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Children's Book Series | Adventures of a Boy Named Brooks

@aboynamedbrooks

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📚 Children’s books with heart for ages 3–8
💡 Kindness, courage, SEL, and Black history for all
🙋🏾‍♂️ Meet Brooks and his village
Shop and learn ↓

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I was shaking so bad... Nerves everywhere... Would they like it or wonder why I was even there? But the reaction from these kids made me so proud. It's what I dreamed about when I created the series and this first book. It all came together in the end.

LESSON: Do it scared! One way or another, it all works out for the best. 💛

I cannot wait to read my second book, "Brooks and the Great Big Playground Song," to the kids at @natureschooloffairview! Thank you again for having me.

#BrooksAndTheGreatBigBarkOff #adventuresofaboynamedbrooks #BrooksAndTheGreatBigPlaygroundSong #WeDidItJoe #representationmatters taken in Nature School of Fairview by @aboynamedbrooks

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a year ago

Thank you @natureschooloffairview 🌿 for having me do readings of Brooks and the Great Big Bark-Off to your amazing kids! 🐕 The tea party theme, puppy hats, doggie cupcakes, engaged kiddos, and wonderful staff are forever etched in my memories! I'm so humbled at how the kids received the story! 🐶❤️🧒🏾

#brooksadventures #childrensbooks #brooksandthegreatbigbarkoff #natureschooloffairview #fairview #adventuresofaboynamedbrooks ##availableonamazon #dogstories #dfw #childrebsbookauthor by @aboynamedbrooks

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a year ago

🥰 We're thrilled to see the amazing response to Brooks and the Great Big Bark-Off!

Thank you for spreading the word, sharing your thoughts, and reviewing!

My goal with this series was to blend social-emotional learning, fascinating historical tidbits, imaginative storytelling, and confidence-boosting themes for kids.

Now, Book 2 is underway! We can't wait to share it with you!

#brooksadventures #adventuresofaboynamedbrooks #childrensbooks #availableonamazon #childrebsbookauthor #dfw #dogstories #dogsofinstagram #KidsLitFun #kidsbooksforsale #kidsliterature taken in DFW Area, Texas by @aboynamedbrooks

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a year ago

by @aboynamedbrooks

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2 months ago

I am still trying to find the right words for this...

Being recognized as one of Black Impact Magazine's 26 Women of Impact for 2026 is an incredible honor. Thank you to Black Impact Magazine and Black Leaders Worldwide for this recognition. I am truly humbled to be included alongside so many remarkable women.

This recognition means so much to me because healthcare has never been just a career.

I lost my father to a heart attack in my 20s.
Years later, I experienced eclampsia during pregnancy, and my son Brooks was born six weeks early, spending his first nine days in the NICU. Those moments changed me. They shaped how I see healthcare and why I've dedicated my career to helping people better understand it and access the care they need.

Over the last 15 years, I've had the privilege of helping nearly half a million people better understand, access care, and take the steps to become healthier. Along the way, I've often been the only Black person in the room. Rather than seeing that as something to overcome, I've tried to see it as a responsibility.

When I'm building a campaign or thinking through a member experience, I still ask myself:

• Would my mom understand this?

• What barriers are we overlooking?

• Who isn't represented in this experience?

Because representation isn't just about who appears in a campaign. It's about whose voice is heard while it's being created and how that is reflected in every email, piece of mail, website, and app experience.

At the end of the day, I don't think my life's work is marketing or even healthcare. I think it boils down to creating connection. When people feel seen, supported, and connected, they're more likely to access care, take action, and improve their health.

Thank you to everyone who has believed in me, mentored me, challenged me, and cheered me on. ❤️

If you'd like to read my full story, along with the inspiring stories of the other 25 incredible women featured this year, you can order a hard copy of the magazine here:
🔗 https://www.blkimpact.co.uk/order⁠

#26of26 #WomenOfImpact #blackimpactmagazine by @aboynamedbrooks

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3 months ago

If you know me personally, then you know Peanut...

You know the sassy, funny, bossy little dog who thought he ran the house. The one who went viral chasing the UPS man (sorry again to our favorite delivery guy). The one who howled every single time I left town. The best cuddler. The greediest dog who thought he deserved some of whatever you were eating. Ten pounds of pure chaos and personality lol.

Peanut has crossed over after becoming really sick recently. Eight years together doesn’t feel like enough. My heart is broken in a way I wasn’t prepared for. But I’m so grateful for every laugh, every cuddle, every side eye, every bark.

And somehow, I know his spirit isn’t going anywhere. Peanut will always live on in my Adventures of a Boy Named Brooks series, our memories, and in the little pieces of him that shaped my household.

Forever my baby. by @aboynamedbrooks

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8 months ago

Black history is innovation, imagination, courage, and joy. It is stories passed down, barriers broken, and futures built.

This month we celebrate Black History Month, but the truth is Black history deserves to be honored all year long.

Did you know the traffic light was invented by Garrett Morgan, or that Marie Van Brittan Brown created the first home security system. The first Black woman to travel to space was Mae Jemison, and the refrigerator truck that transformed food access was invented by Frederick McKinley Jones. Even peanut butter has roots in Black agricultural science thanks to George Washington Carver’s research.
From science and music to literature, activism, and everyday life, Black history is living, growing, and shaping our world every single day.

Challenge: This month, learn one new fact about a Black innovator, artist, or leader and share it with someone else. Let’s keep these stories moving forward all year long!

