Yao Bai and the Egg Pirates by Tim J. Myers

May 2, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

May is Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks on the project were Chinese immigrants.

But another fact of Chinese immigration is that many of these brave souls ended up in California where they struggled to make a living as fishermen. That nearly forgotten era is preserved at historical sites in the San Fransisco Bay Area like China Camp: a state park that is committed to preserving the Chinese shrimp-fishing village that was created around the time of California’s Gold Rush.

It was a visit to this state park that inspired veteran author, Tim J. Myers, to pen his newest children’s book, Yao Bai and the Egg Pirates published by West Margin Press.

Inspired by the 1863 Egg War and the mad rush for murre eggs on the Farallon Islands near San Francisco, Yao Bai, and the Egg Pirates is a high-seas adventure story celebrating the courage and history of Chinese immigrants in America through a fascinating yet little-known event during the California Gold Rush era.

Yao Bai is finally old enough to sail with his father and uncle to the Farallon Islands, to gather the precious eggs that seabirds had laid there. But on their way home, they encounter trouble on the sea―pirates! Just when Yao’s father and uncle believe their hard day’s work would all be gone, Yao comes up with a clever plan. But will it be enough to save all the eggs?

The Inspiration for Yao Bai and the Egg Pirates

“While on a sightseeing trip to see humpback whales, our tour guide told us about the ‘Egg War’ at an island off the California coast during the Gold Rush,” Myers recalled. “So many miners came to California to find gold that it became difficult to feed them all. People began gathering seabird eggs on the Farallon Islands near San Francisco, especially murre eggs, which were three times the size of chicken eggs. In my story, I imagine that members of a Chinese fishing family have sailed out to the islands for eggs but then encounter egg pirates, which history tells us really existed. The pirates knew how much the eggs were worth, and weren’t afraid to use violence to get them.”

Intrigued by this real-life occurrence, Myers began to dig deeper into this event and the idea for a historical fiction children’s book began to unfold in his mind.

“Shortly after our whale-watching trip, we visited China Camp and learned more about the Chinese in Gold Rush California,” Myers added. “The sun was still rising in the east as I stood looking out across China Camp—and suddenly I could almost imagine a young Chinese boy scampering across the sand. At that moment, the character of Yao Bai was born. I also recently saw a period photo which included a real Chinese boy at a rough-looking Monterey fishing camp and thought, There he is! I knew his life was important, both in itself and to America as a whole—so I knew I had to try to drag that forgotten story out into the light. Chinese Americans have made incredible contributions to American life, and too often that’s forgotten or dismissed.”

With illustrations by Chinese artist Bonnie Pang, this delightful diverse historical fiction picture book will help young readers understand more about the great courage and adaptability of the Chinese in America. Connie Yu, the official historian of the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project of Santa Clara, praised Yao Bai and the Egg Pirates. for its research and accuracy.

About The Author

Tim Myers is a writer, songwriter, storyteller, and university senior lecturer in English. When not writing adult non-fiction and children’s fiction, he can be found working in the English Department at Santa Clara University. To date, Myers has published a whopping 22 books–15 of which are children’s books. Some of his diverse children’s book titles include Let’s Call Him Lau-Wiliwili-Humuhumu-Nukunuku-Nukunuku-Apua’A-Oi’Oi, The Thunder Egg, The Outfoxed Fox: Based on a Japanese Kyogen, and Basho and the River Stones.

Tim won the 2012 SCBWI Magazine Merit Award for Fiction and, as a fantasy/science fiction writer, he won a prize in the Writers of the Future Contest, and his work has appeared in Realms of Fantasy, Worlds of Fantasy and Horror, Space & Time, Weird Tales, Abyss & Apex, Futures Mysterious, on the Astropoetica website, and elsewhere.

When asked what advice he would give to young writers, Myers had this to say:

Read, Read, Read

Write, Write, Write

Live, Live, Live

“Those three words are the best way I know for authors to ‘get there.’ And the repetition is just as important as the categories,” Myers shared. “It’s a privilege to be an artist and to be part of the publishing world. I get a waterfall of joy in my brain every time I think about how lucky I am to be able to create art. And being able to merge that passion with my love for kids and teaching amplifies that joy even more. Writing Yao Bai and the Egg Pirates was, to me, a perfect opportunity to retell a moment in our past that’s in danger of being lost—a way to turn forgotten history into something fun and educational, in order to keep that human reality alive. ”

Connect with Tim J. Myers via his website, Amazon Author Page, and Facebook. For more information on Yao Bai: http://www.timmyersstorysong.com/TM_Website/Yao_Bai_by_Tim_J._Myers.htm

Myers also has excellent teacher’s resources for Yao Bai here.

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La Frontera: El Viaje Con Papa / My Journey With Papa by Deborah Mills and Alfredo Alva

April 18, 2019 by Rebecca Flansburg

Everyone has a story.

That’s something children’s book author and retired architect, Debbie Mills, has known all her life. She, her husband, Peter, and the couple’s eight grown children also believe in the strong bond of family is everything and that belief is evident in this tight-knit family. After moving to Kerrville, Texas in 2007, Debbie was fortunate to get to know a Mexican stonemason and was introduced to a moving story of courage, perseverance, and familial love that was begging to be shared with the world.

“We chose to settle down in Kerrville because it reminded us of Australia,” Debbie recalled. “My husband was in international banking so we lived all over the world. When we retired and chose to do so in Texas, I had the privilege of getting to know Alfredo Alva and his family. Alfredo was a stonemason by trade and over the course of a year, we became friends. One night, as we joined his family for a BBQ, I asked Alfredo to share his story of how he migrated from Mexico and settled in America. The story he told me became the inspiration for the book La Frontera: El viaje con papá/ My Journey With Papa.”

Originally, Debbie told Alfredo’s story through black and white photographs. She even made a trip to Alfredo’s home town to understand what he had left behind and to meet the greater extended family. Ultimately, publisher Barefoot Books opted to tap the talents of illustrator, Claudia Navarro; a move that brought the already moving story to life in a colorful way.

Click the image below to read Virginia TESOL Featured Review of La Frontera!

What Makes La Frontera Special

La Frontera: El viaje con papá/ My Journey With Papa is a bilingual book based on the true story inspired by the immigration experience of Alfredo and his father’s as they made the arduous journey from Mexico to the United States’ border– la frontera— to make a home for themselves in a new land in the 1980s. It’s a vibrant and moving story about immigration, resilience, empathy, and belonging. It’s also a story that is still happening today, even 30 years later.

