This week we chat with Brittany Thurman, a native of Kentucky, who has recently published her first children’s picture book titled FLY illustrated by Anna Cunha. She worked as a children's specialist at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh which is where the idea to write her own book occurred, and she even took inspiration from one of the children who would come to her storytimes. FLY is the story of a young girl who wants to enter a double dutch jump rope competition but doesn’t know how to double dutch. She asks her friends for tips and while they don't know how either, they each give her a piece of knowledge that helps her be more confident in her dreams.

In this episode, she tells about the creation of this book as well as other books that she has in the pipeline, including one about the first public library built for and staffed by African Americans in the United States, which is the Western branch of the Louisville Free Public Library system. Brittany is a very busy new author.

You can find Brittany on instagram at @britjanee and at her website at www.brittanythurman.com.

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Books Mentioned in this Episode:

1- Fly by Brittany Thurman and Illustrated by Anna Cunha

2- Fearless: Boulevard of Dreams by Mandy Gonzalez with Brittany Thurman

3- Forever and Always by Brittany Thurman

4- Addie Walker--American Girl series

5- Goosebumps series by R.L.Stine

6- Replica series by Marilyn Kaye

8- A Surgeon in the Village: An American Doctor Teaches Brain Surgery in Africa by Tony Bartelme

9- Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

10- Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

11- Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

12- Stunt Boy, in the Meantime by Jason Reynolds

13- A Comb of Wishes by Lisa Stringfellow

14- Red, White and Whole by Rajani LaRocca