Multicultural Children's Book Day

#ReadYourWorld

A Poetic Family Tale of Jewish Prayer | ALMOST A MINYAN #ReadYourWorld

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At MCBD, we are always on the lookout for beautiful diverse books that inspire while also having a deeper meaning. Thanks to a random email from author and publisher Debra Winegarten, we’ve discovered yet another nugget of children’s book gold in the poetic family tale of Jewish prayer called Almost a Minyan.

Joy and Sadness in a Charming Children’s Tale of Jewish Faith | Almost a Minyan

The inspiration for this unique diverse picture book for kids was a long time in the making.  Lori S. Kline, the author of Almost a Minyan, originally penned the book 30 years ago; around the time she moved to Austin, Texas.

Lori was raised in Squirrel Hill, the Jewish section of Pittsburg, where there was an extremely large Jewish community. But when she moved to Austin and joined a synagogue, the Jewish community was smaller, a lot smaller than the one in which she was raised. The smaller setting had its benefits, but also its fair share of challenges as well. Lori’s synagogue often had trouble getting a “minyan” (a prayer quorum consisting of 10 adult Jews, age 12 for girls and 13 for boys). A minyan is essential in order to say certain prayers, including the Kaddish (the mourner’s prayer), the Barchu (a prayer that praises God), as well as reading from the Torah.

When she initially wrote the book, Lori’s protagonist was a boy. But after showing the manuscript to her female rabbi thirty years later, the rabbi said, “Oh, you have to change the boy to a girl.” The change made total sense. In the time that elapsed from when she first wrote the book, women were allowed to be counted as part of a minyan in Reform and Conservative branches of Judaism, whereas they did not count when the book was written three decades eariler.

Lori then joined forces with publisher, Debra L. Winegarten, who was a fellow author of six award-winning books in addition to being the founder and owner of Sociosights Press. Together, with illustrator Susan Simon of Tucson, this dynamic trio brought this charming multicultural children’s book of Judiasm to life.

Almost a Minyan

A striking new addition to the diverse books movement, Almost a Minyan shares Hebrew and Yiddish terms and religious concepts through a compelling and beautifully illustrated story for children.

“The book has several gorgeous threads,” Debra noted. “One thread recounts the story of a young girl watching her father go to daily minyan, dreaming of the time when she is old enough to join him. Another remarkable thread is that the girl’s grandfather dies, and the family participates in a “shiva minyan,” a Jewish mourning ceremony in the home that honors and remembers the person who has passed. When the girl is old enough to attend minyan, she feels embarrassed because she doesn’t have the Jewish ritual items to wear. Her father bestows his father’s prayer shawl on the girl, and she gets to ‘count’ as the tenth and helps ‘make a minyan.'”

Almost a Minyan

Debra went on to share that Almost a Minyan is for “ages 5 to 105” and is more than just another diverse picture book; it is a book filled with educational opportunities for young readers. parents, teachers, and librarians. Aside from being vibrant and beautiful, Almost a Minyan contains both Hebrew and Yiddish words and has a glossary, so it’s an excellent teaching tool and introduction to Judaism.

“This book stretched me further than I ever thought possible, ” Debra added. “There were times when the author was mad at me. There were times when the illustrator was furious at me. There were times when BOTH the author and the illustrator were mad at me. There were times when I was ready to throw in the towel and quit. But the story was so compelling and worth telling, I didn’t give up. And now, regardless of what happens in the life of this book, I could die happily tomorrow knowing that I’ve put something gorgeous and worthwhile into the world that will help transform society.”

Almost a Minyan

Since being published in 2017, the book has gone on to win several notable awards including First Place in the Press Women of Texas Children’s Book Competition, an IPPY Silver Medal for Children’s eBook Illustrations and a Seal of Approval from the Literary Classics Society. Debra just received news that “Almost a Minyan” won SECOND PLACE (she shouted that in her email), in the National Press Women’s Children’s Book Competition.

As a publisher, Debra is also very open about sharing her business’ unique and successful journey. Sociosights Press was born at 2:00 am in June 1998, at Kinko’s; an all-night print and computer store. At the time, Debra was working with Anne Blocker, a personal mentor and book designer for Debra’s own first book; “Strong Family Ties: The Tiny Hawkins Story.”

“We were working on the front matter for the book and Anne turned to me and asked, ‘What’s the name of your publishing company?'” Debra recalled fondly. “At that very moment, I had no idea! But then I thought that my business name needed to have something to do with sociology because I have my Master’s degree in sociology, and I wanted it to have wonderful insights about society. So I said. ‘I know! Sociosights Press!’ And that’s how the company name was born.”

