shows just how
powerful our differences can bewhen we embrace them fully. Our
(01:10):
guest today is Nelly Nichol,author, advocate, and founder of
Lovely Life Library, a creativespace where children's stories
celebrate neurodiversity andinclusion.
Diagnosed with dyslexia at ayoung age, Nelly turned what was
once seen as a challenge intoher greatest creative strength.
(01:33):
Through her writing andteaching, she's helping children
and adults see that there'sbeauty in every way of thinking.
In this episode, we'll talkabout the origins of Lovely Life
Library, how dyslexia has shapedNelly's storytelling, and what
it truly means to createinclusive stories that help
(01:55):
every child feel seen. Sowhether you're an educator, a
parent, or someone exploringyour own neurodiverse journey,
this conversation is for you.Hey Nelly!
It's so great to have you here.Welcome to the Neurodiversity
(02:16):
Voices podcast. I've been reallylooking forward to this
conversation. Your work withLovely Life Library is just
incredible. The way you'veturned your experiences with
dyslexia into stories that helpkids see their differences as
something to be proud of.
That's powerful. I love howyou're using storytelling to
(02:36):
open up new ways of thinkingabout learning, creativity, and
inclusion. There's so much tounpack today, and I'm excited to
dive in with you. Thanks so muchfor joining me.
Nellie Nakhel (02:47):
Of course, happy to be here.
Paul Cruz (02:51):
Before we dive into your work, I'd love to start
with something light. If yourlife were a picture book right
now, what would the title be andwhy?
Nellie Nakhel (03:02):
It would probably be something along the lines of
chaos in life, but notnecessarily in a bad way because
chaos can just be having so muchgoing on in your life. And I
think that's where I'm at rightnow.
Paul Cruz (03:19):
That sense of story connects beautifully with your
work. Can you share whatinspired you to start Lovely
Life Library and how your ownexperiences growing up shaped
that vision?
Nellie Nakhel (03:32):
Yes. I've been writing since I was a little
kid. I've always loved to writemy own stories from small
paragraphs to long books,depending on my age. And I've
always struggled with dyslexiaand anxiety and fitting in and
just a number of things relatedto neurodiversity and other
(03:54):
aspects. So the idea to do abook has always been something
that's in the back of my mind.
But as I've tried to write novelafter novel, I realized that I
was too much of a perfectionistto ever finish them. So I
decided to do children's booksinstead. And once I started, I
just couldn't stop because itwas so much fun. And I've
(04:14):
realized it's also a great wayto share my story with kids and
help them feel better about, youknow, struggles they may be
going through that were similarto what I went through. And I
titled it Lovely Life's Librarybecause I used to write lovely
life in the sand when I was akid.
Paul Cruz (04:32):
You've mentioned being open about your own
neurodiversity. When did youfirst begin to understand your
dyslexia and how did thatinfluence how you saw yourself
as a learner?
Nellie Nakhel (04:45):
So I have always known that I was a little bit
different than the rest of thekids and I never understood why
until about fourth grade I wasdiagnosed with a learning
disability and I realized, wow,there's actually a term for it.
There's a reason for what I'mthinking. There's a reason for
the way that my mind works alittle differently. And I had
(05:07):
never really met anyone withdyslexia before. I didn't know
it was a thing.
I wasn't introduced to it.Didn't know that it was so
common until I was much older.And it's really helped me
realize that it's notnecessarily a bad thing to think
differently. And as a kid, itwas just nice to have that
reason behind everything insteadof just thinking that you
(05:29):
struggle for no reason. So itwas definitely a part of my
educational journey from thetime I was young to growing up,
and it's always been there inthe educational environment and
how I've handled things.
Paul Cruz (05:46):
You've transformed what once felt like a struggle
into a creative strength. Whendid your love of storytelling
begin to overlap with yourexperiences of neurodiversity?
