Questlove wants “Black nerds to see themselves” in his new book, ‘The Rhythm of Time’

Questlove has dedicated his new book, The Rhythm of Time, to his 9-year-old self, but it’s also a story Black “nerds” can see themselves in.

“When I would travel with my parents, my father and mother … they would trick me into reading to them and oftentimes I’d pick books in which I didn’t see myself, per se,” he said in a recent interview with The View. “There’s a term like ‘alt-Black kids’ where, you know, you might not talk the right language or you just look weird, like I had weird hair … I want them, Black nerds, to see themselves, as well.”

Questlove’s The Rhythm of Time, written in collaboration with S. A. Cosby, tells the story of Rahim Reynolds and friend Kasia Collins, who often build and test crazy gadgets. Rahim gets his hands on one of Kasia’s special cellphones and gets transported back to 1997, leaving him to find his way through some obstacles and back to the present.

“The Rhythm of Time is a fast-paced story of how the best of intentions can unravel into the most dire of circumstances — and how those problems can only be solved through the power of family and friendship,” a press release reads. The book is written for readers between the ages of 8 and 12.