Multicultural Children's Book Day

#ReadYourWorld

5 Ways that Increasing the Awareness of Diverse Books is Paying Off

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Our world is an exciting place. Cultures are blending, family dynamics are changing, and the world that the next generation is inheriting has become a delightful melting pot of different cultures, races, and traditions. Kidlit provides families with an invaluable opportunity to discover our world through vibrant stories, education resources, and colorful illustrations and imagery. All without ever having to leave the comfort of home.

 Also, imagine being a child in a multicultural family and not be able to “find yourself” within the pages of the books you read. According to the University of Wisconsin’s Cooperative Children’s Book Center, the number of books published in the U.S. by and about people of color is still alarmingly non-reflective of the demographics of the country. The good news is; this statistic is poised for a change thanks to the increasing awareness of libraries, organizations, parents, and teachers. Here are a few reasons why we think this is improving:

**Reason One: In the past, there was a big question mark in many minds when it came to identifying what books were truly considered “diverse” or “multicultural.” Now key factors to help parents, caregivers, educators, and librarians identify books are more widely known and shared and initiatives like #OwnVoices also help book buyers add more diverse books to their home or classroom bookshelf. In a nutshell:

  • Look for books (picture books, chapter book, or YA books) that contain main characters of color as well as supporting characters that represent a minority point of view.
  • Look for books that share ideas, stories, and information about cultures, race, religion, language, disabilities, and traditions.
  • Consider Non-fiction: Fiction stories are great, but non-fiction books that embrace our world and can also offer kids new ways to connect to a diverse world in a fun and entertaining way as well.
  • Research the hashtag #OwnVoices for books written by people of color about their own diverse experiences and journeys.

**Reason Two: As the demand for diverse kids’ books increases, so does the awareness from publishers charged with producing those books. It is no secret that, up until the last ten years, children’s book publishing has been very…white. But now, veteran publishing houses that have been committed to offering only the best diverse books for decades are getting the recognition they deserve thanks to heightened awareness from the book-buying public. For those looking for traditionally published heavy hitters in the diverse kidlit publishing world, consider visiting these sources for high-quality multicultural books for kids:

  • Lee & Low Books, the largest multicultural children’s book publisher in the country, and one of the few minority-owned publishing has been committed to producing children’s literature that reflects other races, religions, cultures, and traditions since 1991.
  • Capstone: As Minnesota-based publishing, Capstone has been making its mark in the multicultural kidlit book arena for over 25 years. Capstone offers a fantastic line-up of diverse books for young readers of all age groups but is best known for its recent 2018 Caldecott Honor Book, A Different Pond by Bao Phi, illus. by Thi Bui
  • Wisdom Tales Press: Wisdom Tales is the name of the children’s book imprint of the award-winning publishing house, World Wisdom, which was founded in 1980. Wisdom Tales publishes both children’s and teen titles and was created to share the wisdom, beauty, and values of traditional cultures and people from around the world with young readers and their families.
  • Candlewick Press: Candlewick Press is one of the fastest-growing children’s book publishers in the United States. Established in 1991, we are a progressive and creative company with a steadfast commitment to the best. Some of their more notable diverse titles include Baby Goes to Market, Martin Luther King: The Peaceful Warrior, 42 is Not Just a Number: The Odyssey of Jackie Robinson, American Hero, Pattan’s Pumpkin: An Indian Flood Story and Escalera a La Luna by Maya Soetoro-Ng and Yuyi Morales.

**Reason Three: The need for books that reflect our world is on the radar of today’s librarians as well. “I think all librarians would like to see more good quality multicultural books written for kids,” noted Santa Monica librarian, Amy Muscoplat. “Many of those good books that do exist do not always get in front of collections librarians because they may not show up in the guides they turn to for book reviews and more. This is especially true for books from very small presses or indie books. If we could be made more aware of these high-quality diversity children’s books, it would help us to recommend them to young patrons, families, and teachers.” 

**Reason Four: Publishing diverse books are not just for big publishing houses anymore. Many beautiful and accurate multicultural reads are being produced by small boutique publishing houses that pack a big punch. Here are a few: 

Make A Way Media: Owned by an ambitious mom who also happens to be a lawyer and children and family health advocate, Dee Cummings has dedicated the last decade to writing and publishing children’s picture books that fill much-needed reading gaps. Her diverse books cover a wide range of topics including family dynamics, mindfulness for kids, and empathy.

