Mommy, I Told You So!: Diabetes and Me

Mommy, I Told You So! is the second book in the Wise Girl series about a young Black girl who diagnosed her own Type 1 Diabetes. Imani continues her journey as she returns to school, making her classmates aware of what it means to have diabetes. When Imani decides to ignore her symptoms so she can go back to school one day, she finds herself back in the hospital and learning her healthcare lessons again.

But her awareness and persistence earn her a different kind of reward when her mother is contacted by CNN. Imani steps into the media spotlight, and finds her voice yet again.

Based on an authentic story of a child who teaches the adults around her about listening and learning, Mommy, I Told You So! provides children with diabetes and their families with tools to advocate for and receive the best possible care for the disease. Jamala Lesane's first book, Mommy, I Think I Have Diabetes, is now used in hospital and school settings as a way to get the conversation about healthcare and nutrition into the hands of children. Jamala is an outspoken advocate, as was her aunt Afeni Shakur, for healthcare literacy. She spends time on the street, in the classroom, and in hospital settings encouraging young brothers and sister to persist, speak up, and never give up when it comes their futures.