Kennedy Kofford ran into a familiar problem for many Latter-day Saint parents: she wanted to teach her children gospel stories, but the books available were either too simple to be meaningful, too complex for young minds, or too long to finish before children lost interest—or fell asleep.
Kennedy saw this challenge as an opportunity. She shared her idea with the women in her family, and what began as a simple conversation quickly grew into a collaborative family business called Faithful Chapters. Together, five women—Kennedy, her sisters-in-law Kenzie, Kaylie, and Laylah, and the family matriarch, Camille—create illustrated Book of Mormon board books that are doctrinally sound and visually engaging for young families.
From Concept to Creation
With no entrepreneurial experience, the women taught themselves the necessary skills through Google, ChatGPT, and community resources to navigate everything from obtaining business licenses and ISBNs to finding printing companies and designing packaging.
“We didn’t know much about starting a business,” Kenzie admits. “It felt pretty intimidating, and we didn’t know if we could do it.” For aspiring entrepreneurs, Kenzie offers encouragement: “There’s so much help out there now. Anybody can do it—and there’s room for everyone to succeed.”
Then Camille became involved. “We’re making this happen,” she said. “It’s going to be awesome—and I’ll finance it.” So, they pressed forward.
Kennedy credits Camille’s financial backing as crucial to their enterprise. “We all have young families and don’t have extra money to throw into a business.” The women agree that it has taken every one of them to bring their vision to life.
Camille adds, “We really, truly need each other’s support and contributions to make this happen.”
The women gathered to select Book of Mormon stories, focusing on principles rather than retelling narratives. Camille explains their approach: “For us, it’s about the message. The tree of life teaches about returning to Christ and feeling God’s love. The brass plates teach obedience and persistence—even when answers don’t come immediately.”
Kennedy and Camille draft each book, keeping them to twelve pages or less, then pass manuscripts back and forth for revisions. When the story feels strong, they bring it to the whole group for final edits and fresh perspectives. This collaborative effort ensures each book reflects the combined voice, testimony, and insight of all five women.
A careful balance of doctrine, clarity, and creativity shapes how the team adapts scripture for a broad audience. Toddlers are drawn to the illustrations, while children around five or six years old engage more deeply with the text. Even parents can discover details they hadn’t noticed before.
Camille laughs as she recalls reading one story aloud: “Two of my grown children stopped me and said, ‘Wait—that happened?’”
Finding the Right Illustrator
Finding the right illustrator was their next challenge. They posted on Instagram and reached out through personal networks, asking several artists to submit sample sketches. After praying for guidance, Kaylie felt prompted to search through BYU’s illustration program portfolios, where she discovered Abby Shumway’s work. Kaylie had envisioned images with “a sort of Alice in Wonderland vibe,” and Abby’s art fit that specification perfectly.
But it wasn’t enough for the art to be beautiful. The Koffords knew they needed an illustrator with a testimony of the stories themselves—and Abby’s faith is evident in her art. “It’s just so happy and draws your attention,” Kenzie says. “We really connected with her work; it was whimsical, bright, and full of life.”
The women all worked together to adapt the visuals for a G-rated audience. To soften intense moments in Nephi’s story, Abby illustrated Laban asleep in polka-dotted underwear with a pot carefully placed in front of his head—or lack thereof! The depiction adds humor while leaving room for parents to teach the story in age-appropriate ways.
Design and Production
Each book’s QR code links to family home evening resources formatted and overseen by Laylah, who spearheaded the lesson structure. Families can access her quick five-minute lessons or more detailed discussions, along with printable coloring pages—making the books flexible for varied schedules and ages.
The books also feature an interactive element inspired by Kenzie’s childhood love of finding hidden CTR rings in The Friend magazine. Faith the Mouse serves as the series’ mascot, hiding on every page for children to discover.
The women wanted books that could survive diaper bags, toddlers, and years of use while still teaching sacred stories. They initially designed the board books at 5×5 inches but then realized Abby’s detailed illustrations lost their impact at that size. “You couldn’t see Faith the Mouse or the bite mark in the fruit,” Kenzie said. They resized to 6×6 inches and continued refining. “It’s a process,” she adds. “You just keep trying until you get it right.”
Looking Forward
Faithful Chapters plans to ship directly to customers who order through Instagram. Despite her faith in their endeavor, Laylah admits she was a little nervous about their launch. “I just worried that we wouldn’t get any orders,” she says. But those concerns quickly vanished. “We get the notifications on our phones, and we get excited every time! It’s very heartwarming to feel the support.”
Internet sales are just the beginning. “Our goal is to get into brick-and-mortar stores,” Kenzie says. “We’re still fresh—we’re focusing on getting our books out to friends and family first.”
The Kofford girls plan to move chronologically through Book of Mormon stories, eventually offering themed bundles and expanding into Bible stories and Church history.
Divine Guidance and Greater Purpose
Beyond business goals, the Kofford women feel a deeper spiritual calling. Laylah explains, “Obviously, we’ve had hurdles, but God always guides us to a solution.”
She adds, “As I’ve been rereading the Book of Mormon, I’ve noticed so many things I missed before. I feel strongly that this is what God wants us to do: introduce His children to the Book of Mormon earlier.”
For Kaylie, the books meet a deeply personal need. “My husband left the Church about four years ago, and I have four kids ages one to eight,” she shares. “Even with a supportive husband, it’s sometimes hard to pull out the scriptures and teach the stories by myself. These board books are such a tool in my belt—something simple, engaging, and beautiful.”
Faithful Chapters is intentionally designed to meet families where they are, supporting households of different beliefs with equal care.
This shared sense of purpose fuels the sisters’ commitment. “We hope that when kids go to Sunday School,” Kenzie says, “they already know the stories because of our books.”
Beyond creating products, Faithful Chapters has strengthened family bonds. “We’re all busy,” Kenzie adds, “but starting a business together has been so meaningful, and we’re all in it together.”
As Faithful Chapters moves forward, the women are building more than a business. They’re creating a foundation of faith for the next generation—one colorful page at a time.
