Multicultural Children's Book Day

#ReadYourWorld

Mystery Recipe Podcast Includes an Authentic Autistic Character in Season 3

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An Interview with Chad Chenail, Producer, and Staff Writer, America’s Test Kitchen Kids By Jodi Murphy

 

Just like their parents, kids are deeply engaged in listening to podcasts so it’s important that their podcasts are inclusive so every child can hear themselves in the stories they listen to.

Chad Chenail is a content creator for kids and families. He’s produced some of the most popular podcasts for kids including Chompers from Gimlet Media and Girl Tales from Cordelia Studios. In his work for America’s Test Kitchen Kids, he’s developed a YouTube series and has written a picture book, “Mitsy The Oven Mitt Goes to School: A Story About Being Brave,” that was released this fall.

Chad is also the producer and staff writer for America’s Test Kitchen Kids “Mystery Recipe Podcast.” In this interview, he talks about Mystery Recipe and the inclusion of an autistic character, “Greg the Cheese Grater” in Season 3.

Can you give us an overview of Mystery Recipe Podcast and how it came about?

Mystery Recipe is a podcast from America’s Test Kitchen Kids for kids ages 5-12. It’s about where food and fun collide, filled with culinary trivia, techniques, and food science with a healthy portion of fiction, storytelling, and emotional literacy.

America’s Test Kitchen Kids’ goal is to empower the next generation of home chefs, and this show helps to do just that. By combining engaging fictional narratives with food science and kitchen technique we hope to inspire kids to get into the kitchen, explore, discover and ask questions. We want food to be fun and educational.

And personally, as a kids’ media maker I know it is a privilege to be able to create children’s media and one that I do not take lightly. As writers and content producers, we have a responsibility to promote kindness and foster empathy, especially now when the world can seem like a divisive and often scary place. And so each season in addition to providing food science and kitchen technique we also focus on social and emotional learning.

“We make sure we are educating and empowering our young chefs about how to be a good friend and a kind neighbor while focusing on representation and creating actively anti-racist content.”

And our listeners are here for it! We have surpassed 1.2 million lifetime downloads, and have no plans of slowing down anytime soon.

What’s the theme of Season 3?

Each season of Mystery Recipe centers around a different mystery recipe! Each week is about a different ingredient, and all the ingredients are used in our grand finale cook along. As we progress through the season listeners keep track of each ingredient in order to guess what our season finale mystery recipe will be.

We won’t tell you what the ingredients or recipe are, because half the fun is listening along and trying to figure it out yourselves. All episodes of season 3 are out now, so go listen and find out for yourselves! And when you’re done, you can always go back to check out seasons one and two. We recommend listening to the episodes in order!

Each season you introduce an intern, and in Season 3, your intern is “Greg the Cheese Grater” – tell us about this character.

We are so excited for listeners to meet Greg the Cheese Grater! He’s clever, loves trivia, and hopes to one day become a food scientist. He’s also on the autism spectrum, and over the course of the season, we spend some time learning what that means. Greg is brought to life by the very talented Jonathan Cormur, and James Sullivan and Geek Club Books also contributed to the development of this character, so huge thanks to them as well!

Listen to a clip featuring “Greg” from the podcast:

Why was it important for Mystery Recipe to feature an autistic character?

It was important for us to feature a character who is on the autism spectrum because children who are on the spectrum exist. As people who choose to spend our careers creating kid’s content, we care very deeply about kids. All kinds of kids. We are deeply committed to diversity and inclusion in the content we are making because when kids consume media they are constantly looking for a reflection of themselves.

“And when children in underrepresented communities, such as children who are on the autism spectrum, never see anyone that looks like them, they may begin to assume that something is wrong with them. We’ve included Greg this season because representation matters.”

Having a character on the spectrum also introduces our listeners to the fact that autism exists, if they did not already know. They may meet someone in their world who is on the autism spectrum and will have a reference point in understanding what that means because we included Greg on our show. The character of Greg is not ABOUT autism. As the series progresses you will find that he has likes, dislikes, dreams, and flaws like any other character you’d meet. Being on the spectrum is a small part of what Greg brings to our listeners.

We would be doing our listeners a disservice if we did not touch on topics like acceptance, kindness, and self-love in the work that we make. It’s not enough to just make a show about cooking when you can also encourage emotional intelligence and community. What we try to do is teach children to love one another in spite of their differences, accept those they meet for who they are, and make it clear to every child that there is a place for them at America’s Test Kitchen Kids.

You hired an autistic scriptwriter to consult with you—we know why that is so important to the autistic community but why was it so important to you as the scriptwriter and producer?

