Photo courtesy of Anna Hartzog.
Author Jennifer Hallman
Author Jennifer Hallman gifts a copy of her book to each i3 student.
Students from Birmingham’s i3 Academy stepped inside the world of bookmaking this week as author and Homewood native Jennifer Hallman led a full-day interactive field trip at Rocky Heights Print & Binding in West Homewood. The visit — held in three sessions at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. — gave students an up-close view of how Hallman’s award-winning children’s book “How Mae Got Moxie” was created, from the first spark of an idea to the final printed pages rolling off the presses.
For Hallman, the experience was deeply personal. “One of my goals from the start was to get the message of the book into as many school hands as possible,” she said. “I believe the themes of kindness, love, inclusion and creativity are so important to plant in children’s hearts at a young age.”
After following i3 Academy on social media for nearly a year — and praying specifically for the school — Hallman saw the field trip as the moment she had hoped for. “I knew this was my chance,” she said. “I wanted to create a magical day where the kids could learn how a book comes to life.” The idea for the field trip was well received by administrators at i3 Academy, including Tommy Bice, the board chairman for i3 Academy. “This experience may just be the spark that ignites the next generation of writers to pen their own stories as they seek to be the agents of change for good,” Bice said.
Together with Rocky Heights, Hallman transformed the print shop into a vibrant, immersive learning space complete with banners and life-size cutouts of Mae, the hedgehog hero of her book. Students moved through stations highlighting writing, illustration, graphic design and printing. At the final stop, they discovered “How Mae Got Moxie” in various stages of production — books that Hallman secretly arranged to be printed as gifts for each student. “The i3 Academy family is so appreciative of Jennifer’s act of kindness,” Bice said, “as she models the theme of her book by making sure every student gets their very own copy of “How Mae Got Moxie.””
The hands-on curiosity of the students left a lasting impression. “The children were like sponges,” Hallman said. “They had so many amazing questions. Watching them connect the dots between imagination and real-world creation was powerful.”
She added that the experience shifted something in her, too. “My favorite ‘aha’ moment was realizing that these children saw themselves in the process. They began to understand that their own ideas and stories have value and that they, too, can bring something meaningful to life.”
“How Mae Got Moxie,” which has sold more than 1,500 copies since its February release, recently earned second place in the 2025 National Federation of Press Women contest after winning statewide honors. Rooted in Hallman’s personal kindness movement — which began during a friend’s battle with cancer — the book has reached more than 4,000 students in classrooms across Alabama.
Hallman’s path to authorship has been anything but conventional. A former professional photographer for more than 20 years, she turned to painting and storytelling after health issues pushed her into an unexpected career shift. “I never set out to write a book,” she said. “But I have always been a storyteller. Writing became another form of creative expression.”
Sharing that creativity with students, she said, is the greatest joy of her new chapter. “I want them to walk away believing their stories matter, that creativity has no age limit, and that love and kindness can truly change the world.”
As for what comes next, Hallman is listening closely for her next step. A Mae series may be on the horizon, and she hopes to reach more schools across Birmingham. Whatever the path, she said, “I know it will be led by purpose, creativity and kindness.”
