Wunderstar kids
Our Story
Our story begins when co-founders of Wunderstar Kids, Bonnie Reading and Brit Ali, were brought together by chance one evening over dinner. They were introduced by a mutual friend to discuss the possibility of creating a mobile application together. Upon getting to know one another, Bonnie discovered that Brit was an artist. Without hesitation and with nothing but a good feeling, Bonnie asked Brit if she would be interested in working with her and illustrating some children’s books that she had written.
When Bonnie and Brit began to work together they realized their love for magic and wonder was one in the same. They discovered they shared a deep passion for all things creative and a love for reading mystical tales like the famous work of J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of The Rings. Over that first month of collaboration, Bonnie and Brit quickly came to realize how in sync their personalities and lifestyle truly were. They not only shared a love for imagination but their ideals lined up perfectly. From leading natural lifestyles to striving to be inclusive in all walks of life, Bonnie and Brit seemed to truly mirror one another and thus a beautiful partnership began to form.
An example of our process for creating the page for “Kings with polka dotted socks and fields of lollipops!”
Beyond creating books
From creative collaboration to forming a brand
While collaborating on the very first illustration, Bonnie and Brit realized that they had something truly special. The way they were able to so effortlessly combine their creative minds and mesh their ideas together to produce the first picture for their book, It’s Time For Bed Sweet Child of Mine, was extraordinary. It was after this first collaboration that they teamed together for a greater vision, a women-owned business beyond just a few books.
Through Bonnie and Brit’s vivid imaginations and ability to create fantastic things, Wunderstar Kids was born. It is a women-owned brand that is dedicated to being inclusive and accessible. The brand aims to encourage wonderful memories through magical children’s books, DIY crafts, and fun recipes for kids.
About the Author
Bonnie Reading
As a child, Bonnie would turn to her imagination on long, fourteen hour car rides to and from Northern Michigan. As the forest swept by and she gazed out at the passing clouds, Bonnie’s mind would drift into kingdoms filled with fairies and unicorns. She spent a magical childhood frolicking through the vast realm of her backyard, disappearing into her self-created fairy tales inspired by the legendary Hans Christian Anderson.
Now grown up, Bonnie holds onto the connection with this mythical childhood realm. She spends much of her pastime roaming through the Blue Ridge Mountains, reading her favorite tales, and dreaming up ways to pass on her passion for imagination through our brand, Wunderstar Kids. Bonnie currently lives in Annapolis, Maryland with her husband where she is a Realtor and is busy writing our next book!
About the Illustrator
Brit Ali
Beginning to draw as soon as she could hold a crayon, Brit’s work is inspired by the bright colors and textures of the Eric Carle illustrations, the playful themes of the Magic School Bus, and the legendary realms of Tolkien. Brit spent many afternoons as a child teaching herself how to draw by referencing characters from her favorite books, Disney movies, and TV shows. Through her artwork, she inspires children to let their minds wonder & wander into magical places.
In contrast to her colorful illustrations, Brit also enjoys creating hyper realistic black & white portraits. Check out Drawings by Brit to see more of her work! Brit also works as a UX design manager and is the founder of Mischief Media.
Our first book line up
A message from Bonnie and Brit:
Our vision is to create something beautiful together, something that will last for our children’s children to enjoy! Travel with us from realms of nighttime enchantment, through blazing daydreams streaked with imagination, and to deep, watery other-worlds. Come along, and together we’ll dive into a multiverse of adventure. Infinite possibilities await!
Is Wunderstar Kids a Women Owned Business?
Yes, Wunderstar Kids is a women-owned business. Businesses owned by women are vital to the strength of the world’s economy. Here in the United States nearly 40% of the businesses are owned by women. In an economy still driven largely by men, where women make up the majority of the purchasing power, we need to continue to encourage other women to become entrepreneurs and strong leaders. We believe it is of the utmost importance to show young girls that they have the opportunity to work hard and own their own businesses. By supporting our brand Wunderstar Kids, you pave the way for more success and opportunities for women owned businesses!
Is Wunderstar Kids Inclusive?
Yes, Wunderstar Kids is inclusive. At Wunderstar kids we focus on creating inclusive content for children. We are committed to being inclusive in a multitude of ways. We use multiple techniques to optimize our books for color blind children so the reading experience is inclusive for different types of eyesight. We use high color contrast ratios according to ADA accessibility guidelines. This makes reading our books better for all children even if they do not have vision impairments. Situational disabilities can include situations like reading the books in low light at nighttime. Our high contrast illustrations and text make it easier for parents and kids to be able to read in a wide range of lighting.
*Keep a lookout for our next book launching in 2021. Our next book will feature characters with disabilities so that truly all children can feel represented while reading our stories.
Is Wunderstar Kids Gender Neutral?
We keep all of our books gender neutral by creating gender neutral characters and characters that are both male and female. We believe it’s important for children of all genders to be able to connect with our books. Whether your child identifies as a boy, a girl, or gender neutral, we want them to see themselves in our stories and be able to identify with our books. At Wunderstar Kids, we also focus on creating crafts and recipes that all children can enjoy making, whether they are gender neutral, boy or girl. Take a look at our blog and you’ll find multiple fun things to make with your children!
Is Wunderstar Kids a Small Business?
Yes, in addition to being a women-owned business, Wunderstar Kids is a small business! Small businesses are vital to the movement of the economy. They foster growth on the local level, and create competition in a world dominated by large corporations and big businesses. Here in the United States there are nearly 30 million small businesses, which account for 99.9% of all businesses! This shows just how much of an impact small businesses have on economic growth and how important they are to the workforce.
By supporting small businesses you may help other small businesses too. Many small businesses help foster local economies by supporting other local small businesses. Here at Wunderstar Kids, we will be supplying our books to local privately owned stores to help facilitate our own economy on a local level.