Gabrielle Union released her first children’s book, Welcome to the Party, last year and now, she has teamed up with her husband Dwyane Wade to bring fans yet another fun story that celebrates Kaavia James.
The picture book collaboration will be titled Shady Baby aims to celebrate “a powerful, funny, and super-cute, Black girl character who always keeps it real,” according to the press release in which it was announced. The book, illustrated by Tara Nicole Whitaker, will be released by HarperCollins Publishers on May 18.
Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade are releasing another children’s book about their daughter Kaavia James.
“This is our first children’s book we did together and we’re so excited for the world to read Shady Baby,” the actor, 48, and NBA champion player, 39, told People in a joint statement. “Inspired by our daughter, Kaavia James, we wanted to create a children’s book that not only had a little Black girl as the main character but that also reflects the global community we live in.”
“We hope to give the word ‘shady’ a more positive association and use it to represent one’s moral compass to do the right thing and stand up for themselves and others,” the statement continued. “It’s important that little Black girls and boys get to see themselves in these fairy tales and for children of other races to see us in leadership roles.”
According to People, who got access to an advance copy, Shady Baby tells the story of a baby girl who goes to the park to relax, only to be met by some bullies. She quickly sets them straight and receives love and support from the other little ones nearby.
The Union-Wades have made it no mystery that they are completely smitten with their own “shady baby,” Kaavia James who was born via surrogate in November 2018. The couple also shares three children of Wade’s from a previous marriage: sons Xavier Zechariah, 7, Zaire, 18, and daughter Zaya, 13.
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Since her birth, Kaavia has earned more than 1.5 million followers on Instagram, who love her bold and beautiful personality. “Since she was born, you could always tell what she was thinking just by looking at her,” explains the press release. “Thus, her Shady Baby persona was born!”
The children’s books are not the only thing Union inspired by her motherhood and love for children. The actor also launched a clothing line for infants aged 0 to 24 months with New York & Company in May 2019. The capsule collection was called Kaavi James by Gabrielle Union with many of the pieces designed to be unisex.
Union explained that her daughter gets her “sass” from none other than her own mom. “She looks just like Dad, but I’d like to think the attitude is from me,” the star said in February. “She will stare into your soul and tell you about yourself through her eyes.”
“Shady Baby is not only a book that children will enjoy, but it is the book the world needs right now,” editor, Luana Horry, said in a statement. “Shady Baby is adorable, she makes us laugh, and has important things to say!”
The couple was honored last September by Time magazine as one of the country’s most influential couples. “Freedom exists in so many different forms,” Union said at the time, “but we are so blessed to be in a household where we have free children.”
“We have another daughter who is 13, who has the freedom to be exactly who she is, who she was born to be, to be her most authentic self,” she continued talking about her trans daughter Kaya. “She doesn’t ask permission to exist. It’s wildly inspiring.”
We find this celebrity couple awe-inspiring and we are so excited that they are releasing another book for a new generation of kids to grow up with! Shady Baby will be out on May 18.
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