Let Me Introduce You to Alma Louise

But first... let me tell you
​how I met Melissa Turner.

I met Melissa Turner while watching Home Town with Ben and Erin Napier on HGTV. Season 4, Episode 3: The Church House aired on February 3, 2020. We were just about to go deep into COVID land. 

Melissa's husband is a minister and they are offered the clergy house, but it's too small for their large family. Ben and Erin do their magic and the place is just amazing in no time at all. 

I expected to see a lovely renovation while watching the show that night, but what I didn't expect was to meet an author and artist! Melissa Turner is both. She has a series of children's books that are both beautiful and inspiring.

​Author and Illustrator, Melissa Smith Turner, created the Alma Louise children's book series to teach simple lessons using whimsical rhymes and pops of color. The books have exploded in popularity and are a favorite for readers of all ages. 

Melissa's children's books are centered around a little girl named Alma Louise. That immediately caught my attention because growing up my middle name was Louise. I dropped that name when I married and opted for my maiden name as a middle name. However, somewhere along the way, I began to miss the name Louise, and now whenever I hear it, it makes me smile.

As I wrote, Melissa's Alma Louise series of books is both beautiful and inspiring. Melissa is the illustrator—she's a talented artist and author.

In the book Alma Louise Plans A Picnic, Alma Louise explores the best foods for a picnic. She and her favorite friend can't agree though, and that becomes a problem. They even get angry with each other! This simple story is a lesson in compromise and kindness. Alma Louise Plans A Picnic is a book about getting along.

The next book in the Alma Louise series is ​Alma Louise Gets a Hole in her Sock. This one made me laugh a bit because I too get holes in my socks, and I know how frustrating it is Alma Louise!

In this book, we find Alma Louise not having a very good day. As a matter of fact, she's having somewhat of a bad day.

She's got:

• a hole in one of her ruffled socks
• a rip in her favorite scarf
• a stain on her special jam-making shirt

​In this very simple story, we get to watch Alma Louise turn her ruined things, and her not-great day, into something new and spectacular. It's all about perspective!

In Melissa's first Alma Louise book she asks the question, "What's better than making pretty things?" The answer, we discover, is "Giving them away!" I totally agree Alma Louise.

Alma Louise loves to create art and make pretty things, but she doesn't want to keep it all for herself, and that is commendable!

This simple story about finding something you're good at and sharing it with others is really Melissa's story. It's exactly what she's done with her creative talents both in illustrating and writing. She, like Alma Louise, has made pretty things and given us a gift by sharing them!

We can all learn from Alma Louise that the best part of being good at something is using our gifts to make the world a happier, shinier place!

The newest in the Alma Louise series of books is Alma Louise Makes a Cupcake.

I don't know about you, but I love a good cupcake!! And what's sweeter than a cupcake? There's only one thing...

Follow along as Alma Louise whips up a beautiful mess of sugar and sprinkles and makes a batch of wonderfully delicious cupcakes in perfect Alma Louise fashion.

You and your little ones can even use the included recipe to make your own cupcakes at home.

Alma Louise Makes a Cupcake is the absolute best book to learn about following directions, the process of baking, and, best of all—sharing!

Can a cape change your mood?
Can a cape change your day?

What do you think Alma Louise would say about that?

Alma Louise Wears a Cape is a book about Alma Louise and her tremendous collection of capes!

She has a different cape for anything the day might throw her way, including a grouchy friend who doesn't understand why she needs so many capes.

Alma Louise is not at all disheartened by her friend's bad mood. In fact, she single-handedly helps her grumpy friend turn his day around and, at the same time, leaves us all with a lesson in kindness and confidence!

Packing for the beach is something I hope to be doing in the next few weeks! It's my happy place. 

In Pack for the Beach with Alma Louise, we find Alma Louise packing for a trip to her favorite place too!

This sweet, simple book will get cute little travelers excited about preparing for a day in the sun.

• Beach ball
• Suntan lotion
• Beach towel
• Swimsuit
• Beach umbrella

There's even a checklist in the back of the book for your own beach packing adventure!

In this ​Alma Louise: You Write the Story activity book, your little one gets to add their words to the pages and color to the drawings.

One of Melissa's (the author and illustrator of the Alma Louise series of books) favorite things to do is make up funny stories. And now, she's giving your child the opportunity to get creative with their own funny stories!

They get to bring Melissa's lovely illustrations to life with their favorite art supplies, then write their own story on the pages!

Do you have a budding artist or writer in your home?
Will their story be funny, silly, scary, or wild?

Find out with the ​Alma Louise: You Write the Story activity book!

It's Christmas time, and Alma Louise needs a Christmas tree for her glittery, jingly decorations.

Come along for the adventure as she heads to town and sees lots of beautiful Christmas trees before finding just the perfect one for herself.

She doesn't pick the tree that is the biggest, the brightest, or the most spectacular. She picks a simple crooked tree in the back of the tree lot, and with her special Alma Louise touch, she turns that tree into something splendid and special.

Alma Louise and the Christmas Trees is a simple story and a fun lesson about turning something ordinary into something extraordinary!

​I believe Alma Louise Leaves a Note is the first in the Alma Louise series of books.

In this tale, Alma Louise finds out that a little bit of kindness goes a long way! Follow along as she turns a pile of scrap paper into encouraging notes that brighten the world around her.

Her notes were not lengthy or perfectly pretty, but they brightened the day like a pop of confetti! This sweet and simple book will leave you with a lesson in the joy that comes from simply taking the time to say (or write) a kind word.

Your child will be inspired to write their own little notes.

Finally, this might just be my favorite, there's the Alma Louise Doodling Book.

​Who doesn't love to doodle, right!?

This cute little coloring and doodling book is appropriate for all ages—even adults!

The illustrations are based on the Alma Louise children's book series.

I hope you have enjoyed a whimsical sidetrack from our normal blog posts. Every once in a while we have to mix it up and do something just for fun.

The next time you have a baby shower to attend, remember the Alma Louise book series. They make great gifts.

Also, you might consider gifting some of these lovely books to your church nursery. I'm sure they would be much appreciated!

Have you read any of the Alma Louise series of books? I'd love to know what you think!