Multicultural Children's Book Day

#ReadYourWorld

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
    • Mission & History
    • Our Partner Organizations
    • What is a Multicultural Book?
    • Co-Founders
    • Board of Trustees
    • Board of Advisors
    • Co-Hosts and Global Co-Hosts
    • Team
    • MCBD Timelines
    • Make a Donation: #GivingTuesday 2022
    • Media Partners
    • Disclosure
    • Contact Us
  • FREE Diverse Books
    • FREE Diverse Books for Classrooms Program
    • FREE Diversity Book For Reviewers!
    • Authors & Publishers: Book Donations
    • Donate
  • Sponsorship
    • MCBD2023 Medallion Level Sponsors
    • MCBD2023 Author Sponsors
    • Fundraisers & Marketing Services
      • Fundraiser | Social Media Shout Outs!
      • Sponsor of the Week/Month
      • Fundraising/ Sponsored Post Services
      • Multicultural Children’s Book Day ebook
    • Medallion and Author Level Sponsorships for MCBD2023 are OPEN!
  • Reading Resources
    • Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents
    • Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Kit 2022 Mental Health Support for Stressful Times
    • Raising Awareness on Systemic Racism in America Classroom Kit
    • Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit
    • Gallery of Our Free Posters
    • Neurodiverse and Autistic Voices Are Your Best Autism Resources
    • IG Live Interview Series
    • 2021 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2020 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2019 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2018 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2017 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2016 Big Giant LInky!
    • 2015 Big Giant Linky!
  • Press Kit & Stats
    • Press Kit
    • Social Proof & Media Mentions
    • 2016 Recap and Stats
    • 2015 Recap and Stats
  • Blog
  • Sign Up for Free Updates

Diverse Kidlit as a Creative Educational Tools

November 17, 2018 by Valarie Budayr

Sponsored Affiliate Links

Guest post by Wiley Barnes from Chickasaw Press

Children innately love books. They have certain stories that become favorites, and they want to look at them or read them time and again. Books from our childhood have a way of staying with us and becoming a part of who we are.

I kept this concept in mind all through the process of writing the children’s book, “C is for Chickasaw.” I wanted every element of each page to continue to draw young readers back and make it their own much-loved book.

After the book’s release through White Dog Press in 2014, I began to develop a vision for realizing the full potential of the book as a creative educational tool. Dreaming beyond the paper page, I imagined what it would be like to bring the characters and words to life, packing as much action as possible into a simple, but exciting digital book-app format for young readers.

The project took almost two years of conceptual development and 18 months of programming, but the “C is for Chickasaw” app finally became a reality and was released in the spring of 2017. The app is now available at the Apple App Store, Amazon and Google Play for $2.99. There are over 10 separate components of the app, including an expanded version of the “C is for Chickasaw” children’s book.

C is for Chickasaw

I wanted this app to be more universal than the book. When you strip the alphabet away, you touch on Chickasaw history and culture and are able to use it as an early childhood developmental tool.

I wrote the book to teach children about Chickasaw history and culture. It is filled with little bits and pieces of Chickasaw history and language. The book has many elements, but as an app those elements have increased ten-fold. The purpose of the book is realized even more so in this format. The app takes the book to a level where I think kids will want to come back to it over and over.

The app looks as much like the original book as possible, but I wanted it to have a pop-up picture book look, as well.  It was bringing flat art to life and working across multiple types of software in a trial and error process. There were many pieces, such as, “How do we get this letter ‘B’ to look like paper and wad up and move across the page?”

We produced over 77,000 lines of code and worked with over 1000 images, and that’s not including adding the audio. The app designer and I tested the app out by sharing it with our own children during the creation process. It includes areas of discovery for the kids to explore. There are hidden elements and a lot of discoveries to be made.

In addition to the app, this year we released the paperback version of “C is for Chickasaw” and a “C is for Chickasaw Coloring Book,” that adds a creative element to the educational applications for “C is for Chickasaw.”

Watch the book trailer!

 

Author Wiley Barnes

 

AUTHOR INFO: Wiley Barnes, Chickasaw, holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Oklahoma State University. He has spent nearly eighteen years forging a career in publishing, writing, printing, and graphic design, with the last eleven years at the Chickasaw Nation. During that time he has had the pleasure of working on a number of projects that promote Chickasaw culture and celebrate Chickasaw people. Barnes lives in Ada, Oklahoma, with his wife and two children.

Connect with Chickasaw Press on their website, Facebook, on ChickasawTV and their Chickasaw Kids website.

 

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin

Filed Under: Author Visits, Book review, Diverse Book Review, Guest Posts Tagged With: author Wiley Barnes, C is for Chickasaw, Diverse Kidlit

Help us get diverse Kidlit into schools!

Join our Read Your World
Newsletter and Blog List
Be the first to know about the latest Read Your World news, new children's books, exclusive offers, and special events.
Thanks for subscribing to our newsletter!

Make a Way Media Super Platinum Sponsor

Language Lizard Platinum Sponsor

Mia Wenjen Founders Circle

Audrey Press Founders Circle

Publisher Spotlight Gold Sponsor

Publisher Spotlight 2023

Interlink Publishing Gold Sponsor

Interlink 2023

Cardinal Rule Press Silver Sponsor

Barefoot Books Silver Sponsor

Lee & Low Books Silver Sponsor

Lee & Low 2023

Kimberly Gordon Biddle Silver Sponsor

Vivian Kirkfield Bronze Sponsor

Patrice McLaurin Bronze Sponsor

Star Bright Books Bronze Sponsor

The Quarto Group Bronze Sponsor

Carole P. Roman Bronze Sponsor

Star Bright Books Bronze Sponsor

Redfin Bronze Sponsor

Redfin Canada 2023

Redfin Canada Bronze Sponsor

Redfin Canada 2023

Rent.com Bronze Sponsor

Bay Equity Home Loans Bronze Sponsor

Title Forward Bronze Sponsor

Title Forward 2023

Brunella Costagliola Bronze Sponsor

Brunella Costagliola 2023

Stay in the loop with all MCBD Happenings!

MCBD is included in the Top 100 Children’s Book Blogs!

Children’s Book Blogs

Copyright © 2023 · Multicultural Childrens Book Day on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cleantalk Pixel