Very seldom do you meet someone who is very intelligent and talented, yet humble and thankful. I happen to know someone with all of those characteristics. Her name is JaNay Brown Wood (JBW) and I recently sat down to talk with her after she won a book writing contest and garnered her first children’s picture book contract.

JBW is a 28 year old African-American female who is married and planning to have kids in the future. She just won the 2013 National Association of Elementary School Principal’s Children’s Book of the Year Contest in the picture book category. Currently, her picture book manuscript is going through final edits and will be published by Charlesbridge Publishing in August 2014. This accomplishment is what she considers to be one of her greatest, a true highlight of her life.

Some of her other highlights and accomplishments include obtaining admission to UCLA, getting awarded the Chancellor’s Service Award while at UCLA, and graduating with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Applied Developmental Psychology. She is also proud of obtaining her MA in Child Development at Sac State, where she was awarded the Head Start Child Development Community Service scholarship. She is quite proud of creating “Summer Quest” – an educational curriculum framework and elementary program with Sacramento City Unified School District staff, and thrilled about obtaining a tenure-track Assistant Professor position at American River College in Sacramento, CA. On a personal note, she is very happy that she met and married her high school sweetheart and best friend, Catrayel Wood. She is also happy that she has the courage and willingness to follow her writing passion. She has done all of this by the age of 28. Yet she says, “I feel like I am just getting started. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

When I asked her how children’s literature can help children with social-emotional development in the early years she demonstrated just how wise and knowledgeable she is. She said children’s literature permits children an opportunity to learn lessons through characters, exemplifying to readers how to problem solve and handle situations. It can teach children through dialogue with adults and/or peers about the right way (or the wrong way) to handle problems, either way a lesson is learned. Furthermore, general literacy skills are learned which set the foundation for further communication and literacy competence; this helps children build self-esteem and confidence. This confidence spills over into social relationships with others.

JBW sees herself as helping children with social-emotional development by being an educator. She says she has a direct impact, because she teaches it. She exposes college students and future teachers to basic child development and strategies for learning social and emotional regulation skills.

In the future, JBW wants to obtain a doctorate degree, be a life-long learner, and start a consulting business. In her business she wants to create and evaluate educational programs and present at workshops, seminars, and conferences. She wants to continue to write children’s books and give talks and do readings at libraries, schools, and book stores. One day, she may try to illustrate children storybooks. On a personal note, she definitely plans on being a mommy and wants to become a self-actualized individual. To JBW, self- actualization means,” being the best me that I can be.”

When asked if there was anything else she wanted to say, JBW added that she is fortunate. She actually carries with her a list of goals and she is accomplishing them. She also said that her advice to everyone is this. “If there is something you want to accomplish, you can – you really can. You just have to put in the effort and put it into motion. I really do believe in following your dreams.”

What are some of your dreams, goals, or plans concerning children in your career or personal life? How do you believe that children’s literature helps children with social-emotional development?