Super Smalls’ Super Book of Gems Teaches Kids That Diamonds Are More Than Sparkle
Why you and your kids will love this fun and punchy book all about gemstones.
Super Smalls’ Super Book of Gems
It’s an easy picture to imagine: a young child discovering the wonder contained in Mom’s—or Grandma’s, for that matter—jewelry box. For kids, the sparkling gemstones, which usually come with a “look, don’t touch” warning, are as irresistible as jars of colorful candy. They also spark a young person’s inquisitive nature. This is where the Super Book of Gems and Maria Dueñas Jacobs comes in. Jacobs, a former accessories editor at magazines such as Elle and Glamour, noticed that when her oldest daughter was five, she was not only fascinated by the sparkling jewelry but also wanted to wear it. Typically, small children aren’t given expensive baubles for a variety of reasons and instead wear costume jewelry.
Meet the Experts
Maria Dueñas Jacobs is the co-founder of Super Smalls and a former fashion editor and entrepreneur who brings her fresh, luxury-informed perspective to the children’s market. With three (Super) daughters, Maria’s family home is a headquarters of dress-up, and make-believe. Her girls’ inventive dreams, out-there ideas, and honest feedback inspire all that Super Smalls makes
Bianca Gottesman is the co-founder and CEO of Super Smalls, with sales and merchandising experience at brands like Vera Wang, Temperley London, and Reed Krakoff
The Creation of Super Smalls and the Super Book of Gems
Unimpressed with the plastic baubles on the market, Jacobs had an a-ha moment. With a refined eye and taste honed over years of selecting the best of the best to fill magazine pages during her editorial career, she teamed up with her sister, Bianca Gottesman, to develop and launch Super Smalls. Gottesman’s sales and merchandising experience at companies such as Vera Wang, Temperley London, and Reed Krakoff complemented Jacobs’s creative vision. Six years later, the brand has expanded beyond faux jewels to include crafts and games. Next up is their first book, Super Book of Gems. Over Zoom, the founders shared the inspiration behind creating an easy-to-digest guide aimed at gemstone discovery and education.
“The center of everything we do is the gem. I wanted to teach my kids about gems, and the books I found were really clinical and a bit complex for kids. I thought there must be something else a kid could read. Our book mixes a science lab and a jewelry box together,” Dueñas Jacobs said. The book expanded on smaller pamphlet-style books that Super Smalls had inserted into other products, such as craft kits and games. “The book is like a cheat sheet for gems,” she added.
Inside the Super Book of Gems
Indeed, the Super Book of Gems combines geology, gemology, and jewelry design, and it instills curiosity about how natural diamonds are made. “We got really excited about the geology and science aspect. Nature made these incredible things. It’s interesting to learn how heat and pressure contribute to how they are formed over billions of years in the Earth’s crust,” Gottesman said.
The book further explores the artistry behind gemstones, their historical significance, and how meaning has been attributed to them. “Gemstones are full of lore, mysticism, energy, and practical uses. It’s fun to learn that Cleopatra used crushed malachite as eyeshadow during her era,” Gottesman continued, adding, “Our company concept is based on real history. The gem allows us to tell it in a playful manner.”
With Dueñas Jacobs leading the creative vision with their art director and Gottesman handling research and writing, the partners organized the book according to birthstones. Each month follows a format with an opening spread of loose stones and another spread to share fun facts, such as the rock’s origins and the meanings attached to them. When it came to April, the diamond birthstone, the sisters knew they had to expand the layout, as there was so much information to share.
Diamond Education in the Super Book of Gems
“We have a big section on diamonds, which is broken down in an approachable way. For instance, the explanation of the 4Cs of diamond quality, or the diamond color spectrum, which kids love, as they think they are always white. The goal was to make it easy to understand and not intimidating,” Dueñas Jacobs said.
“We include famous diamonds such as the Hope Diamond, the Royal Jewels, and the Golden Jubilee Diamond, the biggest cut gem on Earth. It’s 545 carats, a fact, but then we add a comparison to its size being as big as a bag of sugar,” Gottesman added. The duo also noted the book would come in handy for a teen or young adult, especially one shopping for their first diamond or an engagement ring.
Upcoming launches to complement the book include a birthstone charm set, a “rocks” box for exploring semi-precious stones like rose quartz, obsidian, and tiger’s eye in a tactile manner, and a board game called “Gem Bingo.”
The Super Book of Gems Makes Learning Fun
“The Super Smalls book aims to answer questions about gems the way a child engages: what is the biggest, the best, and how does it relate to them. It’s also designed to be read together with an adult so they can ask each other questions and get kids off screens, interacting IRL,” Gottesman asserts. A brand ethos that involves creating moments of connection and amplifying joy.
“Kids look at gemstones and think it’s pretty, not wondering if it’s a diamond or something. The book gives us the chance to tell the gems story beyond the sparkle, and that is important to us,” Dueñas Jacobs offered, adding, “This book is about joy, having fun, and about letting kids be themselves. Birthstones make it personal.”
The book retails for $25 USD and is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Paper Source, Books and Books, books.com, and museum stores.
