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I Played With Food For a Living
Can I Play With My Food? follows two sisters as they learn where Food comes from and how Food is used in science. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The book began as a passion project and a way to reconnect to some of the artistic things I’ve loved to do since childhood. I also used to tell people I “played with food for a living,” so I thought the title was perfect because what better way to learn than through play. I was inspired to create a character loosely based on my sister Alexis, who has Down’s Syndrome because I wanted to create an inclusive book where children who aren’t typically represented in literature can see themselves.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Taylor Bou?
Taylor was able to bring my vision to life by creating relatable characters who represent individuals in all of our lives. The collaboration was effortless because he confidently believed in the messaging and what this book means for BIPOC children and those with special needs.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
It’s essential for BIPOC children, especially those with special needs, to see themselves and see what’s possible. The book also provides information about food sources and exposes children to the concept of food science as a career path.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Yes! I have a few other books in mind that feature more BIPOC children with Downs and share other elements of my life and career.
Date: TBD (I’m just basking in the moment of my first publication.)
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
MANSA’S Little REMINDERS The Money Workbook for Kids Part 1
MANSA’S Little REMINDERS The Money Workbook for Kids is part of the Mansa’s Little Reminders series. This is a workbook designed for teachers, educators, parents, and caregivers to be able to teach six to twelve-year-olds about budgeting, saving money, and age-appropriate entrepreneur skills. This workbook outlines activities for adults and gives them worksheets, example pages, quiz questions, and links to print off additional resources.
When looking through this fantastic workbook I was impressed with the amount of information that is presented. Authors A.D. Williams and Kendal Fordham have laid out the materials in a clear step-by-step manner with vocabulary sheets, activities, questions, and everything someone could need to create a lesson plan either for a classroom or homeschooling.
The exceptional workbook is filled with bold and colorful illustrations done by Taylor Bou. The images jump off the page and present the concepts clearly. With clean lines and entertaining expressions, children will be drawn into the pages and better able to understand the information being presented.
What educators will like is that the information is realistic, the authors bring up failure and how it is a natural part of the process. Discussing how to manage failure and how to learn from it is often overlooked especially for children. This process sets aside time each week just for evaluating what works and doesn’t work. This is an important step towards learning and I am happy to see it highlighted.
MANSA’S Little REMINDERS The Money Workbook for Kids is a great workbook to continue the lessons that are started in MANSA’s Little REMINDERS: Scratching the surface of financial literacy. This workbook will help put into practice the information from the first book and give children a hands-on application for the lessons covered. This is a great resource for any adult that is trying to give kids an early start on understanding budgeting and saving money.
Pages: 49 | ASIN : B09QMGY4LM
Can I Play with my Food?
Can I Play with my Food? is a fantastic picture book about two sisters, Nema and Lexi. Together, they learn about where their food comes from, how you can use food in science, and how cooking and baking are also science. The girls are amazed to learn that food does not start out at the grocery store. They discuss growing food on farms and in gardens and what animals can also be food. At school, they learn that food can be used for more than just eating as they work on a science experiment.
Author Ali Manning has written a creative children’s book that explores where food comes from while encouraging imaginative thoughts. The character Lexi is based on the author’s own sister, that has Down Syndrome. Lexi shows some traits of Down Syndrome, and the author uses this to promote compassion and acceptance for those with a disability.
While the girls are making a lava lamp in science, they realize all the ingredients to do the experiment are things that they can find at home in the kitchen. Even when the experiment doesn’t go as planned, the girls are not discouraged. This experiment gets Lexi imagining that she too could become a scientist one day.
Taylor Bou illustrates this light-hearted children’s book with colorful and charismatic images. Nema and Lexi’s inquisitive personalities show through as they go about their day asking questions and trying new things. Their bubbly nature is fun and relatable to children.
Can I Play with my Food? is a touching picture book that young elementary and kindergarten children will be captivated by. The expressive illustrations will keep them engaged, while the superb narrative will give them lots to talk about. This is a great inclusive children’s book that teaches morals and science that teachers will love to use this in the classroom.
Pages: 40 | ASIN : B09NTX3JQD
LITERARY TITAN 