A Kids’ Guide to Education, Classroom Life, Lesson Planning, and the Inspiring Mentors Who Help Young Minds Learn, Grow, and Shine

Learn More
Cover of So You Want To Be A Teacher

About So You Want To Be A Teacher

WINNER of the Literary Titan Gold Book Award From the award-winning So You Want To Be A… Series GRAND PRIZE — 2026 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards SILVER AWARD — 2026 CIPA EVVY Book Awards, Children's Nonfiction Every doctor was taught. Every astronaut was taught. Every chef, engineer, and senator learned from someone who once stood at the front of a room and explained something until it made sense. So You Want To Be A Teacher is an honest, richly illustrated invitation into the profession behind every other profession. Written for curious readers ages 8 to 14 — and the parents, homeschoolers, and teachers who read alongside them — it treats young people as intellectual equals and tells the truth about what teaching actually asks, and actually gives. This is not a sugar-coated career pamphlet. It shows the lightbulb moment when a struggling student finally says "oh!" — and the harder days when the room comes apart and a teacher has to get thirty kids back on track without anyone leaving feeling small. It's the real texture of a life's work: the wonder, the reach, and the reasons people give their whole lives to it. Inside, young readers will explore: A Day in the Life — from the 6:45 a.m. empty classroom to grading essays on the couch at night The Tools of the Trade — lesson plans, manipulatives, and the single most powerful tool a teacher owns: the question So Many Kinds of Teacher — kindergarten to high-school chemistry, special education to robotics coaching Famous Teachers in History — Anne Sullivan, Jaime Escalante, Maria Montessori, and Confucius Fun Facts, a Glossary of real teacher words, and "Could This Be Your Job?" — a warm gut-check for future educators How to Become a Teacher — plus hands-on ways a kid can start today A career-exploration book that doubles as a tribute — perfect for a child who lights up when they help someone understand, and for the teacher in your life who deserves to be seen. A standout gift for Teacher Appreciation Week, back-to-school, or graduation, and a natural fit for home, homeschool, and classroom libraries. Part of the award-winning So You Want To Be A… series — career books that meet kids eye to eye. One for every dream, every passion, every curious mind.

ISBN (print): 978-1-972766-39-2 / Published: 2026-7-18

Where to Buy

About Linda Soules

Linda Soules
Visit Author Page →
Linda Soules is the author and creator of the So You Want To Be A... series, a growing collection of career-exploration books for readers ages 10–14 (and beyond!). The series is envisioned to span more than 180 titles in total, with over 60 published to date and new releases on a steady cadence — covering everything from astronauts and marine biologists to magicians, stunt performers, and roller coaster designers. Her philosophy is straightforward: never talk down to kids. Young readers are smarter, more curious, and more capable than the publishing world often gives them credit for, and they deserve books that respect their intelligence while genuinely sparking their enthusiasm. Each title is written to pull back the curtain on a real career — its joys, its challenges, the path to get there — and to leave readers with the sense that the world is wider, more interesting, and more reachable than they imagined. Before turning to children's publishing, Linda spent 25 years in law and finance, advising hedge funds and sophisticated financial institutions on legal and regulatory matters — a career that taught her precision, discipline, and how to translate intricate subjects into language anyone can use. She brings that same clarity and care to every book she writes, paired with a deep belief that curiosity is the engine of a meaningful life. Linda lives in Seattle with her husband and two children, where the steady rhythm of family life, the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, and the questions her own kids ask every day continue to fuel her work.

Other Books by Linda Soules

Contact Linda Soules