Multicultural Children's Book Day

#ReadYourWorld

#OWNVOICES Books that Showcase the Diversity of our World

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(Guest post from Barefoot Books)

From the very beginning, Barefoot Books have represented a vast array of cultures and perspectives, while also providing children of all backgrounds a mirror of their own experiences.

Our newest releases are no exception! We are delighted to invite you to explore our Spring 2021 collection — this season, we’re as motivated as ever to create a space where there’s room for everyone—even a whole blue whale—as we celebrate diversity in all its forms. You will meet a non-conformist cat, travel the Inka Trail, celebrate Carnival, join a family reunion, and more.

This season’s collection is also a tribute to our precious planet. We’re delighted to present a wide selection of products that encourage kids to explore, learn about, and honor the great outdoors. Please enjoy browsing on our website, and contact us today if you would like to learn more or review Barefoot Books. We can’t wait to hear what you think!

Watch our Video!

Connect with Barefoot Books via their website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

AUTHOR QUESTIONS

Q: What inspired you to write this book?

A: “Dad” Richardson, co-author of Family Reunion

One of the main reasons was for a Black-American boy to see themselves in a book…to show they matter. Even though diverse characters in picture books are growing, protagonists of color still are underrepresented. We then thought about how the family has been the backbone of who we are for centuries. It was a natural setting to show the importance of the family in the Black-American community.

 

Q: What inspired you to write this book?

A: Mariana Llanos, author of Run, Little Chaski!

Mariana Llanos

I saw the possibility of writing about a universal value (kindness) in a historical setting (Inka Empire) to help lift up the amazing pre-Columbian cultures of our continent. My story was inspired by the love I have for my country, Perú, and my passion for history.

 

Q: What inspired you to write this book?

A: Baptiste Paul, author of To Carnival!

My inspiration for writing To Carnival!: A Celebration in St. Lucia would definitely be my childhood experiences. When I reflect back to my childhood, there were lots of playful, joyful moments in the midst of the poverty my family experienced. Growing up, I never took part in a Carnival parade but I enjoyed listening to the soca, calypso, and steel pan music. Those fun memories of growing up would help me create a character named Melba and empower her to experience something I couldn’t.

Contributor Social Handles

Run, Little Chaski!

Author: Mariana Llanos 

Instagram @marianawritestheworld

Twitter @marianallanos

Illustrator: Mariana Ruiz Johnson 

Twitter @mruizjohnson

Instagram: @marianaruizjohnson

 

Family Reunion

Author: Chad and Dad Richardson 

twitter @chadanddadrich

Instagram @chadanddadrichardson

 

Instagram @ashleigh_corrin

Twitter @ash_corrin

 

To Carnival!

Author: Baptiste Paul

Twitter @baptistepaul

Instagram @baptistepaul77

 

Illustrator: Jana Glatt

Instagram: @janaglatt

 

Moms on a Mission to Bring Diversity to Party Time

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{Guest post from Jackie Bunn and Lois Petren}

Co-founders of The Five Enchanted Mermaids, Jackie Bunn and Lois Petren, have been friends for over 35 years.

This dynamic duo met in Princeton, N.J. back in the early 1980s. In spite of their different backgrounds, the two women hit it off and soon discovered that they had quite a few things in common.  Besides a shared love of cooking, travel, working in New York City, and exercise, they were both married, had careers, and each had a couple of children. As the years progressed, Lois and Jackie’s life experiences and geographic locations changed, but the thread of friendship always connected the two across the miles.

After deciding to leave her job in a major financial services firm to be more available to her kids during their elementary school days, Jackie shared that she started a small business in 2017 selling party supply products online. It was during that time that she noticed a glaring gap in what was available to families of color when it came to party supplies.

“As my business grew, I noticed the lack of diversity in children’s party products. The images on party products simply did not reflect the real world.  I saw this both as an opportunity but also as something that was important to address. Why shouldn’t children be able to celebrate their birthdays with characters that looked like them with similar skin colors?  My research had shown that children loved mermaids and unicorns and so I decided to commission a unique design – a racially diverse group of five mermaids who were best friends. This was the birth of the “Five Enchanted Mermaids.”

Seeing the potential and need for this innovative line of products, Jackie reached out to her long-time friend, Lois, for help bringing The Five Enchanted Mermaid to life. Lois had recently retired from a career in IT with a major company and had been busying herself writing children’s books and had six published titles under the “Lulu and Lainey” series to her credit.

