Carrie Koster
Author • Speaker • Family Storyteller
Helping families notice, preserve, and pass forward their story through photographs, memory keeping, and storytelling.
Encouraging Children to Follow Their Spark
Hi, I’m Carrie. I’m a children’s author and speaker who believes every child has a spark worth nurturing. Through stories inspired by real experiences with animals, the coast, and everyday life, I encourage families to notice what lights their children up and support the interests that help shape their future.
Speaking
I enjoy speaking with parents, educators, and community groups about how curiosity, hobbies, and real-world experiences can shape a child’s future.
My talks focus on helping adults notice what lights children up and how those interests can grow into confidence, compassion, and purpose.
Topics include
Following the Spark: Helping Children Discover What They Love
Encouraging Curiosity Through Everyday Experiences
Supporting a Child’s Interests and Passions
Stories inspired by real life adventures with animals, curiosity, and the small moments that help children discover what they love.
Lily Beth Save's the Animals
Inspired by Real Life
Many of my stories are inspired by watching my daughter, Lily, grow up with a deep love for animals.
From visiting farms to helping care for animals in our community, these experiences showed me how powerful it can be when children are encouraged to follow what they love.
Those real-life moments are what bring these stories to life.
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The Family Memory Manifesto
A reflection on why family stories matter and the work I feel called to do.
Some moments are carefully preserved in photographs we frame and display. Others unfold quietly in the middle of everyday life. Together, they shape the story of a family.
Photographs help us see our lives more clearly. They remind us who we were, who we loved, and what mattered in a particular season of life.
But photographs are more than images. They become anchors for our family story.
That’s why I help families gather their memories, organize their photos, and preserve the moments that matter most.
Because one day those photographs will become more than pictures.
They will become the stories our children and grandchildren return to again and again.
And when they do, they won’t just see a photograph.
They will see the life that came before them.
One day the photographs we take today will become the stories our children return to.
Over the years, this belief has shaped the work my husband Dave and I do with Portraits In The Sand, where we create heirloom beach portraits for families visiting the Delaware beaches.
It also led me to create Memories In The Sand, where I guide families through organizing their photos, identifying the Big Rocks of their story, and preserving the memories that matter most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What inspired your children’s book?
My stories are inspired by real experiences watching my daughter Lily grow up with a deep love for animals. From visiting farms to helping rescue injured wildlife, those moments showed me how powerful it can be when children are encouraged to follow what they love.
What age group are your books for?
My books are written for children roughly ages 4–9 and the families and educators who enjoy reading with them.
Do your books include real experiences?
Yes. Many moments in my stories are inspired by real events from our family’s life and our experiences with animals, farms, and volunteering.
Are your stories based on real experiences?
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Do you offer resources for families and educators?
Yes. I enjoy creating activity pages and simple resources that help children continue exploring the ideas and themes from the stories.
Do you speak at schools or events?
Yes. I enjoy speaking at schools, libraries, conferences, homeschool groups, and community events about curiosity, storytelling, and helping children discover what they love.
About Carrie
I studied childhood education, then spent years putting those ideas into practice in the most personal way possible — raising and educating our own children.
When our family packed up and traveled cross-country with our kids, I watched something happen that no curriculum could have planned. Children learn differently when the world is their classroom. They lean in. They ask better questions. They remember.
That belief has shaped everything I do.
I'm a children's author and speaker who believes that curiosity is one of the greatest gifts we can give a child. Not the structured kind. The kind that happens when a child falls in love with something and the adults around them pay attention.
Watching our daughter Lily grow up with a deep love for animals showed me exactly what that looks like in real life. From caring for animals to advocating for them, her passion grew because we made room for it. Those experiences became the heart of my first book, and I hope they encourage other families to do the same.
My work is for parents, educators, and anyone who believes that what a child loves today can shape who they become tomorrow.
A Note in Your Inbox
Every so often I send a letter. Not a newsletter in the formal sense, but a note — a story, a reflection, something worth sharing about children, curiosity, and the moments that matter most.
If that sounds like something you'd welcome, I'd love to stay in touch.
When you subscribe, I'll send you [Resource Title] — a free resource for families who want to raise kids who love learning.
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