Here’s the Problem with Children’s Books and the Solution

Working cover of upcoming children’s book Erika Tames a Dragon. It’s the best kids’ book of this generation.

Erika is a 10-year-old girl without fear from the Southside of Chicago, and her character was inspired by what I couldn’t find for my own 8-year-old daughter.

The Problem With Children’s Books

What I wanted was a fun book with adventures for my daughter, but I instead found stories about kids punching through the sky to confront gods. Or I found books where kids walked into the woods and then had to fight demons. Or they had to explore generational trauma through historical figures. This was too much. My question was, where are all the fun books without all the trauma?

The fact is, characters like Erika rarely appear in fiction for kids without undue pressure. Erika Tames a Dragon is the complete opposite.

With her close friend Jamal, Erika explores a magical world and uses STEM to beat the odds. Employing empathy, problem-solving and skills, she takes on a dragon. And she does this all with her curfew clock ticking in the background.

My intent for this book was for it to be an exciting but also nonviolent read. It does this successfully with a talking animals, high stakes and genuine engagement.

This book is for every kid who just wants to read a book, have some fun and see the protagonist earn a win. Subscribe and stay tuned for the release this fall.

Jermaine Reed, MFA is an educator and the Editor-in-Chief of TheReedersBlock. Take time to Subscribe. It helps promote independent journalism and the site. Follow him on TikTok, where he has over 9 million views and nearly 1 million likes. Help him get there. Email editor@thereedersblock.com with any questions.