Mona Liza Santos is a Filipina American children’s author, publisher, educator, and founder of World Love Press. Her writing began with one child, her son, and a wish to give him stories that would make him feel loved, understood, and a little more confident in the world.

 

That wish still guides her work. Whether she is writing about friendship, family, cultural identity, big feelings, or an imaginary adventure, Mona thinks about the child who might recognize something of themselves on the page.

 

The Family Who Shaped Her

 

Born in Chicago, Mona spent part of her childhood in the Philippines before returning to the United States and growing up in San Diego. Her grandparents helped shape the values she carries into motherhood and writing.

Her Lola taught her the importance of love, family, and being there for one another. Her Lolo, a World War II veteran, taught her discipline, responsibility, courage, and resilience. As a child, she knew them as the people who cared for her. As an adult, she came to appreciate how much their example had given her.

 

Their influence lives in the questions she brings to her stories. How do we help children feel secure in who they are? What do we teach them through the way we treat others? What will they remember about the love they received?

 

How It Began

 

During the pandemic, while her son was home and familiar routines had changed, she began creating simple stories to comfort and entertain him. One became Mama, I Love You, published in 2021.

 

At the time, she was focused on making something meaningful for her son. She had no way of knowing where that first book would lead.

 

Alongside her 42 children’s books and counting, Mona also creates coloring books, journals, and educational resources that encourage children to explore their creativity, express their thoughts, and build confidence as they grow. She hopes these activities nurture curiosity and a love of learning that children can carry into the future.

 

Her son, Michael Blade, remains an important part of her creative life. Their conversations, travels, questions, and everyday experiences continue to influence her work. Motherhood keeps reminding her that there is always more to learn about how children see the world.

 

Stories That Leave Room for Every Child

 

Mona writes about emotional literacy because feelings are part of a child’s everyday life, even when the words to describe them have not yet arrived. She hopes a familiar situation or a character’s experience can help a child begin a conversation.

 

Her work also explores neurodivergence and different ways of thinking, learning, communicating, and experiencing the world. She wants children to feel accepted as themselves and to offer that same understanding to others.

 

She approaches these stories with the belief that no single book can reflect every child’s experience. Each one is an opportunity to make a little more room, ask a thoughtful question, or help a reader feel less alone.

 

The illustrations are part of that care. Mona collaborates with artists from around the world, returning to trusted illustrators while also working with new creative partners. She considers the theme, emotional depth, and mood of each book when choosing its visual style.

 

Some stories need bright colors and playful movement. Others need quieter pictures that allow a feeling to settle. She values what each illustrator brings to the work and how their interpretation can give a story something she could not create through words alone.

 

What Seeing the World Has Taught Her

 

Mona has explored more than 70 countries and territories. Travel has long been something she saves for and treasures, especially when she can share it with family.

 

What stays with her is often a small detail: a conversation, a family tradition, an unfamiliar food, or a moment of kindness far from home. These experiences have given her more to think about, more questions to ask, and a deeper appreciation for the many ways people live.

 

They have also strengthened her connection to her Filipino American heritage. Through her stories, she hopes children can take pride in their own roots while remaining curious and respectful about someone else’s.For Mona, learning about the world and learning about yourself often happen together.

 

Growing With Purpose

 

In 2025, Mona founded World Love Press to bring her books together and build on the work she had begun. As an independent publisher, she is exploring how stories can be supported by learning resources, family activities, and opportunities to connect in person.

 

Her community work reflects that direction. She founded National Intentional Kindness Day and Heritage and Heart Day, both recognized by the City of National City, California. Through World Love Press, she also helped launch the inaugural Kwento at Kulay (Story & Color) at Seafood City Chula Vista, bringing Filipino cultural storytelling and children’s activities into a place where families already gather.

 

These experiences have encouraged her to think about where learning can happen. A book can begin a conversation at home or in a classroom, but it can also bring families together in an everyday community setting.

 

As World Love Press grows, Mona hopes to develop more ways for families, educators, and community organizations to use her stories. She wants that growth to be guided by listening to the people who read them, learning what is useful, and creating resources that have a place in their daily lives.

 

The Everyday Life Behind the Books

 

Away from writing and publishing, Mona enjoys time with her son, family, and close friends. She loves the beach, parks, music, movies at home, creative projects, and spending time with her pets, Destiny, Warrior, and Luna.

 

She enjoys a full life, but she values its quieter parts. A conversation with her son or an ordinary afternoon together can mean as much to her as a carefully planned trip. Those moments keep her connected to the family life at the heart of her writing.

 

What She Hopes Will Last

 

Mona hopes her books give children and the adults who care for them a comfortable place to begin talking.

 

Sometimes that means finding words for a feeling. Sometimes it means discussing a family tradition, understanding a friend, or recognizing when someone needs kindness. Sometimes it simply means enjoying a story together.

 

She knows a book cannot answer every question a child will face. But she believes it can offer something worth carrying forward: reassurance, a new perspective, or the courage to speak.

 

Her hope for the future is to keep creating work that is useful as well as meaningful, and to stay open to what children, families, and educators can teach her along the way.

 

Above all, she wants a child to close one of her books feeling that who they are matters, that their voice deserves to be heard, and that there is room for them in the world.