August & the Wind: For anyone who's ever lost someone

"Looking at that huge sky, he felt small and began to shrink down smaller than he'd ever been...He didn't even notice the wind, as it tiptoed into his room and took him away." August & the Wind is a story about a boy who loses his mother to the sky and goes on a journey to some awe-inspiring places around the world in search of her, only to realize the extraordinary power of a mother's love. The hope of this book is to encourage young children who may have lost a parent, grandparent or loved one, and remind them that even when they feel small or lost, that person is still with them, in their memories, in their dreams and even in the wind.

Having lost his mother as a teenager, and his first child, August, in 2012, Brandon has channeled that pain into a passion for youth and world travel. He is currently an elementary school teacher, a journalist, a photographer and an avid explorer of the world. Each of the stories in this book are based on actual experiences both with his mother and across the globe. Qasima Wideman (Illustrater)- August and the Wind is Qasima's first children's book, but she is passionate about working with young people and creating images that reflect Black, Brown, LGBTQ, disabled, and other marginalized children and their families. She lives in her hometown of Durham with her girlfriend, their puppy and two cats.