View my new photos and meet my new friends from the Woodridge Library, DCPL.
Have you bought a book today -- preferably by a Black Children's Author??
If not? Have you visited your LOCAL LIBRARY and checked one out?? DON'T LOSE IT!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2216231&l=cbd4edb796&id=608868120
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Literary Obama - Book Review
One might easily mistake the beautifully-illustrated book, I am Barack Obama by Charisse Carney-Nunes and Ann Marie Williams, for a traditional children’s biography. But it offers, in my view, a more innovative strategy by portraying our 44th President’s life simply as the story of a young boy and his extended family: the obstacles he faced as a bi-racial child with a single parent; his love of basketball, of learning, and of helping others.
Guided by the philosophy that “inspiration and optimism are the first steps” to children’s achievement, Carney-Nunes’s poetic second-person narrative speaks directly to young listeners through the life story of Obama:
You’ll travel far and wideAlong the journey of your lifeYou’ll know joy and happinessAnd you’ll know sorrow,you’ll know strife…
Parents and teachers who are already familiar with Obama’s background will recognize “Toot” and the landscape of Indonesia along with iconic images of his life and career. Additionally, the book contains an appendix with a brief bio, teaching resources, and personal essays by several children who have been inspired by the President. (”The same year Barack Obama won, I won,” writes 10-year-old Morgana, “I am currently the youngest president ever elected in my middle school…”) Their words suggest that Obama’s story can begin with any child and this is exactly point of I am Barack Obama.
Carney-Nunes is the author of several children’s books and CEO of Brand Nu Words publishing. She and Obama are also former classmates from Harvard Law School.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Making Moves in Philly
The School District of Philadelphia presented Brand Nu Words with a $12,000 check to help support the efforts of educating our youth through reading!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Read All About It!
I Am Barack Obama is showcased on the front page of The Savannah Tribune! Copy & paste the following link to read more: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.savannahtribune.com%2Fnews%2F2009-06-10%2FFront_Page%2FCommunity_and_Boule_Salute_Young_Men_of_Honor.html&h=f4f5ce876a4bca5324811b7a164f524e
Monday, May 25, 2009
Los Angeles Boys & Girls Club Visit
On the afternoon of May 12, 2009, I visited the Boys & Girls Club of East Los Angeles. The visit was facilitated by the Afterschool Alliance (http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/) an awesome organization that works tirelessly toward the goal of quality afterschool programs for all children. The children of this club are almost all Hispanic and were inspired by I Am Barack Obama. They welcomed me with open arms and love and even performed a special cheer for me. :-)
Friday, May 22, 2009
Power Lunch!
May 2009: Harvey and I had a Power Lunch with Power People Mario and Maya Van Peebles. Ready to take over the world?
Friday, May 15, 2009
Celebrity Read Aloud @ Oak Street Elementary School
In the photo above from left to right: Jorge Pallo, me, Haley Ramm, and Sam Jones III
On May 12, the Jamestown Project co-sponsored a Celebrity Read Aloud event in conjunction with the Stephanie Starks Hope Foundation. The event took place at Oak Street Elementary School and featured a literacy pep rally and a mass book donation for hundreds of students! The children were wowed by:
- Jorge Pallo of Secret Lives of the American Teenager (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0657903/)
- Haley Ramm of iCarly; Ben 10: Race Against Time; and Skateland (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1391252/)
- Sam Jones III - Smallville (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427389/)
The Jamestown Project donated 100 copies of I Dream for You a World to the Stephanie Starks Hope Foundation in connection with this event and in an effort to promote child civic engagement. Haley Ramm who plays Missy on iCarly read this book to the students. Jorge Pallo read I Am Barack Obama.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Charisse's May 2009 Newsletter
Click here to read my newsletter!
http://www.brandnuwords.com/May2009Newsletter.htm
http://www.brandnuwords.com/May2009Newsletter.htm
Includes:
- Latest news
- An update from me
- An explanation of exciting new awards and accolaides
- Announcement about a NEW BOOK
- A summary of past and upcoming speaking engagements!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Skipping Stones
I just received news that Skipping Stones Multicultural Magazine has chosen I Am Barack Obama for its 2009 Honor Book Awards. Skipping Stones is an award-winning multicultural magazine that recognizes outstanding authentic books and teaching resources each year with the Annual Skipping Stones Honor Awards. The honored books, published by both large and small publishers, promote cooperation and cultivate an awareness of our diversecultures. Read more at: http://www.skippingstones.org/2009SkippingStonesAwardsPR.pdf
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Author of Obama book was president's classmate
View online
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
By Randall Clark
rclark@sjnewsco.com
SALEM - From the hard wooden chairs of the Salem Middle School auditorium, children shouted gleefully "I am Barack Obama!" here Tuesday, prompted by the renowned author who penned a book of the same name.
