Multicultural Children's Book Day

#ReadYourWorld

New Picture Book About A Child’s Immigration Experience

by

{Guest post by Language Lizard}

 

 Migration, immigration, refugee: these words are familiar to us all. But how does it feel for a child to leave behind family, friends, and everything loved and familiar that comprise the word home? While immigrant children enjoy the many benefits of their new countries, it’s hard to forget the faces of loved ones, and the memories that follow them into their new lives.

The Language Lizard team is very excited to announce the release of a new (and much-needed) book that shares the story of the immigration experience through the eyes of a child. In Happy After All, the young narrator must adapt to her changed circumstances—while feeling the sad pangs of homesickness. Through her father’s encouragement, and her own willingness to enjoy new things, the girl learns that she can find pleasure again, and begins to thrive.

Written by Anneke Forzani, and illustrated by Alex Jarman, this picture book offers hope and empowerment to any child dealing with challenging changes. It encourages readers to empathize with the difficult internal journey that immigrant children face and offers the comfort of a hopeful ending. Vivid illustrations add a high visual impact to the girl’s reflective and bittersweet narration. 

Highly recommended for diverse classrooms, this realistic picture book is a wonderful tool for fostering reflection and insight among students.

This title is available in many bilingual editions and includes a free downloadable multicultural lesson plan.

Advanced Praise for Happy After All

 

“Happy After All is a delightful read. The story of a newcomer missing her home country will help students grow empathy and knowledge of another culture. The words and pictures are authentic and will surely touch the hearts of children experiencing a big move like this or knowing someone who has. We glimpse the beauty and warmth of the character’s original home and still feel the hope for her new beginning. It is a welcome addition to all classrooms that value diversity.”~Mary Karen Engel, 2nd Grade Teacher, Clayton School District

 

“Happy After All provides a uniquely profound glimpse of how the characters are processing their feelings of longing, angst, and fears when arriving in a new country. This emotional connection can facilitate meaningful classroom conversations about facing life’s challenges. Happy After All also showcases the main character’s native customs and traditions, giving readers an opportunity to acquire new cultural perspectives and insights. I highly recommend Happy After All for all types of classroom settings.”~José J. Riera, Washington State University, College of Education

 

“This book could be used as a tool to encourage a child that happiness awaits them in their new home. It could also help inspire empathy in children with a classmate who has recently moved from another country.”~Rachel Funez, RachelFunez.com

 

About Language Lizard

Author Anneke Forzani is the President and Founder of Language Lizard, which provides multicultural resources in over 50 languages to schools, libraries, and literacy organizations. Anneke is also the author of the teaching manual Building Bridges with Bilingual Books and Multicultural Resources, and the children’s books Who Are We? and With Flying Colors: Color Idioms.

Language Lizard, LLC (www.LanguageLizard.com) is a leading supplier of bilingual products in over 50 languages. The company provides award-winning bilingual books and audio resources to schools, libraries, literacy organizations, and bilingual families. Language Lizard offers culturally responsive teaching materials, multilingual posters, and free multicultural lesson plans to support diverse classrooms and homeschooling families.

Happy After All is available at www.LanguageLizard.com

Available in bilingual editions with English and Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Farsi, French, Haitian Creole, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu, and Vietnamese

Read Your World!

Multicultural Book Series Celebrates Diversity, Kindness, and Friendship

by

{Guest post by Language Lizard}

 

The Language Lizard team is very excited to announce the release of a new series of children’s books in many languages that Celebrates Diversity, Kindness, and Friendship!

Language Lizard Living in Harmony Books use colorful multicultural illustrations and simple text to explain concepts of diversity, kindness, and friendship. The books come with free multicultural lessons and activities to support diversity education.

The Language Lizard Living in Harmony Book Series consists of three titles:

Be Kind by Livia Lemgruber shows many ways to help others with simple acts of kindness.

Language Lizard

We Can All Be Friends by Michelle Griffis shows how much we have in common even though we are all different.

Who Are We? by Anneke Forzani, illustrated by Maria Russo helps us to understand and appreciate the diversity in our community.

Language Lizard Living in Harmony Books are currently available in English and in bilingual editions with the following languages: 

Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese (with Pinyin), German, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, Telugu, and Vietnamese. 

(More languages will be coming soon.)

All books include access to free multicultural lesson plans and activities, as well as English audio of the book.

