Blog - Multicultural Children's Book Day

Helping Children and Strengthening Families by Equipping Dads

October 13, 2019 by Valarie Budayr Leave a Comment

San Bernardino Fatherhood mission is: “To eliminate fatherlessness in San Bernardino by promoting a culture of father inclusion and responsible fatherhood in our communities. This mission will be accomplished in collaboration with local schools, community partners, faith-based organizations and public and private agencies.”

San Bernardino Fatherhood vision is: “A society where children thrive, families are stronger, and communities are safer as a result of responsible fathering.”

About Real Dads Read

San Bernardino Fatherhood has worked in the field of responsible fatherhood for the past three (3) years, recognizing that fathers are more engaged today than ever.

Real Dads Read (RDR) is aimed at elementary and middle school-aged children (K-8) and their fathers/male caregivers with the goals of:

Encouraging children to develop a love for reading.
Improving children’s literacy skills and educational outcomes.
Strengthening bonds between fathers/male caregivers and their children.

Real Dads Read is a two-generation approach to engaging and improving outcomes for both men and their children for which they are responsible.

NOTE: Kenneth Braswell and Read Dads Read is a returning Author Sponsor for MCBD2020. Get the scoop HERE.

Helping Children and Strengthening Families by Equipping Dads

Research shows that fathers are involved in the lives of their children, especially their education, children learn more, perform better in school, and exhibit healthier behaviors. Even when fathers do not share a home with their children, their active involvement can have a lasting and positive impact. The program has four engagement levels.

Implementation of book drives in barbershops throughout the city of San Bernardino.
Creating small children libraries in barbershops.
Creating school-based community groups to meet once a month in reading activities.
Creating a social media platform to impact the current narrative of “Black and Brown” men/fathers and their children.

“San Bernardino Fatherhood believes that Real Dads Read will be a great project to assist with the images of narrative change for ‘Black and Brown’ Men/Fathers, their children and families,” shared Ryan Berryman, MSW, the Executive Director of San Bernardino Fatherhood. “The project is a perfect opportunity to help elevate a counter-narrative by providing a great two-generational approach to services for parents and children.”

San Bernardino Fatherhood is seeking to establish at least fifty (50) “children reading centers” or children libraries in barbershops in the cities of San Bernardino and Highland.

How You Can Help

The objective of San Bernardino Father’s initiative is to partner with barbershops to encourage children to read and (most importantly) fathers/male caregivers to read to and with their children while waiting in barbershops.

San Bernardino Fatherhood will do the “work” in locating, promoting, educating, setting up and monitoring the children reading centers in barbershops for their success. We are seeking a donation of books for each of our partnering barbershop locations. Our goal is to have fifty (50) barbershops well established with a “Children’s Library” by June 2020.

Ways to help this timely and much-needed project is via donations of children books that are engaging, relevant and promotes positive images of “Black and Brown” children and families in our communities. The children targeted should be from ages zero (0) to eleven (11) years. Research evidence stresses the importance of early childhood literacy and children reading at “grade level” by the third grade to increase outcomes for future success.

Go here to learn how and where you can donate books.

It is suggested that the donated books depict positive role models and promote positive character-building traits (e.g., responsibility, honesty, respectful, safe, kind, courage, grit, social justice, discipline, etc.). Again, it is suggested that the characters in the children’s books are reflective of the diversity of the “Black and Brown” members in our communities.

San Bernardino Fatherhood is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, charitable organization. Learn more about them via their website and Facebook.

Get Ready for a Changing World | Traveling builds Memories and Empathy

October 10, 2019 by Valarie Budayr Leave a Comment

Pack-n-Go Girls is excited to be Platinum sponsors of Multicultural Children’s Book Day. We’re big believers in MCBD’s mission and have been part of it for years at various levels.

Get Ready for a Changing World

We’re often asked about why we started Pack-n-Go Girls. The first thing that comes to mind is how much fun we have writing books and taking kids on reading adventures that take them around the world. More important than this, though, is that we want to make a difference. We want to nurture an adventurous spirit. We want to inspire kids to go out and explore the world, infusing them with curiosity and an insatiable thirst to learn. Along the way, we hope our readers will notice what unites us and appreciate the value of our differences. Multicultural literature brings all of this to the table. We need it now, more than ever. Here are just a few reasons why we think this is important.

Remember that time in Havana? Havana, ooh na-na (ay) | Half of my heart is in Havana, ooh-na-na …

My daughter and I (Lisa) are singing along to Camila Cabella’s popular hit song while riding home from school. I think back to our summer trip and turn to her and ask, “Remember that time in Havana? Isn’t it cool that you’ve been there?” She smiled and nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, we had ice cream at Coppelia where Aunt Marilyn used to get her ice cream when she was a girl before she came to the US. And we danced salsa on the streets at night. I think I did leave half of my heart in Havana.”

But wait, what does this have to do with multicultural books? Traveling builds memories and empathy with others. And you can travel the world right now simply by reading! Multicultural books expose children to different cultures, different customs, different perspectives, and even different foods (try a multicultural cookbook or a recipe at the back of our Pack-n-Go Girls books). And they build excitement, curiosity, and an adventurous spirit for traveling to experience new places and people in the future. If we teach our children to move into the world from a place of openness, wonder, and curiosity, rather than fear, judgment, and separation, we set them up to live profoundly more nourishing, connected lives.

