CHARLOTTE, NC – Greek-American Anna Prokos has written more than 50 books for children and their families, recently turning her attention to publishing books that feature Greek culture and traditions. As a child, she joyfully participated in the numerous traditional events and holidays celebrated by Greek-American families. Today, as a parent, Prokos realizes the importance of simply and colorfully explaining these beloved cultural traditions for the younger generations. A native of New Jersey, the author now lives near Charlotte, NC, with her husband and four sons, where she enjoys sharing stories of growing up Greek. She announced the latest book in The Lucky Book Series, published in time for ‘OXI’ Day, titled, The Lucky Word.

Prokos spoke with The National Herald about the book: “The Lucky Word is the fourth title in the popular children’s book series that celebrates the culture, heritage, and traditions of Greek families. In this book, released this month, the beloved characters learn about the history of October 28th and its importance in the world today.”

“Billy and his brothers learn why it’s sometimes good to say ‘OXI!’, she said, “and how a small country’s loud ‘No!’ helped change the course of history. Written in child-friendly text so kids can understand, and illustrated with bold colors, The Lucky Word takes readers through a historic journey of ‘OXI’ Day and Greece’s bravery to stand up and fight for freedom and liberty.”

All the stories in the series, including The Lucky Cake (Vasilopita), The Lucky Egg (Pascha and red eggs), The Lucky Day (March 25th), and The Lucky Word (‘OXI’ Day), are written and published by Prokos, illustrated by talented Athens-based artist Christina Tsevis, graphically produced by New Jersey-based graphic designer Patricia Dwyer, and designed and printed in the United States.

Prokos told TNH that, “the book took about three months to write, illustrate, design and publish. During the time the book was being created, all the contributors and the printer/distributor were impacted by the COVID-19 environment and delays.”

“In addition, Christina Tsevis was creating her illustrations amidst the devastating fires that ripped through Greece this summer,” Prokos continued. “As smoke and ash drifted through the Athens air, Tsevis took solace in the drawings, knowing that her work would bring children and families closer to their heritage. Despite the many challenges, the team stayed focus in order to tell this important historical story so kids can understand the significance of this day.”

“While many Greek-American children attend Greek School or Sunday School and learn about the traditions that shaped their culture and heritage, many kids find it difficult to understand the historic events,” Prokos told TNH. “They may memorize poems for Greek School and perform skits/plays on special days, but if you ask many kids, they don’t really know or remember what they learned about, and they find it hard to connect their lives today with Greek stories of the past. The Lucky Book Series addresses this concern in order to continue and preserve Greek events and celebrations for generations to come.”

The Lucky Word by Anna Prokos is available online: https://www.a-to-zpublishing.com/.