Praise for Language Lizard Living in Harmony Book Series:

“The Living in Harmony series of books teaches kids to embrace diversity and act kindly toward others. With its central theme that we all have more similarities than differences, this deceptively simple and endearing series is a valuable resource to cultivate compassion in our children.” ~Zeynep Erdil-Moody, Ph.D. , Language Acquisition Specialist

 

“Beautifully illustrated and strategically organized to honor and leverage linguistic and cultural diversity via representation and inclusion.  True ‘windows and mirrors’ books that promote unity amongst diversity!” ~Kelly Aldinger, ESL Teacher

 

 “The Living in Harmony books captivate the essence of American diversity. The book’s beautifully crafted illustrations represent the faces of ALL my students and the simple words teach powerful lessons of kindness, acceptance, understanding, and friendship. Teachers looking to introduce diverse texts for young readers in their classroom libraries, look no further!”  ~Nikolette Trofa, 4th Grade Teacher

About Us

Language Lizard, LLC (www.LanguageLizard.com) is a leading supplier of bilingual products in over 50 languages. The company provides award-winning bilingual books and audio resources to schools, libraries, literacy organizations, and bilingual families. Language Lizard offers culturally responsive teaching materials, multilingual posters, and free multicultural lesson plans to support diverse classrooms and homeschooling families.

Language Lizard Living in Harmony Books are available as English and bilingual paperbacks at www.LanguageLizard.com, Ingram, and bookstores worldwide. 

Be Kind by Livia Lemgruber

We Can All Be Friends by Michelle Griffis

Who Are We? by Anneke Forzani, illustrated by Maria Russo

Bilingual editions currently available in Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese (with Pinyin), German, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, Telugu, and Vietnamese. 

Read Your World!

Women in STEM: One Step Further by Katherine Johnson {Giveaway!}

by

 

Welcome to the One Step Further Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of One Step Further by Katherine Johnson and her daughters Joylette Hylick and Katherine Moore, and illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow on January 5th, blogs across the web are featuring exclusive photos and stories from the life of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, plus 5 chances to win a hardcover copy!

With ONE STEP FURTHER, author Katherine Johnson shares what it was like for her daughters to be a part of her history-making path. Filled with personal reflections, exclusive family archival photos, and striking illustrations, readers will be immersed in this deeply personal portrayal of female empowerment, women in STEM, and the breaking down of race barriers across generations. Historical notes, photo/illustration notes, and a timeline put the story into a historical and modern-day context.

Picturing the Past

by Lori Epstein, Photo Director, National Geographic Kids Books

Katherine Johnson’s West Virginia State College Diploma
In the summer of 2019, I had the honor of being welcomed into the private home of Katherine Johnson. She was a celebrity, but she was a stranger to me, known only from a distance through books and the now famous movie Hidden Figures.
Katherine’s college transcripts. Check out those grades! And do the math to see that she graduated Summa Cum Laude at age 19. Wow.
As I sat on the floor of the spare bedroom of her home, sifting through shoeboxes, file folders, and thick family albums, it struck me that there’s a reason why we call them personal items. These church programs, newspaper clippings, and photos have the ability to help bring a story to life, to make emotional connections. As I pored over school papers, sheet music, awards, and stacks of photos, Joylette and Kathy told me stories about each item; who that person was, and where that event took place, and what that award was for. They were generous with their time and opened up to me about what it was like growing up during the civil rights movement. With each item I photographed, I was getting closer and closer to all of the women in this book. I held in my hand Katherine’s report card (so many A’s!), her college diploma, her string of pearls, her Presidential Medal of Freedom. These are items only someone very close would ever have the privilege of touching. By the time I left, I felt like I was leaving the home of a neighbor and friend.
By including some of these incredibly personal photos and artifacts in our book, I hope that readers have the same experience and walk away caring more about these women and their mission to take one step further.
Presidential Medal of Freedom Pin

*****

credit Mark Thiessen/NGP

 

Lori Epstein, Photo Director, National Geographic Kids Books

Blog Tour Schedule:

February 22nd – Multicultural Children’s Book Day Blog

February 23rd – Here Wee Read

February 24th – Make a Way Blog

February 25th – BookHounds

February 26th – Frantic Mommy

 

Buy: Amazon | Indiebound | Bookshop

Follow National Geographic Kids: Website | Twitter | Books Twitter | Facebook | Youtube
This inspirational picture book reveals what is was like for a young black mother of three to navigate the difficult world of the 1950s and 60s and to succeed in an unwelcoming industry to become one of the now legendary “hidden figures” of NASA computing and space research.
Johnson’s own empowering narrative is complemented by the recollections of her two daughters about their mother’s work and insights about how she illuminated their paths, including one daughter’s fight for civil rights and another’s journey to become a NASA mathematician herself. The narrative gracefully weaves together Johnson’s personal story, her influence on her daughters’ formative years, her and her daughters’ fight for civil rights, and her lasting impact on NASA and space exploration. Filled with personal reflections, exclusive family archival photos, and striking illustrations, readers will be immersed in this deeply personal portrayal of female empowerment, women in STEM, and the breaking down of race barriers across generations. Historical notes, photo/illustration notes, and a timeline put the story into a historical and modern-day context.
The inspirational tale of Johnson’s perseverance is both intimate and global, showcasing the drive of each generation to push one step further than the last. With its evocative family album-style format and novel approach to storytelling, One Step Further is sure to inspire the next generation of rising stars.
“Engaging, collage-style art augments the text, with speech bubbles, archival family photographs, and Barlow’s child-friendly illustrations. Concurrently accessible and intimate, this book will both inform readers and inspire them to reach for the stars.” 
―Publishers Weekly
 
“A concise, engaging story of a Black family in the South during the Civil Rights era.” 
―Booklist
 
“The blend of Johnson’s and her daughters’ voices is intimate and inspiring.” 
―Horn Book 

 

Joylette (L), Kathy (R), Katherine (F) 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Katherine Johnson was an American mathematician whose calculations of
orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. She calculated and analyzed the flight paths of many spacecraft during her more than three decades with the U.S. space program, and her work helped send astronauts to the moon. She died on February 24, 2020.

ABOUT THE CO-AUTHORS: Joylette Goble Hylick and Katherine “Kathy” Goble Moore grew up during the space race of the 1960s but never fully grasped their mother’s role in it until years later. Hylick graduated from Hampton University and received a Master’s at Drexel University. She followed in her mother’s footsteps, working at NASA as a mathematician before taking a job with Lockheed Martin as a Senior Requirements Engineer. She lives today in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. After attending Bennett College and Hampton University, and receiving a Masters of Science in Information Systems from Montclair State University (formerly Montclair State College), Moore spent 33 years working in public education as an educator and guidance counselor in New Jersey. She currently resides in Greensboro, North Carolina.

 

 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR: Charnelle Pinkney Barlow, the granddaughter of Caldecott-winning illustrator Jerry Pinkney, was surrounded by art as a child. Her passion for illustration grew after being introduced to the world of watercolors. She received her BFA in Illustration from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and her MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
 
Follow Charnelle: Facebook | Instagram
GIVEAWAY: Win a SIGNED Copy!
  • One (1) winner will receive a hardcover copy of One Step Further signed by Katherine Johnson’s daughters and co-authors Joylette Hylick and Katherine Moore!
  • Check out the other tour stops for more chances to win
  • US/Can only
  • Ends 3/7 at 11:59 pm ET

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What Can Kids Learn from these Two Amazing Heroes of History?

by

{Guest Post By Jodi Murphy}

Black History Month begins and it’s just one of the many opportunities we can take to talk to kids about the many contributions and achievements of African Americans.

Dorktales Storytime Podcast would like to bring the stories of two trailblazers from two different time periods in American history to your children. These are two men who faced racial injustice—one who was enslaved then freed and one who lived during Jim Crow laws. Through their own talents, hard work, and determination, they had extraordinary accomplishments that changed our world for the better.

George Washington Carver

Listen to Mr. Carver’s story on the Dorktales Storytime Podcast:

Note: This episode includes discussions about slavery and systemic racism. Find links to resources for talking about these topics on the episode web page: https://jonincharacter.com/george-washington-carver/

George Washington Carver is someone you probably learned about in school, but you may not know the entire story of his life—from being enslaved to experiencing segregation and then becoming one of America’s most respected agricultural scientists, botanists, and inventors.

His research was never just about science, but about the impact that it might have on people’s lives—particularly the African American people of the South and areas that relied on agriculture to survive. At the time, cotton was king but it destroyed the land after one harvest. He taught many farmers how to grow other crops to enrich the soil and create hundreds of products.

