Recently, the MCBD Team has spent considerable time creating our 5th Free Classroom Kit for Teachers, Librarians, and parents to utilize. The theme of the 2019/2020 Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Kit is Understand and Celebrate our Differences. We’ve replaced our previous title, “Understanding and Celebrating People with Disabilities,” after learning that this isn’t correct language.
Creating this downloadable kit has been eye-opening and educational and we’ve done our best to pass the lessons on to those who welcome this kit into their classrooms and homes.
Understand and Celebrate our Differences
Within this free downloadable Classroom Kit, you will find books and resource links for:
- ADHD
- Allergies
- Anxiety/Separation Anxiety
- Asthma
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Cancer
- Charcot Marie Tooth
- Cerebral Palsy
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Deaf/Partial Hearing Loss
- Degenerative Diseases
- Diabetes
- Disfiguration
- Down Syndrome
- Dyslexia
- Epilepsy
- Glasses
- Limb Differences
- Mental Illness
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Osteogenesis Imperfecta
- Person with Albinism
- Person with Brain Injury
- Physical Disabilities involving Walking
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Prosthetic Implants
- Sensory Processing
- Someone Who Uses a Wheelchair
- Someone with an Alcohol Problem
- Someone with Dwarfism
- Spinal Disorders
- Speech and Language Difficulties
- Tourette Syndrome
- Visual Impairment
Since this is a huge topic, we’d appreciate any suggestions you have on rounding out this list!
Go HERE to download your FREE Classroom Kit.
Bonus Special Needs and Disabilities Booklist {PART 1}
As you can imagine, the pool of amazing books to pull from that showcase the above topics was HUGE. There were many hours of discussion and decision-making that took place and the final result was a fine-tuned list of books and resources.
HOWEVER, there are many more books that we simply did not have room for in the kit so we’d like to offer a Bonus Booklist! Enjoy.
Allergies
Avril Knows by Ginny Heenen offers a positive message by showing Avril how she is seen through the eyes of an artist who paints her portrait. Avril loves learning new magic tricks. She also has an uncanny way of noticing details and things that other people don’t, and that makes her good at magic. When her parents decide to have her portrait painted Avril imagines herself as a proud magician. However, Avril learns through the eyes of the artist that her allergies are not a bad thing, but instead make her more powerful and special than she ever imagined.
Autism
Anatomy of Autism: A Pocket Guide for Educators, Parents and Students by Diego Pena.
Diego is a nine-year-old non-verbal author who has written the bestseller book, Anatomy of Autism: A Pocket Guide for Educators, Parents, and Students, with a goal of delivering a message that shatters misconceptions about autism
Cancer
The Little Green Monster: Cancer Magic! by Sharon Chappell, PhD, Associate Professor of Education, CSUF, and Director, Little Green Monster Project.
What happens when someone you love is diagnosed with cancer? In this inspiring story written by a breast cancer survivor, The Little Green Monster helps Marie and her family survive and thrive through her mother’s treatment. The book includes how to express feelings, cancer vocabulary, as well as family cancer resources and activities. The book explores the questions like: what can you expect while the loved one goes through treatment? While science does its work, what can love and everyday magic do to help? “The Little Green Monster donates free book copies to families impacted by cancer. Copies also available through the website for purchase. Partial proceeds of sales are donated to Susan G. Komen Orange County.
“This book provides a meaningful tool for teachers, daycare providers, counselors, or anyone who works with children whose lives are impacted by cancer or other illnesses. Every day students walk through the doors of our schools bearing enormous burdens. The Little Green Monster: Cancer Magic! can comfort them and be a source of hope.” -Laurel Estrada, Family Resource Center Coordinator, Rowland Heights School District
Cerebral Palsy
S.M.A.R.T.S. and the 3-D Danger by Melinda Metz
This book is an inclusive story as the protagonist is Jaden, a male middle school student with cerebral palsy. [chapter book, ages 8-11]
Deaf/Hard of Hearing
The Secrets Hidden Beneath the Palm Tree by Angeliki Pedersen
This early childhood book is written from a mother’s point of view with the purpose of helping hard of hearing or deaf children and their families at the critical mainstream stage. When young children get exposed to differences in others, they learn tolerance, empathy and create new ways of learning. [picture books for ages 4 and up]
Ranvir Cannot Hear by Genevieve Yusuf and Shermain Philip
Ranvir Cannot Hear is a magical story set in the plains of India and is about a little elephant that goes on a long journey in search of his hearing. On his travels he meets some wonderful friends along the way who can’t do certain things but tell him about the things that they can! Ranvir even finds out he has a special talent too… This is a beautifully illustrated children’s story with a message of inclusion and empowerment. Learn to find out what you can do and don’t worry about what you can’t. [picture book, ages 5-8]
Waiting for a Sign by Etsy Schachter
Shelly and Ian used to be close, but after Ian leaves home to attend the Hawthorne School for the Deaf, Shelly feels abandoned, and the two drift apart.
