We have seen Taraji P. Henson in a plethora of movies that range from action-packed to heartwarming stories. As we found out a few months ago, the award-winning actress has added something new to her resume, author. Recently, Henson gave an exclusive look at her new children’s book, “You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!)”.
“This quote is from my upcoming children’s book, You Can Be A Good Friend (No Matter What!),” Henson shared the exiting news on Instagram. “We may not always show it but we all have a sweet self. Nurture and embrace that side of you today. Preorder my book, link in bio! #YouCanBeAGoodFriend #LilTJ #EmbraceYourDifferent.”
Henson took a few minutes on the red carpet at the TIME 100 Gala in New York City to speak to Entertainment Tonight‘s Rachel Smith in detail about her book.
“You always hear that saying, ‘Don’t ever kill the little kid inside of you.’ I’m introducing the world to my little TJ. It’s the little girl that allows me to play still to this day. I have salon that I go in, I have doll heads… That’s where I go when I play.”
She continued, “When I grew up, as a kid, we didn’t have much. I remember I would look through the catalogs and circle all the toys and I would say, ‘One day when I’m rich, I’m going to buy these and I’m going to have me a little girl. I kept that promise to myself.”
Henson also admitted to Smith that people are always asking her, “how do you stay so young? Well, her secret to youth is, “It’s because that little girl inside of me still has a big voice in my life.”
“That’s what the book is about, introducing you to little TJ. Not only that, [but also] teaching children to embrace their differences, embrace others’ differences, and to always see the glass as half full,” she said. “You’re going to be met with opposition in life, how do you deal with it? Are you going to make the best of it or are you going to let that negativity drag you down? Your joy is always a choice. You get to make that choice.”
Curious to know more about Henson’s new book? Per the publisher’s website, You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!),” check out a brief description below.
This book shows kids the great things that can happen when we approach others and ourselves with empathy, patience, and love. This book promotes mental wellness and also learning socialization skills, embracing the importance of standing in your own uniqueness, and promoting friendship over bullying.
“You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!)” drops on July 18; however, you can pre-order here to make sure that you get your copy!
Photo: Taraji P. Henson Instagram; Zondervan.com
