Why do you ROCK!
I rock because I am uniquely me. 6'0 tall and curly hair and one of the most personable people you will ever meet. I have a great sense of humor and love to laugh.
About her book:
My book is one of a future series about a little girl named Rayna Tenay. She decides one day that she doesn't want her hair braided because it's too much of a hassle. She goes through an itchy and soapy experience trying to do her hair herself. It's a funny story!
What inspired you to write this story?
My inspiration behind it was my students. I wanted to write about something the little African American girls in my class could relate to. Something they would want to pick up and read since illiteracy is so prevalent in the black community.
Why do the issues you address in this book matter?
The issues I address in the book matter because I think that while it is important for young girls to try to be independent it is also important for them to realize that their is a greater purpose and that sometimes ,even as adults, we have to do things we don't want to do. It also addresses the need for young girls to feel loved by fathers who are partly responsible for the type of self esteem a girl develops as she grows into a young woman.
What issues do you hope this book helps to solve within the black community?
My hope is that this book will not only prove to be entertaining but will teach fathers the importance of their presence in their children's lives. I also hope that it will teach young girls that they are beautiful even if there is no one to tell them so.
As a teacher. what are the most prevalent issues you see amongst our youth?
As a teacher some of the most prevalent issues I see amongst our youth are the inability to critically think and to expound upon their own thinking. Children want the answers and sometimes they have to go and find it themselves which often proves too challenging for them.
What can we do as a community to address these problems?
What we can do to address these issues is start talking to our children. I mean really delve deep into their imaginations. Turn off the television and have discussions with them about their opinions and what matters to them. Give them real world scenarios and have intelligent meaningful conversations. Spend time with your children. Make them understand their value and their worth. Make them realize that there is more to life than that which is portrayed on media specials or reality television. Teaching begins at home.
Why do you do what you do?
I do what I do because by the time we are adults it is too late. We are tainted, bruised and destroyed by life. But children are still innocent and have a chance to build a better world and, given the right tools, can achieve anything and everything you put before them. They are not self seeking and their love is unconditional.
What's next?
Well I definitely want to write more children's books and make this a series. I am falling in love with Rayna Tenay because she encompasses so many of the students I have come across in my years of teaching. I hope to one day be able to quit teaching and focus on my writing. I love it!
For more about Alyssa and her book: Website
1 lucky winner will receive a free copy of Alyssa's book,
