A Product Review
The Lookout. Like many African American parents, I am often on the lookout for books, music, toys, videos and other products made for African American children. I am especially excited when I see products that present African American people in a positive light and that speak to issues important to people of African descent. This is one reason that I began writing books for African children.
The Product. In the past few months I have come across a number of products that are created for children of African descent. One product that I found to be an excellent resource is a cartoon called Tell Me Who I Am.
The Story. The story's main character, Nia, is a princess from Timbuktu. As the story begins, Nia's people are being attacked by a villain named Komo. Nia is given a necklace that contains ancient secrets, and she is charged with protecting these secrets from Komo. Nia and a companion named Funzi escape in a time machine. Throughout the story, Nia and Funzi travel to both 21st Century America and ancient Kmt, where they meet Imhotep. The friends they meet along the way help them to escape Komo and learn more about African people.
The Quality. The cartoon has a very high quality of production. There is plenty of great music throughout the story. The illustrations are bright, attractive and compelling. For the most part, the characters are good representations of African people. The story also provides strong emphasis on the scientific and historical accomplishments of African people. One oddity is the presence of two token caucasian kids in the story. Their characters do not seem to be necessary. The story would work well without them.
Tell Me Who I Am was developed by Darryl Grayson, who is a former BET executive. The company website indicates that Mr. Grayson has invested over $1.5 million in the development of this product. As far as I can determine, only one episode has been created. However, it is clear that Mr. Grayson created the story with the idea of having multiple episodes.
The Recommendation. I purchased two copies of the video, one for myself and one to gift. I highly recommend it. You can learn more by visiting www.kidpositive.com. An accompanying activity book is also available. This is definitely a product worth trying. If you do get a copy, let us know how you like it.
And remember... Have Fun!
Jomo W. Mutegi, Ph.D. is an author of science-related children’s books, and an Associate Professor of Science Education at the Indiana University School of Education in Indianapolis. He is also a member of the (ES)2 Research Program. To learn more about Dr. Mutegi’s books, visit www.JomoMutegi.com. To learn more about Dr. Mutegi’s research, visit www.ES2RP.org.