Reading multicultural books is an easy first step in this direction.

She’s just like you! In 2015, less than 15% of books depicted characters from diverse backgrounds. That number is growing. In 2016, the number jumped to 28%, and in 2017, it hit 31% (Cooperative Children’s Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison; a chart to the right from Lee & Low Books). We are making progress, but we still have a ways to go for multicultural books to make it on to bookshelves, make the bestseller lists on Amazon, and be integrated into classrooms. Consider this: How much does it mean for children to read a book that has a girl or boy “just like me” in it? The loss isn’t just for children who don’t see themselves on the pages, but the loss is also for the children who only see themselves on the pages. How do they learn to appreciate and understand other cultures? We need to continue to grow the writing, publication, and marketing of multicultural books. Just because they are written doesn’t mean they are readily available for children to pick up and read. How do we do this? With promotions such as Multicultural Children’s Book Day, and by doing our own individual part to share, review, and promote multicultural stories we know of and like – not just the latest bestsellers.

It’s a connected world. If you haven’t read world-renowned economist, Parag Khanna’s 2016 book, Connectography, or watched his TedTalk, take a few minutes to consider his predictions. The essence is this: “We’re accelerating into a future shaped less by countries than by connectivity. Mankind has a new maxim – Connectivity is destiny – and the most connected powers and people will win.” Think about our mobility and transportations systems. How did ships and then airplanes change our ability to interact with other cultures? Our connections are further connected with power systems such as oil and gas pipelines and electricity grids. And our communications systems such as the internet, cables, satellites, cell networks, and data centers make our connections virtually instantaneous. Consider this: Upon a recent visit to the South African bush, Lisa was still able to Facetime her parents to assure them she wasn’t yet eaten by a lion. That’s cool, but again, what does this have to do with multicultural books? Well, how does our connected world impact our children now? In the future? Our kids are moving into a world that will expect them to be comfortable with other cultures and sensitive to our differences. Even in monochromatic cultures, people need to be curious, inclusive, patient, and collaborative. With today’s world and—even more—tomorrow’s world, we need to raise our children to be agile and adaptable in working with other cultures. What are we doing to prepare them for our hyper-connected future? Multicultural books are a concrete step you can take right now to help your child adventure into our global world without fear, be curious, value what unites us, and celebrate the differences that make us unique.

Who are our future leaders? Working as global leadership development consultants in our other jobs, Janelle and Lisa have seen firsthand the skills needed to compete in our new connected world. We’ve seen the leaders who have been exposed to other cultures – whether through education or travel – and we’ve seen the leaders who have not. And we’ve seen the leaders who have been able to make a difference and successfully lead their companies in a global economy, and those who have not. We’ve noted the competencies that Fortune 500 companies need to be successful today: cultural exposure, cultural sensitivity, communication, inclusivity, boundary spanning, curiosity, collaborative, agile, etc. (Sources: Darden, Harvard, Forbes, Center for Creative Leadership, and McKinsey studies). And we realized that we are teaching these leaders these critical competencies too late in the game – when they are more closed-minded, fearful, and set in their own cultural ways. That’s part of the reason we started Pack-n-Go Girls. We need future leaders who can work globally and who embody these competencies. And we need to start building global citizens now. Multicultural books are an easy way to begin to build the competencies our children will need to compete in the future global economy.

What better way to start discovering the world than in multicultural books, and we are proud to be a part of this movement. To start reading today, check out the Multicultural Children’s Book Day Diversity Book Lists. And be sure to follow along with the book reviews that will be coming in January 2020. And, if you have children 6-9, be sure to check out Pack-n-Go Girls.

Tour haunted castles in Austria, catch thieves in Mexico, save dolphins and turtles in Brazil, search for lost golden temples in Thailand, and chase aliens in Australia. AND at the same time, inspire kids to embrace adventure, be curious, value what unites us, and celebrate the differences that make us unique. Inspire them to take on our boundaryless world – to become global citizens.

Visit Pack-n-Go Girls for more information or find the books at your local bookseller or on Amazon.

Learn more about the Pack-n-Go Girls® books and related products HERE.

Follow the Pack-n-Go Girls® on Twitter:@packngogirls , Instagram, Pinterest, and on Facebook: facebook.com/packngogirls

Mark your calendars for the 2019 Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival!

September 24, 2019 by Valarie Budayr Leave a Comment

As one of the largest and most engaging annual book festivals in the northeast, The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival shares a mission that is near-and-dear to our heart; a mission to put a book in the hands of every child.

{Art by Roxie Munro}

The 7th annual #ChappBook festival will take place this year on October 5th, at Bell Middle School, in Chappaqua, NY, just across the street from the Chappaqua train station. This popular event will be jam-packed with 140+ creatively renowned authors and illustrators, kid-friendly crafts, food, activities, and fun that will make a lasting connection with the love of reading.

The History of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

Art image credit

The event began on the heels of the long-standing festival on the Hudson River canceled abruptly. Knowing that there was a deep need for a book-inspired festival that created a deeper connection with authors, illustrators, readers, and educators, Dawn Greenberg set to work to create exactly that. With local children’s book author Barbara Dee, assistant director Madeline Finesmith, and two other founding Board Members by her side, this ambitious mom dove into making her vision come to fruition.

