The story begins with Deja and her friends at Summer Science Camp. But things take a surprising turn when they find themselves standing inside a giant snow cone. Before they can even think about taking a bite, the walls begin to melt!
To escape the sticky situation, Deja and her friends must put their heads and hearts together to come up with a plan. With help from Deja’s mom, a professional architect, and a whimsical dream machine, the kids dive into the world of design thinking. They brainstorm, build, and reimagine what’s possible, learning that every great design starts with a question: What if?
As their adventure unfolds, readers see how Deja’s group experiments with shapes, structures, and teamwork to create the building of their dreams. I appreciate that this book is a joyful mix of creativity, science, and problem-solving. There’s also some fun and friendship along the way.
Designing Dreams is a story about belonging and showing every child, no matter their background, that their ideas matter and their dreams are worth building.
The architecture and design industries still have a long way to go when it comes to diversity. According to recent data from the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and NCARB, only 3% of architects are Black, less than 1% are Hispanic or Latino, and a mere 0.3% are Black women.
That lack of representation limits who we see designing buildings and whose stories, perspectives, and communities are being represented in the spaces we all share.
That’s why characters like Deja the Dynamo matters. She’s a symbol of what’s possible when children are encouraged to dream, design, and imagine themselves in fields where they’ve been historically underrepresented.
As an added bonus: a portion of proceeds from book sales will be donated to the ACE Mentor Program of America, an organization that helps high school students discover careers in architecture, construction, and engineering.
Supporting this book is a full-circle way to help more kids especially those from diverse backgrounds explore their passions and design a brighter future.
At its core, the book Designing Dreams celebrates curiosity, teamwork, and the magic of turning imagination into action. It’s the kind of story that makes kids believe they can dream something extraordinary and build it, too.
Grab your copy of Designing Dreams: An Official Deja the Dynamo Adventure wherever children’s books are sold, and inspire your little dreamers to start designing their own tomorrow.
Note: For a limited time, use the code “snowcones” to save $2 on any purchase.