Nellie Nakhel (05:57):
Yeah. Well, like I said, I've always loved to
write, but I'd say they startedto overlap with neurodiversity
later because I used to writejust, fictional stories based on
characters and romances anddramas and things like that. But
then I studied psychology incollege and then I started
working in higher education. Andthe more I've worked in
(06:20):
education, the more I've seenpeople like me who had the same
kinds of struggles that I hadgrowing up. So I was fueled with
this, passion to make it moreknown to others that these
struggles exist and help peoplethrough it at any and all ages.
So I think that's kind of whenit started combining around the
(06:41):
time that I got more involved inhigher education.
Paul Cruz (06:47):
Many people describe dyslexia as both a challenge and
a gift. How has it shaped theway you think, learn and create?
Nellie Nakhel (06:55):
Yes, I would definitely describe it as both a
challenge and a gift. I am ableto read, a lot, which is not
always the case with people withdyslexia. But what is nice is I
can also read what other peoplewith dyslexia have written, even
if it doesn't make sense toother people. My mom will
sometimes have me read thingsthat her kids with learning
(07:16):
disabilities have writtenbecause the letters and what
they're trying to write makessense to me because my brain
works the same way. So it'sreally interesting and exciting
to be able to do that as well asI've just learned how to adapt
the way I learn by learningthrough videos and through
applying them to life.
Real world examples help a lotrather than just listening to
(07:40):
someone lecture about somethingor reading about something in a
textbook. Those ways can be kindof difficult to understand. And
I've definitely found thatdyslexia gives me a lot
creativity. I've always beenvery creative, both with art,
with writing, and I think it'salso given me a lot of empathy
and able to relate to otherstruggles because having an
(08:01):
invisible disorder, it reallymakes you realize that you can't
always see what other people aregoing through. So it helped me
be more empathetic to otherpeople regardless of who they
are or what their differencesare.
So it definitely gives you a lotof strengths as well as
struggles in life.
Paul Cruz (08:20):
You've spoken about thinking in pictures and
stories. Do you find that yourdyslexia gives you a more visual
or imaginative way ofstorytelling, especially through
picture books?
Nellie Nakhel (08:33):
Yes, definitely. As a kid, I didn't even see
words on a page when I wouldread books. I would see pictures
in my head of what I was readingand I could it was kinda like
watching a movie even though Iwas actually reading. So now I
use that in my writing and a lotof times it'll come up by, have
a dream about something or I'mlooking at something and my mind
(08:55):
just starts creating all theseideas. And I definitely think
that having dyslexia makes a lotof us more creative and
imaginative.
Yeah. I've always been able tosee things in a different way
than a lot of people.
Paul Cruz (09:12):
That empathy really comes true in your books. How
have your own learningexperiences helped you connect
with children who see the worlddifferently too?
Nellie Nakhel (09:23):
So I've had the pleasure of volunteering and
working in all different realmsof education, all the way from
special education to one of thetop universities in the country.
So it's really nice to be ableto connect with so many
different people at so manydifferent levels of education.
And I have the ability toconnect with my mom's students
(09:46):
because she's a teacher. So Iget to connect with students in
that way. And she actually has astudent right now who has
anxiety.
And she came up to my mom andjust said like, it's amazing how
your daughter speaks aboutanxiety. And she just really
gets it. And that made me feelso good to know that, you know,
other kids are feeling moreunderstood and hopefully they
(10:08):
can see themselves being moresuccessful than I did when I was
their age.
Paul Cruz (10:16):
Inclusivity feels like a core theme in your
stories. How do you make surethat children with different
learning styles and backgroundsfeel included in your books?
Nellie Nakhel (10:26):
Yes. So I definitely try and keep that in
mind in my writing. I make sureto check all the fonts that I
use to make sure that they'reable to be read by a lot of
different people with a lot ofdifferent learning disabilities.
I know personally, I struggle toread cursive, so I want to make
sure that everyone doesn'tstruggle to read what I write. I
(10:47):
want it to be accessible toeveryone.
And I also try not to use reallydifficult to pronounce words or
names, because I know when I wasa kid, I would struggle to read
the names in books if the namesare really complicated, and I
would just make up my own. So Itry and, you know, keep those
things in mind when I'm writingthe books, and I hope to include
(11:09):
more diversity in my charactersso that everyone can kinda see
themselves in at least onestory, whether it's race or
where they're from or whatdisability they have or the way
they think or mental healthstruggle they've been through.
