Reach for the Skai

Actress and activist Skai Jackson shares her lessons on life and her rise to stardom in this vibrant memoir about self-acceptance, girl empowerment, and the classy clapback. Actress and activist Skai Jackson is a star! Her rise to fame started on the popular Disney Channel shows Bunk'd and Jessie . Her cool sense of style led her to create her own fashion line. And her success has made her a major influencer, with millions of followers on Instagram, who isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in. But being a teen celebrity isn't always glamorous. For the first time, Skai discusses the negative experiences that sometimes come with living in the spotlight--the insecurities about her appearance, the challenges of separating her real personality from her TV roles, and the bullying she's faced both personally and professionally. She knows firsthand the struggles tweens and teens face today, and she has found her calling as an antibullying activist, known as the queen of the classy clapback. Skai is a positive force and a role model for inspiring change and embracing differences in others. Her story will encourage girls and boys alike to believe in themselves and to have the courage to reach for the sky and follow their dreams.

"[Skai's] amazing journey is beautifully documented with words and pictures in her new memoir.... She also offers **sound advice to teens and young women on how to deal with bullies, live out their dreams, and craft the best clap back on social media." –Shondaland

“Truly delivers what the subtitle promises.” –*Kirkus, s*tarred review

“Name dropping, celebrity photos, and hashtags abound in this fast-paced read about a young girl’s rise to notoriety…. This will be a hit with tweens everywhere.” –School Library Journal

Autorentext

Skai Jackson

Klappentext

Actress, activist, and now *Danicing with the Stars* competitor Skai Jackson shares her lessons on life and her rise to stardom in this vibrant memoir about self-acceptance, girl empowerment, and the classy clapback.

Actress and activist Skai Jackson is a star! Her rise to fame started on the popular Disney Channel shows Bunk'd and Jessie. Her cool sense of style led her to create her own fashion line. And her success has made her a major influencer, with millions of followers on Instagram, who isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in.

But being a teen celebrity isn't always glamorous. For the first time, Skai discusses the negative experiences that sometimes come with living in the spotlight--the insecurities about her appearance, the challenges of separating her real personality from her TV roles, and the bullying she's faced both personally and professionally. She knows firsthand the struggles tweens and teens face today, and she has found her calling as an antibullying activist, known as the queen of the classy clapback.

Skai is a positive force and a role model for inspiring change and embracing differences in others. Her story will encourage girls and boys alike to believe in themselves and to have the courage to reach for the sky and follow their dreams.

Zusammenfassung
Actress, activist, and now Danicing with the Stars competitor Skai Jackson shares her lessons on life and her rise to stardom in this vibrant memoir about self-acceptance, girl empowerment, and the classy clapback.

Actress and activist Skai Jackson is a star! Her rise to fame started on the popular Disney Channel shows Bunk'd and Jessie. Her cool sense of style led her to create her own fashion line. And her success has made her a major influencer, with millions of followers on Instagram, who isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in.

But being a teen celebrity isn't always glamorous. For the first time, Skai discusses the negative experiences that sometimes come with living in the spotlight--the insecurities about her appearance, the challenges of separating her real personality from her TV roles, and the bullying she's faced both personally and professionally. She knows firsthand the struggles tweens and teens face today, and she has found her calling as an antibullying activist, known as the queen of the classy clapback.

Skai is a positive force and a role model for inspiring change and embracing differences in others. Her story will encourage girls and boys alike to believe in themselves and to have the courage to reach for the sky and follow their dreams.

Leseprobe
Have you ever asked your parents the story behind your name? When I did, my mom told me some things that really surprised me. When my mom was young, she got sick and her doctor said she might not be able to get pregnant. She was devastated because she wanted children more than anything. After years of praying for a girl, my mom miraculously got pregnant with me. She wanted to celebrate by giving her daughter a special name. A friend had mentioned the name Sky, and my mom loved it! She was a bit of a free bird, and Sky made her think of freedom and possibilities—someone who was able to live life exactly as God created. So one day while she was looking out the window, my mom began to think about how she wanted to spell my name.
Sky, no, Skye. No, there are too many Skyes. I want to do something different. What’s another way to spell sky? Hmm . . . what rhymes with sky? Bye, dry, fly, lie, nigh, pie, sly, Thai . . .
That’s it! Skai!
The spelling Skai made sense to her. Because already, while I was in her belly, she knew I would be special. Not necessarily a star or celebrity, but an influencer. And it looks like she was right.
 
Let’s start out by agreeing on one thing: babies are cute. Even though they cry and need their diapers changed, their big beautiful eyes and infectious grins can light up a room and make even the most stone-faced person crack a smile. Add in their irresistible laughter, and you have an adorable baby. However, since everyone thinks their baby is pretty, my mom didn’t pay a lot of extra attention to people who told her that I was adorable. I mean, she’s from New York. Nothing fazes New Yorkers. Babies are cute. So what? #EverybodyKnowsThat #ButIReally WasCuteEvenIfIDoSaySoMyself
Apparently I never went through a fussy stage. When I was just five months old, my mom remembers people telling her that I was unusually friendly. I wasn’t like most babies and toddlers, who are shy and turn their face away from strangers, or try to hide behind their mother’s legs. When my mom would take me out in my stroller every day on a walk around Prospect Park, in Brooklyn, women would constantly talk to me because I was so friendly. Even the people at our favorite neighborhood restaurant thought I had a great personality. It seems like I was just born that way.
My mom spent a lot of time reading Parents magazine when I was a baby, and in one issue they ran a column where a mom asked how she could get her child into modeling. At first, my mom thought nothing of it, but when the next issue ran a list of modeling agencies, she was intrigued. My mom’s aunt gave her the courage to go for it. She thought maybe I could earn enough money as a model to pay for my college education.
My mom found some pictures she’d had taken of me at JCPenney the previous Christmas and sent them to two modeling agencies. In one set of pictures, I was wearing a fuzzy white jumper with a pink turtleneck, pale-gold shimmery tights, and pink boots with white fur around the top—they looked like little Uggs. In the second photo, I was sitting in a tin tub wearing just my diaper, with a pink-and-blue towel hanging out of it. Can’t you just see it? (I told you I was cute!) There was no …