A husband-and-wife duo known for their work on the silver screen plan to release their second children’s book together after resettling in Arlington.
Brittany Scott Smith, an Emmy-winning director who has worked on “Sesame Street,” and her husband, actor Arjay Smith, release books together under the name “A.B. Smith.” Their latest book, “Wes and Morris Meet Passport Pat,” comes out on March 27.
Brittany, who has been in the television industry for over 20 years, has also worked on children’s shows like “Helpsters” and “Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show” on Apple TV. Arjay is an actor who has most recently appeared on ABC’s “The Rookie” and is known for his role in Nickelodeon’s “The Journey of Allen Strange.”
The couple, originally from Los Angeles, has lived in various states on the East Coast since 2014 and decided to make the move to Crystal City. In their new hometown, they’ve been able to travel for work as needed while enjoying a slower pace of life with their two children.
“We moved here for calmness and peace of mind and a great life where our kids can enjoy school and play outside,” Brittany told ARLnow.
Arjay added that living in Arlington has given them peace of mind and balance.
“When you come from a very LA, New York life, fast-paced kind of vibration, there’s this very calm, appreciative angle living in an environment like Virginia that helps us just balance ourselves out,” the actor told ARLnow. “And so it’s been an honor to be out here and then to now showcase our new book.”
The husband and wife were inspired to write children’s books by their 5-year-old and 7-year-old kids. Wes and Morris, the characters and namesake of the series, came from the West and Morris Street intersection that the Smiths lived at in New York.
The Wes and Morris book series centers around what the couple wants to teach their kids. Their first book, “Wes and Morris Meet Mr. Buck,” focuses on financial literacy.
The second book coming out in March centers around traveling.
“This book was really trying just to understand that it’s important to travel,” Brittany said. “It’s important to know that the world is bigger than the four corners that you’re walking around every day.”
Arjay added that it helps children understand people whose cultures are different from them.
“The bottom line is, if you can appreciate another person’s quality of life, even if it’s not the life you want, but if you can respect them and appreciate it, then it will make your own personal life that much more valuable,” Arjay said.
The couple’s books are self published through BookBaby. Their next book in the Wes and Morris series will focus on music, Arjay said.
After the new book comes out later in March, the Smiths are looking into hosting local book launch events at D.C.’s BloomBars and other locations.
