Multicultural Children's Book Day

#ReadYourWorld

New Diverse Kidlit Books that Embrace the Uniqueness of our World!

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Before we just in and start sharing the latest in amazing multicultural books that have come across our desks, we want to say this…

Thank you for supporting the diverse children’s literacy initiative Multicultural Children’s Book Day! Our 8th celebration will take place on January 29, 2021, and we cannot wait for the celebration to begin.

We always welcome quality, relevant, and literacy-related contributions from writers, authors, publishers, and organizations. We’ve had some really, really cool. If you are looking for guest posts about diverse books that focus on timely topics and unique language, there have been many on Multicultural Children’s Book Day blog recently.

Here are a few of the latest:

Author Idan Ravin shares his wonderful book about patience and one of our new mantras in life #FindYourCornbread HERE.

Author John Stickler shares his story of a surprise international prize for his delightful diverse book Maya and the Turtle HERE.

Maya and the Turtle: A Korean Folk Tale

Language Lizard has some ammmaaazzzing language tools, books, and resources for teachers, distance learners, and homeschoolers HERE.

We love it when we have guests on our blog that showcase books with hard-to-find languages.

We are thrilled that authors Monica Hernandez and Bilen Haile stopped by to share their Sri Lankan kidlit book…

… and we felt like we hit the lotto when Sandra Amoako stopped by to share her Ghanian (Twi) language book for beginning readers.

In our opinion, there can never be enough kids’ books available on the topic of unique family dynamics.

Kendra and Claire-Voe Ocampo, authors of the new LGBTQ children’s picture book, Mighty May Won’t Cry Today have penned a beautiful diverse story a little girl and her two moms that should be on every bookshelf.

**Discover even more excellent articles and posts about diversity, languages, equality, activism, and so much more on the MCBD blog HERE.

Ways to Get Involved in Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021

Book Donation: Creators can donate books that will be reviewed and shared on social media.

Sponsorships: Sponsorships are directly connected to the yearly celebration itself and are a great way to tap into the hundreds-of-thousands of views our social media channels get from November to February 1. We have sponsorships at a variety of price points to fit any budget. All levels of Sponsorships for MCBD 2021 will open up September 1.

Do a Social Shout Out for your book or Favorite Author’s Book: Shout Outs are a one-time social media push on an author/diverse book’s behalf. Our Social Shout Outs are available all year long and act as a fundraiser for our Free Books for Classrooms Project. See samples of how awesome our Social Shout Out images look HERE.

Join our Exclusive MCBD Facebook Group: This group is a nice mix of parents, book reviewers, teachers, and authors, so you will be able to connect with like-minded people!

Guest posts: As you can tell, MCBD loves to welcome guest post ideas that are in alignment with our mission! For more information about guest posting for us, contact Becky at Becky@MulticulturalChildrensBookDay.com .

Be a Book Reviewer: We are always looking for people who would love a free diverse book in exchange for an honest review on social media during the month of January. If this is something you are interested in, subscribe to the MCBD blog and we will let you know as soon as the reviewer sign up is open September 1.

If you have any questions about Multicultural Children’s Book Day, contact Becky at Becky@MulticulturalChildrensBookDay.com 

 

5 things to look forward to for Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020

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As the 7th annual MCBD approaches on January 31, 2020, we have been eyeball deep in all-things-Multicultural Children’s Book Day and loving every second of it!

Here are some reasons why we know for a FACT, that the 2020 Multicultural Children’s Book Day will be the best EVER.

5 things to look forward to for Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020

Mind-blowing Sponsors and Diverse books: Multicultural Children’s Book Day is ion its 7th year and is gaining momentum more and more every day!  Currently, the 2020 lineup includes a ton of and impressive Medallion Level Sponsors and Author Sponsors with more being added daily. Currently, we have over 600+ reviewers signed up (pass the word if you know of anyone who’d like to receive a book to reviews!) to review books on Amazon, a blog, Facebook (Pages only-no profiles), Instagram or YouTube. Our 26 CoHosts and Global CoHosts are working hard to spread the work and countless authors and publishers donating multicultural children’s books. Good stuff!

FREE STUFF!: Throughout the months leading up to the celebratory day, educators, librarians, and parents can start planning and preparing with FREE activities available today at www.multiculturalchildrensbookday.com like these:

The free Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit: This free and downloadable Classroom Kit includes book recommendations that will help Readers Understand Physical and Developmental Challenges for ages 4 -12. Also included:

~ Classroom or Home Activities

~ “Physical and Developmental Challenges” Classroom Poster thanks to the talents of award-winning illustrator, SKlakina

~HelpfulPhysical and Developmental Challenge Talking Points for Teachers

~Links, resources and services that are available to families facing the challenges of coping with Physical and Developmental Challenges in the U.S.A.

Download our FREE 2019/2020 Classroom Kit!

