Friday Faves - Children's Books Part 1
Favorite Self-Published Children’s Books
I’m a book nerd, and one of my greatest wishes for our boys is that they will love to read as well. We’ve got quite a collection between the two kids’ rooms, and story time is a family favorite.
Since our kids aren’t into the chapter book phase yet, we are still giving our board books and short tales a lot of love. There are so many incredible stories out there, but I’ve been really enjoying reading the works of self-published authors lately. This is not only a fun way to find new books that might not be on the shelves at your favorite retailer, but it’s also a beautiful lesson for our kiddos. It reinforces the idea that you can achieve your dreams. If you’re willing to work at it, and you believe in your goal, there is nothing stopping you from pursuing it. These authors might not have contracts with the biggest publishing houses, but they still created something special, and they brought it to life. I think that is worth celebrating each and every day.
Here are FIVE of our favorite self-published children’s books:
1) The Little Boy Who Lost His Name - these books are tons of fun, for many reasons. You can personalize them based on the individual child and his/her name. So, each character sets out on a fantastical adventure to recover the lost letters in their name. They meet all kinds of creatures along the way, and the story shares of the courage needed to set out on any new journey. We have one for each of our boys, and they are a joy to read. (They also make a great gift!)
2) Wilbert the Wombat Saves the Day - This is a favorite not only because of the sweet story, and fantastic illustrations. It’s also very special to us because my dear friend Jamie is the author! In Wilbert the Wombat Saves the Day, we learn about a somewhat grumpy wombat who doesn’t quite like being around others. But, when a fire breaks out and the neighboring animals need shelter, Wilbert welcomes them into his burrow. It’s an adventure in the land down under, and we learn about many different animal species that we don’t have here in the U.S.
3) Busker the Tusker - This is another fun read for more reasons than one! My childhood friend, Susanne wrote this story many years ago, then self-published it in 2019. Busker is an adorable elephant who wakes up to find that his herd is nowhere to be found. He travels all across the African wilderness, making lots of new friends on his journey to find his family. It’s an exciting adventure through different landscapes, and it speaks of friendship and courage.
4) The Hug Store - This book, written by a wonderful Father-Daughter team, is a beautiful story about family, and the power of a hug. Based on a true story, and full of incredibly life-like illustrations, it is sure to put a smile on your face. Rick and Shana Morrison each have a heart of gold, and their work is endorsed by several nationally recognized health care professionals. A portion of their proceeds also go to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, as well as The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine.
5) Her Body Can -This is an empowering story promoting body positivity for girls, written by Katie Crenshaw and Ady Meschke. I’ve enjoyed following Katie on Instagram for a while, so when I saw that she was launching her first children’s book, I was eager to read. The illustrations are bright, cheery, and welcoming, and the story does a beautiful job of encouraging self-love. We may have two boys, but any parent can appreciate the important message spoken on these pages.
If you’re intrigued by these special stories, and want to find more titles by self-published authors, check out the links below: