Thursday, October 1, 2026
A Valley Stream resident is adding another title to her growing list of accomplishments through children’s literature.
Anastasia Difino, who has lived in Valley Stream for more than a decade, recently released her second self-published children’s book, “The Dare Book,” on Feb. 26. The project reflects both her professional experience as an educator and her personal life as a parent.
Difino, of Greek American heritage, grew up in Queens but moved to Valley Stream with her husband, Joe, who was raised in the community. The couple is raising their two sons, Frankie and Peter, there alongside extended family members who also reside locally. Difino said the strong family connections and sense of community were major reasons they chose to remain in the village after getting married.
Outside of writing, Difino is a 13-year educator in Queens. She teaches fifth grade and, for the past three years, served as a literacy coach at the elementary school, where she supports teachers with reading instruction and works with students who struggle with literacy.
“I was always a reader and a writer,” Difino said. “I always wanted to write something. I was very into poetry growing up, but being in schools, getting so into children’s books and having my own boys, drove me to think I should write children’s books.”
Her first children’s book, “On the Bright Side,” was released in 2023 after she began writing it during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. The story emerged from conversations she had with students who asked difficult questions about the world around them. The book focuses on encouraging children to look for positivity and goodness even during challenging moments.
Her newest book builds on that same mission while taking a more interactive approach for young readers.
Designed primarily for children between the ages of three and seven, the book presents a sequence of playful challenges that encourage readers to participate physically and emotionally while listening to the story. Early pages feature lighthearted prompts such as making silly faces or moving around, while later sections introduce more thoughtful activities focused on kindness, compassion and confidence.
The concept came from Difino’s own family experiences. During a particularly busy period filled with work, school and extracurricular activities, she and her family realized they needed time to pause and reconnect.
“We need to just laugh, we need to be silly, we need to stop, we need to just enjoy each other’s company,” Difino said. “And that’s where the idea for “The Dare Book” came out, because also in the classroom, we see it so often. Kids need brain breaks. They need a pause; they need a timeout. Let them be a kid, and I wanted families, parents, teachers, counselors, speech therapists, to really see this as an opportunity.”
The illustrations for both of Difino’s books were created by freelance illustrator Taylor Barron, who is originally from Seattle and now lives in Paris. Barron left a career in animation and design to pursue freelance illustration and has spent the past eight years illustrating more than 20 children’s books.
Barron first connected with Difino after the author reached out about collaborating on her first book. The illustrator said the themes in Difino’s writing stood out immediately, particularly the emphasis on connection, optimism and emotional awareness. Those themes carried into Difino’s recent release, where Barron worked closely with Difino to shape visuals that would complement the interactive format.
“I particularly love the progression from a silly and playful book to a more touching ending that really inspires connection and love,” Barron said. “I honestly got chills the first time Anastasia read it to me. I found it so sweet. The interactive component, I’m sure, will be a huge hit with kids as well.”
The illustrations in the new book were intentionally designed to be simple yet vibrant. Barron focused on colorful imagery that keeps young readers engaged while leaving space for them to interpret the scenes themselves. Diversity and inclusion were also priorities during the creative process, leading to the depiction of children from a variety of backgrounds throughout the book.
Difino self-published both of her books, a choice she made to maintain full creative control and handle promotion and outreach on her own terms. While the writing and illustration processes are straightforward, she said, balancing the work alongside teaching, parenting and everyday responsibilities can extend the timeline of bringing a book to life.
Colleague and friend Alicia Marcinkowski, a fellow educator, has followed Difino’s writing journey since the early stages of her first book. Marcinkowski teaches fourth- and fifth-grade art and said she had the opportunity to preview both Difino’s books before their release.
Marcinkowski shared the book with family members, including her five- and eight-year-old niece and nephew. She said the children were enthusiastic about the interactive elements and enjoyed acting out the movements described in the text.
“This book links very much to social emotional learning and the idea of positive reinforcement and being yourself, which is something that, as a teacher, as an aunt, I think, is super important,” Marcinkowski said.
Marcinkowski also read “The Dare Book” during a livestream event connected to Read Across America on March 2, allowing parents and students in her school community to hear the story.
Difino has already begun sharing the book locally as well. After posting about it in a Valley Stream community group, she was contacted by a daycare operator interested in hosting a reading session for children.
Both of Difino’s books are available online through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Looking ahead, Difino said she hopes to continue writing children’s books while focusing on expanding the reach of her newest release.
