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Asona McMullen and Amber Anthony - Black Children’s Book Week · Look Who's Talking

0:00
I'm Cameron Minter and I am your co-host and our wonderful Head Start director Jessica
0:25
Coffie is our host.
0:28
What is going on Jessica?
0:29
Cam, it's been a minute.
0:30
It has been a minute.
0:31
You have been a Naughty little gal.
0:32
Who?
0:33
How?
0:34
You haven't been here.
0:35
I work here.
0:36
I'm here all the time.
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Listen, I've been here for other things.
0:38
Oh well.
0:39
Trying to get stuff done.
0:40
Yeah, you keep doing your job.
0:41
Okay, okay.
0:42
Because everybody's job is Head Start, right?
0:43
If you understand how many gray hairs I have right now, my hair is hers.
0:44
Hers.
0:45
It's hers.
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I understand, I understand.
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What's going on with you?
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Listen, I am ready for Thanksgiving.
0:49
Oh, thank you.
0:50
I'm ready for Thanksgiving.
0:51
I'm ready for Thanksgiving.
0:52
I'm ready for Thanksgiving.
0:53
I'm ready for Thanksgiving.
0:54
I'm ready for Thanksgiving.
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I'm ready for Thanksgiving.
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Listen, I am ready for Thanksgiving.
0:59
Oh.
1:00
Because sis is going to eat a lot.
1:03
Well, when I go...
1:04
But guess what?
1:05
I haven't put my Christmas trees up.
1:06
Remember that whole debacle last year we were talking about?
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Yeah.
1:10
Yeah, I haven't put my Christmas trees up.
1:11
You know, I won that battle last year with not putting up my Christmas tree until the
1:16
week of Thanksgiving.
1:17
And then my entire family was sick.
1:20
Oh.
1:21
And so we missed Thanksgiving.
1:24
Your holiday was not holiday-
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Christmas.
1:27
My family was sick.
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So.
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That sucks.
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Well, hopefully this time it's going to be great.
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Now, this is the first... Well, this is... This show will be airing in January.
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Yeah.
1:40
So, yeah.
1:41
Let's just talk about some food.
1:43
Oh, well yeah.
1:44
Oh, what food you going to talk about?
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Because I'm good.
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You're good with it.
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Because I'm always asking things.
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You are the connoisseur of restaurants.
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Yes.
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I'm like...
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Because I love food.
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Before I go.
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I'm asking you.
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Yeah.
1:57
Have you been and what's it about?
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You know, the only reason I'm on TikTok to look up restaurants.
2:03
My God.
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Listen, me and-
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Say it ain't so.
2:08
The love I have for food is probably... well, an obsession, probably.
2:16
What?
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It is.
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That's a problem.
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You know, I went to school for nutrition.
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Oh, yeah.
2:22
So you're trying to make it match.
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You're trying to make it-
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I'm trying to make it match.
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Trying to make it match.
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I got you.
2:27
I got you.
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That doesn't mean I always tell people the right thing to do.
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Because sometimes if you're craving something, just have a little bit of it.
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That's right.
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There's some self-control.
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Yeah.
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Just have a little self-control.
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Well, that's the problem.
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Self-control.
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People usually don't have self-control.
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But see, you working out.
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You're back to working out.
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Oh my gosh, Cameron.
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I see you doing your thing.
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Since you're bringing up working out.
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Uh-oh.
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My left leg.
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Uh-oh.
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It's been hurting me.
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It doesn't got to you.
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Oh my gosh.
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You was being Hercules.
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Oh my gosh.
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There needs to be a manuscript.
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Like, this is what happened when you turned 20.
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This is what happened when you turned 30.
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Oh, that's exactly where I was scared to go.
3:01
40?
3:02
Mm-hmm.
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Baby.
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Yeah.
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I didn't know.
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You got your cup of water by the bedside yet?
3:07
Oh, yeah.
3:08
Every night.
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You're fully in.
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Every night.
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That's it.
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Every night I get up about 320.
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Come on.
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Not 3 o'clock.
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Come on.
3:16
I'm not going to lie.
3:17
I'm not going to lie.
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I'm not going to lie.
