Giving the Gift of Representation This Holiday Season

October 28, 2020 (Concord, CA) - Hey Carter! Books is spreading the gift of holiday cheer and representation by hosting Virtual Storytime with Cocoa Santa. Beginning on Sunday, November 29th at 10:30 AM (EST), and every following Sunday until Christmas, Cocoa Santa will read a book from Hey Carter! Books series. There will also be giveaways and a holiday singalong. Each child who attends the storytime will receive a special gift in the mail from Cocoa Santa that includes a Hey Carter! Books coloring book and a multicultural crayons pack. Virtual Storytime with Cocoa Santa is an opportunity for children of color to enjoy a Christmas moment with a Santa who looks like them.

Hey Carter! Books was founded in 2016 and is a black-owned publishing company. Their mission is to provide a representation of Black and brown boys in children’s books. Thomisha Booker launched Hey Carter! Books after the birth of her son, Carter, as she was disappointed in the lack of representation in children’s books. Hey Carter! Books focus on building self-identity and confidence in young Black and brown boys. Recently, Thomisha’s work Brown Boy Joy was featured in the Netflix original series Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices featuring Jill Scott, Common, and Tiffany Haddish. She is the only self-published author among the cast of celebrities and New York Times Best Selling Authors.

“Christmas is a holiday where Black children and families are often missing from the narrative. Entire storylines are created around this one day but somehow we are always left out. I see myself as a curator for magical worlds where Black children are represented. This year Hey Carter! Books is bringing the magic of Christmas to homes with our Virtual Storytime. We will be giving away free prizes and spreading holiday cheer, Cocoa Santa style. I am so excited for children to see themselves in such a magical holiday. This is what representation looks like! “ says Thomisha Booker, Author of Hey Carter! Books.

Storytimes:

November 29th at 7:30 AM (PST) , 9:30 AM (CST), 10:30 AM (EST)

December 6th at 7:30 AM (PST) , 9:30 AM (CST), 10:30 AM (EST)

December 13th at 7:30 AM (PST) , 9:30 AM (CST), 10:30 AM (EST)

December 20th at 7:30 AM (PST) , 9:30 AM (CST), 10:30 AM (EST)

Tickets for storytime with Cocoa Santa can be purchased at https://bit.ly/cocoasantastorytime. For more information about Hey Carter! Books and Virtual Storytime with Cocoa Santa, visit  www.heycarterbooks.com. For media inquiries, please email Candice Nicole at candice@candicenicoelpr.com.

About the Author

Hey Carter! Books was founded in 2016 and is a black-owned publishing company by Thomishia Booker. Thomishia is a wife, mother and licensed therapist who works full time as a healthcare administrator. Earning a Masters in Social Work and Doctorate in Education Counseling Psychology, she spent the early part of her career working in Early Childhood Mental Health. Her background serves as a foundation for writing books focused on building self-confidence and pride among children of color. She is also a part of the Black Literary Collective (Building Leaders and Activists with Collective Knowledge) a group of Black authors in the Bay Area working to decolonize educational spaces.

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