“The core message of the book is to stay confident through self-acknowledgement of all the good qualities that you have to offer,” said Hirsch. “It can be easy to be kind to others but surprisingly difficult to remember to be kind to yourself. If there is a piece of yourself that you don’t like, try to find ways to embrace it and learn from it, and if you still don’t like it, then focus on ways to improve yourself.”

The Yummy Up Bakery illustrates the story of a trio of sweets moving from the mixing bowl to being picked as the most delicious treats. Throughout the story, readers also experience inspiring themes like the importance of positivity, inclusion and embracing yourself fully.

Aiming to lower early childhood insecurities one page turn at a time, Hirsch is working with Chicagoland schools to show the power of self-confidence to local youth. Her message of inspiring self-esteem is winning over young students, parents, teachers and school administrators.

“If I can help one child learn to love something new about himself or herself, that is a giant impact caused by just one short story,” Hirsch added. “I know that for me, I struggled to put my challenges into words. It’s not easy for kids to talk about the causes of their angst, but storytelling offers an outlet that can start the conversation.”