Hollywood star Lupita Nyong’o is adding another talent to her resume; author. The Oscar-winning actress will have her first children’s book published by Simon & Schuster in January 2019.

The book will follow a five-year-old girl named Sulwe (which translates to “star” in Luo, Nyong’o’s native language) who is growing up in Kenya. Sulwe has the darkest skin color in her family, which makes her so uncomfortable that she is determined to find a way to lighten her skin. Soon, Sulwe embarks on a whimsical adventure in the night sky that, in which, with advice from her mother, Sulwe learns to see beauty in a whole new way.

Source: Marvel Studios

The New York Times reports that Nyong’o was inspired by her own self-image issues. She has been an outspoken advocate against the beauty double standards women of color deal with.

During her speech at the 2014 Black Women in Hollywood awards Nyong’o said, “I remember a time when I too felt un-beautiful. I put on the TV and only saw pale skin. I got teased and taunted about my night-shaded skin and my one prayer to God…was that I would wake up lighter skinned.”

Nyong’o will next be seen on the big screen in the highly anticipated Black Panther, which claws its way into theaters Feb. 16.

Source: Bustle

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