Multicultural Children's Book Day

#ReadYourWorld

MCBD Twitter Party 2019: Great Questions and Lots of Prizes!

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Win 1 of 12 Book Bundles! We are giving away Book Bundles every 5 minutes!

Twitter Party

Friday, January 25th

9 pm to 10 pm EST

Hashtag: #ReadYourWorld

Register here to WIN!

 

To say everyone is all a-twitter about the upcoming MCBD2019 Twitter Party is an understatement.

Every year, hundreds of parents, teachers, librarians, book reviewers, authors, publishers, and children’s organizations show up to follow @McChildsBookDay on Twitter and win LOTS of diverse books for kids.

This year, on 1-25-19, it will be no different!

As usual, Twitter Party cohosts and co-founders Mia Wenjen and Valarie Budayr will sharing questions to initiate discussions about the state of children’s book publishing, what is lacking in kidlit diversity, and asking for books recommends from attendees while giving away diversity book bundles every 5 minutes!

This year we have a very special Sponsor for our Twitter Party. Thank you to Deirdre Cummings for sponsoring our Twitter Party! Deirdre “Deedee” Cummings is the founder of Make A Way Media and a therapist, attorney, author, and mom!

She is also the author nine diverse children’s books including Heart, My Trip to the Beach, If a Caterpillar Can Fly, Why Can’t I?, My Dad’s Job, Love Is…,Think of It Like This!, Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess and I Want To Be a Bennett Belle. Her newest book, Like Rain Water, is a beautiful and inspiring story about hope and compassion towards yourself and towards others.

Her newest book, Like Rain Water, is a diverse therapeutic book for kids ages 10 and up. Like Rain Water is a beautiful and inspiring story about hope and compassion towards yourself and towards others. Therapist, attorney, author, and mom Deirdre “Deedee” Cummings passes down lessons learned from her mother.

Win 1 of 12 Diversity Children’s Book Bundles! 100+ Book GIVEAWAY

How do you join the Twitter party? Just use hashtag #ReadYourWorld to find us. When you tweet, use the hashtag so everyone can find you! Register here to win.

#ReadYourWorld Twitter Party Book Tote Giveaway

2019 Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter Party and Book Bundle GIVEAWAYS

Each book bundle will include this book tote courtesy of Capstone Publishing!

Question 1 (9:00 pm): What are your and your children’s favorite diversity authors, illustrators, and books?

Win Book Bundle #1 (Courtesy of Scholastic)

The Serpents Secret: Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond by Sayantani Dasgupta

The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes

Saffron Ice Cream by Rashin Kheiriyeh

We’ve Got The Whole World in our Hands by Rafael Lopez

 

Question 2 (9:05 pm): One new controversy in children’s book publishing is who should write from a minority point of view? What do you think of the #OwnVoices diversity movement in children’s book publishing?

Win Book Bundle #2 (Courtesy of Real MVP Kids and their Help Me Understand™ and Help Me Become Series™

Lucas Tames the Anger Dragon

Blake Rewires the Failure Circuit

Sarah Sizes Up the Insecure Ant

Miriam Lassoes the Worry Whirlwind

Stand Down Bullies

Question 3 (9:10 pm): What diversity topics in children’s books do you wish there were more books on?

Win Book Bundle #3

Dragon Dancer by Joyce Chng and Jeremy Pailler from Lantana Publishing

I Am Famous by Tara Luebbe ad Becky Cattie

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell

Neema’s Reason to Smile by Patricia Newman

The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros

Question 4 (9:15 pm): What diversity children’s books, authors, and illustrators do you think deserve more recognition? Let’s give them a shout out!

Win Book Bundle #4 (Courtesy of Chickasaw Press)

Little Loksi by Trey Hays

Mission to Space by John Herrington

Chula the Fox by Anthony Perry

C is for Chickasaw Coloring Book by Wiley Barnes

C is for Chickasaw by Wiley Barnes

Good Night, Trilobite by Steve Vanlandingham

Question 5 (9:20 pm): Our Classroom Kit this year is about poverty. What are your favorite children’s books on this topic?

