Author Q&A: Cleiton Américo de Jesus

Today we're interviewing children's author Cleiton Américo de Jesus, who also writes about psychology, human behavior, and personal development.

Américo de Jesus is an independent Brazilian author who began his literary journey approximately eight years ago, initially writing about psychology, relationships, and human behavior. Inspired by fatherhood and the love of dinosaurs he shares with his two children, he created Bino Dino World, a children's universe of illustrated adventures designed to encourage imagination and creativity.

Through his books and the free activities available on his official website, he hopes to reach children across different countries while encouraging learning, friendship, and meaningful family connections.

SADYE: How did you come to see yourself as a writer, and what inspired you to seek publication?

CLEITON: I began writing about eight years ago, when I became increasingly interested in patterns of human behavior, particularly the way people relate to one another. Psychology, relationships, and the choices people make sparked a curiosity that gradually turned into a desire to write and share what I was learning.

My first books explored psychology, relationships, men's personal development, and fatherhood. Over time, I wrote around five books in this area. But I also began to see a different possibility: creating something for children.

I have loved dinosaurs since childhood, and my two children share that enthusiasm. That family connection inspired Bino Dino, a friendly little dinosaur I imagined together with the idea for his first coloring book. I wanted children to discover playful adventures and use their own imagination to make each scene their own.

As the project developed, I created Bino Dino World, a website with free activities and a free book for families to enjoy. My writing began with a desire to understand people. Today, it also gives me a way to encourage children to imagine, learn, and spend meaningful time together.

SADYE: Tell us something about your writing process that’s unusual or that you haven’t revealed before.

CLEITON: One unusual part of my creative process is that I do not think of Bino Dino as a character who belongs to just one place. I imagine him as a little traveler whose adventures can connect with children in different countries and cultures.

That idea has led to books inspired by Brazil and Japan, and I am developing a future adventure inspired by India. I have also created content connected with Free Kids Books. My aim is to build an international children's universe while keeping the character recognizable and welcoming wherever he goes.

English is the main language I use for this international project because it helps the books reach readers in more places. But much of what makes Bino Dino accessible is visual. Each book is built around a sequence of illustrated scenes, not simply a collection of unrelated pictures. A child can color a scene, imagine what happened before it, and invent what might happen next. Two children might look at the same picture and tell completely different stories.

I also want the experience to be accessible beyond the books themselves. Bino Dino World offers free activities that families, teachers, and community organizations can use. For me, the goal is not merely to publish a book set in each country. It is to create a character children in many different countries can feel connected to.

SADYE: What have been the most surprising, rewarding, and challenging parts of your writing career?

CLEITON: One of the hardest parts of my journey has been continuing to believe in my work when people close to me did not always understand its value. I have a regular job, and I write and create during my free time. To some people, writing can look like a hobby that takes time away from other pursuits. To me, it has always been a meaningful part of who I am.

I enjoy studying human behavior, turning ideas into books, and building something that did not exist before. One of the biggest surprises has been discovering how far that creative drive could take me. I began with books about psychology and relationships and eventually created an entire children's universe inspired by my family.

The most rewarding part is seeing that work begin to reach beyond Brazil. My books are available through Amazon, and I have started connecting with editorial communities and opportunities internationally, including in the United States and India. Taking part in this interview is itself a special moment: an idea I developed independently is now being discussed with readers in another country.

Bino Dino was not created by a large company. I developed the character, the creative direction, and the project from the beginning, and I have worked to find opportunities to introduce it to others. That experience has taught me something important: an idea does not have to be understood by everyone around you to find its place in the world.

SADYE: What message or theme would you like readers to take away from your work?

CLEITON: The message I most want children to take away from Bino Dino is that happiness can be found in simple moments: imagining a story, making something with their own hands, and sharing an activity with people they love.

When a child opens a Bino Dino book, I hope they discover more than pictures waiting for color. I hope they meet a friendly character, explore an adventure, and feel proud of what they create. And I hope some of those moments are shared with parents, siblings, classmates, or friends.

Screens are a big part of modern life, and technology can be useful. Bino Dino World itself has an online home. But I believe there is also real value in setting a screen aside, sitting together with crayons or pencils, and letting a conversation unfold. A coloring page can become a little family story: someone chooses the colors, someone imagines what Bino Dino will do next, and everyone adds something.

Friendship and family are central to the world I am creating. If a child finishes a Bino Dino adventure feeling happy, proud, and connected to someone they shared it with, then the project has achieved something that matters deeply to me.

SADYE: What experience in your past or general aspect of your life has most affected your writing?

CLEITON: The two experiences that have most shaped my writing are my own childhood and becoming a father.

Growing up, I sometimes wished for a closer relationship and more shared time with my parents. As I got older, I became increasingly interested in how relationships work and why presence, conversation, and small everyday moments can matter so much. That curiosity was part of what drew me toward psychology and writing about human behavior, relationships, and fatherhood.

I am the father of two children, and as a separated father I do not have them with me all the time. That does not mean we are emotionally distant, but it has made me appreciate our time together even more. It also changed the way I think about childhood: not only what adults can teach children, but what memories we can build alongside them.

Our shared love of dinosaurs became the starting point for Bino Dino. I wanted to create an experience that children could enjoy on their own, but also share with parents, friends, and teachers. A book cannot replace a family's presence, of course. What it can do is create an opening for people to sit together, talk, imagine, and connect.

Perhaps that is the most personal reason behind Bino Dino World: I want to help make room for the moments of closeness that I would have loved to experience more often as a child.

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Learn more about Cleiton Américo de Jesus on his website, where his books can also be purchased. 

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