It was super important to me to work with someone on the spectrum in a writing and developmental capacity because as someone who is not on the spectrum, I don’t know what I don’t know.

The goal of this character is two-fold, he is here to educate our listeners about autism, but primarily Greg serves to provide meaningful representation to kids on the spectrum. And so, working with someone on the spectrum from day one on this character allows us to do just that.

James Sullivan was our contributing writer and script consultant, and he did a wonderful job from the very early stages of development. I did not want to come to James with a fully developed and fleshed-out character because as someone who is not autistic, I don’t have the necessary experiences to understand who Greg is and how his mind works. If I developed the character on my own, he would have ended up as an inauthentic amalgamation of stereotypes and misconceptions, regardless of my intentions and the research I put into it. By starting at the beginning with James, working with him to establish what Greg wants, likes, and dislikes and what the goals of the character would be, Greg could become a more well-rounded and authentic character. Greg would be able to better represent the autism community because he came from the autism community, thanks to James and all his hard work and insight.

You also chose a neurodiverse voice actor to voice Greg, what did he bring to the character?

Jonathan Cormur, the actor who brings Greg to life on the show, brought SO much to Greg! He was so generous in sharing his reactions to the subject matter in the script and suggesting topics for us to include. As we know autism is a spectrum, and so when portraying an autistic character, it is impossible to encompass that entire spectrum all at once. What Jonathan brought to the character was his specific lived experience. The nuance and realities of his neurodiversity and the specificities of his choices and reactions helped allow Greg to be an authentic and specific example of someone on the spectrum in a way that wouldn’t have been possible working with an actor who is not neurodiverse.

Plus, Jonathan is just very funny! And his ad-libs, personality, and sense of humor really show through throughout the season. People should also check out his Dorktales Storytime Podcast where his storytelling includes doing the voices of numerous characters.

How do you want kids (and adults) to feel about “Greg the Cheese Grater” after listening to Season 3?

I know everyone will love Greg the Cheese Grater after listening to Season 3! I hope kids and adults who are on the spectrum feel seen and heard, just a little bit. And I hope Greg helps to normalize and destigmatize the conversation around autism and neurodiversity for kids and adults who are not on the spectrum.

“It is easy to be uncomfortable about topics and people you don’t understand, and so I hope Greg becomes a friend so that kids and adults have a better understanding of what it means to have a friend who is on the spectrum.”

I also hope our listeners are proud of Greg after listening to season 3! Greg grows SO much over the course of the season, and in the end, makes a big choice about what he wants to do with his life. That’s the kind of choice everyone makes multiple times while growing up, and is something everyone can relate to.

How many episodes are there in Season 3?

There are 26 episodes in all, lots of time spent keeping your young chefs ingrained and entertained in a screen-free and educational way!

Is there anything else that you’d like to mention about the podcast or Season 3?

Our show is hosted by Molly Birnbaum, Editor in Chief of America’s Test Kitchen Kids, and co-hosted by Mitsy the Oven Mitt! Mitsy is a fun and funny character who brings a ton of wacky and weird joy to the show. Voiced by the very talented Ceara O’Sullivan. The whole show is very weird in ways that I hope our listeners will love.

Mystery Recipe Podcast

Where can people find and follow America’s Test Kitchen Kids and Mystery Recipe Podcast?

Listeners can find Mystery Recipe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever podcasts are available. Please subscribe, rate and review, as it is a big help for our show! America’s Test Kitchen Kids is at:

Website: americastestkitchenkids.com

@testkitchenkids on Instagram

@testkitchen on Twitter

@americastestkitchenkids on Facebook

You can also check out our new channel for some more food science fun on America’s Test Kitchen Kids on Youtube!

 

Jodi Murphy is the founder of Geek Club Books autism storytelling nonprofit and producer of the Dorktales Storytime Podcast.

She is a member of the Multicultural Children’s Book Day Board of Advisors and active as a Kids Listen member, an organization that advocates for high-quality children’s podcasts..

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Feature! MCBD’s Instagram Lives!

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One of the many missions of MCBD is to always be shining the spotlight on authors of diverse kidlit. Thanks to the talents of MCBD Team Member and long-time CoHost, Leanna Gullien-Mora, we are excited to announce the addition of a reoccurring Instagram Live feature! Every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. ET., followers can tune in and learn more about these amazing authors and their books.

Here’s a look at the authors that Leanna has already interviewed and the ones yet to come.

