School counselor publishes children's book celebrating brown girls' potential

Katelyn Williams, a school counselor, released her debut children's book What Can Brown Girls Do? on Jan. 13, 2026, offering a concise, role-model driven story aimed at young readers. The book follows a young brown girl encouraged by her mother and illustrated through examples of accomplished Black and brown women. Williams selected eight diverse role models, including an Olympic gymnast, scientists, public servants and activists, to showcase a range of professions, ages and backgrounds so readers of varied identities can see themselves represented.

Williams developed the project over several years, moving from concept to publication with an emphasis on everyday encouragement and concrete careers children can picture. The focus on named role models and a small, fixed set of careers makes the book easy to integrate into classroom lessons, counseling sessions and library story times. For Buncombe County educators and librarians, that practical design reduces preparation time while expanding the diversity of materials available to preschool and early elementary audiences.

The book's arrival matters in local educational and economic terms. Representation in early childhood reading influences school engagement and identity development; bringing an author who is also a school counselor into the county's mix offers a ready bridge between mental health supports and literacy programming. For independent bookstores and small retailers in Asheville and across Buncombe County, locally produced or regionally relevant children's titles can drive community events such as readings, book signings and school visits that support both the author and small-business foot traffic.

Policy and curricular implications are also present. School systems considering updates to early literacy collections can adopt a book like this to align social-emotional learning goals with culturally responsive teaching. Counselors and classroom teachers can pair the book with activities that explore careers, civic participation and civic pride, reinforcing pathways rather than abstract role models.

What Can Brown Girls Do? adds to a broader push to put diverse faces and careers in children's literature. For Buncombe County readers, its value will be measured by uptake in classrooms, library circulation and use in counseling programs. Expect local schools and libraries to test the book in coming months and for community events to follow if demand grows, a modest but tangible opportunity to deepen representation in the county's storytime and classroom shelves.