Charisse Carney-Nunes, a former classmate of the president's at Harvard Law School, spent her birthday reading some of her collection to the third-grade class, the colorful pages emblazoned on a big-screen projector above her.
Her stories are of a hope that often finds confinement within the poverty-stricken city.
"The most important thing I think, and the reason the book is called I Am Barack Obama, is because I like when children say I am Barack Obama," Carney-Nunes said. "They understand that there is a little bit of Barack Obama in all of us."
Her latest endeavor captures the journey of Obama from childhood to the White House steps, offering that the power to change the world lies with all of us.
For Carney-Nunes, 42, who is an attorney, the story has been a catapult to a writing career that began with her daughter's hair.
She said her first book, "Nappy," was a poem she wrote as her then-3-year-old daughter was hiding from getting her hair combed several years ago. It illustrated that some of the country's most influential black women had tufts just as tough, though it was nothing they couldn't handle.
Her work went on to win Independent Publishing's Most Outstanding Book of the Year award as the most inspirational book for youth in 2006.
As an outspoken voice of the black community, the Washington, D.C.-based mother adds her written work to a long list of civic involvement, including the Jamestown Project and Sistermoms, Inc.
Middle school Principal Syeda Woods was able to snag Carney-Nunes through the help of a sorority sister who knew her, Woods explained. The author had spent Monday in Burlington City.
"I was so excited when I heard she was able to come," Woods said. "I think the book has a powerful message."
Woods said her third-graders had shown a keen interest in the presidential election and first heard of the book on the president during the Read Across America event earlier this month.
In the back of the book is a series of children's essays about what Obama's presidency means to them. The book will soon take digital form, encouraging youth from across the country to write their own essays and submit them online.
It was the endless series of questions about Obama that Carney-Nunes received during school book tours last year that led to her latest venture, she pointed out.
"They just wanted to talk about Barack Obama," she said. "I decided you know what, it would be easiest if I just wrote a book."
At the end of the program, each child received a copy of Carney-Nunes publication. At least one was signed with a message to keep looking for that inner-Obama.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
By Randall Clark
rclark@sjnewsco.com
SALEM - From the hard wooden chairs of the Salem Middle School auditorium, children shouted gleefully "I am Barack Obama!" here Tuesday, prompted by the renowned author who penned a book of the same name.
Charisse Carney-Nunes, a former classmate of the president's at Harvard Law School, spent her birthday reading some of her collection to the third-grade class, the colorful pages emblazoned on a big-screen projector above her.
Her stories are of a hope that often finds confinement within the poverty-stricken city.
"The most important thing I think, and the reason the book is called I Am Barack Obama, is because I like when children say I am Barack Obama," Carney-Nunes said. "They understand that there is a little bit of Barack Obama in all of us."
Her latest endeavor captures the journey of Obama from childhood to the White House steps, offering that the power to change the world lies with all of us.
For Carney-Nunes, 42, who is an attorney, the story has been a catapult to a writing career that began with her daughter's hair.
She said her first book, "Nappy," was a poem she wrote as her then-3-year-old daughter was hiding from getting her hair combed several years ago. It illustrated that some of the country's most influential black women had tufts just as tough, though it was nothing they couldn't handle.
Her work went on to win Independent Publishing's Most Outstanding Book of the Year award as the most inspirational book for youth in 2006.
As an outspoken voice of the black community, the Washington, D.C.-based mother adds her written work to a long list of civic involvement, including the Jamestown Project and Sistermoms, Inc.
Middle school Principal Syeda Woods was able to snag Carney-Nunes through the help of a sorority sister who knew her, Woods explained. The author had spent Monday in Burlington City.
"I was so excited when I heard she was able to come," Woods said. "I think the book has a powerful message."
Woods said her third-graders had shown a keen interest in the presidential election and first heard of the book on the president during the Read Across America event earlier this month.
In the back of the book is a series of children's essays about what Obama's presidency means to them. The book will soon take digital form, encouraging youth from across the country to write their own essays and submit them online.
It was the endless series of questions about Obama that Carney-Nunes received during school book tours last year that led to her latest venture, she pointed out.
"They just wanted to talk about Barack Obama," she said. "I decided you know what, it would be easiest if I just wrote a book."
At the end of the program, each child received a copy of Carney-Nunes publication. At least one was signed with a message to keep looking for that inner-Obama.
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