For Geremiah DelValle, storytelling starts by asking ‘what if?’
It’s a question that guided the 16-year-old Williamsburg student to his first published book, titled “Lands of Scientia.” Originally released in 2022, Geremiah’s work was recently added to the Williamsburg Regional Library catalog.
“‘What if’ will always be your biggest friend in storytelling,” Geremiah said. “As long as I can ask that question, I feel like I’ll never run out of stories.”
“Lands of Scientia” spans 118 pages, telling the tale of three friends who get transported to an island full of talking animals and danger. Together, the Freedom Trio work together to stop the evil threat while traveling throughout the many biomes that make up the island.
“They get this mission to help conserve the animals, save the animals from evil and keep them safe,” he said.
Geremiah just completed his sophomore year at Lafayette High School, but began writing as a first-grader at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy. At seven years old, he recalls his first story being bound for him by one of his teachers.
“I wrote a book called “The Big Boys True Dream,” said Geremiah. “It was four pages … It was basically about this boy who wanted to be strong [so] he ate this cereal and he became strong.”
It wasn’t until Geremiah was 11 in sixth grade that he began work on “Lands of Scientia.” Originally focusing on a trio of superhero characters that resembled him and his two best friends, Geremiah felt the story was missing something.
Inspired by Norton Juster’s “The Phantom Tollbooth,” Geremiah began exploring how to fit his love of science into the story’s DNA.
“[Juster] took elements like math and reading and he turned them into characters,” he said. “I wanted to do the same thing with my book, but instead of general education I wanted to do science.”
With the subjects of life and environmental science helping shape his ‘what ifs,’ Geremiah honed the plot of “Lands of Scientia” over a four-month writing period. Following the Freedom Trio’s journey, readers can pick up on educational information about different biomes, climates and even cell structures.
“I wanted to make science fun and cool,” Geremiah said. “Not many kids can really receive those messages straight out of a textbook [with] no relation to anything relevant to them.”
Throughout the process, Geremiah was supported by his mother Kenya and father Gerron. Gerron, a fellow author, connected Geremiah with editors he’s worked with and published “Lands of Scientia” through his company Hongry Wolves Publishing.
“It was definitely a very interesting process,” Geremiah said. “I had to realize that writing is not really it. You’ve got to edit and you’ve got to review it. There was a lot.”
After delays during the COVID-19 pandemic, the book was released in 2022 and thrust Geremiah into a more public life. He’s spoken and read to groups of kids at the Virginia Aquarium, he addressed the Virginia Librarians Conference at Old Dominion University and he met Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
The oldest of five siblings, Geremiah said it’s been fun.
“Little kids, they really like to let you know what they know and they like to ask questions,” he said. “Sometimes the questions they ask really get you thinking and you get a look at your book from a new perspective after they talk to you.”
Looking ahead, Geremiah plans to use the summer to start the second installment of the story.
“I really wanted to make this book a series. I felt like this really deserves a second book,” he said.
He dreams of one day seeing a “Lands of Scientia” movie, video game and even a toy line. In the meantime, Geremiah starts his junior year in the fall and is keeping his future open. He’s eyeing college, and is currently asking himself ‘what if’ about majoring in science or business.
“Selling the books is also a business as well,” said Geremiah. “I’ve always been really curious about selling books, about how the business works.”