Did you know that he is credited with discovering over 300 uses for the peanut? Or that he studied many species of fungi—two of which were named after him? Or that he was admired by Henry Ford and Thomas Edison—both who wanted to hire him to work for their companies? These are but a few of the extraordinary facts about his life.

What’s even more admirable, is that he used his celebrity to speak on racial injustice and the importance of racial harmony. He worked towards a future where no one is turned away from getting an education or work based on their race. And he certainly left a legacy for all young scientists and farmers who have followed in his footsteps.

FREE BONUS ALERT: There is an activity guide available for the George Washington Carver episode for free when you sign up for the Dorktales Storytime Podcast email list. Currently, all Hidden Heroes of History episodes come with free activity guides and future guides are in development. SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/DTnewsletter-signup

Louis Armstrong

Listen to Mr. Armstrong’s story on the Dorktales Storytime Podcast:

 

Louis Armstrong had a difficult childhood and grew up in a dangerous neighborhood. He started working when he was very young and that is how he came to afford his first cornet. He kicked off his career on Mississippi riverboats and was eventually mentored by Joe “King” Oliver, the top cornetist in New Orleans. He joined King Oliver’s orchestra in 1922 and, after 3 years, struck out on his own to become one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time.

Mr. Armstrong broke down barriers during a time when there were even more significant obstacles for African American people due to Jim Crow laws. He was the first African American person to write an autobiography, get cast in a major motion picture, and host a nationally sponsored radio show. He also famously spoke out about the Little Rock Nine, an incident where African American students were prevented from attending school.

Most of his life was about a deep passion for music and using it to bring people together. Louis Armstrong built a music legacy and a legacy beyond music.

FREE BONUS ALERT: There is an activity guide available for the Louis Armstrong episode for free when you sign up for the Dorktales Storytime Podcast email list. (You only need to sign up once.) SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/DTnewsletter-signup

Jonathan Cormur

Discover more Hidden Heroes of History podcast episodes and geeky retellings of classic fairy tales on the Dorktales Storytime Podcast. The podcast is a member of Kids Listen, an organization that advocates for high-quality children’s audio. Jodi Murphy is the founder of Geek Club Books autism storytelling nonprofit and a member of the Multicultural Children’s Book Day Board of Advisors.

 

Surrounded by Superheroes: Diverse Book Celebrations from MCBD2021

by

We did it! Another wildly successful Multicultural Children’s Book Day is complete. Once again, the MCBD team was touched and elevated by the overwhelming support and enthusiasm surrounding our diverse children’s literature online celebration. In the days following the crescendo of the event, and our crazy-fun annual Twitter Party,  we all have spent hours sifting through the amazing camaraderie, comments, reviews, classroom celebrations, and touching kudos that were offered up during our on and offline global event.

As we all scroll through the social media posts, book reviews, and images of happy kiddoes reading diverse books during their classroom celebration, we really, REALLY, feel blessed to be so passionately supported.

We are, indeed, surrounded by superheroes!

The following is just a sample of all of the amazing book recommendations, diverse booklist, diverse book reviews, authors, publishers, educators, librarians, and young readers. Search #ReadYourWorld on any social media platform and see even MORE reasons to smile and books to add to your “must-read.” pile/

Also, be sure and visit our Big Giant Linky to see hundreds of diverse children and teen book reviews in honor of the event. Enjoy!

Media Mentions

Celebrate Multicultural Children’s Book Day with the BWG Library  

Multicultural Children's Book Day

Lake Oswego Public Library Read Alouds!

AND, Multicultural Books for Teens Printable Booklist!

 

News15 link Thanks to Aly:

https://www.kadn.com/content/news/KidLit-Pick-of-the-Week–573684761.html

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tressie Lee (@aoandtauri)

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Faith Pray (@faith.pray)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Glenelg Country School (@glenelgcountry)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by @stylishmodernmotherhood

 

 


Follow us on Pinterest!

 

Music Carries Language and Culture for Kids

by

{Guest Post by Jesse Lewis, Music Producer, and Sound Director, at TA-DA! Language Productions}

Sound and music is a point of entry for the next generation. Just like food and diverse books, music carries language and culture for kids.

So, I noticed that when music comes on, she stops everything and stares far away.

