Vinny’s World Tour
An Adventure in Imagination
Dear Caregivers,
Vinny is a little boy from a small town. His parents gift him an art set. He decides to create a Secret Map that will take him to places around the world and let him become whoever he wants. The story is adventurous, fun, and with a purpose.
The purpose is to teach kids that their imagination is the greatest gift they have. With the illustrations, your child can join Vinny on the adventures where he discovers the magic of creating a secret map of his dreams and goals. The book ends with How to Create Your Own Secret Map, much like adults creating a Vision Board, kids and parents can do this activity side by side and create lasting memories by empowering each other.
Like many of us, we get caught up in life and forget what it’s like to dream and use our imagination. Let this story serve as a reminder for all us grown-ups to reconnect with the power of imagination.
I believe that teaching kids the power of imagination by creating their own secret map when they are young, can become a tool they will fall back on as they get older, and life gets more challenging.
This is a great exercise for classrooms to build teamwork and collaborations. Or a unique fun activity to incorporate into your child’s birthday party.
Enjoy the adventure!
Dedicated to my grandson Vincent John Price
THE SECRET MAP CHALLENGE
HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE SECRET MAP CHALLENGE?
Vinny’s World Tour & The Secret Map Challenge: A Birthday Gift That Last A Lifetime
Turn your child’s birthday into a celebration of dreams, goals, and imagination!
As parents and caregivers, we’re always looking for ways to inspire our kids to dream big, set goals, and celebrate their imagination. One tradition that does all of this—and becomes a priceless keepsake—is the Secret Map Challenge.
✨What Is the Secret Map Challenge? ✨
Every year on your child’s birthday, have them create a Secret Map—a drawing, collage, or colorful design filled with their dreams, goals, and ideas for the year ahead. Think of it as a kid-friendly vision board where anything goes: adventures they’d love to have, things they want to learn, people they admire, or even wild, whimsical wishes (like inventing a flying skateboard or meeting their favorite character.)
✨How It Works
🎂 Make It a Birthday Ritual – Set aside time on their birthday to sit down with crayons, markers, stickers, or magazines and dream freely. Encourage your child to add whatever excites them. Ask questions like: “What’s something new you want to try this year? If you could go anywhere, where would you go? What would make this year extra fun?” This becomes part of the celebration.
📌 Display the Map – Once it’s finished, date it and let your child hang it somewhere they’ll see every day—a bedroom wall, the fridge, or inside their closet. It becomes a daily reminder of what they’re dreaming about.
📁 Collect It at Year’s End – When the next birthday comes around, take down the map, place it in a special folder or binder, and let them make a new one for the year ahead.
🎉The Big Reveal at a Milestone Birthday
By the time your child turns 18, you’ll have a collection of secret maps—a series of their hopes and dreams, year after year. Some will be sweet, some funny, and some might even reflect goals they stuck with and achieved. Handing them this folder is like giving them a time capsule of their imagination and growth. A gift that reminds them how much you believe in them and a family tradition they’ll take with them forever💖
💖Why This Tradition Matters
💡 Encourages kids to reflect on what excites them.
🌈 Keeps their hopes and goals visible.
❤️ They’re part of building the family legacy.
❤️ #SecretMapChallenge #FamilyTradition #DreamBig #ParentingIdeas #FamilyLegacy #FamilyValues#KidsGoals#FamilyStrong#Vinny’sWorldTour
Interviewed by https://bookcypher.com
Interview with Jackie Wallace: Sparking Big Dreams Through a Little Boy’s Imagination
Today, we’re thrilled to welcome Jackie Wallace, author of the inspiring children’s book Vinny’s World Tour: An Adventure in Imagination. In this beautifully illustrated story, young readers follow Vinny—a curious boy from a small town—on a magical journey powered by creativity, courage, and a very special art set. With a Secret Map in hand and imagination as his compass, Vinny shows children that no dream is too big and no goal too impossible.
Jackie joins us to share the heart behind the book, the inspiration drawn from her own family, and how Vinny’s World Tour is more than just a story—it’s a tool to help kids (and adults!) believe in the power of dreaming big.
About the Author & Inspiration
What inspired you to write Vinny’s World Tour – An Adventure in Imagination?
It all started with my grandson, Vincent. I originally wrote the book just for him, no plans to publish it. But once friends and family read it and encouraged me to share the message, I knew it was something other kids needed too.
How does your background as a certified life coach and entrepreneur influence your writing?
Everything I write, whether for kids or adults, carries a message of hope and possibility. That comes straight from my own journey, overcoming setbacks, chasing dreams, and navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.
