Kids Books Written by Authors in Southwest Missouri

A Pizza with Everything on It

By Kyle Scheele

Reading Age: 5–8 years
A father-son duo works to create an extravagant homemade pizza. The pizza becomes so over-the-top that it destroys the universe.

What Did Your Dinosaur Do Today?

By Tiffany Tutu

Reading Age: baby–8 years
Take your kids on a prehistoric adventure as they follow along a group of lively dinosaurs. Illustrations by Chrisara Designs, local twin sisters.

The Dirt Book: Poems About Animals That Live Beneath Our Feet

By David Harrison

Reading Age: 5–9 years
Learn about the creatures that make the dirt their home with 15 amusing poems featuring chipmunks, worms and more. Harrison was named as Missouri’s new Poet Laureate by Governor Mike Parson.

Sprout Helps Out

By Rosie Windstead

Reading Age: 3–5 years
Sprout, a young girl, tries her best to help her mom but not everything goes according to plan. Sprout’s good intentions will have readers smiling at every page.

Hold My Hand, Mama

By Gabrielle Martin

Reading Age: baby–8 years
A mother’s hand walks a child through every point in their life, from their first steps to when they have a child of their own. This heartwarming story will bring a smile and tears to your eyes.

Crawly School for Bugs

Written by David L. Harrison
If I had a dollar for every time my kids have asked me to read them this delightful book of poems, I’d be rich. There are rhymes, and giggles, and bugs of all sorts in the very not-bug-like setting of a school. If your kids like to imagine critters living human-like lives, they’ll enjoy this book by prolific Springfield author David L. Harrison.

What Did Your Dinosaur Do Today?

Written by Tiffany Tutu
Illustrated by Chrisara Designs
My 5-year-old daughter loves this imaginative book, new in 2021 from a local writer and pair of illustrators. It has sweet drawings of friendly dinosaurs doing the cutest things—blowing bubbles, making s’mores and riding an itty bitty bike. The rhyming copy is so fun to read aloud.

Old Cemetery Road (Series)

Written by Kate Klise
Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise
Sisters Kate and Sarah Klise have created a book series with a spooky theme and unusual format: The story is told entirely in letters the characters write to each other. One of the main characters is a ghost, and the book is packed with a million punny character names (There’s a book publisher named Paige Turner.) My soon-to-be-third-grader is working his way through the series now.

S is for Show Me: A Missouri Alphabet

Written by Judy Young

Illustrated by Ross B. Young

Children’s poet Judy Young was a Springfield-area resident when she and her husband created this alphabet book. The oldest title on our list (published in 2001), assigns every letter of the alphabet a little bit of Missouri flair: D is for dogwood, B is for Big Spring. It’s a fun way to learn the ABC’s with a little local pride woven in.

Thanks, Grandpa, for Taking Me Fishing

Written by Vannetta Groeteke

Illustrated by Nikki Turvin

This book celebrates that sweet, relaxing summer activity that kids can do with their loved ones. It’s written by a 417-lander who competitively fishes on a national level and has a true love for the sport. The book’s illustrator is a Missourian too and resides in Pleasant Hope.