That thousand-yard stare is usually one I see in our 4-month-old right before the diaper… uh, right before he looks at me and grins…

But for my daughter, almost four years old, this beam tells me she’s experiencing something I can’t see, a complete and vivid scene in her imagination. She is hearing, learning, and internalizing as she listens in delight to EVERYTHING she hears.

So, I had to know – What makes music and stories so mesmerizing and memorable to our littlest learners?

What if music could be used to show our kids sounds of language and music from other places? Could just listening to music plant seeds of awareness and empathy, and give them comfort with people from other cultures and places they haven’t even met? Is there a way to activate a mind’s eye in young kids for a better future, while they listen in delight?

Whoa, I thought… this… could CHANGE the world.

Music gets Kids Going

Music gets kids going, truly, at the core. Much of your child’s biology is rhythmic for instance – the heart, the lungs, their stride, their speech all have a rhythm; so, rhythm is satisfying. When they hear a beat, their bodies can’t help but fall into sync. Take a look at this incredible video by Dr. Laurel Trainor if you need help being convinced:

 

Music Carries Language and Culture for Kids

All music comes from someplace and brings with it the vibe, the culture, and the language. Every culture has a sound; each place its own music, soundscapes, and (needless to say!) language. And the earlier kids hear something, the deeper that memory sets in, and the more readily they’ll recall that information or perspective in the future.

Sound and music is a point of entry for kids – Just like food, a new place, a new language, a person who looks a little different. When young children build familiarity with our diversity, they’ll be more open when they’re older.

From the Grammys to the Kids

I’ve been in music all my life, and never have I found so much purpose as I have in bringing music to kids. We can give the gift of music—and all of the learning benefits, cultural context, language, empathy, math, and science—from the moment they emerge from the womb! I have 4 Grammy Awards and produce commercial albums for some of the most wonderful artists in the world, but now, for me, I cannot think of a more potent use of energy and passion than to turn my focus to kids.

About TA-DA! Language Productions

TA-DA! makes language and culture fun for kids, by weaving it into stories, music, and games.

Our first sound books come out in April (Language Adventures Series) and August (Children’s Talking Dictionary). Kids will learn and grow while they have oodles of fun. My co-founder, Michelle Glorieux, is a quick, smart, fun mom of a trilingual kid, and a globetrotting language teacher currently living in Europe. I’m a cellist and music producer; my wife, Megumi, is an inspiring professional violinist; and we are raising two little bilingual kids in Boston, Massachusetts.

Our whole team is driven by the dream that an entire generation of kids can grow up entirely more nourished, more empathetic, more playful, and better equipped to tackle their futures. Everything we do, we do for our kids, and that’s what TA-DA! is built on.

Visit TA-DA! via our website, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube.

 

The MCBD2021 Music Video is READY!

by

A huge THANK YOU goes out to Annie Lynn. Walt and Alex Wilczewski for donating their time and expertise to create our newest Read Your World Multicultural Children’s Book Day Music Video for 2021!

GO HERE to watch on YouTube.

Please support Annie Lynn on her website and YouTube channel!

Special thanks to the kids for their vocals on this song:  Havana Chapman-Edwards, Will, Hailey, and Amanda!

Here are the lyrics to the MCBD Theme song to sing along:

The MCBD Theme Song by Annie Lynn & Walt Wilczewski

Video production courtesy of Alex Wilczewski

 

MULTICULTURAL BOOK DAY THEME SONG (a.k.a #ReadYourWorld)

 

INTRO:

Annie: Hey Everyone! Glad you’re here! Did you bring your books with you?

KID #1: (AMANDA) Yeah! I’ve got a great Multicultural Book to share!

KID#2: (WILL): Me TOO!

KID #3 (HAILEY): “Me THREE!”

KID #4: (HAVANA) “Me FOUR!”

Annie: Well then let’s get started. Listeners, do you have your books ready?

Here we are,
On this most auspicious day,
Wanna hear what you have to say,
So won’t you share a good read, a multicultural good read?

When you look in a book (KIDS: YEAH YEAH YEAH)
Tell me, tell me what do you see?
Are there protagonists that look like you (KID #4: HAVANA): “I think so?”
Are the some that look like me?