In Praise of La Frontera: El Viaje Con Papa

La Frontera was recently named to the Bank Street College of Educations 2019 Edition of The Best Children’s Books of the 2018 Year.

Starred and favorable reviews have been received from these periodicals: Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Junior Library Guild.

View the full list of reviews and praise here.

“Very kid-friendly, but also informative, and could help children (and adults) who are unfamiliar with the struggles immigrants experience to better understand what these families endure just to get here. Thank you for taking the time to speak to the issue of immigration with our young people” — Emily Golightly, ESL Teacher, President of the Crystal Coast Reading Council

“The riveting yet calmly told story, movingly illustrated, of a father and son who leave Mexico to find a better life.”
— Booklist

“Memories of migration matter. Telling these stories seems more important than ever — even, and some might say especially, to children. . . [Alfredo Alva] tells of a difficult and frightening trip with his father, one that includes hunger, thirst, exhaustion, and fear of discovery. Told in side-by-side Spanish and English text, Alva’s story is brought to life by Claudia Navarro’s vivid acrylic, graphite, and digital collages and given broader context with several pages of information on borders and immigration after the main story.”
— The New York Times

“Alfredo’s story is an inspiration, told in alternating English and Spanish with photographs of the Alvas, colorful artwork, maps, and thoughtful information on borders, immigration laws, and the importance of tradition and culture”
— Foreword Reviews

“Presented in both Spanish and English, the retrospective narrative overflows with grueling, poignant details about the journey Alfredo and his father undertook. Yet Navarro’s mixed-media artwork succeeds in emphasizing the more-hopeful aspects of Alva’s story, namely love and strength in a familial context. . . . A timely, necessary read”
— Kirkus Reviews

“Precise details create a deeply moving sense of a young immigrant’s journey, from the drinking water dropped along the tracks by train crews to a new school, where Alfredo always brings a $100 bill in case he’s picked up and returned to the border. With bright, saturated colors and expressive figures, the illustrations echo both the story’s drama and tenderness”
— Publishers Weekly

“This moving story of perseverance is told in both Spanish and English to empower language-learning,” Debbie added. “I wanted this book to be a valuable tool for all teachers, especially ESL and TESOL teachers, so we included four pages of endnotes that unpack facts about Alfredo’s story and other stories like his. This story of migration is part of our American history whether people like it or not. This part of our history needs to be told in a language that helps kids to understand this phenomenon.”

To learn more about La Frontera, visit Barefoot Books or purchase your copy on Amazon.

Debbie Mills is a retired architect turned children’s book author who has lived all over the world including England, Greece, France, Canada, and Australia. Upon retirement, Mills moved to Kerrville, Texas where she was immediately confronted with the realities of the immigration crisis while learned of the many stories of those escaping the violence of Mexico to start a new life in America. After befriending a Mexican stonemason named Alfredo Alva, she learned the story of he and his father’s tumultuous journey from Mexico to a better life in America. Alfredo’s story became the inspiration for the award-winning bilingual picture book La Frontera: El viaje con papá/ My Journey With Papa.”

When not enjoying life in her current home of Kerrville Texas with husband, Peter, Mills keeps busy with design projects, the couple’s 5 adult children, and working on the production of her invention with a marine supply company.

To contact Debbie with questions or to schedule a classroom visit, email her at peedubs@msn.com.

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Creating an Inclusive Community through Children’s Books

April 16, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

guest post from Erika Probst

Up until several years ago, I lived in an idealistic world that I believed indicated we were in a post-racial society.

We had moved beyond racism, hadn’t we? Sure, occasionally we’d see something about racism in the news, but most of society was not racist, right? Then my idealistic view was shattered by a simple conversation between myself and a Black friend after her son was born. We had worked together for years, we went out together, we were pregnant together, our sons were born months apart. When she told me that she was relieved her son was born with lighter skin, I gave her a look of incredulity and said, “Why would you say that?” She responded, “Let’s talk.” So, we did.

She told me about the racism she and her family had experienced. Daily. The names her brother was called as he walked down the street. The clerks who followed her in the stores to make sure she didn’t steal anything. Wow! I. Had. No. Idea. And that’s a problem. That was the first time I recognized my own White privilege. I vowed to do better.

Creating an Inclusive Community

Fast forward a few years. Though I live in Oregon, a state known for its racist history, the city where I live is the most diverse city between Vancouver, British Columbia and San Francisco. Our area has numerous tech companies with employees from around the world. The short street where I live has families from 13 countries who all speak different languages. Our neighbors are Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim. More importantly, our neighbors enjoy doing things together. Our kids play together. We have summer BBQs, fall s’mores roasts, winter dessert parties.

My family hosts a 4^th of July BBQ and we invite all the neighbors. A few years ago, our newest neighbors, Uche and Uju, who came from Nigeria, attended their first neighborhood BBQ. Uche came up to me and said, “So you just do this? For everyone?” I said, “Yes.” He responded, “This is why I love America and this is the America everyone needs to see!” He encouraged me to share the story of our street. With a lot of coaxing from him, I did. I wrote a children’s book sharing our street’s story. Written from my young son’s innocent perspective, the book introduces readers to our neighbors and how they have taught us about their countries and religions.

My children’s book Friends on my Street: A Celebration of Diversity, is a story, written from my son’s perspective, about the street we live on where we have neighbors from several countries and world religions.

It is important for children to see not only people who look like themselves but people who represent the world around them when they read books. When I give presentations, I talk about the importance of having books about diversity that provide a multicultural view of our world. Books may be the first time children see people of other races, religions, or sexual orientations. By providing these books, parents are sharing that a multicultural world is a beautiful world. I talk about getting to know your neighbors. It starts with saying “hi,” and being inclusive. Inviting neighbors to BBQs, s’mores parties, and dessert parties. Often, it’s our children who bring us together, but our children are watching how the adults interact. When neighbors of diverse backgrounds include each other, our children learn. They see that everyone should be included. This becomes their foundation; this is what they know; this is what they will live; this is what they will pass on.

I will continue to give presentations, sharing the story of my neighborhood. I will educate about privilege and how we need to speak out against isms. I will hope that our children carry this message forward into the next generation.

Erika Bracken Probst was born and raised in rural Alaska where she was instilled with the idea that when communities are close, they grow stronger. After graduating from the University of Portland in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Erika worked as a nurse at Providence St Vincent Medical Center until 2016. While there, her projects included how to better care for patients of different cultures and educating staff about cultural awareness. Erika now teaches future health care professionals in a high school Health Careers Program. Erika is very involved in her community and especially events supporting inclusion. She lives in Hillsboro, Oregon with her husband and two sons. Her Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/FriendsonmyStreet/ shares daily information about historic and current events related to civil rights, human rights, and cultural/religious events from around the world that occurred on each date.

