About ICON Literary
Icon Literary partners with forward-thinking organizations, corporations, and community leaders to inspire confidence, resilience, and belonging in the next generation.
Icon Literary is an independent creative studio dedicated to crafting vibrant children’s books, educational activity kits, and interactive tools. Every project is designed to celebrate individuality, build emotional resilience, and help young readers find their rhythm, embrace their quirks, and step boldly into their own light.
We believe emotional intelligence is foundational to lifelong success. By transforming core social-emotional concepts—confidence, patience, empathy, and belonging—into character-driven adventures, we make vital life skills accessible, memorable, and fun.
Meet the Creator
Derek Amarillas—Author, Designer, Founder
Derek Amarillas combines more than two decades of people leadership and coaching with a lifelong commitment to visual design, creative writing, and youth empowerment.
Before founding Icon Literary, Derek spent 23 years leading operational teams in the financial services sector. Throughout his career, his primary focus and passion were coaching, mentoring, and developing crew—helping individuals cultivate emotional intelligence, navigate workplace dynamics, and unlock their personal potential.
Today, Derek channels that deep commitment to emotional development and human connection into children's literature. Knowing firsthand that confidence and emotional resilience are built from the ground up, he creates stories and tools that help kids—and the adults who guide them—celebrate what makes them unique and step boldly into their own light.
Inside the ICON Studio
Join our creative crew for first looks, new worlds, and the occasional purple‑shoe surprise.