Some kiddos celebrate growing up, while others resist it. Either way, this snappy, rhyming book reminds readers that everyone grows, as this story shows, from the cutest multicultural toddlers to the most unusual baby animals—everyone, everyone grows. Readers will love the bold, gorgeous graphic illustrations and repetitive phrase that invites children to read along. All of Those Babies is a perfect book for home and school libraries.
In The Nick of Time Too
Author: Deedee Cummings
Illustrator: Charlene Mosley
Publisher: Make A Way Media
Date: 2022
Ages: 4 - 10
Pages: 38
In The Nick of Time Too expands the cultural perspective on traditional Christmas expectations about Santa. In this story, two friends’ simple holiday sleep-over and a diverse neighborhood gathering are the backdrop for a celebration of friendship, kindness, and open-mindedness. Children will enjoy this Christmas story’s multicultural bent, and parents will appreciate helping them explore representation and its various facets. The book’s backmatter contains a sweet recipe and information about one organization’s focus on creating positive change.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2024 (1/25/24) is in its 11th year! Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen founded this non-profit children’s literacy initiative; they are two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural diverse books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.
Read Your World’s mission is to raise awareness of the need to include kids’ books celebrating diversity in homes and school bookshelves.
Check out MCBD's Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!
📌 FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day
● Mental Health Support for Stressful Times Classroom Kit
● Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents
● 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
The Day the Babies Crawled Away
The Day the Babies Crawled Away describes how, during the middle of a community fair, the babies crawled away to caves, cliffs, and more. Using rhyme and repetition, the author shows the perilous journey the babies took during their humorous adventure. Kiddos will enjoy this imaginative story that celebrates freedom and curious exploration.
THE STACK
The Stack is a whimsical, rhyming story of Luna’s singular mission to build a stack to… how high will it go?
Kiddos will love this imaginary story, the tower of extraordinary items, and illustrations created with colored pencil, collages, and paint. The book's theme is a simple and important one for children and adults, which is...you can reach your dreams if you keep climbing.
Love in the Library
Love in the Library is a bittersweet story based on the author’s grandparents’ love story. During WWII, Tama, a library worker, and George, who visited the library regularly to see Tama, were incarceration camp prisoners. Their crime--being Japanese Americans at a time while the US fought Japan during WWII.
The author does an excellent job juxtaposing the indignities of the camp with the couple’s budding relationship as well as the freedom to read and their emotional escape into books. The muted, earth-toned illustrations reflect the couple’s restrained hope and the capacity to dream of better circumstances.
Children will benefit from reading this book alongside caregivers as they learn the full truth of history. Someone once said that when we don’t learn from our past, we’re likely to repeat it. This book will help raise little readers who will lead us toward better, hope-filled futures.
Curiosity Counts
The title of the book on the summer reading shelf caught my eye. I didn’t have intentions of planting a vegetable garden or reading this book. I picked it up, peeked inside, skimmed a couple of pages, and put the book back. The next day I did the same thing.
Wayne, a friend, gifted me with a 20” brown wide mouth pot and dirt for a tomato plant. On my way through the library to the café, I read a few more pages of that book. I became serious about the Lasagna Gardening technique. I ventured out of my zone and started this new technique.
The first dirt layer went into the pot followed by a layer of grass clippings. The procedure was repeated. The tomato plant went in the center of the pot. Next radish seeds and bean seeds went into the dirt. With sun, rain, and watering, the tomato plant shot up in height. A broom handle and a piece of bamboo now brace the stem, tied with yarn.
How exciting! My tomato plant is six feet tall, has tomatoes, and has weathered severe thunderstorms. Reading is a valuable tool to help you excel in whatever you put your hand too, even planting vegetables. Keep reading in and out of your field of interest. You’re bound to see growth.
Guest blog post by Debra Stout (Debbie) who is an entrepreneur, educator, speaker and author of the inspirational book, Continued Miracles. She motivates via radio, events and street ministry. She is available for live engagements and webinars. Book her to speak at your next event.