Twenty years later, Debra admits she’s still having fun and striving to change lives and raise awareness via her unique skill sets.

“Whoever designed me had a lot of fun. I was given many different talents and I do them well. As my mentor, Anne Blocker said, ‘There’s an ancient Chinese saying, I have many tools in my chest, and they are all sharp.’ I’m blessed with being quirky about things that are essential and quite handy in this business. I love filling out blank forms. Typos “jump” out off the page at me, and I love editing. I like everything about writing: researching, drafting, editing, moving things around, polishing. And marketing makes me leap out of bed so I can figure out to whom I’ll sell a book today. I joke that it’s my Jewish peddler genes, I’m as happy to sell a $5 book as I am to sell a $25 book. And as an extrovert, I thrive on public speaking. The more people you put me in front of to give a talk, whether on a biography I’ve written about a strong Texas woman, or a marketing seminar, the happier I am. It’s a great way to live life.”

When asked what advice she would give to those who dream of writing and publishing a book, Debra had this to say;

“Writing and publishing and MARKETING are three different skill sets. In order to do all three successfully, you have to be able to change hats in mid-stream. Not everyone who’s a terrific author has the ‘chops’ to publish their own book. And not everyone who’s a great writer can market their work. Writing a book requires a person to have a somewhat reclusive, introverted personality. You have to have the discipline to sit your tushie in the chair and crank out the material. Publishing a book is a whole different endeavor, it’s like being an orchestra conductor. Particularly with an illustrated children’s book, the author and the illustrator are often kept at arm’s length.”

Why? Debra noted that, when the author writes their story, they have an idea of what the characters look like. When the illustrator reads the story, they have an idea of what the characters look like, and the illustrator will draw the characters from their “mind’s eye.” Rarely do the illustrator’s characters “match” what the author saw in their “mind’s eye,” so the author is now upset that the characters don’t look like they envisioned them. However, since illustrators are not mind-readers, there’s literally no way for them to know what the author was envisioning. So, the whole thing is a dance to have the author and illustrator blend their ideas to make the book.

“Marketing is an entirely different animal as well, ” Debra added. “As an author/publisher myself, I have to take off my ‘introvert’ hat and put on my ‘extrovert’ hat in order to get out and make book sales happen. Fortunately for me, I have the ability to switch back and forth rather easily between these two personas, but not everyone does. So my advice is for authors to figure out their strengths and use those. If they’re not an extrovert, they need to “pair” themselves with someone who is. As an entrepreneur, it is not necessary to have each different skill set mastered (book design, printing, bookkeeping, publicity, editing, marketing, distribution, janitorial), but it IS essential to make sure that each of those different aspects of the business is fulfilled. And done well. In this day and age, many of these items can be outsourced. I always find the most highly competent professional people I can afford and use them and pay them as much as I possibly can. Because at the end of the day, they make me and my books look gorgeous.”

Grab your copy of Almost a Minyan here.

Almost a Minyan

Release date: April 4, 2017

Publisher: Sociosights Press

Price: $17.99

Kindle Price: $5.99

Pages: 40

Distribution: Itasca Books, Amazon/Ingram

eBook Distribution: Kindle, Nook

With a mission of “transforming society, one story at a time,” Sociosights Press is proud to be celebrating its twentieth year as a micro-publisher located in Austin, Texas. To learn more about Sociosights Press and their many quality books, visit their website, www.sociosights.com or find them on Facebook.

What Others Are Saying About Almost a Minyan

“Almost a Minyan” with words by Lori S. Kline is a delightful children’s book that will have a special appeal for girls and their brothers in Jewish households across the spectrum from Orthodox to secular. The captivating multicultural artwork by Susan Simon raises the bar of humanity for all of us. I know exactly which family I am going to give it to.”
— Susan Brownmiller, feminist author, and activist

”A warmhearted introduction to coming-of-age in a worship community.”
— Kirkus Reviews

A striking new addition to the diverse books movement, Almost a Minyan shares important Hebrew terms and religious concepts through a compelling and beautifully illustrated story for children.

Need marketing help for your multicultural children’s or YA book?

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If you feel like you are shouting into the void when it comes to marketing your multicultural children’s or YA book, we have an idea that just may be the ticket!

Book launches and special author events are a great marketing tool and an excellent time to gain the visibility that is critical to driving traffic and selling books. That’s why MCBD is offering a limited-time chance for publishers and authors to leverage the buzz and reach of our site and social media for their own campaigns.

Our highly successful online event garners HUGE social media share impressions from January 25 through January 27th and the buzz continues all year-long. We also love any opportunity to support diverse book authors while also keeping interesting book-related information in front of our social following and loyal readership.

