Nurturing young minds through stories
Young Minds Press is an independent children’s book publisher dedicated to capturing the joy and curiosity of childhood. Our heartfelt stories, inspired by real family experiences, celebrate individuality and wonder. With a collaborative creative process involving writers, artists, and educators, we focus on quality storytelling that parents and kids can enjoy together. Our team is committed to fostering a love for reading and learning in young minds, creating a lasting impact on their development. Through our diverse range of books and activities, we aim to inspire a lifelong passion for storytelling and imagination in children of all ages. Our dedication to crafting meaningful narratives that resonate with young readers sets us apart as a trusted source of enriching and engaging literature for families worldwide.
Dear Department of Ghosts: A Case File of Labels, Letters & Loose Ends
Toby P. has a problem.
It’s not just the ghost in his room, or the way his memories won’t stay put. It’s all the labels that seem to stick to him-quiet, weird, too sensitive-and the way grown-ups talk like those words are permanent. So Toby does the only thing that makes sense: he files a formal complaint with the Department of Ghosts.
The Department is very sorry for the inconvenience. The Department has many helpful forms. The Department would prefer Toby stop making things so complicated.
As letters, labels, and loose ends pile up, Toby has to decide which stories about himself he’s willing to keep-and which ones he’s ready to file away for good.
Cowboy Don’t Wear Shorts
Coming soon to amazon!
Young Minds Press is an independent children’s book publisher dedicated to capturing the joy and curiosity of childhood. Our heartfelt stories, inspired by real family experiences, celebrate individuality and wonder. With a collaborative creative process involving writers, artists, and educators, we focus on quality storytelling that parents and kids can enjoy together. Our team is committed to fostering a love for reading and learning in young minds, creating a lasting impact on their development. Through our diverse range of books and activities, we aim to inspire a lifelong passion for storytelling and imagination in children of all ages. Our dedication to crafting meaningful narratives that resonate with young readers sets us apart as a trusted source of enriching and engaging literature for families worldwide.
Heartfelt stories
Stories rooted in real family experiences.
Wonder
Characters and themes that celebrate individuality and wonder.
Harmony
Collaborative creative process between writers, artists, and educators
What sets us apart
At Young Minds Press, you benefit from the expertise of our authors, Laura Bauer and Jeff Strait, seasoned writers with a wealth of experience. Laura, an investigative reporter, has dedicated much of her career to shedding light on issues surrounding social justice for children. Jeff, a former newspaper reporter and public school teacher, brings a unique perspective honed through years of teaching and writing. With their youngest son now in college, Laura and Jeff draw from their rich experiences as parents and educators to craft stories that resonate with young readers. Their debut series, inspired by their own family adventures, captures the essence of wonder and discovery that defines childhood. With decades of storytelling, teaching, and parenting experience, Laura and Jeff bring a depth of knowledge and passion to every book they create at Young Minds Press.
Picture Partnership
Young Minds Press welcomes illustrator Katherine Majeske to the team. Katherine, from Michigan, loves using textures and bright colors to bring heartfelt stories to life. After studying art and design at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Katherine lived in Japan for several years teaching English at both elementary and junior high schools. She enjoyed learning how to bridge the gap between cultural and lingual differences by creating games for her students.
Katherine’s artwork is featured in our upcoming picture book Cowboys Don’t Wear Shorts, and find more of her work at https://katherinemajeskeart.carrd.co/
Let’s Connect
Send us an email and we will get back to you shortly.