Why Deborah P.’s Reaction to Landon Learns About Bullying Meant the World to Me

Every now and then, someone reads your work with such care, depth, and understanding that their feedback feels like a gift. That’s exactly how I felt after hearing from Deborah P., a longtime supporter who’s been part of my author journey for years.

Deborah P. isn’t just a thoughtful reader—she’s read my memoir, Bronco Strong: A Memoir of the Last Deployed Personnel Services Battalion, and the unpublished early draft of Layla Louise Leader, the story of Landon Lamont Leader’s sister. She knows the heart behind these stories. She’s watched the Leader family grow from idea to impact.

So when I dropped a fresh copy of Landon Learns About Bullying in her mailbox, I hoped it would resonate. What I didn’t expect was a message that lit me up.

📚 “The Leaders are here!”

That’s what she wrote first—and I couldn’t stop smiling. After all the late nights writing, rewriting, and reimagining, those four words confirmed that this mission is becoming real.

“What a pleasure it is for me to have witnessed firsthand the development of the Leader family… The Leaders are here!”

Deborah sees what I see: Landon Learns About Bullying isn’t just a story—it’s a timely, relatable, and heartfelt guide to help young readers navigate conflict, kindness, and leadership.

💡 Insightful Feedback That Matters

Deborah shared that Landon felt real and relatable, and that the bullying examples were easy for kids to understand. She even reflected on her own childhood—how books and her parents taught her how to handle conflict. That’s the exact kind of impact I dreamed this book would have.

She wrote:

“There is an audience in need of a little Black boy trying to resolve conflicts with leadership and kindness instead of anger.”

Whew. That hit home.

She also took the time to notice small design elements—like the beautiful illustrations (shoutout to the illustrator!) and a slight font size change around Chapter 5. She even noted a moment in the dialogue where my voice might have crept in a little too much—page 100, I see you.

 🔍 Thoughtful Observations = Growth Opportunities

Deborah pointed out that while the book mentions adults stepping in to help with bullying situations (pages 134 and 137), including a brief scenario showing that in action could strengthen the message. That feedback is already helping me plan for future stories in the Landon Learns series.

She closed her message with this powerful statement:

“You have found your niche, the Landon Learns Series! You’ve covered everything needed to make this an excellent and reliable resource for parents and teachers seeking to develop in children the skills to confront bullying and emerge as leaders.”

That is the mission.
That is the goal.
And that is why I write.

👣 What’s Next

Deborah’s words reminded me that this is only the beginning. Next up in the Landon Learns series:

• Landon Learns About Good Touches, Bad Touches

• Landon Learns About Personal Safety

• Landon Learns About Self-Control

I’m building out a full experience—complete with an educator's workbook, activity book, and a parent-child journal—because raising leaders takes more than one story.

✨ Join the Journey

If you’re raising, teaching, loving, or mentoring a young person—especially a little Black boy with big dreams—Landon Learns About Bullying is for you.

➡️ Visit LandonLearns.com to:

• Order your copy

• Join the launch team

• Download the bonus activity

• Invite me to your school, bookshop, or event

Real Leaders Read,
Angela M. Odom
Author | Veteran | Leadership Coach
#LandonLearns #LeadershipForKids #RealLeadersRead #AngelaMOdom