You’re Not Selling a Story. You’re Being Chosen as a Bridge.
The reader may be a child—but the decision is made by someone carrying generations.
✨ About This Series: Books They’ll Return To: A Series for Children’s Authors Who Care What Lasts
Not just about being seen. About being reread.
This is part of a special 4-part BookBind series for children’s book authors ready to move beyond marketing tactics and toward lasting connection. I’ve interviewed dozens of authors. I’ve worked closely with thousands of families through Reading To Connect. I’ve hosted a podcast that’s welcomed New York Times bestsellers and debut authors alike. And I’ve been the person school librarians, publicists, and families reach out to when it’s time to decide who—and what—gets shared with kids.
In short? I’ve seen what works. And what gets skipped.
This series will help you speak to what families are actually looking for—and help you become the kind of author they return to, reread, and recommend.Books They’ll Return To: You’re Not Selling a Story. You’re Being Chosen as a Bridge.
Part 1 of 4
Most authors know this: you’re not just writing for a child. You’re writing for the adult standing in the aisle, holding your book, deciding what kind of moment they want to create.
That’s the part no one tells you.
That knowing this shifts everything.
You’re not just selling a story. You’re being chosen as a bridge.
A parent isn’t buying your book just because it won an award.
They’re buying it because they’re trying to give their child something they didn’t get—or to offer something they did get, and want to preserve.
Connection. Closeness. Safety. A way to say, “I see you.”
Here’s what one author shared after going through ENGAGE for Authors:
“I’ve found that talking about my books is one of the most challenging things. I dedicated many years and so much love into creating these beautiful books, but when it comes time to talk about them, in a meaningful and engaging way, I’ve often missed the mark. ENGAGE for Authors showed me how to speak with intention. Selling your book isn’t just about marketing. It’s about a feeling—how your book can support families through the smallest and biggest moments. It’s why families continue to open your book. That’s my definition of success.”
That’s the shift.
And it’s a shift we need to stay with.
When I worked with our school librarian to book the author for last school year’s visit, what sealed the deal wasn’t the book per se—it was the experience the author could help create.
In that same school year, she was on our show, where we dug into the why behind her books and the way she talks about what families truly get from her stories. The moments she helps create? Beautiful. That author, Nancy Churnin, brings a depth of intention that makes the decision easy.
Publicists who pitch me to host authors on the show. They send press releases, media kits, all the standard materials.
But my decision? It happens when I read the book.
Just like others parents skim while perusing the aisles.
I ask: What will this book do for children in my home?
In the homes of the families I reach? What moment will it help me create for those families?
Is the author making that clear?
Am I forced to dig?
Or is the emotional doorway obvious?
Most authors lead with plot points, categories, or themes. SEL buzzwords. Representation labels. But these don’t answer the real question:
What moment are you helping create?
That’s the shift I want you to make.
That’s the bridge families are scanning for.
And this series is going to walk you through it.
💡 Ready to go deeper?
If you’ve been nodding through this post, the ENGAGE for Authors private podcast was made for you.
It’s a $27 audio course & guide that help you clearly position your book for real connection—so families understand the heart behind it, and you become the kind of author they return to, reread, and recommend.
Next week’s post: What parents are really wondering—and why they rarely say it out loud.
My best,
Quinn