Writing Revelations | Guest Post from 22X Author, Tim J. Myers

April 9, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

Guest Post by Author, Tim J. Myers

One of the greatest things about being a writer is discovering your own life in your work.

You can’t help writing about what’s important to you, and your experiences often show up in different forms, whether you intended that or not. Art often is, among other things, a window into our deepest human selves. I write for adults and young people, in multiple genres, and in my 22 published books and many individual pieces, I continually find glimpses of my life that worked their way in naturally. I love how art is so inevitably self-revealing, and that’s one of the reasons I love writing.

Writing Revelations

Many of my books, for example, are multicultural in one form or another. My family and I lived in Japan for three years, and, although I didn’t plan it, five of my children’s books are on Japanese themes. One, I’m proud to say, was a New York Times bestseller for children’s books and was read aloud on NPR; Basho and the Fox are also about how important poetry is to me.

As it happens, I’ve recently been thinking about two childhood memories that, I realized, pushed themselves uninvited into my newest book, Yao Bai and the Egg Pirates—memories that reflect something basic about who I am.

I didn’t come from a reading family, and I was, at best, an indifferent student in elementary school. But I can remember like it was yesterday the day the teacher passed out our first “reader”—it must have been in third or fourth grade. For some reason, I went through the book on my own at home, and found in the back of it a palace of treasures. Our teacher never had us read any of those stories, but I read every one more than once–which was not like me. Why such uncharacteristic behavior?

They were fairy tales.

The second memory is of a longer period. I grew up in Colorado Springs, “in the shadow of Pikes Peak” as the phrase goes. I can hardly describe the natural beauty of the Pikes Peak Region. The mountain looms over the entire city, and it was always there in my life, a manifestation of the physical grace and power of the natural world that I imbibed with mother’s milk. The Utes call Pikes Peak “Sun Mountain,” and it’s sacred to them. I think of it as a grandmother, and it’s sacred to me too.

Pikes Peak

So here were two towering impulses in my life: the love of Story and an unwavering sense of wonder, which I first experienced through the wonder of the natural world and fairy tales. I could give many other examples of how those impulses shaped my life and work. Suffice it to say that my new children’s book includes both.

Yao Bai is historical fiction, the story of a Chinese boy during the California Gold Rush. When I first visited China Camp here in the Bay Area, a state park that’s preserved a Chinese shrimp-fishing village from that time, I could almost see a boy running across that beach back in the 1850s.

I recently saw a period photo including a Chinese boy in Monterey and thought, There he is! I knew his life was important, both in itself and to America as a whole—so I knew I had to try to drag that forgotten story out into the light. Chinese Americans have made incredible contributions to American life, and too often that’s forgotten or dismissed.

Chinese in Monterey

But I couldn’t write the story without some wonder in it too. So I’ll leave it at that. I love stories, after all; I’d never give away the ending!

So here’s to reading and writing—may we all keep on discovering ourselves in the magic of the printed word!

Tim Myers is a writer, songwriter, storyteller, and university senior lecturer in English. His Glad to Be Dad: A Call to Fatherhood (Familius) is in both e-book and print form; it was featured on Parents Magazine’s website, Disney’s BabyZone, and won the Ben Franklin Digital Award. His full-length Dear Beast Loveliness: Poems of the Body (BlazeVox) earned an excellent review from poet Grace Cavalieri, and Nectar of Story won praise from Cavalieri, Chase Twichell, Ron Hansen, and Joseph Bruchac.

Connect with Tim via his website, Amazon Author Page, and Facebook.

Celebrating an Orthodox Christian Easter with Catherine’s Pascha

March 28, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

MCBD co-founder, Mia Wenjen, once stated an exceptionally true fact: “If you want to introduce young readers to new cultures, races, faiths and geographic regions, the two best ways to do that is via food and books.”

SO TRUE.

That fact rings true with long-time MCBD supporter and long-term Medallion Level Sponsor, Charlotte Riggle and her book, Catherine’s Pascha: A Celebration of Easter in the Orthodox Church

About Catherine’s Pascha

Pascha is the word Orthodox Christians most often use for Easter. And while bookstores are full of picture books about Easter, she found nothing that depicted the joy of the Orthodox celebration of Pascha. “For us,” Charlotte says, “Pascha is like Christmas and New Year’s Eve and Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July all rolled up into one glorious celebration. It’s so full of joy and beauty you can hardly take it all in.”

Charlotte wanted to see all of this joy and beauty in a diverse picture book for kids. And she wanted the book to be as beautiful as Pascha itself. And so, when her children were still young, she wrote Catherine’s Pascha: A Celebration of Easter in the Orthodox Church.

“It took 20 years,” Charlotte admits, “but I finally found a publisher who had the same vision for the book as I did. Phoenix Flair is a micropress, and the woman who runs it, Becky Hughes, is not only a publisher, she’s also an artist. She brought so much to the book. When she’d send me preliminary illustrations, I’d often find myself with tears in my eyes. Her drawings were so beautiful and so true.”

Charlotte and Becky both wanted the illustrations in the book to depict the universality of Pascha. As they collaborated to fill the pages of Catherine’s Pascha with words that sparkle and illustrations that glow with the joy of the feast, they agreed that the story should include a child with a significant visible disability. And so it came to pass that Catherine’s best friend, Elizabeth, uses a wheelchair and leg braces as she participates fully in the service and celebrations.

It’s Pascha (Easter) and two little girls are trying to stay awake all night for the traditional service. Catherine (with her friend, who happens to be in a wheelchair) is nervous that she won’t be able to stay awake, or remember to say “Christ is risen!” in Russian. The excitement of playing with the candles, smashing the hard-boiled eggs, and eating traditional sweets gives us a glimpse into the customs of the Orthodox Easter celebration.

Catherine’s Pascha: A Celebration of Easter in the Orthodox Church was also was a finalist in the 2015 Best Book Awards.

Catherine’s Pascha captures beautifully the enthusiasm and excitement a child feels and experiences on Pascha. The Feast of Feasts, the brightest day in the Orthodox Church, what wonderful subject matter to share with a child on any day of the year. My wholehearted congratulations on producing such a joy-filled book!~Jane G Meyer, author of The Hidden Garden and The Man and the Vine

Using Food to Teach Readers about Pascha

Children learn more from books when you connect events in the story to activities you engage them in. Using the “books and food” concept of introducing kids to new things, there are so many ways to use recipes inspired by Catherine’s Pascha to educate.

