Nat created our Official 2021 Poster and we couldn’t be prouder!
Afsaneh Moradian has loved writing stories, poetry, and plays since childhood. After receiving her master’s in education, she took her love of writing into the classroom where she began teaching children how to channel their creativity. Her passion for teaching has lasted for over fifteen years. Afsaneh now guides students and teachers (and her young daughter) in the art of writing.
Afsaneh also grew up in a multicultural family and at school, where she felt she was an “other”. This made her aware of how important it is for kids to feel loved and supported both in and out of the home. Afsaneh has carried this belief into her career as an English teacher and author.
Her book, Jamie is Jamie was originally written for her daughter who’d been told that only boys can play a superhero. “My daughter and every other child deserve a book that gives them permission to be free to play and explore their own way-not the way everyone, ‘thinks they should,'” Afsaneh shared. “I created my book to challenge gender stereotypes and encourages children to make play choices based on their interests. And because playing is fundamental to learning, I’ve created a special section in Jamie is Jamie for teachers, parents, and caregivers where they can find tips on how to make kids’ playtime learning time.”
Afsaneh’s second book, Jamie and Bubbie: A Book About Pronouns, is scheduled for release in October of 2020.
Connect with Afsaneh via her website or on YouTube and Twitter. Check out the fun Q&A MCBD did with her here.
Lump Lump and the Blanket of Dreams
Inspired by Navajo Culture and Folklore*Two ALA reviews*In the library and the bookstore at the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian*Winter is coming, but the little black bear, Lump Lump, isn’t ready to go to sleep! With the help of his mother, the wise Bluebird and his forest friends, Lump Lump gathers materials for Spider Woman to weave him a Blanket of Dreams. Inspired by Navajo/Diné culture and folklore, and featuring the blanket of famed Navajo weaver Barbara Teller Ornelas, this beautiful tale of family and friends takes the reader on a journey through the spectacular traditions and landscapes of the Southwest.Gwen Jackson graduated magna cum laude from Lincoln University with a B.A. in psychology. She won a Ford Foundation and attended the University of Michigan, where she received an M..A. in psychology.Because of Gwen’s background as an educator, she wanted to ensure that her book was accurate. She frequently consulted with Navajo weaver Barbara Teller Ornelas, who allowed Gwen to use her “Child’s Blanket” in the book. Ms. Ornelas wants more people to know about Navajo weaving. Ms. Ornelas’ blankets are in the British Museum and many other galleries.Gwen also received advice (pro bono) from Dr. Paul Apodaca of Chapman University, a past-regional advisor to the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian. Dr. Apodaca, a Navajo, made many suggestions, including the title of the book.Navajo weaver Lynda Teller Pete, whose work is in many museums and galleries, did a lesson based on the book on SMART Exchange. Western Wildlife Outreach (Washington) generously consulted on the pictures. This book is also in the Nanticoke Indian Museum, which is especially meaningful to Gwen because of family ties.The author’s website has many educational activities.
connect with Gwen on Facebook, Twitter or at gwenjacksonstories.com
Eugenia Chu is an attorney, turned stay-at-home mom, turned writer. She lives on a magical beach in Miami with her husband and son, Brandon, who is the inspiration for her stories. She enjoys reading, writing, traveling, yoga, and drinking too much coffee. She has been a presenter at numerous schools, libraries, and book festivals.
When Brandon was very little, the author couldn’t find children’s storybooks to read to him which touched upon Chinese culture and which included some Chinese (Mandarin) words to teach and/or reinforce his Chinese vocabulary, so she started writing her own.
Her first book, Brandon Makes Jiǎo Zi (餃子) is about a little Chinese-American boy named Brandon who gets a surprise visit from his grandma from China, Pó Po (婆婆). While Brandon and Pó Po (婆婆) are making Chinese dumplings, called jiǎo zi (餃子).
Brandon Goes to Beijing (北京) is her second “Brandon” story and first children’s chapter book. In this story, Brandon and his cousins are on a trip to visit their grandparents in Beijing, China! While bonding with family, practicing Chinese, touring historic sites, and feasting on local dishes, Brandon thinks he sees a tiny panda. However, every time he gets close, the panda disappears! Is Brandon imagining this small creature, or is it real? Will Brandon find out before he has to fly back home?
Read more of Eugenia’s story on her website and Instagram, or connect with her on Goodreads.