Sivan Hong

Sivan Hong

Sivan has written and illustrated three books in The Super Fun Day Books series, including Benny J. and the Horrible Halloween, George J. and the Miserable Monday, and her most recent book that was released on August 11, 2021, Emily D. and the Fearful First Day. Emily D. and the Fearful First Day follows a neuro-atypical girl on her first day of school. The story will help kids identify and share their worries, and its bright illustrations are deliberately simple. Each of Sivan’s books is created with very specific needs in mind as well. Read the article in its entirety here.

When not writing, Sivan enjoys being a wife to her wonderful husband and a mother to their two exceptional children. They have a dog and cat and live a quiet and contented life in their home in Westport, Connecticut. Her professional career spans over two decades in several industries and professions, including holding esteemed positions as a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business and former partner at The Bridgespan Group. She also loves to offer her time and expertise to others, and she currently serves as a Trustee on the Boards of the Westport Public Library, the Rita Allen Foundation, and the ASPCA.

All of Sivan’s books are available via her website and on Amazon. Parents, Teachers, and Educators can connect with her via Facebook and Instagram as well.

Deedee Cummings

As a therapist, attorney, CEO of Make A Way Media, and author of fifteen children’s books, Deedee Cummings has a passion for ensuring equality, inclusion, and social justice for the next generation. Since her first book was published in 2014, Cummings has been on a mission to help young dreamers and doers see themselves in the pages of the books they read. Cummings has spent more than two decades working within the family therapy and support field, and much of her writing shares her experiences of working with kids in therapeutic foster care.

By the end of 2021, this #OWNVOICES author will have fifteen diverse children’s books to her credit, including the Rapid Release of her Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess five-book series. All fifteen of Cummings’ diverse picture, poetry, and workbooks for kids reflect her professional knowledge and love of life. Cummings was recently appointed to the Early Childhood Council by the Governor of Kentucky and is also the founder and creator of the Louisville Book Festival, a literacy-based celebration in Louisville, KY on October 22nd and 23rd, 2021.

To learn more about Deedee Cummings and her work, connect with her via her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Watch Deedee’s interview on YouTube by clicking this link or watch it below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od4QWnyMrr4

Ajanta Chakraborty

Ajanta Chakraborty
Ajanta is the CEO of Culture Groove Kids and author of the picture books series, Maya & Neel’s India Adventure Series which includes:

– Let’s Celebrate Krishna’s Birthday!
– Let’s Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali!
– Let’s Celebrate Holi!
– Let’s Celebrate Navratri!
– Let’s Celebrate Ganesha’s Birthday!
– Let’s Celebrate Ramadan & Eid!
– Let’s Visit Delhi & Taj Mahal!
– Let’s Visit Mumbai!
– Let’s Celebrate An Indian Wedding!


Learn more about Anjata at Culture Groove:

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COMING SOON!

9/15 – Amanda Hsiung Blodgett

Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett inspires children to fall in love with learning the Chinese language and culture.  She is the author of the “Let’s Learn Mandarin Chinese with Miss Panda!” audio album and the host for the Playful Chinese podcast.  Amanda is also a trained Chinese language instructor and the mother of two bilingual children. She has extensive Mandarin Chinese and ESL teaching experience with kids and business professionals in Taiwan, Morocco, Canada, Ecuador, and the United States.  Her students call her “Miss Panda!”You can find Miss Panda’s engaging, playful, and interactive Chinese language learning resources at MissPandaChinese.com.  She currently lives in Washington D.C. with her family, including two lovely trilingual cats, Qwerty and Bella, as well as a bilingual bird, Lemon.

More Free Options for Diverse Book Promotion

1. We encourage authors and publishers to join the private MCBD Facebook Group. This group is a nice mix of parents, book reviewers, teachers, and authors, so you will be able to connect with like-minded people!

2. We are always looking for quality, diverse book-related guest posts on the MCBD blog. We would love to know more about your author’s journey, why you wrote your new book, and more about the book itself. Reach out to admin@multiculturalchildrensbookday.com to request a copy of our guest blogger guidelines.

3. We are tentatively planning some Facebook Lives during December and January in honor of MCBD2022 so that could be an opportunity for you as well.

We believe that ALL authors have something unique and wonderful with their work. We believe that ALL authors deserve to be able to shout the news of their book from the rooftops!

So let us know if we can work together in some fashion and, as always, do not hesitate to ask if there are any details that we can clarify for you.

#ReadYourWorld!

A New Picture Book Series for Neurodiverse Kids

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As many already know, the mission of the MCBD is to promote diversity in children’s literature. However, neurodiversity is often overlooked, which author Sivan Hong is determined to change. Her series of books were created to help neurodiverse children feel represented in the books they read. Her Super Fun Day Books highlight neurodiverse kids positively and work to normalize what it is like for them in the classroom.

The term neurodiverse is a concept that confirms that all brains are wired differently. However, there is a subset of brains that are wired even more differently. Neurodiversity includes ADHD, autism, dyslexia, Tourette’s, and many more. Neurodiversity is just another kind of diversity that makes the world a better place.

As a mom to two neurodiverse kids, and someone who is also neurodiverse, Sivan noticed a distinct lack of books that show other kids who had had these same neurodiverse challenges and strengths.

“My son needed to wear headphones in class to help with his sensory issues. I wanted to find a picture book that showed a child who needed headphones like him,” Sivan shared. “It became harder for him to feel comfortable wearing them because he felt different. Early on, I saw a need to create books for kids that facilitate the conversations that show that it is completely OK to need a fidget toy, a special chair, or like my son, need to wear headphones in class. I saw a need to create books with characters that help kids see themselves within the pages and think, ‘Hey, that’s me! I am OK, and I’m not the only one who has these needs in life.’”

Sivan shared that she purposefully included a tool called Social Stories in her Super Fun Day Books. A social story is a tool used in Special Education that is a specifically designed set of steps that will help a neurodiverse child navigate things that they may find scary. Good examples of situations include going to a playdate, the first day of school, taking a trip, and much more. These social stories provide kids with a deliberate social structure that will help them understand what to expect and ease their fears in the process.

As her son grew older, social stories became an excellent tool for helping him feel comfortable with day-to-day challenges and new experiences. Her son’s teachers welcomed these steps, and many of these superhero educators are represented as characters in the Super Fun Day Books.

“As I created this deliberate structure in the form of steps for him and saw how well they helped him, I realized that these situations with the companion steps would make great children’s books while helping to fill the gap of the lack of neurodiverse characters in picture books.”

Sivan shared that another mission of her book was to eliminate the stereotype that a neurodiverse child is a white boy. “Neurodiversity impacts all kinds of kids,” Sivan noted. “Many people have the stereotypical idea that an ADHD child is always a white boy. Neurodiversity is not limited to one race, gender, or socioeconomic class. This false assumption made me even more determined to include neurodiverse characters of color in my books.”

Sivan has written and illustrated three books in The Super Fun Day Books series, including Benny J. and the Horrible Halloween, George J. and the Miserable Monday, and her most recent book that was released on August 11, 2021, Emily D. and the Fearful First Day.  Emily D. and the Fearful First Day follows a neuro-atypical girl on her first day of school. The story will help kids identify and share their worries, and its bright illustrations are deliberately simple. Each of Sivan’s books is created with very specific needs in mind as well.

“I know that some kids with ADHD and autism can get distracted very easily and lose focus on the story, and this includes my kids. With this in mind, I created illustrations, a storyline, and fonts designed with neurodiverse audiences. I purposefully kept the illustration extremely simple and only included the illustrations that ‘needed’ to be there. The fonts are straightforward as well. They were chosen because I wanted to help kids with dyslexia to be able to follow along without getting frustrated. I have also made sure my books are all available in audiobook form to represent the readers who have trouble sitting and reading a story.”

Sivan Hong

When not writing, Sivan enjoys being a wife to her wonderful husband and a mother to their two exceptional children. They have a dog and cat and live a quiet and contented life in their home in Westport, Connecticut. Her professional career spans over two decades in several industries and professions, including holding esteemed positions as a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business and former partner at The Bridgespan Group. She also loves to offer her time and expertise to others, and she currently serves as a Trustee on the Boards of the Westport Public Library, the Rita Allen Foundation, and the ASPCA.

All of Sivan’s books are available via her website and on Amazon. Parents, Teachers, and Educators can connect with her via Facebook and Instagram as well.

 

A New Picture Book Series for Neurodiverse Kids

 

2022 Sponsorships are OPEN!

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Medallion and Author level Sponsorships for MCBD2022 are OPEN!

{DON’T DELAY! The sooner you lock in your spot, the more time we have to promote you!}

Sponsorship is a great way to support our non-profit initiative while tapping into some amazing visibility and exposure for authors and publishers of diverse board books, picture books, chapter books, and YA.

January 28, 2022, will mark the 9th year of Multicultural Children’s Book Day’s (MCBD) quest to get culturally diverse books into the hands of children, parents, teachers, and librarians.

GO HERE to download our Sponsorship Packet and see what your Platinum or Author Sponsorship for 2022 will include.

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS for 2022 

Super Platinum Level with Twitter Party Host Option (Limit 1) $2,000 SOLD OUT!