In only six short months, the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival (CCBF) was made a reality thanks to Dawn’s hardworking team and 200 volunteers that helped on festival day. Currently, the CCBF board has eight members including teachers and children’s book author Sally Cook.

Now in its seventh year, this free and open to the public event is expected to draw over 8,000 book-loving participants during its October 5th event.

Boy reading Rodent Rascals by Roxie Munro

Photo credit: Bo Zaunders

What You Can Expect at the 2019 Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

This literacy-filled book festival is for readers 0-18 and will be on Saturday, October 5th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The location of the celebration is Bell Middle School, in Chappaqua, NY, just across the street from the Chappaqua train station. There are detailed directions on the CCBF website here.

Teachers will have the opportunity to purchase books, meet the authors, learn about illustration and writing while visiting CCBF’s Educator’s Hospitality Tent.

All visitors are welcome to enjoy our Author Meet-n-Greets, our illustrator’s area, the Food for Thought food truck round-up, the Great Chappaqua Bake Sale, all of the literacy-inspired activities along with their many fun and inviting sponsor booths with games, giveaways, and crafts.

Photo credit: Bo Zaunders

Among CCBF’s 140+ authors who will be on hand to talk books and even be on discussion panels, many diverse books and authors will be represented.

Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival Author Talks

{Art by Roxie Munro}

Visitors can meet and talk to well-known and multicultural authors including Eric Velasquez, Bryan Collier, Jerry and Gloria Pinkney, John Parra, Tracey Baptiste, Veera Hiranandani. Nikki Grimes, Padma Venkatraman, Veera Hiranandani, CeCe Bell (El Deafo), Alyson Gerber (Braced, Focused), and authors who have written books with LGBTQ themes, Barbara Dee and Kyle Lukoff.

Art image credit

Authors Joyce Wan, John Parra, Florence Minor, and Bryan Collier

“We truly believe that just one book can change a child’s life and an encounter with the author of their favorite book can be life-changing as well,” Dawn confirmed. “During CCBF, all of the authors who participate are so incredibly gracious and generous with their time. Over the years, watching kids, parents, and educators be positively impacted by our event has never gotten old for me.”

Dawn went on to share that teachers from the region have fully embraced CCBF as it’s grown and evolved over the years and their support is a huge part of the event’s continued success. “Personally, I think teachers rule the world and to have them come in force to this event to meet the authors of the books they love to share with students, and how much that means to them to make that connect, means the world to me.”

Art image credit

In Praise of #ChapBooks

I’m happy to say that since its inception, I have NEVER missed a single Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival. It has been, and continues to be one of my favorite literary events. The warm interactions between the artists and writers, not only with each other, but also with the hundreds of families, teachers, and librarians, make it seem more like a family reunion than a book festival. But the icing on the cake is always the excited kid readers who come not only to search for their current favorite children’s book creators, but also to meet their new favorites. Plus it’s a great to see so many teachers unleash their inner child so that they can continue to be excited and share that enthusiasm with their students. If you’re a fan of children’s lit, it’s not to be missed.-Jerry Craft | Author / Illustrator “New Kid” – My Middle Grade Graphic Novel (HarperCollins Feb 2019)

Connect with Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival on their website, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Hope to see you there!

Bilingual Personalized Children’s Books that Reflect Today’s Families

September 17, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”~Toni Morrison

That was the sentiment that author and mom, Jill Barletti, kept in mind when she took a leap of faith and created her flourishing publishing company, Snowflake Stories. “Just like a snowflake…every child’s story is unique,” has been the mantra and mission of her books; books that are created to be Bilingual Personalized Children’s Books.

“I just didn’t wake up one day and decide to start a personalized book company,” Barletti shared. “It all began a few years ago when I was working as a translator, and I made the off-handed comment to my parents that I enjoyed writing posts for my blog more than I liked doing the actual translations. They responded by encouraging me to pursue writing, as I have always had strong writing skills. I agreed to give it some thought and began pondering what kind of book I might write.”

A few months later, as her extended family gathered for a reunion, Barletti experienced another “ah-HA” moment. At bedtime, her niece, Ava, and nephew, Aidan, requested a bedtime story. Not finding one that they were happy with, Barletti made up a tale about Prince Aidan and Princess Ava who fought the fire-breathing dragon. As the youngsters became more enthralled with the tale that included them in the storyline, Barletti I knew she had to write personalized children’s books.

Since that moment in 2013, this ambitious mompreneur, with help from her kids, has spent the past few years quietly building a line of award-winning, personalized children’s books that are a reflection of what today’s families truly look like.

With four books that can be highly customized in the Snowflake Stories catalog, parents, grandparents, caregivers, and educators are appreciating the uniqueness and relevancy of Snowflake’s line of bilingual personalized children’s books; books that help to reinforce that it shouldn’t matter if a child speaks Spanish or English, has brown eyes or blue, or has a single mom or two.

