Lily Peng

Junior Keira Chang smiles as she reads her children’s book “Marinara and Alfredo: How Do Rainbows Work?” to preschoolers. Taking part in Los Altos Library’s Science and Technology Week event, this was her first time reading her book at a library rather than a school classroom.

Amazon bestselling author Keira Chang (11) read her book “Marinara and Alfredo: How Do Rainbows Work?” on Thursday for the Science and Technology Week at Los Altos Library.

A dozen preschoolers and parents attended Keira’s library session. She began the storytime by asking the children if they ever wondered about the science of rainbows and then led them through the picture book. Afterward, she gifted each child custom “Marinara and Alfredo” bookmarks.

Keira reflected on the experience, highlighting her love for inspiring children’s interest in science by breaking down complicated topics into simple and engaging stories.

“This is a really cool opportunity and I was really honored to have been offered this spot,” Keira said. “Getting to read and share the book with kids is always special for me, and the kids themselves are always super curious and very upbeat.”

With support from her parents, she developed ideas for a science-themed picture book in her sophomore year and has published two works since: “Marinara and Alfredo: How Do Rainbows Work?” and “Marinara and Alfredo: How do Ouchies Heal?”. Both have ranked as No. 1 Best Seller Children’s Books on Amazon. Keira’s motivation for the books stemmed from her interest in the science behind everyday occurrences as a child.

“Growing up, I was always super curious about how things work in the world around me,” Keira said. “I wanted to share that curiosity and those explanations with kids to encourage them to keep asking questions.”

Noticing her inherent curiosity as a child, Keira’s father David Chang eagerly supported her venture into writing for children by helping brainstorm ideas.

“I’m really proud of everything that she’s done,” Chang said. “ She’s very ambitious and really likes to try things that challenge her. It’s been really exciting as a parent to see her do things even I’ve never imagined myself doing. It’s just awesome to see her breaking out into new territories.”

Former president of the Los Altos Library Endowment Cindy Hill first discovered Keira through a Fox News interview and thought her engaging stories would add a unique element to their Science and Technology week.

“Her energy and enthusiasm for explaining scientific methods stood out,” Hill said. “She was able to simplify the concepts so that anyone could understand them. Especially at the age group she’s working with, they can start to learn the basics and then grow into the deeper parts of science.”