Name: Isaiah Lowe
School/grade level: Discovery Elementary School
Passion: Writing books
Kentwood — Fifth-graders at Townline Elementary School were eager to know: “Does Mike find his parents?”
“You’ll have to wait and see,” answered Isaiah Lowe, author of “Mike’s Madness: Free,” a book about a boy who escapes an orphanage and is searching for his parents. The story ends in a cliffhanger.
The writer — adept at teasing his sequel — is a fellow Kentwood Public Schools fifth-grader at Discovery Elementary. He recently visited Townline during National Reading Month for a Q&A session with students who all read his book in preparation for his visit.
They asked questions about what inspired him, what will happen next in the series (“Mike’s Madness: The Beardville Zoo” is planned for publication in the next few months), about characters and his process.
“I just didn’t give up,” Isaiah said about becoming an author. “You never are too young to accomplish your dreams.”
Students also shared affirmations with Isaiah: “I thought it was really cool that he started writing a book in third grade and had the motivation to do what he did,” said Townline fifth-grader Xavier Robinson.
Isaiah visited Townline with his parents, Takeisha and Chris Lowe, who are also published authors. His father, Chris, illustrated Isaiah’s book.
“He’s always expressed that he wanted to be an author and director as well,” said mom Takeisha Lowe. “When he brought the idea (of the book) to us he said, ‘Why do I have to wait until I’m older? Why can’t I do it now?’ We took on the challenge to make it happen.”
‘You never are too young to accomplish your dreams.’
— fifth-grader Isaiah Lowe
Here’s more about Isaiah:
When did you decide to write a book, and how did you go about it? Isaiah said he was reading in the school library in third grade when the idea came to him. “I just was thinking about how people make books and I was thinking about an idea for my own book,” he said.
He said he started writing and kept at it when he had time. The story just flowed.
“While I’m writing or typing, it just comes to me,” Isaiah said. “I have a really big imagination and I think about other books that I’ve read.”
Parents Takeisha and Chris Lowe helped Isaiah publish his book later through Amazon Global Publishing.
Who has supported and inspired you? “My mom and dad have inspired me and my classmates have cheered me on. My teacher (Sarah Butler) is really inspiring and encouraging.”
Butler described Isaiah as a talented and hardworking student who is a great role model for others and always “rises to a challenge.” She often notices him freewriting.
Do you plan to pursue this professionally? “I want to be a famous, professional author.”
What other hobbies do you have: Isaiah also loves filmmaking.
“I like doing stop-motion animation with figures I have at home.”
Townline Principal Angelia Coleman said Isaiah is a great example for students.
“Our focus is belonging, making sure our students belong and know they … can be successful,” Coleman said. “Bringing in a student they can relate to, who has already done something amazing, is priceless.”
Read more from Kentwood:
• Got a nose for news? Student learn about careers in journalism
• ‘He is the Kentwood story’
