diverserkidlit Archives - Multicultural Children's Book Day

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

April 2, 2020 by Valarie Budayr

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

Multicultural Book Recommendations for World Travel from the Safety of Home

March 22, 2020 by Valarie Budayr

Guest Post from Janelle Diller and Pack-n-Go Girls^®

::Big sigh:: The world has changed—we hope just temporarily. But here we are. No travel. Extra days out of school. Uncertain times. Thank goodness for books to distract us! We have some great multicultural recommendations to pass the time and expand your children’s world.

Hopefully, your library has them, but if not, Amazon still delivers to your door. We hope.

Multicultural Book Recommendations for World Travel

The Breaking News Written and Illustrated by Sarah Lynne Reul

Bad news breaks and a young girl tries to make sense of it. A gray cloud slips over the family and the community. The parents are sad and distracted. “Suddenly Mom is glued to the television. Dad can’t stop checking his phone. They whisper and I pretend not to hear.” The mother even forgets to tuck the girl into bed at night. Her schoolmates feel the weight of the bad news, too.

This isn’t a random bedtime story to read to a sleepy three-year-old. Even though the sparse text and picture book format implies a preschool audience, the subject matter and treatment could be unsettling for a young child who didn’t have a context for the theme. In this current environment, it can be a powerful conversation starter for preschoolers through early elementary children.

My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder Written and Illustrated by Nie Jun; Translated by Edward Gauvin

Whether you’re eight or eighty, My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder is perfect for an afternoon of contemplating. What’s real? What’s a dream? What’s magic? The four stories give readers plenty of moments to use their own imagination.

Nie Jun wrote and illustrated the stories in comic book style, but don’t be misled. This is not your father’s comic book of bold lines and dramatic primary colors (washed out by the printing process and cheap paper). This is a book of art. Each page presents multiple frames of the story, all done in pastel watercolors and ink lines. They’re rich in detail and action.

Penguin Days Written by Sara Leach; Illustrated by Rebecca Bender

Penguin Days takes the reader on a journey. In the second book in this endearing series by Sara Leach, Lauren and her family travel to Lincoln, North Dakota, so Lauren can be the flower girl in her auntie Joss’ wedding. It takes Lauren’s family “two days, eight movies, four chapter books, and three throw-ups” to get to their destination. This is perhaps as good of a time as any to stop and ponder how many children’s books take place in North Dakota.

Zero? That’s the common answer.

So here’s the first clue to the nature of this book: Penguin Days is not common. And that’s its gift. Lauren, the protagonist, has ASD, or Autism Spectrum Disorder, which means her brain works differently than other people’s brains. The book is filled with gentle humor, which helps the reader appreciate Lauren’s perspective while at the same time doesn’t sugar coat life with a child with ASD. The family drives to North Dakota because the last time they traveled there, they flew, and as Lauren notes, “[N]obody wanted to live through the experience of flying with me again.”

Penguin Days provides learning of the most important kind and has an added bonus of sweet humor, age-appropriate text, and engaging illustrations. It belongs on the shelf of every library for young readers.

Big Problemas Written and Illustrated by Juana Medina

In Big Problemas, written and illustrated by Juana Medina, Juana and Lucas return in a second romp through the world of this delightful young Colombian and her dog, Lucas.

Juana’s life is just about perfect—but it’s about to become just a little less perfect. Her first clue is that her mami has a new hairdo. At first, Juana thinks she’s just gotten into the wrong car after school, but when Juana tells her mami that she liked her mami’s old hair better, her mami isn’t too happy about her comment. “That’s when I knew I was in the right car with the right Mami, just not with the right hairdo.” And that’s when the reader realizes that this is going to be fun.

This engaging story with endearing characters and a gentle touch on the larger themes of loss and change make for a valuable read.

Small Mercies Written by Bridget Krone; Illustrated by Karen Vermeulen

Mercy steals the reader’s heart from the very first page. Although more accurately, it’s Mercy’s eccentric foster aunts who do the initial stealing. Their quirky excuse notes—one says Mercy has “the collywobbles,” another that she has “a dicky tummy,” and on another that she can’t participate in inter-house cross-country because she “has a bone in her leg”—let the reader know some sweet humor is ahead.

