Chental-Song Bembry facts for kids

Chental-Song Bembry (born November 5, 1996) is an amazing American author, illustrator, and speaker. She inspires young people to read and write. Chental-Song is famous for her book series, The Honey Bunch Kids. She wrote the first book when she was only 13 years old! The stories are about characters she created when she was a kid.

Meet Chental-Song Bembry: Young Author

Chental-Song Bembry was born in Newark, New Jersey, on November 5, 1996. When she was a child, she loved reading books. She also enjoyed writing her own stories and drawing cartoons.

How The Honey Bunch Kids Began

When Chental-Song was 10, she created three fun characters. Their names were Desiree "Dizzy" Williams, Chauncey "Cheeks" Willis, and Stuart Glover. She first drew them in a comic strip. It was called My Life is a Total Mezz Up.

A year later, her mom encouraged her to start a business. Chental-Song began painting her characters on t-shirts. Soon after, her mom sent her to a special writing camp. It was at Middlesex County College. The camp taught kids "How to Publish Your Own Book."

At the camp, Chental-Song wrote a story. It was about Dizzy, Cheeks, and Stuart. They were exploring life as sixth-graders. She named this story The Honey Bunch Kids. It was published as a hard-bound book at the end of the camp!

The Honey Bunch Kids Series

In 2010, when Chental-Song was 13, she self-published her first book. This became the start of The Honey Bunch Kids series. The books are about 11-year-olds. They meet on the first day of school. They missed the bus and walked in the rain. Together, they learn to deal with bullies. They also learn to handle other tough social situations. The series teaches kids important lessons. It focuses on kindness, patience, and respect.

Chental-Song's Mission: Promoting Reading

As a teen author, Chental-Song started a special project. It was a campaign to promote reading. She visited many places. These included schools, libraries, churches, and book clubs. She spoke to young people. She shared why reading is so important. She also talked about setting goals. And she explained how reading helps you do well in school.

Awards and Special Recognition

Chental-Song received many awards and honors. She was recognized for her amazing work.

Early Achievements

When she was 14, Chental-Song attended a conference. It was the Black Enterprise Youth Entrepreneur's Conference. She was named "Entrepreneur of the Week" twice! Black Enterprise also featured her in articles. They called her one of the "Young Moguls of Color." They also listed her as one of the "Young Bosses to Watch in 2013." Chental-Song was also highlighted in Ebony magazine. Her story was included in Black Child Journal. This book celebrated successful African American youth.

Later Honors and Impact

Later, Chental-Song attended Hampton University. In 2015, she was honored at the BET Honors award show. This was for her achievements as a young author. It was also for her community service. She was also featured as a M.A.D. ("Making a Difference") Girl. This was at the 2015 Black Girls Rock! awards show. She even stood on stage with Michelle Obama!

Her career was studied in a college paper. It looked at how young Black women get involved in helping their communities. Basketball star LeBron James also shared her work. He highlighted her in his 2018 Instagram posts. He featured young people who were making a difference.

Chental-Song's Journey in Journalism

During her college years, Chental-Song had summer internships. She worked at Sony Music Entertainment and WMAR-TV. After graduating in May 2018, she continued her journey. She worked as an intern for Dow Jones & Company. She wrote for American Banker and Business Insider. She also interned for ABC World News Tonight with David Muir. Later, she worked for SHI International Corp. She also kept writing her children's books.