#ReadYourWorld Dream Big, Little Scientists by Michelle Schaub

Friday January 31, 2020 is Multicultural Children’s Book Day, but we can’t contain our excitement to just one day. That’s why we are highlighting a brand new picture book:   Dream Big, Little Scientists: A Bedtime Book by Michelle Schaub and illustrated by Alice Potter. It features not only diverse scientists and the sciences they represent, but also 12 culturally diverse children who are passionate about them. (Book is available February 18, 2020).

How does does a STEM bedtime book work? It’s easy. Combine the gentle, lyrical rhythm of a bedtime book with the vocabulary from 11 branches of science. Then sprinkle in some fun-to-explore illustrations of bedrooms filled with posters of rock star scientists, and you have a delight.

The best part is that the author and illustrator have been subtle with their message. Young readers will have to discover much of it on their own.  For example, check out how the designs on the children’s pajamas match their passions:

The back matter lists 11 branches of science (astronomy, geology, meteorology, physiology, etc.) with questions to explore and activity suggestions for each. It is compact, but filled with a lot of great information.

Dream Big, Little Scientists is a lovely book that will give budding scientists plenty to dream about. Curl up with a copy today!

Related:

1. Visit Michelle Schaub’s website for several paragraphs of information about each of the scientists featured in the posters (any one of which would make an awesome picture book biography).

2. To do some botany activities, try Exploring botany in the winter or any of the STEM activities in the plant science category at Growing with Science blog.

 

Age Range: 3 – 7 years
Publisher: Charlesbridge (February 18, 2020)
ISBN-10: 158089934X
ISBN-13: 978-1580899345

Disclosure: This book was provided for review purposes. 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.

#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.

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