Bilingual Personalized Children’s Books

“Initially, my mission was to write bilingual stories because I struggled to find books written in Spanish for my two half-Peruvian children when they were young,” Barletti recalled. “But we soon learned that it’s not just bilingual families who have to seek out books featuring families like their own — biracial, LGBTQ, single-parent, blended, adoptive, and multi-generational families do, too. And we realized that if we invested a little more time and effort, we could help lots of families find a few more books that look and sound like they do.”

The idea of creating customizable characters that reflected modern families became even more prevalent as Barletti researched other personalized book competitors. She noted that other personalized book companies relied on characters with raspberry-colored hair, disguises, and awkward angles to make the characters in their books relatable to more kids.

“To us, it was really important that young readers truly see themselves reflected on the pages of their custom storybook. To make this a reality, we worked closely with illustrator Jelena Brezovec in selecting a variety of skin colors, hair colors, hairstyles, eye colors, eye shapes, and a few other features for each character. Our books can feature other types of families often overlooked by traditional publishers – not just bilingual and single-parent families – but also biracial, LGBT, blended, and multi-generational families as well.”

Barletti also worked tirelessly to build a platform for parents, educators, and young readers that allowed them to select their book’s “cast” while tailoring the appearance of each character.

Customizing Books with Snowflake Stories

► Choose your cast of characters:

1 special child + (up to) 5 loved ones

► Customize the appearance of each character:
Pick skin color, hairstyle, eye color & more

► Select any 1 – 2 of 5 languages:
English, Spanish, Portuguese, French & Italian

“The end result is books that look and sound just like your child!,” Barletti added. “I’m proud to say that each book is multi-award-winning; the books have won awards from the International Latino Book Awards, Foreword Review’s Foreword INDIES, the National Indie Excellence Awards, and the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards.”

The Inspiration for Snowflake Stories

When asked what the inspiration was for naming her growing company Snowflake Stories, Barletti had this to say;

“The funny thing is, none of us remembers who came up with the name Snowflake Stories! But we liked the alliteration. It was important that the name rolls off the tongue and just sound good. It also had to be memorable. We felt that Snowflake Stories checked both of those boxes. We also liked that the uniqueness of a snowflake reinforces the uniqueness of each book we create. We offer so many customization options that kids really can see themselves and their families in their book – even books for twins are different. And the tagline wrote itself: Just like a snowflake … every child’s story is unique!”

With four award-winning, personalized books, as well as forthcoming non-personalized books (adapted from their personalized books), Snowflake Stories has no plans to slow down anytime soon.

Books from Snowflake Stories Include:

Dance Recital

The Big Soccer Game (for girls)

The Big Soccer Game (for boys)

At Bat

Beautiful Ballerinas

The team at MCBD not only loves the fact that these diverse picture books will encourage kids to hone their love of reading, but also that these personalized books also become so much more than a story–they become a keepsake filled with valuable lessons that will stay with kids their whole life.

To learn more about Jill Barletti and Snowflake Stories, visit them on the web at https://www.snowflakestories.com/

Or Connect on Social Media: Twitter: @Snowflake_Story // @JillBarletti | Facebook: @SnowflakeStories | Instagram: @snowflakestories

So what IS Multicultural Children’s Book Day {+A’s to your Q’s}

September 10, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

As you may already know, Multicultural Children’s Book Day (MCBD) is in its 7th year as far and we are showing no signs of slowing down 🙂

But even after seven years, many people are just learning about this global non-profit and have tons of questions. The following is some details on the core of this initiative (more can be found here).

A quickie summary of the MCBD event

FIRST, a unique opportunity to shine the spotlight on diverse/multicultural books, authors and publishers.

SECOND, a giant online book reviewing event —
Book appreciators, readers, parents, teachers, librarians, and caregivers have the opportunity to explore lots of children’s and YA books with diversity content via online marketing that provides robust visibility for authors and publishers, book reviews, classroom kits, classroom book bundles, contests, giveaways, book lists, activity suggestions, and links.

THIRD, a giant networking event —
An ongoing mission to connect organizers, sponsors, co-hosts, bloggers, and others interested in expanding awareness of, and promotion of multicultural children’s books via our Twitter Party and very active MCBD Facebook Group.

FOURTH, an offline classroom, library or gathering place celebration —
A chance for students, educators, and parents to celebrate diversity and multicultural books in the months leading up to, and during, the Multicultural Children’s Book Day celebration that is held on the last Friday in January.

FIFTH, a year-long literacy-based initiative-

That works tirelessly to provide books to classrooms, organizations and under-served kids all year long via book donations.

NOTE: Search and use hashtag #ReadYourWorld for social media to follow along.

