BOOKS

“I cannot thank you enough for the beautiful books! My daughter and I just sat down and read all three together. The stories, themes and illustrations were delightful! I was smiling recognizing you first as Dr. Toughlove in Jamal and Me and then as Nana in Playground Heroes. I am so looking forward to reading these books with my students. I love how you’ve turned your experiences into bite-sized lessons in relatable and fun stories!”

Gina Crook, Elementary Teacher and Teacher of the Year Finalist

Queen Anne’s County Public Schools, Maryland

 

Alejandro moves to our country and feels lonely and misplaced. He left his beloved grandmother behind and has to learn a new language and make new friends who speak a different language. He meets two friends, Tyler and Lila who are studying Spanish in school. They help each other learn their respective languages and build a relationship based on empathy and kindness. How do they do this? Find out by reading Talking Buddies, written by Carol Franks-Randall, author of Jamal and Me and Playground Heroes.

Available for purchase on Amazon.com

Praise for Talking Buddies:

“What I learned from Talking Buddies is that friendship is powerful.” Male student, aged 10

“I liked Talking Buddies because the book was talking about making friends and helping people and making people feel welcome even if you just met them. And I think that it is also good because the characters in the book were speaking different languages.” Female student, aged 9

“I think the plot of the story is really powerful. It helps students to understand that we can all help each other regarding our cultural and linguistic differences. Students can easily make connections with Talking Buddies because it relates to their experiences. “ Ms. Laura Chapa, Dual Language Coordinator, John Tyler Elementary School

Click here to hear a radio interview with Judith Krummeck of WBJC, 91.5 FM out of Baltimore, MD about Talking Buddies!

Click here to read an article about Talking Buddies!

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Charlie, a boy with learning challenges struggles in school. He is often picked last for team sports and gets frustrated easily. He is an easy target for bullies. Fortunately, he knows two spirited girls, Zoe and Elle, who are both kind and courageous. To find out more, read Playground Heroes, written by Carol Franks-Randall, author of Jamal and Me.

Available for purchase on Amazon.com

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Praise for Playground Heroes:

“That was a great book! Everyone needs to read it!”
Madalyne, aged 10

“Playground Heroes is great. Other kids need to read it!”
Tyler, aged 7

“Playground Heroes has been added to my list of recommended reading for families seeking children’s books that to help support their child’s socio-emotional development. Dr. Franks-Randall unpacks the complexity of dealing with bullies by creating characters and a story-line that feels realistic and authentic. I especially appreciate the author’s selection of strong female protagonists and the support they receive from their family when they successfully make use of the anti-bullying skills taught to them at home and school. The bright and colorful illustrations only reinforce the power of the story and characters. There is obvious potential for the book to be used as a tool to teach anti-bullying techniques.”

Mark T. Sweeney, Ph.D.
Licensed Professional Counselor
Executive Director
The Capital Region Children’s Center

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Jamal, a lonely, misplaced boy struggles with moving from the city to the suburbs. His teacher Miss Iceburg thinks he is nothing but trouble. His loving but firm Principal, Dr. Toughlove comes to the rescue. All of this and more can be found in Carol Franks-Randall’s first book, Jamal and Me. 

Available for purchase on Amazon.com

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