Tag Archives: diversity

Sep9

Day 4 of the 2021 Back to School Blog Tour: Lisa Carter

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Welcome to day four of the Back to School Blog Tour 2021. I have a fabulous author to introduce you to today. May I introduce, Lisa Carter.

At the age of fourteen, Lisa Carter was bitten by the writing bug. Now, she specializes in writing books about social issues within families. Her new book, “Brown Like Mommy” deals with a child learning to be happy in her own skin. I had the chance to ask Lisa Carter about her childhood reading memories, favorite author, and what future projects she has in store for us all.

Lisa Carter is the author of the children’s book, “Brown Like Mommy”.
  • What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Lisa Carter: Hiding a book under my pillow at night, waiting for everyone to go to sleep so I could enjoy reading it without interruptions. My highlight of the day was bedtime so I could read.

  • Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Lisa Carter: Judy Blume. She really influenced me to express myself without restrictions.

  • Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Lisa Carter: No, a writing routine doesn’t work for me. I tried it before but it feels forced. I never do well when I feel forced. My way of writing is just putting it on paper when it comes to my head.

  • What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Lisa Carter: I only write about social issues. In the future, I would like to write in the academic field.

  • What is writing to you in one sentence?

Lisa Carter: Writing is taking the reality of my world and using my imagination to complement it.

“Brown Like Mommy” is a story where a child learns to be comfortable in her own skin. Kim has always wondered why she did not have brown skin like her mommy. It seemed unfair that her sister and brother had brown skin like her mommy. A lot of Kim’s friends had brown skin too. When Kim started school, she saw different shades of skin. It made her feel better until she saw the other kids’ parents. The kids at school had the same skin as their parents. After a series of events that made Kim sad, her father explained to Kim that her skin was beautiful because she had skin from both her mommy and daddy. Kim was now happy in her skin.

“Brown Like Mommy” is available at Amazon.com.

For more information, please visit Lisa Carter’s Website here.

Don’t forget you’ve got a couple more days to enter the giveaway for a $25 Amazon Gift Card. It’s a big thank you for stopping by and participating in the blog tour this year.

Enter Here for a $25 Amazon Gift Card

Hopefully, you’ve been able to find out about some fantastic new authors and their books. Please come back tomorrow for our last day of the Back to School Blog Tour. Until then, stay safe and please, wear a mask! -Mrs. Turner

Dec14

Interview with Leslie Dangerfield

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I love dog and cat books. They are so uplifting during these trying times. I think I’ve found a memorable one to share with your family or classroom. Leslie Dangerfield grew up in the Bronx, and uses her real life experiences to develop her story ideas. Her debut children’s book, “Fernando the Bodega Cat”, highlights diversity and inclusion through daily encounters with a NYC bodega cat. I had the chance to ask Leslie about her childhood reading memories, writing routine, and what future projects she has in store for us.

1) What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Leslie Dangerfield: My favorite memory from reading as a child would probably be reading books with my grandmother. She would share her favorite books with me, and we would read it together. She would even read a few pages aloud to me every night. Sometimes if the books were really good, I would read ahead. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, so I would still act surprised when we read it together.

2) Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Leslie Dangerfield: I’ve come to accept that my writing routine is no routine. My life is very demanding, and as much as I’ve tried to adhere to a routine, it never happens. However, I’ve learned to get creative in order to stay consistent. I use platforms like social media to share short stories from my phone, and in turn I build on that later for a new project. I’ve also even gone as far as recording myself telling a story and having it transcribed, and then going back and revising it until I’m satisfied. The times of dedicating hours at a computer to write are a luxury many people don’t have anymore. Fortunately, due to all the amazing technology we have access to, you can write from anywhere at any time.

3) What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?
Leslie Dangerfield: I have a few different children’s projects lined up that all include aspects of city life, a diverse range of protagonists tackling real issues that children deal with on a daily basis. Kids today are dealing with so much more than my generation did, and so much of it is unsung. I also have plans for a few YA and adult projects. Hopefully, this is just the beginning.