We each deserve adventure we can relate to
So share your book, don’t be shy,
That’s why we’re here today, cause it’s

CHORUS: (ALL KIDS SING WITH ANNIE)

Multicultural Children’s Book Day
MCBD if it’s too hard to say.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day,
Read Your World, Hashtag Read Your World

And it’s Multicultural Children’s Book Day
MCBD if it’s too hard to say.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day,
Read Your World, Hashtag Read Your World

When we try to see through the eyes of others we find,
Empathy, love, and kindness,
And so we happily say, that it’s

CHORUS: (ALL KIDS SING WITH ANNIE)

Multicultural Children’s Book Day
MCBD if it’s too hard to say.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day,
Read Your World, Hashtag Read Your World

And it’s Multicultural Children’s Book Day
MCBD if it’s too hard to say.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day,
Read Your World, Hashtag Read Your World

(ANNIE & KIDS)
Every Person’s like a chapter,
We’re all in the same book
At the library or store it’s happening take a look
Books that recognize and celebrate diversity
Children’ reading, filled with wonder
Saying “LOOK THAT’S ME!”

(ANNIE & KIDS)
READ YOUR WORLD,
READ YOUR WORLD,
READ YOUR WORLD
HASHTAG READ YOUR WORLD

READ YOUR WORLD,
READ YOUR WORLD,
READ YOUR WORLD
HASHTAG READ YOUR WORLD

Multicultural Children’s Book Day is January 25, 2019.

Our mission is to not only raise awareness for the kid’s books that celebrate diversity but to get more of these of books into classrooms and libraries.

Where’s My Book? And the Next Steps for MCBD2021 Book Reviewers

by

“Where’s my diverse book?”

“My book review is ready, what now?”

We are getting a lot of these types of questions lately and we TOTALLY get it. So here is some info that will help everyone navigate both:

If Your Review Book for MCBD is MIA

MCBD2021 is not far off and we are aware that some reviewers still:

  • *need a book to review
  • *their assigned book hasn’t arrived
  • *feel they were not assigned a book yet

Please keep in mind that mail delivery is painfully slow these days. If you are still waiting for a physical copy of your assigned book, ask your publisher/author if they can send you a PDF version to review until your hardcopy arrives.

If you feel you haven’t been assigned to a book yet, here are two things you can do:

  1. Check your spam folder for an email from RebeccaFlansburg@gmail.com with the subject line of Your Assigned Book for MCBD2021.
  1. To get a diverse book to review, visit our Facebook Group ASAP. We’ve created a thread called “Matchmaking” where authors can share that they are looking for book reviewers and vice-versa.

This group has grown to 2,000+ members and is a great mix of parents, caregivers, influencers, book reviewers, authors, publishers, educators, and librarians. If you are not a member, Feel free to join and we will add you 🙂

IMPORTANT: The “Matchmaking” option is a completely “hands-off” offering for the MCBD Team: reviewers choosing this option are responsible for connecting via DM or email.

My Review is Ready to Go, But I Am Confused

  • Create a review of the book you were assigned on your Blog (if you have one) and your Instagram or Facebook Page (or both).
  • Then you need to include as much of the mandatory details (attached) as possible. The most important pieces of the mandatory details are the lists of the Medallion and author Sponsors and our hashtag: #ReadYourWorld.
  • You can post your book review on social media anytime between now and 1/29–but if possible we’d like you to share it as close to 1/29 as possible because it helps elevate our buzz!
  • An additional tweet or two about the book you reviewed (or the event itself) on Twitter would be much appreciated as well. Don’t forget to use #ReadYourWorld so we can find you and share.
  • If your author/book is on Amazon, a review there would be welcomed too. Just do the Amazon review like you would any other review (don’t include any of MCBD’s details).

Examples of Past Reviews

Sissy Goes Tiny

Just Like You

Joy Sunbear

Annie’s Jar of Patience

This Is The Earth

 

MCBD Reviewer Instructions and Image can be found here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bb3zzkr0np2o5iu/AADO0ExfpDpQiuX6XnAvLAOua?dl=0

On 1/29/21, everyone is asked to link up their reviews on our Big Giant Linky to create a huge resource that lives on our website forever (go here and scroll down to see the 2020 Linky).

Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

We hope this helps! We know it is sometimes frustrating, but this has been a challenging 12+ months for all of us!

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Prgamaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)

Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media

Gold Sponsors: Barefoot Books, Candlewick Press, Capstone, Hoopoe Books, KidLitTV, Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.