A’s to your Q’s

What are the timelines for submitting author and company sponsorship? Sponsorships for MCD2020 just opened up September 1 and will close December 15, 2019.
What are the timelines for submitting books for review? If you are referring to getting your books reviewed by our pool of reviewers, we start the matching process November 1 and finish around December 31. As an author and a sponsor, we provide you with the names and addresses of your reviewers and you are responsible for getting non-returnable review copies to them before January 15. Reviewers share their reviews of all books on social media starting Jan 1 all the way up to the actual celebration day on 1/31/20. Those reviews are then linked up on our Big Giant Linky to provide a resource that lives on the MCBD site forever.
How does the author sponsorship work? Can you submit as many books as you want for the $129? Our Sponsor Packet is located here so you can see what each level of sponsorship offers. With an Author Sponsorship, we ask that you focus on one book, but you can mention your other books within your Sponsor listing. This is a preview of our 2020 Author Sponsor Page (not live yet) so you can see what a *listing* looks like. You will also get social media support and visibility as part of your Sponsorship too.
This year, MCBD’s classroom kit theme is about physical and developmental challenges. Does that mean that the books included in the kit will feature a character disability? If your book is about a specific disability (autism, deafness) then it would fall under the umbrella of “diverse.” If your books have animal characters and one happens to be missing a limb, then we would not consider that a book for MCBD.
What is MCBD’s criteria for a “multicultural or diverse book”? Multicultural Children’s books are:
- Books that contain characters of color as well as main characters that represent a minority point of view.
- Books written by an author of diversity or color from their perspective. Search #ownvoices to discover diverse books written by diverse authors.
- Books that share ideas, stories, and information about cultures, race, religion, language, and traditions. These books can be non-fiction but still written in a way that kids will find entertaining and informative.
- Books that embrace special needs or even “hidden disabilities” like ADHD, ADD, and anxiety.

Please let us know if you have further questions or if anything is unclear. We look forward to working with you!

Creators Empowering STEM Diversity in Multicultural Books

September 7, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

Guest Post By: Erin Twamley

From the #ownvoices to #readyourworld to specific trends like #WomeninSTEM, book creators and readers are hungry for the production and consumption of diverse literature.

As an author and an educator myself of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math or STEM publications, I have found that especially in the nonfiction children’s book world our biggest challenge may be us as creatives. We shape not only the words, illustrations but the accolades around diverse literature. We have the power to do so much more in driving that diversity, especially in the creation of STEM works. I am sharing four observations for creators of books, whether you are a writer, illustrator, reviewer or publisher, and even a reader to consider.

STEM Diversity in Multicultural Books

Diversity is NOT monolithic. Look up or ask a reader, publisher or another author how they define diversity and you will be surprised at the spectrum of answers. In the book world, research, readers and creators have focused on what the characters look like, #representation matters. We as creators need to ensure that our characters embody the cultural nuances, from language, beliefs, abilities, gender, and age, beyond just how they appear. All of these shape experiences and connections with our readers. My point, it is not enough to just have a diverse character on the page, but we must authentically tell or share their story.

Not all scientists are dead or old. It may seem obvious and don’t get me wrong, I love all the recognition and push for nonfiction children’s books autobiographies (I have written one myself). But I keep asking who are the scientists of today? We forget about #ActualLivingScientists. As a young reader, don’t you want to know who is leading efforts to revitalize our coral reefs or creating the spacesuits that will fit our women astronauts? Our readers need to see that it is not always just “ancient” scientists making discoveries and shaping our future.

Some Superheroes wear white lab coats and capes

Think about how you depict and write about technology!
Many of our readers (children’s book) are digital natives. Our readers use technology and don’t know a world without it from videogames to cell phones to artificial intelligence. Instead of using illustrations that depict magic or sentences that overlook the function of technology — share about it! WiFi or computers, for example, don’t just STOP working! Share a plot twist, a fact or an illustration that explains how or why the WiFI might have been interrupted (e.g., a power outage from a storm) or where the satellite actually flies (e.g. Outerspace or near-Earth?) You can help readers see and learn about the technology they and the characters you write about using.

Out of the lab! Where do stories happen? A house, a school, a library, a yard or a nearby forest. If talking about science, we see characters in a lab or dreaming of outer space. So much of our science happens in everyday scenes. Use renewable energy (e.g., solar panels on a house), a doctor’s office with the latest equipment (e.g., a robotic surgery machine) or the inside of a rocket ship to show where STEM happens. Kids need to imagine and SEE where science happens, most of it is outside of a lab and not in a white lab coat.

A drawing by a student at Orchard Knob Elementary

About Erin Twamley

Author Erin Twamley

Erin Twamley is working to create a new generation of Everyday STEM Superheroes. As an author and educator, her hands-on STEM encounters, nonfiction children’s books, and related publications engage the next generation of learners in protecting and creating a sustainable planet. In 2018 she established ErinEDU, an educational consulting group with a mission to cultivate curiosity and asking questions by sharing the adventures of diverse professionals in STEM Careers and their STEM Superpowers.

Ms. Twamley loves to travel the world and has lived on three continents. You will find Erin in the European Union hosting interactive author and STEM encounters for US military children and adults of all ages. Learn more about her writings and encounters by visiting her website at www.erinedu.org or join STEM Superheroes on social media!

Social Media:

Facebook link @STEMSuperhero

Twitter Link: @STEMsuperheros

Instagram Link @everydaystemsuperheroes

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020 Sponsorships are OPEN!

September 1, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

It may be September, but planning for MCBD2020 is already in full swing!

There is a ton of new and exciting things to share and just as many exciting new things in the works for our SEVENTH global celebration of diversity in children’s literature.

New Victories at MCBD

We launched our newest FREE Physical and Developmental Challenges Classroom Kit. Get the scoop HERE.

During our July Flash Sale, we welcomed two very impressive MCBD2020 Platinum Sponsors (both are long-time supporters of MCBD): Language Lizard and Pack-n-Go-Girls!

