SCARECITED ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Out Now!

FSG

"...this book is a must-have for both libraries and classrooms. This should be the next great read-aloud."

-School Library Journal (starred review)

Some feelings are so big, one word just doesn’t cut it.

It’s the first day of school for Afua! There’s no one word to name her feelings. Is she scared? Excited? Oh wait, she’s scarecited! Her own combination of both. Why should she have to choose?

Scarecited on the First Day of School is a charming picture book that reminds us all that having the courage to be our authentic self is always just enough, and you can feel more than one big emotion at the same time. But if there isn’t one word to describe those feelings . . . there’s beauty in making it yourself.

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NO CAT LIKE TAC

Out Now!

Disney-Hyperion

Meet Tac, an unusual cat! Her pounce shakes the house, her zoomies are a doozy, and her hairballs are . . . well, fireballs. But she’ll always be family. Right?

Perfect for fans of dragons and in the tradition of Not Quite Narwhal, this laugh-out-loud picture book shows that love can overcome even the biggest, most unlikely differences!

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Free Activity Sheet!

WE DIG FOSSILS.

Out Now!

Step into Reading, Random House

Get out your shovels and fossil brushes for this delightful Step 2 reader following a family’s search for fossils!

Ava loves rocks! But what she really really loves are fossils! Ava and her family are on a mission to dig up some fossils. They dig in their backyard, in the park, and by the creek but still no fossils. But Ava will not give up! The family head out to the beach for one more fossil hunting adventure!

Will Ava finally be able to dig up her very own fossil?

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ART'S ART

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Paw Prints

Teach kids about adaptability with this humorous, empathy-building Level 2 Paw Prints Reader.

More than anything, Cam loves to create art—he paints, he draws, he builds! What’s more, his dad loves to display these creations proudly all over their walls!

It’s no surprise that, when Dad surprises Cam with a rambunctious puppy, Cam names him Art. Art loves art just as much as Cam does. But Art makes a mess!

What will Cam do?

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BLEXI, PLAY!

Out Now!

Paw Prints

Dealing with a stubborn smart home speaker results in welcome lessons about patience in this Level 2 early reader. Blexi listens to Mom and Blexi listens to Dad -- but Blexi doesn't listen to Liam! Also available in Spanish.

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GREAT IDEA
MALIA!

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Holiday House

Malia has big ideas and boundless energy for problem-solving her mom’s new job in this joyful picture book that’s perfect for young families juggling work and play.

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MEET
ALLIAH!

Mom, Author, Marketer

Featured on ESSENCE.com, TODAY, Good Housekeeping and more.

BOOKS

BIO

BIG TUNE: RISE OF THE DANCEHALL PRINCE

FSG

Junior Library Guild Gold selection!

A New York Public Library Best Book of 2023

A Chicago Public Library Best Picture + Board Book

SCBWI Book Club Selection

"An exuberant celebration of community that leaps off the page."

-Kirkus, Starred Review

"Agostini’s buoyant rhyming verse pulses with details, and Knight-Justice’s stylized illustrations layer bold patterns and textures"

-Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

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BIG TUNE FUN!

This was a family book unboxing like none other- we saw our first copy of THE KWANZAA STORY! It’s kind of surreal to see our doppelgängers on the cover (Olivia did a 🤯 job), but I am deeply honored to be able to create a resource to help kids, families, and educators learn about Kwanzaa’s origins and evolution.
THE KWANZAA STORY releases in September, but it is available for pre-order at 25% discount at @barnesandnoble! From today July 8th through 11th, Barnes & Noble Rewards and Premium Members get 25% off all pre-orders, and Premium Members get an additional 10% off. Use code PREORDER25 at checkout (online only).
As always, thank you for your support.
#BNPreorder @quartokids

Montclair-area friends, bring a blanket and come to the Nishuane Park Big Tune story walk display at the corner of High and Cedar on Tuesday (7/8) for storytime at 4pm! Looking forward to sharing this with you all! @judywestongarden @montclairpubliclibrary

