Here at Capstone, we have a unique opportunity to review dozens of title and series pitches each year. The goal is to find—and develop—exciting, engaging, innovative content that will inspire young readers and help them learn and grow. With so much great content coming our way, it can be difficult to decide which concepts to pursue. But every so often, a concept arrives that strikes like lightning.

So it was with Jared Sams’ Qianna and the Quantum Train. When Jared’s pitch arrived at Capstone, it was instantly clear that this series was something special. Literally bursting with vibrant colors and modern, hip-hop flair, Jared’s graphic novel series promised to introduce young readers to diverse thinkers of the past in a whole new way and with a truly authentic voice.

What was so powerful about Jared’s vision for Qianna and the Quantum Train? Take a look for yourself!

—Chris Harbo, Acquisitions Editor

Jared’s Pitch

Qianna and the Quantum Train is about an 8-year-old genius and her squad of besties who embark in their quantum subway train to the farthest reaches of space and time to better understand STEM concepts. A fusion of Back to The Future and Magic School Bus wrapped in a hip-hop veneer, this series sets out from the station to show students that STEM is for everyone!

Kid genius Qianna has ambitious visions of a future she wants to help usher in—flying cars, interstellar travel, towering cities, robot besties—the kind of bright future just over the horizon . . . but Qianna still has a lot to learn! In order to help her, she rounds up her older brother, Quinn, and their best buds, Rosa and Alex, and they all climb into the Quantum Train—an old, decommissioned subway car that Qianna has retrofitted into a sci-fi express, allowing the kids to travel not just through space, but time itself. From coming face-to-face with a quark to surfing the rim of a black hole, the impossible is only a hop, skip, and a wormhole away with the Quantum Train.

Sometimes the best way to understand the future is to look to the past, so the QT’s (Qianna’s pet name for her squad of Quantum Train pals) find themselves visiting the genius inventors of the past—“Time Tutors”—to help them better comprehend tough science subjects and bridge the gap between the past, present, and future!

The Time Tutors spotlight BIPOC and female inventors—pioneers who made significant contributions to STEM yet languish in obscurity. When I [Jared] was a kid, my mom brought home a book, a who’s who and what’s what of African American inventors and their inventions that changed the world. It stunned my child mind! I was a history and science nerd; how come I’d never heard of these stallions of science?! This series reveals to students of all cultures and creeds that science, and the people who study it, relate to their lives in very real ways.

Qianna and the Quantum Train aims to not only find a relatable way for ALL students to engage and discover their passion for STEM, but also speak truth to the experience of history’s disenfranchised inventors. Each book will personalize and galvanize history and science, providing a cosmic roller coaster ride full of adventure, close calls, and eureka moments! The future is coming. Students need content that helps them imagine themselves building that tomorrow, something to animate their views of science and convey that sublime feeling of discovery scientists feel when they hit on a boundless breakthrough. This series wants to make sure every child—no matter who they are—know that they, too, can use STEM to change the world.

About the Author
Writer/Illustrator Jared Sams is dedicated to creating fun, engaging stories and giving voice to communities that often go unheard. Having spent almost twenty years in the film/TV industry, Jared uses all of the skills he developed working for major studios like Universal, Paramount, and Marvel to create impactful, expressive graphic novels for children and adults of all colors and creeds. Jared seeks to improve the world by creating stories where we can all work together today in order to create a more hopeful tomorrow.

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