Silver Sponsors: Charlotte Riggle, Connecticut Association of School Librarians, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Pack-N-Go Girls

Bronze Sponsors: Agatha Rodi and AMELIE is IMPRESSED!, Barnes Brothers Books, Create and Educate Solutions, LLC, Dreambuilt Books, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin Real Estate, Snowflake Stories, Star Bright Books, TimTimTom Bilingual Personalized Books, Author Vivian Kirkfield, Wisdom Tales Press, My Well Read Child

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Poster Artist: Nat Iwata

Authors: Author Afsaneh Moradian, Author Alva Sachs & Three Wishes Publishing Company, Author Angeliki Stamatopoulou-Pedersen, Author Anna Olswanger, Author Casey Bell , Author Claudine Norden, Author Debbie Dadey, Author Diana Huang & Intrepids, Author Eugenia Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Green Kids Club, Author Gwen Jackson, Author Janet Balletta, Author Josh Funk, Author Julia Inserro, Karter Johnson & Popcorn and Books, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, Author Keila Dawson, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Author Mia Wenjen, Michael Genhart, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Natalie Murray, Natalie McDonald-Perkins, Author Natasha Yim, Author Phe Lang and Me On The Page Publishing, Sandra Elaine Scott, Author Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher, Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids, Author Theresa Mackiewicz, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Author Toshia Stelivan, Valerie Williams-Sanchez & The Cocoa Kids Collection Books©, Author Vanessa Womack, MBA, Author Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series

MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!

MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!

Check out MCBD’s Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!

FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents

Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit

Gallery of Our Free Posters

FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program

TWITTER PARTY! Register here!

Join us on Friday, Jan 29, 2021, at 9 pm EST for the 8th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter Party!
This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.
We will be giving away an 8-Book Bundle every 5 minutes plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **
Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. See you all very soon on Twitter!
Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

When a Literature Assignment Becomes A Children’s Picture Book

by

Guest Post by Tacardra B. Rountree 

It was my Junior year of high school and I was given an assignment in my Literature Class to write a poem about myself starting with the words, I Am. During that time, I had fallen in love with the poetry of Maya Angelou, especially the poem, “Phenomenal Woman.”I probably thought to myself, if I can be phenomenal, I can also be a Queen. My assignment started with the words, I Am An African Queen. It continued as a poetic affirmation. I published the poem in my first book, Writings From Down Through the Years. 

In graduate school, I came across the book, Honey I Love and Other Love Poems by Eloise Greenfield. When I read the poem,” Honey, I Love,” I was quickly reminded of my childhood. This poem became one of my favorites. It was several years later during my teaching career that I found the picture book Honey, I Love by Eloise Greenfield. It was at that moment, I decided to turn my poem, “I Am An African Queen,” into a children’s picture book. 

I knew I needed to find an illustrator who could make my words come to life. Little did I know that my illustrator would be someone that I already knew. Audrey “Sala Adenike” Jeter-Allen is known in my hometown for teaching and sharing African dance and culture. One year, we were both vendors at the same event. I was selling my first book and she was selling her artwork. I did not realize she was a visual artist. When I saw her artwork, I knew she would be the perfect illustrator for my book. I shared my ideas with Jeter-Allen and we exchanged contact information. She decided to illustrate my book and capture my vision with beautiful paintings and graphic illustrations. I wanted girls and women to find themselves on the cover and pages of the book. 

When it came to the title, I wanted something short and catchy. In February of 2018, I visited the Mann-Simons Site, one of the historical houses in Columbia, South Carolina. While I was reading one of the informational markers, a gentleman walked by and said, “Hello Queen.” I said, “Hello.”A few days later I said, “That is the title of my book, Hello Queen.” 

Remember, you should always answer to what you want to be called. The gentleman called me a Queen and I answered. He also confirmed what I already knew about myself. Yes, I am a Queen. I represent beauty, intelligence, determination, and more. After reading my book, I want young girls and women to boldly say, “I am a Queen” and realize that Queens are all around them. 

I did not realize the type of impact my 11th-grade assignment would have on my life. Save your writings and even your homework assignments. You may have the next best selling children’s book!

Tacardra B. RountreeTacardra B. Rountree is an author, inspirational speaker, and educator. Rountree has her Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Fort Valley State University and her Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Minnesota.. 