So I just want to expand to allthe different aspects that
people face.
Paul Cruz (11:31):
Beyond your books, you also advocate through
teaching and community outreach.How has your own journey with
dyslexia shaped your advocacyfor neurodiverse learners?
Nellie Nakhel (11:41):
So when I lecture, I try and think about
professors and teachers thatI've had that I liked and those
that I didn't like and whatstyles worked and which ones
didn't. And I use that in my ownteaching and I make sure to
teach in a lot of differentformats rather than just lecture
style. I do lecture videos,discussion, writing assignments,
(12:03):
projects. So I try and put allof it together on one class so
students don't feel like there'sonly one way of learning in the
class. There's multipledifferent ways to approach
things.
And over time, I would like toincrease that even more to give
students options for eachassignment. Like you can submit
a video or you can submit awriting assignment. So hopefully
I'll be able to do that as Idevelop my teaching style more.
(12:26):
And I've had the privilege ofmeeting people with ADHD, people
on the spectrum, people of alldifferent backgrounds. And it's
really helped me realize notjust what I, you know, used to
struggle with, but also what alot of different neurodiverse,
individuals struggle with.
Paul Cruz (12:46):
Education keeps coming up in your answers. If
you could change one thing abouthow we teach reading or
storytelling to make it moreinclusive, what would it be?
Nellie Nakhel (12:57):
I would love for students to be able to feel like
they can choose to read thingsthat interest them, because I
know in school it can feel likereading is no fun and just
challenging and hard work for noreason, because you're not
enjoying what you're reading.But if you can have kids choose
the books that they're readingand actually enjoy the material,
(13:20):
it might make them want to readmore and it might encourage them
to read on their own. I wouldalso say it was really difficult
for me to say things out loud.And teachers would say that you
have to describe this out loud.You have to read this out loud.
Rather than doing that, like Iwas saying before, I would like
(13:41):
students to have options of youcan do this writing or you can
do this speaking. That way everylearning style is embraced. And
I know that's hard to do whenyou've got a class of like 25 to
75 or however many studentsteachers deal with right now. So
I don't blame the educationsystem at all for having that,
(14:01):
that it's lacking. But if Icould improve anything, it would
definitely be making educationmore individualized.
Paul Cruz (14:10):
Let's talk about what success looks for you. When you
think about Lovely Life Libraryand the children you reach, what
does success mean to youpersonally?
Nellie Nakhel (14:20):
When I first started Lovely Life Library, it
didn't even have a name and Iwas just starting with one book
and I told myself, even if thisdoesn't go anywhere, even if I
don't make any money at it, evenif I'm not successful, if I can
make just one student or one kidfeel better, then that's worth
it. I mean, hearing what some ofmy mom's students have said or
(14:43):
what some people online havesaid to, you know, relate to
what they're going through andthat I'm speaking to them and
their struggles, it makeseverything very worthwhile. And
it is fun in itself writing thebook, so it's not like a
struggle or anything that I feellike I have to do. It's just
(15:03):
something that I'm passionateabout. And yeah, it'd be nice to
be successful and make money atit and things like that, but
that's more of a bonus.
For me, success is just gettingthe word out there and helping
people feel more heard andrepresented.
Paul Cruz (15:19):
To wrap up, let's circle back to your picture book
idea. If your readers were towalk away with one message from
your story, the book of yourlife, what would you want that
message to be?
Nellie Nakhel (15:33):
I would want the message to be that you can do so
much more than you think youcan. Early on, if you're
struggling with neurodiversityor anything else, it can be easy
to feel like, you you have allthese negative thoughts about
yourself in your head and youmight not have high expectations
for yourself and where you'regoing in life. If you push
(15:55):
yourself out of your comfortzone and do things that are
challenging for you, it will beworth it, and you'll have this
sense of pride in yourself thatfeels so much better than when
you do something for otherpeople. So I'd want kids to feel
like they can do things, andthey can do things for
themselves. That's what I'd lovethem to take away from my story.
