Book: Don’t Give Up, Aaliyah!
Q1. Please introduce yourself so that the readers will get to know you better.
Hi, my name is Flora Ekpe-Idang and I am the founder and CEO of Corage Dolls; a multicultural doll and book company that helps to elevate, educate and encourage girls of color to be unstoppable.
Q2. What is the inspiration behind your book “Don’t Give Up, Aaliyah!”?
The inspiration behind my book “Don’t Give Up, Aaliyah!” is sparked by this generation of young girls and their creativity, fierceness, and boldness to change the world. From girls like actress Marsai Martin who is creating greater representation on screen and book activist Marley Davis who is amplifying diverse stories to Mari Copeny aka “Little Miss Flint” who is raising awareness about environmental justice, I’m amazed at how this younger generation is no longer waiting on adults to solve ongoing issues. I wanted Aaliyah to be a character that children, especially girls of color, could see themselves reflected in and instill cultural pride. Aaliyah is an everyday girl from Chicago, who’s creative, curious, and entrepreneurial at heart, and inspired by her community to create positive change. Also, there’s a bit of myself that’s reflected in Aaliyah’s personality. She carries her signature green notebook wherever she goes as a way to jot down her creative ideas, and similarly I’m always carrying around a notebook or using the notes section on my iphone to capture new ideas.
Q3. When did you realize you wanted to be an author of children’s books?
I realized I wanted to be a children’s book author when I decided that greater representation was needed in children’s literature. According to research, only 11.9% of main characters in children’s books are Black/African, 1% are Native/First Nations, 5.3% are Latino, 8.7% are Asian/Asian American, and .05% are Pacific Islander, while 41.8% are white and 29.2% are animal/other. This means that there are more children book characters that are animals than diverse characters across race/ethnicity combined! Additionally, as Aaliyah is also a doll I wanted to create a book that could serve as an accompanying narrative for children to dive deeper and relate more to her story.
Q4. Are you planning to release your next book soon?
I’m in the process of releasing new accessories for the Aaliyah doll this November with a goal to start developing a new book in the near future.
Q5. For which age group your book is suitable?
The book is most suitable for 4-8 years old, but is truly a great story that kids and adults can enjoy together. The book teaches values of perseverance, early entrepreneurship principles, and the importance of family which anyone can relate to.
Q6. The main character of your story Aaliyah is based on your product Aaliyah doll. What message do you want to give to readers through this book and Aaliyah doll?
No surprise here. To never give up!
Q7. What do you like the most about your country?
I love the city that I’m from. I’m originally from New Jersey and the community and family that I’ve grown up with has been a great source of inspiration to pursue my passions.
Q8. What suggestion do you want to give to parents of little readers regarding a reading habit?
Encouraging your kids to read stories that are diverse, spark curiosity and creativity, and build empathy are truly important to their development and how they perceive the world as they grow up. Make reading fun vs. a chore by asking what interests them and finding diverse stories to expose them to.
Q9. What does literary success look like to you?
Seeing more kids have equitable access to diverse stories and children of color having more opportunities to create more stories.
Q10. Lastly, who is your inspiration in life and why?
My mother, she is my role model and has been the one to teach me to never give up!
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