Roberto Concepción, Jr., is a lawyer and a diversity, equity and inclusion advocate. He is also a single dad. Inspired by the birth of his daughter Amina, he wrote More Than a Crown to encourage her — and other children around the world — to follow their dreams and reach for the stars.

More Than a Crown is an extension of Roberto’s life’s work to ensure that we all feel seen and heard. Given the proven role of the fairy tale in shaping the self-image of children, it is his hope that the book is one small step in ensuring that young children, particularly those of color, “see” themselves as the royalty – and developing leaders – that they are. Additionally, as a single gay dad with proud Puerto Rican roots, Roberto is keenly aware that media representations of families do not adequately reflect the beautiful diversity of family structures and backgrounds that exist. Through this book, Roberto also wants children like Amina to “see” their families in all of their regal glory.

It is not lost on Roberto that this book is the exception, rather than the norm. While the percentage of diverse children’s books published continues to increase, the number of children’s books written by authors of underrepresented identities has not kept pace. In 2017, for example, only 2% of children’s books had a Latinx main character or subject and were written or illustrated by Latinos. Similarly, less than 2% of children’s books had significant LGBTQ+ content and were written by an LGBTQ+ author. Hopefully, this book is another step in ensuring our stories are told, and our voices are heard.

"The Diversity Gap in Children's Book Publishing, 2018." The Open Book Blog. May 10, 2018. https://blog.leeandlow.com/2018/05/10/the-diversity-gap-in-childrens-book-publishing-2018/

"The Current State of Latino Children's Literature in the US." Delma Publications. June 14, 2018. https://delalmapublications.com/blogs/news/the-current-state-of-latino-children-s-literature-in-the-us

"CCBC 2017 Statistics on LGBTQ+ Literature for Children & Teens." CCBlogC. April 16, 2018. http://ccblogc.blogspot.com/2018/04/ccbc-2017-statistics-on-lgbtq.html

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