With that in mind, we’ve created our new Multicultural Children’s Book Day Sponsored Post Package as a way to leverage our robust 260,000 strong social media following and give authors and books the boost they need.

Sponsored Post Package

Intrigued? We hope so! Our Sponsored Post option is only available Feb-September so don’t delay. You can find examples of Sponsored Post that we’ve recently completed here …

 

Jason Low

…and here. Good stuff 🙂

Want to Get Started?

To begin collaboration with Multicultural Children’s Book Day, please contact Becky (at) MulticulturalChildrensBookDay (dot)  com or visit the MCBD site HERE to get the full scoop on this clever marketing option.

Hope to hear from you soon and don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions 🙂

Fundraising/ Sponsored Post Services

Support our cause and help us get free diverse books into the hands of teachers! GoodWorld.com has helped us set up a new fundraising option and it’s Easy Peasey Lemon-Squeezey!

A $10 donation will help us get 2 books in the mail for 2 teachers, a $25 will help us get 5 books out…and so forth. GoodWorld will also provide you with a receipt for taxes purposes too. Cool, eh? Every little bit helps!

Go here, click DONATE on the right sidebar, and select an amount you are comfortable with. OR click the lovely red Good World Donate button below. Thank You!


Army Vet, Daddy and Author | Davy’s Pirate Ship #OwnVoices

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guest post from author, Danual Berkley

After getting out of the military, I self-published my first book Wonderful Magical Place. I did not know anything about publishing and marketing, so it didn’t do too well. I eventually gave up writing for several years until my wife encouraged me to get back into it. She thought it would be nice to read the poems to our boys at night. As a result, Wonderful Magical Place is in the process of being completely redone and was given the new title, One More, then Goodnight.

Danuel Berkley

As I began getting more serious about my writing, I started creating stories from playing around with my boys. It occurred to me that as a kid I never saw, or was exposed to, adventure books (or many books in general) with black families or black characters. I decided then that what I wanted to do for my sons was write another book, but in this book, it would have all black characters. That way when my sons read it, they could say, “Hey, that kid looks like me!” or “That dad looks like my dad!” I felt that it was important that they had something that represented them. It says a lot when a child can see a reflection of themselves, or their culture, in a book. It’s a good feeling to know that there are other people out there like you.

I also wanted to provide a positive example that would go up against some of the stereotypes out there about Black men. Black men are hit with several stereotypes, including that we don’t raise our kids or get married. Those stereotypes obviously aren’t true, and my hope is that my books will help to disprove that.

Danuel Berkley

Additionally, I wanted to tap into my culture a little. I am a Black man with earrings and tattoos as a way to express myself, and there are many more like me. We call it swag. It’s our style. Some people see that and may assume that I’m a thug or a drug dealer, and they fear me. Having tattoos, dreadlocks, or anything that represents me, or my Black culture, shouldn’t automatically equal fear. By having characters like myself in the children’s books that I write, I hope to show that it’s just a way of expressing one’s originality. This is my culture, and my culture isn’t anything to be afraid of.

In my book, Davy’s Pirate Ship Adventure, I try to represent all these things within the illustrations themselves. Amariah Rauscher, who has illustrated the Scholastic’s Princess Truly series, has done the illustrations for Davy’s Pirate Ship Adventure. We had a lot of fun creating this book, and we believe this will be not only a game changer but the first of many more books just like it.

Davy’s Pirate Ship Adventure is a book starring my older son Davion, who goes by the name Davy. He builds a magical pirate ship so the family can search for gold, but we run into a couple of obstacles along the way. Together, as a family (and with the help of some good alien and animal friends), we make it. It’s all rhyming and there’s a couple of twists that I’m very excited about.

Grab your copy of Davy’s Pirate Ship Adventure on:

Author’s Website

Available on Amazon 

Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Hi there! I’m Danual. Simply put, I’m a full-time firefighter, husband, father of two little boys, Army vet, and a guy with a dream. My dream is to one day become a well-known children’s author.  The world is diverse and reading should be too!