#BlackHistoryMonth
#BlackExcellence
#BlackInnovators
#CelebrateBlackHistory
#InspiringTheNextGeneration by @aboynamedbrooks

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8 months ago

💛💛💛💛 @storytimelearningwithmissnelly reads it better than I do! 😂 I am so obsessed with this reading, her ad libs, and the music she made to it! Check out the full reading on her YouTube channel! https://youtu.be/-I9QNanJXCA?feature=shared #adventuresofaboynamedbrooks #brooksandthegreatbigplaygroundsong #childrensbooks #storytimelearningwithmissnelly #music #autism #friendship #blackhistory #americanhistory by @aboynamedbrooks

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9 months ago

Oh my goodness. I am still smiling and a little teary after watching this. 💛 @storytimelearningwithmissnelly

Miss Nelly, from the very first page, you read Brooks and the Great Big Bark-Off exactly the way I always hoped it would be read out loud. Full of warmth, personality, and so much joy. Hearing my story come to life through your voice, your expressions, and your energy was honestly one of those full-circle moments I will never forget.

And when you read the dedication… whew. That part got me. 🥹

To hear those words spoken out loud by someone else, with such care and heart, reminded me why I wrote this story in the first place. For kids to feel encouraged. For families to feel seen. For courage and teamwork to feel real and reachable, even in the small moments.

Parents, teachers, caregivers, and anyone with little ones ages 2 to 8, please do yourselves a favor and go watch Miss Nelly’s read-aloud on YouTube. She is an absolute treasure. The way she connects with kids, keeps them engaged, and makes stories feel fun and meaningful at the same time is something special. This is the kind of reading experience that makes kids fall in love with books.

Miss Nelly, thank you for choosing Brooks, Leti, and Peanut. Thanks for pouring so much love into this reading and for sharing your beautiful gift with so many families. I am beyond grateful. My heart is so full.

Link is in my bio. Please go check out her YouTube channel and show some love! 💛📚✨ #storytimelearningwithmissnelly #readalong #brooksandthegreatbigbarkoff #AdventuresOfABoyNamedBrooks by @aboynamedbrooks

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9 months ago

Today I took my son to the @planoafricanamerican for MLK Jr. Day and I honestly did not expect to be so moved. We went to learn about the Douglass Community, a historic Black neighborhood in Plano where families built their own schools, churches, and businesses when they were not given access to the same resources as everyone else. But what stayed with me most was not just the history, it was the people.

Everyone was so kind and welcoming. Neighbors were literally popping in and out of the museum, talking, laughing, checking on each other. You could feel how tight this community still is. They showed us the old well and the outhouse and explained what daily life was really like, which made everything feel real and not just something from a textbook.

At one point they even invited us to come back and do a book reading for the kids in the community, which honestly caught me off guard in the best way. It just felt really special to be welcomed like that.

I left feeling grateful for the experience and really glad we went. This was such a good way to spend the day with my little one and a reminder that these stories are not just history, they are people, families, and neighborhoods that still matter right now. 🤎

Brooks wearing his new @activelyblack "We are the future" hoodie with historical black leaders listed on the sleeve. #obsessed 🥰🖤 taken in Plano African American Museum by @aboynamedbrooks

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9 months ago

MLK Day for kids (DFW edition) 💛

“The time is always right to do what is right.” : Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

If you’ve ever wondered how to explain MLK Day to little kids without making it heavy (but still keeping it true)… you’re not alone.

Dr. King was a pastor, a husband, a dad, and a leader who worked so Black Americans could have equal rights. He believed in nonviolent change: using brave words, peaceful marches, and community teamwork (not hate) to fight unfair laws.

Here’s our super simple 5-minute kindness lesson for ages 2–8:
1) Talk about “fair” vs. “unfair” (and what it feels like to be left out)
2) “Dr. King helped people work together so everyone could be treated fairly.”
3) Ask: “What’s one right thing we can do today?”

No-prep activities:
• Paper kindness chain
• “I have a dream…” picture
• Kindness scavenger hunt
• Read a picture book about courage + kindness

I wrote a full MLK Day for Kids in DFW post with prompts by age + simple activities.
👉 Link in bio to read it.

(And if you want stories that keep these conversations going all year, the Adventures of a Boy Named Brooks series is at aboynamedbrooks.com/books.)

How are you honoring MLK Day with your kiddos today? by @aboynamedbrooks

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9 months ago

Let’s be honest: some nights, reading to my kid is less “magical bonding” and more “please let me finish this one page without a chicken nugget emergency.”

But here’s the wild thing: even when I’m half asleep, we’re building more than memories.

Those snuggled-up storytimes are SEL gold. (That’s social-emotional learning: kid-speak for practicing how to handle big feelings, use kind words, and try to be a good human when life is extra annoying.)

Empathy, patience, courage… they learn it page by page, and so do I (hello, deep breaths when the book gets read for the 5th straight time).

It’s not about getting it perfect. It’s about showing up. Books help kids practice putting themselves in someone else’s shoes, naming their feelings, and celebrating differences: sometimes while wearing pajamas backwards!

So if storytime looks like chaos at your house, congratulations: you’re doing it right.

What book are you *actually* reading for the millionth time this week? Drop your favorites below: I need new material!

#MomLife #FamilyBonding #SocialEmotionalLearning #SEL #ReadTogether #BrooksBookClub by @aboynamedbrooks

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