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I got up at 320.
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Come on.
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Not 3 o'clock.
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There you go.
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320.
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Don't you hate it?
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To go use the bathroom.
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Don't you hate it?
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Then I woke up this morning.
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Uh-huh.
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And my leg was hurting.
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Like.
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Look.
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The random.
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I've already been there.
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And I can tell you.
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The random body parts hurting.
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I think I called my daddy and I said, Daddy.
3:40
I think I got arthritis in my head.
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Look.
3:43
Listen.
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Listen.
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Let me tell you.
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and they don't go away and I go to the doctor
3:48
and the doctor's like, what caused this?
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Did you fall?
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Did you exertion?
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No, I'm just fat.
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That's the only thing I say.
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It's old.
4:01
I looked up my leg symptoms and I got pariformis.
4:06
I got pariformis disease.
4:08
Don't do that, don't be commission.
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I got it.
4:11
Don't do that, don't do that.
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I got something.
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Don't look up stuff.
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It's not right.
4:15
Don't do it.
4:15
I looked it up and I figured out I need to go to the doctor.
4:20
Okay, now the doctor's gonna get all your money.
4:24
True, but guess what?
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I love my doctor because I be like, girl, my finger hurt
4:30
and she said, let's take blood.
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I be like, yes.
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Wow.
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I want you to take my blood.
4:34
It's not right.
4:36
You're spending that money, great.
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You're not doing anything if you have not taken my blood.
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Wow.
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I really feel that way.
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You are really in it, okay, all right.
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I really feel it.
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I pray.
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Take my blood.
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With all of this negativity, I pray that you have a good,
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good word for us in the Coffie Break.
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Okay.
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I think it's time for a Coffie Break.
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Thank you, Reverend.
5:00
Okay, so for today's, you know what?
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It's not a word of the day.
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It's just a...
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This is a coffee break.
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The coffee break.
5:15
All I wanna say is every day you decide to feel
5:20
how you feel, how to treat others,
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and what kind of person you want to be.
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Your attitude, happiness, and kindness are in your hands.
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So choose wisely because choices define who you are.
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Your choices define who you are.
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Wow.
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You know, we were having a great conversation yesterday
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in my office and I'm just so proud of my staff.
5:46
Okay.
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They have been so positive.
5:49
Okay.
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And it was just like a...
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You've been getting on me.
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Don't you come with a negative attitude, neither.
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Exactly.
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Because guess what?
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Like say if I'm having a bad day
6:00
or came in with an attitude,
6:02
somehow some way that's gonna affect you.
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It is, it is.
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And I think that's important to understand
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that how we are affects other people.
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Whether it's good or bad, everybody has bad days,
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but we can choose to have a good day.
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You gonna make me put my pastor hat on.
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Come on.
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What you got?
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As Christians, we believe that we are not thermostats.
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And you know a thermostat would tell you
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what's going on in the room, right?
6:29
Yeah.
6:30
It'll gauge the temperature of the room.
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No, the thermostat will change the temperature.
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We're thermostats.
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We're not thermometers.
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Thermometers will gauge what's in the room
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and deal with what's in the room.
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But a thermostat will change it.
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When I come into the room, no matter what's going on,
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my energy is what I want to exert in that place.
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So I'm gonna be a thermostat instead of a thermometer.
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Well, I think I'm a thermometer and a thermostat.
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No, see when you a thermometer, you just come in,
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you sit down and whatever's going on, you just deal with.
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Now I'm gauging the temperature
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and I'm acting accordingly.
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Wow.
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Just throw the word, just get here.
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Just throw it on out the window.
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Just help us.
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No, but guess what?
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We have a great show today.
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Yes, yes, yes.
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I am excited about our show.
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We are talking about books,
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specifically black children in books.
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Get those words out, get those words out.
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I know.
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There is an exciting week that I was a part of last year.
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Being able to read books to children.
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And y'all, I don't like to read.
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That is something like in elementary school,
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I struggled with.
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And even today, I tried to force myself to read.
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I was more of the,
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what this worm do if I cut it in half?
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Give me some dirt.
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Like science and math were my thing.
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But I'm excited to introduce us to two amazing ladies.