ALA Photo dump reel #2. The first time I went to ALA was in 2022- I had one book out, a couple of others on the way, and a meeting with an @pawprintspublishing through an intro from a friend. This time… 👀👀👀 WOW. Paw Prints hosted a signing for our easy readers (shout out @areynosomorris for the cameo 🤗), I got to meet 5 of my editors, 3 for the first time in person 🤗@luesitsbooks, and my book babies were on shelves across the convention center (and at Philly must-visit @unclebobbies!). Phew, chile. 🤯 The song says it all. Shout out to the amazing @1loveculturedkids for helping me make my custom Scarecited t-shirt 😉💅🏽🥹🥹🥹🥹🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽#alaannual

Lack of photos = sign of a great weekend. Just returned from @americanlibraryassociation 25 in Philly, where the @pbrisingstars mentorship program had its annual meet up! I got to meet my mentee, melodic fellow rhymer @tischastake , twinned with @shaunessywrites with our We Are Definitely Human book-themed costumes, got to see Big Tune illustrator extraordinaire @shamarknightjustice (they even named a cocktail after the book 🙌🏽) and even more kid lit friends including @ariadelsole @prettykittypaintings @alanathewriter and half of the amazing PB Rishing Stars team, @booksbytrenise and @ebonylynnmudd. 🤗🤗🤗 Photo mini-dump #1 😆

I am a proud third-generation product of the Buffalo Public Schools (BPS). My maternal grandparents and aunts are BPS graduates and retired educators. As this year kicked off the lead up to the 50th year anniversary of Juneteenth Buffalo, to celebrate, I wanted to do something to give back to the district that poured into me.

While I had one idea in mind, I did run into some hiccups. But I reached out to Jason Jackson, my friend and former classmate, who is an Assistant Principal at BUILD Community School in Buffalo. Not only is Jason a BUILD alum, but my grandfather, a member of the BUILD organization (the organization that started the school AND Juneteenth of Buffalo), was his guidance counselor when he was in Kindergarten!

BUILD was the right partner all along. Jason went out of his way during a very busy school year to make sure his students would be able to benefit.

Thanks to the generosity of the Agostini, Price, and Allen families (my parents, grandfather, aunts and uncle!), we were able to donate over 400 personalized signed copies of The Juneteenth Story- one to every child at BUILD Community School- to help them learn about the holiday and their school’s connection to our local celebration.

Thank you all for your unwavering love, support, and commitment to teaching the babies!!

My 10 year old daughter Daphne is annoyed our family no longer shops at @target since it removed DEI. She asked me to post this on her behalf, hoping they may see it, since she knows other kids want to go back to Target, too. “…[Since they’ve removed DEI] they’re getting less sales and their stocks dropped. Doing this is also effecting Target too, and they still haven’t gotten it back, even if they are losing money. People need to speak up. #dei #bringbackdei “

Juneteenth Buffalo with the Price Family 2015 & 2025! Who do you spot in both pics? (Hint- one person in a stroller is now my height, and a preschooler is now a teen 🥰🥰🥰!) One of the best parts about Juneteenth has been the reunion of it all! For us now, it’s about seeing family and friends we just haven’t seen in a while. During early celebrations, post-emancipation family connection after forced separation had even deeper meaning. Really glad to have been able to be home for the holiday this year.

I was home in Buffalo for Juneteenth this past weekend- it felt like I remembered it: a 4 hour parade, reunions with family and old friends, food for days, and just pure Black joy. Unfortunately I know some other people come to the festival without the same intent. But this video, drone footage captured by my cousin @hiphopyogibear, is my wish for everyone who attends. A wish that they will see the bigger picture, the significance and magnitude of the celebration they’re fortunate to have had in their backyard for nearly 50 years. Juneteenth Buffalo was built and sustained on persistence and sacrifice of its cofounders and leadership over the past five decades. But the holiday itself is built on even more. It is a holiday celebrating Black America’s resistance, resilience, and survival despite the dehumanizing multigenerational trauma of enslavement- a system so dehumanizing enslaved Texans toiled for 900+ days longer than they legally had to. People may try to generalize the holiday as a ‘freedom celebration’ in the way things have become ‘color blind’ as of late, but don’t let them. It is acknowledged as an American holiday, but remember- it is ours. Happy Juneteenth. ♥️🖤💚

