I write fiction and nonfiction. I tell the truth, but on occasion, I twist the truth to create entertaining stories to feed your soul like soul food Sunday. I write for kids: for the teeny tots and rebel rousers. Stories both short and long with characters brave, bold, and strong. Settings that transport you to a world so captivating, you don’t want to leave. My stories are like quilts, threaded with themes of love, hope, family, and food. They provide comfort, keeping you hopeful through times of despair. I handle your heart, mind, and soul with care. I love seeing children have agency on the page. I love that they do them, and they are unapologetic about what they do.
I am personally recommending this book because it is hands down one of the funniest books I have ever read. Trevor Lee is unapologetic. He is who he is. He is an Appalachian boy who doesn’t like school much and doesn’t want anyone to know he is not a big reader. To escape Parent’s Night, he tries and fails to get out of it and has to seek his Maw-Maw’s help. I love this book. Whenever I am in a negative space, I can always count on the dog-eared pages to have me cracking up.
For me, it is humor and laughter can be the light we need in the darkest of days. I also love how Maw-Maw has the answer. This book is about the support of family as well. Trevor Lee is unapologetically hysterical. I love this book so much. Everyone should have a copy on his or her shelf.
If there's one thing everyone knows, it's that Trevor Lee and school don't mix. Like pickles and peanut butter. When his new teacher announces all the third graders must read in front of everyone at Parents Night, Trevor Lee and his best friend Pinky need to create a masterful plan and put it into action. Trevor Lee has a secret that no one can find out--he can't read!. After several over-the-top attempts at getting out of Parents Night, Trevor Lee enlists the help of his Mamaw. "Some days are just bad. You gotta hold your head high and keep moving,"…
Nigel and the Moon is a story about a young boy who’s afraid to tell the world his dreams, so he tells them to the moon at night. This book is about children dreaming. This book allows Nigel to see himself in the world. He can dream and whisper his wishes to the moon. This book is about #Identity, #BlackBoyJoy, and children trying to find themselves and their placement in the world. Nigel has agency and autonomy. This is going to be a classic book. Mark my words.
From debut author Antwan Eady and artist Gracey Zhang comes a glowing tale about the young dreaming big. A perfect story to demonstrate how pride in where we come from can bring a shining confidence.
When Nigel looks up at the moon, his future is bright. He imagines himself as...an astronaut, a dancer, a superhero, too!
Among the stars, he twirls. With pride, his chest swells. And his eyes, they glow. Nigel is the most brilliant body in the sky.
But it's Career Week at school, and Nigel can't find the courage to share his dreams. It's easy to whisper…
These are the funniest folktales in the world. You will be amazed at the intelligent animals and LOL at the ridiculous scrapes the humans get themselves into in these short stories. Discover why dogs are our best friends, learn how to change a cow into a zombie, and meet a…
This book is brilliant, and it was introduced to me by my therapist at the Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital. It is about the anxiousness and tension buildup of riding a roller coaster. I hate roller coasters. But Frazee’s beautiful illustrations show a diverse group of riders. I don’t think I see Black folks and ADOS folks on the pages of picture books just enjoying life. I think this is why it will forever be one of my TOP 5 picture books. No oppressive language. No stereotypes. No slave narrative. Just folks and their kids out to have a great time. To see this documented on the page is so special to me. And the illustrations. Man, those joyful illustrations give me life.
From Caldecott Honor–winning author-illustrator Marla Frazee, a thrilling picture book that takes readers up, up, up to the highest point of a roller coaster, where no book has ever gone before! Wheeeeeeee!
This exhilarating amusement park visit begins with a line of prospective riders, eagerly awaiting their turn . . . with at least one person who has never done this before. Zooming, swerving, dipping, and diving, this delightful story featuring a breathtaking ride and a hilarious range of reactions, will help readers lose their roller coaster anxiety. Marla Frazee’s witty narrative and slyly building of tension delivers an experience…
This book is the first of its kind. It is a dystopian picture book. Flowers are almost non-existent. It’s a rarity. So, every year, there is an annual race. Rou wants to win, but not for her. She wants the flowers for her grandmother. I love that she put someone before her. This book is gorgeously illustrated and the message of what you would do to please the ones you love is abundantly clear. I love this book.
Rou and the Great Race: In a time when a flower is so rare that it is the grand prize of an annual race, Rous only wish is to win for her grandma, who is haunted by memories of when flowers were once abundant. But sometimes the real prize is not whats offered by others, but what we make for ourselves.
Taking only what they can quickly pack, 11-year-old Mardella and her mom secretly move away from their abusive home to start a fresh life in Haven, MN. But Mardella’s sure she's to blame—if only she hadn’t dialed 911, her dad wouldn’t be in jail, her mom wouldn't have been fired,…
This is another book that is in my top 5 for picture books. I think the true theme of this book is “Missed Opportunity”. When a new girl shows up at the school, a girl and her friends refused to let her into their circle. But when the student never returned, the girl wished she had been kinder. I love this book. I read it weekly just to remind myself that not all picture books have a happy ending. Jacqueline Woodson is the queen of tackling difficult topics in children’s books. And EB Lewis consistently leaves things off the page. His illustrations spark conversations and are perfect to be read at home and at school.
WINNER OF A CORETTA SCOTT KING HONOR AND THE JANE ADDAMS PEACE AWARD!
Each kindness makes the world a little better
This unforgettable book is written and illustrated by the award-winning team that created The Other Side and the Caldecott Honor winner Coming On Home Soon. With its powerful anti-bullying message and striking art, it will resonate with readers long after they've put it down.
Chloe and her friends won't play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her. Eventually Maya stops coming to school. When Chloe's teacher gives a…
A young boy comes of age and Granny teaches him to prepare the dishes for their Sunday soul food meal. The young boy finds out how strenuous it is to prepare all these different dishes, yet he perseveres and doesn’t quit. In the end, adding a sweet concoction to the spread.
What is the most important thing to remember about stargazing? When to do it, who to do it with, what to look for? It’s none of those! This picture book’s spare, lyrical text offers many suggestions for enjoying stargazing – but there’s really only ONE thing you need to remember,…
Tyrone the mouse rehearses night and day to improve his singing voice, hoping he’ll earn the spotlight in the opera house where he lives surrounded by animal friends.
Ty secretly practices by hiding in the wings, singing along with the famous tenor, Roland L’Amour. When Roland becomes ill on opening…
