Children learn through observation.
They try to model the actions and behaviors of adults who are either around them or who they learn about through stories. Stories about characters that a child can associate with are a powerful means to provide inspiration and role models to them, especially during the early developmental age.
Keeping this in mind, and realizing that there is a gap in children’s literature highlighting characters of diversity, Rafia a mother of two who holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling started the Pioneer Series, which aims to provide young minds knowledge on great individuals and leaders from the history of diverse backgrounds.
Individuals from around the globe who have transformed the world through their wisdom, inventions, discoveries, and exploration. Additionally, the aim of this series is to nurture courage, confidence, and love of knowledge in children through the life stories of these great individuals.
“We have recently started this project to create a series of books with illustrations for K-4 on great individuals and leaders (with diverse ethnic backgrounds) from history that transformed the world through their wisdom, inventions, discoveries, and exploration,” shared Rafia. “In addition to the story, the books include activities such as a maze, coloring pages, a word search, and much more. Our first book on the famous world traveler Ibn Battuta is now available on Amazon in both print and Kindle formats.”
The first book of the Pioneer Series introduces children to an individual from Tangier in West Africa who traveled for over 75000. Yes, of course, we are talking about Ibn Battuta – a great world traveler.
During the 14th century, he traveled to over 40 modern-day countries experiencing endless adventures, learning about new cultures, traditions, animals, and plants. He logged his travels in his famous book ‘The Rihla’ or ‘The Travels’.
Pioneer Series presents an illustrative book for early elementary school-aged children introducing them to this great adventurer.
The book is currently available on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble under the title “Ibn Battuta, Story of a world traveler”. The second book in this series currently under development will be on the great 9th century Persian Mathematician, Physician, and Chemist; Al-Razi.
Rafia Rehman, a mother of two has a Masters’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She has worked at various agencies in the United States of America and Pakistan providing mental health services to a diverse group of individuals including children. She is passionate about the concept of holistic education, nurturing courage, confidence, and love of knowledge in young minds through stories. Under the Pioneer Series, she is creating a collection of books for early elementary school-aged children on great individuals and leaders that transformed the world through their wisdom, inventions, discoveries, and exploration.
BOOK REVIEWERS, WE.Need. YOU. for MCBD2021!
AND…you don’t have to be a blogger to review multicultural children’s books for our MCBD2020 (1/29/21) online event. Go here to learn more about how this process works.
You just need to have a love of diversity in children’s literature, have one non-private social media account on Facebook (Pages only-no Facebook profiles), Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or YouTube, and be able to leave an honest Amazon review of your assigned book.
SIGN UP to be an MCBD2021 book reviewer HERE and learn more about what it takes to join the MCBD2021 celebration
