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The Make-Believers

By Ryan Seacrest and Meredith Seacrest Leach
Illustrated by Bonnie Lui

About The Book
From America’s favorite host and media personality, Ryan Seacrest, and his sister, Meredith Seacrest Leach, comes a debut picture book that celebrates the surprising strength of a child’s wild, wonderful imagination and how it can change the whole world.

You might think dreams only exist at night,
when the moon is glowing, and your eyes are shut tight.
But what if I told you there’s another kind of dreaming?
All you have to do is make believe.
Because you can be a Make-Believer!

Encourage little ones everywhere to imagine big, to dream far, and to always follow their hearts with this delightful book about the transformative power of play.

About The Authors
Ryan Seacrest

Ryan Seacrest is an Emmy Award–winning television host, radio personality, mega producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Ryan continues to host and produce Los Angeles’s number-one drive-time show for iHeartMedia’s 102.7 KIIS-FM: the nationally syndicated On Air with Ryan Seacrest, as well as American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest. He also hosts ABC’s American Idol, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest and up next will take over the work of legendary Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune. He also cohosted and co-executive produced ABC’s award-winning show Live with Kelly and Ryan, for which he earned an Emmy for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host. Ryan’s philanthropic efforts include serving as chairman of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, which has successfully installed fourteen broadcast media centers—Seacrest Studios—in pediatric hospitals nationwide. The Make-Believers is his first picture book.

Meredith Seacrest Leach

Meredith Seacrest Leach is the executive director and COO for the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. She was a driving force behind the conception and development of the foundation since its inception in 2009. In her current role, she manages and cultivates relationships with key partners and donors in entertainment, health care, education, and technology, while strategizing financial campaigns and programs to help continuously advance the organization and the fourteen Seacrest Studios in leading pediatric hospitals across the country. Prior to overseeing the foundation, Meredith was the director of creative affairs at Reveille, now known as the production company Endemol Shine North America. Some of the programming she was responsible for included Nashville Star, MasterChef, and The Buried Life. She also worked in hospitality public relations, managing several luxury resort accounts, and as the manager of communications at Entertainment Tonight and The Insider, where she oversaw national press for two top entertainment news programs. The Make-Believers is her first picture book.

About The Illustrator
Photograph by Michael Mitchell
Bonnie Lui

Bonnie Lui is an illustrator and cat enthusiast who loves to play. Her work can be found in books, games, and television. She is always looking for ways to create fun in all forms of media for everyone to enjoy. Find her on Instagram @SuperBonArt.

Why We Love It

“The Make-Believers is heartwarming, uplifting, and full of hope. Even with the story’s universal theme, you can feel Ryan and Meredith’s childhood memories in how they talk about the power of make-believe. With their words and Bonnie Lui's incredibly sweet art, they make a book that will spark the imagination of every child.”

—Celia L., Executive Editor, on The Make-Believers

Product Details
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (October 10, 2024)
  • Length: 32 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781665949873
  • Ages: 4 - 8

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Raves and Reviews

"Savvy opening lines enthusiastically instruct on how to be a “make-believer” (“Start by daydreaming about your favorite things”). Affirming text further conveys a sense of limitlessness, suggesting ways to envision new people, places, and experiences, and hinting that some visualizations can 'start looking less like dreams and more like something truly real.'"

– Publishers Weekly

"TV presenter and producer Ryan Seacrest and his sister, Meredith Seacrest Leach, encourage readers to use their imaginations to the fullest . . . And once dreams become bold enough, they may serve to improve young people’s lives."

– Kirkus Reviews

Resources and Downloads

Activity Sheets

The Make Believers (pdf)

High Resolution Images

The Make-Believers

By Ryan Seacrest and Meredith Seacrest Leach
Illustrated by Bonnie Lui