You’re a big believer in vision boarding and setting impossible goals—how do these ideas show up in Vinny’s story?
Big time. I’ve done vision boards for decades and taught my kids to do them too. In the book, Vinny creates a Secret Map with his imagination, and suddenly he’s traveling the world, learning new skills, and becoming whoever he wants to be. It’s all about helping kids see that their Imagination can take them anywhere.
What message do you hope children (and adults) take away from this book?
That imagination is powerful. Everything around us started as an idea in someone’s head. If kids learn to use their imagination early on, they’ll always have a tool to create hope, even when life gets tough.
About the Book
Can you tell us more about Vinny and his magical journey? What makes him relatable to young readers?
Vinny’s just like any curious kid, he wants adventure and also wants to help others. As he travels through his imagination, he uses what he’s learned to bring hope to his town and inspire other kids to dream big too.
The concept of a “Secret Map” is central to the story. How did you come up with that idea?
My own vision board feels like a secret map to me. I’ve always believed your goals and dreams are sacred and don’t need to be shared with the world. Kids love having something special of their own, so I turned that into a creative tool in the story.
How do you see imagination as a tool for achieving goals, especially for children?
Everything begins in the mind. Imagination gives kids a way to picture new outcomes, even if they’re facing challenges like self-doubt, bullying, or illness. It helps them believe in something better.
What role do the illustrations play in bringing Vinny’s adventure to life?
They bring the magic to life. They’re vibrant and fun and help the reader feel like they’re on the adventure with Vinny. Kids light up when they see them.
Family & Educational Impact
The book includes an activity for kids and parents to create their own Secret Map. Why was it important to include this interactive element?
Because doing is more powerful than just reading. When kids (and their grown-ups) make their own map, it becomes real to them. It turns the message into something they feel and remember.
How can teachers or parents use this book in classrooms or at home to spark creativity and goal-setting?
It’s a great bonding activity for parents and their kids. Creating dreams together creates lasting memories that become part of the family’s story. It opens the door to conversations about imagination, goals, and possibilities. In addition to being a fun activity; it’s a ritual that teaches kids to believe in their ideas and gives parents a way to model hope and vision. When a child sees their parent still dreaming, it sends a powerful message, that dreaming doesn’t stop when you grow up. I see this becoming a family tradition, something they’ll remember and hopefully pass down to their own children one day.
In the classroom, it becomes a group experience that encourages creativity, teamwork, and emotional connection. Kids learn that everyone’s dream matters, and they cheer each other on. It is an assignment that creates fun, memorable moments, and a sense of belonging with their classmates.
Have you received any feedback from families or educators about how the book has impacted their children?
Even before the official launch, I’ve already had a lot of requests for the book. The message is clearly resonating, and I’m excited to get it in more hands.
Broader Themes & Vision
Why do you think adults often lose touch with their imagination, and how can we reconnect with it?
Life happens. We get caught up in survival mode, working, caregiving, putting out fires. But when adults pause and reconnect with imagination, they find new solutions, more joy, and fresh possibilities.
What does “impossible goals” mean to you, and how can children be encouraged to dream that big?
Impossible goals are the ones you’re scared to say out loud because they sound too wild. But everything around us was once considered impossible. I want kids to realize they’re allowed to dream that big, too.
If Vinny could give one piece of advice to kids reading his story, what would it be?
He’d say: “Never let anyone tell you your dream is too big. If you can imagine it, you can make it happen.”
Looking Ahead
Do you have plans for more books in the Vinny series or other projects that continue this message?
Yes! I’m already working on another project that builds on this message and continues the adventure.
Where can readers find your book and follow your work?
Vinny’s World Tour is available on Amazon and other major retailers. To stay connected, visit my website: www.gamechangercoaching.today
What’s one impossible goal you’ve set for yourself recently?
Let’s just say… it’s on my Secret Map. And it’s staying between me and the universe for now
Final Thoughts
Jackie Wallace’s Vinny’s World Tour: An Adventure in Imagination is more than just a children’s book—it’s a movement to reignite the power of dreaming big, for kids and adults alike. Through Vinny’s journey, Jackie reminds us that imagination isn’t just child’s play—it’s a life skill, a source of hope, and a spark for transformation.
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or dreamer yourself, this story offers a beautiful invitation: to pick up your own “Secret Map,” dust off your wildest dreams, and believe in the impossible. Because as Jackie and Vinny both show us—if you can imagine it, you can make it happen.
To learn more or grab your copy, visit Jackie’s website or find Vinny’s World Tour on Amazon and other major retailers.
