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My greatest hope is that kids who read my book develop empathy for people who may not look, sound, or worship the way they do. I hope it causes kids to question the world around them, to research issues they may not understand, and to grow into informed citizens, the kind our country desperately needs.

With the world in the grip of a deadly pandemic that has raised more questions than scientists can answer, it is more imperative than ever that young children pursue STEM/STEAM fields. Building children’s confidence to ask questions, make guesses, think creatively, and reach for knowledge in subjects typically regarded as “too hard” is critical.

Called "an alarmingly relevant book that mirrors current events” by Kirkus Reviews in a starred review, The Teachers March! How Selma’s Teachers Changed History demonstrates the power of protest and standing up for a just cause, and is an exciting tribute to the educators who participated in the 1965 Selma Teachers' March.

I know I can't go back and tell my 17-year-old self to be nicer to us. I can’t tell him to only try to change the way he looks if it comes from a place of love. I can't change the way I treated myself for years. But I've written a little story that has helped me forgive myself. And, hopefully, it will help other young readers as well.

When the school year began I was often the only Black child in my classes and that's where I began to hear the other kind of stories. Sad, bad stories about people who looked like me. I was struck by how feverishly my new teachers and classmates believed in these narratives. It was then that I understood how words and stories could be used to wound.

I hope this story will expose Betita’s humanity, because her yearnings for happiness and love are universal, but further still, I hope it teaches children how one child was able to use her voice, her art and poetry, to not only endure but to rise above and change a horrific and harmful circumstance.

Picture books are a powerful medium for helping children make sense of the world around them. Yet, when it comes to making sense of early math concepts, many picture books prioritize math over story, and few feature main characters of color.

As the pandemic continues, no one knows for certain what the classrooms of 2021 will look like. But robust content offerings and distance learning tools can go a long way toward helping educators feel confident that they are as prepared as possible for a successful new school year.

Black kids deserve to see themselves as the stars of the story, and it’s just as important for other readers to see Black kids as the stars of the story as well.