When the “sock monster” strikes again, tight-knit sisters Sydney and Kennedy take on the task of solving the mystery in the delightful new children’s book, Sassy Sisters vs The Sock Monster.
Younger sister Sydney overhears their parents talking about missing socks. Bold and fearless, Sydney hatches a plan to catch the mysterious sock monster and convinces her big sister to come along for the ride.
The girls eventually discover that this particular monster means no harm — she just happens to like some of their things and wants to keep them! That’s when the perfect pair of sassy sisters have to step in and set the record straight to save their family’s socks.
Author Jacquese Groves used her own daughters’ personalities and childhood experiences to inform her relatable, engaging young characters. The perfect bedtime story for parents who read to young children, or for solo readers ages 4-8, Sassy Sisters is a beautifully illustrated, entertaining tale that, on the surface, is about a mischievous little monster with a penchant for socks. But at its core, Sassy Sisters is an uplifting, empowering story representing the amazing things that young minds can accomplish when they work together to solve problems.
I had a chance to interview the author to learn more.
Why did you write this book?
I wrote the book because representation matters. Children of color are underrepresented in children’s literature. According to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s most recently published statistics, 50% of children’s books depict characters who are white and 27% depict characters that are animals/other. So only 23% of children’s books published depict characters from diverse backgrounds. I want to write books featuring children of color having normal child-like experiences, like being the hall monitor or learning to tie their shoes, as well as fantastical experiences like confronting monsters.
How can sassy be a positive trait?
By definition, the word sassy means lively, bold and full of spirit; vigorous, lively; distinctively smart and stylish. These are all positive traits. The negative connotation associated with the word sassy seems to only apply when the subject is a person. For example, if one were to say “That’s a sassy blazer” or “Mommy got a sassy makeover” or “That new show is a sassy reboot of an 80s classic”, it’s not likely that one would assume something negative about the blazer, the makeover, or the show. It’s more likely that one or all of the aforementioned synonyms would come to mind. I believe that same positive connotation applies to people. The word sassy, to me, is not synonymous with disrespectful. As it relates to my book, the sisters are unequivocally bold, spirited, and lively. With monsters in children’s stories, the monster is almost always the antagonist and the child is afraid. In the case of these sisters, they make a bold decision to go seek the monster out and when they encounter her, they don’t cower, they remain bold and spirited in their interaction with her.
How can can parents find books with divers characters and why is that important for kids of all backgrounds?
Diversity in children’s literature is important not just for children of color but for all children. It’s important for children of color to see themselves reflected in media, print or otherwise. It helps to foster a positive self-image and feelings of worthiness and belonging. Multicultural literature gives all children the opportunity to learn about different cultures and build acceptance towards others. Children’s books that depict diversity are out there, you just have to search a little bit harder to find them. I write with the hope that in the very near future, children’s books depicting diverse characters will become more mainstream.
About the Author
Jacquese Groves is a Nashville native, wife, mom of two, Realtor and lifelong lover of books. Sassy Sisters vs The Sock Monster was born out of her desire to bring increased diversity to the children’s book landscape by writing stories that feature children of color. The book was published by ChocolateBlue, LLC, the publishing company that she founded in tandem with the debut of her book in October 2020. Passionate about childhood literacy, Groves sits on the board of a local childhood literacy nonprofit organization, Book’em, and, as part of her commitment to that organization, volunteers as a classroom reader at a local elementary school. Sassy Sisters vs The Sock Monster was named by the Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group as one of the best indie books of 2021.
For more information, please visit www.jacquesegroves.com, or follow the author on Instagram at @iamjacquesegroves.
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