Guest Posts Archives - Multicultural Children's Book Day

Indigenous picture books that promote diversity, inclusion, and accurate representation

May 31, 2018 by Valarie Budayr Leave a Comment

Guest post from Jennie EagleSpeaker

I’ve always had a passion to be forward thinking in my learning, asking hard questions and try to understand where people come from. I’m an East Coast Canadian (Maritimer) who moved to central Alberta to become a Child & Youth Care Counsellor. There I accomplished my goal, met & married my husband and have a wonderful blended family along with our two sons. My husband is Blackfoot & Duwamish and I am learning about my heritage which is Irish, Welsh and partially unknown. Like most multi-cultural families, we had some steep learning curves and some harsh realizations about what our children would be subjected to and how they would be treated. Something my husband was already accustomed to which I learned about was that our sons did not have a lot of accurate, authentic representation of themselves in Indigenous picture books.

Jennie Eaglespeaker

Indigenous persons are often stereotyped or categorized into large indistinct groupings with no self-identity. They are more than “Indian” or First Nations or Native American…they are Blackfoot, Haida, Mi’kmaq, Kiowa, to name just a few… with their own traditions, customs, and languages.

I’ve been writing poetry and have been a photography hobbyist since my teen years. Having a husband who writes and also publishes (www.eaglespeaker.com) was a catalyst to propel me onto this new path. I worked in the Social Services field going on twenty years and being able to raise both my sons while still being within my career has been a huge blessing. My life path is progressing and evolving. Writing allows me to still teach, to still be creative, to still engage people and to still grow. All the while being an advocate for diversity, inclusion, and representation of my son’s culture in books.

Indigenous picture books that promote diversity

Teeias Goes To A Pow Wow was my first written book which includes my own photography. It was a way to alleviate some of the mystery of these events and make them more welcoming. Teeias will continue as the subject matter in a series. Topics will continue to push the envelope of stereotypes and showcase various sides of his cultural identity – for example, Boys With Braids and My Culture is Not a Costume as potential upcoming topics.

Please Don’t Hide My Vegetables is about my younger son’s, Shiloh, adventures. It is written in a more toddler-friendly, poetic, learning-to-read style. Again, my photography is used. He too will be showcased in a series that has him engaged in childhood discoveries and learning.

Both my boys have embraced seeing themselves in print. They get excited about new books to be read at bedtime where they can see themselves or see subject matter reflect who they are and what their family history is a part of. Teeias’s book has been utilized as a teaching tool in his school and the local CBE school district as well as being available in the Calgary Public Library. Shiloh’s book is front and center in regards to healthy eating, urban gardening and the seed to table movement. Everyday activities that embrace having a Blackfoot child as the key subject matter.

Indigenous picture books that promote diversity, inclusion, and accurate representation

Ways to connect:

Instagram: author_jennieeaglespeaker

Facebook: Eagles Nest Day Home

Email: Jennieeaglespeaker@hotmail.com

Amazon for purchase/reviews: bit.ly/jennieeaglespeaker or www.eaglespeaker.com

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The Magical Mindful Day | A story about mindfulness and caring for the earth

May 28, 2018 by Valarie Budayr Leave a Comment

Guest Post By Deborah Salazar Shapiro

The breeze was blowing in. I could smell and admire the vastness of the beautiful blue ocean. It was 2011. Next to me on the ferry, along with my husband-to-be, was a happy group of fellow travelers also on their way to the island of Zanzibar, off the coast of Africa.

That moment of joy quickly turned into sadness as I witnessed people throwing plastic and other objects into the sea. I sensed that the sea had no choice but to embrace the objects in her unknowing but compassionate arms. In that moment, I recalled a story I had once written about the ocean and the carelessness of humans, but I hadn’t been sure at the time what to do to make the story come alive.

That experience on the ferry sat in my heart for many years, and the story sat in a drawer, untouched. Then, soon after giving birth to my second child, Arianna, the memory bubbled up. During a nursing session, I was contemplating the books in her bookcase. I found nothing that spoke to what I had witnessed on that ferry journey to the island.

Feeling boundless love for my daughter and thinking about her future, I reflected on my deep desire to share the teachings of mindfulness, interconnection, and caring for the earth. That day, I set the intention to take the simple story that I had written so long ago and finally turn it into a book, The Magical Mindful Day.

Photograph: Catherine Hatfield

The inspiration for the book was born out my love for nature and animals. I also wanted to sprinkle a little bit of my culture, which I show when Gaby, the main character, eats a green (or unripe) mango, a favorite variety of the fruit for Salvadorians. Important for me too was to reflect the respect Gaby has for her mother. Respect is one of the most important cultural values shared by Latin Americans.