“Jackie had the idea to develop the personalities and character of each mermaid and she contacted me to see if I would be interested in a collaboration to write books featuring the group,” Lois recalled. “I enthusiastically said ‘yes’ and with that we worked together to ‘personalize’ each of the Five Enchanted Mermaids, naming them and building their personalities, likes and dislikes and especially important to the books, their unique superpower, which they could use to help children ages 3-7 at this important socio-emotional development stage.

Jackie and Lois shared that they live their values and commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion and they continue to believe that when children see a world where all people are accepted they will grow into adults who believe the same. The goal of the Five Enchanted Mermaids series is to model inclusiveness and create a world where everyone is heard, accepted, and respected.

When asked what they were most proud of with their vibrant books, dolls,  and party supplies, this is what the two businesswomen had to say:

Jackie:

Jackie Bunn

Jackie Bunn

I love – and am most proud of – the fact that our customers are drawn to our unique message on diversity and living in today’s real multiethnic world. The books and products based on the Five Enchanted Mermaids promote values of inclusion and self-esteem, which the world certainly needs today more than ever. In fact, our motto is: “We believe that every child deserves a mermaid that looks like them!” We even have a hashtag we use in marketing which is “#mermaidlikeme as well as #fiveenchantedmermaids. Our customers have thanked us for offering products that reflect the race of their child, or their child’s friends or family members.

In addition to loving the very cute mermaid characters and their underwater friends, adult readers of our books appreciate that we present age-appropriate valuable lessons for their children that are gentle conversation starters. In one of our recent books, Meet the Mermaids: Hi, I’m Sofia!, readers are introduced to Sofia, a Hispanic mermaid who teaches children about the benefits of honesty (her superpower!) and conversely the consequences of lying. Other books teach about courage, kindness, confidence, and independence.

Lois:

Lois Petren

We started with a Coloring/Activity book, which was quickly followed by the first series of three picture books addressing three aspects of “growing up” for 3-7-year-olds – overcoming obstacles, having a birthday party, and experiencing a first day at school.  The second series Meet the Mermaids focuses on each mermaid, her personality, and her “super skill.” As Jackie mentioned this teaches the child in a fun way and through the power of example.

Developing and creating these stories is like painting with ideas.  As I write a book, I am envisioning the best way for the images to portray the story I’ve written. To connect our overarching philosophy of inclusiveness with the storyline and childhood development, it’s key to portray human children of many races and colors doing things together.  We want the child reader to see themselves in our books.  Successfully translating these ideas onto the page provides a lot of satisfaction, especially when we get feedback from customers and readers that shows our message resonates with them.

The Five Enchanted Mermaids Promoting Diversity in Children’s Books, Party Supplies and Gifts

Jackie and Lois also shared that another favorite element in the world of the Five Enchanted Mermaids is the artwork used on the products and in the books. The jewel-tone colors of the mermaids’ tails and tops against all their different skin tones, set in the gorgeous turquoise of the undersea world and creatures of Atargatis, work together to create an enchanting story and feel.

As the Five Enchanted Mermaid brand has grown, the two friends have expanded their product line to compliment the books. Included in their catalog are gorgeous look-alike mermaid plush dolls that encourage role-playing and imagination for all ages.

The books and dolls can be purchased together, or sold separately and have been very well received by gift-buyers and parents.

Also included is a wide variety of delightful party supplies for all ages and budgets.

All products are available via the Five Enchanted Mermaid online Amazon store www.amazon.com/fiveenchantedmermaids

“It has been a great journey so far and makes us so happy when our mermaids bring joy to a child! Stay tuned for more books, gifts, and party products featuring the beautiful Five Enchanted Mermaids!”

Five Enchanted Mermaid Freebies

Parents, Caregivers, and Educators can sign up to receive updates on new product and book releases as well as special promotions and coupons at www.fiveenchantedmermaids.com/freebies

Connect with Lois, Jackie, and the Five Enchanted Mermaids via their website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.

Diverse Middle-Grade Books That Celebrate Poetry

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{Guest post By Tonya Duncan Ellis}

 

Roses are red.

Violets are blue.

April is National Poetry Month.

Whoo-hoo!

Clearly, my poetry writing skills are lacking, but I love reading and hearing poetry.

Started by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month was created to celebrate poets and poems. I was excited to include “Dreams,” a poem from Harlem Renaissance poet, Langston Hughes, in my book, Sophie Washington: My BFF.

