Taraji P. Henson’s Substitute Teaching Experience, Love for Kids Helped Inspire New Children’s Book (Exclusive)

Taraji P. Henson’s career as a substitute teacher before she became a star helped inspire her new children’s book!

Purple The actress, 53, recently spoke with PEOPLE about how her work in education helped her write the book, You can be a good friend (no matter what!).

“I taught elementary school students. The highest grade I substitute taught was maybe fourth grade,” says Henson. “The innocence is still there in a way, and they just say whatever they think. I really get a lot of things about my character from the kids because they are so honest and clean.”

She adds, “You want to know how to tell the truth? Learn, kids.”

Taraji P. Henson reads from her children’s book on June 18.

Daniel Zuchnik/Getty

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Henson’s education also played a role in her desire to appear on Abbott Elementary School.

“It was so much fun, I mean, they just made me feel like part of the family,” Henson says of her guest appearance on the show. She went on to describe her experience as “unbelievable, unbelievable.”

The show’s star, Quinta Brunson, and the rest of the cast also received high praise from the Oscar nominee.

“You come to work to laugh, and everybody would,” says Henson. “It’s just a wonderful cast. And I’m really proud of Quinto. I told her, I said, ‘I’m always here for you. I support you.’ ”

Henson’s new book explores feelings of alienation and the longing to fit in, themes drawn from her own life, family and experiences, including the line: “More flies than honey.”

“That’s what my grandmother and my mother always told me as a child,” says Henson. “Especially with these kids and social media and the knee-jerk reaction to you, hit me, I’ll hit you back. And that’s just the saying, if we lived an eye for an eye, the whole world would be blind. So at some point someone has to rise above.”

Henson’s relationship with her son, Marcello Johnson, 30, and the choices she made while raising him were major influences on the book, as well as many other aspects of her career.

All about Taraji P. Henson’s son, Marcello Johnson

“When my son was trying to find his style, he would want to wear his pajamas to the store, and I let him do that, and in his mind he was Batman or Spider-Man in the store, saving the day. Who am I to crush it?” Henson asks. “What we’re fighting for is their innocence, and that’s why this book, that’s why now, because I’m fighting to keep my innocence.”

Henson hopes her book will inspire children to make the right choices and, in her words, “choose joy” in their daily lives.

You can be a good friend (no matter what!) it is now available wherever books are sold.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education