Platinum (Limit 3) only two spots left! $1,579

Gold (limit 6) $779

Silver $449

Bronze $249

Author’s Sponsorship (no limit) $129

Friends of MCBD (charitable donations-no limit) $50.00

**Direct all questions and inquiries to becky@multiculturalchildrensbookday.com

DEADLINE for MCBD2022 Sponsorships is December 31, 2021!

MCBD Social Stats

Combined Pinterest: 161,739 followers 330K+impressions

Twitter: 15.1K followers

Instagram: 19,200 followers

Facebook: 4,531 likes

Facebook Group: 1591+ Members

Multicultural Children’s Book Day has its own social media traffic and here are our stats. NOTE: This number escalates tremendously during January!

 

“MCBD has been an ally to an author like me. Long before everyone was talking about the need to be an ally. Not all of us protest or speak up in the same way. When looking for a way to help- a way to make a real systemic difference- consider joining  Multicultural Children’s Book Day’s initiative to shine the spotlight on deserving authors and publishers so their books can ultimately get into the hands of readers and on school and home bookshelves. Multicultural Children’s Book Day is in it for the long haul because they know they need to make strategic and lasting changes to the children’s book industry.”~Author Deedee Cummings

 

Other Ways to Support This Non-Profit

Donate Books

Are you a publisher or an author of multicultural books for children? Would you like to donate a book for Multicultural Children’s Book Day? These books will ultimately end up in the hands of deserving teachers, librarians, parents, and young readers!

These donated books will be gifted to young readers, parents, and educators. There is no guarantee your donated book will be reviewed during the event but we always acknowledge our book donators and support them as much as possible.

Go HERE to Learn More.

 Social Media SHOUT-OUTS (no limit) $39.00

Our Social Media Shout Out option is available 365 days a year and is a great way to shine the spotlight on your favorite diverse children’s or YA book or even your own works. Go here for more details and how you can tap into our robust social media presence and following.

Visit our Blog

Follow the #ReadYourWorld hashtag on social media

**Direct all questions and inquiries to admin@multiculturalchildrensbookday.com**

 

Our Latest Free Class Kit is HERE! Raising Awareness on Systemic Racism in America

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Racism is endemic to the United States and many societies, yet we often struggle with how to discuss it with our children. Recent events have made clear the danger of delaying these uncomfortable conversations. We must educate our children about racism so that we can root out this cancer eating away at the vitals of our society OR so they can carry forward the work of creating a more just and equitable society.

Racism is not just about the actions of individuals. Racism plays a significant role in determining the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age. These factors affect people’s access to quality housing, education, food, transportation, political power, and other social determinants of health.

Understanding and addressing systemic racism from this public health perspective is crucial to eliminating racial and ethnic inequities, and to improving opportunity and well-being across communities. With conversation, empathy, education, and open minds​, paired with the books, resources, and activities in this guide, ​we can all work together to eliminate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families, and strengthen communities.

Conversations, Books, and Kids:  Raising Awareness on Systemic Racism in America

Our Latest Free Class Kit is HERE! Raising Awareness on Systemic Racism in America

The MCBD Team has spent considerable time creating the resources for our Multicultural Children’s Book Day FREE Classroom Kit— Conversations, Books, and Kids:  Raising Awareness on Systemic Racism in America.

Within this free downloadable Classroom Kit, you will find:

*Books recommendations

*Activities for home or classroom

*Resource links

*Free downloadable and printer poster by Isabel Roxas

GO HERE to download your FREE Classroom Kit.

 

More Free Classroom Kits

(Downloadable “kits” that focus on a relevant topic, a diverse booklist that supports that topic, and classroom-friendly activities that allow for deeper discussion and learning)

     “When you lack empathy for a population, you don’t feel their suffering, and you do not support policies to … address the challenges the population faces.”

— David R. Williams

Watch for the #ReadYourWorld hashtag on social media and share!

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Beautiful Diverse Books for World Princess Week

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For the first time ever, Disney kicks off its World Princess Week event in honor of all Disney Princesses past and present. This weeklong event has a mission of inspiring fans from around the globe to be Courageous and Kind

Much emphasis is being put on the newest addition to the Princess family, Tiana from The remix of The Princess and The Frog.

Image Source.

The MCBD Team loves that beautiful Tiana shows us all that Princesses come in all ethnicities and backgrounds. This also made us ponder on what other amazing diverse Prince and Princess books were available. So without further ado, here is our roundup of  Beautiful Diverse Books for World Princess Week!