The Magical Mindful Day comes from my feelings of deep love, appreciation, and hope for a more compassionate and kinder future for all living beings. I believe that through mindfulness and heart-based practices, we can move one step closer to making this world a better place. I am thrilled to have taken the leap into the children’s writing arena and to have received the support of teachers and mentors who also are working to spread the word about the power of mindfulness.

Photograph: Catherine Hatfield

Deborah Salazar Shapiro, MSW, is a psychotherapist, mindfulness teacher, author, and artist who was born and raised in San Salvador, El Salvador. She has been working with children and families for over 15 years. Deborah holds an MSW from the University of Southern California and a masters-level degree in psychology from the University Dr. Jose Matias Delgado in San Salvador. She lives in San Diego, California with her husband, two daughters, and a wise cat named Thay. For more information, please visit www.DeborahSalazarShapiro.com

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Army Vet, Daddy and Author | Davy’s Pirate Ship #OwnVoices

May 5, 2018 by Valarie Budayr

guest post from author, Danual Berkley

After getting out of the military, I self-published my first book Wonderful Magical Place. I did not know anything about publishing and marketing, so it didn’t do too well. I eventually gave up writing for several years until my wife encouraged me to get back into it. She thought it would be nice to read the poems to our boys at night. As a result, Wonderful Magical Place is in the process of being completely redone and was given the new title, One More, then Goodnight.

As I began getting more serious about my writing, I started creating stories from playing around with my boys. It occurred to me that as a kid I never saw, or was exposed to, adventure books (or many books in general) with black families or black characters. I decided then that what I wanted to do for my sons was write another book, but in this book, it would have all black characters. That way when my sons read it, they could say, “Hey, that kid looks like me!” or “That dad looks like my dad!” I felt that it was important that they had something that represented them. It says a lot when a child can see a reflection of themselves, or their culture, in a book. It’s a good feeling to know that there are other people out there like you.

I also wanted to provide a positive example that would go up against some of the stereotypes out there about Black men. Black men are hit with several stereotypes, including that we don’t raise our kids or get married. Those stereotypes obviously aren’t true, and my hope is that my books will help to disprove that.

Additionally, I wanted to tap into my culture a little. I am a Black man with earrings and tattoos as a way to express myself, and there are many more like me. We call it swag. It’s our style. Some people see that and may assume that I’m a thug or a drug dealer, and they fear me. Having tattoos, dreadlocks, or anything that represents me, or my Black culture, shouldn’t automatically equal fear. By having characters like myself in the children’s books that I write, I hope to show that it’s just a way of expressing one’s originality. This is my culture, and my culture isn’t anything to be afraid of.

In my book, Davy’s Pirate Ship Adventure, I try to represent all these things within the illustrations themselves. Amariah Rauscher, who has illustrated the Scholastic’s Princess Truly series, has done the illustrations for Davy’s Pirate Ship Adventure. We had a lot of fun creating this book, and we believe this will be not only a game changer but the first of many more books just like it.

Davy’s Pirate Ship Adventure is a book starring my older son Davion, who goes by the name Davy. He builds a magical pirate ship so the family can search for gold, but we run into a couple of obstacles along the way. Together, as a family (and with the help of some good alien and animal friends), we make it. It’s all rhyming and there’s a couple of twists that I’m very excited about.

Grab your copy of Davy’s Pirate Ship Adventure on:

Author’s Website

Available on Amazon

Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Hi there! I’m Danual. Simply put, I’m a full-time firefighter, husband, father of two little boys, Army vet, and a guy with a dream. My dream is to one day become a well-known children’s author.  The world is diverse and reading should be too!

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Tips for Teaching Tolerance to Your Tots

April 11, 2018 by Valarie Budayr

Guest post by author and coach, Kevin Christofora

There are some values that are always important to instill in your children, but occasionally, certain ones become even more pertinent than others. One that seems particularly essential these days is tolerance. All over the world, there’s an upswing in people fearing and blaming people who are different from them for various issues, and it’s a disturbing trend. Teaching our children tolerance is the best way to combat this, and establish a reality where the difference isn’t stigmatized, but rather celebrated. Here are some tips for teaching tolerance.

tips for teaching

Highlight similarities

It can be like second nature to notice the differences between ourselves and others. As a result, it is essential to put focus the lens on what makes those people just like us. Our shared humanity is the most obvious answer, but for kids, all it can take is a shared favorite animal or TV show to get them engaged with another child— and from there, things like friendship and understanding can grow.

Make it fun

Learning about other cultures shouldn’t be a chore. While museums certainly have their place, if their experience of other cultures is always through such institutions, they’ll probably get a little bored. So, look for opportunities to make this education fun and exciting. Parades and outdoor fairs for specific ethnic or religious holidays can be a great way to do this, as can children’s film festivals that have international offerings. Engaging with these activities with a focus on learning, respect, and celebration can be a wonderful way to teach children the beauty of other cultures.

