Conference lunches tend to run the same–mad dash for sandwiches, email checks, and noontime networking. Meeting Kimi Gros of the book series Megan Hearts at the Gravity Summit at Stanford this afternoon was a nice surprise not only for the session break, but because her series provides positive messaging for girls age four to eight. Gros, who learned how to fly a plane at 19 and toured with a country band at 20, told me about her goal to encourage young girls to pursue wide-ranging hobbies and recognize the value of serving people beyond themselves. 

The 64-page books will include “Megan Hearts Uganda,” “…the Aquarium,” “the Medical Field,” and “Guitar” (which will feature Sony artist Jordyn Shellhart). They follow the adventures of a young girl as she explores different activities and is based on Megan Fate (above), a college basketball coach and Kiwanis speaker. Gros and Fate have started partnerships with Tom’s Shoes and Mother’s Against Drunk Driving to create positive content for the series (a great gift for a female niece you’d like to empower).