Summer gives children something they don’t experience any other time of year: the freedom to follow their curiosity wherever it leads. 
Whether it’s watching a butterfly flutter from flower to flower, discovering a hidden trail, or ending the day beneath a summer sunset, some of childhood’s greatest lessons begin when learning no longer feels like homework. In those moments, kids discover that the season isn’t just something they experience—it’s something they belong to. 
And so, one San Diego mom is showing families that the greatest adventures of summer aren’t always found on a vacation—they’re often waiting just beyond the front door, where curiosity becomes discovery and every day holds the promise of something new. 
Award-Winning Children’s Author, Kate Allen Fox, joins our John Masiulionis and Little Forrest on Episode #274 of PR From The Heart’s Children’s Books Spotlight Series to share the release of her latest book, Summer Solstice Wish (published by Beaming Books), what it meant to reunite with acclaimed illustrator Elisa Paganelli and watch her artwork bring both the magic of summer and this special story to life in ways words alone never could, why reading together is one of the most powerful expressions of love and care a parent or grandparent can offer a child, how storytelling teaches children that some of life’s greatest rewards are worth waiting for, why a strong sense of community helps change feel exciting instead of intimidating, and how her new parenting book, Go Play (co-authored with early childhood educator Gennie Gorback, M.Ed. | published by Broadleaf Books), provides families with a research-backed, practical guide to the lifelong benefits of unstructured play—plus much more. 
We encourage you, our friends and neighbors, to support Kate’s work by getting your copy of Summer Solstice Wish and Go Play: How Parents Can Empower Kids to Build Their Own Worlds, and enjoy these empowering reads with your little ones:
Summer Solstice Wish: https://bit.ly/4oQRXFW
Go Play: https://bit.ly/4fWuUHh
Summer Solstice Wish 
Text copyright © 2026 by Kate Allen Fox • Illustrations copyright © 2026 by Elisa Paganelli. Used with permission. Published by Beaming Books. All rights reserved. As PR From The Heart has grown and evolved alongside Kate over the years, we invite you to enjoy her previous trolley stop on The Children’s Books Spotlight Series, where she reflects on the release of Winter Solstice Wish, the companion piece to Summer Solstice Wish: https://bit.ly/44pc8RL. 
Stay connected with Kate online and on social media:
Official Website: https://bit.ly/4xLfJHd
Instagram: https://bit.ly/4vpLBzw
Threads: https://bit.ly/3DrPU7E
