Quill Reed is an author, illustrator, and mother who has self-published two children’s books – Light Skin, Dark Skin and Sparkling in the Eyes of the Sun – as a tribute to her young daughter and a testament to her love of writing. When I first met Quill via email, I was drawn to her passion, which was more or less oozing through her words. It’s my joy to show you all a sneak peek of her two works!

Light Skin, Dark Skin

Reed’s first work, Light Skin, Dark Skin, is a poem about the beauty of all people with all facial features, different skin tones, hair textures, noses, etc.Reed was inspired to write the book after an episode on the Oprah Winfrey Network on the famous Doll Test performed by Kenneth and Mamie Clark in the 1940s, which has since been reproduced numerous times with similar results. Hopefully Reed’s book will help children accept and love whatever skin they have. There is reference to various cultures – black, Native American, Hawaiian, etc – making this work appropriate for people all around the world. The message of self-love and self-empowerment is timely given the attacks against women and people of color in our time, so Dark Skin, Light Skin is a recommended read for children of all ages.

Sparkling in the Eyes of the Sun

Reed’s second work, Sparkling in the Eyes of the Sun, is a short story about a girl who endures bullying at school. While the character is struggling with homelessness, the narrative of a child being bullied can resonate with many youth. The resolution, encouraged both by the teacher and the child’s mother, is inspired by the sun – but I won’t give it all away! Appropriate for school aged children, the hand drawn Illustrations help illuminate the story’s positive message.

Both of these books are available in both Kindle and Paperback from from Amazon.com.

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