FREE Classroom “Empathy” Kit:  The free Classroom Empathy Kit focuses on empathy and compassion through shared booklists and special home or classroom activities. The kit includes 18 book recommends on the topic of Understanding Immigration and Refugees, Classroom Empathy Activities, and a very special custom printable Empathy Poster courtesy of author/illustrator Juana Medina. Educators, parents, and librarians can sign-up to receive the free classroom kit here: http://bit.ly/2BGu4uQ

FREE Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate: Understanding Poverty in America Classroom Kit: Created in 2018, this free classroom kit includes over 2 dozen poverty in the U.S.-themed book recommends for ages 4-12, two classroom or home activities, and a copy of the official “Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate” Classroom Poster thanks to the talents of award-winning illustrator, Mehrdokht Amini. http://bit.ly/2P6cXWE

Free Diversity Book Lists and Activities for Teachers and Parents: Curated lists of books about diverse topics including: countries, religions, holidays, ethnicities, in addition to special needs and LGBTQ. http://bit.ly/1kGZrta

Share a Classroom Celebration: Teachers who host a celebration in the classroom can send in a picture of their party to receive 3 free diverse books and a swag pack as a thank you.  Teachers and librarians can enter their event info HERE (https://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/category/offline-classroomlibrary-event-project/)

 

The CBC/MCBD Annual Book Jam Giveaway Party: We have joined forces with the Children’s Book Council (CBC) for many years now and this year will be extra special.

#ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2020 Pinterest

Starting on January 3rd, we will be presenting our SIXTH #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2020 in conjunction with Children’s Book Council. This year we have 10 amazing authors with unique book lists to share. Each author is also doing a book giveaway!

HINT: Watch for reviews and giveaways from some of your favorite authors like Nikki Grimes, Nic Stone, David Bowles, and more!

 

The Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020 Music Video: In late 2018 Annie Lynn and Walt Wilcezewski from Annie Bird Music created the most wonderful music video for our 2019 event. You can view our first official Read Your World Music Video here and you may see some familiar faces and books! For MCBD2020, Annie and Walt are busy in the studio creating the new version and we are dying of anticipation! So stay tuned for the final video debut on social media!

Twitter Party! We have announced the date and time for this year’s crazy-fun Twitter party hosted by Super-Platinum Sponsor, Deedee Cummings from Make A Way Media! As always, we will not only have some great questions to ask but we will also have tons of multicultural children’s books and swag to give away. I predict, during our MCBD2020 Twitter Party (8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Central on 1/31/20) we will likely be giving away over 100 diverse picture, chapter, and YA books! Stay tuned for more details.

From the MCBD Team: As our seventh Multicultural Children’s Book Day holiday approaches on January 31, 2020, we are thrilled to have you as part of our amazing community of supporters! With enthusiasm, optimism, and hope, we prepare for MCBD 2020 and would be honored if you join our celebration of diversity through children’s books.

Thank you for cultivating understanding, kindness, inclusion, and exploration of this beautiful world in your classroom.

Don’t forget to connect with Multicultural Children’s Book Day on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

One more thing:

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!

January 31, 2020, will mark the 7th year of Multicultural Children’s Book Day’s (MCBD) quest to get culturally diverse books into the hands of children, parents, teachers, and librarians. As you may know, Multicultural Children’s Book Day (MCBD) is a non-profit that works with authors to get their books reviewed during our online event and also works to get free diversity children’s books into the hands of young readers.

In a nutshell; 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 or go here to get the full scoop before you sign up via our Google form.

As always, #ReadYourWorld!

 

 

 

Welcome to Thailand! Mystery of the Naga at Night

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Guest post from the Pack-n-Go Girls
Great news! We’re just weeks away from releasing Mystery of the Naga at Night, the second book in the Thailand series. Girls from around the world have been pre-reading it and they’re loving it. Here’s a bit about the book:

Welcome to Thailand!

Rustle. Crunch. Rustle. Crunch. Something creeps by Jess’ window in a Thai hill tribe village. Whatever it sounds close enough to touch. The wind blows. Pebbles scatter. A shadow slithers through the moonlight. What is this mysterious creature doing slipping into the jungle every night? Jess and Nong May are determined to find out.

 
And here’s how to get an advance reader’s copy–for free! We’re headed to the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in November. Is your favorite librarian planning to attend the conference? If so let us know and we’ll reserve a free advanced reader copy for you and one for your librarian. We have a limited number that we’re setting aside for advanced requests, so let us know ASAP at hello@packngogirls.com and we’ll send you instructions for reserving your copy.
If you haven’t already discovered Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures you’re in for a treat. This early chapter book series reflects the diversity in our world. American girls from all parts of the country travel to Thailand, Mexico, Brazil, Austria, and Australia where they solve spooky mysteries and create new friendships. We inspire readers to embrace adventure, be curious, value what unites us, and celebrate the differences that make us unique. It’s a boundary-less world out there. Teach your kids to become global kids!
Want to discover more about Pack-n-Go Girls? Sign up here and get our Adventure Starter Kit as our gift to you. Your kids will love the fun activities!
Mystery of the Naga at Night

Mystery of the Naga at Night

More About the Pack-n-Go Girls

The Pack-N-Go Girls are a MCBD2020 PLATINUM SPONSOR!