Co-founder Mia Wenjen published not one but TWO new diverse books! (click the images to view details of each of these books)

Long-time MCBD Project Manager, Becky Flansburg, also co-authored and published a diverse picture book!

But the thing we are most excited about at this very moment is that Sponsorships (all levels) for MCBD2020 are officially OPEN!

**NOTE: Sponsorships are not a way to *pay* for reviews–it’s an opportunity to tap into a huge book community (made up of young readers, parents, teachers, and librarians), take advantage of our vibrant and efficient social media network, and gain visibility for your work.

All while supporting a passionate non-profit dedicated to getting diverse/multicultural books into the hands of young readers.

The Scoop on SPONSORSHIP LEVELS for MCBD2020:

To view MCBD2020 Sponsorship Levels and Rates, GO HERE.

*Sponsorships are only offered from September to January 1 of any given year and are a unique marketing tool to help authors, publishers, and organizations to tap into the HUGE momentum and buzz that surrounds our on and offline event. MCBD2020 is on 1/31/20, but things really start to get exciting and crazy around November 1.

*As part of your Sponsorship for MCBD2020, you will be matched with as many (or as few) reviewers as you would like. We have a huge pool of over 800 people who sign up to get a free diverse book (supplied by you) and they, in turn, share their review and thoughts of your book on their own social media channels during the month of January.

*The buzz during our holiday is enormous and our hashtag #ReadYourWorld has historically trended on Twitter during the celebration day.
*If you choose a Medallion level Sponsorship, your logo and 2-3 book cover images become part of our active Pinterest Pinning initiative (Pinterest is a huge traffic driver for us)

*You will have a listing and links on either our Medallion Level Sponsor Page or Author Level (whichever level you choose) and that information will remain on our site for one year.

*If you choose a Medallion Level (Platinum through Bronze) your linked logo will appear on the sidebar of the MCBD site and stay there for one year.

*Your information is promoted and shared via social media from the moment you sign up and the promotion of your book or business will become heavier as the online celebration nears.

*GO HERE to download our Sponsorship Packet so you will have deeper details and rates.

To view MCBD2020 Sponsorship Levels and Rates, GO HERE.

As always, don’t hesitate to email me (Becky (at) MulticulturalChildrensBookDay (dot) com) if you have any questions. We are always available to help our participant SHINE and gain traction in the diverse children and YA book world.

Sponsorships for Multicultural Children’s Book Day is not only a great way to support this event; it is an excellent way to get your name (and your books) in front of thousands of readers. All of our Sponsors get a name mention within the hundreds of reviews that get posted from December to January 31st and also on the sites of our 24+ CoHosts sites. The deadline for ALL Sponsor sign-ups is 12/15/19.

We look forward to working with you!

To view MCBD2020 Sponsorship Levels and Rates, GO HERE.

Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MulticulturalChildrensBookDay
-Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/MCChildsBookDay
-Follow us on Instagram
-Our hashtag #ReadYourWorld.)

P.S If you love books, and would like to be a book reviewer for MCBD 2020, sign up below!

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Our July Flash Sale is Over, but here’s what upcoming at MCBD

August 8, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

Our much-anticipated July Flash Sale on Author and Platinum Level Sponsorships has just wrapped and we are over-the-moon excited to welcome PLATINUM Sponsors for Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020; Language Lizard and Pack-n-Go-Girls!

Both are long-time supporters of MCBD and both offer amazing books for parents, caregivers, teachers, and librarians.

If you missed the sale; don’t despair! All Sponsorship levels for MCBD2020 will reopen September 1, 2019, and you can lock in your spot at that time.

Author Sponsors for MCBD2020 (with more to come!)

We’d also give a round of applause to returning, and new, Author Sponsors Audrey R. Bey, Eugina Chu, Fathers Incorporated/Kenneth Braswell, Maritza M. Mejia, Kathy Burkinshaw, Josh Funk, Bollywood Groove, Lauren Muskovitz, The Little Green Monster: Cancer Magic! by Sharon Chappell, Phe Lang, Afsaneh Moradian, Valerie Williams-Sanchez, TUMBLE CREEK PRESS, Nancy Tupper Ling, Gwendolyn Jackson, Angeliki Pedersen, Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Mia Wenjen and The #OWN VOICES ebook, Susan Bernardo, Ann Morris, Janet Balletta, Evelyn Sanchez-Toledo, Shoumi Sen, and Sarah Stevenson.

And this is just the beginning! Stay tuned to see what other amazing diverse authors, publishers, and organizations join us in the coming months for the seventh Multicultural Children’s Book Day on January 31, 2020.

New on the Blog

In case you missed it, Part 2 of our Kidlit Books that Share Physical and Developmental Challenges is live on the MCBD blog. Go HERE to read the list and discover new diverse books for your home or classroom bookshelf.

Like we mentioned in the previous post about our new 2019/2020 Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Kit-Understand and Celebrate our Differences, we encountered more amazing books on these topics than we had room for in the final Kit!

PART ONE of this bonus list can be found HERE.

Our Latest FREE Classroom Kit

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.

Don’t forget to download your FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit as well.

