Jeffrey

I am a Black educator, and I've had unusually cold responses to reading within my local community. Forgive me for an admittedly subjective take on this issue: I've witnessed Black children actively avoid reading regardless of the identities presented. In their defense, it seems to me educators are going about it wrong. Often, reading is presented to Black children in in a punitive way (some oppressive punishment contrasted to physical activity). And in some cases it seems youth start to associate the written word with culturally irrelevant messages at best, hegemony at worst. They're smart. They don't need Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory to understand the world they've inherited. Black children and parents both seem indifferent if not suspicious. I believe they think educational content may equate indoctrination. Some don't understand why messages to them need to be encoded in books. They would prefer a video, computer game, or song; probably because these conveyances have more "neutral" histories to them. These recurring ideological conflicts produce adults who either do not read or read Black content that relies on familiar and safe tropes. I know this sounds weird, but it's just one person's experience and perspective.

FYI, the book is free today and tomorrow on Kindle to encourage reviews.

Congratulations!

Thank you, Troy!

Hello, all. I'm new here, so I'll attempt to be brief: I would like to suggest my book for review consideration. Alphabet of Black Cultures by Jeffrey Daniels, ISBN-13: 978-0976050827, published July 2020. Description: From A to Z, Alphabet of Black Cultures is a friendly introduction to the diverse and evolving cultures of a world connected by African heritage. Learners of all ages are invited to explore the music, inventions, games, foods, customs, and more. It's a 32 page, full color, hardcover book intended for juvenile nonfiction readers aged 6 to 12. The book has garnered some local interest prior to release here in the southside of Chicago. It's a years-long passion project, and I hope you may see a space for it among AALBC's reviews. Review copies are available in digital format and physical copies may be available by request. I made a website to elaborate on the book’s mission, but I'm not sure if external links are permissible (it's "sleepingelephant dot com slash abc"). Thank you for your time.