By all accounts, Ryan Seacrest is one of the hardest working people in Hollywood. He recently took over for Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune while still putting in the work for his American Idol hosting gig and nationally syndicated radio shows — and that’s just scratching the surface. Just this week, he added children’s book author to his résumé. But still, he wishes he could do more.

The Make-Believers

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During an interview with Good Housekeeping for his new picture book The Make-Believers, Ryan revealed, “I’d love to have the ability to fly for efficiency’s sake. I’d get way more done!”

Ryan, 49, co-authored the book with his younger sister Meredith Seacrest Leach, who also likes to keep busy. Meredith heads the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, which builds Seacrest Studios media centers in children’s hospitals across the country to give little patients a chance to sing, dance, play and be creative. Before the siblings headed to new pediatric facilities at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to hand out their new book, they chatted with Good Housekeeping (in the car, of course, to optimize every minute!) about why this project is so important to them.

On why they wanted to publish a book

Ryan: “I was inspired by my niece’s creativity and imagination plus the dreams, thoughts and ambitions from children I have met from all over America as part of our foundation. They may be going through something, but there’s no shortage in what they want to do and how big they dream. We want to celebrate that notion.”

On how the process unfolded

Meredith: “Reflecting on our childhood, I got the idea to make the book about make-believe. Then we got connected to a publisher and started to focus on the words and the storyline. I read so many children’s books as research! We were paired with an amazing illustrator, Bonnie Lui. It took us more than two years to produce from start to finish, but we’re excited to be able to share it with families.”

Connie Seacrest
Meredith (left) and Ryan (right) as children.

On what they pretended to be as kids

Ryan: “Meredith and I played together all the time. I’d pretend to be Bon Jovi singing “Livin’ on a Prayer” and Meredith would operate the lights and camera.”

Meredith: “Then we’d switch it up, and I’d pretend to be Madonna and Cyndi Lauper and Ryan would be a newscaster interviewing the singers. We made so many shows!”

On their favorite childhood books

Ryan: “I was into mysteries, like the Hardy Boys series, but now I’m more of a fan of nonfiction. Malcolm Gladwell is one of my favorite authors.”

Meredith: “I loved the Amelia Bedelia series and read it to my daughter now. It’s still so funny!”

On their hopes for readers

Ryan: “We wanted to have every family who reads The Make-Believers to see themselves in it and use their imaginations. Whether you’re a wheelchair user or in need of a hearing aid, you’ll find yourself in the illustrations. We hope everyone will explore the world outside of their circumstances.”