Raleigh start-up diversifying children's literature

Imagine a book where children actually get to see themselves as the star of their own story.

A Raleigh startup is making that possible while addressing a lack of diverse representation within children’s literature.

“We believe that every child is one of a kind and has intrinsic value," said Mike Vaggalis, the founder and CEO of Keepsake Tales.

Vaggalis and Atlanta-based author Erin Burchik founded the company and are dedicated to telling all sides to a child’s story, no matter their race or ability.

“We’re building the most personalized children’s books in the world so that every child can see themselves as the champion of their story and understand that they really do matter," explained Vaggalis.

Diversity and inclusion is a universal lesson Vaggalis and Burchik believe is vital to teach at a young age. They estimate less than 1% of children’s books today include kids with disabilities or sicknesses.

“We want kids to see themselves befriending kids that maybe they haven’t befriended yet," said Burchik.

“Someone who is disabled or differently abled, someone who may be going through chemotherapy," added Shawna Lemon, the company’s attorney.

The founders saw the need months ago to amplify these representations and launch conversations about race and different life experiences at home.

“What we found is when children can’t see themselves in the content they consume, in the books that they read, they start to ask these really deep questions of value and self-worth," said Vaggalis.

Now, children can truly become the star of their own books with supporting characters that represent a well-blended community.

All parents have to do is submit a child’s photos, and a production company with a team of artists will handle the rest.

“This is something that could literally change lives," said Vaggalis.