The Story Behind Aloe Vera’s Special Gift:
What Aloe Vera Can Teach Children About Healing, Resilience, and Self-Worth
Award-winning children’s author, educator, learning experience designer, and doctoral candidate in Applied Learning Sciences Jeanette Gil shares the inspiration behind Aloe Vera’s Special Gift, a heart-centered picture book rooted in wellness, mindfulness, cultural storytelling, and intergenerational wisdom. Inspired by the symbolic healing properties of the aloe vera plant and the storytelling traditions passed down through family, the book encourages children to recognize their inner strength, embrace their uniqueness, and understand that sometimes the most beautiful gifts are found within.
In this Featured KidLit Q&A, Jeanette reflects on the emotional heart behind the story, the importance of resilience and self-worth in children’s literature, and how families and educators can use stories to spark meaningful conversations with children.
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What inspired you to create Aloe Vera’s Special Gift? |
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The inspiration for Aloe Vera’s Special Gift came from a combination of personal reflection, family storytelling, and one of the most meaningful chapters of my life, becoming a grandmother. My grandchildren inspired me to think more deeply about the kinds of stories I wanted to leave behind and the emotional lessons I hoped children would carry with them as they grow. Becoming an “Abuela Gigi” awakened something very special in me. It reminded me of the power of nurturing, storytelling, and creating moments of connection across generations. Growing up in a Cuban family, plants, gardens, and natural remedies were always part of daily life. Aloe vera, in particular, was seen as something healing and nurturing. As I began thinking about the kinds of stories I wanted to share with children, I realized aloe vera carried a beautiful metaphor for emotional resilience and self-worth. The aloe vera plant itself is fascinating because it has a prickly exterior, yet inside it carries something soothing and healing. I immediately connected that symbolism to the emotional experiences children often have. Sometimes children may feel different, misunderstood, shy, sensitive, or uncertain about themselves, but beneath those feelings there is so much goodness, strength, and beauty waiting to be discovered. I wanted to create a story that gently reminded children that their uniqueness matters and that what makes them different may actually become their greatest gift. |
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Why did you choose aloe vera as the heart of the story? |
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Aloe vera felt like the perfect teacher for children. Nature offers so many quiet lessons if we slow down enough to notice them. Aloe teaches resilience. It thrives in difficult conditions, adapts, heals, and continues growing. I also loved the contrast between its outer appearance and its inner purpose. Children are often learning how to navigate emotions, friendships, identity, and confidence. Sometimes they may judge themselves—or others—too quickly based on what they see on the surface. Aloe vera reminds us that healing, kindness, and strength often live beneath the surface. There is also something deeply comforting about connecting children back to the natural world. In a fast-paced digital environment, stories rooted in nature can help children slow down, observe, reflect, and reconnect with themselves and others. |
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The book explores healing, resilience, and self-worth in a gentle way. Why were those themes important to you? |
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I believe children deserve stories that help them make sense of their emotions in safe and hopeful ways. As both an educator and doctoral candidate in Applied Learning Sciences, I’m deeply interested in how storytelling helps children process emotions, develop self-awareness, and build meaningful connections with the world around them. Emotional resilience is not something children simply “have” or “don’t have.” It is something that grows through relationships, experiences, encouragement, and reflection. I wanted this story to feel comforting rather than heavy-handed. Children are incredibly intuitive, and stories can create space for important conversations without making children feel lectured. Through Aloe’s journey, I hoped children would begin to recognize that vulnerability and sensitivity are not weaknesses. They can become sources of empathy, strength, and healing. Self-worth is also such an important foundation for learning and growth. When children feel seen, valued, and loved, they are more willing to explore the world confidently and compassionately. |
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How did your Cuban heritage and family storytelling traditions influence the book? |
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Family storytelling traditions are at the heart of everything I write. In many Cuban families, stories are passed down through conversations, memories, traditions, recipes, gardens, and everyday moments. My grandmother played a huge role in shaping how I understand storytelling, not just as entertainment, but as connection, wisdom, and love. There is something very powerful about stories shared across generations. They help children understand where they come from and remind them that they belong to something bigger than themselves. I wanted Aloe Vera’s Special Gift to carry that warmth and sense of intergenerational care. Even when children may not fully understand every lesson right away, they can still feel the love, safety, and intention within the story. |
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Why do you think nature-based stories resonate so strongly with children? |
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Children naturally connect with nature because it invites curiosity, wonder, and imagination. Plants, animals, gardens, and changing seasons all reflect emotional experiences children can understand. Nature also teaches patience, growth, healing, and transformation in very visual and accessible ways. I think nature-based stories create gentle pathways for children to explore larger emotional themes. A child may not always have the language to talk about confidence, resilience, or healing directly, but they can understand a plant learning to embrace its purpose or a garden growing through different seasons. Nature gives children metaphors they can carry with them long after the story ends. |
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How can parents and educators use Aloe Vera’s Special Gift to spark meaningful conversations with children? |
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One of my favorite things about picture books is that they create opportunities for connection. Parents and educators can use this story to open conversations about emotions, kindness, confidence, differences, healing, and self-acceptance. Sometimes the most meaningful discussions begin with very simple questions: • What makes Aloe special? • Have you ever felt different? • What makes you unique? • How can we help others feel valued and included? I also encourage families and educators to extend the story through hands-on experiences with nature. Planting aloe vera, caring for a garden, journaling, drawing, or simply spending time outdoors can deepen children’s emotional connection to the themes within the book. Stories become even more powerful when children are invited to reflect, create, and connect personally to them. |
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What do you hope children remember most after reading Aloe Vera’s Special Gift? |
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More than anything, I hope children remember that they already carry something valuable within themselves. I hope they understand that kindness matters, healing matters, and that their differences are not something to hide. Sometimes the very qualities that make us feel different are the qualities that allow us to help, comfort, and inspire others. I also hope children walk away with a sense of calm, wonder, and curiosity about the world around them. If this story helps even one child feel more seen, more confident, or more connected to themselves and their family, then it has done exactly what I hoped it would do. |
ABOUT the BOOK
ALOE VERA’S SPECIAL GIFT 🦋
written by Jeanette Gil, illustrated by Tania Ortiz
ALOE VERA’S SPECIAL GIFT – When Aloe Vera looks around the garden, she sees brilliant blossoms and dazzling petals—while she feels plain and prickly in comparison. No one seems to notice her… until a summer day brings sunburns, scrapes, and rashes—and Aloe steps in to help.
As Aloe uses her soothing gel to heal her garden friends, she begins to understand something powerful: what makes her different also makes her extraordinary.
Aloe Vera’s Special Gift is a heartwarming picture book that introduces children to themes of healing, mindfulness, resilience, and self-worth through the symbolic journey of the aloe vera plant. Rooted in cultural storytelling and intergenerational wisdom, the story encourages children to embrace their uniqueness and discover the beauty within themselves and others.
📝 About Jeanette Gil
Jeanette Gil is an award-winning Cuban-American children’s book author, educator, learning experience designer, and doctoral candidate in Applied Learning Sciences. Her work centers on wellness, mindfulness, cultural storytelling, and intergenerational wisdom. Inspired by family traditions and meaningful learning experiences, she creates stories that encourage children to grow with confidence, empathy, and intention. Aloe Vera’s Special Gift is her debut picture book and recipient of multiple literary recognitions.
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