According to Scholastic, poetry benefits children in many ways. Exposing kids to poems:

  1. Builds early literacy skills.
  2. Encourages them to play with language.
  3. Makes reluctant readers less intimidated by literature, since poems generally use fewer words than prose.
  4. Give kids an outlet to share feelings.

In recent years, there’s been an increase in middle-grade books written in verse or poetic stanzas. The list below includes some diverse middle-grade titles, written in verse, or that celebrate poetry, to check out.

Diverse Middle-Grade Books That Celebrate Poetry

Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander – Written in both prose and verse, this inspiring book chronicles the famed boxers growing up in Louisville, KY, where I was born and raised. Becoming Muhammad Ali showcases the fighter’s motivation, strong work ethic, and drive.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson – This National Book Award and Newbery Honor-winning story is written in verse and chronicles the author’s growing up in South Carolina and New York during the 1960s and 1970s, describing her journey to become a writer and find her place in the world.

Emmy In the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido -When she takes a computer coding class, twelve-year-old Emmy finds her place in her new city and school and connects with a new friend, Abigail. But bad news about their computer coding teacher and Abigail, threaten her happiness. Written in verse, the book uniquely combines, poetry, music, and computer code.

Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton –Half-Black and half-Japanese main character, Mimi, aspires to become an astronaut, like the crew in the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, in this historical fiction novel written in verse. She struggles to fit in after moving to an almost all-White Vermont town and teaches readers the value of speaking out.

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai – A coming of age novel is written in verse, this novel is inspired by the author’s refugee experience fleeing Saigon, Vietnam to immigrate to Alabama. It’s a National Book Award and Newbery Honor-winning book.

Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar –This haunting, fictional story, written in verse, shares the immigration experience of Betita, a nine-year-old girl. After her family flees Mexico to avoid the Mexican drug cartel, her father is arrested by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) and deported. She and her pregnant mother are detained in a detention camp outside Los Angeles, and their heartbreaking experience is described.

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga – Jude and her mother flee Syria to stay with relatives in Cincinnati in this Newbery Honor-winning book, written in verse. Jude struggles with leaving her father and brother behind, fitting in, and finding her place in her new home.

Red White and Whole by Rajani LaRocca –In this free-verse story, set in the 1980s, thirteen-year-old Reha is torn between two worlds: school, where she’s the only Indian American, and home, where her family expects her to honor Old World traditions. Then she finds out her mother has leukemia and vows to be as virtuous as possible in the hope that she can heal her mom.

Simon B. Rhymin’ by Dwayne Reed – Eleven-year-old Simon Barnes uses his rap talent to make a difference in his community in this book, written in prose. The author is a fourth-grade teacher from Chicago and creator of a viral back-to-school video “Welcome to the 4th Grade.”

Some Places More Than Others by Renee Watson – Twelve-year-old Amara takes a birthday trip from Oregon to visit her Dad’s side of the family in Harlem, where she learns New York City and family history and the benefit of following your dreams. The main character’s father is a discouraged poet, and there are many references to poetry in the book, including an adaptation of the Langston Hughes poem, “Mother to Son.”

Sophie Washington: My BFF by Tonya Duncan Ellis – Sophie writes a paper about a Langston Hughes poem and is forced to make a choice between doing the right thing and risking a friendship, when her bestie asks her to plagiarize, in this illustrated chapter book, written in prose.

Starfish by Lisa Fipps-Ellie is bullied by her classmates and criticized by her mom about her weight in this affirming, free verse, a middle-grade novel. Her safe place is the pool, where she can stretch out like a starfish. With support from her father, her therapist, and a new friend, she learns to be at home with herself in any space.

 

Tonya Duncan Ellis is the author of the bestselling, award-winning Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Authors Guild.
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @tonyaDEllis
Follow Us on Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks

 

Leading by Example: Madison Miles & Friends

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{Guest post by Dara Nicole}

 

Most successful women try to surround themselves with other like-minded women.

Shouldn’t we do the same for our children? We are reminded of the importance that having someone to look up to is to a young developing mind. Role models and mentors not only shape a developing mind but also can have a huge impact on a child’s path. At Madison Miles & Friends, we like to encourage the exploration of STEM studies for our young masterminds. Now that it is officially Women’s History Month, we’d like to highlight a few women masterminds in history.

 

These women have made contributions to our everyday lives that we may have never even stopped to ask who was responsible for. Katherine Burr Blodgett is a pioneer on this list, and she is most accredited for her creation of the color gauge and non-reflecting glass. Every time you look through a window, remember this was made possible by a woman!

