Melody's Song is a animated book and video series that was designed to not only encourage reading but develop confidence and hope in young people. Melody's Song can be categorized as both a children's book with musical themes and one that emphasizes black characters in children's literature. The series can be used by schools and parents to teach life lessons and foster a love of music and exploration. The book launches on November 23, 2016 just in time for the holiday gift-giving season.
According to studies presented by non-profit research center Child Trends, African American children face educational expectations lower than that of white children. As a result black children often turn these lowered expectations into self-fulfilling prophesies without some type of social encouragement and out-of-school learning opportunities. When presented with creative outlets, positive reinforcements, and other examples of educational expression minority children thrive. The goal of the Melody's Song book series is to help children find their unique voice, gain self-worth, and find confidence in their own abilities. "Having grown up in Kalamazoo and, of course, visiting family in places like Detroit and Flint, I realized that kids require hope and whimsy as much as food, shelter, and air in order to grow into a self-actualized adult," says author Lonna Hardin. "I grew up with music all around me and that music lifted me up and inspired me. As a parent, I want to help my daughter and other children find their song and their whimsy. One of my other goals for this, one I find equally important, is to show black humor in children's literature and present the richness of black culture."Videos