About You Matter, Luma
Meet Luma, the softest, shyest bunny in the Passion Struck Forest. Some mornings she feels like a dandelion seed, certain the wind forgot her. So she tiptoes off to ask the oldest tree, the widest river, and the roundest moon one very important question. Turns out the answer was hiding in her own whiskers all along. A gentle children's book about self-worth that reminds every little reader: it’s hiding in yours too.
Why I Wrote You Matter, Luma
When I was five, a traumatic brain injury changed everything. A severe speech impediment and an eye patch made me feel invisible. I was convinced no one wanted to hear anything I had to say. Every day I left my classmates, crossed a big field, and walked to a little room where a speech therapist waited. She did far more than help me form words. She showed me my voice mattered. Her kindness became the foundation I rebuilt my confidence on.
Today I see the same aching question in children’s eyes: Do I matter? Too often the answer they’re given is silence. Sometimes parents who feel unseen themselves unintentionally pass that wound along. I wrote You Matter, Luma to break that cycle and to hand every child the truth they deserve: Yes, you matter. You are worthy. You belong right here.
The Bigger Story
Children’s Books About Self-Worth and Belonging – The Matteringverse
"You Matter, Luma" is only the beginning of something gentle and growing.
One book, one bunny, one quiet truth at a time, I’m slowly creating more children’s books about self-worth, kindness, and belonging—together they’ll form a little world called the Matteringverse.
More stories, more friends, and simple ways to remind every child (and every grown-up who reads with them) that they are safe, seen, and significant.
That’s the plan.
Luma just took the first hop.
You matter luma
About the Book
In the gentle magical forest lives a small bunny named Luma who sometimes wonders, “Do I matter?”
"You Matter, Luma" is a heartfelt picture book for ages 3–8 that answers that question with a quiet, resounding yes. Through Luma’s journey, little readers discover that their worth isn’t something they have to earn, it’s already theirs, today and always.
A cozy bedtime story and a perfect classroom read-aloud, the book helps children:
Feel safe, seen, and loved exactly as they are
Know their worth isn’t something they have to earn
Find courage when everything feels new or scary
Feel brave enough to share their true feelings
Notice the quiet ways they already make the world brighter
John R. Miles is an award-winning author and the host of the popular Passion Struck podcast, where he explores how people can live with more intention and emotional well-being. He has spent years helping others rediscover the deep power of mattering, a theme at the heart of his children’s stories.
His own two adult children grew up loving picture books and cozy story time, and those early reading moments inspired his belief that every child deserves to feel valued and loved in the stories they hold close. You Matter, Luma is the first book in that mission.
John lives in Clearwater, Florida with his wife and their two delightfully chaotic dogs, Bentley and Luma. Luma is the newest addition to the family and proudly serves as the unofficial Chief Happiness Officer, because she believes cuddles solve just about everything. When a tiny rescue puppy with a gentle, big-hearted spirit came home, John’s wife took one look and said, “Her name has to be Luma,” inspired by the bunny in this book. And just like that, Luma became part of their story.
When John isn’t writing about belonging and bravery, he is usually drinking too much coffee, losing negotiations with his dogs, or wandering outside pretending to “think deeply” while actually procrastinating. He is also known to read towering stacks of books, experiment with new recipes, and plan the next adventure.
John is a lifelong advocate for emotional connection and believes stories are one of the most powerful ways to remind children—and grown-ups—that they matter.
About the Illustrator, Nejla Shojaie
For Press & Partners
We are building partnerships for publication, distribution, education, and community initiatives around gentle children’s books about self-worth and belonging. If you’re interested in bringing "You Matter, Luma" and the growing Matteringverse series to your readers, schools, classrooms, or platform, I would love to connect.