Shoumi Sen is the creator of “From The Toddler Diaries”, a series of children’s books on Indian culture and mythology. Her books ‘Celebrate Holi With Me!’ and ‘Celebrate Durga Puja With Me!’ have received rave reviews from kids and parents alike! ‘From The Toddler Diaries’ began as a series of poems that Shoumi wrote for her daughter. This collection was the life of several bedtime story sessions and play dates with friends. Inspired by this interest among kids and encouraged by their parents, she decided to publish the collection.
Shoumi Sen is a Strategy, Sales, and Marketing professional at a leading global energy management company. She studied engineering at BITS Pilani and The University of Maryland, College Park, and now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. Her childhood in Paris, Bombay, and Dubai provided her with opportunities to appreciate how Indians preserve their cultural connectedness even while living abroad.
In Shoumi’s words, “Living outside India, it is sometimes tough for parents to ensure that their children remain connected to their Indian roots, while at the same time, appreciating the culture of the place they are growing up in. Books can certainly help with that challenge and my hope is that ‘From The Toddler Diaries’ can play a part in helping our children grow into global citizens.”
When not working or writing, she is busy looking for the next travel destination with her family! Connect with Shoumi via her website, Facebook, and Twitter.
Josh Funk is a software engineer and the author of books like the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series, the It’s Not a Fairy Tale series, the How to Code with Pearl and Pascal series, the A Story of Patience & Fortitude series, Dear Dragon, Pirasaurs!, Albie Newton, and more.
IT’S NOT LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: Little Red likes to play by the rules. So when the narrator comes along and asks her to follow the story set out in her fairy tale, she grabs the basket for Grandma and goes. After all, she loves her grandma. But unfortunately, none of the other characters are quite what they’re expecting.
As Little Red attempts to follow the narrator’s directions (which, frankly, seem kind of dangerous!), she is beset by fill-in characters, confusing instructions, and even a fierce battle! Will Little Red ever make it to Grandma’s house? And who will she find when she gets there? Complete with some unusual “guest appearances,” this laugh-out-loud Little Red Riding Hood retelling will have kids giggling all the way to Grandma’s house! Ding-dong!
Josh also has a plethora of “fun stuff” for kids, parents, and educators including Activity Kits Coloring Pages Book Trailers Character Cards, and Book Songs.
Connect with Josh via his website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
Alva Sachs is the founder of Three Wishes Publishing Company. She is a former elementary school teacher with sixteen years of classroom experience and a Master’s Degree in Education. Her award-winning titles include Circus Fever, Dancing Dreidels, I’m 5, Dear Master Dragon, The Pirate Princess, and On Your Mark, Get Set Go!
Alva writes stories to engage, excite, and empower young children at an early age for the sheer joy of reading.
She serves as President on the Board of Reading Is Fundamental of Southern California, (RIFSoCal) to expand efforts to support literacy by helping to build home libraries in the greater Los Angeles/Orange County areas for underserved children while fostering literacy through the efforts of RIFSoCal’s motivational reading program.
Connect with Alva via her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Born in Southern California to Chinese-American immigrant parents, author Diana Huang struggled academically and socially in her k-6 years. But ever since kindergarten, she had developed a strong passion for the visual arts. She has been working in various art and non-art industries while also creating her own stories from her own story worlds.
Intrepids – A Sci-Fi Fantasy Novel
Katie Mah was your average Asian American kid living an average life, going to an average school, getting average grades in an average town in the dull suburbs of Southern California. Katie was subjected to all kinds of average unpleasant experiences of growing up. On a fateful 6th-grade science camp trip to the mountains, her average life was so unbearable, she ran away, and landed herself into a lot of trouble, not on Earth, but on Alpha Centauri. There she befriends the centaurs who desperately need her help. Intrepids is for ages 7-18 and is available in ebook form.
Connect with Diana via her website, Facebook, Twitter, DeviantArt, Instagram, and YouTube
Julia Inserro is an author and publisher (and marketer and designer and mother, cook, bottle-washer), and the author of several diverse children’s books including A Unicorn Ate My Homework.
Lindy Loom sees stories everywhere!
She sees stories about….Anteaters at a juice bar,
Bats on paper airplanes
Capybaras in hammocks
Even insecure porcupines
However, her teacher doesn’t ever see stories. Will Lindy be able to help Ms. Pinch find her imagination before it’s too late?
Connect with Julia via her website, Facebook, and Instagram.
The Five Enchanted Mermaids celebrate diversity in our world and the belief that each child deserves to have a mermaid that looks like them. Through their individual personalities and traits, they weave stories that help teach skills for children in this age group.