Taking Food Literacy, Literally | Diverse Book Publisher Readers to Eaters

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Article and interview courtesy of Becky Flansburg
One of the co-founders of MCBD, Mia Wenjen, made a comment on a podcast recently that was beautifully accurate. Mia stated that, when it comes to introducing kids to multiculturalism in this world, two of the best ways to do so is through books and food.
The Seattle-based book publisher, Readers to Eaters (R2E) has not only nailed that concept but done so in an urban and modern way. But many of R2E’s children’s book offerings are not just about diversity, they are about having a food dialogue. Their books strive to not only create a heightened awareness as to where our food comes from in its most natural state, but how what we eat is a focal point in bringing people together.
Readers to Eaters
As one for the original co-founders of the largest diverse children’s book publishers in the world, Lee & Low Books, Philip Lee knows books and the importance of getting those books into the hands of young readers. When Lee & Low was founded in 1991 and Philip was the “Lee” in the “Lee & Low” company. After launching this wildly successful company with co-founder Tom Low, Philip left the company in 2004  and later started his own publishing house, Readers to Eaters, with his wife, June Jo Lee, in 2009.
“Good Reads & Good Eats. That’s what we’re about. Whether publishing, organizing events, or bookselling — we promote conversations about growing, cooking and eating food. Dig in.”~Reader to Eaters
Around 2007, Philip and June Jo began noticing that there was a new trend coming to the forefront; the food movement. Books were being published about the U.S’s broken food system and Americans were taking notice. In 2009 Michelle Obama launched the White House Garden Project and that’s when a need for a “food dialogue” became glaringly obvious to the ambitious publisher.

To this day, Philip and June Jo continue to be committed to helping kids and families have a better understanding of what and how they eat. The business started off as a pop-up bookstore that could be found at farmers’ markets and harvest festivals. The Lees also attend many conferences for science and reading teachers, librarians, nutritionists, food activists, and chefs throughout the year.  Together, this dynamic duo also created #FoodHeroes to get kids interested in where food comes from and one of the more prevalent #FoodHeroes is Farmer Will Allen; a former basketball star turned urban farmer and educator.

“Our books are diverse, but diversity is not front-and-center...food is,” Philip shared. “Our kids and adult books are less about how to prepare food and more about the culture of bringing people together, creating an experience around food and knowing where our food comes from.  Many people look at diversity via race, we tend to look at it via culture because, to us, culture is so much more specific. People can be part of many different cultures and it is a truer reflection of who they are.”
 

Another modern #FoodHero is CHEF ROY CHOI AND THE STREET FOOD REMIX ; a Korean American chef who gained prominence as the creator of the gourmet LA Korean taco truck, Kogi. He is a chef who is celebrated for “food that isn’t fancy” and is known as one of the founders of the gourmet food truck movement.

Roy has earned a stellar reputation for giving Korean and Mexican food a culinary “remix” while also creating jobs in communities. This book has appealed to kids from elementary age to high schoolers in a big way and is also the recipient of the Robert F. Seibert Award Honor Book for Most Distinguished Informational Book 2018 by the Association of Library Services for Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association.

“Since the first of the year, we’ve traveled to numerous educational conferences and it was especially gratifying to hear from librarians that children in rural Kentucky, Arkansas, and Texas, which are mostly white, are enjoying CHEF ROY CHOI’s story about a Korean American chef in urban LA serving Korean BBQ on a taco truck,” Philip noted. “I’m so glad that our food story can introduce children to new cultures and the immigrant experience. Last month NPR also mentioned Readers to Eaters in Children’s Publishing House Takes Food Literacy Literally. We’re so glad that our mission to promote food literacy is getting recognized.”

In addition to FARMER WILL ALLEN and CHEF ROY CHOI, Philip added that his company has also published OUR SCHOOL GARDEN! and A MOOSE BOOSH;  two wonderful books that have been well received by kids, parents, and educators.

R2E’s books do include the idea of food prep and harvest, but these unique books embrace immigration, social justice, food literacy, self-identification and exploring the traditions behind food. Food can be so much more than a meal as well. Food supports community building and bringing people together.

“Our mission is to tell the cultural story of American through food and amazing books for readers of all ages.”~ Philip Lee

To learn more about Readers to Eaters, visit their website.

Readers to Eaters

We’re Going Global! Non-USA Diverse Book Reviewers, Authors and Publishers Needed

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Hard to believe that 2018 is speeding along and 2019 is inching closer and closer. As the planning for the next Multicultural Children’s Book Day (1/25/19) starts picking up steam, we are also continuing with our plan to take this diverse literacy-based non-profit global! And for that, we need your help. But first, a quick recap:

Since 2012, MCCBD’s main focus has been to raise awareness on the need for books of a diverse nature to be available in homes and classrooms. We have worked tirelessly for 5+ years to not only shine the spotlight on multicultural children’s book authors and publishers but to get books of this nature on shelves and into the hands of young readers. If you are unfamiliar with our organization, feel free to read about our mission here.

Free Resources for All

We also offer many free resources to parents, teachers, and librarians:

Social Media Leverage: Our 1/27/18 Multicultural Children’s Book Day event garnered over 3 billion social media share impressions over a three-day period.

