Dear friends and supporters of Community Works,

Summer Brenner and the West Contra Costa Unified School District in partnership with Community Works received a generous grant from the Creative Work Fund to develop and publish a young adult novel that reflects the life stories of students in the Iron Triangle neighborhood of Richmond.

Richmond Tales: Lost Secrets of the Iron Triangle, written by Summer Brenner and illustrated by Miguel Perez, has arrived! The novel tells the story of Mario and Maisha and their unlikely friendship. They live in present-day Richmond, but through the magic powers of Misty Horn, they travel backward and forward through time to different eras of Richmond: Native American, 1915, 1942, and 2050.

The book is directed to students age 9 to 12 and will be distributed to over 4,500 fourth/fifth graders for summer reading. However, the story is sure to appeal to a wider audience as Mario and Maisha learn the history of Richmond, experience cultural differences, and explore the possibilities of Richmond's future.

Literature rarely reflects the local experiences of students. This work seeks to provide relevancy and strengthen our students' connection to the community. Undoubtedly, the story of Mario and Maisha reaffirms that the community is powerful and the students' potential unlimited.

To purchase
Richmond Tales:

Available for purchase at 6/18 Event or you can contact Community Works
It is also available at amazon.com