Picture Books Are for Grown-Ups Too!
Picture books aren’t just for children. Picture books are for grown-ups too! Listen in as we speak with picture book authors, illustrators, and enthusiasts about how these stories contribute to human thriving. Discover how picture books can affirm our experiences, introduce us to new perspectives, serve as conversation starters, foster meaningful reflection, and give us words to make sense of the world! Ultimately, you’re never too old for a great picture book AND these tiny tales can lead to big connection! Join us for the journey, and discover something that might contribute to YOUR thriving.
Picture Books Are for Grown-Ups Too!
S1E6 | Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and 'Mae Makes a Way'
Today we talk the glory of hats, the beauty of using our gifts, and the impact we can have on another person’s life.
“Activism is not just one thing. There’s no one way to be an activist. There’s no one way to serve your community. Your gifts can be used as they are.” –Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Today’s Picture Book: Mae Makes a Way by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and illustrated by Andrea Pippins
Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich is the author of several children’s books, including 8th Grade Superzero, It Doesn't Take A Genius, Operation Sisterhood, an IndieNext Pick, and the picture books Someday Is Now, a Notable Social Studies Trade Book, and Mae Makes A Way. She is a member of the Brown Bookshelf, and editor of the We Need Diverse Books anthology The Hero Next Door. She’s written for various outlets, including PBS Parents, Read Brightly, American Baby, Healthy Kids, and some of her childhood favorite hip hop fanzines like Right On! Magazine. Olugbemisola has worked extensively in youth development, and was twice awarded a public service fellowship for her creative arts and literacy project with adolescent girls. Olugbemisola lives with her family in New York City where she writes, makes things, and needs to get more sleep.
Book Description: Mae had a dream to make one-of-a-kind hats. But the path for a Black female designer was unclear, so Mae made a way, leaving her home in the segregated South to study at the Chicago School of Millinery. Mae had the skills, but craved the independence to create her own styles. So Mae found a way. In Philadelphia, she became the first Black woman to own a business on South Street. Whether you were Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Marian Anderson or a lady from the neighborhood, Mae wanted you to look good and feel special in one of her original hats. A mother, a successful entrepreneur, and a community advocate, Mae led the way.
Please consider supporting your local independent booksellers by purchasing Mae Makes a Way. Find a store here: https://www.indiebound.org/
Other mentions in this episode:
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture: https://nmaahc.si.edu/
Someday Is Now: Clara Luper and the 1958 Oklahoma City Sit-Ins by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and illustrated by Jade Johnson
Makeda Makes (upcoming easy reader series)
Questions for further engagement based on the discussion:
1. How can we welcome people just as they are?
2. How can I be of service to my community with who I am and what I have right now?
3. How can who I am and what I have to give have an impact on someone else’s life?
Find Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich: Website:
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Ripening Time, Patrice's 2nd picture book, releases April 22, 2025. Order your copy from your local bookstore or one of Patrice's local bookstores!
Also, please visit the podcast’s bookshop.org page for a complete list of books discussed!
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