Books can teach kids hard facts like geography and history, and soft, yet-no-less-important, skills like empathy and kindness. Make A Way Media is definitely meant to teach the latter. Its books focus on spreading positivity and instilling gratitude with each turn of the page. ~Mater Mea, Lifestyle Magazine

She penned her latest book, In The Nick of Time, because of a glaring void in Christmas books that offered a little brown boy as the main character; a character that also helps Santa save Christmas. To learn more about Make A Way Media and her catalog of diverse picture books for kids, go here.

Shout Mouse Press: Shout Mouse Press is a nonprofit writing program and publishing house that empowers young people from marginalized backgrounds to tell their own stories in their voices act as leaders and agents of change.

Pack-n-Go Girls: Those who have a middle reader in the family that dreams of mysterious adventures and faraway places, the Pack-n-Go Girls® chapter books are just the ticket.

Star Bright Books: Star Bright Books is an independent children’s book publishing house established in 1994. They are dedicated to producing great books for great kids—books for parents and children to discover together. Bilingual titles from Star Bright that are a “must-read” include Books and Bricks: How a School Rebuilt the Community (Ages 10-12), Cradle Me (A birth to 3 board book published in English, Navajo/English, Ojibwe/English), Alicia’s Happy Day (For ages 4-8 also in Spanish/English), and A Fish to Feed (A ages 1-3 board book that is also available in Spanish/English).

Inhabit Education, Inc.: Canadian-based Inhabit Education is a Nunavut-based educational publishing company with a mission to provide parents and educators with resources infused with an authentic Northern perspective, Inuit languages, ways of life, and imagery.

**Reason Five: Adults now understand that it is not only up to educators and libraries to get books of a multicultural nature into the hands of young readers, it is also the responsibility of parents and caregivers. Thanks to access to endless booklists and free resources for at-home use and homeschooling, parents are not struggling to identify books that allow their child to “see themselves” within the pages, or open up new and exciting worlds. As soon as their Littles can hold a board book, parents and caregivers can begin introducing their readers to new races, religions, family dynamics, traditions, and cultures.  Online sites like 1000 Black Girl Books, Scholastic, Kitaab World, and Multicultural Children’s Book Day are all excellent sources of diverse book titles and author recommendations.

  A Two-Minute Action Plan for Parents

 Two of the best ways to help kids learn and enjoy learning about new cultures and traditions are through the exploration of ethnic food and diverse books. Books are especially influential because they contain the seeds of curiosity that inspire readers to look further and discover what is “out there” in the real world. Having access to these kinds of books is an integral part of learning, play, and imagination while also helping kids understand and be curious about other lives, countries, and cultures.

Nevertheless, it is not enough to own these multicultural books. Studies have shown that reading to a child as little as twenty minutes per week will result in stronger readers and an interest in books that will last a lifetime. Reading aloud is also an excellent chance to share adventure, intrigue, and emotion during a time when the reader (and listener) are 100% present in the moment. In a hectic, loud, and fast-paced world, those one-one moments between child and parent are irreplaceable.

5 Ways that Increasing the Awareness of Diverse Books is Paying Off

Alex Asks About Auntie’s Airplane Day (An Adoption Day Story)

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Sometimes the idea for a great diverse picture book for kids comes from the more genuine and authentic sources. That is exactly the case with Alex Asks About Auntie’s Airplane Day by Carolyn Wilhelm.

The idea for this book occurred to Carolyn when she saw her-2-year-old grandson watch his Auntie Betsy from South Korea, and seem to wonder how she fit in the otherwise white family.

Who knows what he was thinking, but it appeared to be he was noticing Auntie’s eyes and skin color. Carolyn decided this book could help him and other young children with older, adopted relatives, understand their families.

“This book is the story of one family’s airplane day party as seen through the eyes of the youngest nephew of the aunt who was adopted by a white family from Korea over 30 years ago,” Carolyn recalled. “Some people call such events gotcha day or adoption day celebrations. The twist is that the child is not the adopted person in the story.”

Alex Asks About Auntie’s Airplane Day: An Adoption Day Story by Carolyn Wilhelm and illustrator Pieter Els.

Alex Asks About Auntie’s Airplane Day is a multigenre fiction story based on a nonfiction annual event, the adoption day celebration sometimes called “airplane day” or “gotcha day.” This is the story of how an adult aunt adopted from South Korea fits in an otherwise white family in Minnesota in the United States. It is meant for the young family relatives to help them understand how a family could have racial diversity. Celebrations such as airplane day and gotcha day are a good way to help family members with such memories.

