![]() ![]() “When a mystery is too overpowering, one dare not disobey,” so the pilot attempts to draw a sheep. A thousand miles from any habitation, while attempting to fix his plane, he meets a strangely dressed little boy who seems to have come from nowhere, and who demands that he draw a sheep. Alter-ego Toonk took on a slightly different design, with crown and cornrows to make him look more assertive and assured.A pilot crashes in the Sahara Desert. Many of the illustrations are based on actual photographs of Levi as a baby and a toddler. Illustrator Christina Moreland brought the First Collection books to life with Adobe Illustrator, part of Adobe Creative Cloud. “We wanted children - especially Black and Brown children - to recognize that Levi is a child just like them.” “The Levi in the book had to look like a real-life person, not someone that we made up,” says Kia. Kia was particularly interested in making sure that the book was as colorful and real as Levi himself. ![]() While each book is a complete story, the collections unify books around themes to encourage children to get hooked and want to read more. The Second Collection (illustrated by Jolie Brownell) continues the story, digging deeper into Levi’s adventures as he starts to develop a sense of himself. The first follows Levi as he grows from a baby into a toddler, exploring topics such as family, potty training, and the terrible twos (which Toonk says are not so terrible). Rather than working through the traditional publishing route, Bri decided that self-publishing would allow her to get “Levi&Toonk” into the hands of readers much faster.Įach collection consists of six books. I decided to use my professional expertise to empower my mother and help her reach many families with her stories.” Bringing “Levi&Toonk” to life “Her passion for writing and my passion for education and administration married that day. “Instead of waiting for someone to give us an opportunity to share our gifts, I thought, why don’t we build it together?” recalls Bri. But as she watched her mother gain confidence and joy pursuing her writing, Bri recognized a new calling: helping talented adults like her mother reach their potential. After spending years in the classroom helping students make the most of their gifts, she dreamed of becoming a school principal who could do the same for teachers. I spoke with Kia and Bri as part of the Adobe Changemakers video series to discuss how a gifted boy inspired the duo to share their dreams.Īround the same time, Bri moved to California after graduating with a Master of Educational Leadership degree. By expanding on the “Levi&Toonk” universe, the mother-daughter duo aims to encourage literacy and representation for all children. Kia and Bri released the first collection of many Levi&Toonk board books for young readers alongside educational materials such as reading guides and word searches to encourage literacy skills. With “Levi&Toonk”, we’re showing authentic minority representation to help both children and adults recognize that there’s a gift in everyone that they can use to contribute to the world.”īrought to life through the power of imagination and Adobe creative tools, “Levi&Toonk” follows the adventures of a young boy named Levi alongside his imaginary friend and alter-ego, Toonk. “I also know that children of color aren’t represented in those spaces. “I’m a Gifted Education Specialist who knows what it’s like to see and cultivate talent,” says Bri. ![]() Created with her daughter - educator, editor-in-chief, and entrepreneur Bri Smocks - “Levi&Toonk” is inspiring and educating young children around the world. But it was her love for her gifted and precocious grandson Levi that inspired her to write “Levi&Toonk”, a children’s book series that captures an authentic and joyous representation of growing up as a Black boy in America. Nakia “Kia M.” Montgomery fell in love with writing in elementary school. Children’s book series “Levi&Toonk” celebrates gifted children of color through authentic representation ![]()
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