By Reginald Williams,
Special to the AFRO
Brown boy, Brown boy what do you see?
I see a zoologist looking at me.
I see all the careers I can be.
For many youth, the seeds of success are often planted through literature. From children’s books to comics– imagining the possibilities of life is a habit often formed by connecting with characters in a story.
Nolan Crawford and his mother Felicia Harkley know this all too well.
Nolan, 6, and his sister Nyla Crawford, 13, are co-authors with their mom on two children’s books: “Brown Girl, Brown Girl, What Do You See? Careers to A to Z,” and “Brown Boy, Brown Boy, What Do You See? Careers to A to Z.”
Harkley, founder of Prestige Educational Services, said her children are her inspiration.
“They are my reason. They are my why,” Harkley said. “Staring in the mirror; they’re seeing themselves—we’re talking about them loving the skin that they’re in.”
The books, written for children aged one to seven, are easy-to-read, motivational, alphabet and picture books that teach young minds about the different career options they can experience. Vibrant illustrations of Brown and Black boys and girls allow children to see themselves as architects, doctors, engineers or zoologists.
“It’s an inspiration for them to learn about different careers available from a to z,” Harkley said. “My book is a mirror for them to see a reflection of who they can be.”
When most authors write children’s books, they’ll typically target a specific gender, but Harkely intentionally wrote for both Black boys and girls.
“I chose to write a book for both genders based on my children. I have both a boy and girl,” the former educator said. “It started out with me always doing affirmations with them, giving them motivational speeches in the morning—always talking to them about what they could be. I wanted them to know that there are no limits for them.”
While the prose is gender-neutral, Harkley decided to show little girls that they too can ascend to the presidency in “Brown Girl, Brown Girl.”
“For president, we would normally think of a man. But in my book, I flipped it,” said Harkley. “My ‘P for president’ is in the girl’s book to let them know the president is not just for boys or men. You can aspire to be that as well. putting those careers out there for them both, just so that they can see all the things they could be.”
Harkley said books promote conversation with the entire family and are to be educational tools.
As an educator of 15 years, primarily in turnaround schools, Harkley said she recognized students in those schools need more resources to reach an elevated level.
“I’m looking at the resources–and what do we really have?” Harkley quipped. “What do our children have in the inner city– whether it’s a Title 1 school or a turnaround school? No matter what it is, they were missing a lot, especially when it came to reading, language arts and literacy. There were many materials and resources that represented us, and I thought it would be nice for them to see that resources are out there.”
The Brown Girl and Brown Boy books are in the Howard County, Md., Head Start programs.
“Getting them into the classroom was major. I’m so proud of that. I’m looking to get the book in schools nationwide—even out of the country. This is a read that can be shared with everyone. Honestly, you don’t have to be a Brown girl or Brown boy to purchase these books. If we’re talking about equity and inclusion in the schools and classrooms—this is something that can be shared amongst everyone,” added the educational consultant.
Reginald Williams, the author of “A Marginalized Voice: Devalued, Dismissed, Disenfranchised & Demonized” writes on Black men and Holistic Health concerns. Please email bookreggie@reginaldwilliams.org or visit amvonlinestore.com for more information.
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