Growing Up True Book Launch

Join us for a joyful celebration of Growing Up True, SSAAM’s brand-new children’s book inspired by the legacy of the True family, African American landowners and farmers in the Sourland Mountain region. This interactive book launch brings the story to life through hands-on activities, creative exploration, and a chance to meet the team behind the book.

📘 Event Highlights:

• Read-Aloud: Gather near the blackberry patch for a live reading of the book’s first chapter.
• Dig In: Roll up your sleeves and help harvest our Heritage Garden.
• Play and Create: Write poems, Make art inspired by the land, and design interview questions to explore your own family stories—just like the team did while researching the book.
• Meet the Storytellers: Book signing with author Ryan Jillian Kilpatrick, illustrator Sudesna Samanta, the real Patricia "Patty" Payne herself, and other collaborators.
• Eat Up: Enjoy fresh cobbler + an optional foraging walk on the historic grounds.

This book was made possible by grants from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.