#ReadYourWorld Celebrate Multicultural Children’s Book Day with Real MVP Kids Books

The excitement is palpable because it is Multicultural Children’s Book Day today! Please read all about how Multicultural Children’s Book Day came about and all the fun events today below.

To add to the excitement, the organizers paired me with the awesome Real MVP Kids® Books this year.

This is a series that educators and caregivers will love. Each book features 16 actual children from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds in a variety of situations. In the Celebrate! board book series there are titles about themes as varied as bedtime, holidays, and Grandmas and Grandpas.

Let’s take a look at two board books in this series that have a perfect message for Multicultural Children’s Book Day:

Celebrate! The Way I’m Made by Sophia Day, Megan Johnson, and illustrated by Stephanie Strouse reveals how each person is an individual, with their own special traits, weaknesses, and strengths.

The text explains all the ways children look differently and act differently, and each two-page spread repeats the self-esteem promoting message:

“I am good the way I’m made.”

Each board book in the Celebrate! series has a “Helpful Teaching Tips” section, which explains the concepts behind the text and offers concrete ways to use them. For example, for this book they suggest children should be exposed to five positive messages or interactions for every negative one. It also gives hints about how to talk about the differences children of that age are beginning to notice.

Age Range: 2 – 6 years
Publisher: Real MVP Kids; Brdbk edition (January 1, 2018)
ISBN-10: 1641367806
ISBN-13: 978-1641367806

Celebrate! Our Differences by Sophia Day, Megan Johnson, and illustrated by Stephanie Strouse helps children to respect the uniqueness of others, and pairs nicely with the title above.

“It’s okay to look, but please don’t point or stare.
Let’s celebrate or differences instead of being scared.

In the “Helpful Teaching Tips” section educators and caregivers learn how to carefully choose their words, and to gently correct children to show them how their words might be unintentionally hurtful.

What I particularly enjoyed about this title was the explanation that yellow flowers are a symbol of friendship and the fact that the artist has included yellow flowers in every spread for young readers to find.

The Celebrate! board books help readers learn about and respect themselves and others. As their titles say, it is all to Inspire Character®.

Age Range: 2 – 6 years
Publisher: Real MVP Kids; First edition (May 1, 2017)
ISBN-10: 168418245X
ISBN-13: 978-1684182459

For older children, Real MVP Kids® has a series to help children understand feelings with titles such as Sarah Sizes up the Insecure Ant, Miriam Lassoes the Worry Whirlwind, Lucas Tames the Anger Dragon, and Yong Breaks Out of the Boredom Box. These titles have a learn and discuss section for children to read on their own as well as a special section with information and ideas for educators.

Hope you enjoy Multicultural Children’s Book Day in your own special way!

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019 (1/25/19) is in its 6th year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom. Our mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents and educators.

MCBD 2019 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board!

*View our 2019 Medallion Sponsors here: https://wp.me/P5tVud-
*View our 2019 MCBD Author Sponsors here: https://wp.me/P5tVud-2eN

Medallion Level Sponsors

Honorary: Children’s Book CouncilThe Junior Library GuildTheConsciousKid.org.

Super Platinum: Make A Way Media

GOLD: Bharat BabiesCandlewick PressChickasaw Press, Juan Guerra and The Little Doctor / El doctorcitoKidLitTV,  Lerner Publishing GroupPlum Street Press,

SILVER: Capstone PublishingCarole P. RomanAuthor Charlotte RiggleHuda EssaThe Pack-n-Go Girls,

BRONZE: Charlesbridge PublishingJudy Dodge CummingsAuthor Gwen JacksonKitaab WorldLanguage Lizard – Bilingual & Multicultural Resources in 50+ LanguagesLee & Low BooksMiranda Paul and Baptiste Paul, RedfinAuthor Gayle H. Swift,  T.A. Debonis-Monkey King’s DaughterTimTimTom BooksLin ThomasSleeping Bear Press/Dow PhumirukVivian Kirkfield,

MCBD 2019 is honored to have the following Author Sponsors on board

Honorary: Julie FlettMehrdokht Amini,

Author Janet BallettaAuthor Kathleen BurkinshawAuthor Josh FunkChitra SoundarOne Globe Kids – Friendship StoriesSociosights Press and Almost a MinyanKaren LeggettAuthor Eugenia ChuCultureGroove BooksPhelicia Lang and Me On The PageL.L. WaltersAuthor Sarah StevensonAuthor Kimberly Gordon BiddleHayley BarrettSonia PanigrahAuthor Carolyn Wilhelm, Alva Sachs and Dancing DreidelsAuthor Susan BernardoMilind Makwana and A Day in the Life of a Hindu KidTara WilliamsVeronica AppletonAuthor Crystal BoweDr. Claudia MayAuthor/Illustrator Aram KimAuthor Sandra L. RichardsErin DealeyAuthor Sanya Whittaker GraggAuthor Elsa TakaokaEvelyn Sanchez-ToledoAnita BadhwarAuthor Sylvia LiuFeyi Fay AdventuresAuthor Ann MorrisAuthor Jacqueline JulesCeCe & Roxy BooksSandra Neil Wallace and Rich WallaceLEUYEN PHAMPadma VenkatramanPatricia Newman and Lightswitch LearningShoumi SenValerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Traci SorellShereen RahmingBlythe StanfelChristina MatulaJulie RubiniPaula ChaseErin TwamleyAfsaneh MoradianLori DeMonia, Claudia Schwam, Terri Birnbaum/ RealGirls RevolutionSoulful SydneyQueen Girls Publications, LLC

We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.