 3,210,943,767: Total number of social media share impressions for January 25-28, 2018.

We’re Going Global!

A New Goal for 2019: The MCBD team is on a mission to not only duplicate these results on a global level, but to connect with global diverse authors, publishers, and book reviewers to help spread awareness of the amazing kids’ books that are available from non-USA sources.

Global Team

To do this, we need to identify these non-US authors, publishers, and organizations with the help of our Global Team. From book donation for schools, Sponsorship packages, being matched with overseas book reviewers and monetary support for this non-profit, there are many ways to get involved and join this gigantic online celebration and important initiative.

As you can see from our 2018 Medallion Level and Author Sponsor Pages, authors and publishers have all embraced this initiative because they know we have the eyes and ears of their end users.

If you have interest in getting involved in Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019, please sign up via this Google Form and we will loop back around with the necessary information once the event gets closer.  Looking forward to working with you!

Non-USA Diverse Book Reviewers, Authors and Publishers Needed: Sign Up Here

 

Tips for Teaching Tolerance to Your Tots

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 Guest post by author and coach, Kevin Christofora

 

There are some values that are always important to instill in your children, but occasionally, certain ones become even more pertinent than others. One that seems particularly essential these days is tolerance. All over the world, there’s an upswing in people fearing and blaming people who are different from them for various issues, and it’s a disturbing trend. Teaching our children tolerance is the best way to combat this, and establish a reality where the difference isn’t stigmatized, but rather celebrated. Here are some tips for teaching tolerance.

tips for teaching

  • Highlight similarities

It can be like second nature to notice the differences between ourselves and others. As a result, it is essential to put focus the lens on what makes those people just like us. Our shared humanity is the most obvious answer, but for kids, all it can take is a shared favorite animal or TV show to get them engaged with another child— and from there, things like friendship and understanding can grow.

 

  • Make it fun

Learning about other cultures shouldn’t be a chore. While museums certainly have their place, if their experience of other cultures is always through such institutions, they’ll probably get a little bored. So, look for opportunities to make this education fun and exciting. Parades and outdoor fairs for specific ethnic or religious holidays can be a great way to do this, as can children’s film festivals that have international offerings. Engaging with these activities with a focus on learning, respect, and celebration can be a wonderful way to teach children the beauty of other cultures.

 

  • Work it into the everyday

Teaching tolerance can also happen in everyday activities, as well. Maybe the family dinner once a week comes from a culture you’ve been learning about, or certain bedtime stories have themes like acceptance. As an author, I try to help parents with this. My The Hometown All Stars series is about a team of little league players from all different backgrounds, so that readers learn about diversity along with life lessons and healthy habits. The most recent one, Amira Can Catch, focuses on a new teammate who happens to be a Syrian refugee.

  • Acknowledge differences, and celebrate them

Highlighting the things we share with others is important to find common ground; understanding what we don’t share is an amazing way to gain respect for those differences. We don’t have to believe the same things or come from the same place as others to love them and honor their experiences. The more we teach children to see another’s differences as beautiful, the more well-rounded and compassionate they’ll be.

teaching tolerance

Teaching tolerance to children doesn’t have to be droll. It can be a fun, lively, and engaging experience. You’ll enable them to learn so much about the world and other cultures, while also creating wonderful memories. Finally, you’ll be setting your children up to be adults who respect others, work to find common ground with those who are different and find joy in the unknown.

 

 

 

 

Kevin Christofora is the author of a new book, Amira Can Catch. This diverse kidlit book shares the story of Amira, a Syrian refugee who is new in school, as a way to teach children about diversity, tolerance, and inclusion to readers of all ages. Christofora, a father, and little league coach hopes his books will inspire children to play outside more often. A devotee of America’s pastime, he aims to teach young people about baseball and the habits of a healthy lifestyle in the form of a fun and an educational bedtime story. He has appeared on ABC News, ESPN Radio, 660 News Radio, Santa Fe -KVSF 101.5, and WDST-FM Woodstock, and has had articles featured in _About Families Online_, _KidzEdge_, _Mom Blog Society_, and several other publications. For more information, please visit http://thehometownallstars.com/

Lee & Low Books’ Jason Low shares his thoughts on #diversity and the 25th Anniversary of Baseball Saved Us

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(Guest post by Becky Flansburg; Project Manager for MCBD)

Not long ago, I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing publisher, Philip Lee. As one of the former founders of Lee & Low Books, Philip left the company in 2004  to create his own publishing house, Readers to Eaters, in 2009. It was Philip that clued me in on a big milestone for Lee & Low Books that I felt really needed to be shouted from the rooftops. Lee & Low Books has always had a passion and commitment to diversity in children’s literature and publishing exec, Jason Low, spent some time with us to share his thoughts on diversity and a very exciting milestone for one particular Lee & Low book.