Thank you, @iamtabari for continuing to elevate and provide opportunities for the growing community of Juneteenth kidlit creators. @alicefayewrites, @tonyaellisbooks, @vanggarrett, @natasha_stories and I provided some of our favorite Juneteenth recipes and memories for @allrecipes! Check out the Watermelon Snow Cups recipe reprinted from The Juneteenth Cookbook with @cheftaffyelrod and @sawyercloud01. 🤗 P.S. Is this our first BBQ season with Frankie Beverly among the ancestors? 😢😔 I hope they’re all jamming at a giant cookout in the sky.

I ♥️ 🦬. I got this flyer from my mama, who got it from her pastor, and now I’m sharing it with you! 🤣 Looking forward to coming back home to speak at the UB North Bookstore this Friday, 6/20, at 12:30pm. Stop by and say hi if you can!!! #juneteenth

This magnolia bloom was 10 years in the making. My maternal grandmother passed in July 2015- she meant- and still means so much to me and our whole family. My day one sista friends knew how much her passing affected me, as she was the first of my grandparents to pass- all of them made it to my wedding and even met Daphne! As a tribute, they bought me a magnolia tree- a tree that embodied her boldness and her beauty. We planted it during a weekend at my house 10 years ago… and we finally saw its first bloom. The tree was attacked by some kind of animal on two separate occasions, and I was devastated. But both times, a new branch emerged and became the primary trunk. She’s resilient. She stands tall now, blooming where she was planted- and still growing. 🌸🌳

THIS IS THE COOLEST!!! I really REALLY love the @montclairpubliclibrary. It has been so important to me and my family - even before I was an author.
When they reached out regarding their Montclair Storywalk series it was such an honor. I knew I had to 1. use Big Tune, the book that got this all started, and 2. put it in Nishuane Park, which is located near a special school and an important outdoor hub in our community.
One of four books featured throughout town, Big Tune is on view in Nishuane Park along Cedar Ave from June - early September. The art looks AMAZING @shamarknightjustice!
Shout out to the homey, @darenmrogers for capturing this video while on his bike!!! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 this is so cool!
Thank you for your partnership on this, @mackidsbooks @janine614.

This past week has abounded with special moments, but this is one of those moments that took the cake.
The iconic @ritawilliamsgarcia visited one of our local schools to sign the graphic novel version of her book (that I can’t get enough of- an absolute must-read)- One Crazy Summer.
Why was this extra special? I named Afua, the main character of Scarecited on the First Day of School after Afua (called Fern), the youngest Gaither sister in One Crazy Summer! At birth, Fern was named Afua by her estranged mother, but her conservative paternal grandmother refused to acknowledge the name because she thought it was ‘too African’, and the family called her Fern instead.
There’s more to it, but Afua does reclaim her beautiful name. As a tribute, I wanted this book, a book about courage and reasserting identity, to include a nod to her name as well!
So when I found out Ms. Rita was coming to town, I had to make sure to tell her how much of an inspiration she was to me and this book. Her response was off my personal joy charts!! 🥹🥹The kidlit community is such a very special one.
Please check out One Crazy Summer- it’s such a masterfully written, important, and informative, but also funny(!!) book. I’m glad that it’s now available in an additional format to make it accessible to even more readers. ❤️❤️❤️

Black women and girls are often conscious of being labeled as being ‘too much’ - too loud, too opinionated, too visible, so there can be a consciousness associated with not wanting to feed into that stereotype and instead shrink ourselves - to be agreeable, to not push back. The effect can be stifling and isolating.

When there is a power dynamic at play like teacher vs. student, it can be even more difficult. Correct a *teacher*? The responsible grownup? Yes!! Sometimes it’s necessary.
Our main character, Afua, is used to her beautiful name being butchered. Her first day of school roll call is no exception. But during the ups and downs of her day, she finally gets the courage to assert herself.
I wanted that to be a big moment for her - and for it to be visually manifested in that way. I am grateful @acaseoflala and the team at FSG honored this request with this page.

