R.E.L. was an 11th grader at Ballou Senior High School when she authored her book. She likes to dance, read, write, and draw. This is her first time writing a book with Reach and she is very excited. She’s met a lot of people through Reach and she really hopes that her readers will like her book.
BOOKS BY REL
NONPROFIT PARTNER
The teen tutors of Reach Incorporated noticed that few children's books reflected their reality. They decided to do something about that: they wrote their own. Now these teens have written eight original books, and are diversifying children's literature, one smart-fun-real-brave-bold story at a time. Learn more.
REVIEWS
I like the dedication, because it shows that this book meant to give people courage. I like that Asia, the hyena, said they have to work together to escape. I like that they used persistence to get out and to get the lion pack to not kill the hyenas. I like the hyenas peacefully protesting. The most meaningful line of the book is: “Mya stood up on her back legs and said ‘I might be young, but my voice matters.'” The other most meaningful line is: “We are tired of fighting all the time. It is not benefiting anyone, we need to come in peace.”
I thought the best part was when they stood together against the elders. We all hear a lot about working together and seeing people for who they are, but less about how hard it is to defend someone who is different than you to a group with known strong, dissenting opinions. Research says that bullying can be minimized if other kids try to stop it; that would certainly be easier to do if you were a united front as Asia and Mya are.
ISBN: 978-1945434044
by R.E.L., Taijah, and Nasseem of Reach Incorporated
Lions rule the savanna kingdom and are taught to hate hyenas, who compete for the same resources. Then Mya the Lion and Asia the Hyena both get caught by a trapper and have to work together to escape. When they return home, they have to deal with protests and a face-off between their two species, and Mya has to make a tough decision: Should she rest easy in her lion power or speak up for her new hyena friend?