ArtBooksRace

black boys’ lack of representation in children’s books prompted this mother to create her own

July 20, 2018
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When Izzy Spears’ beautiful Black baby boy asked her, “Mommy, why are there not more people that look like me on the T.V. and in books that I read?” she promised herself (and her son) that she would do something about it. What she did next was create ‘The Adventures of Jaylen Newman’, a children’s picture book that details the life of an African American boy and his family – a story not seen enough in the world of children’s publishing.

“The Adventures of Jaylen Newman” is the beginning of a long series of adventures with Jaylen and his family. Spears hopes to inspire young readers with fun plots, colorful graphics, and a relatable family that represents their own.”

This is Spears’ first publication and the book will be the first in a long series that will follow Jaylen and his family on their adventures. Spears says that “there are not many opportunities for children of color to see reflections of themselves. I decided to start writing this series so our young children can see themselves, having something to relate to, and have something to be proud of.” She hopes the book will inspire audiences with its fun plots, colorful graphics and a family that is relatable to readers.

Representatives from PaSH Publishing stated, “We are proud to say that Spear’s book challenges conventional thinking, has intriguing plot twists, and has characters that defy stereotypes.”

‘The Adventures of Jaylen Newman’ is now available on Amazon so go support!

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