3 Popular Book Themes in Publishing Today

3 Popular Book Themes in Publishing Today

by Kathryn Starke

As a literacy specialist, I love being a book matchmaker for elementary school readers. When a child is matched with their “next best book to read,” both reading engagement and reading comprehension increase because the title closely matches the interests and background of the reader. That’s why choice is so important when it comes to book selection. There are three themes that are currently populating our bookstores and libraries around the country.

Everyone loves a feel-good story. Life lessons around kindness, family, and friendship leave a positive impression on readers of all ages. The Good News Movement and The Know Newsletter are two popular media sources that solely focus on sharing hopeful and inspiring stories. Even major news outlets include a regular segment to highlight random acts of kindness or motivational stories from everyday citizens because they make us feel good.

Author Laura Jacobson of Virginia Beach, Virginia, teamed up with New York best-selling author and illustrator Michael Garland to create her debut children’s picture book and feel-good story. The Boy with the Magic Thumb tells the story of a young boy who relies on his thumb in overwhelming situations. He learns to find his own inner strength and confidence and realizes that the magic inside him is not just in his thumb. Since 70-90% of children suck their thumbs, this children’s picture book shares a life lesson that supports a large number of readers. Books are the best tools to teach lessons and discuss relatable themes in school and at home.

Overcoming obstacles, whether it is in a memoir, children’s picture book, or fictional novel, is another popular theme people look for in a terrific book. An obstacle could be a disability, a bias, or a problem that needs solving. Author Andrew Maraniss, a New York Times-bestselling author, of Brentwood, Tennessee, writes powerful sports stories that highlight professional athletes and sporting events throughout history. Andrew Maraniss beautifully creates narrative nonfiction for teens and adults that focuses on the intersection of sports and social justice.

Women’s fiction is the popular theme that has sparked more book clubs and romance bookstores around the country. Female protagonists and female driven storytelling give women the opportunity to see themselves and their best friends in text and engage in conversation. Many women’s fiction novels include guiding reading questions to support such dialogues. Bestselling author Jennifer Moorman is an excellent example of a successful women’s fiction author from the south. She is published by Harper Muse, which places an emphasis on women’s fiction and Southern fiction. Her book, The Magic All Around, is a magical realism novel that introduces readers to the Russell women in Georgia, Moorman’s childhood home.

What’s the last book you read that left a positive impact, a memorable female character, or a serious obstacle that had to be overcome? These three elements are evident in books ranging from children’s picture books to adult literature. As the founder and CEO of a publishing company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, these are three themes we are always interested in publishing. So, what’s the next best book you can recommend for a friend this season? And, what’s the next book you are going to write?

Kathryn Starke:
Creative Minds Publications Launches New Publishing Services
Aug 14, 2024

Creative Minds Publications, the Richmond, Va.–based publishing and literacy consulting company, has launched three new divisions to publish original titles.

The first, a hybrid publishing arm, is now open for agented and unagented manuscript submissions in the following categories: children’s, YA, education, parenting, self-help, spiritual, memoir, historical fiction, sports, politics, business, leadership, and select women’s contemporary fiction.

The second, a self-publishing consulting arm, provides consulting services for self-published authors about writing, editing, designing, printing, distributing, and marketing their book. The third division, called Your Business, Your Brand, Your Story, offers ghostwriting services.

“Everyone has a story to tell, and we want to help everyone bring their story to life," said founder Kathryn Starke, in a statement. "We aren’t looking for a particular celebrity writer, a person with a huge following, or an individual with a perfectly curated social media presence. We are simply looking for great stories.”


We are an award-winning independent publishing and literacy consulting company, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, that helps teach the world to read. We motivate children, support parents, and inspire fellow educators and readers of all ages to feel more confident and competent in reading and writing. We invite you to share your story with us or request a literacy consultation for your school community. Email us today at info@creativemindspublications.com

Stories — Music to My Ears

By Kathryn Starke     

What’s your favorite song of all time? Who is your favorite artist? What song is currently on your replay list? For a music lover like I am, these questions are easy to answer. (The answer to the third question changes pretty often for me.) To me, similar questions can be asked of avid readers. What’s your favorite book of all time? Who is your favorite author? What title is currently on your bedside table?

Stories, like music, resonate with each of us for a multitude of reasons. They may remind us of a memory or something currently happening in our lives. They evoke a variety of emotions in us from happiness to sadness, anger to grief, or fear to regret.  We connect to a character, setting, theme, or message either the writer or singer has created for us. Making connections increase our interest and comprehension of any type of text. Think about all of the storybook friends you have made from childhood to adulthood. I personally loved Ramona, Fern, and The Babysitters’ Club. Recall the amount of places you have visited or learned about through the pages of a book. Reflect upon a new perspective or lesson you took away from a chapter or lyric to apply to your life. Imagine the scene you created in your mind to match the words you just heard or read.

In addition to feelings, we are drawn to style and structure. We have a favorite genre of books and of music that become our “go to” on a daily basis. We are captivated by a line, verse, phrase, or paragraph that we recite over and over again in our heads so not as to forget the powerful string of words.  How many times did you read “goodnight moon, goodnight room, goodnight cow jumping over the moon” by Margaret Wise Brown?“ You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” This simple heartfelt phrase by Kathryn Stockett in The Help more recently touched readers across the country. Writers closely study the formation, structure, and sound of phrases and sentences that instantly become music to our ears. 

The next time you have on the radio or curling up with a book, sit still for just a moment to listen or imagine the words coming to life before you. This is the exact moment a book or a song becomes a personal favorite of and we continue to build our collection of musical and magical text memories.

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Kathryn Starke is an author, literacy specialist, and founder/CEO of Creative Minds Publications, LLC. Her children’s book, Amy’s Travels, is in its second edition, third printing, and used in schools and homes on over 20 countries on 6 continents. Her debut women’s fiction novel Because of You was published by Black Rose Writing. Visit www.creativemindspublications.com to learn more about Kathryn and her work.