Co-Hosts and Global Co-Hosts

A Crafty ArabAgatha Rodi BooksAll Done MonkeyBarefoot MommyBiracial Bookworms, Books My Kids Read, Crafty Moms ShareColours of UsDiscovering the World Through My Son’s EyesDescendant of Poseidon ReadsEducators Spin on it Growing Book by BookHere Wee Read, Joy Sun Bear/ Shearin LeeJump Into a BookImagination Soup,Jenny Ward’s ClassKid World CitizenKristi’s Book NookThe LogonautsMama SmilesMiss Panda ChineseMulticultural Kid BlogsRaising Race Conscious ChildrenShoumi SenSpanish Playground

TWITTER PARTY Sponsored by Make A Way Media: MCBD’s super-popular (and crazy-fun) annual Twitter Party will be held 1/25/19 at 9:00pm.E.S.T. TONS of prizes and book bundles will be given away during the party. GO HERE for more details.

FREE RESOURCES From MCBD

Free Multicultural Books for Teachers: http://bit.ly/1kGZrta

Free Empathy Classroom Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians and Educators: http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/teacher-classroom-empathy-kit/

Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

You might also enjoy some of our recent posts:

#Nonfiction Monday We Are Grateful

Let’s explore some of the fantastic nonfiction children’s books that have been nominated for 2018 Cybils awards.

We are featuring a perfect book to read this week, We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell and illustrated by Frané Lessac.

Members of the Cherokee Nation say the word otsaliheliga to express gratitude. They use it as a reminder not just for one celebration or day, but throughout the year. Starting in autumn and moving through winter, spring and summer, Traci Sorell describes the weather/environment for each season, reveals celebrations that occur during that time of year, and describes special activities and foods that bind families together.

The back matter is a must read. It gives a deeper explanation of some of the terms used, explains the author’s source materials –and how other books have got things wrong — and tells the story of a man named Sequoyah developed the Cherokee written language in the early 1800s.

Frané Lessac’s gouache illustrations contain small details that are likely to lead to further discussion and investigation.

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga is a wonderful book that is hard to describe. It has things to offer that readers might not even know they want or need. Pick up a copy and you will be glad you did.

The book trailer helps with pronunciations.

Activity Suggestions:

Visit Traci Sorrell’s website (at bottom of book page) or Charlesbridge (downloadables tab) for a teacher’s guide and coloring sheets to accompany the book.

Age Range: 3 – 7 years
Publisher: Charlesbridge (September 4, 2018)
ISBN-10: 158089772X
ISBN-13: 978-1580897723

 

Disclosure: The book was provided by our local library. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

nonfictionmonday

Looking for more children’s nonfiction books? Try the Nonfiction Monday blog.

#Nonfiction Monday: An Artist and An Architect

Let’s explore some of the fantastic nonfiction children’s books that have been nominated for 2018 Cybils awards.

So many wonderful biographies were nominated this year. Because we only have a limited time to talk about them, I’m going to pair books about two women who have produced public art that has changed lives.

In alphabetical order by the subject’s last name, first we have the picture book Ruth Asawa:  A Sculpting Life by Joan Schoettler and illustrated by Tracie Van Wagoner.

Ruth Asawa’s story could have been made into at least two books. She started out life as Aiko Asawa from Southern California. She was given the Americanized first name Ruth when she went to school. A short time later World War II started, and she and her family were taken to one of the Japanese internment camps. While inside, Ruth studied art and spent her free time creating. If the author had chosen, this could have been an entire story of its own.

But there was more to Ruth. Once she was released, she used her experiences to create astonishing looped-wire sculptures and later on, public fountains. She became a renowned sculptor.

You can see some of her amazing sculptures in this video.

The tone of both the text and the illustrations are appropriately more subdued than some of the other biographies on the nomination list (for example, last week’s post). The brightest illustrations are the first spread, when Ruth was Aiko on the farm where she grew up and the last spread showing the beautiful Garden of Remembrance Ruth designed to honor the Japanese-Americans who were interred during the war.

Black and white photographs of Asana and her work are included in the back matter.

Ruth Asawa:  A Sculpting Life will captivate readers interested in history and those who enjoy art. It is a perfect choice for women’s history month, too. Pick up a copy and be inspired today.

Activity Suggestion:

Fold an origami butterfly (Instructions — and links to more patterns– in this previous post)

Age Range: 6 – 9 years
Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company, Inc. (August 30, 2018)
ISBN-10: 9781455623976
ISBN-13: 978-1455623976
ASIN: 1455623970

Moving on in time, we have the middle grade title Maya Lin: Thinking With Her Hands by Susan Goldman Rubin.

Not everyone knows, but the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D. C. was designed by a young student of Chinese descent. The architect Maya Lin has gone on to shape many more breathtaking buildings and outdoor spaces.

Abundant color photographs reveal Lin’s story and her projects, like a gorgeous two-page spread of the Storm King Wavefield covered with snow (see). The images give the book a vibrant, modern feel. They also make you want to go visit all the places she’s created.

Of note: Susan Goldman Rubin shows Maya Lin’s talent didn’t arise from thin air.

“…her aunt had been an architect and architectural historian in Beijing. She had come to the United States to study architecture, but she was not admitted because she was a woman. However, within a year she wound up on the faculty.”

Do you know a budding architect or artist? Get Maya Lin: Thinking With Her Hands into their hands right now!

Activity Suggestion:

Check out an informational video about Maya Lin and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Khan Academy (especially appropriate since today is Veterans Day).

Publisher: Chronicle Books (November 7, 2017)
ISBN-10: 1452108374
ISBN-13: 978-1452108377

Disclosure: The books were provided by our local libraries. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

nonfictionmonday

Looking for more children’s nonfiction books? Try the Nonfiction Monday blog.