Beautiful Diverse Books for World Princess Week

La Princesa and the Pea by Susan Middleton Elya

The Princess and the Pea gets a fresh twist in this charming bilingual retelling, winner of the Pura Belpré Medal for Illustration. El príncipe knows this girl is the one for him, but, as usual, his mother doesn’t agree. Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess Series by Deedee Cummings

The Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess is a heartwarming story about family, role models, dreams, and discovering a determination for growth. This five-part diverse picture book series shines the spotlight on a little brown girl who loves musical theatre and never lets anything get in the way of her dreams. It seems that everyone else has an idea for who she should be, but in the end, she discovers that she is the one who gets to decide.

This series includes:

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess–Book One

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess: Dishes, Dancing, and Dreams

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess: Tough as Tulle is available! Order your copy HERE.

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess: These Shoes Are Made For Dancing will be available on July 31, 2021!

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess: These Shoes Are Made For Dancing

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess: A Little Magic will be available in October of 2021!  

All Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess books can be found in the Make A Way Media Bookstore or on Amazon in paperback and Kindle format. All Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess books are FREE on Kindle Unlimited.

 

Snow White by Chloe Perkins

This wonderful picture book takes readers to Japan and shares a retelling of the Snow White story in a way that will encourage young minds to imagine a familiar story beyond the Disney rendition. There are so many ways to tell these stories.

Cinderella by Chloe Perkins

This fairy tale is set in Mexico and the colorful artwork throughout the board book is a delight! This story encourages readers to look at classic tales from a different view without changing too much of the story.

Paiute Princess: The Story of Sarah Winnemucca

Born into the Northern Paiute tribe of Nevada in 1844, Sarah Winnemucca straddled two cultures: the traditional life of her people, and the modern ways of her grandfather’s white friends. Sarah was smart and good at languages, so she was able to link the worlds. As she became older, this made her a great leader. Sarah used condemning letters, fiery speeches, and her autobiography, Life Among the Piutes, to provide detailed accounts of her people’s turmoil through years of starvation, unjust relocations, and violent attacks. With sweeping illustrations and extensive backmatter, including hand-drawn maps, a chronology, archival photographs, and author’s notes, and additional resource information, Deborah Kogan Ray offers a remarkable look at an underrepresented historical figure.

What diverse prince or princess-themed books would you recommend?

Beautiful Diverse Books for World Princess Week

 

Medallion and Author Levels of Sponsorships for MCBD2022

Will be Opening on September 1, 2021!

{DON’T DELAY! The sooner you lock in your spot, the more time we have to promote you!}

Sponsorship is a great way to support our non-profit initiative while tapping into some amazing visibility and exposure for authors and publishers of diverse board books, picture books, chapter books, and YA.

January 28, 2022, will mark the 9th year of Multicultural Children’s Book Day’s (MCBD) quest to get culturally diverse books into the hands of children, parents, teachers, and librarians.

GO HERE to download our Sponsorship Packet and see what your Platinum or Author Sponsorship for 2022 will include.

After 9/1/21 GO HERE to view the SPONSORSHIP LEVELS for 2022 

**Direct all questions and inquiries to amin@multiculturalchildrensbookday.com**

DEADLINE for MCBD2022 Sponsorships is December 31, 2021!

Let’s Meet Black-Owned Book Store: Multicultural Bookstore and Gifts!

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Karin Fisher-Golton, a member of the Board of Advisors for Multicultural Children’s Book Day, told us about her favorite bookstore, Multicultural Bookstore and Gifts. It’s located in Northern California.

Tamara Shiloh, the dynamic owner of Multicultural Bookstore and Gifts, is also an author. And Karin-Fisher-Golton is her editor. We had to learn more!

Multicultural Children's Bookstore and Gifts Karin Fisher-Golton Tamara Shiloh

[Read more…]

Busting on to the Bookshelves with Nick Springer on the Move

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{Guest post from Dr. Jennifer Stratton}

Seven years ago my daughter wanted to share a poster featuring her cousin, Nick Springer, in his Team USA uniform and medals hanging from his neck. However, her kindergarten teacher wouldn’t allow it, she said it would scare the children. What was it about the poster? Well, Nick, a two-time Paralympian and wheelchair rugby champion was also a meningococcal meningitis survivor and quadruple amputee. This painful and discriminatory moment led to a lot of reflection and started our family on a new journey. 

Nick Springer: a two-time Paralympian and wheelchair rugby champion

Nick Springer: a two-time Paralympian and wheelchair rugby champion

Being a professor of education specializing in multicultural education and literacy, I knew this teacher was wrong but I wanted to know more about the topic of representation of people with disabilities in picture books. After reading many journal articles, the research was disturbing. Not only were disabled people missing from picture books across genres, when they did appear they were often misrepresented. For example, in books about pirates, you will find an overrepresentation of amputees portrayed as villains carrying weapons, stealing, or drinking. While at the same time, you could not find one picture book sports biography featuring an amputee despite the growth of the Paralympic Movement. Therefore, I decided to write Nick’s sports story and start a blog, Jen Stratton and Team Possible, to fill this chasm and to demonstrate that there was a platform for these stories. 

