A short YouTube read-along where author Justin R. Lester and his son Camden read their new children’s book "Brown Dad, Brown Boy, Brown Basketball." The book celebrates black father–son bonding through a morning routine centered on getting ready for school and playing basketball; the video also notes the book’s dedication (to fathers, sons and family) and availability (Amazon and www.jrlester.com).
Chapters
Hi, everybody. I'm Justin and this is basketball. Well, that plays into what we're doing today, because today we're doing a read along of our new book called. What's it called, Cam?
Brown dad, Brown boy and brown basketball.
Brown dad, Brown Boy, brown basketball. You want to show everybody the basketball you got me for Christmas? Yes. So it says Camden 2020.
2020.
I love you, daddy.
I love you, daddy.
You got this for me for Christmas? Yeah. So we're going to read our new book today called Brown dad, Brown Boy, Brown basketball. And you can get it off Amazon or you can go to our website, www.jrlester.com and. And you can get a copy of your book. You gonna read your book to everybody? Yeah. What made you want to write this book, Kim?
Daddy gave me the.
I did?
Yeah.
Well, every day. What do you tell me before you go to school?
That I go to school with my homework.
Mm. And you tell me, daddy don't play with brown basketball.
No.
Why can't I play with the brown basketball?
Because I play with the brown basketball.
Because you play with the red basketball.
Yes.
Okay, well, Camden has a red basketball. I have a brown basketball.
No.
And we play basketball all the time. Who's your favorite basketball player, Daddy? Are you your favorite basketball player? I thought you liked LeBron James.
I don't like LeBron James.
Okay, well, I thought you did. But anyway, let's read our book. You ready to read to everybody? Brown, Brown dad, Brown Boy, brown basketball. You can feel free to go. The reason we wrote this book is to give encouragement and light to black dad and black son relationships. And so I pray that this book encourages you. Probably gonna end up starting a series with it. Brown dad, Brown boy, Brown football, and brown friends and all of that brother and sister. Right. So let's read Brown dad, Brown boy, Brown basketball. Ready?
Achuit is my best friend.
So this book is dedicated to every father and son. Any boy who needs to know they are winners, any father who's giving it their all. And also. Who's it to, Kim, to mommy, to Nana and to grandma and me. And you dedicated it to you?
Yes.
All right. Every day I wake up and get ready for school. I run to make sure mommy and daddy are ready for their day, too. Who's that, Cam? Who's that.
Mommy?
I jump on my daddy and say, daddy, let's play basketball today. Daddy says, little man, let's jump in the tub and scrub, scrub, scrub. So I run to the bathroom and get a clean rub.
Ouch.
Who's that Cam?
Daddy and Cam dance up and die.
Did you take my glasses away?
Yes.
I play with my toys and wash my tummy. I dry off and look at Daddy and say, daddy, let's play basketball today. Daddy says, little man, little man, brush your teeth and then we'll see. So I step up to the sink.
Who's that, Cam, Daddy and Camden. And with bubbles.
Bubbles? Are bubbles good for you?
What was the.
I grab my toothbrush and brush my teeth, and Daddy does it with me. When I finish, I look at Daddy and say, daddy, let's play basketball today. Dad says, little man, let's get you dressed so you can flex. So. So I run to my room.
I want my room. It's my room. H. It's got so. I got super heels on it.
I put on my favorite shirt, shoes and jeans. I look just like my dad. And I still ask daddy, let's play basketball today. Little man, your clothes look good, but to be fair, we have to brush your hair.
Daddy. Yeah, but I was just two. Black Panther.
Huh? Because you have Black Panther. And Killmonger. Who else? Who else? What else is in your room, Cam? The Hulk. What's in your rooms? Guys? How about the different things you guys have in your rooms too? Camden has a superhero room because he likes superheroes and sports. Maybe you have something in your room too. Right, Cam?
Yes. Yes. I got Batman.
Yeah. He grabs a brush for my fade and some oil for my coils. We sit together and land major hair goals. I love my hair. I love V. I'm big and strong. Just Daddy me. When every strand is just right I can see the hoop in sight. Daddy, let's play basketball today. Daddy says little man, so you can be big and strong let's eat some breakfast and run along as we run to the kitchen. Who's that?
Kim, Danny and I hold a picture with. I be a big haircut. Mm.
Daddy grabs his coffee. I grab my orange juice. We sit at the table, we eat our food, look at the clock and Almost time for me to go to school. I look at Daddy, Daddy looks at me. Please, Daddy, let's play basketball today. Is that your orange juice?
Yeah. And I eat coffee.
Coffee. The basketball hoop.
Yes, it is a basketball hoop.
We run outside and we grab our brown basketball. Three, two, one. I win again. We jump in the car and go to school. Can't wait to tell everyone how my dad says I rule. Whoa. Is that you?
Uh huh. A day up. One, two, three.
Mm. We get to school. I jump out and run to class. My dad waves at me and says, son, playing basketball with you was a blast. I'm big, I'm strong. Just Daddy and me. Until tomorrow. Daddy, play basketball with me. The end. Yay.
Thank you, Tim. That's Dolly, Daddy.
So, okay, kids, what do you want to tell the kids about your book? Cam, what do you want to tell the little kids? Look at the camera and tell the kids. What do you want the kids to know about your book?
Two.
Two books. You wrote two books?
Yes.
I thought you just wrote one book.
One book is an addict that I made. There's two books over.
There's two more over there. Wrote this. What do you want to tell the kids about your book? You want to hold it and tell them? Say, hey, kids, what do you want them to know?
Hey, kids, tell them about this one. This one, this one, this one, this one. They're all letters.
Yeah. All different letters. So what we wanted to do is contribute to the morning routine for dads and sons and anyone, really, who just wants to grab a hold of your morning routine. And. And so I hope that this is an encouragement to you, and I hope that this book really pushes your relationships together, because ours is just brown dad, brown boy, brown basketball. Right, Kim?
Yeah.
So have a great Sunday. Go watch some football. Have a great day. All right. Say bye, Cam.
