Authored By Us

Colors are everywhere and author Joanne Moorehead is making sure that young children not only learn their colors but learn a love for words and reading in the process.  Joann's colorful board book takes its inspiration from ROY G BIV, which we learned is not a person but the acronym for the actual colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.  Join us as we explore this delightful tale that will leave you asking, "What Color is Your Rainbow?"

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"Do you know what makes a man?  I am not so sure I understand."  This is the question asked by a young boy earnestly searching for the ingredients for his "manhood recipe."  But what we learns is more value than just a few characteristics as the people in his life give him vision and inspiration as he goes forth on his quest.  Join us as we venture through this tale with guest author, Del'Shawn Taylor, as he shares this story of kindness, strength, and love, as told in his first book, Do you Know What Makes a Man?.

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Christopher is living it up as a 'tween but he is about to learn that there is a lot more to life.  As he witnesses the impact that social injustice has on his community, his friends, and his family, Christopher is compelled to make a change, and he is bring others along with him.  In this compelling story you learn that you're never too young to take a stand and make a contribution to society,  Join us as we talk with author and educator, Tasha Ellis, EdD as she shares the importance of civic engagement and the value of family in a child's life in her book, #ENOUGH.

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"I grab my book bag.  Hey ... what's that sound?  There's a bee in my book bag.  This is REALLY bad!"  Sounds like a tale easy to understand.  You find a bee in your book bag, I think you know what to do.  But not so fast, wait until you read a bit more and learn that the bee has a side to tell that you really should hear.  "I was trapped in a dark place.  I met a bunch with no class."  The side of the story told by the bee, this sounds like a "she said, bee said" kind of story.  Find our what all the buzz is about in this episode with guest author, Lisa Martin Suber, as she shares her sweet story, There's A Bee in My Book Bag:  A Tale with Two Sides.

This episode of Authored By Us is dedicated to the memory of Klarque Garrison.

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Authored By Us is a weekly podcast where we meet the authors behind the children's books telling the stories about characters of color and of different cultural experiences.  Each week, join our host, author, Zenzi Hodge, as we turn the pages of these bookshelf gems and hear from their authors who understand that stories of diverse experience truly come to life when Authored By Us.

About our Host
Zenzi Hodge is the of the 2014 children's book, The Never Snowy Christmas.  The story tells the tale of a young boy wanting it to snow in his island home of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands and the antics he employs to make it snow in paradise.

We all have a story that is memorable to us.  Whether it is a Dr. Seuss classic or a little known family favorite.  In this bonus episode, our host, Zenzi Hodge, author of The Never Snowy Christmas shares the story which had the most impact on her as a young reader and eventually an author.  We can't wait to find out about her notable bookshelf gem?

About our Host
Zenzi Hodge is the of the 2014 children's book, The Never Snowy Christmas.  The story tells the tale of a young boy wanting it to snow in his island home of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands and the antics he employs to make it snow in paradise.