So to all the Afuas and Efuas (and every other ‘less practiced name’) - or anyone needing the courage to take up space- this visual moment is for you. #afua #efua

Happy Book Birthday to Scarecited on the First Day of School! Somehow Scarecited makes book #10. 10!!!
It’s a bit surreal that this wonderful collaboration with @acaseoflala and our lovely editorial team @janine614 and @asia.harden is in the world. Again, thank you to @mirandapaulbooks who made this deal (part 2 of a 2-book!) happen!

Ironically (or perhaps not!) it’s extra special because it’s also my awesome grandfather’s 94th birthday. Sometimes when publishing gets a little frustrating, there’s nothing more encouraging than hearing his persistent “You better keep writing, girl!”
Scarecited is my 10th book, but it represents so much of how I got to book #1. It represents me embracing creativity as a cornerstone of what I need as a human to heal, to thrive, to fully express myself, and to take up space.

I am incredibly grateful to have been able to collaborate with a team who was so aligned with the vision for this book and able to help our Afua take up space with her emotions, her creative use of language, and her love and advocacy for herself. Scarecited on the First Day of School- Available NOW!! 🥳🥳

P.S. In a turn of luck, I happen to be away for a short trip and the local indie actually ordered Scarecited, so I was able to sign their copies! Thanks so much for your support @bunchofgrapes! #scarecited

Scarecited on the First Day of School drops June 3rd! I’m grateful for all of the kind reviews @acaseoflala and I have received so far. It’s been interesting to see what nuances of the book readers and reviewers do or don’t catch, so I wanted to make sure to give a little context for some of the choices made in this book- things that may be overlooked, but were HIGHLY intentional.
My name is often mispronounced, as is the main character’s. So I thought, if Afua is going to make sure her name is pronounced properly, readers better pronounce my name right, too! With that in mind, I suggested adding a pronunciation guide for my and Lala’s name. It makes me think of the wonderful Comma - Laaaa! moment with VP Harris’s nieces during the DNC last summer. 🥰🥰 Anywho- more soon. Scarecited is available for preorder now!! #scarecited #scarecitedonthefirstdayofschool #selbooks #firstdayofschoolbooks #namebooks

Most of my books are fiction, but the characters on each page are very, very real (shout out to these 🔥illustrators!!). It’s an honor and privilege to illustrate the beauty and diversity of Black lives and Black motherhood on the pages of my books. Happy Mother’s Day. 💕💕💐💐

Happy birthday to Les Twins, ART’s ART and WE DIG FOSSILS !! (🥳🥳 @pmillustrations and @pannacotta_cupcake!) So hard to believe I have books that share a birthday (granted, with different publishers). I love the easy reader format - they’re so much fun because they are the literary training wheels that get our new readers off to a great start.
While both of these books are about different topics, they share a lot of similarities - brilliant children with specific passions (art and fossil hunting) and supportive, loving parents who indulge their interests!
Most of you know much (though not all) of my writing is inspired by my and my family’s experiences, and Art’s Art and We Dig Fossils are no exception.
While it’s hard to believe the pandemic began over 5 years ago(!!!) through its life-altering darkness, it wound up having some silver linings, one of which was an opportunity for our kids to explore new interests. My daughter deepened her love of art, and my son, nature, (including fossil hunting)!
There is no parenting handbook, but we know when kids take the lead and show a genuine interest in something, we do what we can to support and develop that interest.
I write books to edutain, but also to represent and reflect what I know of so many of the families in our lives, many of whom are of color. We love our babies and will do whatever we can in our power to see them grow and thrive.💕💕
I hope your developing readers enjoy ART’S ART and WE DIG FOSSILS ;-)- now available wherever you buy books!
#easyreaders #pubday #kidlit #parenting #blackauthorsmatter

