The Story Behind the Story: Meet the Family Behind the 'Alex & Meg' Series

Every adventure has a beginning. For Alex and his brilliant best friend Meg, that beginning started not in a high-tech lab or a mysterious jungle, but in a cozy living room, with a grandmother, a mother, and two very busy toddlers.

If your family has fallen in love with the Alex & Meg series, we invite you to meet the family that created it. PuzzleStoryBooks is a family affair, and our original series for young readers is the passion project of a remarkable mother-daughter duo, Dionna and Torian Ellison.

The Storyteller and the Mom

The magic of Alex & Meg comes from two generations of talent, perfectly blended.

Dionna Ellison is the heart of the story. A small business owner and ministry worker, Dionna has spent her life understanding the power of narrative to teach, heal, and connect. As a mother of three and now a grandmother, her passion has always been crafting stories that build character and spark curiosity. "A good story isn't just an escape," Dionna says. "It's a gentle way to show a child how to be brave, kind, and resilient in the world." She is the guiding voice behind the series' core values and thrilling plots.

Torian Ellison-Vinson is the inspiration in action. As a wife and mom to two energetic toddlers, she lives and breathes the reality of engaging a young child's mind. She saw a gap in the market firsthand. "I wanted to share my love of reading with my kids, but at that age, their attention spans are short and their hands want to be doing something," Torian explains. "Sitting still for a long story was a struggle. I needed a book that invited them to play. My babies are still small, but seeing the gap even for school agers was real for me."

The Spark of an Idea: A Granddaughter's Wiggle

The idea for PuzzleStoryBooks was born during one of Dionna's visits and from her love of creating adventures. Torian was trying to read a classic storybook to her two-year-old, who was far more interested in pointing at pictures and wiggling off her lap.

"I saw Tori's frustration, but I also saw my granddaughter's natural curiosity," Dionna recalls. "She didn't want to just listen; she wanted to participate."

That evening, they started brainstorming. What if a story had built-in pauses for play? What if, after a few pages of adventure, there was a simple, fun puzzle using the words and characters from that very chapter? It would be a book you could experience together. The "read-and-play" cycle was born, and with it, the adventurous and kind-hearted duo of Alex and Meg.

A True Family Affair

What started with a mother and daughter quickly grew to include the entire family. Torian’s siblings each bring their unique talents to the table, making PuzzleStoryBooks a true family-run business. From managing the social media communities to helping with the business logistics, everyone plays a part in bringing the adventures to your home. It’s a venture built on a foundation of family, and that value is woven into every book they create.

The 'Alex & Meg' Philosophy: Reading as a Relationship

Dionna and Torian built the series on a few core beliefs, backed by child development research.

1. Reading is Connection: The Alex & Meg books are designed for co-reading. Studies have consistently shown that this "dialogic reading"—where a child and adult talk and ask questions about the book—is one of the single most effective ways to build early literacy skills. According to research highlighted by the U.S. Department of Education, reading turns from a passive activity into an active, bonding experience.

2. Play is a Child's Work: The simple puzzles aren't just for fun; they are for development. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) emphasizes that purposeful play like this supports problem-solving, vocabulary growth, and fine motor skills.

3. Stories Shape Character: At its heart, the series is about friendship, curiosity, and kindness. Alex and Meg solve problems by working together and respecting each other's strengths. These foundational social-emotional lessons are vital for young children and are best taught through engaging narratives.

A Note from Dionna and Torian

"As a family, our greatest joy is creating something that brings other families together. We hear from parents who tell us our books sparked a new love of reading in their child, and that is the most rewarding feeling in the world. Our hope was to create the books we needed for our own family, and we are so grateful to you for letting Alex and Meg be a part of yours. Thank you for joining us on this adventure."