[VIDEO] Rising Durham Public School Sixth Grade Authors To Read, Sign New Book August 21

Durham, NC – Two young African American authors, Jeremiah Springer and Kassan Jones, both rising sixth graders in Durham Public Schools, wrote and illustrated their book, “The Boy Who Couldn’t Make Friends,” over the summer as participants in Book Harvest’s inaugural Writer-In-Residence Summer Program. They will read their brand new book and sign copies of it to be given away to attendees. The Book Launch Party will take place at Hendrick Subaru Southpoint (200 Kentington Dr., Durham) on Wednesday, August 21st from 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm.

This past June, Jeremiah and Kassan graduated from Glenn Elementary School. Before they did, they and a group of friends wrote, illustrated, printed, and sold copies of their first book, “The Little Fish.” This summer, they worked on their next book.

These students are “Mrs. Parker’s Professors,” students in Turquoise Parker’s English and Language Arts class, in which she focuses on authors of color in an effort to ensure all her students see themselves in the books they read and in the authors who write them. She encouraged her students to embrace their creativity and author their own books as well.

When Book Harvest heard about these young authors, they reached out to their parents with an idea: could the boys join them this summer for their first-ever writers’ residency so they could help these promising young authors write their next book? The rest, as they say, is history. Here are the writers-in-residence, introducing themselves and their project in their own words:

Throughout their residency this summer, Jeremiah and Kassan have had the opportunity to meet with Book Harvest Authors’ Circle member, Mike Wiley, to talk about how he went from being a kid just like them to a professional playwright and actor; and Book Harvest marketing and development committee member, Andrea Griffith Cash, a content strategist and creative director who advised them on their video. Next on their agenda was a meeting with freelance writer and editor Lauren Stephenson, who helped them take their work from draft to completion.

And then the launch party, hosted by Book Harvest sponsor Hendrick Subaru Southpoint, which will be free and open to the public. Join them for light refreshments and a reading by the authors as Jeremiah and Kassan share their completed book, “The Boy Who Couldn’t Make Friends,” with the world for the first time. Don’t miss it: August 21 at 5 pm at Hendrick Subaru Southpoint (200 Kentington Drive, Durham 27713).