“Fernando the Bodega Cat” is a story that brings you into the heart of many New York City neighborhoods, a bodega store. Found throughout NYC, bodega stores are often the heart of the neighborhood, and can be the meeting of languages, cultures, and highlight the diversity of every neighborhood. Seen through the eyes of a cat, you will get to know all his neighbors and the neighborhood. With Fernando as your guide, learn how differences and diversity is prized and respected, and how everyone can share common interests with their fellow neighbors.

Recommended for children 3-8.

“Fernando the Bodega Cat” is available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com.

For more information about Leslie Dangerfield, please visit her website here.

Dec4

Interview with Mac Hernandez

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I’m excited to present my first Christmas book of the season. I found a darling picture book called “The Christmas Elf-e-phant” by Mac Hernandez. Mac is a Texas filmmaker, graphic artist, and storyteller that has had a passion for storytelling since he was a child. His new book helps bring children into the magical world of the Christmas Elf-e-phant. It’s a story of not fitting in with a positive message to its ending, and it’s a modern Dumbo story with Christmas at its heart. I had the chance to talk with Mac Hernandez about his childhood reading memories, future writing projects, and what writing means to him.

  1. What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Mac Hernandez: I loved learning about adventurers in history. From people fighting off pirates and looking for treasure to knights exploring far off lands.


2) What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Mac Hernandez: I’ll probably explore more fantasy and magical elements in my future projects.

3) What is writing to you in one sentence?

Mac Hernandez: The process of imagining and telling stories is a thread that pulls at my heart and soul.

“The Christmas Elf-e-phant” is a humorous rhyming story illustrated to bring alive the joy of a Christmas inspired world in which Elf-e-phant resides. Centering on a lovable elf character that doesn’t fit in, children are transported to Santa’s workshop and what it’s like to be within. But being different from the other elves can be hard. Comparable to a modern Dumbo, this Christmas themed story will bring delight and joy to any child and their family. It will make a great read-aloud to get into the Christmas spirit and take minds on a journey of humor and positive self-discovery.

“The Christmas Elf-e-phant” is available at Amazon.com. This is a Kindle Unlimited title.

For more information on books by Mac Hernandez, visit his author page here.

Nov24

Interview with Solonge L. Robinson

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I’ve found another great book to help with math concepts at home and during online learning. Solonge L. Robinson has written a book called “Shaping Families” combines math shapes with introducing diverse families. Solonge has been inspired by her travel journaling. In 2018, a horrific fire destroyed many of her family’s belongings, including their precious books. The tragedy inspired her to replace her children’s books with some written by her. Dive into what Solonge had to share about her childhood reading memories, future projects, and what writing means to her.


1) What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Solonge L. Robinson: Childhood memories of reading bring me directly back to The Babysitters Club series. Going to the Scholastic Book Fairs in the fall and spring at school was always a much-anticipated event. I’d often beg my mother, weeks in advance, for enough money to buy the next few chapters of my most beloved Babysitters Club books. I was hooked after the first six books, which I probably read about a dozen times each.

Even now, several decades later, when I see the titles and book covers for the first six books, Kristy’s Great Idea, Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls, The Truth About Stacey, Mary Anne Saves the Day, Dawn and the Impossible Three, and Kristy’s Big Day, I am immediately transported to the 3rd-floor bedroom in my parents’ house in Brooklyn, NY. It’s a Saturday afternoon and I am curled up under a cover, next to my window, deeply engrossed in one of these amazing adolescent stories. The only thing to break my attention is the church bells ringing every hour, on the hour, until dusk. By then, I would have been part of Kristy, Claudia, Stacey, and Dawn’s world, so sad to have to leave.


2) What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Solonge L. Robinson: Oh, there are so many. Right now, my future projects include subjects on self-love and financial literacy for children. I also have collaborative works in motion on topics dealing with health and wellness; one a children’s book series inspired by my daughter and the other an adult fiction book about Physical Therapy.


3) What is writing to you in one sentence?

Solonge L. Robinson: Writing is freedom in its purest form.