The blog led to many interviews with athletes who played adaptive sports or traditional sports in an inclusive manner. During every interview, the athletes spoke about wishing there were books where they could see themselves. In 2015, Lee and Low shared their Diversity in Publishing survey results uncovering that less than 10% of people involved in the publishing world identified as disabled. Determined to push hard against this trend, I selected an independent publisher and non-profit, Mouth and Foot Painting Artist USA, to bring Nick’s sports story to the bookshelves. MFPA artist, Christopher Kuster, created every image in the book with his mouth due to paralysis caused by a spinal cord injury. To capture the hard-hitting sport of wheelchair rugby, Kuster uses bold colors and splashes of comic-style word bubble across images of athletes racing after or smashing into each other in their specialized sport wheelchairs.

Nick Springer On The Move

To support this game-changing book, many resources are being developed for educators, caregivers, and clinicians to use with Nick Springer on the Move. On Jen Stratton and Team Possible blog, one can find videos, original articles about Nick, lesson plans, and much more. Readers are also encouraged to write and share their “on the move” stories. It is our hope that the words and images in Nick Springer on the Move will redefine ability and change the world. As Nick states, “It is not an ability that makes you strong, but your ability to push past your weakness that makes you strong.”

Please consider purchasing Nick Springer on the Move and donating one to your local library. All proceeds go to Mouth and Foot Painting Artists USA and Wheelchair Sports Federation. Click here to purchase.

Dr. Jennifer Stratton, a professor of education at Bay Path University, loves teaching students from kindergarten to the graduate level. At all levels, she is committed to creating inclusive learning environments in and outside of the classroom. Believing in the power of picture books, she works to expand and challenge the representation of people with disabilities in children’s literature. Jennifer has presented at numerous regional and national conferences, however, children remain her favorite audience. In 2020, Jennifer received the President’s Award for Innovative Thinking at Bay Path University.

 

Casual Diversity in a New Graphic Novel

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{Guest post from Debbie Dadey}

When I was a librarian, I was determined to find the perfect book for even the most reluctant reader who stepped into my library. I believe J.K. Rowling was right when she said, “If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” So that was my mission, but for some kids, I found the books weren’t there.

One young black girl wanted a picture book that had a black kid on the cover. A new one every week. That was easy . . . for a few weeks. There was a need for more. In fact, in 2012 only 7% of books published were about people of color.            

This was on my mind when I started writing a chapter book series called the Adventures of the Bailey School Kids with a fellow teacher, Marcia Thornton Jones. When Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots, the first book in the series, came out with the fabulous dark-skinned Melody on the front I hoped my young student would be pleased.

Someone could look at me and say, “Well, you are white.  What do you know about diversity?” I know that every kid should see themselves in a book. And truthfully my stories aren’t about race. My books are stories about kid characters who face some sort of problem. And many kids face the same type of problems: friends that are mean, bullies that are mean, parents who are mean, teachers who are mean, principals who are mean, monsters that are mean . . . well you get the picture.

Matt del la Pena, whose Last Stop on Market Street won the Caldecott Honor, the Newbery Medal, and the Coretta Scott King Award, said, “I used to talk overtly about race and diversity in my novels.  Over the years, I‘ve decided that the new diversity I want to explore is writing about characters that are diverse, in stories that aren’t overtly about race.” New York librarian, Betsy Bird, calls this casual diversity-where diversity is just part of the everyday lives of the characters-not the sole focus of the story. This was what I’d always strived for as a writer.

But when Scholastic Graphix wanted to release Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots as a graphic novel with even more diverse characters I was a bit taken back. How could we change characters that I’d known for thirty years? It was a shock to see the formerly all-white characters of Principal Davis, Carey, Howie, and Liza change to different ethnicity. But I truly believe we are all the same inside, no matter what we look like on the outside, so I embraced the change. And I hope in some library somewhere a kid will be happy to see themselves on the cover of the Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots graphic novel.

