Multicultural Children's Book Day

#ReadYourWorld

Tips and Resources for Teaching Teen ESL Students

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Guest post by Language Lizard, 2023 Platinum Sponsor 

Learning a new language can be daunting, especially for teenagers already facing numerous challenges in their personal and academic lives as they adjust to a new country, community, and school. In addition, teenagers have unique personalities and learning styles, making it challenging to keep them motivated and engaged in the classroom. Here are three tips to help educators create a positive learning environment and teach teen ESL students effectively:

[Read more…]

Why We Need More Black Santas in Children’s Books

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Why We Need More Black Santas in Children's Books small

Why We Need More Black Santas in Children’s Books

It’s that magical time of year! For many families, a beloved holiday tradition is snuggling up together to read Christmas stories. Yet too often, those books do not reflect the families that are enjoying them. 

Lack of diversity in children’s books is a problem all year long, but it seems especially pressing during the holidays, when traditional stories and tropes often reign. One area where this is most obvious is the portrayal of Santa Claus. Though based on a real person from modern-day Turkey, Santa is most often portrayed as very fair-skinned.  [Read more…]

The Power of Reading Aloud to a Child

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Guest post by Kayla Aldrich, Read to Them staff

 

Be it around the dinner table, on a car ride, or cuddled up before bed, time spent reading aloud with your child is precious. These moments are deposits into a bank of good memories that will grow and pay dividends for years to come.

According to the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, 87% of kids aged 6-7 “loved or liked read-aloud time.” So, an eagerness to spend time together is likely already present. By reading aloud from a book selected by your child, you can unlock a wealth of benefits. [Read more…]

Why Diverse Children’s Book Authors Write

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Over the last 9+ years as Project Manager for MCBD, I’ve had the honor of working with a wide range of amazing authors who are all striving to create beautiful books that fill a gap and a need.

One thing I know for sure is that, when I ask them why they write diverse books for kids or teens, they never say, “I write books because I want to make a million bucks.”

NEVER.  [Read more…]