Yesterday I was honored to be installed as the newest president of the @greateressex County Chapter of @jackandjillinc.
My mother joined the Buffalo Chapter in the late 80s, when I was a 6 year old with very large ponytails. I loved my experience, ultimately made life-long friends (who I spoke to last night!!!), grew as a leader as our chapter’s Teen President group... and had way too much fun (while learning parliamentary procedure, of course 😉) at our regional teen conference, which I NEVER missed.
When I became a mother, I knew I wanted the same experience for my own family, too. I joined GECC as a mother member nearly 8 years ago, with a womb full of Alistair. He made his grand entrance that night!
I quickly learned how much more work vs play happens on the mother member side (the white dresses and pantyhose are a once a year situation, haha). But through it all, I am reaffirmed by the honor it truly is for my family to be part of this incredible organization, and especially the Greater Essex County chapter.
As we enter the chapter’s 25th year, I am now even more honored, excited, and energized to lead this dynamic group and executive board, following in the footsteps of the kind, intelligent, and fierce servant leaders like @kennabaudin and @cookiesfablife who welcomed me and my family into the chapter with loving arms. Long live Jack & Jill!💕💙

Yesterday the @greateressex County Chapter of Jack & Jill celebrated its annual Mothers Ceremonies where we welcomed our newest class of mother members, bridged and tributed our amazing graduating moms (and celebrated them in GECC fashion 🥳🥳), installed our dynamic new e-board 🫡, and celebrated our very deserving distinguished mother nominees and winner, our outgoing two-term president, Kenna Baudin.
I am so honored to be part of this sisterhood of mothers who are bonded by a commitment to encourage, empower, and educate the next generation of African-American leaders- our efforts are needed more now than ever. My heart is full. 💕💙

The twins are coming in a week!!! Art’s Art and We Dig Fossils, both Step 2 Easy Readers! Wanted to share the unboxing video we did for We Dig Fossils, complete with commentary on our protagonist Ava and her adorable, very fashionable, nature-loving family. There are some fun unexpected giggles in this one. Can’t wait for developing readers to check it out! It’ll be available in paperback on a Step Into Reading rack near you May 6th! #wedigfossils #stepintoreading #easyreaders #step2easyreader #stembooks #diverseeasyreader

A 🌟!!! There’s more to this review that is 🙌��🏽… but this alone is 🥹. 💪🏽 @acaseoflala @janine614 Thank you for seeing the intention and fun behind our book, @sljournal. #backtoschoolbooks #selbooks #namebooks Coming 6/3!!

Hey everyone! Barnes & Noble is having their pre-order sale until tomorrow (Friday, 4/25!) and I have four books available for pre-order! Pre-orders are tremendously important for gauging a book’s future success, but this is a wonderful way to support authors and get a deal by being an early bird! Use code PREORDER25 on B&N.com! 💕💕

Hi, all!

I’ll be doing a No Cat Like Tac storytime and activity at Watchung Booksellers THIS Sunday at 2pm and at The Curious Reader next Saturday at 11am. Join me!
You can register and/or pre-order books via both booksellers’ sites.
#njevents #bookevents #kidlit

Our magnolias had a late bloom but they were showing OUT this week. The petals they shed made for a perfect Resurrection Sunday photoshoot for our not-so-little 😩kids, but we only managed a family selfie this year. Happy Resurrection Sunday to all who celebrate! Grateful to celebrate Jesus’ sacrifice with family and framily, and sending love to all who were physically a little further away today. 💕

Mac n’ Please. The after picture. 👩🏾‍🍳💋. Easter is around the corner, just a reminder that The Juneteenth Cookbook has some serious winners for your holiday menu. 🫡 @cheftaffyelrod #teamnocrumbsleftbehind #soulfood

This is part of a longer video, but I had to clip this portion of it because people are still telling us congratulations on our book deal. 🤣🤣🤣😁😆 This little one was the one egging me on to do an April Fool’s prank, btw. We’re just going to have to manifest this as reality one day! 🙏🏽🙏🏽 #author #authorsofinstagram #momswhowrite #authormom #futureillustrator #aprilfoolsprank

