Don’t judge a book by its cover, not even this one.

That’s the message Lindsey Walker is trying to get across with her novel, You Be Me, I Will be You.

It follows the friendship of two very different teenage girls, Brooke and Zaiha.

“The message I want to get across is don’t judge a book by its cover,” said Miss Walker. “Ironically, people have been judging this book by its cover. Some people assume it is just for young children because of its cover, but adults have read it and enjoyed it. A 16-year-old could get something out of it.”

The 27-year-old said the story was partly inspired by her own childhood friendship with another girl who was very different from herself.

“I was kind of a tomboy and she was very girlie,” said Miss Walker. “She loved to girl me up. Sometimes I felt like a human Barbie doll. We are still friends today.”

Miss Walker has a bachelor of science degree in animation from Full Sail University in Florida. She took an online course with the Institute of Children’s Literature before writing her book.

The character Brooke was actually designed by her boyfriend, Bradley Wells.

“I liked her so much I asked him if I could have her,” said Miss Walker.

“I really got into her mindset very quickly.”

Together the couple designed a number of characters and scenarios with the view of creating an animated story.

“I am a youth leader at Cobb’s Hill Methodist Church,” said Miss Walker. “One day one of the leaders said he didn’t like a cartoon we had shown some of the children. He wished there were more Christian cartoons for the children. I thought that was a good idea.”

For now though, she decided to just write a book about Brooke and her friends and their journal entries, which are directed to God.

“I’m not sure if we will ever do the cartoon version,” she said. “I am going to continue putting out the books and see if people like them.”

Miss Walker recently started her own graphics art and animation company called BermyToons.

“We do everything from customised birthday cards to puzzle designs,” she said. “I have been trying to find a job for three years, so I decided to start my own company.”

Before returning to Bermuda she worked for MG studios on the 2011 Conan the Barbarian movie. Her work helped to prepare the movie to be made into 3D for theatres.

More recently, she has been doing animation work for a Sandys summer day camp and she also does work for Faith Walker, a Christian comic book.

Miss Walker will sign copies of her book on December 13 and 20 at The Bookmart at Brown & Co, from 1pm to 3pm.