Illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow

On Sale: Jul 8, 2025
Page Count: 40 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9780316073158

$9.99

$12.99 CAD

Format

Format:

Picture Book $9.99 $12.99 CAD
Hardcover $18.99 $24.99 CAD

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In this exciting picture book by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, bestselling author of I Love My Hair!, Keyana heads back to school where she learns how to use her voice and share her joy and confidence.

Keyana has come up with the perfect idea for a class project, and getting it done is pretty fun! All she has to do is pick the people and places she loves around her school. But when the teacher asks Keyana to present the project in front of everyone, she’ll have to find a little bit of confidence and a big way to share.

Praise for the KEYANA series:

Tarpley’s pleasant, relatable text and Barlow’s vivid soft-pastel illustrations combine here to create a heartwarming story…This book is a beauty to behold.―Booklist

A celebration of big ideas, teamwork, and family…A loving depiction of a warm, affectionate Black family.
―Kirkus

In a delightful story about Black child joy and family, Tarpley gives us an adorable and dynamic main character in Keyana, who has presence and confidence aplenty… A recommended purchase for collections needing a little more Black joy on the shelves.―School Library Journal

Genre:

Series:

Keyana

Natasha Anastasia Tarpley started writing when she was seven years old, and from that young age she understood that stories could change the world. She is the author of the bestselling picture book I Love My Hair!, Bippity Bop Barbershop, and The Me I Choose to Be, among other titles. Natasha is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and is the cofounder of Voonderbar! Media, a project seeking to expand the depictions of children of color in media. This is the third book in her Keyana series, which includes KEYANA LOVES HER FAMILY and KEYANA LOVES HER FRIEND. She lives with her family in Chicago, Illinois.

Charnelle Pinkney Barlow was born and raised in Poughkeepsie, New York. She received her BFA in Illustration from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and her MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Creating images and stories that speak to the hearts of children and those that guide them is her greatest joy. Charnelle currently lives in Indianapolis, Indiana with her husband. In addition to the Keyana series, she is also the illustrator of Remember to Dream, Ebere; The Real Santa; Just Like Mama; and many other titles.

“A heartfelt ode to African American educators….A joyous depiction of an educational experience that all children deserve.”
Kirkus

Activity Kit

Natasha Anastasia Tarpley

About the Author

Natasha Anastasia Tarpley started writing when she was seven years old, and from that young age she understood that stories could change the world. She is the author of the bestselling picture book I Love My Hair!, Bippity Bop Barbershop, and The Me I Choose to Be, among other titles. Natasha is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and is the cofounder of Voonderbar! Media, a project seeking to expand the depictions of children of color in media. This is the fourth book in her Keyana series, which includes KEYANA LOVES HER FAMILY, KEYANA LOVES HER FRIEND, and KEYANA LOVES SCHOOL. She lives with her family in Chicago, Illinois.

Charnelle Pinkney Barlow was born and raised in Poughkeepsie, New York. She received her BFA in Illustration from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and her MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Creating images and stories that speak to the hearts of children and those that guide them is her greatest joy. Charnelle currently lives in Indianapolis, Indiana with her husband. In addition to the Keyana series, she is also the illustrator of Remember to Dream, Ebere; The Real Santa; Just Like Mama; and many other titles.

Learn more about this author