Lee & Low Book’s connection to Multicultural Children’s Book Day began way back when MCBD first began. Our non-profit has always been in awe of this diverse children’s book publisher’s passion and commitment to children’s literature.

About Lee & Low Books:

Lee & Low Books

Lee & Low Books is the largest multicultural children’s book publisher in the country, and one of the few minority-owned publishing companies in the United States. They offer books for all young readers, from leveled books for beginning readers through middle grade and young adult novels. They also publish several bilingual books, as well as books in other languages. Their books reflect the diversity and richness of the United States. LEE & LOW BOOKS is more than just a publisher: it is a leader in the movement for more diversity in literature.

The Exciting News

The “milestone” that I discovered was impending was the 25th anniversary of Lee & Low’s very first published book, Baseball Saved Us. 

The 25th anniversary of anything is a big deal, but it’s even bigger when it’s a company connected to a shared mission and vision. Thrilled and excited, I reached out to my connection at Lee & Low who in turn put me in touch with exec, Jason Low. Jason generously agreed to share his thoughts on the 25th Anniversary of Baseball Saved Us, some points of pride with his company and also his thoughts on the advancement of diversity in children’s literature. Enjoy!

 

Q & A With Lee & Low Books’ Jason Low

 

Becky: Walk me briefly through Lee & Low’s timeline and what year you came on board.

JL: I joined the company in 1997. I was employee #6. By then, Lee & Low Books had established itself as a promising small publisher of quality multicultural books. At the time, one of Lee & Low’s biggest challenges was finding diverse authors and illustrators and developing stories. Many of the limitations we faced back then mainly had to do with size, or lack thereof. Everyone wore many hats. As a result, we struggled to cover the basics like keeping publication dates and sending out review copies on time. The early years were an exciting time too! The lack of resources forced us to prioritize and innovate. Working with a modest budget required us to come up with creative solutions and guerrilla marketing techniques. There is no better way to learn how to run a business than to work for a startup.

 

Becky: This month is the 25th anniversary of Lee & Low’s release of their very first book, Baseball Saved Us. What does this milestone mean to you personally? To the company? 

JL: Baseball Saved Us will always symbolize for us how it all began. The book broke new ground by making the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II personnel. It is an underdog story set in an era of overt racism, seen through the clear-eyed innocence of a child, with America’s favorite pastime acting as a backdrop. Baseball Saved Us set the bar for us editorially, and as the years advanced, our instincts developed further, telling us what other stories still needed to be told. Our focus on ethnicity eventually widened to include other marginalized groups like LGBT and people with disabilities. “About everyone ~ For everyone” became our motto. As the business matures, we remember everything, from the highs to the lean years we had to endure. These memories give us an appreciation for where we are today. The early years taught us how to get by with less, but now that we have the means to do more for our books, it is an exciting time.

Lee & Low Books

Becky: Was there any specific reason this book was chosen to be Lee & Low’s first offering?

JL: New publishers are typically focused on finding great manuscripts and publishing them as soon as possible. The chicken-and-egg model would apply here—no books = no sales. This hand-to-mouth kind of publishing persisted for a number of years. In the beginning, there was no master plan. Baseball Saved Us was one of three books ready for release in our debut year.

 

Becky: Do you have something special in mind to celebrate/recognize this milestone?

JL: We are working on a 25th Anniversary edition of Baseball Saved Us to commemorate this milestone. It will be released in Fall 2018.

 

Becky: Lee & Low has such an amazing reputation for producing impactful and quality books for readers. This is a tall order, but can you pinpoint 3-5 books that Lee & Low has published that you feel really made an impact on readers?

JL: Aside from Baseball Saved Us? I’d go with:

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty

Lee & Low Books

By G. Neri

Illustrated by Randy DuBurke

https://www.leeandlow.com/books/yummy

Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match

By Monica Brown

Illustrated by Sara Palacios

https://www.leeandlow.com/books/marisol-mcdonald-doesn-t-match-marisol-mcdonald-no-combina

Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace

Lee & Low Books

By Jen Johnson

Illustrated by Sonia Sadler

https://www.leeandlow.com/books/seeds-of-change

Summer of the Mariposas

Lee & Low Books

By Guadalupe Garcia McCall

https://www.leeandlow.com/books/summer-of-the-mariposas

I Am Alfonso Jones*

Lee & Low

By Tony Medina

Illustrated by Stacey Robinson, John Jennings

https://www.leeandlow.com/books/i-am-alfonso-jones

*Note: I Am Alfonso Jones is a new graphic novel, so it remains to be seen what long-term impact this book will have on readers. However, the book has already been included on lists like the New York Public Library’s Best Books for Teens and the Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens from the American Library Association (ALA), so we believe it is destined to go far.

