Michelle and Allison met during their master's program at USC, at the Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new building, Allison mentioned she wanted to write a children's book -- and Michelle's eyes lit up, having had nearly the same conversation with friends just weeks before. With a lifelong love of writing, Michelle had always envisioned a children's book series. She shared her notes with Allison, and the alignment was immediate. That single conversation became the foundation for Centered Storytime.

Empathy is the cornerstone of everything Michelle and Allison create under Centered Storytime. They believe deeply that every person has a story, and that every story is worth telling. Central to this book is the idea that understanding one's heritage — family history, cultural roots — is a source of genuine empowerment. It instills pride and expands a sense of what is possible. While the story is rooted in Black American heritage, its emotional truth is universal, and that balance between the specific and the relatable is what gives the work its resonance and staying power.

In children's publishing, authors and illustrators are often paired by a publisher after the fact. For Michelle and Allison, the creative vision was shared from the very beginning. Their graduate program gave them the space to develop stories collaboratively, ideate freely, and conduct user testing with children. That shared foundation meant every decision — narrative and visual — was made in service of the same goal, and that cohesion is evident throughout the finished work.

Remy’s attic of Awe underwent two major visual direction changes. Executed in the first draft, version one’s illustration style incorporated the same whimsical, collaged style found in the final version, but it lacked depth and refinement. Michelle and Allison queried the book with version two, and while this version captured the attention of our publisher, there was still something missing in the flat backgrounds abstracted ancestor pages. It took a year and a half after signing with our publisher to craft version three. What made the final version so memorable is that it was the product of several illustration courses and tutorials. Honing Allison's craft beyond her expertise as a traditional artist gave her the skill-set to create something that wove depth, personality, and craft into a beautiful story.

The greatest challenge was selecting which moments in Black American history to feature, and then presenting them in a way that was approachable for their target audience while honoring the significance of those events without diluting the message. Michelle and Allison wanted the story to be educational and informative, but balanced with playful imagery and aspirational thinking in a way that would resonate with young readers. Weaving those two qualities together, without sacrificing either, was the work that demanded the most from them as collaborators.

Michelle and Allison explored a wide range of visual styles before arriving at the one that felt truest to the story. The final aesthetic is a blend of digital illustration and collage -- richly textural, layered with old newspapers, ticket stubs, and eclectic patterns. The approach grew partly from Allison's lifelong love of collage, but also organically from the setting itself. An attic full of family treasures calls for materials that feel lived-in and real. Using authentic textures and photos was the most sincere way to honor that world, and the visual style ultimately became an extension of the book's emotional heart.

Given that empathy is so integral to the fabric of our brand, incorporating our own cultures into our stories felt like a natural choice when we first brainstormed ideas. Being of Black-American descent, the idea for Remy’s Attic of Awe came from a very personal place for Allison. She has spent countless hours in conversation with parents, grandparents, and more listening in on anecdotes from her family history. It wasn’t until reaching adulthood that she realized the effect of those stories and how they’ve rooted her in pride for her ancestry. She was excited to fuse this inspiration with proud moments in Black History. Experiencing the many shades and varieties of Blackness in her own family also inspired the unique character designs. We love that Centered Storytime uplifts cultures and histories, and look forward to incorporating more in the future.

One of the things Michelle and Allison were most intentional about is sparking real dialogue between the child and whoever is reading with them. Questions are woven throughout the narrative, designed to help children place themselves in the shoes of the characters — in this case, to genuinely inhabit Theodore's experience. After the final page, they hope families find themselves talking about their own histories, their own dreams, and what it feels like to doubt yourself before finding courage. Their greatest hope is that a child looks up at the adult beside them and asks, "What's our story?" — because that conversation is exactly the point.

Michelle and Allison hope readers notice how universal the story feels, even within its specificity. The textures, the old photographs, the ticket stubs layered into the collage are details that feel personal, yet recognizable to anyone who has ever explored a grandparent's home. That is entirely intentional. Though the story is deeply rooted in Black American heritage, the experience of finding courage through family history belongs to every culture. They want every child, regardless of background, to turn the pages and see themselves in Theodore: in his self-doubt, his curiosity, and ultimately his confidence.

Michelle and Allison hope children close this book feeling a little braver: braver about their dreams, about asking questions, and about exploring where they come from. For parents and caregivers, they hope it opens a door to dust off an old photo album, share a family story that hasn't been told in a while, or simply linger a little longer at bedtime. Centered Storytime was built on the conviction that children's emotional lives deserve to be centered in literature, and if this book plants even one seed of curiosity or confidence in a young reader, they will have done their job.