Perhaps they will have even found the right book to make them lifelong readers.

debbie dadey

 

Debbie Dadey is the author and co-author of 176 traditionally published books, including The Mermaid Tales and the best-selling Adventures of the Bailey School Kids. A former teacher and school librarian, Debbie enjoys sharing activities and teaching units on her website, debbiedadey.com. Connect with Debbie via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube

 

 

Multilingual StoryWalks | Bilingual Children’s Books about Nature

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{Guest Post by Language Lizard}

 

Have you ever walked through a park and thought, “Wow! This reminds me of a book I read when I was a kid!” but you can’t be sure which one? With a StoryWalk®, you don’t have to rely on nostalgia because the book joins you on your stroll. You can even expose yourself to a new language with a Multilingual StoryWalk®.

What is a StoryWalk®?

StoryWalk®

The StoryWalk® program, created by Anne Ferguson in Vermont in 2007, involves taking pages from a children’s book and posting them around a park or nature area. By creating a short route to follow, families are able to explore nature and develop their children’s early literacy skills. Anne wanted to promote, “early literacy, physical activity, and family time together in nature.” With the support of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library, she was able to put this idea into motion. 

Since 2007, over 303 libraries around the country have implemented StoryWalk® programs. Another organization, The Children & Nature Network, created a model for Nature-Smart Libraries. They operate in a similar way, helping libraries connect their communities to nature via storytelling. 

Most recently, the City of Boston featured Language Lizard’s bilingual books in their Multilingual StoryWalk®. The program ran from April 20th until May 10th and concluded with a giveaway. In fact, The Multilingual StoryWalk® was such a success that Boston hopes to have another one in the fall.

These programs are organized by community partnerships. In the case of Anne Ferguson, she was able to collaborate with the Vermont Arts Council and her local library. In Boston, the StoryWalk® resulted from the cooperation of both public and private organizations. If you are interested in putting together a StoryWalk®, consider connecting with state and local parks, schools, nature centers, child care centers, farmers markets, walking path promoters, special event promotions, and most of all, libraries.

Multilingual Children’s Books

A StoryWalk® is most successful when the book connects with the community. According to Anne, these books must be elementary yet interesting, so families of all ages can engage in the activity. Books with simple language and beautiful illustrations ensure that you can fit a StoryWalk® into any busy schedule. 

In Boston, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department collaborated with the Boston Public Library and the Highland Street Foundation, the New England Patriots Foundation, and Xfinity to create their Multilingual StoryWalk®. This is an exciting expansion upon the traditional StoryWalk® program because it affirms the diverse communities within Boston. Multicultural families can enjoy nature walks while reading in their native language and native English speakers can learn a new language at the same time. 

For this particular Multilingual StoryWalk®, Language Lizard provided bilingual stories in six different languages:

Augustus and His Smile by Catherine Rayner 

Multilingual Children’s Books

Augustus goes on a journey to find his lost smile and discovers so much about the natural world: shiny insects, birds, mountains, fish, and even a rainstorm. This beautifully illustrated story celebrates a great connection to nature.

Let’s Go to the Park by Kate Clynes

This multicultural board book lets young children explore the area in which they live. The bold illustrations show the people and animals they will meet, and objects that they will see and hear. The simple text is just right for young readers who are starting to recognize words. 

Errol’s Garden by Gillian Hibbs

Errol loves gardening and has filled his home with beautiful plants, but he does not have a real garden. He dreams about an outdoor space where he can grow things.

Listen, Listen by Phillis Gershator

This beautifully illustrated story explores the different seasons, and the amazing sights and sounds of nature. The effective use of rhyming, alliteration and onomatopoeic words makes this book especially enjoyable to read aloud.

All these stories connect with nature while also exploring multicultural themes. Not only can families enjoy nature, but they can learn a new language at the same time!

Language Lizard provides educators, librarians, and parents with resources that develop literacy skills among language learners, build inclusive classrooms, and celebrate cultural diversity.

Language Lizard offers bilingual books and audio resources in 50+ languages, multicultural book sets, posters, and other culturally responsive teaching resources for diverse classrooms. Educators may download free multicultural lesson plans at LanguageLizard.com/LessonPlans.htm.  In addition, the company’s blog and free newsletter provide valuable information and special offers to educators and parents working with diverse children (sign up at LanguageLizard.com/Newsletter).

The company is running a giveaway of bilingual and multicultural books to newsletter subscribers and has already given away over $3,000 worth of bilingual books. Anyone interested in supporting multiculturalism can enter their current giveaway at LanguageLizard.com/Win-Bilingual-Books.

Bilingual Books are available in English with Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cherokee, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Dari, Dutch, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Karen (Sgaw), Korean, Kurdish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malay, Malayalam, Nepali, Norwegian, Oromo, Panjabi, Pashto/Pashtu, Patois, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Scottish Gaelic, Shona, Slovakian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Tigrinya, Turkish, Twi, Urdu, Vietnamese, Welsh, Yiddish, and Yoruba.