Dear Afua,
Welcome to the shelf. You make me smile.
May you inspire readers to feel their feelings, be creative and courageous, and unafraid to take up space.
I can’t wait to share you!!
💕💕💕
Alliah

Coming June 3! #scarecited #scarecitedonthefirstdayofschool #selbooks #namebooks #firstdayofschoolbooks

It’s simple- Where there are pajamas, there will be bonnets. Tyra made sure her girl Tac’s tresses were cov 👏🏽 ered👏🏽. That’s what friends are for! It’s the little things. #representationmatters 🥰🥰 👧🏽🐱🐉 From ‘No Cat Like Tac’ written by @alliago illustrated by @charlessantoso. @disneybooks

SCARECITED on the First Day of School is on the way this June!! There are a number of things that make this book so special to me- not only is it book #10 🤯 but it gets back to the essence of one of the (unpublishable, haha) stories that made me decide to pursue this whole kidlit thing in the first place.
It is intentionally beautiful and bright, with simple, fun, and sing-songy text, but layered with themes that are timeless, complex, and deeply meaningful for children and adults, alike. I’ll share more about what makes this book so special in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, it’s available for preorder at your favorite book retailer (link in bio)! This is a perfect book for any educator or elementary school student, especially for those with “less-practiced” names. 😉 Hooray for this kind review @acaseoflala @janine614!!! #scarecited #scarecitedonthefirstdayofschool #firstdayofschoolbooks

This post IS real. ;-)

Thrilled to share this wonderful starred review from School Library Journal for my very first book with the iconic Step Into Reading line - We Dig Fossils!! This Level 2 reader is beautifully illustrated by @pannacotta_cupcake, whose illustrations can also be seen in the recent Abbott Elementary picture book.

I loved the few times I went fossil hunting when I was a kid, so it’s something I started doing with my own kids during the pandemic. It’s fun, inexpensive, educational and there are a couple of easy spots about an hour from our house.

My little guy is actually my fossil hunting partner.
He’s not pleased I made the protagonist of this one a girl, but Daphne’s our artist and I made Art’s Art about a boy, so I switched things up a little bit. Can I live? Ah well.

I hope this makes your emerging readers giggle just like it did for them - and me!

Pre-order now! Link in bio, and a link to the full @sljournal review is in my stories.
#easyreader #earlyreader

😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬 Happy April Fool’s Day!!!! This would be amazing though. 🥰🥰🥰 I even fooled my mama. She wasn’t happy with me, though. P.S. If you use these titles or pitches sleep with one eye open. 🤪 They may not be a joke one day! #aprilfoolsday #kidlit

Edited: Happy April Fool’s Day!!!! 😁😁😁 I’ve been sitting on this one for long enough… talk about dreams coming true!! 🥹🥹🥹 I’ll have more words later, but I am UNBELIEVABLY proud to collaborate with my very talented baby girl on these two new book babies being released as part of a special bundle coming in 2027!!!!! #blackgirlmagic 😉

“Great Idea Malia” Malia’s mantras were adapted by Heritage Heights music teacher Debbie Zehler and performed by every Pre-K-2nd grade student- with sign language and vocal lyrics!! I even got a copy of the sheet music!
I don’t know who started chopping onions near me, but I was relieved there was a tissue box in reach! 🥹🥹What a wonderful school. You were right, @aliceeverafterbooks!!!! #greatideamalia #kidlit #authorsofinstagram

Omg did I feel the LOVE the previous couple of days. There’s no love like #BuffaLOVE.
More fun at Heritage Heights.🥰🥰🥰 #authorvisit 🦬❤️

Joy. Why I do what I do. I just spent two incredible days doing school visits in my HOMETOWN!!!! What a delight it was to spend No Cat Like Tac’s book birthday with the amazing kids of @tapestrycharter and Heritage Heights Elementary thanks to Meg Howe of @aliceeverafterbooks, who has been such a wonderful advocate for me and for children’s literature in the Buffalo area! Today the incredible educators and kids of Heritage Heights made feel like the Beyoncé of books- never have I ever felt so famous!! Once I get the go ahead to be able to share more, I will. They wrote me a song, y’all- a song! Tears were shed!! Don’t worry, I won’t sing it- if you check my stories and hear me singing happy birthday to Tac you’ll understand why 🤣. Feeling all the goosebumps, all the joy. 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 #nocatliketac #bookbirthday #kidlit

While authors have the ability to consent to such a practice, I never consented to allowing my work to train Meta, or any other organization’s AI.