This Train is Bound for Glory
This Train is Bound for Glory by Alice Faye Duncan and illustrated by Paul Kellam reintroduces the 1920s American gospel song that celebrates a train loaded with jubilant passengers bound for heaven.
Children will love singing with the interactive refrains and lyrical text as the train transports characters from widely diverse nationalities, while picking up more along the way. The story begins like an ordinary train ride, but soon becomes magical as it whooshes through a colorful journey across prairies and into the glorious sky.
By the book’s end, children will be on their feet, singing, dancing, and wishing they could join this amazing train as it climbs higher and higher. Whether readers are spiritual or not, this book offers priceless, carefree moments of freedom, joy, and imaginative possibilities!
STEM KIDS BOOKS
I’m thrilled to tell you about Ruth Spiro’s Baby Loves series. Baby Loves Gravity is a sturdy board book that explains gravity, a grown-up STEM topic, in the easiest-to-understand language. If you’re interested in introducing science to little readers, pick up this book or others in the series like Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering and Baby Loves Thermodynamics!
Even adults will enjoy how this series makes complex topics less intimidating!
Black History Moment
This post covers two of the many books by award-winning author and illustrator Floyd Cooper that capture the essence of childhood joys. In The Ring Bearer, a young boy is tasked with an important traditional wedding day role. Despite his nervousness, he succeeds in making it down the aisle in light of the potential little mishaps that can accompany big roles and responsibilities.
In Juneteenth for Mazie, a girl who tires from hearing “no,” hears the story behind Juneteenth celebrations and how her great-great-great grandpa also heard “no” until he heard a big YES for freedom. Both books’ muted illustrations display the warm, secure feelings of growing up in a caring family. Children, caregivers, teachers, and librarians will appreciate these hope-filled books about Black American families and their stories.
Floyd Cooper passed away in 2021 after working on nearly one hundred books. He received several Coretta Scott King Honor awards and was a 2013 nominee for a NAACP Image Award. The children’s literature community will continue to applaud and cherish his important life’s work.
Meet the Mermaids: Hi, I’m Zari
Lois Petren is the author of the Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids series which features five multi-cultural mermaids in their own individual book, each of whom possesses a different special skill. The main character in Meet the Mermaids: Hi, I’m Zari champions self-reliance as she encourages readers to help friends and try new things.
Zari suggests over a dozen ways that children can do things on their own throughout their day. The clean, unencumbered illustrations will help young children narrate each page and easily comprehend the book’s message. Meet the Mermaids: Hi, I’m Zari is a great way to introduce conversations with young children about chores, growing up, and independence. I received a copy for an honest review.
Line Up!
This fall, about 200 people in Michigan formed a human chain to move books from their small library to a much larger library building. It’s the perfect picture of the power of one plus one making a huge difference.
During a time when libraries struggle to maintain funding, it’s awesome to see the Ypsilanti District Library’s Superior Branch, not just surviving, but thriving and pulling their community together. You can see photos and read the brief article by clicking on the photo (above).
Picture book review
by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts
Sofia is a busy little girl and a “real-life-go-getter” who strives to do good in her neighborhood. After discovering Mount Trashmore, she zips into action, organizing supporters for the best community transformation ever.
Parents and young readers will love Andrea Beaty’s humorous story and the way Sofia tackles local bureaucracy and mounds of trash. David Robert’s creatively outfitted characters are represented through a range of abilities and skin hues. Sofia Valdez, Future Prez, delivers a powerful message and illustrates how youth of every age can stand up for environmental awareness and community activism.
A Picture Book Resource
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
You can read a review of Louie by the famous Ezra Jack Keats on my IG page. It’s amazing how a book written years ago still speaks to the challenges of our times.