“Shaping Families” is a unique, mathematical tale of diverse families. Join Poly-Anna, the polygon kid, as she learns about all the shapes that make up her unique family. From Triangles to Decagons, her journey will guide the reader to discover that families come in different sizes and form together a circle of love.

“Shaping Families” is available at Amazon.com. This is a Kindle Unlimited title.

For more information on Solonge L. Robinson, visit her author page HERE!

Feb20

Interview with Kya Johnson

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AuthorBioKyaJohnson

Kya Johnson is the author of the picture book, O is for Oshun.

I love finding multicultural and diverse books for my readers. I think I’ve found a great book and an inspirational author for your home and classroom. Kya Johnson founded RainbowMe to help show kids images of themselves to help shape their imaginations and growth. This positive reflection creates a sense of reinforcement to be whoever they wish to be.

Kya Johnson has written a multicultural fairytale and folklore collection of characters from around the world. O is for Oshun is the first augmented reality children’s book to have diverse folklore and fairytale characters of color from around the world. I had the chance to talk with Kya Johnson about what influenced her as a child, what her writing routine is, and what she has planned for the future.

1) What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Kya Johnson: My favorite memory from reading as a child was when I was able to read bedtime stories to my younger sister.

 
2) Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Kya Johnson: My favorite author as a child was Don Freeman because Corduroy was the first book I remember reading that had a character in it that looked like me.

 
3) Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Kya Johnson: I am a first time author, and so I didn’t really develop a “writing routine”. I knew that I wanted a book of folklore characters and I knew I wanted to make sure they were from all around the world and reflected cultures and people not normally seen in that genre.

 
4) What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Kya Johnson: This book introduces several folklore, fairytale, and mythological characters from around the world, but barely scratches the surface of these stories. I would love to continue introducing these characters. Also to incorporate the technology of augmented reality really brings the characters to life in a fun and engaging way.

 
5) What is writing to you in one sentence?

Kya Johnson: Writing to me is the ability to introduce new worlds and experiences to young readers.

cover

 

O is for Oshun is the first AR children’s book to feature diverse fairytale and folklore characters from around the world. A rhyming alphabet introduces readers to goddesses, kings, and fairies from countries such as Brazil, Japan, Mexico, and Nigeria to name a few. A phone application is available to turn the book into an augmented reality reading experience, bringing the characters alive as they read their section. O is for Oshun is a new kind of read aloud experience that can be enjoyed at home or used in the classroom.

Link to video of the AR experience for O is for Oshun on YouTube.

O is for Oshun is available at Amazon and Barnes & Nobles.

For more information on Kya Johnson, please visit her website at: http://www.rainbowmekids.com/.

For more information on the book O is for Oshun:

http://rainbowmekids.com/o-is-for-oshun/

 

 

 

Jul13

Interview with Laura St John

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Laura St John is the author of the picture book “Don’t Judge A Bug By Its Cover”.

With all this beautiful summer weather, it makes me tune into all the beautiful nature around us. What better way to connect with that than a picture book that includes bugs and an important message. “Don’t Judge A Bug By Its Cover” is a book that teaches children to accept themselves and others for their differences. Told with the cutest bug characters, the author Laura St John brings to life lovable characters expressing wholesome values and good decision making in her stories. I had a chance to talk to Laura about her childhood reading memories, favorite authors, and her writing routine along with her plans for future projects.

What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

 
Laura St. John: I loved reading poetry. The simplicity of it and the rhyming. My father had written many poems and cards to my mother, and it was really cool to read his words after he had passed away. I made my own little poem booklet as a child out of colored paper, stapled together and still have that today in a box.

I had a tough teacher in middle school who made us read about twenty novels in one school year and write book reports on them. He assigned the classics, To Kill a Mockingbird, Dracula, The Hobbit and we all didn’t like all of that reading. But looking back, it taught us a lot about the world and about descriptive writing. He also made us memorize poems like “Annabel Lee” and recite them in front of the whole class. Don’t think students are doing much of that today.

Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

 
Laura St John: My office is a quiet getaway place with a soft carpet that I can rub my feet into when I write. I prefer to have complete silence to gather my thoughts. My three dogs are usually laying near me when I write since they follow me everywhere. If I feel like writing, then I do. Sometimes you just don’t feel like it which, I guess, many call writer’s block. But if the mood hits then you better start typing or you’ll lose your thoughts. Thank goodness for computers as it is so much easier to type versus writing with a pen.

What subjects would you like to write about in future projects? 


Laura St John: My next book will be about a character that I created called the Alphabet Chef. She has been with me since the late 90’s. So, I am finally going to write a children’s book about her teaching kids about healthy eating habits. I also want to do a series of books with the bugs from my first book “Don’t Judge A Bug By Its Cover”. Maybe I can focus on some other human topics that easily can be expressed with the bugs. My writings are always to help change the world (I hope) in a positive way like in “The Christmas House”. I don’t like writing about dark topics or things that don’t inspire people to think.

Bug Book “Don’t Judge A Bug By Its Cover” is a journey of a ladybug named Lace and a suave bug named Mr. Roach. Every step though the bug world is a step of uncertainty. They have to learn to rely on each other and see the beauty within others to survive their adventure together. This book is a great way to teach the themes of anti-bullying, teamwork, and seeing the beauty within others. It will make a great addition to any child’s or classroom library.

“Don’t Judge A Bug By its Cover” is available at Amazon.com.

For more information on Laura St John, please visit her website at: http://www.laurastjohnenterprises.com.

Jul9

Interview with Sola Togun-Butler

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Sola-Togun-Butler

Sola Togun-Butler is the author of the book Where Do You Keep The Lions? An African Girl’s First Day of School In America

Looking for educational books to add to your child’s learning or augment your classroom’s read-alouds? I had the chance to interview author Sola Togun-Butler, author of the book “Where Do You Keep The Lions?”. She has written a book about her experiences as a young African immigrant attending an American school for the first time. It’s a book that highlights the importance of cultural diversity and awareness while encouraging children to ask questions when they are curious about other cultures. Sola shared with me her childhood reading memories, favorite authors, and what she has in store for future writing projects.

  1. What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

My favorite memory reading as a child was the ability to immerse myself into the life of the character I was reading about. I would completely forget about my own surroundings and literally feel like I was living in the world of the character. I enjoyed the ability to form images in my head of the character’s life and experiences. Even till this day, I would rather read a book and form the images in my own mind than have those images given to me in a movie or television show.

  1. Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

My favorite author is Chimamanda Adichie. She has the amazing ability to capture the attention of the reader with the title and maintain that attention throughout the book. Therefore, it was important for me to choose a title that grabs the attention of the reader and have a story line that maintains it.

  1. Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you

I prefer to write in the morning when I am really energized. I grab a hot cup of tea, open the window blinds so I have a beautiful view of the sunshine or rain, turn on Bossa Nova or music from Nigeria, Mali or Senegal, sit at my desk and just write away. I am inspired by both music and nature

  1. What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

I would like to continue writing children’s books about cultural diversity and sensitivity. The world is diverse, and curiosity about other cultures is normal and should be encouraged by parents. It is important for parents to talk to their children to identify any stereotypes or biases that they might have about other cultures that could negatively impact their interaction with peers from that culture.

  1. What is writing to you in one sentence?

Writing opens up the world and takes one on a journey of self-discovery.

KeepLionsBkCvrWhere Do You Keep The Lions? An African Girl’s First Day of School in America. Kemi, an eight-year-old African immigrant girl is looking forward to her first day of school in the United States. But when her classmates start asking upsetting questions about Africa, the negative attention confuses her. With advice from her father, she decides to show her classmates a different side to their understanding of African culture. This book is a wonderful way to expose children to sensitive cultural understanding by encouraging positive questioning about new cultures.

This book is available on Amazon.com.

For more about the author Sola Togun-Butler, visit her author’s page at: https://www.amazon.com/Sola-Togun-Butler-Ph.D./e/B07SHL16PL.