Media Events

Decatur Elementary School Receives Book Donation From Local Children’s Author and Publisher

Author’s Book Aims to Help Students Reduce Screen Time and Increase Physical Activity

Decatur, Ga. (May 1, 2019) – Children’s book author, publisher and public health scientist Dr. Tanya Telfair LeBlanc, pen name T.T. Telfair, read and donated her book Kenya Brown’s Summer Time Blues to second grade classes at Kelley Lake Elementary (KLE) School in Decatur on May 1. The event was coordinated by KLE Principal Peggy Davis in partnership with Katie Smillie of the Atlanta Friends Meeting.

The book presents the story of how a rising second grader creates interesting, skill enhancing, do-it-yourself summer activities at home. Telfair gifted copies of her book to inspire the students to read more and create low-cost projects of their own this summer.

“Kenya Brown’s Summer Time Blues was inspired by my personal experiences with my daughter,” said Telfair. “When she expressed her boredom, my response was simple: ‘If you have a brain, you can choose not to be bored!’ I hope to help Kelley Lake Elementary students reduce screen time and use their creative abilities to plan fun activities to do at home.” 

Telfair started her publishing company, Jane Stirling Publishing, in 2018 to enhance the quality, variety, and narrative of books available to and about children of color.

About Telfair

After a long career as an educator, public health scientist, mentor and writer of non-fiction, and in the interest of supporting racial/ethnic minority children for improving education and life outcomes, Telfair began writing and designing books targeting the 4 to 8 age group. Her books enhance vocabulary development, build critical thinking skills, knowledge about the world, emphasize the importance of learning through the adventures of fictional characters in visually appealing fun, instructive text.

April 28, 2019

Author T. T. Telfair shared a reading of Kenya Brown's Summer Time Blues to an outstanding group of Daisy Girls Scouts and led the girls in a fun craft based on activities in the book!  Parents and children were delighted!