Because Orthodox Christians abstain from meat and dairy during Lent, their celebration of Pascha includes festive foods with lots of meat and dairy. Here are some yummy ideas to try:

Culinary arts

Make honey bunnies, the sweet bunny-shaped yeast rolls that Catherine’s mom makes for their Pascha celebration.

Make bacon-wrapped dates.

(Catherine doesn’t mention bacon-wrapped dates as she narrates the story. But in the “frames” around the illustrations, you can read things that were being said around her. And that’s where you’ll find the bacon-wrapped dates!)

Let your children plan a menu using only the foods mentioned in Catherine’s Pascha.

Create Your Own Pascha Celebration

Looking for more unique and fun ways to incorporate learning about Pascha into homeschool lessons and weekend fun? Then you will love the plethora of ideas and resources below. And these are not just for little ones! Tweens and teens will enjoy some of these as well.

Art

In the Orthodox tradition, Easter eggs are almost always a rich, deep, vibrant red. You can combine a simple science experiment with an art project when you use onion skins to dye red eggs and make beautiful Pascha ornaments.

In Ukraine, rather than red eggs, people make elaborate eggs made with traditional techniques going back centuries before the coming of Christianity. Learn about pysanky eggs.

Orthodox Christians bring their decorated eggs and festive foods to church in large wicker baskets covered with embroidered cloths. You can share the history of Easter baskets, and make a beautiful basket cover. Teens and tweens can use Peter’s Basket embroidery pattern. Younger children can make a simple basket cover using ribbons, lace, and fabric paint.

Globe Trottin’ Kids has a wonderful book review with egg coloring printable available.

A unique project involves creating a glass icon using traditional Romanian reverse glass techniques.

Extending the learning

For home-school or classroom use, the engaging text and richly detailed illustrations in Catherine’s Pascha offer fun ways to connect the book with lessons in history, geography, and language arts.

In the background of each page, you’ll see Orthodox churches from every continent on earth – including Antarctica!

Place each church in Catherine’s Pascha on a world map or globe.
Select one of the churches in Catherine’s Pascha and learn as much about it as you can. Write a brief paper explaining what you learned, or talk about it with an adult or another child.
Some of the illustrations in Catherine’s Pascha include animals. Younger children can do an “I Spy” game to find all the animals. Older children can select one of the animals, and research its range, habitat, diet, and behavior, then explain whether it was realistic to include the animal in the illustration.
Complete this word search puzzle.
Older learners can use Catherine’s Pascha to practice the basic techniques of literary analysis.
Read this excellent review and checklist activity from TheBarefootMommy.com

More Multicultural Easter Book Recommends

Easter Picture Books Keep Pascha Present: You might be tempted to put the Easter picture books away during Bright Week. Don’t do it! By keeping them out, you’ll help your little one understand that Easter lasts more than a single day.

Six Exceptional Multicultural Easter Books: If you’re looking for books that show the ways that people celebrate Easter, look here.

17 essential picture books for Orthodox Christian kids: If you’re looking for picture books that include stories about Orthodox Christian people and traditions, you’ll find them on this list.

Enjoy your Pascha celebration!

About The Author of Catherine’s Pascha

Author Charlotte Riggle

When asked what inspires her to write a book like Catherine’s Pascha, Charlotte had this to say;

“What I wanted most of all was a story about families celebrating Pascha. A story that showed the traditions that we keep, the customs that surround this holiest of holy days, and one filled with wonder, joy, and beauty. I also wanted to watch my children open a book, and recognize themselves in the pages as if the book were a mirror. That desire has now extended to other young readers all over the globe as well.”

Charlotte shares faith, hope, and picture books on her website, on Facebook and Pinterest, and on Instagram.

We also discovered a bounty of yummy Pascha recipes on her site as well! And she shares homemade cookies whenever she can. Sign up for her newsletter and get a dozen of her favorite cookie recipes!

About The Illustrator

Illustrator, Editor and Publisher Becky Hughes, has a degree in art from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana and came to be a book illustrator a roundabout way.

Initially, she started as a jeweler’s apprentice, then worked as a museum archivist for the USS Silversides Museum in Muskegon Michigan. Part of that job was creating graphics, images, and text for exhibits. It was while she worked at the USS Silversides Museum that she met Mr. Al Jacobson, the last surviving member of the USS Flier’s final patrol. Jacobson was desperate his story not die with him so his lost crewmates would have a memorial. Hughes and Jacobson worked together to produce the story, Surviving the Flier, and Hughes supplied the graphics work for that book, as well as the USS Flier Project blog.

Those graphics caught the eye of her freelance editor, who was instrumental in connecting her to author Charlotte Riggle. Since that day, illustrating children’s books has become her passion.

Multicultural Chapter Books Worth Checking Out

March 19, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

There’s no better feeling than seeing a reluctant reader (or any reader for that fact!) deeply immersed in the adventure-filled pages of a chapter book.

Books take a reader to places they can only dream about; places where they could find new friends, learn new cultures, and “see” themselves within the pages. Introducing children to chapter books at an early age can nurture a love of reading and help children on the road to becoming avid readers. Here are some great Multicultural Chapter Books Worth Checking Out!

Multicultural Chapter Books

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee

Steeped in suspense and Korean mythology, Dragon Pearl will delight Rick Riordan fans. Did you know that, in Korean Folklore, ghosts are known to bring bad luck wherever they go? Did you know that, in Korean folklore, Shamans act as the bridge between the human world and restless spirits?

Rick Riordan Presents Yoon Ha Lee’s space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits. But you’d never know it by looking at her. To keep the family safe, Min’s mother insists that none of them use any fox-magic, such as Charm or shape-shifting. They must appear human at all times.

Min feels hemmed in by the household rules and resents the endless chores, the cousins who crowd her, and the aunties who judge her. She would like nothing more than to escape Jinju, her neglected, dust-ridden, an impoverished planet. She’s counting the days until she can follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and see more of the Thousand Worlds.

When word arrives that Jun is suspected of leaving his post to go in search of the Dragon Pearl, Min knows that something is wrong. Jun would never desert his battle cruiser, even for a mystical object rumored to have tremendous power. She decides to run away to find him and clear his name.

Min’s quest will have her meeting gamblers, pirates, and vengeful ghosts. It will involve deception, lies, and sabotage. She will be forced to use more fox-magic than ever before, and to rely on all of her cleverness and bravery. The outcome may not be what she had hoped, but it has the potential to exceed her wildest dreams. This sci-fi adventure with the underpinnings of Korean mythology will transport you to a world far beyond your imagination.

