'The enduring magic of storytime': Ms. Rachel announces new book launching with toy line
Ms. Rachel, a well-known Youtuber and familiar face in many households, especially with young kids, had some news to share Tuesday.
Ms. Rachel, real name Rachel Griffin Accurso, shared with her 1.8 million Instagram followers that she has written a book: "Ms. Rachel and the Special Surprise!: Encouraging Speech and Learning Through Play and Music," that will be released on Sept. 24, but is available for preorder right now.
Accurso partnered with Random House Children's Books and illustrator Monique Dong to bring the story to life. This book is the first in a series that will build stories around the concepts from Ms. Rachel's learning videos on YouTube.
Ms. Rachel unboxed her copy of the book for fans on Tuesday, singing, "What's in the box? What could it be? Do you want to take something out with me?"
“It is truly a privilege to be able to teach and connect with children not just through YouTube but also through books and the enduring magic of storytime,” Accurso said in a press release.
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Barbara Marcus, president and publisher of Random House Books for Young Readers touched on the fact that Ms. Rachel's influence is "far and wide," and that the publishing house is, "thrilled to support Ms. Rachel’s new world of imagination and joy for years to come.”
Ms. Rachel toy line:Family YouTube sensation announces products coming fall 2024
Ms. Rachel toy line also slated for fall
Along with her new book, Ms. Rachel has a toy line set to release in fall of this year as well.
In an exclusive interview with Parents, Accurso mentioned that she's been working closely with her husband, Aron, on the project. The couple is passionate about making toys accessible and available to all. "So, there's a wide range of price points," Laura Henderson, Spin Master’s Executive Vice President, told Parents.
Accurso said she is most excited about having a toy that can "grow with" a child. “So, it’s gonna last in the playroom and, and kind of have endless possibilities," she shared with the outlet.
Who is Ms. Rachel?
Before having children of her own, Ms. Rachel worked as a teacher. When her son, Thomas, was diagnosed with a speech delay, she searched for videos online that may help him but couldn't find many. Accurso was motivated to create her own videos to help her son, but also other children as well.
Accurso put her dual master's degrees to use (early childhood development and music education) and started creating content that sought to encourage speech development.
Since 2019, Ms. Rachel has grown her audience to 8.66 million on YouTube, 3.9 million followers on TikTok and 1.8 million on Instagram.