Eductors / Parents
These books by Hezzy, are part of a new revolution that celebrates children’s identities and minds while they learn.
These books are essential additions to our children’s libraries because they have been written in a way that invites young readers to participate in thinking critically about how great they are and how great their futures can be. Hezzy, an OCT certified classroom teacher, has put years of research into creating a world through his books that celebrates the cultures, intellect, and identities of Black children.
Education of our children begins at home. It continues in formal educational settings where many caregivers of Black and racialized children often have far too little input into how their children’s identities are shaped and represented. These books are written to be fun tools for students to learn about themselves with confidence both at home and at their schools.
These texts by Hezzy have been written with the intent of doing the following:
- Put the intellect of Black people from the past and present at the centre of the story in a way that captures the imagination of young readers.
- Provide an accessible way for children to see themselves connected to the vast achievements and traditions of African people across the diaspora.
- Increase literacy by offering our youth Black characters who are creating possibilities for themselves in a way that is joyful and safe.
- Disrupt racist, negative stereotypes about Black people, Black history, and Africa.
- Offer parents and caregivers of Black children the language to support learning and critical thinking at a high-level.
Considerations for parents and caregivers:
- These books have been written in collaboration with Black community members, Black educators, and Black social work professionals who place loving and caring for Black children at the forefront of their work.
- These books are meant to contribute to raising your children in a way that sparks their minds, and continues conversations about post-secondary education, visiting African countries, and creating amazing opportunities to achieve great things.
- These books have been written by a teacher who understand the role of identity affirming learning tools in fostering excellence for our children.
Considerations for educators in schools:
- These books have been written to actively disrupt the harmful trend of Black history and African heritage being connected to victimhood and colonial oppression.
- Written by a Black author and educator who uses culturally responsive pedagogy and anti-racist education.
- These books have been written to support culturally responsive teaching, and cross-curricular inquiry into topics such as ancestry, family bonding, anti-oppression, anti-racism, goal setting, community, positive identity development, storytelling, and reimagining how our history is learned and experienced.
Guiding Questions and Lesson ideas:
- Why is Imhotep “The Father of Medicine'' a historical figure that is unknown in so many classrooms? (Who are some other icons from African history that have contributed to science, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, arts, and architecture?)
- How can students share their goals of who they want to be with their family members in interesting ways? (Use rhyme patterns like Nick? Creating a scrapbook or journal? Doing research together?)
- Make a list of African countries you would like to visit with your family. Learn about their languages, foods, and some interesting art forms from these countries.
- What questions do you have for Hezzy about how he wrote these books?
