Mother-Daughter Team Create Book Collection, Levi and Toonk, For Gifted Children of Color
Mother-Daughter Team Create Book Collection, Levi and Toonk, For Gifted Children of Color
Author Nakia Montgomery and daughter, Bri Smocks, share their journey creating their children's book series, Levi and Toonk. Inspired by Nakia's grandson, the collection follows the whims and life learnings of Levi accompanied by his imaginary friend, Toonk. By establishing this book series, they hope to see more minority leads in children's books and promote a love of reading for all, especially for gifted children of color.
Can you each share your personal journeys leading up to the creation of Levi and Toonk?
Bri: My name is Bri, and I am the editor in chief of Levi and Toonk LLC. Growing up, my mother instilled a strong love of literature and learning, which inspired me to achieve higher education. After my BA, I pursued an MA in Education from Southern Methodist University, taught for a few years, then returned to get another MA at the University of North Texas. Throughout my academic career, I planted strong roots in national organizations for women of color and African American communities. I recently moved from Texas to California to pursue my career in education in tandem with my work with Levi and Toonk.
Nakia: I am Nakia Montgomery, the creator of Levi and Toonk LLC. Reading was my safe haven as a child. The 3rd of 11 children, I would often sit in my room, write poetry, and get drawn into my favorite authors' worlds -- Judy Blume and Langston Hughes to name a few. I had such a wild imagination and would tell myself that one day I would be an author.
Mother-Daughter Team Create Book Collection, Levi and Toonk, For Gifted Children of Color
How did the mother-daughter collaboration begin?
Nakia: The birth of my grandson reminded me of my childhood dreams of writing professionally. I wondered - how would it feel if I started to write again?
Bri: In 2019, my mom mentioned she wanted to write books about Levi. She had such a clear vision. I knew I had to help her make this dream come alive. Throughout the process, we both have grown into our own roles and identified our skillsets. While this is definitely a team effort, my mom is the creative force, while I take care of the business side of the things.
In a nutshell, how would you describe the Levi and Toonk collection?
Nakia: Each collection is inspired by a year of Levi's life and offers relevant life lessons. With Levi, there's a lot of material. I get inspired by anything from his mannerisms to his home videos. Toonk, the narrator of the series, acts as Levi's imaginary friend, consciousness and alter-ego. Since these collections are meant as educational tools, we offer word lists with each collection to help students develop their vocabulary.
Bri: We've released our first collection and are now working on our second which is focused on the terrible 2s. Because of COVID19, our production halted, but it’s allowing us more time to finish out this collection.
Mother-Daughter Team Create Book Collection, Levi and Toonk, For Gifted Children of Color
Any advice for mother-daughter teams?
Bri: Define clear roles and responsibilities. We came to an understanding of our titles and established protocols for our business. Once those roles are defined, trust each other to carry and execute on your decisions.
Nakia: Before we jump into any Levi and Toonk discussion, we have a devotional, say our affirmations, end with a prayer, and then handle business. When we set up our interactions like that, it keeps us humble in our faith.
Bri: To build something from the ground up, you need ambition and tenacity. We stopped limiting our abilities and decided that if we wanted something bad enough, we could create a plan, accept failures, and get uncomfortable with the unknown. People should feel free to create, invent, start their own business, and do so with their loved ones.
Nakia: And finally, use your passion to fuel your purpose. If there is a passion brewing inside of you, and you feel that it’s your purpose, unapologetically make it happen.