Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess Book 1 of a 5 part series

Name: Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess Book 1 of a 5 part series
SKU: 10904
Price: 11.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Paperback

$11.95

Description

This is the first book in a five-part series. This vibrant and diverse picture book introduces Kayla, a little brown girl with a big love for musical theatre and an even bigger determination to follow her dreams. Everyone around her seems to have an idea of who she should be. But Kayla soon learns something important: the only person who gets to decide her future is her.

Along the way, readers are invited into the loving but complicated bond between Kayla and her mom. Like many mothers, her mom is a hardworking woman who carries the quiet guilt parents often feel when work pulls them away from the moments they wish they could hold onto longer. Together, Kayla and her mom discover the beauty of making the most of the time they share and the powerful example set when we support one another in chasing our dreams.

This series is perfect for young readers and the adults who love them, Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess celebrates confidence, imagination, and the strength children gain when they see their role models boldly claim their own place in the world.

“Daughters often learn their place in the world by watching their mothers claim theirs.”
— Author Deedee Cummings

Author Deedee Cummings

Deedee Cummings is a professional dreamer. She is also an author, therapist, attorney, and mom from Louisville, Kentucky. Cummings founded Make A Way Media in 2014 after struggling to find books with characters who looked like her own children and an extreme lack of stories that reflected their life experiences. Books published by Make A Way focus on hope, diversity, social justice, and therapeutic skills for children and adults. Her work has been featured in HuffPost, Forbes, NPR, USA Today, Essence Magazine, Psych Central, well+Good, and The EveryGirl, among other media outlets. In 2021, she was appointed to the Kentucky Early Childhood Advisory Council by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and reappointed to a second term in 2025, acknowledging her decades-long service to the children and families of Kentucky. Cummings is also the founder of The Louisville Book Festival. She was inspired to work to highlight and celebrate a culture of reading in her community after working as an in-home therapist and visiting homes of children who had no books. Cummings believes literacy is a fundamental human right. Her work highlights inspiring messages that remind us all it is never too late to begin again.

Illustrator Charlene Mosley

Charlene is a German-American fine artist and illustrator based in San Diego with a bachelor's degree in Art from San Diego State University. She has traveled worldwide to create art and to immerse herself into different cultures. Charlene has illustrated various award-winning children's books and other literary works. Creating illustrations for children's books has been one of the artist's favorite things to do. Every time she reads a new manuscript, it gives her imagination the freedom to embark on another colorful journey of exploration and discovery. Besides being an illustrator, Charlene is also a muralist and fine artist.

Reviews:

A Great Book for Families!

I enjoyed the book because it was whimsical, but it still told a real story. It highlighted the positive relationship between a mother and her daughter. The illustrations were wonderful and unique. The pages really pop with color. As a school teacher, this will be added to my library because it is different from other "princess" books. Children will get to see diversity represented in one of our library books and that is always important. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!

Marc T. McFadden

Special story for Princesses and Princes

I read this book to my sons and we all enjoyed it from start to finish! The story is one that doesn’t only resonate with “princesses” but with “princes” just the same with the themes of determination, strength, and family values. The illustrations are beautiful and draw you into the story. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

-Kayla

Another Amazing Read by Deedee!

To start, the illustrations in this book are amazing! Bright, colorful, full – beautiful.

As a mom to a little princess myself, this book is perfect! And while it is geared towards little girls/princesses; the message that it sends is perfect for little boys too – our children are special, always, and even when people are mean and tell you, you are different; don’t pay them any mind.

Every child should have big dreams and should never let anyone snuff out that light! I am a firm believer that anyone can do and be anything they want so long as they put their mind to it and this story goes right along with that.

Further, this book is a great story for any child that looks different than your typical, average, every day child.

While I understand Deedee’s mission is to provide her children with books that have characters that look more like them; I feel the story also fits for children who may wear glasses, have a physical disability (one that can be seen), or in general is a child that doesn’t look like every other child in majority of children’s books.

The lesson to take away is that every child is special in their own unique way.

I am a big fan of Deedee’s children’s books. Her stories have great lessons for adults and kids alike. I feel like, as a mother of your standard children book’s character, it opens up a path of communication with my child about kids who look different than her.

Any book by Deedee Cummings is a great book for the children in your life!

-Leels

A wonderful children's book

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess is a sweet children's book based on an actual person.

Kayla is a little girl who has big hopes and dreams, and she'll let nothing stop her from being the princess she knows she was born to be. And with the support of her parents (especially her mom), Kayla knows that one day, when she grows up, she'll be a star.

I thought this was a cute book with a good message. No matter your race or gender, don't ever stop believing in yourself and your dreams. I also think this book, while aimed at young girls, can be beneficial to young male readers too. Especially because even now, as a society, we still have ingrained ideas of what boys can do and what girls can do. What I took away from this book is that it promotes being yourself and helping kids realize they can decide to do what makes them happy. If a little boy wants to do ballet, let him. If a little girl wants to be a mechanic, let her. And, in terms of Kayla, she loved musical theater and (spoiler alert) went on to be on Broadway.

The illustrations in the book are bright and colorful, and I really enjoyed the quick, easy pace of the story. I know young readers will love it too.

I would definitely recommend this series of books to kids of all ages. 5 stars!

-Jasmine