ABOUT DAVID MILLER iamdavidmiller.com
What books inspired you growing up?
When I was growing up, I loved to read National Geographic Magazines. National Geographics allowed me to travel to other countries and experience new foods, traditions, and cultures without leaving my home in West Baltimore.
Reading about Paul Robeson, Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, and James Baldwin during middle school helped me appreciate Black activism and writers.
Reading Malcolm X’s autobiography was a game-changer in my life as a high school student. Brother Malcolm’s honesty and transparency were exhilarating.
HOW DO YOU DEVELOP THE CHARACTERS IN YOUR BOOKS? WHY DO MOST OF THE CHARACTERS HAVE NAMES OF FAMOUS AFRICAN AMERICANS?
I want children to dream, so I spend much time on character development. I develop a list of personal characteristics and physical characteristics (height, body type, hair color, eyes, etc.) for each character. This process often takes me a few days.
I like to integrate the names of famous African American figures to expose children to our rich history.
WHY DO MANY OF YOUR BOOKS FOCUS ON BLACK AND BROWN BOYS?
As a classroom teacher, I found it challenging to get our boys excited about reading. Representation matters; boys love seeing themselves on the pages of books.
I create unique and fun storylines in my books that allow boys to dream!
