Harmel Codi, Author and Advocate, Publishes Children’s Books to Promote Early Literacy in COVID-Related Homeschooling

Decatur, GA, December 01, 2020 --(PR.com)-- Author and her books offer a way for parents to inculcate the joy of reading despite pandemic pressures, a serious issue for under-served communities.

Harmel Codi, author and community advocate, today revealed a strategy to help parents to inculcate the joy of reading in home-schooled children through her books release and a book drive despite pandemic pressures. Codi’s new series of children's storybooks encourage parents, family and extended family members to read to children from a very early age - vital to fostering early literacy and particularly relevant during the stay-at-home school year. The series of books includes titles like “Mommy Teach Me How to Count” and “Daddy Teach Me How to Ride My Bike.”

“We are at a moment of great stress, as so many parents are trying to balance home schooling their children while also working at a job,” Codi said. “Everyone is trying hard. The schools have done amazing things for remote learning, but a lot of responsibility for reading has stilled devolved onto busy parents. Despite all of this, it’s important to instill the joy of reading, especially for members of under-served communities. We cannot afford for this to be a lost or a diminished year of learning for our kids.”

Codi’s goal is to make literacy a pillar of advocacy, a process that cannot stop just because of the pandemic. As Codi explained, “Early childhood literacy and early education have emerged as major areas of disparity for children of color. Problems in early literacy can lead to very serious problems later in life, with children who struggle with reading tending to fail later in school and have difficulties finding work and meaningful lives. We can stop this negative cycle if we intervene early. And, it’s not that hard. It involves reading and engaging with our children. They’re home anyway! It’s a great opportunity to do it, though it does involve making some time.”

The effort is worth it. Codi’s call to action is to level the playing field for Black and Brown children so they can speak, read and write at an equal level to their peers. As Codi noted, “Look out on the streets and see the impact of educational neglect. As a former juvenile court guardian ad litem and a volunteer juvenile representative, I have watched children who were not well served by the educational system end up in prison.” Indeed, many incarcerated individuals cannot read well, or at all.

Her book series offers a relatable solution. To augment the impact of her books, Codi is publishing the first eleven titles of the book series to benefit Community Alliances and Improvements, Inc. The goal of the organization and the book series is to enable children to hold their own and one day be great candidates for college, graduate schools and competitive careers. The author and her non-profit organization partner with like-minded community organizations, which actively work together to empower the community. These organizations join with local community leaders, social workers, teachers, lawyers and health professionals.

To buy a book or the entire series visit https://communityalliances.net/shop/, amazon.com or wherever books are sold. The book drive is now underway until December 15 at the locations on the flyer.