By Logan Langlois
NASHVILLE, TN — The work of a children’s book author plays an invisible yet monumental role in shaping the minds of children, often beginning shortly after they exit the womb and first begin to experience the world around them. The role of children’s stories can be underappreciated until times such as July’s National Black Family Month, during which the things that become staples of family learning and bonding such as story time are brought to the forefront.
LaTasha Reynolds knows this role firsthand, since publishing her first book Bryla’s Amazing Imagination: Bryla Visits the Moon, featuring Black protagonist Bryla who was largely inspired by Reynold’s daughter. Reynolds said from the beginning she wanted her book to be one that not only helps teach children to not be afraid of learning but one that African American children can see themselves in.
“I grew up with books that a lot of the main characters didn’t look like me,” Reynolds said. “This is the same experience for a lot of African Americans or people of African descent. A lot of main characters don’t look like you and so it’s hard to relate to either their white characters or their animals.”
Reynolds said that while writing her first book over the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, Reynolds storyboarded each illustration that would accompany the written story in great detail. She said it was important to her that her book, inspired by her daughter’s love of science, and outer space, presented an accurate depiction of a young African American girl. Reynolds said this was especially important to her as she wanted the Black children reading her book to identify with the protagonist and fully imagine themselves as capable of doing amazing things such as visiting the moon.
“You can’t put a brown pigmentation on a character, but the futures are not that of an African American, little girl, or African American boy,” Reynolds said. “I use the example of Charlie Brown. You know, you can’t put a brown pigmentation on Charlie Brown … and try to pass him off because he doesn’t have facial features that, that resemble that of an African American little boy”
Reynolds said she had to work hard to make sure these details were included in her first book, as there were times when others she worked with, such as the agency she chose for the book’s illustrations, didn’t quite understand that goals she had explained and instead provided mockups that resembled exactly what she was attempting to avoid. She said she felt relieved when she found an illustrator through the same agency that seemed to genuinely understand her vision.
She said she sent him photos of her daughter whom the main character is based on, after which the two were able to create an illustration of which she is very proud. Reynolds said it feels powerful to contribute to story time, as it is the first place where children learn how to actively read. She said the time both allows for parents to bond with their children, but also allows them to engage their children during a form of imaginative playtime.
Reynolds said she is currently writing her second book, which will be another installment in Bryla’s Amazing Imagination. She said this installment will also be science-inspired, though it will be focusing on the event of an eclipse. Reynolds said citizens can follow Bryla J Publishing’s Instagram, @brylajpublishing.
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