Win Book Bundle #5 (Courtesy of Candlewick Press)

Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

A Gift from Abuela by Cecilia Ruiz

Imagine by Juan Felipe Herrera

This is My Eye: A New York Story by Neela Vaswani

The Stuff of Stars by Marion Dane Bauer

Question 6 (9:25 pm): What do you hope diversity and multicultural books will teach your children?

Win Book Bundle #6 (YA and Advanced Middle Grade Books)

The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

Zora & Me: The Cursed Ground by T. R. Simon

Begone the Raggedy Witches by Celine Kiernan

Jake Lucid Dreamer by David J. Naiman

Out of the Pocket by B.E. Stanfel

Question 7 (9:30 pm): What genre of children’s books do you think lacks the most diversity? (board books, picture books, easy readers, early chapter books, graphic novels, poetry, nonfiction, etc.)

Win Book Bundle #7 (Courtesy of Capstone Publishing)

Meet Yasmin by Saadia Faruqi

Definitely Daphne by Tami Charles

Being You by Alexs Pate

Unstoppable by Art Coulson

A Different Pond by Bao Phi

Question 8 (9:35 pm): What is your pet peeve about children’s books in general? (Mine is that I’m tired of bears in caves themed picture books.)

Win Book Bundle #8

What Can a Citizen Do by Dave Eggers

Catherine’s Pascha by Charlotte Riggle

A Scarf for Keiko by Ann Malaspina

Teach Us Your Name by Huda Essa

Let ‘Er Buck by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

Question 9 (9:40 pm): What reading goals do you have for your kids this year?

Win Book Bundle #9

K is for Kindergarten by Erin Dealey

Origami Peace Cranes: Friendships Take Flight by Sue DiCicco (Donated by Tuttle Publishing)

One Plastic Bag by Miranda Paul

First Generation: 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great by Sandra Neil Wallace

Magic Ramen by Andrea Wang

Question 10 (9:45 pm): What foreign languages need better representation in children’s books?

Win Book Bundle #10 (Board Books)

Talk With Me! by Teri Kaminski Peterson

CeCe & Roxy: How We Came to Be by Pascha Adamo

Beautiful Rainbow World by Suzee Ramirez and Lynne Raspet

Book Bundle #11

Lump Lump and the Blanket of Dreams by Gwen Jackson

Milky Way by Mamta Nainy (Published by Yali Books)

Farmer Falgu Goes to the Kumbh Mela by Chitra Soundar

Jamie is Jamie: A Book About Being Yourself and Playing Your Way by Afsaneh Moradian

Alex Asks About Auntie’s Airplane Day: An Adoption Story by Carolyn Wilhelm

 

Bundle #12 (Courtesy of Plum Street Press and the Jaden Toussaint series).

Jaden Toussaint the Greatest Episode 1: The Quest for Screen Time

Jaden Toussaint Episode 2: The Ladek Invasion

Jaden Toussaint Episode 3: The Muffin Wars

Jaden Toussaint Episode 4: Attack of the Swamp Thing

Jaden Toussaint Episode 5: Mission Star-Power

 

GRAND PRIZE BUNDLE!

ABC Adoption and ME by Gayle H. Swift and Casey A. Swift

Rani Saves Diwali by Anita Badhwar

The Shadow in the Moon by Christina Matula

Being Bilingual is Fun! By Claudia Schwalm

Rebels and Revolutions by Judy Dodge Cummings

Journey to Winter Camp from Inhabit Education

Ta-DA! By Kathy Ellen David (Published by Chronicle Books)

Biographies for Young Readers: Virginia Hamilton by Julie Rubini

Pavel and the Tree Army by Heidi Smith Hyde (published by Kar-Ben Publishing)

Mama, Mama, Do You Know What I Like? By Justine Villanueva

Mermaids on a Mission to Save the Ocean by Janet Balletta

Rice and Rocks by Sandra L. Richardson

BONUS PRIZES!

THANK YOU Platinum Sponsor Make A Way Media for adding all sorts of amazing prizing to our Party!