Paul Cruz (16:20):
Nelly, this has been such a great conversation. Thank
you so much for sharing yourstory and your perspective with
us. I really love how you'veturned your own journey with
dyslexia into something that'sinspiring a whole new generation
of readers and storytellers. Thework you're doing with Lovely
Life Library is making such adifference, and it's a great
(16:42):
reminder that every kind of mindhas something amazing to offer.
Thanks again for hanging outwith me today.
It's been an absolute pleasurehaving you on the show.
Nellie Nakhel (16:52):
Of course. It's been great to be here. Thank you
so much.
Paul Cruz (17:00):
What a powerful and heartwarming conversation with
Nelly Neckle. Her journeyreminds us that neurodiversity
isn't something to overcome,it's something to celebrate.
Through Lovey Life Library,Nelly is showing children
everywhere that theirdifferences can be their
greatest stories. If today'sepisode resonated with you,
(17:23):
share it with someone who mightneed that reminder. A teacher, a
parent, or a young learner who'sdiscovering their own strengths.
You can learn more about Nelly'swork and explore her inclusive
picture books by visitinglovelylifelibrary.com or
following her on social media.Links are in the show notes. And
(17:45):
as always, thank you for tuningin to the Neurodiversity Voices
podcast. I'm your host, Paul,reminding you that every mind
has a story worth telling. Toour listeners, We'd love to hear
(18:35):
from you.
Until next time, take care, staycurious, and keep celebrating
the beauty of diverse minds.Thanks for listening to the
Neurodiversity Voices podcast.
Hello and welcome to the Neurodiversity Voices
(00:02):
Podcast. I'm your host, PaulCruz and I'm thrilled to have
you join me on this journey ofexploration, advocacy, and
celebration of neurodiversity.Together, we'll have meaningful
conversations, share inspiringstories, and challenge
misconceptions aboutneurodiversity. This podcast is
(00:23):
for everyone, whether you'reneurodivergent yourself, an
educator, a parent, or justsomeone curious to learn more.
My goal is to amplify voices,foster understanding, and spark
change in the way we view andsupport neurodiversity.
I'm so excited to have you as wecelebrate the beauty of diverse
minds and work toward a moreinclusive future. So sit back,
(00:48):
relax, and let's get started.Welcome back to the
Neurodiversity Voices podcast,where we celebrate the minds
that think, learn, and createdifferently. I'm your host,
Paul, and today we're divinginto a story that shows just how
powerful our differences can bewhen we embrace them fully. Our
(01:10):
guest today is Nelly Nichol,author, advocate, and founder of
Lovely Life Library, a creativespace where children's stories
celebrate neurodiversity andinclusion.
Diagnosed with dyslexia at ayoung age, Nelly turned what was
once seen as a challenge intoher greatest creative strength.
(01:33):
Through her writing andteaching, she's helping children
and adults see that there'sbeauty in every way of thinking.
In this episode, we'll talkabout the origins of Lovely Life
Library, how dyslexia has shapedNelly's storytelling, and what
it truly means to createinclusive stories that help
(01:55):
every child feel seen. Sowhether you're an educator, a
parent, or someone exploringyour own neurodiverse journey,
this conversation is for you.Hey Nelly!
It's so great to have you here.Welcome to the Neurodiversity
(02:16):
Voices podcast. I've been reallylooking forward to this
conversation. Your work withLovely Life Library is just
incredible. The way you'veturned your experiences with
dyslexia into stories that helpkids see their differences as
something to be proud of.
That's powerful. I love howyou're using storytelling to
(02:36):
open up new ways of thinkingabout learning, creativity, and
inclusion. There's so much tounpack today, and I'm excited to
dive in with you. Thanks so muchfor joining me.
Nellie Nakhel (02:47):
Of course, happy to be here.
Paul Cruz (02:51):
Before we dive into your work, I'd love to start
with something light. If yourlife were a picture book right
now, what would the title be andwhy?