It is a flagrant violation of our intellectual property.

We’re a week away from dropping No Cat Like Tac so it’s time for me to share a little something in my love language- music! That’s right, the No Cat Like Tac playlist, with 45 minutes of bops about friendship! Tyra and Tac are such a loveable duo (wait until you see them with their coordinated bonnets 🥹 Thank you, @charlessantoso ! #representationmatters) so I wanted to share some vibes- with some oldies but goodies (TLC, Brandy, 702, and even Aunties Dionne & Gladys 💁🏽‍♀️) about my favorite ship… friendship. (Okay, that was very corny, but I couldn’t help myself) it’s not too late to pre-order! Check links in bio for playlist and pre-order! Woot-woot! #nocatliketac #kidLIT

The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books offered such a wonderful review of No Cat Like Tac! These are just highlights, but words cannot express how grateful I am to have my words paired with @charlessantoso’s brilliantly comedic and huggable illustrations. It’s always easy to have certain small details and ideas in mind when a project first kicks off, but it’s something different altogether to execute them- and the illustrations are simply delightful. This is such a huggable book about a sweet human-pet relationship, (and really, friendship…) but the new pet chaos part, well… we know that’s real, too. 😉 Glad to bring some humor to a not always humorous life transition. 😬 Three weeks away!!! Pre-order wherever books are sold! #nocatliketac (P.S. you know I have to make a playlist for this one- drop your favorite friend-related songs in the comments!! Had to add a little TLC to this post! 😉)

2025 marks the 7th year of our family’s Black History Month (really, year) card! This year the kids were two notable figures who share their 🇯🇲 roots, Vice President Kamala Harris and Usain Bolt! While today technically signifies the end of Black History Month, we will continue to celebrate us, our history, our present, and our future all year round. No racist legislation is going to stop us from shining the light that has always been our God-given right to shine. 🖤🖤🖤🖤 #blackhistorymonth #blackhistory365

Family Portrait, 2025. Commissioned by my favorite artist 🥰🥰🥰 Daphne, 10. Created digitally with procreate. 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽�🫶🏽

“An accessible tale that makes clear that anyone—even the four-legged—can be an artist.”

I will be releasing publishing twins on May 6th! Kirkus shared a lovely (and accurate!) review of one of them, ‘Art’s Art’, illustrated by @pmillustrations and published by @pawprintspublishing . What appears to be a simple story for emerging readers about an artistic little boy, his loving dad, and his loving but rambunctious new dog, incorporates elements of creativity, problem solving, friendship, and even ‘scatalogical humor’... (okay, poop jokes. 😆). 😉 Coming soon! Thank you for this kind review, @kirkus_reviews #easyreader #kidlit

Hey all! Thrilled to join the @pbrisingstars program as a mentor this year! Check my link in bio to learn more about what the other wonderful mentors and I are looking for in potential mentees. I’ve benefited immensely from mentorship and am looking forward to paying it forward through this very impactful (impeccably run 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽) program. Posted @withregram • @pbrisingstars Gather ‘round, UNAGENTED and AGENTED writers!! Today, we’re introducing you you to the illustrious @alliago, a mentor you’re going to want to get know!

Alliah has written a whole bunch of award-winning books, and joy, truth and representation are at the heart of all of them. She’s an expert and finding the truth in fiction and reflecting it on the page and making big concepts feel bite-size for little readers.

And if you’re looking for a mentor who can help you trim the fat of your story to leave more room for the illustrator, or who has the right insights when it comes to identifying catchy hooks and injecting humor into your stories, Alliah is the one you’ve been looking for!

