Here Wee Read

Malcolm Mitchell is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of his non-profit organization Share the Magic Foundation.  As the Chief Executive Officer, he focuses on the foundation’s overall growth, development, and impact. Malcolm grew up in Valdosta, Georgia, and attended the University of Georgia (UGA) where he obtained a Communications degree. Malcolm was drafted by the New England Patriots in...

Alissa Holder is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology.  She has always had a passion for working with children and works as a teacher at a childcare center in New York City.  She is the mother of two children, Ayaan Diop and Alaia. Zulekha Holder-Young is a graduate of Spelman College, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in...

Don Tate is an award-winning author, and the illustrator of numerous critically acclaimed books for children. He is also one of the founding hosts of the blog The Brown Bookshelf – a blog designed to push awareness of the myriad of African American voices writing for young readers, with book reviews, author and illustrator interviews. Don frequently speaks at schools, public libraries and writing...

Shane W. Evans is a multi-talented artist and visionary who combines his world travels with his art to influence creative expression in others. Evans studied at Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts and graduated in 1993 and began traveling the world. In addition to contract work in illustration, graphic design and web design for major companies, Evans has conceptualized and ill...

Oge Mora is a storyteller residing in Providence, RI. Her picture book, Thank You, Omu!, was a Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award winner, Ezra Jack Keats Book Award recipient, and a New York Times Notable Book and Editors' Choice.  Her second book, Saturday was a Parent’s Magazine, Publishers’ Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Horn Book, and School & Library Jo...

Meet Dr. Theanne Griffith, a neuroscientist and the author of the STEM-themed chapter book series, The Magnificent Makers. Since she was a little girl, she has loved both storytelling and science. Her books blend these two passions, taking young readers on out of this world adventures they will never forget. The first two books in her series, How to Test a Friendship and Brain Trouble are currentl...

In this episode, Charnaie gets up close and personal with author-illustrator Cozbi A. Cabrera. In addition to being a wife and mom, Cozbi is also an author, illustrator and doll maker of the most beautiful handmade dolls. Cozbi A. Cabrera received a BFA from Parsons School of Design. Her cloth dolls (Muñecas) have garnered the attention of collectors around the world and have been featured on The...

In this episode, Charnaie chats books with author Kelly Starling Lyons and illustrator Nina Mata. Listen to find out what the inspiration behind the Ty’s Travels series was and learn the upcoming projects both Kelly and Nina are working on. Kelly Starling Lyons is a founding member of The Brown Bookshelf (http://thebrownbookshelf.com). Her acclaimed picture books include Ellen’s Broom, Going Down...

In this episode, Charnaie chats with Eva Chen. Eva Chen went from being a former pre-med student to the director of fashion partnerships at Instagram. She’s also a wife, mom and children's book author. Previously she was editor-in-chief of Lucky and beauty and health director at Teen Vogue. Eva’s books include: Roxy the Last Unisaurus Rex, A is for Awesome! 23 Iconic Women Who Changed the...

In this episode, Charnaie chats with five-year old Parker Curry and her mother Jessica Curry.  Parker is a precocious, charismatic, and talkative five year old, who loves ballet, books and learning Mandarin Chinese. She is the New York Times Bestselling author of the picture book Parker Looks Up which received an NAACP Image Award nomination. Her favorite colors are pink and purple and she lives w...

Joanna Ho is the author of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners (Jan 5, 2021), Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma (Fall 2021), The Silence that Binds Us (2022) and One Day (2023). She is a writer and educator with a passion for anti-bias, anti-racism and equity work. She holds a BA in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s from the Principal Leadership Institute at Berkele...

In this episode, Charnaie interviews New York Times Bestselling author Derrick Barnes and illustrator Gordon C. James. Derrick Barnes wrote the New York Times bestseller The King of Kindergarten, as well as the critically acclaimed picture book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut (illustrated by Gordon James), which received a Newbery Honor, a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, the 2018 Ezra Jack Keats N...

In this episode, Charnaie interviews New York Times Bestselling author Kwame Alexander.  Kwame is also a poet, educator, author of 37 books, including THE UNDEFEATED, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, HOW TO READ A BOOK, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, SWING, REBOUND, which was shortlisted for prestigious Carnegie Medal, and, his NEWBERY medal-winning middle grade novel, THE CROSSOVER. Kwame is also the...

Introduction to Here Wee Read.