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Asana McMullin and Amber Anthony.
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How are you all?
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Welcome to the show.
8:15
Hey.
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Y'all welcome, welcome, welcome.
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We're glad that you're here.
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We're glad we're talking about this topic.
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And we're just so excited about what you have
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to bring to the table.
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Yes, thank you for inviting us.
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Thank you for having us.
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So, well, my first question is,
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how did you all get into developing this week,
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this, I don't know what you call it.
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Because it has this movement.
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Organization, because it has evolved.
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It has.
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Over the year.
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So I'll start, give the backstory,
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and then let Amber take it from there.
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I started a book club in 2017.
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And it was because I loved reading.
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I'm not like you, I don't want to cut the worms up, right?
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But I want to read about the worms.
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And I've always loved reading.
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But after my aunt passed in 2016,
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I had a hard time reading.
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Like I just had a hard time just really escaping
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and getting back into that.
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And so I figured, you know,
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what better way than to be held accountable
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than to have other people hold me accountable
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in this book club.
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So I started up in 2017 and we read a few books,
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but we weren't able to meet up because people were grown.
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We just, our schedules are crazy.
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And so it kind of tinkered off a little bit.
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And then last year, I saw a lot of chatter about it
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on social media and book clubs.
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And I'm like, you know, we're going to give this a try again.
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And so we started up.
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We read once, one book a month.
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We meet up once a month.
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We have had great turnout in attendance and participation.
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And so then Amber, you tell your story about.
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So I see Asana's book club and saw a writer.
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I'm like, I'm interested.
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I go to the first two meetings and the third meeting,
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I'm actually the book club host.
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And so we hosted at International Book Project.
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And I had seen Black Children's Book Week
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being sponsored on Instagram.
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I kept wondering like, what is this?
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So kind of looked into it and saw that we could kind of
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like do our own thing.
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So I brought it to the book club meeting.
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I was like, would anyone want to try to take this on with me?
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And Asana was like, I would.
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And so we kind of had that mini conversation there.
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And while having the conversation,
10:25
the executive director of International Book Project
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overheard us conversating and offered her space.
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Oh, wow.
10:32
And so it literally fruitated in one night.
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And so we looked at each other.
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And we were like, OK, we have a space.
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We have a cause.
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Let's do it.
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And so we put our feet down on the ground,
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started working, started reaching out
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to different vendors, what we wanted.
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And we literally put together our inaugural Black Children's
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Book Week within a three week period of time.
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You're giving us too much time.
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Amber, it was like two weeks.
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So exactly what is it?
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Exactly what is it?
10:58
Yeah, so Black Children's Book Week
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was created by Veronica Chapman.
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And we do not know her, but she clearly
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sponsored her post in the right way,
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because it reached Amber and reached Lexington.
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And it is a celebration to celebrate
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black authors and books about black children.
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It also, Black Baby Books, gives the ease
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of finding those particular books.
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So they list those books that you can find them.
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Because sometimes you'll find that just because a book has
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featured black children, and that's
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the prominent character does not necessarily
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mean that they're all black authored, right?
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Or even the illustrator.
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So it's really just a week to promote that in literacy,
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but also to bring awareness to the low numbers
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of representation for black children in books.
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And black authors as well.
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So only 14.4% of all books feature one black character.
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And that could be in text or writing.
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So they could be on the cover of the book
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and not featured anywhere in the book.
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And they still count in that 14.4%.
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Oh, wow.
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I didn't know that.
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Even though that 14.4% is still very low.
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And so that is pretty much the week.
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And Amber and I both have four-year-olds.
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And whenever I would go out to book club meetings,
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my son is always like, mommy, I want to go.
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I want to go.
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And so I thought about a toddler book club.
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So when Amber brought this to us, I'm like, oh, this is
12:27
perfect.
12:29
So we celebrated it this year.
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Well, by the time you all hear this, it will be last year.
12:35
We celebrated it for the first time in 2024.
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And we decided that seven days just wasn't enough.
12:41
There were things that we could do.
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We had the capacity.
12:44
We had the reach to elongate this celebration
12:47
to be a program, an organization where
12:50
we can place touches into the community more than just
12:54
that week throughout the year.
