#kidlit Sugar in Milk for #ReadYourWorld

 

We just couldn’t contain our excitement for Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2022 (see details below the review), so today we are featuring a lovely, timely picture book Sugar in Milk* by Thrity Umrigar and illustrated by Khoa Le.

Living with her uncle and aunt in a new country, a young immigrant girl is lonely. She joins her aunt in a walk through a local park. Knowing her niece misses her previous home and is struggling, the girl’s aunt tells her a story about another group of people who also had to move to a new place, but long ago. The story helps the girl accept her new circumstances.

In her story — a folktale from India — a group of refugees were forced from their home and traveled to a different country. They wanted to stay, but the local king didn’t want them. Because the two groups did not speak the same language, the king filled a glass with milk, his way of saying that the country was full up with people and no more would fit. The leader of the refugees had another idea.  He added a pinch of sugar to the glass of milk. He showed his people could become part of the greater whole. The king relented and welcomed the newcomers.

Having heard this tale long ago from a friend, I had thought it would make a wonderful children’s book. Thrity Umrigar and Khoa Le made it an award-winning reality:

An ALSC Notable Children’s Book of 2021
A Kirkus Best Books of 2020
A School Library Journal Best Books of 2020
Winner of the 2021 Ohioana Book Award

Sugar in Milk is a timeless story that will help children who are moving to a new place to adjust, regardless of the circumstances. It is also a makes a memorable case for acceptance in a clever way. Highly recommended!

Related Activity:

Make a sweet Indian drink to celebrate the book.

Sweet Lassi (Traditional)

  • 1 1/4 cup plain yogurt
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup ice cubes
  • 3 to 5 teaspoons of sugar
  • A pinch of salt

Blend all the ingredients in a blender at high speed till frothy. Optional: add 2-3 Tbsp. fruit prior to blending. Pour into a glass and add a dollop of fresh yogurt on top (optional).


(*Amazon affiliate link)

Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 – 8 years
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Running Press Kids (October 6, 2020)
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0762495197
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0762495191

Disclosures: I am an Amazon affiliate. If you go to Amazon by clicking the linked title or book cover and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Proceeds will be used to help defray the costs of developing and maintaining this website. The book was provided by my local library.

 

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2022 (1/28/22) is in its 9th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.

MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves. Read about our Mission & History HERE.

MCBD 2022 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!

SUPER PLATINUM: Make A Way Media

PLATINUM: Language Lizard

GOLD: Barefoot Books, KidLitTV, Candlewick, Capstone, Abrams Books

SILVER: Pack-n-Go Girls, Charlotte Riggle, Kimberly Gordon Biddle

BRONZE: Carole P. Roman, Patrice McLaurin, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin.com, Redfin Canada, Redfin Mortgage, Redfin/Title Forward, Create & Educate, Star Bright Books, Vivian Kirkfield, Dr. Eleanor Wint, Kind World Publishing, Snowflake Stories, Lisa Wee, SONGJU MA, Melissa Stoller, J.C. Kato and J.C.², Crystel Patterson, Audrey Press, Pragmaticmom, TimTimTom, Wisdom Tales

MCBD 2022 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Charlene Mosley (official MCBD2022 Poster Creator)
Illustrator Isabelle Roxas (Class Kit Poster Creator)

Alva Sachs, Brianna Carter, Ebony Zay Zay, Rita Bhandari, Gwen Jackson, Lois Petren/The 5 Enchanted Mermaids, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Josh Funk, Afsaneh Moradian, Eugenia Chu, Maritza Martínez Mejía, Diana Huang, Kathleen Burkinshaw, CultureGroove, Sandra Elaine Scott, Dorena Williamson, Veronica Appleton, Alejandra Domenzain, Lauren Muskovitz and Sandfish Publishing, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Kimberly Lee, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher, Nancy Tupper Ling, Winsome Hudson-Bingham, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Sivan Hong, Michael Genhart, Debbie Dadey, Elizabeth Cureton, Stephanie Wildman, Maryann Jacob, Sherri Maret, Rochelle Melander, Dia Mixon, Kiyanda and Benjamin Young, Shereen Rahming, Linda Thornburg and Katherine Archer,  Rebecca Flansburg and BA Norrgard , Maxine Schur Natalie McDonald-Perkins

MCBD 2022 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!

MCBD 2022 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!

Check out MCBD’s Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!

FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day:

Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents

FREE 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

FREE Teacher Classroom Raising Awareness on Systemic Racism in America Classroom Kit

Gallery of Our Free Posters

FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program

Join us on Friday, Jan 29, 2021, at 9 pm EST for the 8th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter Party! Be sure and follow MCBD and Make A Way Media on Twitter!

This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.

We will be giving away an 8-Book Bundle every 5 minutes plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **

Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. See you all very soon on Twitter!

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

3 Replies to “#kidlit Sugar in Milk for #ReadYourWorld”

  1. What a lovely way to illuminate how diversity makes us stronger. I can’t wait to read this lovely picture book. Thank you so much for sharing with Multicultural Children’s Book Day. Please join us tonight at 9 pm EST for our Twitter Party where we will be giving away book bundles every 5 minutes.

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