This sweet picture book is a great way to share the beauty and celebration of adoption while letting a student, friend or family member who has been involved with an international adoption see their story in the pages of a book. This book is also great for any parent or educators trying to help a young child to understand more about the wider world.

Why Teachers, Librarians, and Parents will love this Book

“If your classroom or story time group has children who live in multi-race families (perhaps because they are adopted), they wish to see and hear about themselves in stories,” Carolyn noted. “Although book publishers have more multicultural inclusion in recent years, it is still important for teachers and librarians to make a point to be sure and find books reflective of their students for read-aloud time.”

1 Adoption Story-3 Ways to Read it

Another wonderful benefit of Alex Asks About Auntie’s Airplane Day is that it comes in three different reading formats; paperback, Kindle Paperwhite, eBook, and Kindle Fire interactive eBook. This book will appeal to kids in the  Pre-K through Grade 2 age group.

About The Author

Carolyn Wilhelm-Author and CEO of Wise Owl Factory

Carolyn has been a long-time supporter of MCBD and we appreciate her more than words can say. Her love of kids, books, and education are expressed in everything she does and she is one smart lady!

Carolyn Wilhelm has been writing mostly free lessons for teachers online since 1988. When blogging became popular about 2011, she began her own website and blog to share elementary education resources. She has had lessons published by the National Council of Teachers of English on their ReadWriteThink.org website. Prior to 2011, she used to have her free-lance lessons published by Good Apple and other teacher publications. She taught school for 28 years and found her students enjoyed the stories she wrote. Finally, she has begun writing and self-publishing children’s books.

When asked who her writing inspiration was in life, Carolyn had this to say; “My daughter is my biggest influencer as she is from South Korea and read books about mostly white children when she was growing up. This did not hinder her love of reading. She is an advocate of Multicultural Children’s Book Day and encourages my involvement each year. My husband has patiently proofread countless drafts and has been a writing mentor and supporter.”

Carolyn is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), which has published four of her lessons on ReadWriteThink.org. Her educational resources are for sale on Teachers Pay Teachers as well as Teacher’s Notebook.  Previous publications include a story in an anthology Mom for the Holidays: Stories of Love, Laughter & Tantrums at Christmas & Hanukkah by Nolan and Demas.

She lives in Minnesota and enjoys time with her grandchildren, creating lessons, reading, and being involved in local community center activities. She loves taking time out in nature to observe her favorite bird, owls. She is Red Cross certified in pediatric through adult first aid and CPR.

Connect with Carolyn and Wise Owl Factory on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn. Grab your copy of on Amazon.

Alex Asks About Auntie's Airplane Day

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

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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.

Danuel Berkley

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.

Danuel Berkley

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!

On My Desk | New Diverse Kids’ Books to Consider

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Oh my goodness! The days and weeks are FLYING by and before we know it it will be 1/27/18 and time for the big celebration! If you have not already done so, be sure and visit our Medallion Level Sponsor Page and our Author Sponsor Page. There are a ton of very impressive and talented authors and publishers participating in MCBD2018.

NOW, let’s talk Diverse Kids’ Books.

A few months ago I shared that, because of my role as Project Manager, I get the honor of seeing and reading a TON of amazing multicultural books for kids that are donated to our project. And as a result, I wanted to find a fun way to share those books with the loyal folks who show up here to read every week and support this non-profit.

I am so proud of how well this series has taken off and even more pleased at the enthusiastic reactions of the authors and the readers every time I offer up a new “load” of Diverse Picture Books that the Mailman Book Fairy brought me. This week is no different 🙂 [Read more…]

On My Desk | New Diverse Kids’ Books to Consider {December 7, 2017)

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A few months ago I shared that, because of my role as Project Manager, I get the honor of seeing and reading a TON of amazing multicultural books for kids that are donated to our project. And as a result, I wanted to find a fun way to share those books with the loyal folks who show up here to read every week and support this non-profit.

I am so proud of how well this series has taken off and even more pleased at the enthusiastic reactions of the authors and the readers every time I offer up a new “load” of Diverse Picture Books that the Mailman Book Fairy brought me. This week is no different 🙂

More New Diverse Kids’ Books to Consider

Diverse Kids' Books to Consider [Read more…]