Yannick Atambona is an author, educator, certified interpreter/translator, and an expat. He lived in Thailand for several years where he served as a thesis editor and taught ESL (English as a Second Language. Yannick is proficient in French, Thai, and the English languages. He currently resides in Jamaica Queens, New York.
Yannick has witnessed bullying firsthand and the impact that it has on the emotional, academic, social, and personal development of kids during his travels. I can personally identify with that having seen my daughter experience bullying in elementary school. At any rate, Yannick designed seminars on behavioral health in an effort to combat and prevent bullying for children like Haelee and others. He didn’t believe that he was reaching enough people in the world hence he decided to do more about it in writing a soon to be released children’s book entitled The Berry Story. Yannick introduces readers to a fantasy realm called Berry City. It is said to have a population of 1,000 berries to include strawberries, blueberries, and cranberries to name a few. Here readers are introduced to a character named Brandon. He is unique because he looks much different from all of the others. The other berries ostracize, torment, and bully him because of those visual differences. Mistreatment of the sort oft times breaks peoples spirits and costs lives. You’ll find that this very thing almost happens to Brandon as you turn the pages. While that’s the case, please know that this is no sad story by any means. It’s in fact a heroes journey and a story of triumph. Children and their parents will learn how Brandon persevered to find his strength through pain and became a hero along the way in this creative and wonderfully illustrated tale. The Berry Story is the first in a series of books that features the inhabitants of this mystical land. I consider myself lucky that I was granted the opportunity to not only review it but also to get to know the author. I believe that this first in a series of books by Yannick will help children embrace their differences and give them the courage to be their own uniquely beautiful selves. I overall believe that The Berry Story is an excellent book for diverse classrooms and New York Public Libraries. My understanding in speaking with the author is that The Berry Story will be released in ebook, audio, paperback formats towards the end of June 2022. It will also come with an accompanying coloring book. On that note please be on the lookout for it. And finally congratulations on your excellent debut Yannick.
5 ⭐️’s
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