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Author Talk: Books N Bros with Sidney Keys III

Black History Month Author Talk

In collaboration with Mocha Media, the DC Public Library is excited to have Sidney Keys III, a teen entrepreneur, and literacy advocate, discuss Books and Bros: 44 Inspiring Books for Black Boys.

We're inviting young readers to join us live at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library for a conversation with Sidney Keys III, about his book Books and Bros: 44 Inspiring Books for Black Boys. Sidney will discuss his inspiration for the book and participate in a Q & A with the audience.

The first 50 registrants will receive a copy of Books and Bros courtesy of the DC Public Library Foundation.

Find additional Black History Month events, recommended reads, research tools, streaming music and much more.

Sidney Keys III is a St. Louis, MO, 16-year-old native, literary activist, entrepreneur, and published author who decided to take his love for reading to the next level and create Books n Bros at age 10! Having multiple meet-ups with different boys, ages 7-13 years old, as a way to advocate for African American literacy, he is paving the way for change. 

Sidney has always loved to read, but one day, he realized he didn’t see many protagonists who looked like him. The day he stepped into a bookstore full of African American literacy, those books turned into windows that soon led to his life changing drastically for the better. You may recognize him from appearances in Oprah’s magazine, Good Morning America, CNN, Huffington Post, and on Disney+ as a MARVEL Hero!

His goal when he grows up is to have more chapters of Books N Bros around the country, encourage other Black boys and amplify Black authors, to partner with schools and be an example for future young leaders. He’s currently attending Pace Academy in Atlanta, GA, as a Junior, promoting his book, wants to continue to be a philanthropist and give back to the community, and he is looking at attending an HBCU when it’s time for college for African American studies!

About the Book

In Books N Bros, Sidney Keys III shares the story of his mission to encourage reading among boys, advice for how other kids can do it too, and reviews of over 40 of the best books to empower boys of color—from classics to fantasy and more. After an introductory story about Sidney's journey to becoming an entrepreneur and literacy advocate, his book recommendations are divided into chapters on history; biographies; novels, short stories, and poems; comics and graphic novels; superheroes and science fiction; family and community; and money and careers. Featured are some of the biggest names in children’s literature, including Jason Reynolds, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Jerry Craft, Rita Williams Garcia, Kekla Magoon, Ty Allan Jackson, and others.
 

Mocha Media is a publishing company that connects underrepresented and under-resourced Black authors to the people who most value their stories through powerful and diverse marketing strategies. The Our Tomorrow Series, geared toward middle school readers, assembles a diverse lineup of bright young social entrepreneurs, global community leaders, and activists who share their inspirational stories and provide concrete ideas for solving today’s challenges for the promise of a better tomorrow.

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