When Author Andrea Scott’s Sponsor Intake Form crossed my desk, it contained a story that I knew needed to be told.
Her company, Smile Big Dream Bigger, started off as a bilingual book to encourage people to smile big with their hearts and to dream big. It has formed in to a tutoring service for all age groups that helps people to learn different languages and excel in school, and it encourages them to make their dreams a reality.
“I believe that everyone has a divine purpose in this world, and my purpose is to create influential writings that will guide, inspire, and help individuals to know more about their own history, and learn about different cultures so that he/she is then able to find their own path in life. I am no expert, but I have experienced some of life’s most challenges obstacles, and I am still standing. I am still standing to deliver a message that will help someone else; someone who may be going through the same thing. This blog will take you on my journey as an educator and an author.”~Andrea Scott
Story behind the book Smile Big Dream Bigger:
From Andrea:
I am a local children’s author in St. Louis, Missouri. A year ago, I struggled with being a great educator for my students. I was highly qualified for the job position, my students were excelling in their academics, and they were doing better than others in their age group. However, I felt that something was missing, and it was my job to find this missing piece. During this time, my hometown of Saint Louis, Missouri began to fail, and hatred, injustice, and despair filled the community. I noticed that my students started to lose interest in their school work, and in their future because of what they were witnessing in our community. Their reactions really hurt my heart, and I knew something had to be done.
All my students started to ask me if they would have a bright future. I then began to tell the students about my childhood experiences and how I had overcome many difficult obstacles, yet I achieved my dreams. I had to remind my students that regardless of their background and financial status, everyone can fulfill their dreams. My students were motivated by story and they felt inspired to chase their dreams. I then created my first bilingual children’s book, Smile Big Dream Bigger, which motivates young individuals to always have a positive attitude, travel the world, learn new languages, and to never stop believing in their dreams. My goal is to spread this message to young individuals in different schools, workshops, and conferences throughout the United States and across the world. I think that every individual needs to hear this message of inspiration as a constant reminder to always believe in your dreams.
Smile Big Dream Bigger, was published in November 2016 and has touched so many young lives in a positive way. This book has persuaded my students to read more, their reading scores have improved, and they are interested in traveling and improving their Spanish skills. Also, this book is now part of the Missouri History Museum and has been awarded Hungry Mind’s Children’s Book of the Year Award. Due to some of the success that I have earned from my book sales; I donated some funds to my student’s annual immersion trip to Puerto Rico. My students went to Puerto Rico in May. I strongly believe that this book will inspire many individuals and I know that if granted support for this organization it will inspire more children
Smile Big Dream Bigger was a finalist for the Phyllis Wheatley Award, and the book was nominated as Children’s Book of the Year by the Hungry Minds Book Award.
Connect with Andrea via her website, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
ONE MORE THING:
The 5th Annual Twitter Party is coming! Join us for great conversations, fun prizes and the chance to # ReadYourWorld on 1/27/18!
Join us on Jan 27th, 9pm EST for 5th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter Party! We promise it will be a fun and fast-paced hour of great book conversations, sharing of diverse book ideas and lots of prizes. Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation and to also win one of 12-5 book bundles and one Grand Prize Book Bundle (12 books) that will be given away at the party!
We will be giving away Book Bundles every 6 minutes!
Twitter Party Details:
When: Saturday, January 27th
Time: 9 pm to 10 pm EST
Where: On Twitter!
Hashtag: #ReadYourWorld
Sponsored By: Scholastic Reading Clubs
Hosted by: Co-Founders Valarie Budayr of Jump Into a Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom!
REGISTER TO BE ABLE TO WIN.
We will be discussing the state of children’s book publishing and giving away diversity book bundles every six minutes! We invite EVERYONE to join us: authors, publishers, parents, caregivers, librarians, KidLit lovers. You don’t have to be an author or publisher sponsor to join us! Let’s talk about our favorite multicultural and diverse children’s books, authors, and illustrators!