1) Make  Way Media Prize Bundle #1
All 9 books including their newest release, Like Rain Water
1 butterfly bag
2 travel mini colored pencil sets
1 medium Make A Way Media Find Beauty long sleeve comfy shirt
2) Small Prize Bundle #2:
Kayla book and Kayla pin
3) Smaller prize #3:
 

If A Caterpillar Can Fly coloring book, butterfly pin and travel mini colored pencil set

12 Capstone Publishing 2019 #ReadingIsForEveryone book bags!

These durable and roomy 17”x18” Book Bags are perfect for stashing all of your diverse books. Prizing supplied by Medallion Level Sponsor for MCBD2019, Capstone Publishing.

2 Gift Bags from Soulful Sydney

Soulful Sydney Explores Diversity is a delightful children’s that is a collaboration between two grandmothers and a young Muslim girl who was inspired to create a book with a powerful message about kindness and inclusion. Each Soulful Sydney Gift Bag includes a Soulful Sydney picture book, a Max the Dog soft plush toy.

Set of FIVE Pack-n-Go Girls easy-reader chapter books!

5 Book Pack includes:
Mystery of the Secret Room (Austria)
Mystery of the Thief in the Night (Mexico)
Mystery of the Golden Temple (Thailand)
Mystery of the Troubled Toucan (Brazil)
Mystery of the Min Min Lights (Australia)

AGAIN…here are the Twitter Party details and don’t forget to follow @McChildsBookDay on Twitter!

Win 1 of 12 Book Bundles! We are giving away Book Bundles every 5 minutes!

Twitter Party

Friday, January 25th

9 pm to 10 pm EST

Hashtag: #ReadYourWorld

Register here!

2019 MCBD Twitter Party

Inlinkz Link Party

Eight Essential Children’s Books to Build Empathy About Immigration & 10 Book GIVEAWAY!

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#ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2019 Cynthia Leitich Smith

We are so excited to present our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2019 in conjunction with Children’s Book Council! This year we have 10 amazing authors with unique book lists to share. Each author is also doing a book giveaway!

Please welcome Mariana Llanos with her list of Eight Essential Children’s Books to Build Empathy About Immigration. We are giving away 10 copies of her book, Luca’s Bridge/El puente de Luca. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom. 

Why do people emigrate? This is a question that doesn’t get asked and answered quite enough. Nevertheless, in the current climate people are quick to judge those who chose to leave their homes behind. I’m an immigrant, and as such, I am proud to represent all those millions of people who work tirelessly to build a better future for themselves and their families.

I’m thankful for this opportunity to share some of the books I consider essential to fight prejudice and intolerance. I came across most of these titles when I was researching for my new book Luca’s Bridge/El Puente de Luca (Penny Candy Books, 2019). These books are all wonderful in their own right, but together they make a powerful statement of empathy: build bridges of words, tear the walls of ignorance.

[Read more…]

Diverse Trailblazers: On the Quest of Self-Discovery & 10 Book GIVEAWAY!

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#ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2019 Cynthia Leitich Smith

We are so excited to present our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2019 in conjunction with Children’s Book Council! This year we have 10 amazing authors with unique book lists to share. Each author is also doing a book giveaway!

Please welcome Vita Murrow with her list of Diverse Trailblazers: On the Quest of Self-Discovery children’s books. We are giving away 10 copies of her book, Power to the Princess. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter below.

Diverse Trailblazers: On the Quest of Self-Discovery

[Read more…]

#OwnVoices Multicultural Picture Books Celebrating Grandparental Love & 10 Book GIVEAWAY!

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#ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2019 Cynthia Leitich Smith

We are so excited to present our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2019 in conjunction with Children’s Book Council! This year we have 10 amazing authors with unique book lists to share. Each author is also doing a book giveaway!

Please welcome Meera Sriram today with her Multicultural Picture Books Celebrating Grandparental Love book list. We are giving away 10 copies of her picture book, The Yellow Suitcase! Please use the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

Grandparents care, teach, protect, and inspire, with gentleness and wisdom. They are often special because they tell stories and pass on traditions, make favorite dishes and share fun activities. Sometimes they are a short ride away and sometimes they live across seas. Some other times, they are only fond memories. In families all around the world, grandparents are always special, their love universal…eternal.

