Take a look, it’s in a book, a reading rainbow. Who remembers ‘Reading Rainbow?’ I loved that show as a child. The theme song was my jam and I loved hearing books read to me that I had never read before. Well, there’s a new version of ‘Reading Rainbow’ available to our children called ‘Read with Carylee’ hosted by Carylee Carrington. She interviews diverse authors and has them read their stories to the audience.
Meet Carylee
Born on the island of Jamaica, Carylee migrated to the United States at the age of six and spent most of her years in Brooklyn, New York. Her mother was an educator, so education was top priority in the home, second only to their Christian faith.
Carylee currently lives in Northern Virginia with her two sons, Bradley (9) and Arden (7). 
I had the pleasure of interviewing Carylee and we talked everything from motherhood to faith. Read more about this amazing mom and the inspiration behind her inspiring show.
Arian Moore: What was your career path before becoming the host of ‘Read with Carylee’?
Carylee Carrington: I still have my day job. I am a Marketing Manager and have worked for some major companies such as Volkswagen, Rocket Homes, Harley Davidson, and Red Hat. I love what I do and it keeps my creativity flowing.
AM: How did you become interested in sharing children’s books?
CC: My son was the inspiration for me getting into writing children’s books. I wanted to teach him about embracing differences and living in an inclusive world. It was surprising to me that at the time, I couldn’t find a book for his age and five-year-old comprehension, so my mother, who was a Literacy Coach, encouraged me to write one. So, it was a combination of the necessity to find content for my son and the encouragement of my mother to get me writing.
After going on author’s visits to various schools, I saw how children lit up to meet an author, which sparked the idea for ‘Read With Carylee.’ I grew up watching Reading Rainbow, but there was something missing for me. I always wondered who the authors were behind the books that I was reading. Also, for me as a mom and new author, I wanted to find out the motivation behind the books my children were reading.
AM: What’s the scoop on the show and what are your goals for Read with Carylee?
CC: The sky’s the limit for ‘Read With Carylee.’ I want to have ‘Read With Carylee’ being viewed all around the world. I want authors to be able to share their books and have them be seen by a wide audience. I want to be the combination of Reading Rainbow and Mister Rogers Neighborhood. Who are the authors in your neighborhood? I want to be the place where parents, teachers and even librarians go to find the answer to that question. There are so many authors who get overlooked, because they may not be with a big publishing house. Those authors tell the stories of the areas they live in, we should value those stories and I count it an honor to be able to to share them on my show.
I am happy to have been a guest on ‘Read with Carylee.’ Watch my episode here.
AM: How do you balance work life, motherhood, and the show?
CC: I believe the balance comes with my faith in God. I have no idea how I continue to do what I do. I’m not going to lie. There are some days that I want to pull the covers over my head and hide from all the responsibilities that I have now created for myself.
Being a mother is the joy of my life. It’s never easy, but watching my sons grow and figure out the world is like nothing else that I could ever imagine having a front-row seat for. Knowing that God entrusted me to be their earthly guide, I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world.
My becoming an author and the gift of this show is somewhat like having another child and seeing that grow. The ideas that come to me sometimes, I never have a clue of how to execute, but I just know that God wouldn’t give these ideas to me without giving me the tools along the way. I don’t want this blessing to be taken away from me; where God leads, I just follow.
AM: What is your go-to for self-care?
My go to has been Yoga. I do Yoga at my local gym and though there maybe a couple of dozen people in the class, it’s like no one is there. It gives me the opportunity to center myself, stretch my body, and focus on God. It’s that intentional time where I don’t need to focus on what anyone else is doing.
AM: How has faith played a part in your journey?
CC: I know this might sound cliche, but Jesus is ALL! Right before I started ‘Read With Carylee’, I had to step away from an abusive marriage. Less than a year later, my mom who was my cheerleader and the Godly figure in my family died and the rest of my family fell apart. I had nowhere to go, no one to turn to, but God. I rely on my faith for every decision. The past two years have been a blessing and it has been scary. I could not have gotten through without God. My faith has gotten stronger and I stand on that strength every day.
AM: What inspiration do you have for other moms wanting to start businesses or write books but are not sure how?
CC: Don’t wait till you have it all together, because that will never happen. Start the business, start the book and you will grow into knowing what to do. One foot in front of the other. You may not see the whole staircase, just begin the climb.
Follow Carylee on social media @readwithcarylee or visit readwithcarylee.com.