Work it into the everyday

Teaching tolerance can also happen in everyday activities, as well. Maybe the family dinner once a week comes from a culture you’ve been learning about, or certain bedtime stories have themes like acceptance. As an author, I try to help parents with this. My The Hometown All Stars series is about a team of little league players from all different backgrounds, so that readers learn about diversity along with life lessons and healthy habits. The most recent one, Amira Can Catch, focuses on a new teammate who happens to be a Syrian refugee.

Acknowledge differences, and celebrate them

Highlighting the things we share with others is important to find common ground; understanding what we don’t share is an amazing way to gain respect for those differences. We don’t have to believe the same things or come from the same place as others to love them and honor their experiences. The more we teach children to see another’s differences as beautiful, the more well-rounded and compassionate they’ll be.

Teaching tolerance to children doesn’t have to be droll. It can be a fun, lively, and engaging experience. You’ll enable them to learn so much about the world and other cultures, while also creating wonderful memories. Finally, you’ll be setting your children up to be adults who respect others, work to find common ground with those who are different and find joy in the unknown.

Kevin Christofora is the author of a new book, Amira Can Catch. This diverse kidlit book shares the story of Amira, a Syrian refugee who is new in school, as a way to teach children about diversity, tolerance, and inclusion to readers of all ages. Christofora, a father, and little league coach hopes his books will inspire children to play outside more often. A devotee of America’s pastime, he aims to teach young people about baseball and the habits of a healthy lifestyle in the form of a fun and an educational bedtime story. He has appeared on ABC News, ESPN Radio, 660 News Radio, Santa Fe -KVSF 101.5, and WDST-FM Woodstock, and has had articles featured in _About Families Online_, _KidzEdge_, _Mom Blog Society_, and several other publications. For more information, please visit http://thehometownallstars.com/

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Shooting for the Moon | Guest Post by author Christina Matula

March 6, 2018 by Valarie Budayr

Guest Post by author Christina Matula

Becoming a writer was not something I dreamt about while growing up. My parents guided me into the path of math and science so I could get a good, stable job, which for them was of paramount importance like it was for many immigrants of their generation. Writing is something I fell into accidentally, but it’s something I cannot imagine not doing now that I’m here.

Growing up in suburban Ottawa, I felt like I was one of the few Asian kids at my school, let alone the only mixed one. Although I had a huge extended family on my Taiwanese side (20+ first cousins!), I spent a lot of my childhood shying away from this part of my heritage. Perhaps it’s because I wanted to be the same as everyone else. Perhaps it’s because no one in the books I read looked anything like me. Perhaps it’s because I knew I would never have what it took to be a heroine in a teen novel – blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. (I’m looking at you Sweet Valley High!).

It wasn’t until I moved to Hong Kong in my 30s that I really started to embrace my heritage. I had always felt a bit guilty about not speaking Chinese – I refused to attend Chinese Saturday school when I was younger – so when I found an intensive Mandarin program at the local university, I jumped at the chance. In learning the language, I also learned more about Chinese culture and customs. I developed a newfound appreciation of the food, festivals, and folktales. It was an epiphany for me, a new window into my heritage.

A while back, my daughter was celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival in school. It’s the second biggest festival in Chinese culture after Lunar New Year. I tried to find a picture book about the legend behind the festival to read with her, but couldn’t find anything. So, on a whim, I decided to write one myself!

My writing journey was not typical. I linked with fantastic illustrator Pearl Law and self-published the book in Hong Kong. Shortly after, I attended a writing workshop given by visiting author Susan Blumberg-Kason (@Susan_BK). She was so kind with her encouragement and generously introduced me to her agent, the fabulous Carrie Pestritto (@literarycarrie). The book was soon picked up by Charlesbridge and my debut picture book will be launched in the US and Canada this summer!

The Shadow in the Moon is about two sisters listening to their grandmother tell them the tale of Hou Yi and Chang’e, the archer and the Lady in the Moon, and how the Mid-Autumn Festival came to be.

View the trailer premiere here!

I love that I’ve been able to share a little piece of myself and my heritage through this book. I hope that young readers will be able to see themselves and their families in the book, regardless of their background. And I hope that I can continue to share my passion for writing stories that are a reflection of the people who may read them.

Shadow in the Moon {ISBN: 978-1-58089-746-4} will be available on July 17. Preorder your copy from Charlesbridge Publishing today!

Author Christina Matula

Christina Matula is a Canadian author living in Hong Kong with her family. She is a Board Member of Bring Me A Book HK, which is a non-profit organization that encourages families to read aloud together and provides quality books to under-served communities.

She is also the author of two stories that have been set to music composed by Alexis Alrich and turned into chamber music concerts for children, Both concerts feature western and Chinese classical instruments, and were commissioned by Premiere Performances of Hong Kong.

You can find Christina on

Website: www.christinamatula.com

Twitter @christinaaa_hk

Instagram: christinamatula

Facebook: @christinamatulaauthor

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