Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Book Review: I AM MIXED!



“I Am Mixed,” Written by Garcelle Beauvais and Sebastian A. Jones.

These authors gave me the honor of reviewing their book and I must say I am thrilled to do so.
 
The book was illustrated by James C. Webster, and his work is fantastic. The pictures really bring the words to life and help tell this wonderful story. 




The story is of two siblings that are biracial and attend an ordinary school in an ordinary town in this great country. While at school, "Nia" is asked by her classmates, "why is your hair not straight like Sally’s?" Her response comes from her pride and loving feelings she feels for herself because her mother has let her know how special she is, how wonderful it is to be mixed with everything nice. Her mother would say to her, “Your skin is the night and your eyes are the stars. Your smile is the moon that kisses my heart.” This is a story about love, self confidence and knowing how special each one of us is.
 
This book is great for young readers, as the short sentences on each page make it easier for them to read on their own. However we had a great time reading the book out-loud together.





I love reading books that sound like a poem and this one fits that build.

While I was reading this book to my children, my six year old son, Little B., and my four year old daughter, Ms. Bree, I could not help but notice that Ms. Bree had a smile on her face the entire time I was reading. Her smile said more to me than I can ever put into words. Bree fell in love with “Nia” and instantly pointed at the picture in the book of the boy and girl and said, "Me and Billy mama!” My daughter liked it so much we read it four times.




 

James C. Webster did a great job in capturing the children’s big beautiful smile on every illustrated page. They beam with self-confidence and pride. Not even when they are asked by their classmates, why are they different, did that smile turn into a frown. 







Overall, this is a great book about loving one’s self and how wonderful it is to be of mixed races. As some of you may remember, my six year old son came home from school once and said, “I don’t want to be brown like daddy. I want to be white like mommy!” I think that reading this book will help build our little ones' self-acceptance and build their confidence. As parents of bi-racial children, we know how important that is because the rest of the world doesn’t know what we know, that being mixed is a lovely thing that is made with everything nice and sweet and it can’t be beat. 


Buy this book for your children, your friends, your church and even your school. The book will truly be a blessing to all who read it.




Here is how you can own your own copy:


“I Am Mixed” can be downloaded now via iBooks, Kindle, and Nook, and preordered on Amazon and Barnes & Noble for the August 7th, 2013 hardback print street date!  

Here are the links: 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/10QZIeE,  
Kindle: http://amzn.to/10gP0PE  
 Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/Z6ENFf,  
iTunes (iBooks): http://bit.ly/10kwBR4

(“I Am Mixed” is the first in the I Am Book Series.  The follow up title will be “I Am Living in 2 Homes for children who deal with divorce. It can be found at www.facebook.com/iambookseries and @iambookseries orwww.iambook.com).

I Am Mixed is an invaluable teaching tool that all children from all races can learn from.”  – Halle Berry (from her foreword)



AUGUST 2013

we received our own special copy!






6 comments:

  1. AAAACK!!! AWESOME REVIEW!!! I've had "one eye" on this book and have it on my list to get!! You know I love me some sweet little "BIG HAIRZ" so the illustrations alone captured my heart!!:) But great to know its so well read and your kiddos loved it. Totally not surprised. We love Mommy Garcelle's posts and her sweet boy BIG HAIRZ! EEEK! Cant wait to cop ours!! Review ROCKS Momma! Go'Head Baby!

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    1. Thanks Lady!! I just knew you would love the illustrations... I LOVED THEM, I loved the entire book. The good thing is that I can have a copy of it in my nook for little man and my laptop for Ms. Bree.. everyone gets to enjoy it.. You have to get it! :)

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  2. We have two mixed daughters, our focus is for them to love who they are. We are blessed with gorgeous babies and I pray we can give them such a high self-esteem that no one ever have the chance to break them down. I can't wait to read this book to my babies!:)

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  3. I'm happy to see that this book is exactly what you were expecting and i'm anxious to get it for my daughter, even though she is still a bit young to really understand it, I believe that if I start teaching her and talking to her now about it, when she faces a problem about being mixed in the future she will now how to handle it. And I'm really glad there are books out there to help our children identify themselves and learn to love who they are. :)

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  4. I have been on the hunt for a book just like this!! Great review!

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  5. I absolutely love this book been looking for something like this to read to my daughter due to the fact that she is mixed. I am so happy that they made a book like this for children to show that they are special and just as beautiful

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