The best children’s books to spark your inner light

What a joy it was to read this book as it both surprised and delighted me by making an unlikely pairing—dragons and tacos—but it makes total sense after reading the book. 

I had no clue what the plot was about before diving in to read, so I was delighted at how the story unfolded with each page creatively and artfully leading up to its hilarious ending. The storytelling is whimsical, unpredictable, and funny. The writer did a good job of feeding my taco-loving soul while also giving a pretty darn good explanation for why these mythical creatures breathe fire. 

I enjoyed the light-hearted nature of the story as much as my son! Books that both entertain kids and their grown-ups are always a slam dunk for me.

I loved thumbing through ‘How to Make a Universe with 92 Ingredients’  to introduce simple concepts of science to my son. 

The book makes it easy for anyone, including a creative like me, to understand how all the things in our world that you can see, touch, and sense are interconnected. With big graphics, large photos, and drawings, the book does a good job of explaining how less than 100 things (specifically the 92) are the building blocks of everything—from stardust to plushy toys to people and pizza. I find that pretty darn fascinating.  

As a creative writer, complex scientific concepts have never come easily to me, but this hasn’t stopped me from being interested and excited about science.

Written by a grade school science teacher, this nonfiction book totally ignites my light by making me feel just a tad bit brighter.

This is a book that someone gifted me for college graduation, and although I had no aspirations of becoming a children’s book author at the time, I loved the inspirational message of the story. 

What will I do? Where will I live? Who will I become? These are questions that most young people ask themselves, especially at a milestone moment in their lives, like graduation. In this book—with its lyrically wonderful rhyming words and otherworldly illustrations—Dr. Seuss reminded me that I am in control of my destiny.

The book does a good job of blending the realities of life with the possibilities of what life can become. It taught me that, although there will be ups and downs, twists and turns, and a few dead ends, ultimately, I can choose which way to go in life. What an empowering message to read at any age or stage in life!

I just adored reading about all the adventures of the curious little girl, Ada Marie Twist, in this book. A late bloomer, Ada Marie’s first word, “Why?” comes at the age of three. From that moment, her language takes off, filled mostly with questions about how things work. I can relate to Ada Marie because I used to ask a lot of questions as a kid, too. It drove my mother crazy.

My mom eventually bought me a book of questions, hoping it would refocus my energy, but the joke was on her because the book had no answers! Luckily, I had understanding teachers in school who allowed me to explore my curiosity about the world. Similarly, in the book, Ada Marie’s curiosity tests the patience of her parents. But they eventually come to recognize her potential as a budding scientist.

Ada Marie also has the support of her teacher, Ms. Greer, who is patient with many high-potential students, like Iggy Peck Architect and Rosie Revere Engineer—characters from Andrea Beaty’s other equally inspiring books who are also featured in the illustrations of the Ada Twist book. I love that this story could have easily focused on the misadventures of a curious child. Instead, it encourages readers like me to embrace childhood wonder and curiosity, reminding us that these early explorations might be the building blocks for a future genius.

I so enjoyed reading this book because it proves that looks can be deceiving! The main character, Max, is a cute little kitten who people like to dress up in pretty pink bows. Have you ever been judged by what you look like? I sure have, and, man, it is not fun. Just like Max, who tries to prove that he is not only cute but brave, I have been judged for being a girl and for having a high-pitched voice, among other things, many times in life. Like Max, some people just can’t see my strong spirit and eye of the tiger!

But I have learned that sometimes, when a person gets judged a lot about a particular thing, that person may go on a quest to prove all of the naysayers wrong. This book is about one kitten’s hero journey and it is both quirky and funny, bringing a certain lightness to the universal theme of self-discovery. What I learned through reading this book is that even if the quest is a bit of a bust, just the fact that you tried is brave all in of itself.