Irina Landrum

Irina Landrum’s story doesn’t start with a book; it begins with a violin, a classroom, and a life filled with learning. Born and raised in Saint Petersburg, Russia, she grew up surrounded by music, education, and a deep respect for the emotional world of children. It’s no surprise she later studied at the prestigious Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory, then moved to New York to continue her studies at NYU, earning her master’s in music education, psychology, and child development, a path that would later shape her identity as Irina Landrum, NYU-trained educator and rising voice in STEM books for children.

For over two decades, Irina taught in schools across New York, public and private, helping children find confidence through rhythm, creativity, and expression. She was the kind of teacher kids remembered years later, not just for what she taught, but how she made them feel. Today, as a children’s author, she draws from those experiences to craft stories like The Friend from the Future, a time travel children’s book about friendship that blends learning and imagination in a format kids love.

The stories came quietly at first, sparked by ideas from her daughter, moments in the classroom, or simple acts of care. What began in music evolved into stories. And those stories are now shaping young readers the same way Irina once shaped young musicians, with patience, love, and imagination.

Irina Landrum doesn’t look for magic in far-off places, she finds it right where she is. In a rainy backyard. In her daughter’s wide-eyed wonder. In the way a simple bedtime question can spark a whole universe of ideas. That’s where her stories live in the in-between spaces, where curiosity meets care.

Her writing isn’t based on fantasy for fantasy’s sake. It’s inspired by real-life parenting, tiny conversations, and the emotional moments most adults brush past. In The Friend from the Future, a robot named Nova doesn’t teach math or science. He learns something far more complex, like how to feel. And it’s a little girl, Luna, who shows him how making the story not just meaningful, but a standout children’s sci‑fi friendship book that gently explores emotional learning through futuristic fun.

That’s how Irina writes: not to escape the real world, but to look closer at it. Her books don’t rely on loud adventures or fast-moving plots. They rely on questions like, “What does kindness feel like?” or “Can a robot learn to care?” In many ways, it’s a quiet time travel kids book wrapped in heart, where emotional connection matters just as much as imagination.

These everyday sparks are what make Irina’s stories so special. They feel like play but they stay with you, gently, long after the last page is turned.

Irina Landrum writes with one goal in mind: to help children grow kinder, braver, and more emotionally aware. Her stories are playful on the surface, but at their core, they’re built to shape something deeper. Every rhyme, every character, every choice is made with care. She knows that kids don’t just need lessons, they need language for what they feel. Her books give them that, making her a standout voice in emotional intelligence books for kids today.

In The Friend from the Future, a robot named Nova doesn’t come to save the world. He comes to learn how to be a friend. How to say thank you. How to recognize when someone is hurting. Luna, the girl who helps him, doesn’t do it with grand speeches, she does it by being kind and curious. It’s a perfect example of a robot friendship story for kids, showing that even the smallest gestures can spark big change.

As a Florida children’s author with roots in both education and psychology, Irina knows how to reach children in ways that last. She blends the wonder of imagination with the thoughtful structure of a rhyming children’s book, creating quiet companions for growing minds, books that stay close long after the last word.

Where futuristic friendship meets the language of the heart Irina’s debut book didn’t start with a plot, it started with a feeling. A quiet question: “Can a robot learn how to care?” From that spark came Luna and Nova, two unlikely friends brought together by rain, curiosity, and the gentle power of connection.

Nova isn’t your typical robot. He doesn’t battle villains or fly through galaxies. He shows up in Luna’s backyard, a little lost, a little curious, and ready to learn. As an AI robot friend for kids, Nova is designed to explore something much deeper than circuits: emotion. And Luna, wise beyond her years, doesn’t give him a manual. She gives him patience. Kindness. Friendship.

That’s what makes the Luna and Nova Magical Journeys series stand out. It doesn’t just entertain, it teaches. It speaks to families raising emotionally intelligent kids. To teachers searching for better ways to discuss feelings. To children who may not yet have the words, but know what it means to care.

The Friend from the Future is more than a time travel children’s book, it’s a deeply meaningful children’s sci‑fi friendship book that invites young readers to imagine a world where understanding matters more than speed, and where friendship can travel across time itself.

Irina Landrum doesn’t separate science and emotion, she stitches them together. In her world, a robot can teach children about the value of friendship. A vortex can lead to a lesson in gratitude. And futuristic ideas can spark the most human conversations. That’s the quiet magic she brings to every book: STEM books for children wrapped in warmth, written for kids who love both logic and love.

With a background in psychology and education, Irina understands how children think and learn and more importantly, how they feel. That’s why The Friend from the Future isn’t just about artificial intelligence. It’s about emotional intelligence. Nova, her curious AI robot friend for kids, might be made of code, but he learns through care. Through helping others. Through Luna’s calm and creative leadership.

These aren’t just robot friendship stories for kids or another time travel kids book full of gadgets. They’re tools for building empathy. For showing that courage doesn’t always look like adventure, sometimes it sounds like asking, “Are you okay?” Irina’s stories spark imagination, but they also give young readers the emotional vocabulary to understand themselves and others.

It’s not just storytelling. It’s thoughtful teaching, disguised as a fun, futuristic friendship.

It didn’t take long for The Friend from the Future to find its way into classrooms, bedtime routines, and the hearts of curious kids everywhere. Parents have called it “a gentle breakthrough” for emotional conversations. Teachers say it’s one of those books that “does more than entertain, it opens doors.” And kids? They want to know when Nova’s coming back.

The beauty of Irina’s work is how quietly effective it is. Wrapped in rhyme and whimsy is a roadmap for building empathy, curiosity, and courage. The book doesn’t preach. It invites. It offers questions instead of instructions, and feelings instead of facts. That’s why both educators and families keep coming back to it.

Whether it’s used in a social-emotional learning lesson, a cozy bedtime read, or a thoughtful gift, The Friend from the Future has quickly become more than a story, it’s a conversation starter. A bridge between children and grown-ups. A way to talk about what really matters, in language that feels safe.

Irina Landrum may be a new name in children’s literature, but for many families and teachers, she’s already a favorite.