A. Chiles

Married couple Ashley and Anthony Chiles, writing under pen name A. Chiles, created the characters of Rue and Woo to help teach social and emotional learning to young readers.

As a teacher in a predominantly black school in Los Angeles, Ashley envisioned a book series which featured characters that represented her students, would be engaging to read, and could be incorporated into lessons on social skills. Ashley lovingly nudged Anthony to take a break from his screenplay, short story, and essay writing to develop the series she imagined. Together, they turned Ashely's vision into a reality.

A. Chiles published the first book in the series, Rue and Woo Better Together, in October of 2021. The combination of her years of experience in the classroom and his storytelling expertise, produced a relatable, family centric story that readers of all ages can enjoy.