PEORIA MAGAZINE February 2023

the true void that exists in literature, especially for African American children … Representation really does matter. African American boys and girls need to see themselves in all of our shapes and colors, especially in the stories that we read and have read to us as children. PM: Do you think that you and your books will serve as an inspiration to youngkidswho still don't see themselves represented enough in literature? AM: I hope that my books will serve as a source of inspiration for kids young and old, and also that they inspire others to get their stories published. I hope my readers laugh out loud and get a lot of joy out of my books, and that they find that every problem has a solution, just like Ladybug does. This interview was conducted by Amy Geier Edgar , a former journalist who is now the Youth Services librarian at the Dunlap Public Library District

PM: Representation is so important in children's literature. It's important for children to see themselves reflected in books so they realize they are not alone. It’s also important for children to see people who are very different from themselves, to build empathy for others. Growing up, did you see yourself reflected in any books? AM: I don't recall seeing myself represented in any of the books that I read growing up, and I am a big book reader. My family moved around a lot. Whenever we moved to a new place, I would find the local library and try to read every book in it. PM: Do you think children's literature has improved over the years? AM: I think that children's literature has become more inclusive in recent years, but we have a long way to go and hundreds of years tomake up for. Black people were prevented frombeing able to read and write for the majority of our history in America. Underfunded schools, a lack of opportunity and structural racism in this country continue to be barriers for black

people to share their stories and be represented in the media. PM: Black authors and illustrators remain underrepresented in the publishing world. Have you found it difficult to find a foothold in publishing? AM: I self-published my books to circumvent some of these issues and to take full ownership over my work. PM: Who are your favorite authors? AM: My favorite authors growing up were Roald Dahl and Judy Blume. Black authors such as Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie have inspired me as an adult. PM: How long did you work on your books? What did you learn in the process? AM: It took no more than a day to come up with the words for each of my books at various periods in the past 10 years. It took about three and half weeks for me to illustrate the books this summer. I have become more aware than ever before about

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