Tiny Heroes, Big Adventures:

A Grandma’s Story

There’s a special kind of magic in holding a book you wrote and published in your hands—but that magic grows ten times bigger when you’re reading it to the very grandchildren who live inside its pages.

Their eyes sparkled the moment they saw their names in print. “That’s us!” they squealed, pointing to the Tiny Heroes with brave hearts and twinkly eyes. And yes—it was them. Wrapped in adventure, sprinkled in stardust, and braver than a snowflake diving from the tallest cloud.

As I read aloud, their little faces lit up with wonder. “Look Grandma, we’re in the story!” exclaimed Daisy. “More Elfie!” called Robert. “Can I have a bright pink hat with pink polka dots in the next book?” asked Lily. “When will the big movie come out?” whispered Ani when she saw the book trailer.

They knew the story already, of course—after all, they had helped inspire it. But hearing it from the pages of a real book, with their Grandma’s voice curling around each word like a blanket, made it feel new again. Real. Timeless.

They giggled at the silly bits, gasped at the daring parts, and snuggled in close during the quiet moments. And me? I felt something I’ll never forget: the joy of watching a story become part of them, just as they are forever a part of it.

Family Ink: The Mother and Son Storytelling Team