Small Mercies carries the reader to South Africa. One of the benefits for the North American audience is that the reader realizes that, yes, there are unfamiliar differences between the two places, but even more important, the similarities are even greater. Take away the African cultures and replace them with familiar American cultures, and the classroom is the same. Children can be kind and can be cruel; they can stress out about school expectations, and the worries they have about their home life travel with them into the classroom.

Karen Vermeulen’s simple line drawings complement Krone’s text with appropriate whimsy. The short chapters are a nice treat for the reading level, particularly since the themes have a depth to them that takes some reflecting. Krone notes that her “favorite stories are those that, just when you expect a lesson, sing a song instead.” Small Mercies is just that surprising song, full of light and sweetness. Readers will carry the melody in their hearts long after the last page is turned.

Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures

If you’re looking for travel adventure mysteries, Pack-n-Go Girls will take you there. Snuggle up with spooky stories that take readers to haunted castles in Austria, catch thieves in Mexico, save dolphins and turtles in Brazil, search for lost golden temples in Thailand, and chase aliens in Australia. It’s the cheapest way to travel to the other side of the world, and you can do it by paperback, ebook, or audiobook!

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Diversity in kid literature | Your experience matters too, little one

February 18, 2020 by Valarie Budayr

Guest Post from author Connie-Vee Hawkins

People often say I was born with a camera in my hand. I loved taking my parent’s camera and snapping pictures. I saw each picture as a story. As I grew older, everyone realized I was indeed the storyteller of the family. Storytelling is therapeutic. It helps us to process the negative experience and immortalize a positive experience. Many experiences turned into stories. Like the one I wrote while in elementary school. It was called The Wrong Turn. I later understood it was my way of processing moving to a predominantly white neighboorhood in the ‘70s.

Just about every day, my sisters and I were subjected to insults at school or when we walked home from school. “jungle bunny” “jigaboo” “spear chucker” and the constant hearing of the “n” word were all foreign to me. Never head that ending with a hard “r”-although it was similar to what I heard on the streets in Watts, this was different…painful. Maybe it was the look in the faces of my White schoolmates and their parents when they said it? Maybe.

Mr. Hayes was my 5th-grade teacher. He was a White man that suffered from the Marfan syndrome, which made him this long-haired, extremely tall and lanky hippy-like man. Coming from Watts made him even extra particular to me. I really liked him. I being his only black student made him take an interest in me, I think he was just as curious about me as I was him.

“Have you ever read the book, Sounder?” he asked me one day. I hadn’t. He then handed me the book. I read it twice over the weekend. I was so moved by the characters and the experience which, although in two different worlds we were experiencing the same thing. When I finished the book, I wanted more. I wanted to read about my experience. The next book he gave me was, The Miracle Worker-The Helen Keller Story. Although she was a White lady, I related to her. Being the outcast. Different from her peers. Misunderstood and struggling to assimilate. Assimilation was survival. After reading her book, I started writing my own stories. I was in 5th grade.

As an adult, I became the mother of two children. Of course, I wanted to read stories to them that was like my experience. Stories that valued family, hard work, unity, and more. I wanted my girls to see characters that looked like them and their experience. So, instead of going on the exhaustive hunt for these books, I started writing them myself. I even tried to illustrate them. They loved them.

I’m not sure if people understand just how valuable it is for kids to see diversity in kid literature. It’s like, the world is looking at you and saying…hey, your life matters too. Your experience matters, little one.

As a mother, I wanted to share with my children my experience as a nature lover. I grew up camping in the Angeles Forest and although we often experience racism, it was always overshadowed by the beauty of nature. I discovered, there were tons of books dealing with, cooking, sibling-rivalry, and sharing, but nothing on nature with black families. So I started writing short stories for my children’s bed-time stories that featured topics that included characters that were nature lovers or loved hiking, camping and more. It just seemed to make storytime extra special. Most of those stories are still on longhand on some paper in a box by my bed. But I vowed to share them with the world. One book at a time.