She is the author of Writings From Down Through the Years and Hello Queen. Writings From Down Through the Years is a compilation of inspirational poetry and readings. Hello Queen is her second book and first children’s picture book. Rountree seeks to encourage and inspire others with her words. She enjoys sharing her books with schools and libraries. 

Website: https://www.authortrountree.com/

Talking Points and Facts about Multicultural Children’s Book Day

by

Hard to believe the 8th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day celebration is only a handful of days away! This diversity in children’s literature initiative continues to grow, even during a year of unprecedented events and widespread uncertainty.

For that, we are proud.

If you are planning something special for your home, classroom, library, or organization, here are some Talking Points and Facts about Multicultural Children’s Book Day.

MCBD by the Numbers

For our 2021 on and offline celebration, we are proud to announce that there are 25 CoHosts and Global Cohosts, 23 Medallion, and 36 Author Level Sponsors supporting this initiative

Thanks to over 700 dedicated book reviewers, 1400-1500+ diverse book reviews will be shared on social media during the last few weeks of January.

During our wildly popular Twitter Party will be hosted by Audrey Press and Pragmaticmom. On 1/29/21 at (9:00 p.m. ET), over 150 diverse books and related items will be given away in 60 minutes (a winner is drawn every 5 minutes!).

To date, MCBD has gifted over 9,000 diverse books to end-users.

Instagram Followers: 15, 000+

Twitter Followers: 14,500+

Pinterest Followers: 10,000+

Countries Represented via Book Reviewers, Sponsors, and Global CoHosts:

USA, Germany, Greece, Australia, Mexico, Iran, India, UK, Canada, Philippines, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Hawaii, and New Zealand.

The Event Itself

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021 (1/29/21) is in its 8th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.

Eight years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. Read about our Mission & History HERE.

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Prgamaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)

Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media

Gold Sponsors: Barefoot Books, Candlewick Press, Capstone,  Hoopoe Books,  KidLitTV, Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.

Silver Sponsors: Charlotte Riggle, Connecticut Association of School Librarians, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Pack-N-Go Girls

Bronze Sponsors: Agatha Rodi and AMELIE is IMPRESSED!, Barnes Brothers Books, Create and Educate Solutions, LLC, Dreambuilt Books, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin Real Estate, Snowflake Stories, Star Bright Books, TimTimTom Bilingual Personalized Books, Author Vivian Kirkfield, Wisdom Tales Press, My Well Read Child

 

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Poster Artist: Nat Iwata

Authors: Author Afsaneh Moradian, Author Alva Sachs & Three Wishes Publishing Company, Author Angeliki Stamatopoulou-Pedersen, Author Anna Olswanger, Author Casey Bell , Author Claudine Norden, Author Debbie Dadey, Author Diana Huang & Intrepids,  Author Eugenia Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Green Kids Club,  Author Gwen Jackson, Author Janet Balletta, Author Josh Funk, Author Julia Inserro, Karter Johnson & Popcorn and Books, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, Author Keila Dawson, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Author Mia Wenjen, Michael Genhart, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Natalie Murray, Natalie McDonald-Perkins, Author Natasha Yim, Author Phe Lang and Me On The Page Publishing, Sandra Elaine Scott, Author Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher,  Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids, Author Theresa Mackiewicz, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Author Toshia Stelivan, Valerie Williams-Sanchez & The Cocoa Kids Collection Books©, Author Vanessa Womack, MBA, Author Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series

MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!

MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!

Check out MCBD’s Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!

 

MCBD 2021 Twitter Party Questions and PRIZES!

Join us on Friday, Jan 29, 2021, at 9 pm EST for the 8th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter Party! REGISTER HERE.

This hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.

*** US and Global participants welcome. **

The Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter Party 2021 will be giving away a 5-8 diverse book bundle every five minutes!

We also have some bonus prizes and prizes specifically for our non-USA participants. Scroll down to see all of the amazing book bundles and prizes.

Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

This year, our 1/29/21 Party will occur at 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET  and we promise it will be INSANELY fun and fast-paced! Be sure and follow Multicultural Children’s Book Day on Twitter so you can join the party. Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians.

GO HERE to view the 2021 MCBD TWITTER PARTY Questions!

GO HERE to view the 2021 MCBD TWITTER PARTY Prizes!

Not sure how to participate in a Twitter Party? Check out this great article from MCBD’s Project Manager HERE.

Follow MCBD on Twitter to join the party! 

 

FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents

Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit

Gallery of Our Free Posters

FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program