Our FREE Classroom Kit contains:

~ Classroom Books that will help Readers Understand Physical and Developmental Challenges for ages 4 -12

~ Classroom or Home Activities

~ “Physical and Developmental Challenges” Classroom Poster thanks to the talents of award-winning illustrator, SKlakina

~Helpful Physical and Developmental Challenge Talking Points for Teachers

~Links, resources and services available to families facing the challenges of coping with Physical and Developmental Challenges in the U.S.A

Kidlit Books that Share Physical and Developmental Challenges {Part 2}

July 17, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

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

So instead of not sharing all of these wonderful book recommends within the already robust kit, we thought we would share them as a bonus Kidlit Books that Share Physical and Developmental Challenges. Below is “Part 2” of this project and “Part 1” can be found here.

Autism

No One Needed to Know by D.G. Driver

Heidi’s older brother, Donald, is 16 and autistic. She has always loved playing with him, but now she’s 11 and her life is changing. She’s embarrassed to have her brother around and doesn’t want her friends to know about him. High school boys bully him. When the kids at her school find out about him, she gets bullied too.

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskin

This book is the rare YA book that addresses the subject of autism. Caitlin has Asperger’s. The world according to her is black and white; anything in between is confusing. Before, when things got confusing, Caitlin went to her older brother, Devon, for help. But Devon was killed in a school shooting, and Caitlin’s dad is so distraught that he is just not helpful. Caitlin wants everything to go back to the way things were, but she doesn’t know how to do that. Then she comes across the word closure–and she realizes this is what she needs. And in her search for it, Caitlin discovers that the world may not be so black and white after all.

Chronic Illness

Tiger Livy by Erin Garcia and Betsy Miller

This book is about dealing with a serious, chronic illness as a young child. Tiger Livy” is the story of a brave six-year-old who inspires empathy, patience, and grit in young readers. It was created for children struggling with chronic illness.

Livy is a vibrant, clever little girl who usually loves to play and pounce like a tiger. That is until one day when she unexpectedly gets very sick. Now Livy isn’t able to play the same, she doesn’t feel like herself, and some of her friends treat her differently.

Finding inspiration from her favorite feline, Livy transforms her mindset and takes on the monumental task of mentally and emotionally healing from chronic illness.

Epilepsy

Sometimes I Get the Wiggles — Be an Epilepsy Seizure Hero! by Andee Cooper

Kannon is a little boy with a form of epilepsy that sometimes gives him the wiggles, and when that happens, just like Jell-O, his whole body jiggles. Kannon would very much like to go to school with everyone else his age, but he worries his condition might scare the other children away. After much thought, he comes up with an idea to enlist and train all of his classmates as Seizure Heroes as a way of helping his teacher and his fellow students see him through each school day. Based on a true story and written by Kannon’s mother.

Explaining Mental Illness to Kids

The Face at the Window by Regina Hanson

This is best for mid to upper elementary as it is about lady kids are afraid of and think she is evil until the girl’s mom explains that she has a mental illness and her “mind plays tricks on her.”

“Hidden Disabilities” (food allergies, anxiety, depression)

(depression) The Colour Thief by Andrew Peters and Molly Peters

A child recounts his experience of losing his father to depression in this poignant and beautifully illustrated picture book. The boy’s father disappears into a world without color. As the father seeks help, color begins to reappear and with it hope. An ideal book for parents and caregivers to share with children to help them make sense of the devastating effects that depression can cause.

(anxiety) Please Explain Anxiety to Me! By Laurie Zelinger

This book translates anxiety from the jargon of psychology into concrete experiences that children can relate to. Children and their parents will understand the biological and emotional components of anxiety responsible for the upsetting symptoms they experience. Please Explain Anxiety to Me, 2nd Edition gives accurate physiological information in child-friendly language. A colorful dinosaur story explains the link between brain and body functioning, followed by practical therapeutic techniques that children can use to help themselves.

The Worry Woo Series by Dr. John Irvine

Determining whether your child is frustrated is not as simple as saying If you re frustrated and you know it clap your hands! Often the problem is covered up by temper tantrums, sulkiness, acting out and tears. So what is a parent to do? Wearing his psychological cape “Superhero”, Child-Psychologist, Dr. John Irvine, has come to save the day! With his new book Helping Young Children Manage Frustration & Anger, the respected Australian icon has come to the aid of distraught parents and educators. Dr. John has accomplished this by teaming up with WorryWoo creator, Andi Green, to create their second companion book to her WorryWoo Monster series. This time educator/ psychologist, Irvine , concentrates on Twitch, The Monster of Frustration. He begins by explaining that frustration cannot be pigeonholed into a one size fits all classification. Instead, Dr. Irvine explains how each child may display a different set of behaviors. To find out if your child is frustrated, the author has devised a series of behavioral assessment questions. Once you have completed these and determined which type of Twitch you re dealing with, you ‘re on your way to making use of the given exercises for his/her specific needs. Subtitled A practical guide for parents and educators to help their little Twitches, this book presents delightful drawings, fun exercises and competent information for parents and teachers. It offers an opportunity to see your child in a different light, deal with minor issues before they become problems, and most importantly, creates a positive shared experience!

