Blog Archives
Exciting and Rewarding Career
Charli’s Turtle Triumph follows a young girl who, after a field trip to learn about sea turtles, finds one stranded on the beach and, with the help of her friends, organizes a beach cleanup for her community. What was the inspiration for your story?
I knew I wanted to write a series of STEM chapter books and was toying with ideas when my thirteen-year-old granddaughter painted the portrait of a sea turtle that appears on the book’s dedication page. I was so entranced by that painting that I knew I had to give the turtle a story, which is why I began the series with marine biology. I live in a coastal community where beach and ocean pollution are a real concern, and that gave birth to the plot line.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
This series is written to help young readers transition from picture books to chapter books, hence its format. Too often, STEM appears boring and dry to kids. I want them to see and experience the fascinating and fun aspects of STEM! As a former teacher, I know all too well that kids always ask WHY they need to learn something. In this book, I wanted to answer that for them in a practical way by showing them an example of an exciting and rewarding career path in marine biology. It’s also important to me that my characters demonstrate kindness and compassion towards themselves, others, animals, and the environment.
What experience in your life has had the biggest impact on your writing?
Being a teacher gave me a front-row seat to how kids learn to write, and a lot of that comes from the books they read. Of course, I want my books to be inviting and fun to read—but I also want them to teach the readers even if they aren’t aware that they’re learning. As I write, I think of my former students and try to put myself in their headspace to write something they would have enjoyed reading and that would have benefitted them.
I find a problem in well-written stories, in that I always want there to be another book to keep the story going. Is there a second book planned?
Yes! In fact, this is the first book in the Charli Explores STEM™ series. The second book, Charli’s Pawsome Park: An Architectural Adventure, will be released later this year. The titles that I plan to release in 2026 are: Charli’s Dorsal Device: An Engineering Adventure, Charli’s Bee-utiful Butterflies: An Entomology Adventure, Charli’s Critter Crusade: A Veterinary Science Adventure, and Charli’s Robot Rally: a Robotics Adventure. I have ideas for additional titles that I haven’t yet started.
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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
Song of the Blue Whale
Song of the Blue Whale is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that educates readers on whales, whale hunters, ocean pollution, and what we can do to help whales and clean up our water.
This educational picture book surprised me with how many opportunities for learning were packed into so few pages. We’re first introduced to a whale with a barnacle on its tail. A cute image accompanied by a short rhyme. But readers are then taken on a trip through the ocean where we learn about the dangers whales face against hunters. With a few short simple rhymes readers are also educated on ocean pollution and provided some simple steps we can all take to help clean up. I can imagine this book being a great piece for teachers to include in their curriculum about marine biology and oceanography. The book is filled with beautiful art pieces of whales in the ocean. Some of my favorite art pieces from this book are from the bottom of the ocean looking up at whales as sunlight comes through the clouds and water. Contrast this with the dramatic scene where whalers are hunting and you really do get to experience the full range and beauty of a whale’s life in this book.
Song of the Blue Whale is a picture book that will educate as it entertains young readers. With magnificent art on nearly every page, any child is sure to appreciate the majestic nature of these animals and come away with a better understanding of what whales face in the open ocean.
Pages: 34 | ISBN: 1916184847
LITERARY TITAN 