While most second graders are spending their days reading children’s books, 6-year-old Vanae James-Bey is writing her own.
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The young girl from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, has made headlines for creating “The Indigenous Adventures of Princess Vanae,” a 20-page coloring book that teaches kids ages 5 to 13 about indigenous people around the globe.
Inspired by the lack of cultural representation in traditional coloring books, James-Bey wanted others to learn about the same diverse history lessons her mother Veronica Bey had been teaching her at home-school.
"We tend to stick to a more Afrocentric curriculum," Bey told Atlanta Black Star. "We have friends whose children go to public schools and are taught that Native Americans are extinct, or are only taught about slavery as black history. I didn't want that to be my children's introduction to their history."
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With the help of her mom, her uncle, who’s an artist, and illustrator Johanne Immis, James-Bey released the book in March about a princess travelling to Africa and the Americas to learn about indigenous cultures.
"In my family, our history and culture are very important to us. I think it's fun to share knowledge on some of the oldest people on Earth," James Bey said on her website.
And there’s more where that came from. Her mom said they plan more educational books in the future.
Want your own copy of her debut one? It is available for purchase here.
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