The Picture Book Buzz - Interview w/ Ellie Laks and Review of Gentle

Ellie Laks is a powerful speaker, author, and an animal communicator and healing expert who consults with people, animal rescues, and sanctuaries all over the world on how to save, heal, and treat their own animals.

She has been saving, rehabilitating and communicating with animals since she was a child. As a young adult, Ellie founded "Rover Rescue"; where she focused on taking dogs and cats from high kill shelters deemed unadoptable - saving over 500 dogs and cats. After rescuing farm animals from a petting zoo, Ellie founded The Gentle Barn, a nonprofit organization that rescues and rehabilitates not only dogs and cats, but horses, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, turkeys, peacocks, emus, llamas, and donkeys.

Ellie and her husband Jay Weiner have brought The Gentle Barn national and now have three Gentle Barn locations, in California, in Missouri and in Tennessee. The Gentle Barn is one of the largest and most beloved farm animal sanctuaries in the world. It is their goal to be the voice for animals, share their stories, and open the hearts of humanity towards all living beings. For more information about The Gentle Barn, please visit: www.gentlebarn.org.

She’s the author of Cow Hug Therapy: How The Animals at The Gentle Barn Taught Me About Life, Death, and Everything in Between (2024) and My Gentle Barn: Creating A Sanctuary Where Animals Heal and Children Learn to Hope (2014).

Ellie’s debut picture book, Gentle, releases August 11th.

Welcome Ellie,

Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write? How long have you been

writing?)

I have always loved to read and write and wanted to be an author, but it took a while for me to develop my voice and for the stories to take shape. My memoir, My Gentle Barn was published in 2014, Cow Hug Therapy came out in 2024, and now I got to write my first children’s book, Gentle. I am so pleased.

I write in my office, with my dogs at my feet, mostly on weekends or evenings, when the volunteers and staff are gone for the day, and I can quiet my mind and focus.

Sounds like a great place to work. Can you share a bit about your journey in founding The Gentle Barn sanctuary?

The Gentle Barn was my dream at seven years old. It took me almost thirty years to realize it. Because of an abusive petting zoo I discovered, I brought dozens of animals home to my half acre backyard, healed them with the help of a mobile veterinarian, and later opened my doors for struggling people to hug cows, cuddle turkeys, hold chickens, and rub piggy tummies with me. Jay came in as a volunteer a few years later, we fell in love and joined forces to expand our mission. In 2015, we expanded to Tennessee to bring healing to animals and humans just outside Nashville. We currently have two locations and approximately one hundred and fifty rescued animals that we care for.

Definitely a dream come true. And a very precious gift for many people and animals. What is one of the most fun or unusual places where you’ve written a manuscript?

I wish I could say something really exciting, like I write while skydiving, lol. But the truth is that I need quiet and focus when I write. The exciting and the unusual happen during the day, in the barnyard, and the writing happens behind closed doors, by myself, where the words come to me and the stories unfold through me.

Sounds perfect. What was your inspiration or spark of interest for Gentle?

The inspiration was all Lewis, a calf who we raised in our house for nine months until he chose to live with the cows. I bottle fed him for three and a half years, took him for walks, watched as he played with our dog Sky, and fell madly in love with him. It became very clear that there is little difference between dogs and cows and I had to share Lewis and his healing journey with the world. I also noticed that the only reason Lewis lived was because of the gentleness he got from all of us. It made me wish for more gentleness in the world.

This book is Lewis’ story, but also a call to action for families to start talking about what it means to be gentle.

Aww, I am glad you captured this special calf's story. What is the hardest or most challenging thing about writing Gentle? And what was the most fun?

The hardest thing about writing Gentle was getting the words just right, not overthinking it, just letting it take shape. This was also the most fun, because once I let the book unfold by itself, it became something gorgeous that I am so proud of.

With such few words, that can be a real challenge. How many revisions did the illustrations take from first draft to publication for Gentle?

First Jennifer, the illustrator came out to The Gentle Barn to meet Lewis and the other animals for herself. Then she came up with sketches that were amazing. There were a few edits and changes, but then she added color to them and took my breath away. There were just a few changes to the halter to look more like the halter Lewis wore, and a few other things. But Jennifer definitely made it look easy.

It's cool that you had contact with the illustrator and she in turn got to personally meet Lewis. Did anything amaze or surprise you when you first saw Jennifer A. Bell’s illustrations? What is your favorite spread?

Text © Ellie Laks, 2026. Image © Jennifer A. Bell, 2026.

I saw many different artists to decide who would illustrate Gentle and when I saw Jennifers work I knew right away that she was the one. Her artwork is whimsical, soft, and gentle. It was perfect. I truly appreciated that she came to The Gentle Barn to meet Lewis and the other animals for herself. The book is a true depiction of the landscape and characters but also seems so soft and easy on the eyes.

