JoAnn Grace, who has worked as a nanny for twelve years, has released two children’s picture books: Good Morning, Sunshine and Good Afternoon, Rain. Both are written for toddlers and preschoolers and are available in print and digital formats through major book retailers and online platforms. The announcements highlight how hands-on childcare experience can inform early literacy and emotional learning tools for families and educators.
Good Morning, Sunshine turns an ordinary morning into a joyful celebration. Set in a large yellow room, the story invites young readers to greet the fireplace, the bookshelf, the drapes, the toys, and even a cat chasing a rat. Each page pairs gentle rhyming text with a repeated “Good morning” refrain, encouraging children to point, name, and join in. Grace draws on her childcare background to emphasize repetition, rhyme, and rhythm, which she says children thrive on. The book introduces familiar objects, colors, and shapes while promoting positive morning routines and gratitude.
“I dedicated this book to every child I have cared for, because each one is a blessing,” Grace says. “I wanted to create a book that feels like a hug and a bright start to the day.” At 24 pages, the book is designed as a quick, cozy read for bedtime, morning routines, or classroom quiet time.
The second book, Good Afternoon, Rain, helps toddlers meet thunder, lightning, and rain with curiosity instead of fear. It follows a group of toddlers watching a storm from a sunlit window. They want to go outside, but the wind and rain have other plans. As lightning flashes and thunder rumbles, the children feel both fear and wonder, asking when the storm will stop and why it is so loud and bright. Grace responds with comfort and imagination: the children settle in with picture books, blocks, and a wooden train, build blanket forts, and turn a gray day into an adventure. By the end, they greet the storm with a cheerful “Good afternoon, thunder, lightning, and rain.”
“Storms can feel big and scary to little ones,” Grace says. “I wanted to show that with a cozy space, a good book, and friends nearby, a rainy afternoon can become an adventure.” The book supports emotional learning by naming feelings, while its rhyming text builds early literacy and vocabulary. Parents, grandparents, nannies, and teachers may also find fresh indoor play ideas for stormy weather.
Grace began babysitting at age 12 and raised four children of her own. As she nears 65, she plans to retire from nannying but not from making a positive difference in children’s lives. Becoming an author allows her to keep sharing joy, warmth, and love with little ones everywhere. More information about her work is available at https://joanngracebooks.com/.
