Young Author Publishes Books to Aid Early Learning

Joyelle Tunstall's "Read with Joy" series aims to help kids learn to read while featuring diverse characters.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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Joyelle Tunstall, a young aspiring author, has created the "Read with Joy" book series to help her daughter and other children learn to read. The series focuses on word families and includes diverse characters that represent her daughter. What started as a personal project has now expanded to multiple books, flashcards, and the potential for an animated series.

Why it matters

Tunstall's efforts highlight the importance of early childhood education and addressing the challenges many kids face in developing strong reading skills. By creating an accessible and inclusive learning resource, she aims to make a positive impact on future generations.

The details

Tunstall started the "Read with Joy" series when her daughter, Joy, was 4 years old. The books focus on teaching word families and consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words to help break down learning and reading into a simpler form. The series has now grown to include multiple books, flashcards, and the potential for an animated series.

  • Tunstall started the "Read with Joy" series when her daughter was 4 years old.
  • The second book in the series, "Read with Joy- Lost in the Fog", was recently published.

The players

Joyelle Tunstall

The creator of the "Read with Joy" book series, who started the project to help her daughter learn to read and included diverse characters.

Joy

Tunstall's daughter, who inspired the creation of the "Read with Joy" series and enjoys being a co-author and signing autographs.

Desi Hale

The Associate Minister for P.O.E.M. Christian Center, who emphasizes the importance of education.

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What they’re saying

“I started 'Read with Joy' and Liana Learns when my daughter, Joy, was four years old. I wanted to create a series that could teach her how to read, focus on word families, but also include diverse characters that looked like her.”

— Joyelle Tunstall, Creator, "Read with Joy" series (texomashomepage.com)

“It is so important that we continue to educate, to educate, to educate, because education is so important.”

— Desi Hale, Associate Minister, P.O.E.M. Christian Center (texomashomepage.com)

“What I like about being the co-author of 'Read with Joy' is pushing sales, but in giving out the books and signing autographs.”

— Joy (texomashomepage.com)

What’s next

Tunstall plans to continue expanding the "Read with Joy" series, including the potential for an animated adaptation.

The takeaway

Tunstall's personal mission to create an accessible and inclusive learning resource for her daughter has blossomed into a growing series that aims to make a positive impact on early childhood education and reading development.