I love Jennifer's soft illustrations and her sweet capture of caring for others. What's something you want your readers to know about Gentle?

It is the true story of a calf’s healing journey at The Gentle Barn, and it also encourages families to talk about what gentleness can look like for us all.

I'm glad you were able to save Lewis and give him such a special home. Are there any new projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?

I am working on my second children’s book called Thankful. I am so excited to tell these stories on behalf of our animal ambassadors.

I'm looking forward to seeing your next book! Last question, what is your favorite National Park or Forest, regional park, or city park (anywhere in the world)? Or the one you’re longing to visit. Why?

The Redwood forest just outside San Francisco is my favorite. The trees there are hundreds of years old and share much wisdom and comfort. I close my eyes, listen to the stillness, and feel their ancient energy all around me. It is almost like a cow hug!

Thank you, Ellie, for sharing with us a bit about yourself and your debut picture book.

To find out more about Ellie Laks, or to contact her:

Website: https://ellielaks.com/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/ellielaks/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellielaks/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllieLaks/#

Review of Gentle

Having bottle raised a calf myself, who also thought himself a dog and always joined our family dog and lamb at the end of the driveway to wait for the school bus, I found this to be a touching and sweet story, encouraging more gentleness and understanding toward animals and each other.

Gentle

Author: Ellie Laks

Illustrator: Jennifer A. Bell

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (8/11/2026)

Ages: 3-6

Theme:

Gentleness, care of animals, friendship, rescues, farm animals, and emotions.

Synopsis:

A gorgeous picture book from one of the largest, most popular animal-rescue sanctuaries in America, Gentle Barn, about a baby animal healing and gaining confidence as he's welcomed to the farm.

Gentle beginnings.

A sick baby cow is welcomed to a sanctuary by a tender young girl.

Gentle healing.

Day by day, the young calf grows stronger because of the care of new friends.

Gentle joy.

Gentle is a sweet picture book about the transformative power that quiet love and kindness can have on any creature, based on the real-life animal sanctuary the Gentle Barn.

Opening Lines:

Gentle voice.

Gentle words.

Gentle trust.

Gentle feeling.

What I loved about this book:

Based on a true story of the rescue of a sick little calf, Ellie Laks uses succinct two-word sentences in a melodic and soothing format to model the patient, slow, and calm way which rescuers, especially at The Gentle Barn animal sanctuary, approach the arrival and care of rescued animals.

Text © Ellie Laks, 2026. Image © Jennifer A. Bell, 2026.

Jennifer A. Bell’s acrylic paint and colored pencil illustrations, with their soft lines and pastel palette, perfectly pair with the text, creating moments of a quiet calmness, as the girl and boy welcome and unload a sick and scared, little calf. I love how the first two spreads capture Lewis' arrival at the sanctuary and especially the sweet, patient moment of the girl soothing him with her voice and the accompanying subtle change in his expression and body language. The reader also gets a tantalizing, little glimpse of the barn and other rescued animals as the kids wheel Lewis to the house in a little red wagon.

Using a variety of spot images and full spreads, the text and illustrations take their time to show the initial, round-the-clock, intensive care which Lewis needed from the doctor, the children, and the dog. Kids will find it interesting that Lewis initially lived in the children's house and would take naps with them, just like a dog.

Text © Ellie Laks, 2026. Image © Jennifer A. Bell, 2026.

Once Lewis is better and able to walk around, the kids use a purple harness and start taking him exploring to meet the other rescued animals and investigate the farm. The only variance from the text's pattern, apart from the final line, occurs as Lewis first meets the other farm residents. "Gentle Barn./ Gentle strangers./ Gentle greeting./ Gentle moo, /oink, woof, and neigh." Ellie Laks and Jennifer A. Bell beautifully demonstrate the other farm resident's acceptance and developing comaraderie with Lewis. I especially loved the barnyard image of Lewis playing with the other animals, including a goat with a wheeled mobility cart and another goat in leg braces.

A super sweet, snuggly ending, makes this the perfect read for a snuggle time or for bedtime. Offering hope as we watch the calf heal and find a gentle accepting place to belong. An author's note explains a little bit about the sanctuary and offers a bit more information and pictures about Lewis. This is a wonderful book to encourage gentleness and understanding in children (and adults) toward both animals and people.

Resources:

• make your own calf or cow with these craft ideas.

  
  

• can you think of ways you can show gentleness to others or to animals?

  
  

• pair this with Call the Horse Lucky by Juanita Havill, illustrated by Nancy Lane; Lucky Ducklings by Eva Moore, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter; and Shelter by Céline Claire.