Shelby County publishes new children's book to help inspire young readers

The youngest of Shelby County's residents now will have the chance to read and learn more about their home county. Thanks to a new book, made by the Shelby County Mayor's Office of Innovation and Shelby County Non-profit Committee, young readers can follow along with Amir and Zuri as they discover their new home of Shelby County.

“Adventures with Amir and Zuri: Shelby County A to Z,” follows along a twin duo who have just moved to Shelby County. The siblings travel through the county and see all the famous landmarks in the area, like the Memphis Zoo and Beale Street. As the siblings travel, they also get to learn new words like jookin' and archeological and also embark on mini reading challenges.

“This creative storybook is what it’s all about. Local government, our schools, parents, and the community at large can work together to accomplish seemingly impossible feats and create a Shelby County that will be strong for generations to come," Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said in a statement.

In May, the Tennessee Department of Education reported that 60% of third graders in the state's public schools fell short of a reading proficiency benchmark on the standardized Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program test. In a press release about the book, Shelby County Officials said that the goal of the book is to have students read something that is both relatable and interesting but also includes encouraging language throughout.

“Some of our community’s burdens can begin to feel heavy after a while ― especially the challenge to improve student literacy," Danielle Inez, Shelby County Director of Innovation said in a statement. "Writing a book that inspires, encourages, and teaches while bringing families closer together has been my favorite challenge to date."

Cameron Wilson, the illustrator of the book, said that learning about Shelby County through the eyes of a child was at times challenging but also inspiring. Wilson has published an array of children's books focused on cities across the U.S.

Through the end of the year, pass-outs of the book will be held for 2nd-grade students throughout the county. The office of innovation will partner with schools to make sure as many students can receive a free copy as possible.

Adventures with Amir and Zuri: Shelby County A to Z can be purchased directly through the book's website and through most major online retailers.

Brooke Muckerman covers Shelby County Government for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at (901) 484-6225, [email protected] and followed on X @Brooke Muckerman.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Shelby County publishes kids book to help with declining reading scores