‘Today’ Fans Are Thrilled for Jenna Bush Hager’s New Project With Sister Barbara

There are two kinds of people in the world: people who pretend they don’t love a wholesome sister moment… and
people who have fully committed to being emotionally soft in public. “Today” viewers have made it very clear
which camp they’re inbecause when Jenna Bush Hager announced a new project with her twin sister, Barbara Pierce
Bush, the internet basically did a happy little cartwheel and then asked, “Okay, when can we buy it?”

And honestly? Fair question. Jenna has built a whole on-air identity around books, joy, and the art of making you
cry before 9 a.m. Barbara, meanwhile, is the twin who tends to keep things quieteruntil she pops up and reminds
everyone that yes, the Bush sisters are still a dynamic duo, and yes, they can still make the public collectively
say “Awwwww.”

So what’s the new project everyone’s cheering for?

The project that got “Today” fans buzzing is a children’s picture book called I Loved You First, written
by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush and illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki. The book was announced for
release on March 25, 2025, with preorders opening in December 2024. In other words: fans weren’t just excited in
theorythey were already mentally wrapping it for baby showers and bedtime baskets.

The heart of I Loved You First is simple and powerful: it’s a love letter to the bond between parent and
child, told through everyday, memory-making moments. Think constellations, cloud shapes, the kind of wonder kids
can find in a puddle you’d normally step around. The vibe is “the world is big, but your love is bigger”with a
gentle nudge toward slowing down and noticing the magic hiding in plain sight.

Why “Today” viewers get extra excited when Jenna and Barbara team up

Jenna Bush Hager already has a built-in audience that trusts her taste and her tone. On TV, she’s warm, curious,
and candidlike the friend who recommends a novel and then texts you at 2 a.m. to ask if you’ve reached “that
part” yet. When she shares a project, it feels personal. When she shares a project with Barbara, it feels like a
family moment you’ve been invited into (minus the awkward small talk over appetizers).

There’s also the twin factor. Twins are basically the original “co-host chemistry” cheat code. They finish
sentences, roast each other affectionately, and carry decades of shared history like it’s a pocket-sized
teleprompter. Fans know the sisters’ dynamic is a mix of sincerity and playful teasingperfect for a sweet project
that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

And let’s not ignore the bigger context: “Today” has leaned into a rotating, guest-host style for Jenna’s hour,
and viewers have been vocal about wanting more family and familiar faces. Barbara showing upwhether on a book
announcement, a tour stop, or the occasional guest-host stintlands like comfort food. The audience knows what
they’re getting: a genuine relationship, not a random publicity pairing.

The story behind I Loved You First: motherhood, wonder, and a new little muse

Inspired by a brand-new baby (and that “your heart just expanded” feeling)

Jenna has shared that the book came together after Barbara welcomed her baby boy, Edward Finn. That origin story
matters, because it explains the emotional center of the book: the awe of realizing you can love a tiny human
with the intensity of a thousand suns, and also worry about them like it’s your full-time job.

In interviews about the book, Jenna described the tone as nature-inspired and poeticalmost like a soft, modern
lullaby. She even compared the feeling of it to a Mary Oliver poem, which is a pretty specific “this is going to
make you feel things” warning label.

A picture book that feels like a deep breath

The illustrations are by Ramona Kaulitzki, who has also illustrated previous Bush sisters picture books. That
continuity matters, too: when families find a book illustrator they love, it becomes part of the ritual. Kids
recognize the style. Parents recognize the calm. Everyone recognizes the moment when the same page gets requested
three nights in a rowand somehow you still read it like it’s opening night on Broadway.

The imagery in I Loved You First leans into nature and imagination: skies, hikes, clouds, oceans, and the
kind of outdoor wonder that makes you want to put your phone down (or at least pretend you’re only checking the
weather). It’s a story designed to be read slowly, preferably with a small person leaning on you like you’re a
human pillow.