The world didn’t know what was coming to it when future computer scientist, mathematician, and rocket scientist, Annie Easley, was born on April 23, 1933, in Birmingham, AL. Not only was she a leader in the STEM community but also an advocate for social justice. In the 50s, Easley helped prepare members of her community for literacy tests. These tests were used as instruments in preventing African Americans from registering to vote. She also worked as an equal employment opportunities counselor. At Nasa, Easley helped wherever she was an asset and did all of this with no college degree. Over 50 years later, she continues to inspire those who have come after her.

Have you ever been riding down the street and it began to rain or snow so hard that you couldn’t see where you were going? Instead of pulling over and waiting for the storm to calm down, you reached under your steering wheel, turned a switch, and instantly, your windshield was wiped clean. Well, that was made possible by Mary Anderson. Mary Anderson was many things, among them an inventor. November 10, 1903, Anderson was awarded a patent for the first windshield wiper that was controlled from inside the car. After pushing her product with no luck, because of the lack of demand for the product, Anderson gave up on the idea and let her patent expire. By the time it expired, the demand for automobiles had increased by a significant amount and everyone was able to use her windshield wiper with no consequence. But we are here to honor the original creator.

There’s an old song that goes “It’s a man’s world, but it would be nothing, without a woman or girl.” This is absolutely the truth! We are so dynamic! We build things, birth humans, run businesses, write books, create masterpiece meals in the kitchen, and raise children. We are a vital part of society, and so are you! We hope we inspire you to go after your dreams because if you can believe it and work for it, you can achieve it. Happy Women’s History Month!

 

About The Author and Madison Miles & Friends

Madison Miles and Friends is a children’s book series that focuses on the lives of four African-American girls living in Detroit, MI. Each character represents a different educational component (Science, Writing, reading, math) and friendship.

 

Daralynn Walker is a Children’s Book Author and Owner of Beautiful Works Publishing.

Daralynn’s critically acclaimed Children’s series “Madison Miles and Friends” has been featured in the Michigan Chronicle, Fox 2 Detroit, and on Channel 4 news. Whether as an author, Talent Management Specialist, or overseeing her summer mentoring program, Daralynn Walker has spent the last 15 years of her life serving the Detroit Metropolitan Area in a variety of ways. A native Detroiter in her own rite, Daralynn’s passion to move the needle forward in her own community has been a driving force and passion of hers for many years.

Connect with Madison Miles and Dara on Facebook and Instagram!

 

Disability and Exploitation: A Foray into Dark Places

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{Guest post from Mel Darbon, author of Rosie Loves Jack}

Welcome to the Rosie Loves Jack Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of Rosie Loves Jack by Mel Darbon on March 1st, blogs across the web are featuring original content from Mel, as well as 10 chances to win the hardcover!

Disability and Exploitation: A Foray into Dark Places

by Mel Darbon

“The author stays out of Rosie’s way, successfully depicting her protagonist as a person, not a puppet or a platform. The other characters populating the book are realistic, with a striking range of personality traits. The plot is so engrossing that the book is almost impossible to put down. Yes, Rosie loves Jack, and readers are going to love Rosie.” —Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

 

There are very few young adult authors who have written about disability and exploitation, which is probably why so many people have asked me why I decided to do this in my debut novel, Rosie Loves Jack.

Discussion of any kind like this is rare, but I feel it is important to bring this subject out into the open, as its exposition can only be valuable for young people, especially within the safe pages of a book.

My character Rosie has Down syndrome; this doesn’t define her—she is a typical sixteen-year-old teenager. She lives in a world where these issues of sexual exploitation are there for us to see and her journey in the book is, sadly, a reflection of life and one that we can’t escape from with the media.

Any young person out in a city like London by themselves and unsure of where to go is vulnerable, but a person with a developmental disability is much more innocent, naïve, and open to predators. A streetwise teenager might be able to navigate getting lost in a big city more easily, but they are equally fooled by people and situations, because at sixteen you think you know it all, when in fact you know so little of the wider world—and in that sense, it can make you as vulnerable as someone naïve.

It seemed a probable progression in my story that this might happen to my character Rosie and that I could use it to highlight these issues. There will always be those who prey on the vulnerable, and although a lot of the time it won’t end like my Rosie’s journey, into a grooming house where young girls are exploited for sexual favors, it can and does happen in the real world. (Though I must emphasize here that I would never have let anything actually happen in the book to my teenager with Down syndrome, as I felt that the underlying threat was enough.)