12:56
And luckily, we've been fortunate enough
12:59
to have great community partners who really actually
13:01
believe in the power of literacy and representation
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that that could hold.
13:05
And we also believe that literacy is what helps
13:08
children grow empathy.
13:09
And so without being able to see someone different than you
13:12
within the pages of a text, it's really
13:13
hard to build an emotion towards that person
13:16
and really see them as people.
13:17
And so luckily, with the help of the International Book
13:20
Project, with the Carnegie Center here in Lexington,
13:23
and we've really been able to touch the community
13:26
on a monthly basis since September.
13:29
And so in September, we did Family Fun Night
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with the Carnegie Center.
13:32
We hosted about 30 families.
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Yeah.
13:36
Gave away.
13:37
We read two books, Change Things by Amanda Gorman and Why Not
13:41
You by Sierra and Russell Wilson.
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And each child got to take home that book.
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Well, each family got to take home most of those books.
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And we did an interactive and comprehensive activity
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afterwards.
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And then in October, we were able to do a spooky story time
13:54
in Louisville, Kentucky with another nonprofit.
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And we were able to get Books for Every Child There donated
14:00
by Carmichael's Bookstore in Louisville.
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And then we are, well, this will be a pass.
14:05
So then in November, we are hosting a fireside lawn story,
14:11
basically, Under the Stars.
14:12
And we're going to be reading two books
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and giving each family three books away, two which
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we're going to be reading, and one extra,
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along with s'mores and other activities.
14:20
But community partnership goes a long way.
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And we've been able to really build bridges
14:25
within the community when it comes to what we're doing.
14:28
Now, what age group are you all working with?
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2 to 13 or newborn.
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Zero.
14:34
Yeah, zero.
14:35
The 12, 13 age is what we think is best.
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Because reading starts in the womb.
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At least for me, it did in our family.
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I started reading to my son the moment
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I found out about him.
14:47
And he loves books.
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He thinks books are cool.
14:50
He loves shopping for books.
14:51
He asks for books for Christmas and birthdays.
14:53
And so I feel blessed and lucky that he
14:55
has this love for books because it opens up the world.
15:00
And so we really encourage, even if you're little,
15:03
because just opening the book, touching the book,
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feeling it, turning the pages, hearing the sound
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is important for those kids to grasp that at an early age
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and outside of the classroom and the home.
15:14
That's great.
15:15
I'm kind of like Jessica.
15:17
I wasn't the biggest reader.
15:19
I read with purpose.
15:20
If I got something I need to accomplish,
15:22
that's what I'm reading.
15:24
But I will remember when I was a child,
15:26
there was a book that I read.
15:27
I can't remember the book.
15:28
But it was the material that interests me as opposed
15:32
to just having to read.
15:34
We're going to talk a little bit more about that
15:36
when we come back from the break.
15:37
You are listening to Look Who's Talking.
15:40
MUSIC
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This past year has highlighted the strength
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Every day, our staff works together to help families
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recover from this crisis.
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We're educating children at home and in person,
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helping parents who lost their jobs,
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and helping households avoid eviction.
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Our work at Community Action Council
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So why not join us?
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Apply online at commaction.org.
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That's C-O-M-M, Action.org.
16:58
Thank you.
17:27
You are listening to Look Who's Talking,
17:30
and today's highlight word of the day is literacy.
17:38
Did you hear what we saying?
17:39
It was literacy.
17:42
We silly.
17:46
We silly.
17:46
All right.
17:48
All right, so we, you know, I kind of softballed you
17:53
into the break talking about the interest in books.
17:59
You know, you have your reading material at school,
18:02
and it don't always fit with what I want to understand.
18:06
So can you talk about some of that with the numbers of?
18:14
Oh, yeah.
18:15
Well, let me say this.
18:16
So I remember when I was a kid, like, there were no books.
18:21
Like, fun.
18:24
Yeah, there weren't any representation.
18:27
I was off of the Burstain Bears because, like, you know.
18:32
I think the first character black I saw in a book was Tom.
18:37
Oh, gosh.
