As we enter the second month of a shiny new year, most of us are facing some familiar (and not-so-popular) challenges.
If you missed my blog post, COVID Fatigue is a THING | Here’s What to do About It, now might be a great time to visit the Make A Way Media blog learn some essential tips on staying mentally safe while being physical safe during this pandemic.
Even as we muddle forward in uncertain times, there is one thing we know for sure. Love will keep us strong. Love for our families, our communities, our exhausted front-line workers, and love for ourselves.
Love and showing love to others is an amazing way to celebrate two notable observances in February: Valentine’s Day and Black History Month. Here are a few books from Make A Way Media author and C.E.O. Deedee Cummings that reinforce the beauty of love, patience, and acceptance.
Love Is…by Deedee Cummings: This book is a beautiful story that is a short seventy-three words long, but those words are powerful.
“As I look back at my diverse children’s book publishing journey at my very first book, Love Is…, that specific “ah-ha moment” still brings a smile to my face,” Deedee shared. “Love Is…was my very first published book, so it was about a little more than just the message to the world for me; it was a message to myself.”
Love Is…is a charming children’s book that shares a valuable message: love is a gift meant to be shared with/by every being. Filled with beautiful illustrations and a stunning palette, this book shows children different ways that love can be expressed. Love Is…is a masterpiece of word and color poetry that draws readers of all ages into the story.
Heart by Deedee Cummings: Lyrically and visually beautiful, Heart is a book for all ages and all walks of life. Within the pages of Heart, readers, parents, and educators will find affirmations that, when hearts close from fear, other emotions like love, peace, joy, and happiness become closed off as well.
Inspired by her work with foster children, the author uses lyrical prose and stunning illustrations to share beliefs of love, life, faith, and the power of prayer.
This is a much-needed book for children of all ages, especially those who have experienced trauma in their lives. Heart provides an overall message to readers that, to find faith, they must never stop believing that there are good people in the world. This book is an excellent resource for classrooms, home bookshelves, and children’s counselor’s offices.”
Heart will help lift readers’ spirits and serve as a guide to the path to healing. {ages five and up}
My Dad’s Job by Deedee Cummings: When L.O.V.E. is spelled T-I-M-E, My Dad’s Job shares a powerful message about the value of parenting with love, direction, purpose, modeling, and consistency but also so much more.
My Dad’s Job is a book about the relationship between a father and son. Deedee shared that she penned this book primarily because of her frustration with not being able to find a picture book that had characters who resembled her own family.
“There are many books with dads as the main character, but very few with Black dads as the main character. This is a story of the power of modeling and the importance of being there in a child’s life. Keeping your word can be a powerful lesson for a child to absorb. Showing is often better than telling.”
Coming Soon! A new Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess Storyline for Older Readers!
In Make A Way Media’s recent blog post, Mom, Does This Book Make My Brain Look Thin? Deedee tackles the tricky topic of how some of the books being published today do not meet the intellect and creativity of today’s young readers.
“When I make the bold comment of ‘does this book make my brain look thin?’ I’m referring to the unconscious habit of providing books that ‘dumb down’ kids,” Deedee shared. “I recall a moment (not that long ago) when a particular critic observed that many of the words in my diverse picture book series, Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess was ‘too advanced’ for a 4-8-year-old audience. My response was, ‘since when?!‘”
Not only has Deedee boldly challenged teachers and parents to reframe their thinking, but she is also currently producing a new series of chapter books that follows the Kayla: A Modern: Day Princess storyline, but in a way that will appeal to middle-grade readers.
“The Kayla series is filled with lessons and examples of important skills like mental health, growth mindset, empathy, and acceptance, determination, bullying, standing up for yourself, and having the courage to follow your dreams. My Kayla five-book picture book series was a tremendous success, and I now want more advanced readers to experience all of these things in a book series better suited to their reading level.”
Stay tuned for more details!
One Last Thing:
Be sure to follow Make A Way Media and Author Deedee Cummings on Instagram to learn more about what it takes to be an award-winning multi-book author and learn more about the new K Club reading and learning club for young people readers.