Atlanta, GA -- (SBWire) -- 02/03/2014 --With over 2.3 million individuals incarcerated in the United States, more than 2.7 million children in the country have a parent in the prison population. Children of the incarcerated often do not speak of their parents’ imprisonment, and may even be unaware of their parent’s location. It’s during these crucial years that literacy is so important for both child and parent. A new initiative, Project Iron Kids, recognizes the unique needs children of the incarcerated and formerly-incarcerated have in literacy and education. Project Iron Kids works to provide resources for iron kids and their caretakers, so they may openly discuss feelings and issues that result from the parents’ absence. According to a University of California study, these issues can include anxiety disorders, depression, shame, guilt, and poor performance in school. Project Iron Kids’ founder Dr. Bahiyyah M. Muhammad has signed an exclusive 5-book publishing agreement with Goldest Karat Publishing, LLC.

With both parties realizing this much-needed niche, the agreement covers books for children of the incarcerated, with the first entitled The Prison Alphabet: An Educational Coloring Book for Children of Incarcerated Parents (ISBN: 978-1939509093). The coloring book is co-authored by Dr. Bahiyyah M. Muhammad and Muntaquim Muhammad. The Prison Alphabet uses the alphabet to help children understand the experiences of their parents or family members who are behind bars; the title is scheduled for publication in February and may be pre-ordered at ProjectIronKids.com.

Founded in late 2013, Project Iron Kids was created by Dr. Bahiyyah M. Muhammad, who has a M.S. in Criminal Justice from John Jay College, and her Ph.D. research at Rutgers University’s School of Criminal Justice focused on families affected by mass incarceration. She has spent the last decade of her criminal justice career conducting qualitative work on children of the incarcerated. She has dubbed these children “Iron Kids,” because of their strength and resilience. Currently Dr. Muhammad is an Assistant Professor of Criminology at Howard University in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. For more information, please visit ProjectIronKids.com.

About the Publisher: Goldest Karat Publishing, LLC is a black female-owned publisher of educational non-fiction titles, coloring books, and entertaining children’s books that fill a critical niche in the African-American literary market. Publications include:

Big Hair, Don’t Care (ISBN: 978-1939509024): A beautifully illustrated picture book designed to boost self-esteem and build confidence in little girls with natural hair.

The Colorful Adventures of Zoe & Star (ISBN: 978-1939509000) and The Colorful Adventures of Cody & Jay (ISBN: 978-1939509062): Two black coloring and activity books that inspire creativity, promote self-confidence, and celebrate diversity.

Supermommy (ISBN: 978-1939509086): A story book celebrating a single black mother’s seemingly supernatural ability to care for her children.

Color My Fro (ISBN: 978-1939509079): A coloring book celebrating the beauty of black women with natural hair.

To learn more about Goldest Karat Publishing, visit the website at goldestkarat.com.

For further information, please contact: Crystal Swain-Bates, Publisher, 404-465-4120, crystal@goldestkarat.com.

FROM: Goldest Karat Publishing, LLC, PO Box 724621, Atlanta, GA 31139, USA (www.goldestkarat.com)