Only A Trenza Away is such a sweet story about the bond between Xiomara and her papá. Papá and Xia connect through a nightly routine of papá braiding her hair.

Read the Room had the opportunity to chat with the author of the book, Nadine Fonseca. We are excited to share with you all the details of our heartwarming conversation.

In this episode of the Kindness Is Podcast, your host Kaitlin sits down for an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation with her friend Nadine Fonseca. Get ready to be uplifted and motivated as they discuss all things kindness, advocacy, and the power of storytelling.

“Fonseca’s sweet and concise story is enhanced by vibrant pastel universes created by Carrossine, as well as an endnote detailing the history of this hairstyle. This book is perfect for young readers learning how to take care of their bodies and have self confidence, with a reminder that loved ones will still be there to support them.”

Only a Trenza Away is a tender tale of love and reassurance.

Only a Trenza Away celebrates the tradition of braiding hair. In this book, it’s the girl’s father who is passing on the tradition. He learned to help braid his sisters’ hair as a child in Guatemala. He helped until his sisters could braid their hair on their own. He explains that someday, Xiomara won’t need his help anymore either…

Book Thoughts by Rachelle

**Sweet story with cultural & family ties**

Only a Trenza Away was a cute picture book about a little girl who loves her special time with her Papa each night as he braids her hair and tells stories. I stopped and read the jacket of the book about halfway through to understand that trenzas=braids in Spanish. I appreciated the pronunciation help for Xiomara’s (zee-oh-Ma-da) name…

I love this story! It’s super cute! First, let me say how darling the illustrations are! They are bright, colorful, and well done. They give the reader such a great idea of who Xiomara is and what her personality is. I especially love the illustrations of the places Xiomara and her father travel to while he braids her hair. The jungle scene is my favorite!

ONLY A TRENZA AWAY

A TALE OF TRUST AND STRENGTH

Every night, Xiomara’s father braids her hair before bed. They imagine themselves on fantastic adventures: swinging through jungles; diving in underwater caves; flying to the moon...

Xiomara loves having her father braid her hair each night before bed. Not only does he braid her hair, but he tells her stories where her braids (trends) play a key role as jump ropes, jungle vines, or tightropes. But when he doesn't make it home in time to get her braids done, Xiomara feels a bit lost without him. Without her father's assistance, her confidence in facing adventures wavers…

Using the metaphor of a braid, or trenza, as a reminder of love for self and others, the picture book Only a Trenza Away: A Tale of Trust and Strength by Nadine Fonseca and illustrated by Camilla Carrossine (Shadow Mountain, August 2023) gives a tender lesson between a father and a daughter, emphasizing the importance of inner strength. In the story, Xiomara discovers her own courage, resilience, and patience through the nightly ritual of her father braiding her hair and creating adventures. However, when he cannot braid her hair one night, Xiomara learns she needs to find strength within herself as she prepares for a new adventure at a new school…

Picture Book Debut Lands at Shadow Mountain

Chris Schoebinger at Shadow Mountain bought world rights directly from debut author Nadine Fonseca to Only a Trenza Away, a picture book for ages 3-8. The story follows a father and daughter’s nightly routine, including braiding her hair and telling bedtime stories. Robbin Brosterman at the Bright Agency represented illustrator Camila Carrossine. Publication is slated for Aug. 8, 2023.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are more than buzzwords; they’re the keys to creating thriving workplaces where every employee can develop, grow, and thrive. As your organization develops its DEI strategy, HR will likely shoulder much of the responsibility for bringing everyone on the same page of understanding and action. To do this, you’ll need to be prepared to guide the way forward with an effective message.

Plot twits might be fun to read about in a story, but when it’s your life that’s getting upended or dramatically changed, you might not like it as much. Dashed dreams are among the hardest to pivot away from, because where do you go? Nadine Fonseca, co-founder and CEO of Mighty Kind, knows all too well the mental struggles that come with finding out that you have to leave a precious dream behind.

Nadine Fonseca is mother to four children and founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mighty Kind Kids which publishes the amazing Mighty Kind Magazine. The magazine is a quarterly, anti-biased children’s series that celebrates the role of kindness and compassion as the foundation for anti-biased learning and in bringing the human family closer together. Each issue is based on the premise that kindness, empathy, and compassion are teachable skills and readers learn fun facts about the world we share, read stories about kids doing good, and get actionable ideas for service and volunteer work. Mighty Kind has reached almost all 50 US states, as well as Mexico, Canada, Sri Lanka, France, Egypt, England, Ireland, Slovenia, Japan, and Finland.

She joins us on Parenting for the Future to talk about how Mighty Kind is building a global community of kids who care and serving as an indispensable resource to the parents and adults who mentor and raise them.

Joining me in the guest chair today is Nadine Fonseca, Co-Founder of Mighty Kind. Mighty Kind is an anti-bias education publishing company that publishes a children's magazine focusing on anti-bias/anti-racism education through a kindness and compassion lens.

In this episode, Nadine shares:

-her story and journey which laid the foundation for Mighty Kind

-how we all need to acknowledge our biases in order to start to see change

-how it is important to be hero's of your own story

-how to take a heavy subject and create a learning experience for children

During and after Hispanic Heritage Month, here are some Latino-owned brands worth knowing about — and what present realities mean to them.

Before the pandemic, Latino-owned businesses were the fastest-growing segment of small businesses in the country, according to the Small Business Administration — we spoke to dozens of business owners to learn about their experiences.

Nadine Fonseca is the co-founder of Mighty Kind, a educational anti-bias publication for kids ages 5 and up. Mighty Kind aims to inspire a global community of kids who care to celebrate diversity & feel empowered to take action towards a kinder world. Each magazine issue is full of illustrated stories, fun activities and actionable volunteer opportunities to empower kids to tap into their natural capacity to love and learn while having fun.

The series celebrates world cultures, big ideas in personal development and works toward making the world a better place. The focus is on kindness and compassion as a foundation for anti-bias learning and conversations while providing a platform for diverse voices and perspectives.

You can find a special feature on Indigenous Peoples in Mighty Kind Issue 5: Home

HIGH FIVE GRANT HALL OF FAME

Congratulations to all of the #HighFiveGrant alumni since 2018. You’re on our “Hall of Fame” list. Way to go, growing a business while raising your babies. High five!

You may have noticed that I love inviting guests to share their stories here on Bene. The world is full of people who are doing remarkable things to support their communities and create meaningful change across the globe, and I hope these conversations inspire you as much as they inspire me!

Today’s guest is Nadine Fonseca and I’m really looking forward to sharing her story. Nadine is CEO and co-founder of Mighty Kind, an anti-bias education company empowering children everywhere to celebrate diversity and build a kinder world. I love that Mighty Kind works to reflect the world as it currently is. There are no judgements or valuations, only opportunities for connection and reflection.