How this project fits into the Bush sisters’ bigger book “universe”

I Loved You First didn’t come out of nowhere. Jenna and Barbara have a track record of writing about
family, connection, and the relationships that shape you. Their children’s picture books before this one include
Sisters First (2019), The Superpower Sisterhood (2022), and Love Comes First (2023).
The themes often orbit sisterhood, community, and growing familieswarm topics, told with an inviting tone.

What’s interesting is that I Loved You First is a subtle shift. It keeps the family-forward lens, but
pivots more directly into parenthood and presence: the everyday “I see you, I’m here” moments that don’t make
headlines but absolutely make a childhood.

That pivot also matches where Jenna and Barbara are in life. Jenna is a mom of three, and Barbara is building her
family too. When creators write from the season they’re living, the result often feels more groundedless “we
brainstormed this at a conference table” and more “we wrote this after bedtime, while the house was finally
quiet.”

Why fans call it “thrilling” (yes, over a picture book)

On paper, a children’s book announcement sounds… normal. Lovely, but normal. So why did “Today” fans react like
Jenna just revealed she’s launching a rocket?

Because this isn’t only a book. It’s an on-brand, feel-good moment that hits several emotional buttons at once:

• It’s personal: It’s tied to a new baby in the family and the feelings that come with that.
• It’s relatable: Parents and caregivers understand the “I’ve known you forever” feeling.
• It’s comforting: Bedtime stories are tiny routines that make life feel steadier.
• It’s a sister collaboration: People love siblings who actually like each other. It’s aspirational.
• It’s Jenna doing what she does best: making books feel like events.

Also, let’s be honest: in a world where half the headlines are stressful, the public is starving for gentle news.
A wholesome twin-sister project about parental love is basically a palate cleanser with illustrated clouds.

The rollout: from Instagram excitement to real-life book tour energy

Jenna shared the announcement on Instagram in December 2024, telling followers the book was available for
preorder. Fans responded in the exact way you’d expect: enthusiastic comments, immediate gift-planning, and
plenty of “Buying this for my kid right now” energy.

Then came the real-world celebration. In spring 2025, Jenna and Barbara promoted the book with a short nationwide
tour. Stops included an event in Madison, Connecticut (hosted by RJ Julia Booksellers), and a family-friendly
reading event at the Bush Center in Texascomplete with children’s activities and that outdoorsy, storytime-in-the
-park vibe that feels like a Pinterest board come to life.

Barbara also joined Jenna on-air for a two-day guest-host stint in late March 2025, which fans loved for the same
reason they love the books: it’s the sisters being sisters. Barbara even joked about “keeping the seat warm” and
then retreating back to her private lifean extremely relatable sentiment for anyone who’s ever attended one work
happy hour and then needed three business days to recover.

What this book is really selling (besides itself)

Every successful children’s book offers parents something too. Not in a “hidden message” waymore like a gentle
reminder. I Loved You First is built around presence: looking up at the sky, noticing the clouds, letting
kids lead the wonder. That’s not just cute. It’s a real parenting strategy in disguise.

Parents can’t manufacture magical childhood memories on command (despite what certain social media accounts
imply). But you can create small rituals: bedtime reading, a quick walk outside, a “tell me the best part of your
day” moment. A book like this becomes a tool for those rituals. It gives you language when you’re tired. It gives
kids imagery when they’re winding down. And it gives both of you a soft landing at the end of a chaotic day.

Want to make the most of the “Jenna + Barbara” moment? Try these ideas

1) Turn it into a bedtime tradition (even if bedtime is a moving target)

Pick a consistent “storytime spot.” Same chair, same blanket, same routine. Kids love repetition. Adults love
knowing what happens next. Everybody wins.

2) Pair the book with a tiny “wonder hunt”

After reading, ask one question: “What’s one beautiful thing you noticed today?” It can be a bird, a shadow, a
cookie, or the fact that pants have pockets. Wonder is flexible like that.

3) Give it as a new-baby gift that isn’t another onesie

Clothes are practical. Books are emotional. Both are good. But only one becomes a keepsake that shows up in
photos ten years later.

4) Use it for grown-up reflection (quietly, so no one calls you “soft”)

The best children’s books aren’t just for kids. They remind adults how to slow down. If you read it and suddenly
feel the urge to stare at the sky for 30 secondscongratulations, the book worked.

