By David Krogh
Neecy and Nay Nay are eight-year-old twin sisters who are virtually inseparable, yet very different in mannerisms. Neecy likes learning new things, especially big words, while Nay Nay likes to solve mysteries. They and their family are Black, yet their friends and others with whom they interact are diverse. Together the twins partake in a variety of adventures with their friends and family in a small and highly diverse community oriented town called Franklin Hills.
Neecy and Nay Nay are the nicknames of the twin sisters and principal characters. Three books of their adventures have been published so far by Little Bee Books as a chapter series, with a fourth book coming out in October. The books are geared for children ages six to eight. The first book relates their misadventures in trying to start a beauty salon for their friends as part of a school project examining small business development and is entitled Neecy and Nay Nay and the Tangled, Hairy Mess.
Authors Simone Dankenbring and Syrone Harvey are, in fact, twin sisters who also have the nicknames Neecy and Nay Nay, and they share many of the same characteristics as their story characters. Dankenbring and her family reside in Sweet Home, OR, while twin sister Harvey and her family live in Ontario, CA. The town in the books, Franklin Hills, is based on the location in North Carolina where their parents once lived. Many of the characters in the books also reflect actual people they knew when growing up. For example, “Big Mama” was their great grandmother and “Mr. Otis” is based on an uncle. In addition, the books are well illustrated by artist Maya Henderson.
One would think co-authoring from different states would be difficult. But that evidently is not the case. “We work well creatively, so bouncing ideas back and forth came naturally,” said Dankenbring. “We would spend hours on the phone building the characters, plots and storylines.” Harvey added, “The collaboration process works well. Another great element with each of the books is that the point-of-view changes. Book 1 is told from Neecy’s perspective and Book 2 is from Nay Nay’s and so on. Working together and then lending individual voices to the characters provides a unique factor.”
Besides creating interest in whatever adventure the twins and their friends are involved with, each story also provides several different yet meaningful learning facets. For example, each story involves problem solving. New “big words” are introduced (with a glossary provided at the end of the book). An activity is discussed which may include a cooking recipe or art project directions. And respectful multi-generational and multi-cultural interactions are provided and encouraged.
One thing to note in the stories is the different mannerisms displayed by the various characters, some of which are a reflection of their different cultural backgrounds. “These books are to teach people to not place stereotypes on people of color but to get to know the beauty of the culture,” indicated Dankenbring. Harvey added, “The beauty of the books is the wonderful diversity. But it’s especially important for kids of color to see themselves reflected in the pages. Kids need to dream, set goals, enjoy friendships and creative experiences/adventures. These books offer that.”
Both authors have writing experience and also home schooled their (now adult) children. “Kids are like sponges,” explained Dankenbring. “From infancy to even early readers, kids are excited to learn new things, whether it is a new concept or new word or an experiment that leads to a great conclusion or maybe a not-so-great conclusion.” The authors are avid promoters of literacy and have taken great strides to reflect such support in their books.
Also of interest is the encouragement for problem solving by the twins. “Neecy and Nay Nay team up and brainstorm ideas and create ingenious ways to get themselves out of sticky situations,” said Harvey. She added, “the adult characters in their stories do encourage them to figure out solutions independently, while being available to help, if needed.”
The stories also reflect how it was for the authors when they were eight years old. “We were quite independent,” stated Dankenbring. “And if we didn’t know, we would ask. Our parents taught us to try to figure things out and then ask if we needed help.” This type of behavior is what Neecy and Nay Nay portray in their stories.
The Nay Nay and Neecy chapter book series is published by Little Bee Books. More information on these books and the authors is available at the Little Bee Books website, bit.ly/45GtABt. The books available via Little Bee Books, at local booksellers and online outlets.
Authors Simone Dankenbring and Syrone Harvey. Photo by Simone Dankenbring.