She wants to work with a mentee who is on the path to being prolific, but who wants to do the work of prioritizing each of their manuscripts and hone them to get them to their very best. And if you are a writer who sees their work visually, creating work that sets a future illustrator up for success, even better.

And if you came to writing a little later in life and are more self-taught than formally trained, Alliah ESPECIALLY wants to see your application!

Check out her mentor page for more insights into her wish list, and be sure to register for MEET THE MENTORS at our #linkinbio!

Mood. Just a reminder. Stay stronfident, friends. ♥️ (You know I love a good portmanteau. I can’t wait for #scarecited to come out in June. It’s 🔥 @acaseoflala!)

It is such an honor to be a member of the 18th class of The Brown Bookshelf 28 Days Later honorees. The Brown Bookshelf is comprised of a group of authors who are some of the G.O.A.T.s 🙌🏽of the Black kidlit community. They have generously used their blog and influence to amplify their fellow Black kidlit creatives via this initiative each February.

This year I’m lucky to be featured alongside people who are friends and collaborators, too! (I see you, boos!! 😉)

Thank you for seeing me, @tonyaellisbooks and @brownbookshelfteam @blackstoriesamplified team!

Learn more about my kidlit journey through my interview with Tonya Ellis in the article linked in my bio.

It’s time for Barnes & Noble’s 25% pre-order sale for all B&N Rewards Members! Pre-orders are crucial for our books’ success, and NO CAT LIKE TAC, SCARECITED, ART’S ART, and WE DIG FOSSILS are all included.
From now until Friday, Feb. 7th, enter PREORDER25 at checkout and join their free rewards program to qualify. Thank you!

Happy Black History Year. I’ve been Black since the day I was born and will be until the day I die, and I am so very proud of it. We will keep writing on. ✊🏽A special thank you to the incredible @jemiscoe for sealing the deal, @quartokids for your continued commitment to telling our stories, and the talented @oliviasmithart for your partnership in bringing the under-shared origins of this important holiday to life. Coming Fall ‘25.

2020’s Peekaboo.
2020-Now they see us… 2025- now they don’t. 😔 💔💔💔

I can’t wait for you all to meet Tyra, Tac, Max and their family! No Cat Like Tac is coming March 25th- two months away!
I recently did an interview reflecting on the next books I have coming out, and I didn’t realize how appropriate this next batch would be for our current moment. They are fun, they are silly, and they center giving our kids, especially our Black babies, a sense of joy! Be radical in your pursuit of joy, friends. We can’t let the world distract us. 💕P.S. Can you guess what a FURP is??? 😬🤭#nocatliketac #bookstagram

My dad wrote this poem for me for being a ‘Keeping the Dream Alive’ award recipient in 5th grade at my beloved Alma mater, @cityhonorsschool .
I recently watched a clip (not posted) of my OWN 5th grader proudly singing a solo 🥹(!) at her school’s Martin Luther King assembly, 32 years later.
32 years, and MLK’s legacy- something already established decades before I was a 5th grader- is still as relevant as ever. As NEEDED as ever.
I don’t know what the coming days, months, or years will hold, but I implore each and every one of you to hold onto whatever ray of sunshine you need. Align yourself with goodness, hold fast to your faith, act with empathy, and don’t let the current status quo scare you away from being the change you need see.
Dad’s poem was a tall order. I’m grateful to have a family who has always believed in my potential 🥹, even when I didn’t. In ways I am still very much that chubby cheeked, stirrup pant- wearing (it was the 90s) 5th grader who always tried her best to make an impact wherever she went.
While it is tempting to stay in my corner, drink my water, and mind my 92% (IYKYK) business- it’s not in my nature- and I already know it’s not in my kids’ either. So, I will rest my fears with the only God I know and continue to believe in the power of the pen, my mind, and my heart to spread light and truth now more than ever. I implore you all to do whatever you are called to do, but most importantly, to lead your lives with a spirit of empathy and love.
xo,
Alliah
(P.S. On a MUCH lighter note, I had fun poking my dad for using the wrong ‘their’- his nickname in our house used to be ‘The critic’. I may be in publishing, but he’s the toughest editor I’ve ever had!)

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