18:38
I know you weren't going to say Tom.
18:40
So what was it?
18:41
Snowy Day.
18:42
Huckleberry.
18:44
No, he wasn't.
18:45
I'm not a fan.
18:46
Yeah, Huckleberry fan.
18:47
Yeah.
18:48
Yeah, because.
18:48
OK.
18:49
Yeah.
18:49
Yeah.
18:50
Thank you.
18:50
And I was like, wow.
18:51
OK.
18:52
And also, why we do what we do?
18:54
Because that's not the most positive representation.
18:56
Yeah.
18:57
Show them.
18:57
Is that a young black boy?
18:58
Show them.
18:59
Exactly.
18:59
And when it came to when I found out about Black Children's
19:04
Book Week, that was around the time in Head Start
19:07
we were given our assessments to our board and our policy
19:12
council.
19:13
And we saw that literacy amongst boys, you know,
19:18
were lower than girls, but specifically the lowest
19:22
was black boys.
19:23
Right.
19:24
And that was something that was concerning.
19:28
So, you know, after we took that information,
19:32
our teachers, our education folks,
19:35
we came and had a meeting and said, hey,
19:38
how can we change what's happening in the classroom
19:41
as far as the curriculum that's being taught
19:44
to help our young little boys be able to read better,
19:49
comprehend, and bring our literacy or bring their literacy
19:53
scores up?
19:54
So, yeah, I think it's important to know the statistics.
20:00
So getting to that, what are some of the statistics
20:04
you all have found with black children or, I guess,
20:09
literacy in general when it comes to Kentucky?
20:11
Well, before we get into that, I want
20:13
to say that we have a number of young boys
20:15
who are in high school.
20:17
And I think that's something that's
20:18
really important to know.
20:20
Well, before we get into the numbers,
20:22
it was something that you all said regarding you didn't find
20:25
an interest in books, right?
20:26
Right.
20:27
And I think that's first and foremost,
20:29
it's so pivotal when you're talking about literacy
20:31
and reading.
20:32
Because when black boys have these low literacy rates,
20:36
you have to ask yourself why.
20:38
Why are they disproportionately not able to read?
20:42
I think it's because they're not actually in school,
20:44
because that's where we're seeing that families
20:47
are reading more, which should be at home.
20:49
But reopening these books, and they're not seeing themselves.
20:54
Whether in a physical picture, or just the situation,
20:58
the text, the culture, the content.
21:00
It's not something that they can connect to,
21:04
so then their interest just goes.
21:06
And I think that's what we're intentional about
21:08
with black children in books, is having a variety of genres.
21:12
Because like you said, your first introduction into a black character wasn't the greatest.
21:17
We don't want to push that.
21:19
We want to have these children open the books, find themselves positively reflected so they
21:25
can see who they can be.
21:27
They can dream.
21:28
They can go on these adventures with these amazing characters and find something that
21:33
they like.
21:34
We may not like the same books.
21:35
I'm going to tell you all right now, Amber and I do not like the same books, but we love
21:40
reading.
21:41
And we will read books.
21:42
And that's the community within itself, like learning to agree to disagree.
21:45
I don't have to like what you read, but at least we're still reading.
21:47
And so we share that time together.
21:49
Amber, you're an author, is that right?
21:51
Did you say you was an author?
21:52
I am not an author.
21:53
Oh, I'm sorry.
21:54
Okay, speak it, speak it though.
21:57
We are very intentional about the books that we put into spaces that we are currently trying
22:02
to occupy.
22:03
And so we have a bookcase right now within the Sharp Futures Middle School Barbershop
22:08
in Takes Creek called Creek Cuts.
22:09
And so we were very specific about making sure that it was for young boys within the
22:13
middle school age, but that there was also a plethora of different types.
22:17
And so, you know, we have representation.
22:19
Everything that you see highlighted is a black character in a black authored book.
22:23
But within that case, there are also books for, you know, the white male, the Hispanic
22:26
male and those experiences.
22:28
We are understanding that everyone wants to see themselves in books.
22:34
And so like in inclusivity, being inclusive is important.
22:38
So we try to honor that and pride ourselves on that because we also know what it's like
22:43
to not be included.