One Half from the East by Nadia Hasimi

A poignant story of a young girl trapped by a tradition that has her straddling illusion and reality. It gives the reader some insight into the practice of baccha posh and makes for an interesting dialogue about gender role and expectations in different societies. [chapter book, ages 8-12]

Ash Mistry And The Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chaddha

I’ve always loved mythology, and I want my own books to have a resonant mythic basis, so I enjoy reading writers who find fresh ways to bring ancient myth to life. That’s what Sarwat Chaddha does in Ash Mistry: a book that fuses Hindu mythology with the dynamics of videogames, action movies, and comics to tell a rollercoaster of an adventure story. [chapter book, ages 10 and up]

Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel by Diana Lopez

It’s summer before eighth grade, and Erica “Chia” Montenegro is feeling so many things that she needs a mood ring to keep track of her emotions. She’s happy when she hangs out with her best friends, the Robins. She’s jealous that her genius little sister skipped two grades. And she’s passionate about the crushes on her Boyfriend Wishlist. And when Erica’s mom is diagnosed with breast cancer, she feels worried and doesn’t know what she can do to help.

When her family visits a cuarto de milagros, a miracle room in a famous church, Erica decides to make a promesa to God in exchange for her mom’s health. As her mom gets sicker, Erica quickly learns that juggling family, friends, school, and fulfilling a promesa is stressful, but with a little bit of hope and a lot of love, she just might be able to figure it out.

Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy

Inspired by true events in a post-Taliban Afghanistan during the reconstruction years the book offers an unbiased view of a slice of life in a country ravaged by war and beset by hard and fast traditions. It is an uplifting story of a courageous young girl who finds empowerment in the midst of daunting odds. [chapter book, ages 10-14]

Joy Sun Bear has been delighting and teaching young fans and parents about diverse cultures for years. But now this inquisitive young bear is embarking on a new kind of adventure; the star in a children’s book! The Adventures of Joy Sun Bear: The Blue Amber of Sumatra is going to be the first in a children’s chapter book series, about a little sun bear’s magical adventure around the world!

Through a wide selection of resources, and a cast of characters kids can relate to, parents and educators alike can explore the world with their kids and develop their global awareness with love and respect.

Join their Global Community Forum to connect and collaborate with parents and educators around the world!
See how to use our Global Education Resources (geography, country facts, coloring activities, crafts, recipes, videos and more!) at home or in your classroom.

The Curse of the Were-Hyena by Bruce Hale

I’ve been a Bruce Hale fan since last year when I read School for Spies. “Mr. Chu, the coolest teacher ever, has developed some very unusual habits, like laughing hysterically for no reason, sniffing people’s homework, and chasing chickens. When best friends Carlos and Benny decide to find out what’s happening to him, they get caught up in some moonlight madness. And it looks like just the beginning of the weirdness that has arrived in the town of Monterrosa. . . . This first entry in a silly, sassy, and suspenseful new series will leave readers howling with laughter.”

Time Tracers-The Stolen Summer is a diverse chapter book with a fun, lighthearted, easy-reading-flow. We were hooked from the first page when the author conveys the teen agony of having to sit through the final 10 minutes of 7th grade.

Once free from the school’s clutches (their words, not ours) Taj, Jen and Lucas launched into an intense and detailed plan of how they are going to spend every waking moment of summer and their plans will make you chuckle out loud. But then it happens…time disappears and all three find themselves sitting on the school bus again for the first day of school. They’ve been robbed. Robbed of summer and only the mysterious man in the grey suit can help get it back.

Who’s Ju by Dania Ramos:

Justina (Ju) loves mystery movies and books and is the head of a special club called the Seventh Grade Sleuths, involved in solving small mysteries at school. When Justina and her crew are hired to find out who has been vandalizing the sets of the school play, Ju never expects that she would wind up steeped in a deeper and more important mystery concerning her own identity. At school, the seventh graders have been assigned a genetics project to research their family history. This project causes grief for her parents who do not want her to complete it.

Determined not to get a bad grade, Justina continues her research only to discover that her parents have been hiding something about her past. Ramos has created an excellent, fully developed heroine. The tween does not look like any of her family members and is faced with questions about her own identity and where she fits in. Fans of Nancy Drew or “39 Clues” (Scholastic) who are looking for something new will enjoy this multi-layered tale.

What Multicultural Chapter Books recommends do you have?

4 Ways to Get Involved in MCBD as an Author or Publisher

Donate Books:Diverse kids’ or YA books donated to the MCBD cause are used a variety of ways including donation to the over 2,000 classrooms waiting for a free diverse book from MCBD, as books given to reviewers during the event, or as prizes for their wildly popular (and much-anticipated) Twitter Party on January 25^th.

Go here to learn how you can donate brand new diverse books to the cause: http://bit.ly/2zx1YjX

Multiple options for Sponsorship:Sponsorship is not only a great way to support this event; it is an excellent way to get your name (and your books) in front of thousands of readers. All of our Sponsors get a name mention within the hundreds of reviews that get posted from December to January 25^th and also on the sites of our 26 CoHosts and Global CoHost sites. Go here to learn more about MCBD2019 Sponsorship: http://bit.ly/2TXuh3x

Connect with Multicultural Children’s Book Day on social media and share, share, share!NOTE: Their official hashtag is #ReadYourWorld

– Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MulticulturalChildrensBookDay

– Twitter https://twitter.com/MCChildsBookDay

-Instagram https://www.instagram.com/readyourworldmcbd/

Guest post:The MCBD Team is always looking for quality diverse children’s book-related guest posts on their blog. Authors and publishers are invited to share the story of their writing journey or their thoughts on the importance of diversity in children’s literature.