Adventure one: Up and Out, is just the beginning. Much more to come. 🙂

About Connie-Vee

Connie-Vee Hawkins Writing was my first connection to creative expression. I have always been fascinated at how words strung together in a story can awaken one’s imaginations while inspiring us to live a better life.

When my children were younger, I enjoyed reading folktales with a positive, message-driven narrative—only I wanted to see more characters that looked like my daughters and the children of color in my community. I began writing those stories myself and eventually shared them at local schools, where they were well received. Now I’m making them available in paperback, e-book format and audio version—one story at a time.

“Connie-Vee is a talented storyteller and gifted, generous teacher. It was a pleasure to work with her. She has the courage to try to make the world a better place by celebrating diversity while also showing the humanity and kindness that can unite us all.” –Robert Reese, Author

Encompassing All Perspectives | Guest Posts from Pack-n-Go Girls

January 19, 2020 by Valarie Budayr

Multicultural Children’s Book Day is just around the corner on January 31st. It’s a great time to reflect on whether your book collection is encompassing all perspectives.

One of our authors, Lisa Travis, had a unique experience as a panelist for this topic at the last American Association of School Librarians conference. We thought we would do a quick synopsis of the author panelists’ books and the perspectives they represented.

The first panelist was Rafael Lopez, the illustrator for Sonia Sotomayor’s book, Just Ask: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You. This children’s picture book does an amazing job of answering children’s curiosity about others’ differences. Using her own experience as a child who was diagnosed with diabetes, Justice Sotomayor writes about children with all sorts of challenges–and looks at the special powers those kids have as well. Rafael talked about his gratitude to have the opportunity to positively bring awareness to our unique abilities in this world. We also discussed the power of engaging in conversation. Hopefully, this book helps children feel confident to “just ask” and not make assumptions. What books do you have on your bookshelf that speak to the perspective of differences, whether they be physical or mental?

The second panelist was Geoff Rodkey, author of We’re Not From Here. This sci-fi middle-grade novel proves that friendship and laughter can transcend even a galaxy of differences. If you want to go multicultural, why not go to Mars or Planet Choom? Readers of this book will get introduced to immigration through the perspective of space refugees. Boys and girls will love the main character. Is it boy? Or a girl? According to Geoff, “I gave the readers a bit more space to imagine whatever version of Lan works best for them.” During the panel, Rodkey discussed his approach to creating a gender-neutral character and the misadventures he has had since with those who have assumed one way or the other. In this book, Geoff gave us many perspectives that will expand our thinking. If you’ve got middle-grade readers, add this one to your bookshelf.

The third panelist, Greg Howard, author of Middle School’s a Drag brought yet another perspective for middle grader readers, encouraging us to see the world through a middle school entrepreneur who is discovering how to be open about his identity. He starts his own junior talent agency and signs a thirteen-year-old aspiring drag queen as his first client. Greg shared with us his own perspectives on LGBTQ issues and how they informed his characters and why it was important to have these perspectives on our bookshelves to build a more inclusive world.

Last, our Pack-n- Go Girls Adventures brought yet another perspective. Lisa Travis, the author of our latest Pack-n-Go Girls Adventure, Mystery of the Naga at Night, discussed the importance of multicultural literature in our globally connected world.

Our mission has always been to make a difference by nurturing an adventurous spirit that inspires kids to go out and explore the world, infusing kids with curiosity and an insatiable thirst to learn, and coaching kids to notice what unites us and appreciate the value of our differences. This is what multicultural and diverse literature brings to the table. If we teach our children to move into the world from a place of openness, wonder, and curiosity, rather than fear, judgment, and separation, we set them up to live profoundly more nourishing, connected lives. Reading multicultural books is an easy first step in this direction.

