Kids being Kids...with Superpowers!

Kids being Kids...with Superpowers!

What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? This conversation brings that question into a children’s book about kindness, family, and second chances at life. The host welcomes cousins and co-authors Mark Perlow and Justine Perlow, who share how their picture book *Milo’s Superpower: Spreading Joy and Kindness One Smile at a Time* went from a rough Word document to a fully illustrated story loved by young readers. Justine, a second-grade teacher, tested the earliest draft on her class.

Despite no pictures, “they were so engaged… I’ve like never seen my students so engaged in anything,” which confirmed they were on to something special.

Milo is based on Mark’s grandson, a boy whose “superpower is your smile and ability to make people laugh.” The episode shows how a simple idea – that a smile can change someone’s day – turned into a story about emotional superpowers, empathy, and the importance of helping children see what’s special in themselves and others.

As Justine puts it, “a superpower does not have to be physical… a superpower can be part of your personality.” You’ll also hear the very real-life backdrop: Mark’s cancer diagnosis, a move across the country to be closer to his grandchildren, and his reinvention from infertility specialist to children’s author and support group leader. He’s frank about the steep learning curve of indie publishing, from KDP to IngramSpark, e-books to audio with sound effects and voice actors.

For anyone balancing healing, creativity and family, this episode shows how stories can keep kids “being kids” while still teaching them that kindness, joy and connection might be the strongest superpowers of all. It might leave you wondering: what quiet superpower are you passing on to the next generation?