4 Ways to Get Involved as an Educator or Librarian

Throughout the months of November-January, leading up to the celebratory day, educators, librarians and parents can start planning and preparing with FREE activities available today at www.multiculturalchildrensbookday.com

FREE Classroom “Empathy” Kit: The free Classroom Empathy Kit focuses on empathy and compassion through shared booklists and special home or classroom activities. The kit includes 18 book recommends on the topic of Understanding Immigration and Refugees, Classroom Empathy Activities, and a very special custom printable Empathy Poster courtesy of author/illustrator Juana MedinaEducators, parents and librarians can sign-up to receive the free classroom kit here: http://bit.ly/2BGu4uQ

FREE Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate: Understanding Poverty in America Classroom Kit: Created in 2018, this free classroom kit includes over 2 dozen poverty in the U.S.-themed book recommends for ages 4-12, two classroom or home activities, and a copy of the official “Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate” Classroom Poster thanks to the talents of award-winning illustrator, Mehrdokht Amini. http://bit.ly/2P6cXWE

Free Diversity Book Lists and Activities for Teachers and Parents: Curated lists of books about diverse topics including: countries, religions, holidays, ethnicities, in addition to special needs and LGBTQ. http://bit.ly/1kGZrta

SHARE HOW YOU ARE CELEBRATING: Enter your reading event on the new Online Classroom Event Coordinator to make sure your classroom gets materials they need (bookmarks, pencils, stickers). Teachers who host a celebration in the classroom can send in a picture of their party to receive 3 free diverse books and a swag pack as a thank you. Teachers and librarians can enter their event info HERE (https://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/category/offline-classroomlibrary-event-project/)

Don’t forget to connect with Multicultural Children’s Book Day on social media and be sure and look for/use their official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

An Exceptional Anthology about Epic Women #WomensHistoryMonth

March 16, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

March is National Women’s History Month

This wonderful recognition also creates a special opportunity in our schools, our workplaces, and our communities to recognize and celebrate the often-overlooked achievements of American women. That’s why we want to call your attention to an amazing book about epic women.

“All the Women in My Family Sing” – a necessary read for every American as it offers hope and encourages equality by showing readers how very alike we are, no matter our gender, skin color, religion, or age. I’d like to send you a copy of the book to review or feature. Deborah Santana is also available for interviews or to provide commentary if needed.

This year brought conversations about gender and racial inequality to the forefront. From the recent synagogue shooting, to the Kavanaugh hearings, to the numerous cases of gender and racial discrimination, the time is up for injustice! People of all ages, races, and sexual orientations need to see their human rights respected and this starts by having compassion for those whose paths we have not walked.

All the Women in My Family Sing helps build bridges of understanding that our culture so desperately needs right now. The anthology is a collection of prose and poetry by 69 diverse women (African American, Native American, Asian American, Muslim, Cameroonian, Kenyan, Liberian, Mexican American, Korean, Chinese American and LGBTQI) from ages 16 to 77.

ABOUT THE BOOK AND CONTRIBUTORS

ll the Women in My Family Sing is an anthology documenting the experiences of women of color at the dawn of the twenty-first century. It is a vital collection of prose and poetry whose topics range from the pressures of being the vice-president of a Fortune 500 Company, to escaping the killing fields of Cambodia, to the struggles inside immigration, identity, romance, and self-worth. These brief, trenchant essays capture the aspirations and wisdom of women of color as they exercise autonomy, creativity, and dignity and build bridges to heal the brokenness in today’s turbulent world.

Sixty-nine authors — African American, Asian American, Chicana, Native American, Cameroonian, South African, Korean, LGBTQI — lend their voices to broaden cross-cultural understanding and to build bridges to each other’s histories and daily experiences of life. America Ferrera’s essay is from her powerful speech at the Women’s March in Washington D.C.; Natalie Baszile writes about her travels to Louisiana to research Queen Sugar and finding the “painful truths” her father experienced in the “belly of segregation;” Porochista Khakpour tells us what it is like to fly across America under the Muslim travel ban; Lalita Tademy writes about her transition from top executive at Sun Microsystems to NY Times bestselling author.

This anthology is monumental and timely as human rights and justice are being challenged around the world.

“A wonderful book” – Michelle Obama

Grab your copy on Amazon and learn more about this project here.

Need marketing help for your multicultural children’s or YA book? We can help! The MulticulturalChildren’s Book Day Sponsored Post Package as a way to leverage our robust social media and strong following.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day Sponsored Post Package

Reach more than 260,000 people with a SPONSORED POST OR BOOK REVIEW: $25O

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

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

***Our Sponsored Post options are only available from February to September of any given year***

Go here for more information on the benefits of a MCBD Sponsored Post for authors and publishers.

****The Multicultural Children’s Book Day Sponsored Post Package does not promise or guarantee book sales.

Booklandia: Where the World of Bilingual and Spanish Books is Closer than you Think!

March 14, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

Guest post by Izzie Chea

From humble beginnings in the busy kitchen of an Oakland, CA home in 2016, the idea of bringing children’s Spanish and bilingual books was coming to fruition. Maceo Cabrera-Estévez, Cuban-American mom and book lady for Barefoot Books, noticed the demand for high quality, authentic, and representative Spanish and bilingual children’s literature. There was nowhere to go that would guarantee that bilingual and Spanish books were not just poor translations of English books, and so Booklandia was born.

Booklandia provides Bilingual and Spanish literature to children, ages infant to age 12, through an online store (tienda), a subscription box, or through book sets for teachers, schools, libraries, and organizations like hospitals and community centers. Booklandia also has a donation program giving families and organizations books for every box sold.

Our mission at Booklandia is to assist in creating beautiful, representative, and inclusive home libraries for children. Books from Booklandia are sourced from across Latin America, South America, México, the Caribbean, Spain, and the US and include a diverse representation of characters, stories, themes, and authors.

Part of Booklandia is the commitment to building community, and as a result, Booklandia has a presence at many festivals and events in the SF Bay Area as well as regular free bilingual storytime events in California and Texas. The success of these events is shown in the smiling faces of children when they see books and characters with similar names and features as theirs.

As a current challenge to keep building community, the #LEEMOS3000 Reading Challenge is live throughout the month of March. Readers of all ages and levels are encouraged to log hours all month long and contribute to the collective goal of 3000 hours reading bilingual and Spanish books.

To learn more about Booklandia, please visit www.booklandiabox.com!

To join our #LEEMOS3000 Challenge, please visit https://booklandiabox.com/blogs/news/leemos3000-challenge!

Izzie Chea is Marketing Director at Booklandia. She is a Dominican/Mexican-American writer, storyteller, music teacher, mother, and wife. She resides in ultra-diverse Houston, TX, and enjoys reading with a cafecito, her piano, and the family cat, Simon.

A Bilingual and Spanish Booklist from Booklandia

The Hummingbird Sings and Dances: Latin American Lullabies and Nursery Rhymes

Arepita de Manteca

Ayobami y el Nombre de los Animales

El Pedo Mas Grande Del Mundo

La Frontera: El Viaje con Papa/The Journey with Papa

Find us on Facebook! Booklandia Books

Find us on Instagram! Booklandia Box

Visit our website! Booklandia

Browse the tiendita! La Tienda

Join the Booklandia Bilingual Kids Club! Kids Club

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019 Recap and Highlights

February 21, 2019 by Rebecca Flansburg

Hard to believe it’s approaching nearly 30 days since the mind-blowing awesome MCBD 2019 (1/25/19) celebration and we can promise all of you that we are still recovering!

