Monique Duncan author page

Monique Duncan biography

Monique Duncan is a children’s author and educator whose picture books centre Black heritage, family bonds and affirmation for young readers. She founded the independent imprint Sweet Pea Books to publish multicultural stories for children.

Duncan’s early titles include the alphabet-infused non-fiction book D is for Dragon Fruit and the picture book When Mama Braids My Hair, which celebrates the cultural meanings of braiding and the connection between a child and her mother. She followed with Freedom Braids, a narrative inspired by accounts of Afro-diasporic communities using braided hairstyles to encode routes to freedom, created for primary classrooms and family read-alouds.

When Mama Braids My Hair was nominated for the Ezra Jack Keats Award, and Freedom Braids was published in 2024.