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:
Image of Mystery of the Min Min Lights https://app.box.com/s/6bnmjmilq1ud4c54mo96kyh987j769zv 
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.
Image of Mystery of the Rusty Key https://app.box.com/s/vj89d47wnyvbm0okmd6j2btrnx8mnaep
 
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.
Follow the Pack-n-Go Girls® on Twitter:@packngogirls , Instagram, Pinterest, and on Facebook: facebook.com/packngogirls

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

(Signup deadline is 12/15/19)

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020 Sponsorships are OPEN!

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It may be September, but planning for MCBD2020 is already in full swing!

There is a ton of new and exciting things to share and just as many exciting new things in the works for our SEVENTH global celebration of diversity in children’s literature.

New Victories at MCBD

We launched our newest FREE Physical and Developmental Challenges Classroom Kit. Get the scoop HERE.

During our July Flash Sale, we welcomed two very impressive MCBD2020 Platinum Sponsors (both are long-time supporters of MCBD): Language Lizard and Pack-n-Go-Girls!

Co-founder Mia Wenjen published not one but TWO new diverse books! (click the images to view details of each of these books)

Long-time MCBD Project Manager, Becky Flansburg, also co-authored and published a diverse picture book!

But the thing we are most excited about at this very moment is that Sponsorships (all levels) for MCBD2020 are officially OPEN!

**NOTE: Sponsorships are not a way to *pay* for reviews–it’s an opportunity to tap into a huge book community (made up of young readers, parents, teachers, and librarians), take advantage of our vibrant and efficient social media network, and gain visibility for your work.

All while supporting a passionate non-profit dedicated to getting diverse/multicultural books into the hands of young readers.

The Scoop on SPONSORSHIP LEVELS for MCBD2020:

To view MCBD2020 Sponsorship Levels and Rates, GO HERE.

*Sponsorships are only offered from September to January 1 of any given year and are a unique marketing tool to help authors, publishers, and organizations to tap into the HUGE momentum and buzz that surrounds our on and offline event. MCBD2020 is on 1/31/20, but things really start to get exciting and crazy around November 1.

*As part of your Sponsorship for MCBD2020, you will be matched with as many (or as few) reviewers as you would like. We have a huge pool of over 800 people who sign up to get a free diverse book (supplied by you) and they, in turn, share their review and thoughts of your book on their own social media channels during the month of January.

*The buzz during our holiday is enormous and our hashtag #ReadYourWorld has historically trended on Twitter during the celebration day.
*If you choose a Medallion level Sponsorship, your logo and 2-3 book cover images become part of our active Pinterest Pinning initiative (Pinterest is a huge traffic driver for us)

*You will have a listing and links on either our Medallion Level Sponsor Page or Author Level  (whichever level you choose) and that information will remain on our site for one year.

*If you choose a Medallion Level (Platinum through Bronze) your linked logo will appear on the sidebar of the MCBD site and stay there for one year.

*Your information is promoted and shared via social media from the moment you sign up and the promotion of your book or business will become heavier as the online celebration nears.

*GO HERE to download our Sponsorship Packet so you will have deeper details and rates.

To view MCBD2020 Sponsorship Levels and Rates, GO HERE.

As always, don’t hesitate to email me (Becky (at) MulticulturalChildrensBookDay (dot) com) if you have any questions. We are always available to help our participant SHINE and gain traction in the diverse children and YA book world.

Sponsorships for Multicultural Children’s Book Day is not only a great way to support this event; it is an excellent way to get your name (and your books) in front of thousands of readers. All of our Sponsors get a name mention within the hundreds of reviews that get posted from December to January 31st and also on the sites of our 24+ CoHosts sites. The deadline for ALL Sponsor sign-ups is 12/15/19.

We look forward to working with you!

To view MCBD2020 Sponsorship Levels and Rates, GO HERE.

P.S If you love books, and would like to be a book reviewer for MCBD 2020, sign up below!

World Languages for our Multicultural World | Guest post by Judy Martialay

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World Languages for our Multicultural World

First Global Challenge, an international competition, brought teen-agers from over 150 countries around the world to Washington, D.C. this summer. Students collaborated across countries and borders to build robots which would reduce water contamination. A keynote speaker observed that in the future there would be many opportunities for budding scientists from around the world to work together for peaceful purposes.

This is the world that we need to prepare our children for. Regardless of their career choices or where they may live, it is more probable than ever that they will be communicating and working with people from diverse language and cultural backgrounds.

How do we best prepare our children for success in the multilingual, multicultural 21st century?

Judy Martialay

Let’s give them an early start learning a foreign language. One can learn a language at any age, but children who start early have more years to become truly proficient and to have a marketable skill. [Read more…]