22:44
And so we try to be very specific.
22:47
We don't include.
22:48
So I cataloged like over 500 books that we currently have in our collection.
22:51
Oh, wow.
22:52
And I have highlighted and read the books that are either about like slavery or growing
22:56
up in a very povers area with rough life or like sexual harassment or, you know, things
23:01
that are just triggers and that sometimes people don't necessarily always want to be
23:04
reminded about when they're reading a book.
23:07
I know for me, when I was younger, reading was an escape and I don't want to escape away
23:12
from the place that I'm trying to your place.
23:14
Yeah.
23:15
Yeah.
23:16
I want to explore.
23:17
I landed right back here.
23:18
Right.
23:19
Right.
23:20
So, you know, we want to let them know that they can travel, that they can become chefs,
23:22
doctors, lawyers.
23:23
Yeah.
23:24
It's very important to see yourself outside the scope of just a community that you grow
23:28
up in on a daily basis.
23:29
So we try to be very specific.
23:31
It is funny.
23:32
Which is why we sorry, which is why we start reading in these programs and these events
23:36
because we think it's important that you read at home too.
23:39
Right.
23:40
Because we understand that school may not be intentional about providing those specific
23:44
readings.
23:45
For instance, our bookcases, we have three as of last year.
23:48
Since this will air, hopefully we will have twice or three times as many.
23:52
But right now we have been intentional on selecting books that are on the banned book
23:56
list.
23:57
Oh, yeah.
23:58
Because we recognize the value and the importance.
24:00
If you check out the banned book list, more a significant amount of books are either black
24:06
authored and or feature prominently feature black characters.
24:09
So when we're already facing an uphill battle of representation, it just gets harder and
24:14
harder for us to ensure that they're able to read positive things about themselves.
24:20
Like Hair Love was one of those books.
24:22
You remember how that blew up on Facebook because the C1, a black father, hello, we
24:27
love that.
24:28
And doing a little girl's hair and it's curly.
24:31
It's not something that society is an afro.
24:34
Yeah.
24:35
And so that's on the banned book list.
24:38
We have to be.
24:39
Why?
24:40
And then you also ask yourself, OK, well, how do we make sure that those are accessible?
24:45
And I feel like that's really our goal.
24:47
Like we do.
24:48
We want the recognition of the community as far as to understand what we're doing, the
24:52
importance of it.
24:53
And because everyone this is something that everyone can help with.
24:56
Just make it.
24:57
Reading should be accessible for everyone.
24:58
We should go to Amazon or a bookstore or two cities over to find someone that looks like
25:03
us on the cover.
25:04
I mean, and even when you go to bookstores locally here, you don't see it.
25:08
And so, yes, on our bookcases, those will be the books that are highlighted because
25:11
those are the books that you cannot find.
25:14
Wow.
25:15
I'm still confused about Hair Love.
25:16
I need to talk to somebody when I saw it on that list.
25:18
I was like, what's going on here?
25:19
I was like, you know, I was trying to dress in character with the hair love with the I
25:24
am enough because like, you know, I don't have children, but I have with two thousand
25:30
children in the program.
25:32
But those like there's one classroom in particular center, Russell School, and all the little
25:41
black girls have their braids and like they're in love with their hair.
25:47
They're not ashamed.
25:49
And I can remember me like being like, man, my hair don't look right today.
25:53
Yeah.
25:54
Why my mama do my hair like is.
25:55
It can become a shameful type of character.
25:56
Yes.
25:57
And I come in the classroom and I can wear a fro and they'll be like, I like your hair,
26:03
Miss Jessica.
26:04
Or, you know, I can wear braids.
26:06
Now, there was one little girl who said my mama wear a wig, too.
26:14
But I could it was funny, but it was like, I mean, that's the culture, right?
26:18
Yeah.
26:19
Right.
26:20
So comfortable enough to say absolutely.
26:21
But I'm also happy that it's on my head.
26:23
Yes.
26:24
And just realizing that the diversity because I think we need to talk about that with children.
26:31
Yeah.
26:32
Not just tolerating it.
26:33
We're not just saying these are the differences.
