Erin Viani

For Erin Viani, the world of childhood imagination began with something wonderfully simple: building tents. Living in connected to Essex County, New Jersey, Erin discovered the joy of transforming ordinary spaces and household objects into places limited only by imagination. Those childhood experiences stayed with her and eventually became the inspiration for Let’s Play Pretend — Tents of Imagination.

At the heart of Erin’s story is a belief that imagination is far more than a childhood pastime. It is a powerful way for children to explore ideas, create possibilities, solve problems, and understand the world around them. The freedom to pretend can help nurture creativity and confidence—qualities that can continue to influence children long after their imaginary games have ended.

In Tents of Imagination, children turn everyday objects into imaginative shelters and play spaces. Blankets, furniture, and other familiar items become the building blocks of an entirely new world. Yet the story also gently introduces an important lesson: the things we create do not have to last forever to be meaningful. A tent may eventually come down, but the memories, ideas, and experiences created inside it can remain.

Buy Now

For Erin, this message connects deeply with her own childhood. Her memories of building tents became a doorway into a larger vision for the Let’s Play Pretend series—a celebration of the limitless worlds children can create when they are given the freedom to imagine.

Bringing that vision to the page is illustrator Shweta Singh, whose artwork helps transform Erin’s words into a vibrant visual experience. Together, they invite young readers to remember something wonderfully simple: sometimes, all a child needs to begin an adventure is a little space, a few ordinary objects, and an imagination ready to take flight.