Here’s a list of picture books, with stories set in diverse cultural contexts, that celebrate the prized love children share with their grandmothers and grandfathers.

Multicultural Picture Books Celebrating Grandparental Love

DRAWN TOGETHER by Minh Lê & illustrated by Dan Santat

The silence between a Thai-speaking grandfather and an English-speaking grandson is as stark as the contrast in their lives. However, the language wall that divides and frustrates them one evening melts away as they find common ground over their shared love for art. Told in sparse text, but with mesmerizing art in generous portions, this book shows that love brings down all types of barriers including age, culture, and language. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

THUNDER CAKE by Patricia Polacco

Patricia Polacco is a master storyteller and talented illustrator. Her stories, often rooted in her East European heritage, capture the charm of childhood and warmth of family. This autobiographical story tells how Babushka comes up with the perfect “recipe” to help her granddaughter fight her fear of thunder. Well, don’t grandmothers offer the best solution for everything? [picture book, ages 4 and up]

ABUELA’S WEAVE by Omar S. Castañeda & illustrated by Enrique O. Sánchez

Young Esperanza learns to weave from her grandmother. Together, they weave from dawn to dusk, preparing to sell their handwoven magic at the local market in Guatemala. But there are several challenges, and what if no one wants to buy their beautiful huipiles and gorgeous Mayan tapestry? Esperanza has to find out on her own. This story is a beautiful celebration of grandparents as preservers of family heritage and traditions. [picture book, ages 5 and up]

GRANDFATHER’S JOURNEY by Allen Say

Say recalls with nostalgia the glorious life of his grandfather who traveled back and forth between America and Asia. When Say realizes that his own immigrant journey mimics a similar trajectory, he relates to his grandfather’s feeling of calling more than one place home. Allen Say’s delicate paintings do equal justice to the beautiful countrysides of both California and Japan. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

GRANDAD MANDELA by Zazi, Ziwelene & Zindzi Mandela & illustrated by Sean Qualls

In a unique Q&A narrative, Grandma Zindzi (Nelson and Winnie Mandela’s daughter) shares the life story of her father with her grandchildren, Zazi and Ziwelene. Using simple words, she explains apartheid, and Mandela’s fight and triumph, while highlighting his forgiving and persevering nature. If your great-grandfather is a global icon of peace, then there’s quite a legacy to live up to. Luckily, Grandma Zindzi leaves her listeners inspired and empowered. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

MANGO, ABUELA, AND ME by Meg Medina & illustrated by Angela Dominguez

When Abuela comes to live with Mia’s family, Mia and her grandmother have a hard time sharing stories–Abuela’s English is as limited as Mia’s Spanish. But they don’t give up. With word cards, reasonable practice, and a whole lot of assistance from a talkative parrot, Abuela and Mia bond over brimming mouths and hearts. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

COMING ON HOME SOON by Jacqueline Woodson & illustrated by E.B. Lewis

Woodson never fails to affect us with her powerful writing and poignant stories. In Coming on Home Soon, Ada Ruth’s mother is off to Chicago to find work and make money during the war. Grandma is Ada Ruth’s pillar of strength and hope until Mama writes back of her return. “Grandma holds me when I cry. Hush now, she says. It’s going to be all right.” Somehow, grandparents know how to lift spirits, with their warm touch, right words, and big heart. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

THE YELLOW SUITCASE by Meera Sriram & illustrated by Meera Sethi

When Asha travels with her family to India to mourn her grandmother’s passing, she journeys through every stage of grief, before a special gift in her suitcase makes her realize that the memory of her grandmother will live on forever. In the backdrop of a cross-cultural experience, The Yellow Suitcase is a story of love, loss, and hope. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

The Yellow Suitcase 10 Picture Book GIVEAWAY!

We are giving away 10 copies of her picture book, The Yellow Suitcase! Please use the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meera Sriram


Meera Sriram grew up in India and moved to the U.S at the turn of the millennium. An electrical engineer in her past life, she now enjoys writing for children and advocating early and multicultural literacy. Meera has coauthored several books published in India. “The Yellow Suitcase” is her debut picture book in the U.S. She believes in the transformative power of stories and writes on cross-cultural experiences that often take her back to her roots. Meera loves yoga and chai, and lives with her husband and two children in Berkeley, California, where she fantasizes about a world with no borders.