26:35
We have to celebrate those differences.
26:37
Those differences have to be positive when we see them.
26:41
And so we may not see it on TV.
26:43
We may not have that control, but in the books, they exist.
26:46
Right.
26:47
You just have to find them, which is why black children in books.
26:50
And it's funny because like my granddaughter is experiencing some of this.
26:56
She's in Scott County and she's at a predominantly white school.
27:01
And so she comes home singing Taylor Taylor Swift songs and things.
27:08
And I'm wondering, but there's a disconnect from her culture.
27:12
And even in her reading material, there's a disconnect from who she is.
27:16
So she's starting to adapt and assimilate.
27:20
And so Paw Paw's like, no, so I ordered her some books.
27:24
And you know, I just, well, yeah, she likes those picture books.
27:30
Yeah, it doesn't matter.
27:33
It doesn't.
27:34
But if you're trying to build your vocabulary and your literacy, it does because I learned
27:40
that she's struggling on the books that she should be reading because she's looking at
27:45
pictures.
27:46
So it has to start there, though.
27:47
It does.
27:48
So what we've done now is every night we read a chapter together.
27:52
15 to 20 minutes.
27:53
Yes.
27:54
It's so important.
27:55
And you know, that's why we let the kids also take home the books, because as much as we
27:59
want reading to be a passion in the home, we also just want to increase the confidence
28:04
to read.
28:05
Because reading out loud is a huge confidence factor.
28:07
You know, just reading in general is a huge confidence boost.
28:11
But if you can do that within a group of people, there's no ceiling for you.
28:15
So I feel like that boosts the confidence not only of the child, but of the parent as
28:19
well.
28:20
In my household, my mother is dyslexic and she is like on a seventh grade reading level.
28:25
And so, you know, there is a certain confidence with parenting that makes you feel like, OK,
28:30
can I even teach my child?
28:31
And so, you know, being able to give both the parent and the child a safe space in a
28:36
book that makes them feel good to read together is just such a beautiful thing.
28:40
It is.
28:41
And I just say, parents, please do not be afraid to read that same book over and over
28:46
and over and over.
28:47
Reading repetition, OK?
28:48
Reading repetition increases comprehension.
28:49
Let's say it together.
28:50
Reading repetition increases comprehension.
28:51
So it's not just about reading the words.
28:52
It's about, did your child understand it?
28:53
And reading it over and over definitely helps that.
28:56
And that's an important piece.
28:57
We have started rewarding our families with hands-on books.
29:01
And we have also started to give kids books that are really, really helpful.
29:06
And that's an important piece, we have started rewarding our families with Head Start books
29:12
for reading.
29:13
I love that.
29:14
That's part of what we implemented for them to start, you know, reading books to their
29:22
children, their children, kind of developing a routine.
29:28
But also, we, you know, talk with the parents and say, hey, reading, if you have one book,
29:36
that's fine, but we have a lending library where every week they get a backpack full
29:40
of books.
29:41
They take them home, they read the books, come back, and we, you know, switch watch.
29:47
So getting the parents has been one of, I think, our greatest accomplishments because
29:54
if you buy the parents in, of course you're going to have the child.
29:58
Well, what child doesn't want to hang out with mommy and daddy?
30:00
Yeah.
30:01
And that's when reading becomes fun because I'm not doing this at school with a teacher
30:04
who's maybe not connecting with me on a level that I want to be seen at, but at home, you
30:10
can make it a game.
30:11
Or at events.
30:12
Yeah, or anything.
30:13
You get to get sweet treats.
30:14
And it's so funny because my granddaughter, she is very autistic, and I told her, I said,
30:20
you like the picture book, but your imagination is a thousand times better than what they
30:26
scribbled on here.
30:27
And so we started the chapter books and she was all reluctant and stuff, and now she's
30:31
coming to me and it's like, we didn't get to read last night.
30:35
Let's get in.
30:36
I'll tell her to paint a picture of what she sees.
30:37
There are so many books and so many fantastic authors that are very vivid in their explanation
30:43
of the scene.
30:44
I mean, you can almost paint it.
30:45
Oh, yeah.
