As a proud father of two, R&B singer Omarion loves nothing more than reading to his kids, so much so that he partnered with ESSENCE to create his Instagram Live series “Storytime With Daddy O.” Featuring Omarion and his two children, 6-year-old Megaa and 4-year-old A’mei Grandberry (who he had with his ex Apryl Jones), they read classic and new children’s books together and even offer people chances to win autographed copies of the books they read. Omarion encourages parents to read to their kids, saying, “One of the most important things you can do with your kids is read to them.” Here is a list of the nine books Omarion and his kids read during “Storytime with Daddy O.”
1. Chocolate Me! by Taye Diggs and Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry
Omarion and his kids kicked off “Storytime with Daddy O” with Chocolate Me! by actor Taye Diggs, which he wrote to address racism, and also colorism in the Black community. Their next book was Hair Love by former NFL player Matthew A. Cherry; a story of a father learning to style his daughter’s hair, which was adapted into an Oscar-winning short film and is now being made into a TV series.
2. I Believe I Can by Grace Byers and Kindness Rocks by Sonica Ellis
The next two books Omarion and his kids read were I Believe I Can by Grace Byers, which is about empowering children, and Kindness Rocks by Sonica Ellis, which is a cute story about “the power of kindness.”
3. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka and Beads and Braids and Aryn Taylor Diggs and Marissa J. Jacobs
Omarion and his kids loved reading The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, which is a twist on the classic “Three Little Pigs” fable from the “Big Bad Wolf’s” perspective. They also enjoyed Beads and Braids, which is “an empowering ode to children everywhere to embrace your beauty within.”
4. First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg and Riley’s Routines: Nighttime by Tia Clarke
Omarion and his children celebrated the “Back to School” season with First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg about a girl who is nervous about returning to school, and Riley’s Routines: Nighttime by Tia Clarke, which helps children learn discipline and build self-esteem by following established routines.
5. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
To close out the “Storytime with Daddy O” series, Omarion and Megaa read the award-winning classic, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff, which tells the beloved story of a chain of events that started with a boy sharing his cookie with a mouse.
