We make story books, games, and activities around the world, designed to be fun and accessible to any kid right here in the U.S. Our work is uncompromisingly authentic to real modern life, while being lighthearted and fun. We have just started work on our first children’s book, set in Cameroon. We also have connections with authors and artists that will make it possible for us to do this work in many other countries. We’re moving next to Trinidad & Tobago and El Salvador.

Our mission: (1) make the study abroad experience, which is often only for privileged college students, accessible to all kids; (2) empower children from countries across the world by having them share stories of their daily lives, their dreams, adventures, etc…without stereotypes or caricatures; (3) expose young readers to all kinds of foreign languages from French, Portuguese, Spanish, to Arabic and Mandarin; (4) provide beautiful original artwork done by painters from countries around the world; (5) make an ebook with unlimited classroom reprint licenses available to teachers; (6) provide jobs in countries where the stories take place with fair contracts that reward and value the artist’s intellectual property and talent; (7) fund libraries in poor neighborhoods in countries where there is no access to literature; (8) teach kids how to be creative and imaginative by showing them how to use common household items to make DIY toys.

After we have published our first book, Helena and the Missing Papaya, our next project will be the accompanying study guide. The book itself encourages language absorption with its dual English/French text. In addition, the guide will include enough activities to turn this fun book into an educational unit study on Cameroon. Ideas include:

• Songs: Explain the cultural meaning and history of children’s songs in the book.
• Foods: Recipes to cook some of the foods mentioned in the book.
• Mazes and Puzzles: Built out of details in some of the artwork, will focus a child’s attention while explaining things like what certain farm tools do, why so many people use motorcycles, foods you can make out of certain fruits.
• Crafts: For example, how to make the toy that Helena’s brother Patou plays with, and how to make similar crafts out of found materials in your own environment.
• Journaling: Helena takes nature journals – how to examine the plants in your own neighborhood the same way!
• Language: Back and forth between English and French – find words and phrases that match, or match phrases to objects in the art. Do a treasure hunt, where you find the object that matches a certain word, which prompts contextual learning to identify where the word fits in the story and what it means.

Click here to help Kickstart us now!

Original artwork is created by Dante Besong.

Dante Besong is a self-taught visual artist based in Douala-Cameroon. His works explore and highlight the beauty of the African diversity and at the same time critiques the mediocrity that plaque the continent. He expresses his art form through illustrations, paintings, videos, cartoons/caricatures as well as graphic design. He uses different media to attain his creative goals while appreciating the ever-evolving paradigm of creativity. He is best recognized through his abstract expressionism and figurative style of painting.

Dante has participated in a few collaborative exhibitions:

• Ebony Art Annual Exhibition – 2016
• Alliance Cameroun Francais workshop/exhibition -2008
• Cross River Gorilla workshop/exhibition – 2007

www.dantebesong.wordpress.com

Helena is a little girl with a big imagination. She sees many interesting things everywhere, even where others don’t think to look. She takes a little notepad everywhere, and looks for clues when something simply does not look right. When Helena grows up, she wants to write her own books and newspapers. She enjoys reading all kinds of books, and because her neighborhood does not have a public library, she usually saves up her lunch money to buy new books. Helena also likes crafts. She collects leftover fabric from her mother’s sewing shop to make hair bows and finger puppets. Helena’s older brother, Patou, is ten years old and just wants to play. Often he joins in on games with the neighborhood kids. But when he plays alone, he likes to make his own games and toys.

Cecilia is very friendly and has many friends in her neighborhood. She loves comic books and enjoys drawing on paper and on a computer screen. Cecilia wants to become a cartoonist for a movie studio when she grows up. She has an old bicycle that she rides to places, from the market to her mother’s print shop. Cecilia’s sister, Elisa, is only a baby. Cecilia enjoys reading her favorite stories to Elisa.

Abou is a young boy with an easy smile. He enjoys learning how to do business and likes playing and watching soccer. He has three younger siblings, whom he helps care for after school. On weekends, Abou helps at the crafts and gifts store that his father owns or plays soccer with his friends. They have teams in various neighborhoods, and they enjoy watching Africa Cup of Nations and the European Cup and UEFA Champions League soccer matches.