My daughter worked with young girls who have been groomed and I was shocked to discover that sexual exploitation amongst children with disabilities, both physical and developmental, is equally as extensive as those without.

Why don’t we talk about this exploitation? For a start, people with disabilities are underrepresented in the media and, until recently, have been excluded from mainstream education. They can also often live in care homes and not the familial home, which keeps them on the edges of mainstream society.

Sexual exploitation hasn’t often been thought of in the context of applying to a person with a disability until it was at the forefront of the news with the revelation of a well-known British entertainer’s exploits and the abuses discovered at a care home for those with developmental disabilities. We might listen with horror to these terrible stories of abuse, but it stays within the television “box” and gets left in the care home for others to sort out, as it’s too awful to think about. We can’t imagine anything so dreadful happening to someone so vulnerable ourselves, so we would rather not dwell on it. That leaves us with nothing to discuss.

Sexual activity for people with developmental disabilities is something that’s rarely ever discussed in a good, healthy, loving context either, as the topic might be too embarrassing or seen as something that shouldn’t even happen. It becomes another taboo subject to be swept under the carpet. If there were more characters like Rosie in books and films, on television, and in advertising, then they would be seen as the human beings they are, like everyone else, with the same emotions and desires to be loved, to love, and to be accepted without limitations. Through this would come understanding and from that more open discussions.

Many discussions about abuse or sexual exploitation have tended to be covered up and kept secret until recently; the shame mutes people, more often than not because it has been a family member doing the abusing or exploiting. For the victim themselves the feelings of guilt, shame, and fear that they carry with them for life is often a silencer, and because many have been told if they speak out about it something terrible might happen, either to them or someone else in the family, it can take years to feel safe enough to talk. And then when they do, as with the group of girls in the British Rochdale grooming cases in 2017, they might not be believed or might be “interrogated” to the point that it becomes part of the problem. The knock-on effect from this is that it perpetuates the rarity of discussion around it because discussion starts with the victim. Of course, if you are a victim without the means to express yourself verbally, then the silence is deafening.

So, my foray into dark places in my novel, Rosie Loves Jack, was not sensationalistic, but a genuine attempt to open up discussion of such an important topic. I truly hope that bringing this into the story can give young people who read the book an understanding that will lead to more dialogue in a non-threatening framework.

Blog Tour Schedule:

3/1 – BookhoundsYA

3/2 – Book Briefs

3/3 – Frantic Mommy

3/4 – Randomly Reading

3/5 – A Dream Within a Dream

3/8 – I’m All Booked Up

3/9 – Multicultural Children’s Book Day Blog

3/10 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

3/11 – Christy’s Cozy Corners

3/12 – Feed Your Fiction Addiction

 

A Diverse YA Book

Buy | Add on Goodreads

Fall in love with sixteen-year-old Rosie, a girl with Down syndrome who’s fighting for little freedoms, tolerance, and love. A stunning, beautifully insightful debut YA novel from Mel Darbon.
“An enthralling story of resolve and grit… a moving and uplifting novel.” –The Guardian
“They can’t send you away. What will we do? We need us. I stop your anger, Jack. And you make me strong. You make me Rosie.”
Rosie loves Jack. Jack loves Rosie. So when they’re separated, Rosie will do anything to find the boy who makes the sunshine in her head. Even defy her parents’ orders and run away from home. Even struggle across London and travel to Brighton on her own, though the trains are canceled and the snow is falling. Even though people might think a girl like Rosie, who has Down syndrome, could never survive on her own.
Introducing a strong and determined protagonist with Down syndrome, debut author Mel Darbon gives readers an underrepresented but much-needed point of view with a voice-driven, heartfelt story of finding your place in an often big and intimidating world.

 

About the Author: Mel Darbon spent a large part of her childhood inventing stories to keep her autistic brother happy on car journeys. She won’t mention the time spent with him standing by level crossings waiting for the InterCity 125 to go past, as she wouldn’t want to be labeled a trainspotter. Life took her in many different directions working as a theatre designer and freelance artist, as well as teaching young adults with learning disabilities and running creative workshops for teenage mums. She moved to Bath in 2014 with her husband and their dog, Alfie. Rosie Loves Jack is her debut book.
 
Follow Mel: Twitter | Instagram

 

GIVEAWAY!

  • 1 winner will receive a finished copy of Rosie Loves Jack
  • Check out the other tour stops for more chances to win!
  • US/Canada only
  • Ends 11:59 pm ET on 3/21

 

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