In today’s consumerist society, the younger a child learns about saving money, the better. That’s why local writer Ithream “Auntie I” Blackmon started creating children’s books about financial literacy.
Blackmon is fond of penning short stories, poems and music lyrics, and she recently tried her hand at writing and publishing children’s books. Her young niece inspired her to write “Sydney’s First Piggy Bank,” a fairy tale that introduces the concept of saving money.
“When my niece turned one year old I gifted a crayon shaped-savings bank and put a handful of coins in there,” Blackmon said. “When I started to write the story, I realized this subject matter should not be limited to my nieces. I thought it would be something really good to write for preschool-aged children. It’s an invaluable lesson that all children should learn.”
In “Sydney’s First Piggy Bank,” a dad encourages a little girl to save a penny in a piggy bank and she soon discovers the penny is magical. Blackmon added elements of a whimsical fairy tale to her books so the educational story has a greater appeal to children. Her second book, “Learning Together” includes vocabulary words and an activity section.
Blackmon adopted a grassroots approach to spread the word about her work, going from local businesses such as daycares and hair salons to share her books with the community. She is also trying her hand at using social media to promote her work, sharing information on Facebook and Twitter.
“The funniest things happened,” said Blackmon. “One of the children of the parents who brought my book asked me if I was on Snapchat. I was like, ‘Whoa, I gotta be on Snapchat too?’ I guess I gotta go get on there, the babies are on Snapchat.”
At the end of the day, she hopes her work inspires the next generation to be financially savvy.
“The ultimate message is about saving money,” said Blackmon. “I hope the readers will be better managers of their money when they get older. The secondary message is about earning money and creating new opportunities for themselves.”
To learn more and purchase books, visit auntieicorp.com. Blackmon’s books also are available on amazon.com.
Contact reporter Keshia McEntire at 317-762-7853. Follow her on Twitter