 

Becky: Back in 2015, Lee & Low did a study on the Diversity Gap that showed that, despite census data that shows 37% of the US population consists of people of color, only 10% of children’s books published have diversity content. Do you feel these stats have shifted over the last 3 years? 

JL: Yes and no. See our reactions and thoughts here: http://blog.leeandlow.com/2017/03/30/the-diversity-gap-in-childrens-book-publishing-2017/

 

Becky: If you could let readers know ONE THING about Lee & Low, what would that one thing be?

JL: If you are searching for authentic, quality, diverse books with plenty of heart, Lee & Low Books is the publisher for you. Pass it on.

Jason Low

 

Jason Low

 

Jason Low is the publisher and a co-owner of LEE & LOW BOOKS, the largest multicultural children’s book publisher in the United States. Jason has spoken at national conferences like American Library Association and Texas Library Association. He has presented at universities such as Princeton, Pratt, and NYU about the importance of inclusion in children’s books. In addition to publishing award-winning books, the company initiated a series of Diversity Gap Studies, which revealed a lack of representation across industries like film, television, and theater. Lee & Low also spearheaded the first Diversity Baseline Survey to measure diversity in publishing staff, the results of which have become an often referred to benchmark by academics and major media alike. In 2016, the Eric Carle Museum selected Lee & Low as the recipient of its Angel Award for the company’s dedication to artists and authors who offer children both mirrors and windows to the world.

 

On My Desk | More Great Diverse Books for Kids

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SO..what in the world is “On My Desk” anyway?

This series got started because, with my role as Project Manager, I get to enjoy the avalanche of amazing multicultural books for kids that are donated to our project.  A good chunk of the year my office looks like a small bookstore and I love every second of it.

Even though MCBD2018 is over I am still getting amazing books every weeBeing appreciative of every book that crosses my desk, I wanted to find a fun way to share those books with the loyal folks who show up here to read every week and support this non-profit. In that moment, On My Desk | New Diverse Kids’ Books to Consider was born! It’s my way of sharing some amazing titles that don’t always get the attention they deserve.

Here’s what the Mailman Book Fairy brought me this week:

On My Desk | More Great Diverse Books for Kids

Grandfather Thunder and the Night Horses by Christine Almstrom

Grandfather Thunder

When a young girl is frightened of a storm, her grandmother comforts her by telling the story of the Night Horses – a creature Grandfather Thunder made from his own heart to wake the earth and bring the rains to the people. Based on the Lakota legend of the Thunder Horse, “Grandfather Thunder & the Night Horses,” is translated through permission of the tribal elders of the Pine Ridge Reservation and the Thunder Valley Lakota Language Initiative in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

Talk With Me: The Big Book of Exclamations 2 by Teri Kaminiski-Peterson, M.S.C.C.C./SLP

The author’s first book, The Big Book of Exclamations, was written with the goal of being an educational children’s book designed to promote speech sound development.  Talk With Me: The Big Book of Exclamations 2  is the second in a series of educational children’s books. Created by a pediatric speech-language pathologist, our books are filled with carefully designed illustrations which immerse infants and toddlers in the rich language that surrounds in their familiar environments and daily routines. The books are designed to promote speech sound development and imitation of gestures, sounds, and words. Unlike most books, it doesn’t have a story to read. Instead, across the bottom of each page, there are prompts which teach parents/educators how to act out the illustrations and interact using gestures, sounds, words, or phrases depending on their child’s ability. The book shows parents how to modify what they say about each illustration in order to maximize their child’s communication potential. It is also filled with information which helps parents understand speech.

Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School by Janet Halfmann

Lilly Ann learned to read and write from her master’s children in Kentucky. She shared her knowledge with other enslaved people in a hidden spot in the woods on Sundays when the family was away. Later, she was sold to Mississippi, where teaching others carried a punishment of thirty-nine lashes with a whip. To keep from being found out, Lilly Ann taught in a secluded cabin off a back alley from midnight until two in the morning. Over the years she taught hundreds of enslaved people, and they, in turn, shared their knowledge with others. Read the author’s guest post and book review on JumpIntoAbook.com.

