The Picture Book Buzz - Interview w/Jacob Lockett and Review of My Life as an Asthmanaut

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Jake Lockett writes books and stories for children.

Photo of author Jake Lockett standing in the woods.

His short stories for young readers have appeared in Smarty Pants Kids, Skipping Stones, and Spider. Jake enjoys learning about space, exploring nature, building Lego sets, and watching movies on his home theater projector. He resides in the forested Allegheny Mountains, where the night skies are clear and blanketed with countless stars!

Jake’s debut picture book, My Life as an Asthmanaut: A Book About Asthma, was released on April 14^th.

Welcome Jake,

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

I've been writing on and off ever since I can remember! Growing up in the decade when Harry Potter and other books were exploding in popularity and inspiring impactful films, I had always dreamed of being a children's author and writing books that would affect readers in a similar fashion, but I would often struggle with making longer works. It wasn't until about a decade ago that I took the dream of being traditionally published seriously. I wanted to start with short stories for kids first and hone my skills in that area, and then move on from there. Writing short stories and submitting them to children's magazine publications slowly and organically evolved into writing picture book texts and sending those to literary agents and publishers.

I usually write at home when inspiration comes my way. I've lived in rural central Pennsylvania all my life, surrounded by rushing creeks, mist-covered mountains, and sweeping forests filled with birdsong. It's the ideal atmosphere to kickstart the imagination and an urge to write and create!

It is wonderful to "meet" you. And that does sound like the ideal place to write and create. What is one of the most unusual places where you’ve worked on a manuscript?

In the car at a Walmart parking lot.

Ha! What was your inspiration or spark of interest for My Life as an Asthmanaut: A Book About Asthma?

Book cover - two boys outside a school, one dressed in a cape and mask. The other holding a space helmet and an inhaler & wearing a cardboard astronaut outfit.

The spark was always there. Time and time again, the idea of making a picture book inspired by my struggles with asthma had crossed my mind, but a strong opportunity to pursue it didn't present itself until Free Spirit's call for children's books focusing on disabilities came along.

Free Spirit liked my application and invited me to submit a full book proposal. But there was no guarantee of acceptance, and at that stage of my writing journey, I was starting to get burned out from all the rejections my manuscripts had been receiving over the years. I feared rejection here, too. The last thing on earth I was eager to see was another "no" in my inbox.

But I knew I needed to shake off all of this discouragement. I wanted to make this story count. Deliver something I could be super proud of, and that had the ability to connect with readers on a deep, emotional level. I also wanted to do something "out there" as well. It quickly occurred to me that nothing is more "out there" than outer space. The story's space theme and astronaut metaphor then grew from there.

It's a really fun metaphor and we are glad you did not give up. What is the hardest or most challenging thing about writing My Life as an Asthmanaut? And what was the most fun?

This story had multiple challenges. Writing such a short manuscript was a big one. The rest of my picture book stories were on the long side, so keeping the word count down and closer to perfect picture book length was always in my thoughts. Writing nonfiction: completely new to me, too. Sustaining a solid metaphor and consistent space language through nearly a whole story were also things I had to deeply focus on and try to get right.

The most fun I had in making the book was slowly discovering how ready I truly was to write it. Many elements that I needed and wanted to include in Asthmanaut had been attempted and practiced before in my other writings. For example, Free Spirit required the story to have a first-person voice. The year before, I had gone through a ton of revisions while writing a picture book manuscript in first-person. That story also featured a major space theme as well. Writing that earlier book gave me the right amount of experience to do something spacey and in first-person again with more skill.

Nonfiction can be daunting, but you did a great job and it's fun how you wove the space theme throughout. How many revisions did the illustrations take from first draft to publication for My Life as an Asthmanaut?

The art notes and general art direction were in flux throughout production. But beyond that, my involvement on the illustration side of things went only as far as giving feedback to the publisher on Adriana Predoi's sketches and finished art. I don't really know how many revisions Adriana went through in her work, but whatever the amount, her final product speaks for itself as truly exceptional.

Adriana was quite receptive to my suggestions, including fitting in some stellar posters in the scene where Jacob is playing with his best friend, Miles. Can you guess what the astronaut poster foreshadows?

Hmm, a future space adventure? Did anything amaze or surprise you when you first saw Adriana Predoi’s illustrations? What is your favorite spread?

I was amazed by how Adriana brought so much relatability and personality to the project. She gave the story a believable world that still had room for whimsy. Her gorgeous illustrations kept the book bright and inviting for young readers throughout, especially when the story strayed into heavier territory.

Internal image - on the upper left a girl in an astronaut costume has an asthma attack and the boy sits and calms them. In the lower left photo, the boy finds the girl's inhaler in her back pack. On the right, the boy site with the girl as she calmly breathes. And their friend brings an adult carrying a water bottle.

Text © Jake Lockett, 2026. Image © Adriana Predoi, 2026.

Every spread is virtually my favorite, but I particularly have a soft spot for the one where Jacob is helping the girl through her asthma attack at the comic-con. Adriana made this spread feel incredibly realistic and also very sweet.

I love what this spread represents. Jacob takes all the kindness and love shown to him in the story and shares it with someone. I'd like to think that, after the costume contest, the little girl passes that kindness and love along to another person she sees struggling. And then that person does the same. And so on and so on forever!

I love the representation of passing it forward and the idea that it could go on forever. What's something you want your readers to know about My Life as an Asthmanaut?

It was crafted and put together with a lot of heart, passion, and attention to detail. Not only by me, but by Adriana, my editors, and a whole team of talented creatives and dedicated educators at Free Spirit and TCM.