Nellie Nakhel (03:02):
It would probably be something along the lines of
chaos in life, but notnecessarily in a bad way because
chaos can just be having so muchgoing on in your life. And I
think that's where I'm at rightnow.
Paul Cruz (03:19):
That sense of story connects beautifully with your
work. Can you share whatinspired you to start Lovely
Life Library and how your ownexperiences growing up shaped
that vision?
Nellie Nakhel (03:32):
Yes. I've been writing since I was a little
kid. I've always loved to writemy own stories from small
paragraphs to long books,depending on my age. And I've
always struggled with dyslexiaand anxiety and fitting in and
just a number of things relatedto neurodiversity and other
(03:54):
aspects. So the idea to do abook has always been something
that's in the back of my mind.
But as I've tried to write novelafter novel, I realized that I
was too much of a perfectionistto ever finish them. So I
decided to do children's booksinstead. And once I started, I
just couldn't stop because itwas so much fun. And I've
(04:14):
realized it's also a great wayto share my story with kids and
help them feel better about, youknow, struggles they may be
going through that were similarto what I went through. And I
titled it Lovely Life's Librarybecause I used to write lovely
life in the sand when I was akid.
Paul Cruz (04:32):
You've mentioned being open about your own
neurodiversity. When did youfirst begin to understand your
dyslexia and how did thatinfluence how you saw yourself
as a learner?
Nellie Nakhel (04:45):
So I have always known that I was a little bit
different than the rest of thekids and I never understood why
until about fourth grade I wasdiagnosed with a learning
disability and I realized, wow,there's actually a term for it.
There's a reason for what I'mthinking. There's a reason for
the way that my mind works alittle differently. And I had
(05:07):
never really met anyone withdyslexia before. I didn't know
it was a thing.
I wasn't introduced to it.Didn't know that it was so
common until I was much older.And it's really helped me
realize that it's notnecessarily a bad thing to think
differently. And as a kid, itwas just nice to have that
reason behind everything insteadof just thinking that you
(05:29):
struggle for no reason. So itwas definitely a part of my
educational journey from thetime I was young to growing up,
and it's always been there inthe educational environment and
how I've handled things.
Paul Cruz (05:46):
You've transformed what once felt like a struggle
into a creative strength. Whendid your love of storytelling
begin to overlap with yourexperiences of neurodiversity?
Nellie Nakhel (05:57):
Yeah. Well, like I said, I've always loved to
write, but I'd say they startedto overlap with neurodiversity
later because I used to writejust, fictional stories based on
characters and romances anddramas and things like that. But
then I studied psychology incollege and then I started
working in higher education. Andthe more I've worked in
(06:20):
education, the more I've seenpeople like me who had the same
kinds of struggles that I hadgrowing up. So I was fueled with
this, passion to make it moreknown to others that these
struggles exist and help peoplethrough it at any and all ages.
So I think that's kind of whenit started combining around the
(06:41):
time that I got more involved inhigher education.
Paul Cruz (06:47):
Many people describe dyslexia as both a challenge and
a gift. How has it shaped theway you think, learn and create?
Nellie Nakhel (06:55):
Yes, I would definitely describe it as both a
challenge and a gift. I am ableto read, a lot, which is not
always the case with people withdyslexia. But what is nice is I
can also read what other peoplewith dyslexia have written, even
if it doesn't make sense toother people. My mom will
sometimes have me read thingsthat her kids with learning
(07:16):
disabilities have writtenbecause the letters and what
they're trying to write makessense to me because my brain
works the same way. So it'sreally interesting and exciting
to be able to do that as well asI've just learned how to adapt
the way I learn by learningthrough videos and through
applying them to life.
Real world examples help a lotrather than just listening to
(07:40):
someone lecture about somethingor reading about something in a
textbook. Those ways can be kindof difficult to understand. And
I've definitely found thatdyslexia gives me a lot
creativity. I've always beenvery creative, both with art,
with writing, and I think it'salso given me a lot of empathy
and able to relate to otherstruggles because having an
(08:01):
invisible disorder, it reallymakes you realize that you can't
always see what other people aregoing through. So it helped me
be more empathetic to otherpeople regardless of who they
are or what their differencesare.