Tolerance Tykes by Brooke Aiello

Tolerance Tykes was created to promote to inclusivity of children from all walks of life. This new series will focus on breaking down the walls of intolerance that stand in the way of a more compassionate world for our children to grow in. The purpose of this book is to instill the message that all children are beautiful and important just the way they are.Each book in the series will provide a look into the lives of ten children. Through bright illustrations, fun facts, and poetry the reader will get a sense of what it is like to walk in that person’s shoes for a day. Topics include Gender Identity, Autism, Down syndrome, Hearing Impairment, Blindness, Anxiety, stuttering, Cancer, Adoption and Muscular Dystrophy.

What amazing books have YOU found this week?

On My Desk | More Great Diverse Books for Kids

 

One More Thing- Be sure and check out our robust and extensive Diversity Book Lists & Resources for Teachers and Parents!

Diversity booklists for teachers

Shooting for the Moon | Guest Post by author Christina Matula

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Guest Post by author Christina Matula

Becoming a writer was not something I dreamt about while growing up. My parents guided me into the path of math and science so I could get a good, stable job, which for them was of paramount importance like it was for many immigrants of their generation.  Writing is something I fell into accidentally, but it’s something I cannot imagine not doing now that I’m here.

Growing up in suburban Ottawa, I felt like I was one of the few Asian kids at my school, let alone the only mixed one. Although I had a huge extended family on my Taiwanese side (20+ first cousins!), I spent a lot of my childhood shying away from this part of my heritage.  Perhaps it’s because I wanted to be the same as everyone else.  Perhaps it’s because no one in the books I read looked anything like me. Perhaps it’s because I knew I would never have what it took to be a heroine in a teen novel – blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin.  (I’m looking at you Sweet Valley High!).

It wasn’t until I moved to Hong Kong in my 30s that I really started to embrace my heritage.  I had always felt a bit guilty about not speaking Chinese – I refused to attend Chinese Saturday school when I was younger – so when I found an intensive Mandarin program at the local university, I jumped at the chance. In learning the language, I also learned more about Chinese culture and customs. I developed a newfound appreciation of the food, festivals, and folktales.  It was an epiphany for me, a new window into my heritage.

A while back, my daughter was celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival in school.  It’s the second biggest festival in Chinese culture after Lunar New Year.  I tried to find a picture book about the legend behind the festival to read with her, but couldn’t find anything.  So, on a whim, I decided to write one myself!

My writing journey was not typical.  I linked with fantastic illustrator Pearl Law and self-published the book in Hong Kong.  Shortly after, I attended a writing workshop given by visiting author Susan Blumberg-Kason (@Susan_BK).  She was so kind with her encouragement and generously introduced me to her agent, the fabulous Carrie Pestritto (@literarycarrie).  The book was soon picked up by Charlesbridge and my debut picture book will be launched in the US and Canada this summer!

The Shadow in the Moon is about two sisters listening to their grandmother tell them the tale of Hou Yi and Chang’e, the archer and the Lady in the Moon, and how the Mid-Autumn Festival came to be.

View the trailer premiere here!

I love that I’ve been able to share a little piece of myself and my heritage through this book.  I hope that young readers will be able to see themselves and their families in the book, regardless of their background.  And I hope that I can continue to share my passion for writing stories that are a reflection of the people who may read them.

Shadow in the Moon {ISBN: 978-1-58089-746-4} will be available on July 17. Preorder your copy from Charlesbridge Publishing today!

 

Author Christina Matula

Author Christina Matula

Christina Matula is a Canadian author living in Hong Kong with her family.  She is a Board Member of Bring Me A Book HK, which is a non-profit organization that encourages families to read aloud together and provides quality books to under-served communities. 

 She is also the author of two stories that have been set to music composed by Alexis Alrich and turned into chamber music concerts for children,  Both concerts feature western and Chinese classical instruments, and were commissioned by Premiere Performances of Hong Kong.  

You can find Christina on

Website: www.christinamatula.com

Twitter @christinaaa_hk

Instagram:  christinamatula

Facebook:  @christinamatulaauthor

 

 

Examples of Classroom Fun and Celebration for Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2018!

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We’ve invited all of our classrooms and supporters to celebrate The Big Day anytime during 1/22 and 1/27 and we’ve already had some educators and organizations share their ReadYourWorld fun here. The buzz around this event is mind-blowing and we felt compelled to share even more fun images and examples of educators using #Readyourworld to educate Global Citizens:

Sarah Fisk from the Orange County (Orlando) Library System reached out to use in September to share their plans for Local Author Festivals in honor of Multicultural Children’s Book Day! The library had a signing-only author festival with 6 Florida authors from 2 to 4 pm. They also had Crystal Sullivan, the library’s lead storyteller, do a mini storytime for children at 2 and 3pm.

Multicultural Children’s Book Authors showed their support during Orange County Library System’s MCBD event.