I believe it’s important to continue reviewing historical works (picture books included) to help us analyze our current situations because they inform how we will move into the future. To that end, click to see an interesting article about a resource that lists 7,000 free to read historical children’s books. Check out a few and compare them to the books we buy today. Let us know what you discover about how things have changed and remained the same in the comments.
Boosting Children's Reading Habits*
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
This is a modified section from my August Newsletter.* Feel free to sign up for the next issue here.
While we already love reading to our children,” Alissa Wilkinson’s article offers several great points for keeping reading fun. She encourages us to read more, particularly when busy schedules take over. All of us can benefit from being more intentional about finding the time to settle down with a kiddo and a book.
Here are highlights from the article, along with my read-with-a-child tips.
Reasons to read books:
· aids in the brain’s development of understanding others,
· can heighten feelings of empathy,
· establishes a great foundation for socio-emotional learning, cognitive development, reading appreciation, and so much more.
Several strategies for reading more often:
· keep library and personal books close by to grab during downtimes
· make it a communal activity by having story time during playdates/play groups, especially as a calming effect during rambunctious activity or to soothe hurt feelings,
· read what you and your kiddos enjoy instead of choosing books to meet other people’s expectations, include STEAM/STEM selections, imaginative, and simply silly stories.
These features a few suggestions. Check out the whole article for more information, great tips, and tools for getting back into the habit of reading.
Words Shape Worlds
Do you like writing? I enjoy choosing the appropriate word, placing it in a well-crafted sentence and developing an effective paragraph that communicates a valuable message. But it goes deeper than that.
As a writer, I enjoy writing children’s books to pass along helpful insights, to amuse youth, and provide healthy ways to help kiddos manage emotions, relationships, their view of the world, and their place in it.
Self-published and traditional creators continue to fill the diversity gap in the publishing market with books featuring underrepresented characters. I want little readers to see themselves in a variety of stories and feel seen, respected and valued.
Fortunately, I discovered a great website, Diverse Book Finder, that will help you investigate the breadth of diverse BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) picture books. If you read this genre, check out the site and if you write within the genre, check out the site to see how you can fill a market void. I appreciate that the website doesn’t include only their version of “good books.” They leave that labeling up to you.
Book Swaps and Children's Reading Clubs
Photo from Pixaby
You believe that reading matters and recognize the importance of developing strong early literacy skills. You actively encourage little ones to check out books from the library and find ways to celebrate April’s School Library Month.
No doubt you leave public libraries with a bulging bag-o-books and scour the web for the best stories as a guide to buying more. You also spend cozy evenings reading wonderful stories at bedtime, prompting sweet dreams.
What else can you do to support early literacy? Begin book swapping!
Talk with other parents and encourage little ones to select books they’re willing to share. Next, organize book swaps with their friends and help youth initiate conversations about the stories. Guide their discussions with simple questions about what they liked, disliked, their favorite characters, and scenes. Did they like the book’s ending? If they had written the story, would they change it? If so, how?
Book discussions help little ones strengthen reading comprehension skills and explore stories from multiple perspectives.
Before you know it, your little ones will be organizing their very own reading club, surrounding themselves with friends who will help foster their love of reading.
What ideas do you have for developing a love of reading in your young learners? Share your ideas here!
Multicultural Children's Book Day Review - How to Code a Sandcastle
Click the arrow for details about Multicultural Children’s Book Day!
Author: Josh Funk
Illustrator: Sara Palacios
Ages 4 -8
Publisher: Viking/Penguin Young Readers
Year: 2018
Fiction/Procedural Picture book
Josh Funk’s How to Code a Sandcastle is exactly what young readers need to understand coding. When Pearl wants to create a sandcastle before summer vacation ends, she and her robot sidekick demonstrate how coding works. In this procedural picture book with multi-cultural characters and Sara Palacios’s bright, engaging illustrations, Funk explains loops, sequences, and if-then-else statements. This story breaks down the coding process into digestible steps, showing readers that it’s an accessible skill. Back matter includes a glossary of coding terms from the story. This book is for all curious readers, and especially young STEM fans and adult career day planners.
