Christopher Farley loves to read. He wishes more children of color would read, and decided to do something.
For the past five years, he’s been writing and tweaking a book for young readers. He says it’s in the vein of authors such as C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien and J. K. Rowling, but features something their classics are not known for: multi-ethnic characters.
C-J Farley is a graduate of Brockport High School and is currently a senior editor at the Wall Street Journal. His new book is called “Game World.” While he was writing, Farley learned one of the most segregated areas of American life is the children's bookshelf. He blames publishers.
"If you want to be able to imagine a different kind of world, you want to transcend your place in society, it's important to read about other people. How else can you understand this multi-ethnic world, this changing economic world that we live in."
Speaking on public radio’s Tavis Smiley Show, Farley said the claim by publishers’ that books or movies featuring people of color don't make money is just a failure of their imagination. Smiley cited a study by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin, only 93 out of 3,200 children’s books published last year were about African Americans. Farley says it’s a shame because there are plenty of authors with good stories.
"Because I think that - if you don't see people of color in those situations...you don't see them in sci-fi movies...the logical assumption is: black people have died out, that we're not there into the future, and that somehow our story comes to an end, and that's a terrible message to send to kids."
His book, “Game World” features a multi-ethnic group of young people who learn that their favorite video game is real. They are drawn into the game and meet all kinds of creatures.
"It's a story that sort of draws it inspiration in a Tolkien/CS Lewis/JK Rowling (manner). It creates a whole new landscape that kids haven't seen before. I love video games. I love fantasy. And I try to bring it together in this book 'Game World.'"
Farley told Tavis Smiley he gets great reactions from kids at schools he visits and loves to see them excited about reading.
"The right book can really just change a child's life. It can change their summer. It can change their reading habits. It can change their future in school. So, it's important to get these books that kids are going to respond to, into their hands."
Farley said it took him many years to first write and tweak his book, then find a publisher accepting of multi-cultural characters.
Farley is enjoying other successes. The Lifetime Channel recently bought rights to one of his books on singer Aaliyah.