So it definitely gives you a lotof strengths as well as
struggles in life.
Paul Cruz (08:20):
You've spoken about thinking in pictures and
stories. Do you find that yourdyslexia gives you a more visual
or imaginative way ofstorytelling, especially through
picture books?
Nellie Nakhel (08:33):
Yes, definitely. As a kid, I didn't even see
words on a page when I wouldread books. I would see pictures
in my head of what I was readingand I could it was kinda like
watching a movie even though Iwas actually reading. So now I
use that in my writing and a lotof times it'll come up by, have
a dream about something or I'mlooking at something and my mind
(08:55):
just starts creating all theseideas. And I definitely think
that having dyslexia makes a lotof us more creative and
imaginative.
Yeah. I've always been able tosee things in a different way
than a lot of people.
Paul Cruz (09:12):
That empathy really comes true in your books. How
have your own learningexperiences helped you connect
with children who see the worlddifferently too?
Nellie Nakhel (09:23):
So I've had the pleasure of volunteering and
working in all different realmsof education, all the way from
special education to one of thetop universities in the country.
So it's really nice to be ableto connect with so many
different people at so manydifferent levels of education.
And I have the ability toconnect with my mom's students
(09:46):
because she's a teacher. So Iget to connect with students in
that way. And she actually has astudent right now who has
anxiety.
And she came up to my mom andjust said like, it's amazing how
your daughter speaks aboutanxiety. And she just really
gets it. And that made me feelso good to know that, you know,
other kids are feeling moreunderstood and hopefully they
(10:08):
can see themselves being moresuccessful than I did when I was
their age.
Paul Cruz (10:16):
Inclusivity feels like a core theme in your
stories. How do you make surethat children with different
learning styles and backgroundsfeel included in your books?
Nellie Nakhel (10:26):
Yes. So I definitely try and keep that in
mind in my writing. I make sureto check all the fonts that I
use to make sure that they'reable to be read by a lot of
different people with a lot ofdifferent learning disabilities.
I know personally, I struggle toread cursive, so I want to make
sure that everyone doesn'tstruggle to read what I write. I
(10:47):
want it to be accessible toeveryone.
And I also try not to use reallydifficult to pronounce words or
names, because I know when I wasa kid, I would struggle to read
the names in books if the namesare really complicated, and I
would just make up my own. So Itry and, you know, keep those
things in mind when I'm writingthe books, and I hope to include
(11:09):
more diversity in my charactersso that everyone can kinda see
themselves in at least onestory, whether it's race or
where they're from or whatdisability they have or the way
they think or mental healthstruggle they've been through.
So I just want to expand to allthe different aspects that
people face.
Paul Cruz (11:31):
Beyond your books, you also advocate through
teaching and community outreach.How has your own journey with
dyslexia shaped your advocacyfor neurodiverse learners?
Nellie Nakhel (11:41):
So when I lecture, I try and think about
professors and teachers thatI've had that I liked and those
that I didn't like and whatstyles worked and which ones
didn't. And I use that in my ownteaching and I make sure to
teach in a lot of differentformats rather than just lecture
style. I do lecture videos,discussion, writing assignments,
(12:03):
projects. So I try and put allof it together on one class so
students don't feel like there'sonly one way of learning in the
class. There's multipledifferent ways to approach
things.
And over time, I would like toincrease that even more to give
students options for eachassignment. Like you can submit
a video or you can submit awriting assignment. So hopefully
I'll be able to do that as Idevelop my teaching style more.
(12:26):
And I've had the privilege ofmeeting people with ADHD, people
on the spectrum, people of alldifferent backgrounds. And it's
really helped me realize notjust what I, you know, used to
struggle with, but also what alot of different neurodiverse,
individuals struggle with.
Paul Cruz (12:46):
Education keeps coming up in your answers. If
you could change one thing abouthow we teach reading or
storytelling to make it moreinclusive, what would it be?
