DuEwaWorld News! by DuEwa Frazier

I met fellow children's writer, Tracey Baptiste at the First Annual Kweli Children's Book Writers Conference in New York City earlier this year.  She's a writer with great energy, and like many of us, is on a mission to add diversity to the world of children's books.  I wish to congratulate Tracey on the release of THE JUMBIES.  She will have a second book launch event on Thursday, April 30, 2015 at La Casa Azul Bookstore from 6-8pm .  Check out reviews of The Jumbies: “Endlessly addictive and hypnotic.” — Essence Magazine  “This girl’s got guts . . . Corrine La Mer brings badassery and wisdom beyond her years. Launching brave kids into the world of the horror novel, and leading them through it with lyrical prose, author Tracey Baptiste knows just how to seize kids’ attention.”— Foreword Reviews “It’s refreshing to see a fantasy with its roots outside Europe . . . this is a book worth reading simply for its originality.”— Kirkus Reviews

Through the years I  have had great discussions about books with middle grade and high school students.  I've read novels such as Catcher in the Rye and Their Eyes Were Watching God with my students.  I've read memoirs such as Black, White and Jewis h and Down These Mean Streets with my students.  I've read essays by Zora Neale Hurston and James Baldwin with my students.  I've also read short stories from 145th Street Stories by Walter Dean Myers and "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid with them.  This was literature that was within our curriculum.  When it came to books that students were to self select, or read at home for more practice and endurance I received many comments that spoke to student frustration and apprehension. Students told me, "You [the school] don't have enough books for kids like us..." or "I don't read a lot because I can't find books that really interest me, about subjects I like..." or ...

I've been wearing my hair natural (sans a chemical straightening relaxer) since the late 90's. Relaxers were damaging to my hair at times and I often admired the versatility and beauty of natural hair. I was inspired by friends, relatives and hair models in magazines ( Essence Magazine ) to have the confidence to grow my natural hair out and experiment with various hairstyles. I have worn braids, twists, uprolls, curly-fros, and twist outs, all styles that women with natural hair experiment. Over the long run I seemed to be saving tons of money because I wasn't going to a hair salon every other week or once a month for relaxer touch ups or roller sets. But I was spending money on hair care books ( Plaited Glory , Good Hair ), hair products ( Carol's Daughter , Nature's Gate , Miss Jessie's , Aveda ) and professional trims on a regular basis. I got creative and learned how to care for my own hair and along the way I have gotten many compliments! In between wea...