Why I Wrote a Book About a Lonely Capybara

When I first started writing Tom the Capybara, I didn’t set out to create a big life lesson or deep message. I just had this character in my head, a quiet, gentle capybara who didn’t quite fit in. The more I thought about him, the more his story started to take shape. And at the heart of it all was something simple but powerful: the importance of kindness and friendship.

Tom lives in a world where capybaras are expected to stick with their own. It’s unusual, even frowned upon, for them to stray from the group or talk to animals outside their species. But Tom never really felt like he belonged in the pack. He didn’t have a “best friend” like the other capybaras. He often felt out of place, and that quiet loneliness is what pushed him to wander off one day.

That’s when he heard a cry for help.

High above, a small yellow bird named Mel was stuck at the top of a tree. The wind was wild, and she couldn’t get down. Below her, a rushing river made the situation even more dangerous. But Tom is a capybara, an animal that loves to swim, and without hesitation, he jumped into action.

When Mel was blown from the tree, Tom was there in the water to catch her.

That simple act of kindness sparked something beautiful. A friendship.

Tom and Mel may seem like complete opposites, but they quickly discover they have a lot in common. They’re both kind souls, both a little different from the world around them, and together they form a bond that neither of them had before.

To me, that’s what Tom the Capybara is really about, the idea that kindness matters, and that friendship can come from the most unexpected places. It’s a message I think children (and adults) can always be reminded of.

The book is filled with bright, adorable illustrations and gentle storytelling that brings Tom and Mel’s world to life. Capybaras are such unique, lovely animals, calm, social, and always a little quirky. They felt like the perfect symbol for a story about being true to yourself, and opening your heart to others, even when they’re different.

I hope this story makes readers smile, and maybe even reminds them to be a little kinder, a little braver, and a little more open, just like Tom.

Shop Tom the capybara now on my website! Click here.