Ultimately, the more we read, the more we learn. The more perspectives we learn about, the more we build empathy and acceptance. Consider this: How much does it mean for children to read a book that has a girl or boy “just like me” in it? The loss isn’t just for children who don’t see themselves on the pages, but the loss is also for the children who only see themselves on the pages. How do they learn to appreciate and understand different perspectives?

So, as we get ready to celebrate multicultural books, take a look at your bookshelf. Does it encompass the perspectives that you want your children or students to explore? Stay tuned for the great 2020 linky with a myriad of book reviews of multicultural books to discover hot new titles that will encompass all perspectives.

Check it out: https://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/

Pack-n-Go Girls are a proud PLATINUM Sponsor of MCBD2020!

Christmas Around The World (plus a free Christmas activity download!)

December 14, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

Guest post from Pack-n-Go Girls

Ever wonder what holiday celebrations look like in other countries?

Then let’s take your kids on a tour of the world this Christmas with Pack-n-Go Girls Christmas around the World Adventure!

Travel to different countries and learn about holiday celebrations in Austria, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, and Thailand. Print out the provided passport read about how each country celebrates and then do the country activity. When complete, add a stamp to your passport.

For a special Christmas treat, don’t miss Mystery at the Christmas Market. And if you need some more activities to keep everyone entertained during your holiday vacation, make sure you also check out our Country Exploration Kits for more fun and learning about the different countries. We’ve extended the learning with 45+ pages of educational activities for your children and students. You’ll find lots of cross-curriculum activities in reading, writing, math, science, art, and social studies. In the spirit of traveling, our Country Exploration Kit also includes a crossword puzzle, word search, maze, secret decoder, some coloring pages, and recipes for cooking some treats for your next trip.

Happy Holidays!

About Pack-N-Go Girls

Dreaming of true-blue friends, mysterious adventures, and faraway places? Pack-n-Go Girls take you there!

2017 Literary Classics Winner – Best Series – Young Reader

2017 Moonbeam Children’s Book Winner – Best Chapter Book Series

2014 Moonbeam Children’s Book Winner – Best Chapter Book Series

Readers tour haunted castles in Austria, catch thieves in Mexico, save dolphins and turtles in Brazil, search for lost golden temples in Thailand, and chase aliens in Australia. AND at the same time, they’re inspired to embrace adventure, be curious, value what unites us, and celebrate the differences that make us unique. Kids discover the diversity of cultures and the richness each one contributes to the world.

Headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO, Pack-n-Go Girls specializes in creating innovative stories for girls that deliver positive messages around independence, adventure, and global awareness.

PNGG’s newest offering is Mystery of the Rusty Key, the second book in the Australian adventures. Here’s a bit about both books:

Mystery of the Min Min Lights – Australia 1

Journey into the dusty, windswept Australian outback, land of bounding kangaroos and dazzling sunsets. Wendy Lee arrives from California. She’s lucky to meet Chloe and Jacko Taylor, who invite Wendy to their sheep station. It sounds like fun except that someone is stealing the sheep. And the thief just might be something as crazy as a UFO.

Mystery of the Rusty Key – Australia 2

Wendy, Chloe, and Jacko travel to Sydney and dive straight into another mystery where they must unravel four spooky clues: an ancient letter, a rusty key, a missing box, and a curse. The kids race against time to solve the mystery before the clock strikes midnight.

Learn more about the Pack-n-Go Girls® books and related products HERE.

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BOOK REVIEWERS, WE.Need.YOU.

If you love diverse books for kids and have a social media platform to share a review on, we want to give you a FREE diversity book to review!

AND…you don’t have to be a blogger to review multicultural children’s books for our MCBD2020 (1/31/20) online event. You just need to have a love of diversity in children’s literature and be willing to share on your social media platforms such as Facebook (Pages only-no Facebook profiles), Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or YouTube. We encourage honest Amazon reviews of assigned books whenever possible as well.

SIGN UP HERE to be an MCBD2020 book reviewer ASAP and go HERE for the detailed explanation of what it means to be a valued book reviewer for our MCBD2020 celebration