by Becca McMurdie

A few years ago, I had the tremendous opportunity to spend two months living and learning in Costa Rica. I will never forget my first encounter with a wild toucan in the Monteverde rainforest. Immediately fascinated by these majestic creatures, I vowed to learn as much about them as possible. A local birdwatching guide told me about a famous toucan at a nearby rescue center who had endured an injury and received a prosthetic beak—the first of its kind. Grecia was the bird’s name.

Curious about the story, I looked up local news articles online about it. I learned that the creation of Grecia’s prosthetic beak brought together scientists and engineers from around the globe. And not only that, the story of her injury and recovery inspired a wildlife protection movement that led to sweeping rainforest protection laws! The more I learned, the more inspired I was by the story. Why? A universal theme was emerging: While people are capable of harm and destruction (her injury was caused by humans), we are even more capable of teamwork, innovation, and love.

That winter, in Costa Rica, I was a pre-agented, pre-published author. I had only written fiction picture book manuscripts, which I had been querying for over six months. But something about this topic tickled my creative energy. There was an engaging character, a lush setting, a problem, a solution, and most of all a universal message that would pull the story together. Before long, I realized that my first narrative nonfiction picture book was coming to life. But I needed more, so I embarked on a life-altering research journey, including a visit to the rescue center where the story happened, and an interview with a member of the team involved in Grecia’s new beak. What began as curiosity and a desire to learn became the first draft of a manuscript that would eventually land me my agent AND my first book deal. BUILDING A BEAK: HOW A TOUCAN’S RESCUE INSPIRED THE WORLD released this past June with Page Street Kids.

This month, our challenge is to ideate and brainstorm and seek inspiration as much as possible. Just like with Grecia and her Costa Rican rainforest home, story ideas are all around us, even if we aren’t traveling and exploring the world. Do a quick scan in your mind for a real-life story that inspires you. This could be a heartwarming moment that you happened to see or experience on your morning commute. Or, maybe it’s an inspiring true story you learned from the news or social media. What happened, exactly, in this moment you experienced, or story you read about? Once you have a plot idea or a character that speaks to you, check in with yourself and your creative spirit. Ask yourself: Why does this story move me? What is the universal message we can glean from it? The answers to these two questions will reveal an emotional thread that will become the internal, emotional arc to your story.

One of the greatest lessons Grecia taught me as a writer starting out in her career was that through observation, inspiration is everywhere. One of my upcoming books, JUST A PUDDLE…OR IS IT?, splashed into life after watching my two-year old nephew jump in puddles. The mud hole was just a puddle to me, but to a cat, it was a drink, to a bird it was a bath, and to my nephew, it was pure joy! And BOOM….a beautiful message about appreciation of different points of view emerged. The ideas and universal themes are everywhere!

Becca is a preschool director residing in New York City. She is the author of BUILDING A BEAK: HOW A TOUCAN’S RESCUE INSPIRED THE WORLD, published by Page Street Kids in 2024, and JUST A SHELL…OR IS IT? and JUST A PUDDLE…OR IS IT? releasing with Abrams Appleseed in 2026 and 2027, respectively. Find out more about her at BeccaMcMurdie.com or on Instagram @BeccaMcMurdieBooks.

Becca McMurdie is giving away two prizes. Each winner has a choice of a fiction or nonfiction picture book manuscript critique OR a copy of BUILDING A BEAK: HOW A TOUCAN’S RESCUE INSPIRED THE WORLD.

You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2025 participant and you have commented only once below.

Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.