At 11, Bella Olson Is Already Living the Creative Life Most Adults Just Dream About
The 11-year-old Brazilian-American author of Trapped on imagination, belonging, and why 'weird is the new cool.'
Most kids start their day not knowing exactly what will happen. But when Bella Olson was seven, she woke up sure of one thing: she was going to write a book.
“I was especially obsessed with books and was always carrying one around with me,” she recalls. “One day while I was reading, I randomly thought, ‘What if I wrote one of these?’ So I opened my notebook and just started writing ideas down.”
The urge to create rather than just consume, to build new worlds rather than scroll through them, is rare among children today. Bella is bilingual, Brazilian-American, and already the author of her first middle-grade novel, Trapped. She acts as proof that not all children in Gen Alpha are defined via screens and shortcuts.
She started writing her book at seven and published it years later after many rewrites. The story follows Ava, a girl who learns she’s stronger than she thought and travels the world, including a visit to Rio de Janeiro, which reflects Bella’s Brazilian roots. It’s an adventurous story for readers who, like Bella, want to escape into new worlds.
“I wanted readers to feel transported into another world the same way I did when I read those books,” she says of her Harry Potter-inspired vision. “I also love stories with adventure, mystery, and characters who discover they’re stronger than they think.”
Imagination Without Limits
The beauty in Bella’s history is not necessarily that she finished a book at a young age. It’s also the way she writes and what that shows about her generation’s real desire for creativity.
“I just love how free it is,” she says of the writing process. “You can literally do whatever you want, and there are no limits. There are no exact rules for creativity. You just follow your imagination and what feels right to you.”
This way of thinking shapes everything Bella does. Besides writing Trapped, she runs a YouTube channel called Avocado Awesomeness, where she makes content that is “fun, creative, and maybe just a little bit extra.” She has performed in major theater productions like The Lion King, Descendants, and Matilda, and she can sing the entire Hamilton soundtrack without missing a word. She’s also the Chief Imagination Officer at the Salt and Light Coalition, a role in which she uses her ideas to try to change the world.
Culture, Language, and Belonging
Bella’s Brazilian-American background influences how she tells stories, even if it’s not always obvious. “Not directly in every part of the story, but definitely in some ways,” she says. “My family has always encouraged me to be creative and dream big, which helped me believe I could actually write a book.”
And you can see this in Trapped through Ava’s journey around the world, particularly to Rio de Janeiro. “Including Brazil in the story felt really special to me because it’s part of who I am!”
Just like Bella, her dog Miso is bilingual, too. It’s the kind of casual code-switching that’s central to many Latino kids’ lived experience but rarely centered in children’s literature. Her team notes that her voice has already resonated across generations and communities, with endorsements from #1 New York Times bestselling authors Katherine Applegate and Gordon Korman, as well as support from Brazilian cultural icons Carlos Saldanha and Alessandra Ambrosio.
A Message for Her Generation
One of the most important things Bella shares is what she hopes readers will get from Trapped.
“I hope they feel like they belong and know they never have to change for others,” she says. “I also hope kids feel inspired to use their imagination and be confident in who they are. One of the messages in the book is that ‘weird is the new cool,’ and I hope everyone remembers that sometimes the things that make you different are actually the coolest things about you.”
Her message, that being different is a strength and not a weakness, might be the most important thing an 11-year-old could tell her friends today.