30:46
And especially being an author, I mean, I'm sorry, an artist, you know, those things are
30:50
important.
30:51
You just have to connect the dots.
30:52
And I think, you know, to you all, what you're doing with your parents, Amber and I are trying
30:56
to implement in Black children in books.
30:58
We want to revitalize the accelerated reader program, but we want to be a little bit more
31:03
intentional about the way we do it, the partnerships that we have with the organizations here.
31:08
So we've already begun the workings of that program where we are incentivizing not only
31:15
the child, but the entire family for reading together.
31:18
Yeah.
31:19
And we're really excited about that.
31:20
And hopefully by the time this airs, we'll have some more details.
31:23
Oh, good.
31:24
Find it on our website.
31:25
It's on our website, it's on our website, it's on our website.
31:28
And we're excited about that.
31:29
And do you all have like a book list thing that you share?
31:31
You know, because when I wanted to and when I when Papa was buying books, he wanted to
31:36
buy books that expressed our culture.
31:39
But yeah, we will have those.
31:42
We will.
31:43
So yeah, we will have a list of something that we're cultivating.
31:45
And we are also with our in person event this year.
31:50
This will be aired right before this, but going to have a black book.
31:53
And so that is something that we're crucial about.
31:55
So those books will also be included on that list.
31:58
But just also letting you all understand the plethora of, you know, small black authors
32:02
that are out there because they're not all national heads.
32:05
Exactly.
32:06
Yeah.
32:07
People are writing some great books.
32:08
And so we are actively, you know, trying to recruit all over the nation.
32:13
Just these small.
32:14
So if you're hearing this, Black Children's Book Week of Lexington will be March 1st at
32:19
the Lyric Theater starting at noon, and we are looking for black authors to come and
32:27
set up at our black book fair because we want these children to be able to go home with
32:32
tangibles.
32:33
We want these families to be engaged and we want to get to know you.
32:37
Oh, yeah.
32:38
Yeah, I think that's great.
32:40
That's fantastic.
32:41
So let us know where we can find you all, where we can get in touch with you.
32:48
What is your we don't have that yet.
32:51
No, we do.
32:52
Oh, OK, let's get it.
32:53
Yes.
32:54
Stay ready.
32:55
Black Children in Books dot org.
32:57
And you can find us on Instagram, Black Children in Books and Facebook.
33:00
So right now we are in the process of changing our Facebook name.
33:03
Facebook is giving us a hard time.
33:04
So by the time you hear this, I hope it's fixed.
33:06
If not, it's Black Children's Book Week dash Lexington.
33:11
But hopefully that's been fixed and it will be Black Children in Books.
33:15
All right.
33:16
That sounds like an amazing time, an amazing event.
33:21
You got something about It's Lit.
33:24
What is that?
33:25
That's our slogan.
33:26
Yeah, in our accelerated reader program.
33:28
So it's a spin on literature because this is all about literature.
33:31
It's also a good way to tie into how the kids are talking these days.
33:36
The modernness of the kids.
33:38
Yeah, meeting them where they are.
33:39
I think that's the most important piece is figuring out how we can connect with them.
33:43
And we thought It's Lit was perfect.
33:45
We will soon enough have merchandise for sale.
33:48
Oh yeah.
33:49
She's talking about the merch.
33:50
Look, she's not trying to make sales.
33:51
It's time to go.
33:52
It's time to go.
33:53
No, but thank you so much, Asana and Amber for being on today's show.
33:58
Thank you for having us.
34:01
A wealth of information.
34:02
This is good.
34:03
I like this show.
34:04
I see us working together, trying to get the same goals accomplished.
34:09
Absolutely.
34:10
Absolutely.
34:11
We look forward to it.
34:12
All right.
34:13
Thanks, everyone.
34:14
That's the show.
34:15
All right, y'all.
34:16
Y'all know what to do with that head start word of the day.
34:17
And we're going to have a nice little prize connected with that.
34:18
Yep.
34:19
If you know what to do, do what you do.
34:20
All right.
34:21
You have been listening to Look Who's Talking.
34:22
We'll see you when we see you.
34:23
Bye, y'all.
34:24
You know what to do with that head start word of the day.