Personal story behind local
author's learning book for kids
y
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Never judge a book by its
cover.
That is a phrase Winston
Salem resident Tamico Jones
believes strongly in. Jones
says she and her 11 year-old
son Ajani, whose name is
Swahili for "overcomer,"
have already disproven many
of the negative stereotypes
" that are placed on single par
ent homes. Jones, who has
tutored many children in
informal settings, says the
youngsters she's met over the
years can no more be judged
by the labels placed upon
them than she and Ajani can.
In an effort to satisfy her own
love of reading and to instill
that same fervor in young
people and their families,
Jones, a program manager in
the Behavioral Sciences and
Social Work Department at
Winston-Salem Slate.?
University, is sharing her
own son's journey to literacy
with be'worTcf,*tfirbugh*"her *
debut children's book,
"What's that Word, Ajani?"
"Reading is the founda
tion for everything. If you
don't have that foundation,
then everything else is null
and void," said Jones, a
native of Greensboro. "My
purpose for this book really
is to get parents and grand
parents involved in that
process." a
The 24-page book js
'geared towards students in
grades K-4. Jones says it was
inspired by Ajani's experi
ences in learning to read. It
even includes many of the
words he was studying at the
time. The title reflects a
question that Jones said was
asked of her son often in
those early days.
"My family and I were
always saying, 'What's that
word, Ajani?' when we went
out. I think it kind of got on
his nerves," she confessed.
"He was an excellent reader.
It was just that he lacked con
fidence in the classroom."
Jones believes that many
boys face similar challenges
when it comes to reading.
"It just seems to me that
oftentimes, girls kind of just
get it," she said. "I just
believe that with the boys
you have to utilize a more
creative approach. There's no
real methodology, you just
have to kind of meet them
where they are."
"What's that Word"
began as a Speech and
Hearing Services project
while Jones was in college at
North Carolina A&T State
University. She received an
'A' on the book but was told
it would never be viable in
the real world.
"I was actually told by
one of my professors that the
book was too long and no
child was going to sit
through the book," she relat
ed. ^ ^
But tD Jbnes, the bocrtr."
which she illustrated with
markers, crayons and colored
pencils, using real photo
graphs of Ajani as a guide,
had an important message.
Unlike her professor, Jones
believed that children would
relate to the real world exam
ples such as road signs that
are featured in the book, and
would enjoy the literacy
exercises included in the
back. So she decided to test
her theory.
1 SUIUCU li
around with schools prior to
the printing ... and they liked
the concept," Jones said.
"They were already talking
about ways that they could
utilize in their classroom."
Kernersville Elementary
Principal Becky Carter was
one of the first to order the
book, which was published
last June. Carter preordered
20 copies to stock the
school's classrooms and
library.
"I was impressed with all
of her efforts and hard work,"
Carter said of Jones. "It
looked like a book that we
could use to not only guide
instructionally, but there was
a real positive message, too."
Carter, who has been a
school administrator for
more than a decade, felt the
realism the book reflects
would make an impression
on her students.
"It's ' very relevant
because there are real world
examples throughout of how
we are surrounded by text,"
she said. "The graphics are
really amazing, and I thought
the kids would relate to the
realistic nature of the book."
Carter wasn't the only
one who was intrigued by
"What's that Word." At least
three other area schools are
currently utilizing it in their
classrooms. She even got an
order from a preschool in
Florida. Jones, who credits
some of her own elementary
school teachers in the book,
said she was pleasantly sur
prised by the enthusiasm her
work has received.
"I guess it really became
surreal when people were.
asking me to sign it," she said
of the book, which sells for
$10. "I didn't look at it as
being that great, I just looked
at it as being something I
loved to do."
Prior to going back to
school, Jones had been a cos
metologist for over 10 years.
Xhe 3;-y^ar-old.. ' who.
already has a second boos in I
the works, believes she has]
found her calling.
"I always knew as a child
that 1 was a writer, I just did
n't know which avenue to
follow," she related. "...I
think that that's what hap
pened to me in a lot of differ
ent areas of my life; I've
come full circle and gone
back to where I needed to
be."
"What's that Word,
Ajani?" is available at
www.amazon.com. Body &
Soul on Trade Street,
www.createspace.com/36684
93 or by calling 336-754
4257.
Becky Carter
Photo by Layla Fanner
Author Tamico
Jones holds her
book. Her son
Ajanl was the
inspiration for
her first foray
into children's
literature.
Rep. Larry Womble
NC House of Representatives
71st District
Tel (336) 784-9373
Fax (336) 784-1626
E-Mail: LWistm@aol.com
Home Address
1294 Salem Lake Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27107
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