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.

“I can hardly believe this is the sixth year for MCCBD. Look what you started! It is amazing and has and will continue to have an impact on many children, families, and teachers.” Claire Noland- A Field Trip Life

Here is the Summary of Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019.

REMINDER: MCBD will be moving from an “every January 27th” celebration date to a “last Friday in January” focus so we don’t interfere with International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The Reason We Do What We Do

During the 2019 Multicultural Children’s Book Day celebration, we donated roughly 2,160+ books to young readers, parents, caregivers, educators and librarians!

Over the course of the last 6 years of this initiative, we’ve given away almost 6, 800 diverse kids’ and YA books to deserving readers!

Nearly 6,800!

The Educators and Librarians that Made the Event Possible

Readers and Teachers Celebrating ReadYourWorld 2019!

The CoHosts that Made the Event Possible

Co-Hosts and Global Co-Hosts

A Crafty Arab, Agatha Rodi Books, All Done Monkey, Barefoot Mommy, Biracial Bookworms, Books My Kids Read, Crafty Moms Share, Colours of Us, Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes, Descendant of Poseidon Reads, Educators Spin on it, Growing Book by Book, Here Wee Read, Joy Sun Bear/ Shearin Lee, Jump Into a Book, Imagination Soup, Jenny Ward’s Class, Kid World Citizen, Kristi’s Book Nook, The Logonauts, Mama Smiles, Miss Panda Chinese, Multicultural Kid Blogs, Raising Race Conscious Children, Shoumi Sen, Spanish Playground

The Medallion Level Sponsors that Made the Event Possible

Children’s Book Council, The Junior Library Guild, TheConsciousKid.org.,

Super Platinum: Make A Way Media/ Deirdre “DeeDee” Cummings

GOLD: Bharat Babies, Candlewick Press, Chickasaw Press, Juan Guerra and The Little Doctor / El doctorcito, KidLitTV, Lerner Publishing Group, Plum Street Press,

SILVER: Capstone Publishing, Carole P. Roman, Author Charlotte Riggle, Huda Essa, The Pack-n-Go Girls,

BRONZE: Charlesbridge Publishing, Judy Dodge Cummings, Author Gwen Jackson, Kitaab World, Language Lizard – Bilingual & Multicultural Resources in 50+ Languages, Lee & Low Books, Miranda Paul and Baptiste Paul, Redfin, Author Gayle H. Swift, T.A. Debonis-Monkey King’s Daughter, TimTimTom Books, Lin Thomas, Sleeping Bear Press/Dow Phumiruk, Vivian Kirkfield,

The Author Sponsors that Made the Event Possible

Julie Flett, Mehrdokht Amini, Author Janet Balletta, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw, Author Josh Funk, Chitra Soundar, One Globe Kids – Friendship Stories, Sociosights Press and Almost a Minyan, Karen Leggett, Author Eugenia Chu, CultureGroove Books, Phelicia Lang and Me On The Page, L.L. Walters, Author Sarah Stevenson, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Hayley Barrett, Sonia Panigrah, Author Carolyn Wilhelm, Alva Sachs and Dancing Dreidels, Author Susan Bernardo, Milind Makwana and A Day in the Life of a Hindu Kid, Tara Williams, Veronica Appleton, Author Crystal Bowe, Dr. Claudia May, Author/Illustrator Aram Kim, Author Sandra L. Richards, Erin Dealey, Author Sanya Whittaker Gragg, Author Elsa Takaoka, Evelyn Sanchez-Toledo, Anita Badhwar, Author Sylvia Liu, Feyi Fay Adventures, Author Ann Morris, Author Jacqueline Jules, CeCe & Roxy Books, Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace, LEUYEN PHAM, Padma Venkatraman, Patricia Newman and Lightswitch Learning, Shoumi Sen, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Traci Sorell, Shereen Rahming, Blythe Stanfel, Christina Matula, Julie Rubini, Paula Chase, Erin Twamley, Afsaneh Moradian, Lori DeMonia, Terri Birnbaum/ RealGirls Revolution, Soulful Sydney, Queen Girls Publications, LLC

The Book Donators that Made the Event Possible

Alice Faye Duncan, Arte Público Press / Piñata Books, Authorhouse, Avant Learning, Baby Ventures Books, Beyond Words Publishing, Boystown Press, Brown Boy Brown Girl, Create Space, Crumpled Paper Publishing, David Michael Slater, Dreambuilt Books, Eifrig Publishing, Eva Harley Chiphe, Fig Factor Media, Flying Books House, Gaku Press, GIANT Graphics, Islandport Press, Joy Sun Bear, Inc., Julia Inserro, JWS, Kar-Ben Publishing, Kidsjoy, Kind Eye Publishing, LLC, Kwill Books, Lantana Publishing, Maritza M Mejia, Mascot Books, MindView Press, MVP Kids Media, Nomad Press, Page Turner Publishing, PenMagicBooks LLC, Planting People Growing Justice, Sawaga River Press, sHjstories, Tara Luebbe- author, Tuttle Publishing, Vision Your Dreams, Whimsical World, WOMAGIS, Write My Memoirs LLC, Yorkshire Publishing,

The Book Reviewers that Made the Event Possible

Over 500 and counting: The number of parents, caregivers, teachers, librarians, and young readers read diverse kidlit and YA books in honor of the event. These reviews can be seen on our every growing Big Giant Linky for 2019 here and here.

The MCBD Board of Advisors that Made the Event Possible

The Partnerships that Made the Event Possible:

THANK YOU Children’s Book Council (CBC) for yet another amazing CBC Book Jam filled with author visits and TONS of giveaways!

Music Video!

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!

Website Support! Corey at Midstate Design is the guru who keeps the MCBD site running like a dream. We highly recommend his WordPress Care Package Extras Package.

Swag! The official supplier of our MCBD magnets is SwagChimp and they always came through for us!

The Dream Team that Makes This Event (and Future MCBD Celebrations) Possible

And a final thank you to the team that makes the magic happen during the months before, during, and after each Multicultural Children’s Book Day: Co-founders Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen, Project Manager, Becky Flansburg, and Social Media Manager, Susan Mayfield. Thanks to lots of coffee, naps, meetings, giggles, and trust, this team continues to move mountains year after year.