Physical Disabilities involving Walking

Hip, Hop, Hooray for Brooklynn! by Jill Harold

This book is about having fun working toward movement goals while wearing an orthopedic (clubfoot) brace, This upbeat story is about Brooklynn, a little bunny who loves to hop. Brooklynn wears a brace at night, but she is determined to learn how to hop rope in time for the Hippity Hop Games. Armed with hop rope rhymes and a can-do attitude, Brooklynn shows that persistence pays off and can be a lot of fun.

What book recommends would you like to share?

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…

Lock in your MCBD 2020 Author Sponsorship during the July Flash Sale!

The differences between MCBD’s Sponsored Posts and Sponsorship Levels

July 13, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

Its no secret that Multicultural Children’s Book Day is committed and passionate about shining the spotlight on diverse and multicultural kids’ and YA books in as many creative ways as possible.

Over the years, we’ve worked hard to fine-tune our paid offerings so that they give our authors, publishers, and organizations the most “bang for their buck.” Spreading the word of diverse books, authors, publishers, and resources in the most effective ways possible is what we strive for on a daily basis.

To date, our two most popular and effective options are our Sponsored Post Program and our yearly Sponsorship Level opportunities. We’d love to spread the word of diversity in children’s literature via either a Sponsored Post or a Sponsorship Level for MCBD2020, but we also know that figuring out the difference between the two can be confusing!

With that in mind, here are some of the differences between the two:

The differences between MCBD’s Sponsored Posts and Sponsorship Levels

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS for MCBD2020:

*Sponsorships are only offered from October to January 1 of any given year and are a unique marketing tool to help authors, publishers, and organizations to tap into the HUGE momentum and buzz that surrounds our on and offline event. MCBD2020 is on 1/31/20, but things really start to get exciting and crazy around November 1.

*As part of your Sponsorship for MCBD2020, you will be matched with as many reviewers as you would like. We have a huge pool of over 800 people who sign up to get a free diverse book (supplied by you) and they, in turn, share their review and thoughts of your book on their own social media channels during the month of January.

*You will have a listing and links on either our Medallion Level Sponsor Page or Author Level (whichever level you choose) and that information will remain on our site for one year.

*If you choose a Medallion Level (Platinum through Bronze) your linked logo will appear on the sidebar of the MCBD site and stay there for one year.

*Your information is promoted and shared via social media from the moment you sign up and the promotion of your book or business will become heavier as the online celebration nears.

*GO HERE to download our Sponsorship Packet so you will have deeper details and rates.

We look forward to working with you!

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.

NOTE: Medallion Level Sponsorship options for MCBD2020 (1/31/20) will be available by September 1, 2019…but in the meantime…

Helping Children and Strengthening Families by Equipping Dads

Helping Children and Strengthening Families by Equipping Dads

How You Can Help

Mark your calendars for the 2019 Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival!

The History of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

What You Can Expect at the 2019 Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival Author Talks

In Praise of #ChapBooks

So what IS Multicultural Children’s Book Day {+A’s to your Q’s}

A quickie summary of the MCBD event

A’s to your Q’s

Creators Empowering STEM Diversity in Multicultural Books

STEM Diversity in Multicultural Books

About Erin Twamley

Our July Flash Sale is Over, but here’s what upcoming at MCBD

Author Sponsors for MCBD2020 (with more to come!)

New on the Blog

Our Latest FREE Classroom Kit

The differences between MCBD’s Sponsored Posts and Sponsorship Levels

The differences between MCBD’s Sponsored Posts and Sponsorship Levels

SPONSORED POSTS:

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS for MCBD2020:

The Author/Platinum Sponsorship July Flash Sale has BEGUN!

Go here to see past Medallion Level Sponsors and Author Sponsors(MCBD2019)

Lock in your MCBD 2020 Author Sponsorship during the July Flash Sale!

Helping Children and Strengthening Families by Equipping Dads

How You Can Help

Get Ready for a Changing World

The History of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

What You Can Expect at the 2019 Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival Author Talks

In Praise of #ChapBooks

Bilingual Personalized Children’s Books

Customizing Books with Snowflake Stories

The Inspiration for Snowflake Stories

Books from Snowflake Stories Include:

A quickie summary of the MCBD event

A’s to your Q’s

STEM Diversity in Multicultural Books

About Erin Twamley

New Victories at MCBD

The Scoop on SPONSORSHIP LEVELS for MCBD2020:

Author Sponsors for MCBD2020 (with more to come!)

New on the Blog

Our Latest FREE Classroom Kit

Autism

Chronic Illness

Epilepsy

Explaining Mental Illness to Kids

“Hidden Disabilities” (food allergies, anxiety, depression)

Physical Disabilities involving Walking

The Author/Platinum Sponsorship July Flash Sale has BEGUN!

Go here to see past Medallion Level Sponsors and Author Sponsors(MCBD2019)

Lock in your MCBD 2020 Author Sponsorship during the July Flash Sale!

The differences between MCBD’s Sponsored Posts and Sponsorship Levels

SPONSORED POSTS:

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS for MCBD2020:

The Author/Platinum Sponsorship July Flash Sale has BEGUN!

Go here to see past Medallion Level Sponsors and Author Sponsors(MCBD2019)

Lock in your MCBD 2020 Author Sponsorship during the July Flash Sale!

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