Book provided. Independent review offered for #MCBD2022 #ReadYourWorld
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 their Mission & History HERE.
FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents
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 Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Raising Awareness on Systemic Racism in America Classroom Kit
FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program
5 Ways for Raising Confident Readers
Building strong reading skills in children creates better writers, stronger communicators, and more confident people. Although we often teach reading through the various technological methods such as websites, programs, packages, and even low-tech flashcards, we can’t underestimate the organic route. By seamlessly weaving reading games into daily activities and routines, we add fun to the learning process and help demonstrate real-world application.
Regular chores present the opportunity for an enjoyable reading lesson. Below are five ways to help grow confident readers during a simple grocery store visit. You and a child can point out and read letters and/or words on:
1. license plates
2. street signs and stores
3. a neatly written or typed grocery list
4. cereal boxes and other in-store treats for your shopping cart
5. recipes that you and your child shop for and tackle at home.
Reading doesn’t have to be a chore. A confident reader is a life-long learner who is ready to navigate future challenges. What other regular tasks can help boost your child’s reading skills and confidence? Share in the comments!
All I Want for Christmas
Whenever I asked my father for his Christmas gift list, he would say all he wanted was his two front teeth, echoing the popular, holiday song. Since he already had two real, perfect front teeth, his dad joke amused him, but it left me relying on my own creativity and imagination.
You probably won’t get that response from the children in your life. They know exactly what they want for Christmas and most youth will promptly provide you with their list. Are you wondering what else to add to their requests?
Choose books!
There’s a book to suit every age and interest from board books to YA (young adult) and topics range from colors and ABCs to the environment and social activism. Here are the age ranges:
Board books: babies to age 3 The sturdy, hard or cloth books can handle bites and battering.
Picture books: age 3 – 8 The illustrations help supplement part of the story and often add interesting details not included in the text. Wordless picture books are fun for narrating your own wording of a story.
Early readers: ages range from 6 to 9 and depend more on reading skill levels than on ages or grades. Illustrations are often black and white sketches, which are secondary to the story.
Chapter books: ages range from 7 to 10 for strong readers who have progressed beyond short chapter books/early readers and are ready for a challenging story with more characters and complex plots.
Middle grade: for ages 8 to 12 The themes often reflect developmental topics for the age range and deal with friendships, school issues, new independence, and the ways readers begin to interpret the world.
Young adult: for ages 12 to 18 This group can range from younger YA, with less mature themes to older YA that touches on more adult-like content.
New adult: for ages 18+ Themes center around adulting issues like the first career job, etc.
If you’re struggling to choose a book for a gift, the web is full of recommendations, reviews, and Best of Lists to point you in the right direction. For additional help on what children are reading, contact bookstore staff and your community librarian. Although the children in your life may never ask for two front teeth, books might soon top their gift lists. Don’t forget to support your young readers by ordering a free “I’m reading” bag tag for them on this site’s Welcome page!
Wishing you a merry Christmas & a happy new year!
Happy National Library Week!
April 4 – 10 is National Library Week. I want to celebrate the dedicated school and community librarians and their commitment to supplying readers with great books. As a student, I arrived early in the morning to volunteer in my middle school’s library. The role allowed me to see the how the library functioned. In addition to shelving and checking out books to my schoolmates, I could claim first dibs on the popular returned books and scan the shelves daily for the coveted ones. As the youngest child in my house, books kept me company after my older sibling grew up.
Recently, I wrote a book about a character who uses the library to research a question. How unfortunate that many young people face closed libraries due to the virus or underfunding and cannot physically explore library bookshelves to discover answers to questions about their world. It’s critically important that underserved communities receive the money to fund libraries and supply books to our youngest readers. I hope federal and local governments prioritize budgetary resources so that everyone can appreciate the benefits of their own library card and fall in love with books and libraries.