When Ian returns home with news that the future of Hawthorne is in jeopardy, Shelly isn’t sure she wants him back. And Ian, who has enjoyed living with students and staff who sign all the time, feels angry when his family forgets to do the same.
An explosive argument that could drive brother and sister further apart actually offers hope for reconciliation—a hope that grows as Shelly’s spirited best friend, Lisa, helps strengthen their bond.
The siblings grow closer still when they find themselves coping with an unexpected tragedy. To fully heal her relationship with Ian, however, Shelly needs to acknowledge and understand why Hawthorne—and access to the Deaf community—is so important to him. To do so, she’ll need to take action and stop waiting for a sign.
Written by clinical social worker Esty Schachter, Waiting for a Sign celebrates the beauty and power of Deaf culture, offering readers an opportunity for insight and understanding. [chapter book, ages 10+]
Down Syndrome
The Colorful Adventures of Pauline and Tiff by Megan Cooper and Nicolette Stearns
Megan is a young adult with Downs Syndrome; she narrated the story to Nicolette Stearns. It is about a girl with Down syndrome and her neurotypical friend.
Culture of Life: 5 Picture Books about Downs Syndrome
Mental Illness/Depression
Meh: A Book About Depression by Deborah Malcolm
Sadness is an emotion that everyone feels at some time or another. But sometimes you might feel a sadness so long and so deep and dark that it seems impossible to find happiness. That kind of sadness is called depression. Meh is a wordless picture book about one boy’s journey through depression. Discussion questions at the back of the book are intended for parents or teachers to discuss depression with children.
OCD
Waiting for Fitz by Spencer Hyde
Fitz is haunted by the voices in his head and often doesn’t know what is real. But he feels if he can convince Addie to help him escape the psych ward and get to San Juan Island, everything will be okay. If not, he risks falling into a downward spiral that may keep him in the hospital indefinitely.
Waiting for Fitz is a story about life and love, forgiveness and courage, and learning what is truly worth waiting for.
Stay tuned for Part Two of this project!
Together the MCBD team hopes to spread the word and raise awareness about the importance of diversity in children’s literature We encourage readers, parents, teachers, caregivers and librarians to follow along the fun book reviews, author visits, event details, multicultural children’s book linky and via our hashtag (#ReadYourWorld) on Twitter and other social media.
Thank you for cultivating understanding, kindness, inclusion, and exploration of this beautiful world in your classroom.
The Author/Platinum Sponsorship July Flash Sale has BEGUN!
It’s time!
Back by popular demand is our MCBD 2020 Author Sponsorship July Flash Sale! And this year, we are throwing in a special deal on Platinum Level Sponsorships as well (limit of 3)!
Planning for MCBD2020 is already underway and we can’t help being in awe as to how far this non-profit initiative has come.
Mission: Raise awareness for children’s books that celebrate diversity by getting more of these books into classrooms and libraries. Multicultural Children’s Book Day is celebrated on the last Friday of January. 2020 will be our 7th year and our much-anticipated Twitter Party on the day of the celebration grows bigger (and more fun!) every year.
From October through February, Multicultural Children’s Book Day is especially active on social media and the buzz surrounding this event gets national even global support and recognition. The whirlwind that is Multicultural Children’s Book Day is a proven way to get books into the hands of young readers while also raising awareness with parents, caregivers, teachers, and librarians.
We know Author Sponsorship is an amazing and powerful way for Authors to get visibility and readership for their work. Last year’s July Flash Sale was huge success and authors and publisher appreciated the cost savings.
NOTE: Medallion Level Sponsorship options for MCBD2020 (1/31/20) will be available by September 1, 2019…but in the meantime…
Debbie Mills is a retired architect turned children’s book author who has lived all over the world including England, Greece, France, Canada, and Australia. Upon retirement, Mills moved to Kerrville, Texas where she was immediately confronted with the realities of the immigration crisis while learned of the many stories of those escaping the violence of Mexico to start a new life in America. After befriending a Mexican stonemason named Alfredo Alva, she learned the story of he and his father’s tumultuous journey from Mexico to a better life in America. Alfredo’s story became the inspiration for the award-winning bilingual picture book La Frontera: El viaje con papá/ My Journey With Papa.”
When not enjoying life in her current home of Kerrville Texas with husband, Peter, Mills keeps busy with design projects, the couple’s 5 adult children, and working on the production of her invention with a marine supply company.
To contact Debbie with questions or to schedule a classroom visit, email her at peedubs@msn.com.