by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
Hi Tara! Thank you for having me on your blog today and hosting the cover reveal of ABDUL’S STORY, a picture book written by me and illustrated by Tiffany Rose (with art direction by Tom Daly).
ABDUL’S STORY is about a young boy who has many stories to tell about his community in Philadelphia. However, during writing period in his class each day, he never writes these or any stories because he’s ashamed of how he writes. His handwriting is sloppy. He misspells many words. Sometimes, he even writes some letters backward.
On top of these struggles, he also doesn’t see the stories of his community as being welcome because the stories read in his classroom are about people and communities that are not like the ones he knows.
Mr. Muhammad, a writer who looks like Abdul and tells stories like Abdul’s, visits his class and helps him to change his view. Abdul learns that the story he has to tell is valuable even if he struggles with writing, and even if his story is different.
The Story Behind the Story
The idea for ABDUL’S STORY came out of my work as a writer working in Mighty Writers community centers for kids. My main job was often to help kids see themselves as writers. I once taught a workshop for children, called “Get Published, Kids!” The goal was to help kids write stories for publication in magazines. There, I met a student (I’ll call him H) in this workshop who wrote one sentence in his writer’s notebook and told me he was done.
When I encouraged H to write more, he gestured to the other kids busily writing at his table with full pages in their notebooks and said, “I can’t be a writer like them.” H was only maybe six or seven years old at the time. It troubled me that a child so young could see himself as already incapable of doing something. The more I talked with him about his story, the more I realized that H lacked confidence because he couldn’t write neatly and had trouble spelling words. Still, I pushed him to write much more and to see value in the things he wrote.
At the end of our workshop session, H proudly showed his father the many pages he wrote that day. He did something he thought he was incapable of and was smiling from ear-to-ear. While that was gratifying, I thought a lot about other kids similar to H who don’t have empowering experiences with writing. What is a story that could help them?
Words of Advice for Aspiring PB Authors
My advice for PB authors is the same advice I would give to Abdul in my story and H: Remember that there is value in the story that you have to tell. Mine your experiences for the best material, and don’t dismiss your experiences just because they aren’t represented in books. Often the stories that are missing are the best stories. Additionally, don’t underestimate yourself just because you need to grow as a writer. Keep trying. Keep doing the work. You never know what you might be capable of.
And now…the cover reveal!
ABDUL’S STORY releases March 29th, 2022 from Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster. Pre-order a copy today online or from your local independent bookstore.
And Jamilah will be giving away a signed copy of ABDUL’S STORY once it releases.
Leave one comment below to enter.
A random winner will be selected soon.
Good luck!
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow is a Philadelphia-based educator and award-winning children’s book author. A curriculum writer and former English teacher, she has educated children and teens in traditional and alternative learning settings for over 15 years. Her picture books and middle-grade fiction center young Black Muslim protagonists and have been recognized as the best in children’s literature by Time Magazine, Read Across America, and NPR. Her books include Mommy’s Khimar and Your Name is a Song, an Irma Black Honor book. Her upcoming books include ABDUL’S STORY (2022), HOLD THEM CLOSE (2022), and SALAT IN SECRET (2023).
Find Jamilah online at jamilahthewriter.com, on Twitter @jtbigelow, and on Instagram @authorjamilah.
49 comments
Comments feed for this article
June 28, 2021 at 12:29 pm
Josh Funk
WOO HOO! Congrats! Can’t wait!
June 28, 2021 at 12:47 pm
tinamcho
Congrats, Jamilah! Love the story behind this story!
June 28, 2021 at 12:59 pm
Brian Burak
Love this perspective. Thank you!
June 28, 2021 at 1:06 pm
carlislemalone
This sounds amazing. Adding to my to be purchased list for my classroom (and my own reading, TBH). Congratulations to Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow and Tiffany Rose on this important book!
June 28, 2021 at 1:13 pm
jenlinville2021
I love this story so much. I have worked with some H’s in my time & anything we can do to encourage them to keep trying & keep going can make a huge impact. Thank you for writing this!
June 28, 2021 at 1:17 pm
Susan Claus
Thank you for encouraging the next generation of writers!
June 28, 2021 at 1:18 pm
Deb Buschman (@DebBuschman)
Congrats on Abdul’s Story and all the other releases you have coming up. I can relate to H’s issues because I have two sons with dyslexia and writing was not fun for them growing up. Thanks for creating this book!
June 28, 2021 at 1:21 pm
Kassy Keppol
How timely for me to see this today. I just finished teaching a workshop for teachers on how to teach writing in an Emerging Bilinguals Classroom. This description of your story matches what I was telling teachers today, and some of what we were problem solving in our session. So, I have given them a link to this article. I think your book will be a great addition to their classrooms and mine.
June 28, 2021 at 1:22 pm
Bethanny Parker
That sounds like a great story. Congrats!
June 28, 2021 at 1:48 pm
rosecappelli
Love this story, Jamilah! Thanks for writing it! I think there are many young writers who will feel empowered by your words.
June 28, 2021 at 2:19 pm
romontanaro
Congratulations Jamilah … Wonderful advice too! All the best, Rosanna (Commenting only – I live in Canada)
June 28, 2021 at 2:26 pm
Jilanne Hoffmann
I love the cover! My son struggle with writing, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was always comparing himself to me. Part of it was the gap between his precocious reading capabilities and his struggle with organizing and retaining his ideas while he worked to write them down. I’m pleased to say that now at age 17, he’s a good writer. Phewf! So glad you wrote this book!
June 28, 2021 at 2:35 pm
readmybook2002
I like your story and the advice you gave to writers; “There is value in the story that you have to tell.