Shout out to @pragmaticmom @valariebudayr_ @BeckyFlansburg and all the behind the scenes amazing work the @MCChildsBookDay team does!
Another wonderful celebration of Multicultural Children’s Book Day!
Ya’ll are superheroes!! #shero #ReadYourWorld pic.twitter.com/Ner47l8BZi

— Bethany M. Edwards (@biracialbookwrm) January 26, 2019

Multicultural Children’s Book Day Free Resources

FREE Classroom “Empathy” Kit:

The free Classroom Empathy Kit focuses on empathy and compassion through shared booklists and special home or classroom activities. The kit includes 18 book recommends on the topic of Understanding Immigration and Refugees, Classroom Empathy Activities, and a very special custom printable Empathy Poster courtesy of author/illustrator Juana Medina. Educators, parents and librarians can sign-up to receive the free classroom kit here: http://bit.ly/2BGu4uQ

FREE Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate: Understanding Poverty in America Classroom Kit:

Created in 2018, this free classroom kit includes over 2 dozen poverty in the U.S.-themed book recommends for ages 4-12, two classroom or home activities, and a copy of the official “Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate” Classroom Poster thanks to the talents of award-winning illustrator, Mehrdokht Amini. http://bit.ly/2P6cXWE

Share a Classroom Celebration: Teachers who host a celebration in the classroom can send in a picture of their party to receive 3 free diverse books and a swag pack as a thank you. Teachers and librarians can enter their event info HERE (https://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/category/offline-classroomlibrary-event-project/)

Don’t forget to connect with Multicultural Children’s Book Day on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

Why learning a Foreign Language in Elementary School is Important

February 19, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

Guest post by Judy Martialay

Learning a Foreign Language in Elementary School is Important and Foreign Language in Elementary School (FLES) is a wonderful boost for all kids. As I mentioned in my past article on MCBD, the world that we need to prepare our children for is filled with multiple languages. Regardless of their career choices or where they may live, it is more probable than ever that they will be communicating and working with people from diverse language and cultural backgrounds.

Foreign Language in Elementary Schools

Why begin to learn a language early? We can learn a language at any age, but starting very young has big advantages:

1.Children have more time to learn a language. It takes many years to be truly fluent in a language. Think of how long it took your child to speak English effortlessly, practicing day in and day out.

2.Children are wired to learn languages. They have the ability to repeat any sound in a foreign language and to speak with almost native pronunciation. This means that they will not only be understood but also they will be able to hear and understand better. This ability disappears at around the age of puberty, 12 years old., just when most of our

students are beginning to study a language.

Foreign Language in Elementary School | What are FLES classes like?

I recently interviewed Mr.D, the teacher of Mandarin Chinese in our local elementary school. All the children in our district begin Mandarin in kindergarten. They can change to Spanish in grade 3 and to other languages in middle school. The Mandarin class is described here, but classes in Spanish or any other language are similar at this level.

Children address Mr. D using the Mandarin word for “teacher”, Laoshi. The students learn with a variety of activities, games, and songs. They greet each other and ask how they are. They learn to talk about the weather, school, countries, food, and many other topics. The day I interviewed the teacher, the children were learning the body parts in Mandarin, and they played “Pin the tail on the Dragon.”

The teacher reads stories to the children. He brings comic books into the older classes and encourages them to recognize characters.

Throughout the year, kindergarten children work on a book project,“All About Me”, where they write their autobiographies. Older children work on projects using technologies with IPAD and Chrome, where they can compose stories.

The children learn the pronunciation of Mandarin, including the tones, by repetition. Repetition is good when learning a foreign language!

In kindergarten, Mr. D.introduces the Chinese characters with a book called The Pet Dragon by Christoph Nieman. Children practice the strokes needed to form the characters and gain familiarity with apps.

At this age, children accept this new language without question. With Mandarin (and Spanish or French, etc) they are learning to think in a different way. This ability to express ideas in a different way promotes flexibility in the brain; this ability has major cognitive benefits. They are also learning to accept cultural differences.

Children are encouraged to use their Mandarin outside of class. One girl has befriended a waiter in the local Chinese restaurant and brought him a weather wheel that she made in class. Some children’s parents speak Mandarin or have colleagues who speak the language with the children.

Boys do as well as girls in FLES classes. At this age, they have not yet absorbed attitudes that are prevalent about how it isn’t macho to speak a foreign language.

Students of all abilities can succeed because there is ample time and repetition for practice to master the language.

What can parents do to encourage their children?

In our mostly monolingual country, your support as a parent can make a big difference. Point out the benefits of knowing another language. Find a relative or friend who speaks the language and is willing to have conversations with your child in the language.

You can encourage your budding bilingual children by finding opportunities for the kids to practice, with free apps, Duo Lingo, programs on Youtube, and movies about culture. Take the children to a restaurant where food from that country is served. Make visits to local cultural events.

What can you do if your district doesn’t offer FLES classes?

In the U.S., only about 25% of elementary schools, public or private, offer any form of FLES program. If your school district doesn’t have FLES classes, what can you do?

The benefits are so important, you don’t want your child to lose this opportunity. Go to the school principal and/or superintendent and ask that they begin these programs. If possible, go with like-minded parents; there is strength in numbers.

Meantime, find a program that you can use at home with your child, like ¡Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish or Bonjour! Let’s Learn French. These books are designed for parents to use with their children, 6-10, whether or not they know the language. The audio program is free and downloadable on the website http://www.polyglotkidz.com, along with lots of resources. The books are easy and fun to use for the whole family. There may be private classes available in your area, summer camps, and lots of resources online.

Every child should have the opportunity to begin to learn a second language early and to continue learning that language until he or she is proficient.

For free downloadable infosheets about the benefits of learning a language other than English, please visit http://polyglotkidz.com/benefits_of_knowing_another_language/

Please make sure that your child has the early language advantage enjoyed by their peers around the world. Request a FLES program for your school. Find alternatives for your child if necessary, and learn or review the language yourself. Enjoy!

About the Author

Judy has taught languages on Long Island and is an active member of the Public Advocacy Committee of the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers. She lives on Long Island with her husband. Has two daughters and a granddaughter. Her missions are have let every child have the opportunity to learn a world language at an early age, and she wants parents, everyone to have fun with a language and appreciate the beauty of the cultures of our world. Judy is the author of ¡HOLA! Let’s Learn Spanish and her newest book, Bonjour! Let’s Learn French will be published in October

“Language study promotes tolerance for diversity.”
Visit: http://www.polyglotkidz.com
¡HOLA! Let’s Learn Spanish

NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award Winner Winter 2017

Honorable Mention Educational Purple Dragonfly Book Award 2017
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Lead with languages