Taye Diggs & Shane Evans held a panel discussion moderated by New York Times Children’s Book Editor Maria Russo at Book Con at the Javits Convention Center Saturday May 30 to talk about , written by Diggs and illustrated by Evans from MacMillian Publishers. Mixed Me will hit bookstores October 6, 2015, but is available for pre-order on Amazon.com (see link above). Mixed Me is a vibrant, upbeat picture book that celebrates everything that is special about growing up in a biracial family.
Diggs talked about how the book will follow a multicultural family that will share many experiences similar to multicultural families such as his own family. Diggs researched talking to many multicultural families, both parents and children to put thoughts together for the content of the book. Evans shared how he loves to watch a character come alive on paper and what better way than to have it also inspire children.
This is not the first collaboration of Diggs and Evans. They both also released in 2011 about a boy that looks different than other kids with darker skin, curlier hair who talks to his mother about how he wishes he could be like everyone else. His mother lovingly helps him see how beautiful he really is.