Crowned - by Kahran Bethencourt & Regis Bethencourt (Hardcover)

About the Book

A collection of reimagined classic fairy tales, and African and African American folktales that bring to life past, present, and future visions of Black culture.

Book Synopsis

*NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Literary Work - Children*

*NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*

From the New York Times bestselling duo who brought you GLORY: Magical Visions of Black Beauty, comes CROWNED: Magical Folk and Fairy Tales from the Diaspora. Filled with visual magic and storytelling wonder, these stories reimagine our favorite and most beloved childhood fairy tales and folktales to encourage creativity, empower imagination, and foster self-esteem.

With a Foreword by Pulitzer Prize winner Salamishah Tillet

Revisit beloved classics, but with a twist, such as The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, Red Riding Hood, The Poisoned Apple, and find new favorites with stories created especially for the collection: Anansi and the Three Trials, Aku the Sun Maker, How the Zebra Got Its Stripes, The Legend of Princess Yennenga, and John Henry, the Steel-Drivin' Man.

A gift that will keep giving, CROWNED is a joyous celebration of Black beauty, determination, and imagination and a must-have for children and parents everywhere.

"Once again CreativeSoul Photography captures the beauty, innocence, and magic of black children. This is the book I've been waiting to give my grandchildren. It is a wonder of storytelling and imagery." -- Michael Eric Dyson

Review Quotes

"Vibrant photography and dynamic storytelling combine in this affirming and celebratory volume." - Kirkus

"I devoured this book. It is so visually stunning, filled with magical storytelling, capturing the reader's imagination from beginning to end." - BlackGirlNerds.com

"[O]ne of the most majestic, most creative storybooks money can buy...a feast for the imagination..." - Caribbean Life

Praise for GLORY:

"An exquisite pictorial love letter to Black children around the world." - Kirkus, starred review

"Glorious, indeed." - Booklist

""Glory" is Blackness in all its grace and beauty by way of the next generation. [...] Black is beautiful. [...] To be young, gifted and Black is where it's at." - Chicago Tribune

"But hardly any photo collection compares to the magic that is Glory. A must for our home. A must for Black children, for all children." --Ibram X. Kendi, New York Times bestseller and National Book Award-winning author of Stamped from the Beginning and How to Be An Antiracist

"Gorgeous photography, but so much more. A truly inspired and inspiring work that speaks eloquently to our inherent beauty and power." -- Brittney Cooper, author of Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers her Superpower

"Seeing our beauty reflected in our children and having our children see their natural beauty be fully embraced is a gift to the race and a gift to the world. This transcendent work acknowledges the grace, and brilliance held in our black bodies." -- Michael Eric Dyson, New York Times bestseller

"These are not just photographs, this is artistically, politically, and socially important work." -- Patrisse Khan-Cullors New York Times bestseller

"They've made the capturing and the depiction of the beauty and the limitlessness of blackness their mission. Their edict." -- Damon Young, Founder of VerySmartBrothas.com

About the Author

World renowned child photographers, Regis and Kahran Bethencourt are a husband and wife duo and the imaginative forces behind CreativeSoul Photography. The pair gained global recognition with their AfroArt series which showcases the beauty and versatility of afro hair to empower kids of color around the world. The couple recently authored their New York Times best selling coffee table book, "Glory" which brings to life past, present, and future visions of black culture. With more than thirteen years of working with hundreds of children, families and brands, they specialize in child and lifestyle photography while incorporating authentic visual storytelling. Their holistic approach to capturing one-of-a-kind moments has allowed their work to be featured on the Steve Harvey Show, The Real, BBC News, CNN, Teen Vogue, BET and more. They were recently named as Canon Explorers of Light.