The Children’s Services Council of Broward County has been proud to bring Broward: Read for the Record to schools in the community for the past nine years. This year it takes place on Thursday, October 27! The event encourages all of Broward County to read the same book on the same day to children in pre-K and kindergarten to stress the importance of early literacy. The M Network has been collaborating with The Children’s Services Council of Broward County since 2016 as the agency of record to help serve children and families in our community.
This year’s book is Nigel and the Moon by author Antwan Eady and illustrated by Gracey Zhang. The book is a glowing tale of the importance of dreaming big, sure to get the little ones excited about reading. Antwan Eady has been tasked with showing children how, even though the fear of sharing your dreams is often present, having pride in your upbringing can spark confidence and inspiration.
Antwan Eady’s vivid imagination comes to life in the illustrated picture book Nigel and the Moon published by Harper Collins, which was chosen as 2022’s Read for the Record book!
Part of the national Jumpstart’s Read for the Record® campaign, this event mobilizes millions of children across the country to celebrate literacy by participating in the most significant shared reading experience. Learn more on HandsOn Broward.
The M Network spoke with writer Antwan Eady in preparation for Broward: Read for the Record.
Antwan, what inspired you to start writing Nigel and the Moon?
“I love the question. I was inspired by my childhood. I grew up in South Carolina and on my parent’s porch in South Carolina. Sometimes I would just stare at the moon. One thing I always asked my parents for was a telescope every Christmas. And something about that distance between myself and the moon and the darkness provided safety.
I was able to dream and dream big without anyone pulling those dreams down. So I wanted to offer that safety that I felt with that distance. I wanted to offer it to other people.”
What do you want readers to understand about your book Nigel and the Moon?
“With this book, Nigel and the Moon, I want readers to understand that safe spaces matter at this moment. The safe space for Nigel is the distance between himself and the moon. But sometimes, our safe spaces are diaries. Sometimes it’s a friend. Sometimes it’s a walk between ourselves, like our house and our bus stop.
So I want readers to understand they have a safe space.”
What advice do you have for parents to keep kids engaged or children engaged in reading?
“It’s exactly what Jumpstart is doing, allowing adults, parents, guardians, and volunteers to read with our young dreamers. And they continue to do that. So then you’ll see this interest on both sides.”
What did you want to be when you grew up?
“Oh, I love that question. I wanted to be a chemist, a poet, a geologist, and I wanted to be a writer.”
So, Nigel is you, and you are Nigel?
“Nigel is so many of us that grew up wanting to be so many different things. I was able to live out all of those passions, and I was always challenged with the question of what would you like to be when you grow up?
And I wanted the kids to know that it’s okay to be multiple things because we can cultivate all of our passions.”
Learn more about Antwan’s next stories, Micah’s Rise, The Last Stand, and The Gathering Table here, and for more information on how you can be a part of Broward: Read for the Record 2022, click here.
