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ALEXANDRIA, VA — November 5, 2026 — Alexandria author and retired mathematics specialist Valerie D. Johnson, pictured, releases her new picture book, I Am a Math Kid, with a powerful message: Every kid is a math kid. Drawing on more than 30 years in education, Johnson challenges the belief that some children simply aren’t “math people,” reminding families that children use math every day—they see it, speak it, do it, and think it, often without realizing it.“I saw them. I heard them. And I wanted them to see themselves differently,” Johnson says, recalling students who insisted math was hard or that they didn’t like it. As a classroom teacher and mathematics specialist, she made math visual, hands-on, interactive, and fun, helping students build confidence and develop a more positive relationship with math. One former student later told her, “Because of you, I’m in the magnet high school.” A parent called Johnson the “whisperer” of her family. After helping hundreds of children build confidence in math, Johnson adopted the self-proclaimed title “Math Whisperer.”
Designed for children ages 4–8, I Am a Math Kid encourages readers to look beyond worksheets and calculations to discover math in the games they play, patterns they notice, questions they ask, and problems they solve. The book celebrates children as curious thinkers, creators, explorers, and problem-solvers, inviting them to recognize the math already woven into everyday life and proudly declare, “That’s me! I am a math kid!”
“Being a math kid isn’t about how much math you know or whether you love math today,” Johnson says. “It’s about recognizing that math is already part of who you are and who you can become—and that you can keep growing, discovering, and learning. I Am a Math Kid is for EVERY child, whether they love math, are still figuring it out, or need a little more time and support.”
Johnson is the founder of West Oak Lane Kids, LLC, a children’s publishing company that brings mathematics and literacy together through engaging books and joyful learning experiences. Her commitment to STEM education is also rooted in her family legacy, including her aunt, NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, whose story reached global audiences through Hidden Figures. Inspired by summers on her grandfather’s farm, Johnson’s first picture book, 1 2 3 Count with Me on Granddad’s Farm, introduces young children to counting through family, farm life, and discovery.
Through Math Champions for Kids, Johnson also helps put books and hands-on math resources into Title I schools. To date, the initiative has gifted 108 books to six classrooms across two schools, expanding access to engaging math learning experiences.
I Am a Math Kid is available November 5, 2026. Learn more about Johnson, her books, and Math Champions for Kids at https://www.westoaklanekids.com/. Follow West Oak Lane Kids on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/wolkidsllc/.
About Valerie D. Johnson and West Oak Lane Kids
Valerie D. Johnson is an author, retired educator, and founder of West Oak Lane Kids, LLC. With more than 30 years of experience as an elementary teacher, mathematics specialist, and curriculum developer, she uses math through literacy to help children build confidence and see themselves as math kids.
About Math Champions for Kids
Math Champions for Kids is a West Oak Lane Kids initiative providing books and hands-on math resources to Title I schools to help children build confidence in math.
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