Connect with Meera: FACEBOOK, TWITTER, WEBSITE.

#OwnVoices Multicultural Picture Books Celebrating Grandparental Love & 10 Book GIVEAWAY!

Inlinkz Link Party

What’s in Our Dream Basket? Raising Awareness for Global Education

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Guest post from Patricia Newman with Donna Rosenblum and Mehrdokht Amini

I usually write about nonfiction conservation topics that empower children to act as global citizens. When Donna Rosenblum, Executive Director of Reason2Smile, approached me with an idea for a book about the importance of education, I saw another way to empower young readers to act.

Approximately 262 million children worldwide did not attend school in 2017. Neema’s Reason to Smile illustrator Mehrdokht Amini comes from Iran, a country where access to education is not necessarily a right.

Neema’s Reason to Smile

Donna and Mehrdokht know first-hand the challenges faced by children from extreme poverty or worn-torn countries. I thought you’d like to hear their messages from the front lines. [Read more…]

8 Powerful #OwnVoices Novels for Lovers of Poetry & GIVEAWAY!

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#ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2019 Cynthia Leitich Smith

We are so excited to present our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2019 in conjunction with Children’s Book Council! This year we have 10 amazing authors with unique book lists to share. Each author is also doing a book giveaway!

Please welcome Renée Watson with her 8 Powerful Novels for Lovers of Poetry book list. We are also giving away a copy of her newest book, Watch Us Rise, co-authored by Ellen Hagan. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

8 Powerful Novels for Lovers of Poetry

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On My Desk | #ReadYourWorld Kidlit Books (1/6/19)

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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.

Being 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 | #ReadYourWorld Kidlit Books for 2019 was born! It’s my way of sharing some amazing titles that don’t always get the attention they deserve.

So even though MCBD2019 hasn’t occurred yet (1/25/19), I am LOVING all of the amazing books all these wonderful multicultural books for kids that I am discovering every time I open the mail.

Here’s what the Mailman Book Fairy brought me this week: [Read more…]

KidLit TV: Inspiring Children to Read and Learn

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One of the best resources to explore the world of children’s literature with kids AND adults is none other than KidLit TV. Julie Gribble, a two Emmy Award nominee, a multi-award-winning writer, screenwriter, filmmaker, and producer, founded KidLit TV to help inspire children to learn and read. She has assembled an all-star team of diverse award-winning writers, illustrators, teachers, filmmakers, and reading specialists who work together to create fun new ways to reinforce an appreciation of reading that children will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

The diverse KidLit TV team also supports the We Need Diverse Books and Multicultural Children’s Book Day initiatives by encouraging the children’s literature community to create more books that reflect the diversity of our society.

KidLitTV creates fun new ways to reinforce an appreciation of reading that children will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Award-Winning Children’s Literature Resource

KidLit TV is a winner of the Parents’ Choice Gold Award, the Norton Juster Award for Devotion to Literacy, and one of the American Library Association’s Great Websites For Kids. KLTV is available in over 600,000 schools worldwide via our website and video distribution partners. [Read more…]

8 Fabulous #OwnVoices Middle-Grade Latinx Novels & GIVEAWAY!

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#ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2019 Cynthia Leitich Smith

We are so excited to present our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2019 in conjunction with Children’s Book Council! This year we have 10 amazing authors with unique book lists to share. Each author is also doing a book giveaway!

Please welcome Lila Quintero Weaver today with our second installment of our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2019 in conjunction with the Children’s Book Council. She has a list of 8 Fabulous Middle-Grade Latinx Novels. We are also giving away a copy of her book, My Year in the Middle. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter. [Read more…]

Announcing first official Read Your World Multicultural Children’s Book Day Music Video!!

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Thank you to Annie Lynn and Walt Wilcezewski for donating their time and expertise to create our first official Read Your World Multicultural Children’s Book Day Music Video!!!

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!

Thank you to Matthew Winner who submitted photos of his students holding books covering their faces.

Thank you to everyone who contributed photos! [Read more…]

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