Nellie Nakhel (12:57):
I would love for students to be able to feel like
they can choose to read thingsthat interest them, because I
know in school it can feel likereading is no fun and just
challenging and hard work for noreason, because you're not
enjoying what you're reading.But if you can have kids choose
the books that they're readingand actually enjoy the material,
(13:20):
it might make them want to readmore and it might encourage them
to read on their own. I wouldalso say it was really difficult
for me to say things out loud.And teachers would say that you
have to describe this out loud.You have to read this out loud.
Rather than doing that, like Iwas saying before, I would like
(13:41):
students to have options of youcan do this writing or you can
do this speaking. That way everylearning style is embraced. And
I know that's hard to do whenyou've got a class of like 25 to
75 or however many studentsteachers deal with right now. So
I don't blame the educationsystem at all for having that,
(14:01):
that it's lacking. But if Icould improve anything, it would
definitely be making educationmore individualized.
Paul Cruz (14:10):
Let's talk about what success looks for you. When you
think about Lovely Life Libraryand the children you reach, what
does success mean to youpersonally?
Nellie Nakhel (14:20):
When I first started Lovely Life Library, it
didn't even have a name and Iwas just starting with one book
and I told myself, even if thisdoesn't go anywhere, even if I
don't make any money at it, evenif I'm not successful, if I can
make just one student or one kidfeel better, then that's worth
it. I mean, hearing what some ofmy mom's students have said or
(14:43):
what some people online havesaid to, you know, relate to
what they're going through andthat I'm speaking to them and
their struggles, it makeseverything very worthwhile. And
it is fun in itself writing thebook, so it's not like a
struggle or anything that I feellike I have to do. It's just
(15:03):
something that I'm passionateabout. And yeah, it'd be nice to
be successful and make money atit and things like that, but
that's more of a bonus.
For me, success is just gettingthe word out there and helping
people feel more heard andrepresented.
Paul Cruz (15:19):
To wrap up, let's circle back to your picture book
idea. If your readers were towalk away with one message from
your story, the book of yourlife, what would you want that
message to be?
Nellie Nakhel (15:33):
I would want the message to be that you can do so
much more than you think youcan. Early on, if you're
struggling with neurodiversityor anything else, it can be easy
to feel like, you you have allthese negative thoughts about
yourself in your head and youmight not have high expectations
for yourself and where you'regoing in life. If you push
(15:55):
yourself out of your comfortzone and do things that are
challenging for you, it will beworth it, and you'll have this
sense of pride in yourself thatfeels so much better than when
you do something for otherpeople. So I'd want kids to feel
like they can do things, andthey can do things for
themselves. That's what I'd lovethem to take away from my story.
Paul Cruz (16:20):
Nelly, this has been such a great conversation. Thank
you so much for sharing yourstory and your perspective with
us. I really love how you'veturned your own journey with
dyslexia into something that'sinspiring a whole new generation
of readers and storytellers. Thework you're doing with Lovely
Life Library is making such adifference, and it's a great
(16:42):
reminder that every kind of mindhas something amazing to offer.
Thanks again for hanging outwith me today.
It's been an absolute pleasurehaving you on the show.
Nellie Nakhel (16:52):
Of course. It's been great to be here. Thank you
so much.
Paul Cruz (17:00):
What a powerful and heartwarming conversation with
Nelly Neckle. Her journeyreminds us that neurodiversity
isn't something to overcome,it's something to celebrate.
Through Lovey Life Library,Nelly is showing children
everywhere that theirdifferences can be their
greatest stories. If today'sepisode resonated with you,
(17:23):
share it with someone who mightneed that reminder. A teacher, a
parent, or a young learner who'sdiscovering their own strengths.
You can learn more about Nelly'swork and explore her inclusive
picture books by visitinglovelylifelibrary.com or
following her on social media.Links are in the show notes. And
(17:45):
as always, thank you for tuningin to the Neurodiversity Voices
podcast. I'm your host, Paul,reminding you that every mind
has a story worth telling. Toour listeners, We'd love to hear
(18:35):
from you.
Until next time, take care, staycurious, and keep celebrating
the beauty of diverse minds.Thanks for listening to the
Neurodiversity Voices podcast.
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