June 28, 2021 at 2:45 pm
Lindsay H. Metcalf 🎤🚜🔬📚 (@lindsayhmetcalf)
Congrats, Jamilah! Sounds like a terrific story.
June 28, 2021 at 2:50 pm
judyrubin13
Thank you, Jamilah, for sharing your story. H was so fortunate to have you as a teacher, and we are fortunate that you shared his story with us.
June 28, 2021 at 2:57 pm
chardixon47
Congratulations Jamilah! Thank you for sharing the backstory behind your story. Lack of confidence can certainly take away incentive. Your story is inspiring and filled with hope. I’m adding Abdul’s Story to my TBR list.
June 28, 2021 at 3:07 pm
Deborah Agranat Sullivan
Jamilah – I love the story behind ABDUL’S STORY! You truly made a difference and will continue to do so with this book – can’t wait to read it!
June 28, 2021 at 3:44 pm
kathydoherty1
I can’t wait to meet Abdul! I think I can identify with his journey.
June 28, 2021 at 4:08 pm
Sylvia Mary Grech
Congrats to you!
June 28, 2021 at 4:21 pm
Teresa Rodrigues
Thanks for sharing the backstory, Jamilah! Congrats and I can’t wait to read this!
June 28, 2021 at 4:27 pm
Arlene Schenker
thanks for sharing the inspiring back story of your new book, Jamilah. Good luck with it!
June 28, 2021 at 5:01 pm
D. Metzke
I’m so excited about this story! Can’t wait for March!
June 28, 2021 at 5:42 pm
chaunceyelephant
Love that you helped to empower H to write – your book will do that for many others!
June 28, 2021 at 5:50 pm
Kaye Baillie
I love the backstory and how H found new confidence. Lovely cover reveal too. Congratulations to Jamilah and Tiffany.
June 28, 2021 at 6:25 pm
Beth Raff
This sounds like a book that many kids need to hear! Would love to be able to share it.
June 28, 2021 at 7:46 pm
Stephen S. Martin
where there is a will, and a mentor, there is a way. Great job.
June 28, 2021 at 7:57 pm
aliciaminor
It’s a great idea to provide the backstories of stories to give us more in-depth knowledge of how stories came about. Congrats and wish you more books to come.
June 28, 2021 at 8:04 pm
nicolesalterbraun
I love this!
June 28, 2021 at 9:01 pm
Valerie Bolling
Jamilah, you are AMAZING! What a wonderful story behind the story.
June 28, 2021 at 9:56 pm
Claire A. B. Freeland
ABDUL’S STORY sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing the backstory.
June 28, 2021 at 10:01 pm
Roberta Abussi
“Remember that there is value in the story that you have to tell” what a powerful reminder. Thank you and congratulations!
June 28, 2021 at 10:12 pm
YauMei Chiang
Relatable story! I had a student who lacked confidence in his writing. I would love to read this book. Congratulations, Jamilah, and thank you.
June 28, 2021 at 10:40 pm
seschipper
Congratulations to both Jamilah and Tiffany! Love the background story! It reminds me of so many students in our classes that must feel the same stress! Looking forward to adding this to our collection! 🙂
June 28, 2021 at 11:44 pm
Lyn Miller-Lachmann
What a great story behind the story! I can’t wait for this book, and I know the kids will truly appreciate it.
June 29, 2021 at 2:41 am
Sandhya Rose
That is amazing advice Jamilah. Thank you and to Tara for sharing your story!
June 29, 2021 at 2:42 am
Mirka H
So fun to see you here Jamilah!
June 29, 2021 at 8:13 am
Tonnye Fletcher
I love that backstory, Jamilah! Thanks for sharing bits of your journey! The cover looks wonderful and I know this book will empower more kids to tell their stories! Good luck!
June 29, 2021 at 8:39 am
CeCeLibrarian
This story sounds like a great inspiration for students and I am looking forward to sharing Abdul’s story with my students. I adore Tiffany Rose’s work on the illustrations. Congratulations to you both!
June 29, 2021 at 9:12 am
ptnozell
I look forward to reading & reviewing this! What an important & empowering story to share!
June 29, 2021 at 10:30 am
Rebecca Van Slyke
Thanks for your story-behind-the-story, Jamilah! I know some second grade students that will see themselves in it and be inspired by Abdul’s story.
June 30, 2021 at 6:51 am
yangmommy
Such an important message to share that we all have stories to tell & they’re all, well, important! As an educator myself, I can’t wait to read this book & share e/ my classes. Congrats!
June 30, 2021 at 9:59 am
Fern Glazer
Congratulations, Jamiliah. It’s so exciting to see a book penned by a fellow Philadelphian and someone else who is a fan of Mighty Writers! May this be the first of many more books for you, giving voice and help to those children who need it most.
June 30, 2021 at 5:50 pm
GP Bell
Love this story about H!
June 30, 2021 at 6:37 pm
Lisa Maucione (@DrLMaucione)
I can’t wait to read this. It sounds like a great story. Love the cover!
July 1, 2021 at 10:46 am
Natasha K
Congratulations! What a wonderful MC, I can’t wait to meet Abdul. Thank you for sharing your inspiration.
July 2, 2021 at 10:46 am
Nancy Ferguson
Wonderful advice! H is a much more confident child, thank you! Congratulations on Abdul’s Story.
July 5, 2021 at 6:29 pm
Teresa 何 Robeson
Congratulations to Jamilah on this (and other!) upcoming book! I look forward to reading it.
July 6, 2021 at 3:38 pm
Jenny Morales
Oh! What an important story! I’d love to have this book in my ESL classroom.
July 12, 2021 at 12:40 pm
Laura Bower
I absolutely love the story behind Abdul’s Story!! Congratulations!