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Representation is Critical
Imani’s Undersea Adventure follows a young Black girl on a visit to the aquarium with her Grandfather where she learns about scuba diving and her ancestry. What was the inspiration for your story?
As a Black female master scuba diver and avid shark lover I thought it was important to tell this story. My father and uncles never learned how to swim well because they were raised during Jim Crow and did not have access to a colored pool. Additionally, my sister drowned in front of our siblings because they didn’t know how to swim either. These experiences are important because it displays a historical and socioeconomical analysis of why many Black people still cannot swim.
Not being able to swim negates the possibility of pursuing professions in the marine sciences and enjoying our aquatic world. I wanted to display Black children’s curiosity and amusement learning about sharks, the ocean, and scuba diving.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Darwin Marfil?
Darwin is great, this is my second book with him. We speak frequently about the intention of the characters and their emotional build up in the story. He truly has a gift of being to convey my manuscript graphically with little to no conceptual editing.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I wanted to show how magnificent sharks are. Many people are petrified of them but will happily go camping where bears and wolves are. Sharks are critical for the ocean’s ecosystem and should be respected and protected.
Additionally, I wanted to display Black women succeeding in marine recreation and science, expose marine sciences to kids, and teach Black history at the same time.
Representation is critical. It is important for them to see future possibilities through someone who looks like them.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m working on two books for release this winter. One will be about the grief process and the other will be the start of my career day series.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook
Imani doesn’t like sharks.
They have big mouths, filled with big teeth, perfect for eating small children like her.
But when Grandpapa takes Imani to the aquarium, she learns about marine biologists and scuba divers – clever people who study and swim with sharks!
As Imani discovers the treasures of the deep, she realizes that the ocean is not always a scary place.
And it turns out the seabed holds other secrets too…
This fun educational read is filled with pioneering African Americans who are sure to inspire the next generation of marine biologists from all over the world.
Imani’s story allows parents and caregivers to have important conversations with young readers about difficult aspects of history in a child-friendly, age-appropriate context.
Imani’s Undersea Adventure
Imani is a young Black girl visiting the aquarium with her grandfather. At first, she is scared of the sharks she sees swimming by in the tanks. But then, her grandfather tells her about sharks, scuba diving, marine biologists, and marine archaeologists. These conversations lead to deeper discussions about Imani’s ancestry and family history.
Author T. M. Jackson has written a captivating children’s book that touches on many topics of importance. The story starts with a simple visit to the aquarium and learning about a scuba diver and their equipment. It then introduces readers to Black marine biologists Ms. Jasmin Grahm and Ms. Carlee Jackson and the first certified Black female scuba diver Ms. Shirley Marshall – Lee. Next, Imani’s grandfather explains the significance of their achievements in the world of marine science and for Black women. Readers will learn about Black history in an age-appropriate manner from her grandpa’s stories. For example, stories about how slaves were brought to America and how Black families could not swim in pools; thus, many never learned how to swim. These topics are often glossed over or omitted entirely for the early elementary age level. Ms. Jackson, however, has presented them in a manner that is educational and conversational. Readers will feel like they are walking through the aquarium with Imani and her grandfather.
Accompanying this thought-provoking children’s book is the richly detailed artwork of Darwin Marfil that captures the wonder of Imani and the thoughtful pondering of her grandfather as he teaches her about her past. Included at the end of the book is a list of resources that families and teachers can use to explore aquatic and marine sciences more in-depth.
Imani’s Undersea Adventure is a profoundly thoughtful children’s book that will captivate children. Teachers and parents will appreciate the accurate historical information presented eloquently and in an age-appropriate manner.
Pages: 36 | ASIN : B09JVSJN8W
Historic Novels
Karen Kossie Chernyshev Author Interview
Angie Brown, A Jim Crow Romance was originally written by Lillian Jones Horace 68 years ago. What inspiration did you find in this book that made you want to publish an annotated scholarly edition?
I am certain that most of my admiration stems from my appreciation for Horace, the African American southern woman writer, who remained true to her commitment to write “creatively but constructively.” Before I began conducting research on Horace and her writings, she and the archival material treating her life and works were largely overlooked by scholars.
The protagonists she created all exemplify the kind of determination that Horace herself demonstrated throughout her life.
I wanted to create an annotated scholarly edition to help Angie Brown find its way into the literary canon, where students and scholars of African American literature could weigh in on its value.
Angie Brown is a strong women that is finding her path through troubled times. What are some things you admire about her character?
I admire Angie’s determination, practicality, openness to learning, friendly nature, and commitment to progress.
What kind of research did you do for this novel and Lillian Jones Horace?
I conducted extensive archival research to better understand Horace and the characters she created. A comprehensive list of the repositories I visited appears in my first book-length publication on Horace titled, Recovering Five Generations Hence: The Life and Writing of Lillian Jones Horace (2013). I have been researching and writing about Horace since 2003. Her papers are held in the Fort Worth Public Library, Fort Worth, TX.
I understand you contacted some of the Horace family for this book. What were their reactions to you pursuing this 100 year old story?
I contacted her niece and two of her great nieces. Her great niece, who remembered her well, knew that Lillian Horace was a respected educator, but she had no idea that Horace had written two historic novels. Most of what I shared with her and other family members about Lillian Horace was new to them.
Do you have any other books in the works?
Yes. I am working on an edited version of Lillian Horace’s diary, and a book project comparing and contracting the trajectory of Horace’s life and works to those of her younger and more popular southern African American contemporary, Zora Neale Hurston.
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“Angie Brown is a romance migration novel set in the Jim Crow era. Angie, the protagonist, determines to embrace all life has to offer despite the social restrictions facing young black southern women like her. Angie holds fast to her desire to find financial success, personal fulfillment, and true love, but she does not achieve her dreams alone, nor do they unfold in the same place. From Belle, her confidant; to Betty Yates, the teacher; to Chester, the pool hall owner; women and men from various social stations in life and different places share nuggets of wisdom with Angie. With their love and support, she overcomes tragedy, welcomes fresh possibilities, climbs the social ladder, and opens her heart to love. Angie’s progressive journey reflects the migratory trek of many African American Southerners of the Jim Crow era, who left the South for greater educational and economic opportunity. Her quest leads her from a small segregated community to Hot Springs, Arkansas, and eventually to the Midwest, including St. Louis, Missouri, Chicago, and Southern Illinois. As Angie travels from place to place, she gradually comes into her own and learns key life lessons. Angie learns that struggle is universal. While doing domestic work, she discovers that whites, who live on “The Other Side,” also experience pain, suffering, and grave disappointment. Love eludes white women, too, and they, too, face gender discrimination. Having overcome her fair share of personal losses, Angie reaches across racial lines to console Gloria, a member of the Parker family, for whom Angie does domestic work. Her experience with the Parker’s is juxtaposed to her dealings with the Mungers, a rich, Northern white family she meets. Although the Mungers are kind to Angie, she learns that life beyond the South is not perfect. Yes, she and other blacks face less virulent forms of racism outside the South, but economic stability and educational opportunity are not easily achieved.”
LITERARY TITAN 