I am an award-winning children’s author, poet, educator, scholar, and a former professor of Early Childhood Education and Child Development. My first children’s book Imani’s Moon won the NAESP Children’s Book of the Year Award and was featured on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show and Storytime with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and my second book Grandma’s Tiny House: A Counting Story! received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly and won the CELI Read Aloud Book Award. I am also the author of the popular picture book series Where in the Garden (Peachtree Publishing), four Chicken Soup for the Soul Babies/Kids books, Crayola’s Follow That Line! Magic at Your Fingertips (Running Press Kids, 2022), the Harriet Tubman Little Golden Book Biography, the Simone Biles Little Golden Book Biography and the New York Times Bestselling book Why Not You? (Penguin/Random House) which I collaborated with Ciara and Russell Wilson. I have many more books both published and forthcoming including titles in my chapter book series Love Puppies (Scholastic, 2023-2024), Jam, Too (Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House, 2024), and Mahogany (Charlesbridge, 2024). 

Presentations For Kids and Students - 30-45 minutes

  • Author Day with Mrs. JaNay (a quick presentation about her journey, perseverance, and sharing some books)
  • Where in the Garden Storytime (with song and activity)–Any of the Where in the Garden books
  • Circle Times (which include short songs, reading a few of her books, and movement activities)–for preschool aged and younger
  • Let’s Talk About Reading: (Importance of reading and how it is important in so much that we do, share books, and answer questions)–K-3
  • Thinking about Journeys: The story of a Writer and her books (3-6, and above)
  • Magic in your Fingertips: Letting your Creativity Flow
  • Additional presentations upon request

Presentations For Community Members (Parents and Adults) - 45-60 minutes

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  • Pondering Diversity in Children’s Books and Why it’s Important
  • Building brains and literacy skills
  • Diversity in children’s literature
  • Literacy and the Summertime Slide
  • Words on Inspiration and the Power of Representation
  • Additional presentations upon request

Presentations For Educators/Librarians - 60 minutes

  • The Power of Sharing Authentically Diverse Books with Children and Youth
  • Using Math to Empower Students through Diverse Math Stories
  • Words to Build a Better World: Contemplating and Crafting Authentic Stories for Children
  • Some food for thought: Research, ECE, and Ideas about Supporting Young Children
  • Considering curriculum planning in YOUR expanded learning environment
  • Inspiration and he Stories it can Grow
  • What Books Can Be–windows, mirrors, sliding glass doors
  • The Power of Literacy: Engaging Young African American Readers
  • Equity, Literacy, and the Importance of Representation
  • Words on Inspiration and the Power of Representation
  • Intentionality, Diversity, and the Power of Representation
  • Literacy, the Brain, and the Power of Representation
  • A Dive into Diversity in Children’s Books: Considerations for your Practice
  • The Importance of Diversity is More than Anecdotal
  • Using Poetry to Support Social and Emotional Skills
  • Additional presentations upon request

Presentations For Children's Authors - 60 minutes

  • Creating Picture Books that POP!
  • Words to Build a Better World: Contemplating and Crafting Authentic Stories for Children
  • So You Want to Write a Children’s Picture Book? Here are Some Things to Know
  • Let’s Talk Picture Books: The art of crafting and revising books for children
  • The Music in Read-Alouds (writing and sharing them)
  • Inspiration and the Stories it can Grow
  • A weeklong workshop that teaches about all the steps needed to publish a book for kids
  • Additional presentations upon request

Presentations for University and College Communities

Stories, Preferences, and Mixed-Methods Analyses
A journey in Motion and Still in the Making
Additional presentations upon request
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