Why this project matters beyond the headline

Jenna’s career has increasingly centered on storytellingon TV, through her book club, and through broader
publishing efforts. She’s also expanded her role in the book world with a publishing venture that supports debut
and emerging writers. That matters because it shows the “books” part isn’t a side hobby; it’s a long-term
commitment.

Barbara’s work life is differentglobal health leadership and social impactso when she joins Jenna for a book,
it signals that the project is meaningful enough to pull her into the spotlight. That dynamic (public sister +
private sister) is part of the appeal. It feels like family members showing up for each other’s passions, not
just a business move.

Put simply: “Today” fans are thrilled because this isn’t just content. It’s connection. It’s a reminder that the
stories we tell kidsabout love, presence, and wondershape how they see the world.

Conclusion: a sweet sister project with real staying power

If you’re a “Today” viewer who got excited about Jenna Bush Hager’s new project with Barbara Pierce Bush, you’re
not aloneand you’re not being dramatic. I Loved You First checks all the boxes: heartfelt theme,
gorgeous illustration, genuine inspiration, and the kind of sister chemistry that makes people feel like they’re
watching something real.

In a culture that moves fast, a picture book about slowing down is quietly rebellious. And when it comes from two
sisters who clearly enjoy building something togetherespecially something meant to be read aloud, loved, and
rereadit makes sense that fans didn’t just notice. They celebrated.

Experiences That Fit the Moment: How This Kind of “Jenna + Barbara” Project Shows Up in Real Life

A headline about a celebrity children’s book can sound like a small thinguntil you see how people actually use
books like this. The “Today” audience isn’t just watching Jenna talk about reading; many viewers have folded
that habit into their own routines. When a new Jenna-and-Barbara project drops, it tends to land in very specific,
very human places: living rooms, nurseries, school libraries, and gift bags stuffed with tissue paper.

One common experience is the “new mom relay,” where friends and family pass down survival tools like it’s an
Olympic sport. Someone brings food, someone offers to hold the baby, and someone shows up with a book that says,
without saying it directly, “You’re doing great.” A picture book about parental love is the kind of gift that
doesn’t expire. Even if a newborn can’t follow the story yet, the book becomes part of the environmentsomething
read out loud during those hazy evenings when time feels both endless and unbelievably short.

Another experience is the “bedtime reset.” Parents often describe bedtime reading as the moment the entire day
finally exhales. You’ve negotiated bath time like a hostage situation, located the missing stuffed animal, and
answered twenty questions about why the moon follows the car. Then you sit down with a book that encourages
noticing clouds and constellations, and suddenly the mood shifts. The story becomes a bridge from chaos to calm.
It’s not magicokay, it is a little magicbut it’s also structure. A predictable, gentle ending can help kids feel
safe, and it can help adults feel like they’re doing something right.

For twins (and for siblings who act like twins), there’s a special extra layer. Plenty of viewers see Jenna and
Barbara and think, “That’s me and my sister,” even if they don’t share a birthday. The inside jokes, the mutual
support, the gentle roastingthose dynamics remind people of their own families. And that can nudge someone to
text their sibling, plan a visit, or at least send a meme that says “this is us.” A sister project doesn’t just
sell a book; it sometimes inspires people to reconnect.

Then there’s the bookstore experience, which is its own little universe. When a well-known pair goes on tour,
readers show up for different reasons. Some come as longtime “Today” watchers. Some come because they’re raising
small kids and want a signed keepsake. Some come because they miss the era when author events felt like community
gatherings instead of rushed errands. People chat in line. Strangers swap parenting tips. Someone mentions they
discovered a favorite novel through a TV book club. For a night, the event becomes less about celebrity and more
about the shared belief that stories matter.

Finally, there’s the quiet, private experience the book is really built for: the moment a parent finishes the last
page and a child says, “Again.” It’s not glamorous. It’s not trending. It’s a small voice in a dim room, asking
for the same reassurance one more time. And that’s the real reason projects like this resonate. They don’t just
entertainthey help families practice love in simple, repeatable ways.