Why I Created My First American Coloring Book for Toddlers
I didn’t plan to start something new right now.
Parenting Unpacked is still very much in progress, living on my desk, in my notes app, in my head while I cook or walk or wait for bedtime to finally settle. But a few weeks ago, something small kept tugging at me, and I couldn’t ignore it.
It started with how little kids learn culture before they ever learn words.
Not through explanations. Through repetition. Through what they see every day. What’s on the table. What’s on the street. What people celebrate. What feels familiar enough to name.
And that’s when this idea took shape.
My First American Coloring Book
It’s a beginner-friendly coloring book created specifically for toddlers from the age of 2. Not to “teach” American culture in a big, abstract way, but to reflect the small, ordinary details that quietly shape early childhood here.
Inside, there are 101 bold, simple illustrations designed for little hands and short attention spans. Things toddlers already recognize or are just starting to notice.
Foods like apple pie, mac and cheese, and peanut butter and jelly.
Celebrations like the Fourth of July, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.
Scenes from school life, neighborhoods, community helpers, music, and everyday routines.
Each page is intentionally uncluttered. No busy backgrounds. No overload. Just space to point, name, color, and talk. The kind of book that invites conversation without demanding it.
This isn’t about memorizing facts. It’s about familiarity. Language development. Fine motor skills. Cultural awareness that grows naturally, page by page.
To bring it to life, I partnered with Brazilian illustrator Janyne Azevedo, whose clean, warm style immediately felt right. Her illustrations are gentle and clear, made with toddlers in mind, and they bring a subtle global sensibility to an American theme. That combination matters to me.
The book is currently in production and will launch in the next few months, exclusively on Amazon. We’re taking our time with it, making sure each page feels right, because this age group deserves care and simplicity, not shortcuts.
There are countless ABC books and generic coloring pages out there. What I kept coming back to was this gap: very few books that show daily life in the U.S. as a toddler actually experiences it. Not idealized. Not instructional. Just familiar.
That’s what this book is meant to be.
If you’d like to get early updates, sneak peeks, and launch-day news, you can join the waitlist using the sign-up form in the footer.
Thank you for being here and for growing with me. This project came from the same place as everything else I write: paying attention to the small things, and trusting that they matter.
More soon,
Jessica
