PRO CONNECT

Linda Soules

Online Profile
Author welcomes queries regarding
CONNECT

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 50 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.

Linda is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi). Her imprint, So You Want To Be...Books, is a member of the Children's Book Council. She also belongs to the Nonfiction Authors Association, the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, the Colorado Independent Publishers Association, the Children's Literature Association, the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, and the Society of Authors.

SO YOU WANT TO BE AN ASTRONAUT Cover
BOOK REVIEW

SO YOU WANT TO BE AN ASTRONAUT

BY Linda Soules • POSTED ON April 13, 2026

In this nonfiction picture book, Soules presents a detailed account of what it takes to be an astronaut—not as a sugarcoated, romantic adventure but as a profession.

“So. You want to be an astronaut. You want to leave the planet. Not in a dream. Not in a story. For real,” Soules writes in this volume of her So You Want To Be series. “You want to strap yourself into a seat on top of a rocket that burns seven million pounds of fuel and ride a column of fire through the atmosphere until the sky turns from blue to black and the stars come out.” From this poetic introduction, Soules proceeds to temper this fantasy with lived experience, describing the preparation that astronauts go through, including studying robotics, foreign languages, and the sciences, and what astronauts actually do aboard the International Space Station, including conducting experiments, making repairs, and exercising to slow muscle and bone loss. These grueling aspects are balanced by explanations of the life-changing shift in mentality that astronauts have reported from spacewalking, experiencing weightlessness, and having looked at Earth from space, which puts all of life into perspective. Soules writes in the second person, and her conversational tone fosters a connection with individual readers while still exuding enthusiasm, understanding, and belief. On each page, the text shares space with vivid digital illustrations depicting astronauts of varied ethnic and national backgrounds engaged in training exercises or at work aboard the ISS. Soules used AI in crafting these pictures, noting that the AI tools in question (though not named) operated “within established ethical frameworks.” The end result is mostly good, though there are some issues, such as an arm that isn’t attached to anybody in an illustration of a crowd. The book concludes with a glossary and a resource page suggesting further books, websites, and activities for the budding young astronaut.

An inspiring yet balanced guide for children contemplating their dream career in space.

Pub Date: April 13, 2026

ISBN: 9781972766019

Page count: 38pp

Review Posted Online: June 30, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026

Close Quickview