We all want to see this book support and inspire readers suffering from asthma or any other difficult challenges. My Life as an Asthmanaut is made for EVERYONE, and is there to say that even though struggles are a part of life, it is ultimately our choice to decide how much of our life those struggles can consume. We have more control than we think, and there is nothing stopping us from flying high while also lifting others up along the way.

Bringing others up along with you is so much more fun than kicking the ladder out from under them. Are there any new projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?

I'm not working on anything at the moment, as I'm very busy promoting Asthmanaut. But I am currently querying a Christmas picture book project.

Best of luck with these projects! Last question, what is your favorite National Park or Forest, regional park, or city park (anywhere in the world) Why?

Parker Dam State Park. It's a relaxing and fun park that was first constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps back in the Great Depression. It's also famous locally for being hit by a huge tornado during the 1985 United States-Canada tornado outbreak. The tornado decimated a large area of woods in the park, but the forest has been making a triumphant comeback over the years. There are hiking trails at the park that follow the original path of the tornado. I recommend Parker Dam as a great place for those interested in Great Depression and tornado history!

Interesting. I love learning about a new park! Thank you, Jake, for sharing with us a bit about yourself and your debut picture book.

To find out more about Jake Lockett, or to contact him:

Website: https://www.jakelockett.com/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/JLockettAuthor1

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jlockettauthor1.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579400802919

Review of My Life as an Asthmanaut: A Book About Asthma

Interweaving a child's imagination of being an astronaut superhero with the realities and at times scariness of dealing with asthma, this inspirational picture book inspires resilience, confidence, and compassion.

My Life as an Asthmanaut: A Book About Asthma

Author: Jake Lockett

Illustrator: Adriana Predoi

Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing (April 14, 2026)

Ages: 5-7

Fiction

Themes:

Asthma, friendship, helpers, empathy, and imagination.

Synopsis:

A child’s relatable reflections on what it’s like to live with asthma

In My Life as an Asthmanaut, a young boy explains what it’s like to live with asthma. When an asthma attack occurs, Jacob feels like an astronaut floating off to outer space― with an empty air tank. Sometimes outer space is lonely―Jacob can’t always join his family and friends when they exercise or play outside during allergy season. But he has tools to manage his asthma. He stays calm as he reaches for his inhaler to refill his air tank. He counts to 10 and comes back down to earth, where he can breathe easily, surrounded by people who love him. And when Jacob sees someone else who’s low on air, he helps them find solid ground too.

Key Features

Offers an honest portrayal from an author who lives with asthma, describing what it’s like to experience asthma attacks and how kids manage it.

Celebrates disability joy and offers an empowering self-representation for disabled kids.

Helps children develop empathy and understanding with first-person storytelling from a child’s perspective.

Centers disabled voices by drawing on the author’s experience with asthma.

The Disability Books for Kids Series explores visible and invisible disability in the first person, as seen through the eyes of children and written from lived experience. The series builds allyship, challenges ableism, and celebrates difference, empowering and educating all readers. Each book includes an author’s note to the reader.

Opening Lines:

So many things make me me.

My curiosity.

My passion for adventure.

My creativity.

My family and friends.

What I Loved about this book:

Written in a first person narration and accompanied by fun, colorful illustrations, the beginning explores some of the positive facets about the main character. On the next spreads, he explains how "winter's chill," pollen, and dust trigger another aspect of himself - asthma. Something that has affected him his whole life. "I've had it ever since I was little, and I live with it every day. I love how starting from the front end pages (with a colorful image of Saturn and space) and weaving through the text and images the child's fascination and focus on space and astronauts permeates his personality and interactions with others.

Internal spread - on the left, the top photo has three girls and a boy gazing out a window at the stars and moon. The lower photo has a boy and grandpa hiking on a trail. On the right, two boys create and astronaut costume.

When asthma causes him to remain alone and fearful, he retreats to his imagination. I love this imaginative image of him floating in space through the solar system. And his metaphor of a bad asthma attack feeling "as if all the air in my air tank has run out." And that the number of asthma sufferers is "countless like the stars."

Internal spread - on the left, an adult and four kids rake and play among the Fall leaves. On the right, a boy longingly watched from his porch with a book on space, dreaming of being an astronaut floating in space.

Jake Lockett and Adriana Predoi highlight, without being heavy handed, the child's helpers (doctors, parents, and camp counselors) whose advice to stay calm, brave, and use his "important tool" (rescue inhaler). Then countdown, like "waiting for a rocket to launch" from 10 to 1. Many more metaphors and connections to rockets, space, and astronauts are woven through the illustrations and text as the inhaler works and family and friends help support him. Adriana Predoi created a great poster in his room that is a wonderful foreshadowing of the ending.

When the boy, wearing the astronaut costume he created at the beginning, attends a comic-con, he is able to help a younger girl who is scared during her own asthma attack, as his friend runs off to find adult help.

The ending is touching, encouraging, and celebratory. It's a concise, relatable, and enlightening picture book showing kids that they don't have to be defined by asthma or afraid of a friend with asthma. Using the ingenious metaphor of space and astronauts creates a fun scaffold for the story and creates wonderfully imaginative illustrations and the overall feeling of being a resilient and confident superhero. An author's note explains his personal connection to the story and the hope that everyone discovers that curiosity, creativity, and kindness can help us all overcome our individual fears and struggles.

Resources:

do you have asthma? Or do you know anyone in your family or school with asthma? Does this book give you ideas for handling asthma or helping someone with it?