The idea for the Five Enchanted Mermaids was born to provide a fun but educational backdrop for girls aged 3 to 7 years. The characters address emotional skills (making friends, resolving conflicts, coping with change, making their own choices, and “being good people”) and educational skills (learning to read, the alphabet, counting, symmetrical shapes, time, the value of monetary coins/notes) that are important at that age in the development of young girls. The stories use each of the diverse mermaids as a role model for behavior and values.
LifeMadeSimple and acclaimed children’s book author, Lois Petren, are collaborating to provide a series of books, party accessories, and other appropriate items to support these goals. Lois, along with business partner, Jackie Bunn, has been working on developing the Five Enchanted Mermaid merchandise line and spreading the word about the mermaids.
The Five Enchanted Mermaids book series includes Sally’s First Day of School, Happy Birthday Miss Molly, You Can Do It!, and a coloring and activity book. All books are for ages 3 to 7 and perfect for readers who like unique stories that help develop emotional intelligence and a growth mindset.
Connect with Lois, Jackie, and the Five Enchanted Mermaids via their website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram
Me On The Page Publishing creates materials, sponsors events, and publishes books to support building healthy and strong African American Families. Our vision is simple: to provide and promote what is true, healthy, and good in presence and communications.
Author Phelicia Lang is a Reading Specialist and Literacy Advocate.
Mari Learns to Read is the first book featuring Spanish vocabulary words by the well-known author of the Tay Series, Phelicia Lang. Early readers will love the engaging pictures, easy to read print, and colorful Spanish words. It includes a child-friendly graphic to support early readers, a helpful glossary that translates and defines the Spanish vocabulary words, and a relatable storyline. Meet helpful Mari. She loves her family and her friends. Mari is good at school but is having a hard time learning to read in English. Read along to find out how Mari’s mom helps her learn to read.
Connect with Phelicia and Me On The Page via email, her website Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
Veronica Appleton is the creator of Appleville Books, a collection of children stories reflecting the everyday life of multicultural families. In 2016, Journey to Appleville, one of the first stories released from the collection, shares a tale of friendship and goal setting for all families. Veronica has visited more than 10 elementary schools and daycares to share the power of literacy.
When Veronica is not working on new children’s stories, she serves as a Professor of Intercultural Communications and Organizational Communications at DePaul University. Veronica completed her undergraduate education at Purdue University, graduate education at DePaul University and currently pursuing a doctoral degree in organizational behavior and leadership at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology with significant research interests in organizational/workplace culture, employee engagement, and diversity management.
Veronica has been featured in Diversity Journal’s Top Professionals in Higher Education, FOX Chicago News, Chicago Woman Magazine, Story Monsters Ink Magazine, WCIU Now. Chicago received the Relationship Advocate Award from Chicago’s Perspective Charter Schools, received the Champion of Growth Award from Coalesce Chicago, named the 2017 Chicago Scholars 35 Under 35 Young Leaders Making an Impact Award, received a nomination for the 2016 Jay Walter Thompson Bill Sharp Advertising Award, received the 2017 #Redefine Possible Women’s Leadership Award from the Chicago Sky Basketball Team, named Crain’s Chicago 20intheir20’s, and the 2017 DiversityMBA Magazine’s Top 100 under 50 Emerging Leaders Award. Veronica is a native Chicagoan.
Journey to Appleville is also available on Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Apple iBooks.
Connect with Veronica via her website, Twitter, Facebookand Instagram
Author/Illustrator Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing present The Cocoa Kids Collection Books© that puts minority and multiracial children center stage. It’s a self-published book series created for readers ages 6-8, that tackles big issues with wit, whimsy, and chocolate! Learn more about the author at her portfolio page.
Picture Books from the Cocoa Kids Collection include Isaiah and the Chocolate Mountain© features Isaiah, the precocious 6-year-old who gets the thing he loathes – chocolate – for his birthday. His anger leads to adventure and a lesson of making choices and emotional intelligence.
Eddie and the Hot Cocoa Hot Rod© introduces Eddie whose daydreams of auto-racing get him into trouble in math class. But, his racing heroes and a special math teacher help him make the grade and learn to never give up.
Lorena and the Magic Mocha Mirror©, follow Lorena who spends summers seaside with her family and is body-shamed by beach-bullies until a trio of mermaids teach her that hers and everybody is beautiful.
Connect with Valerie and the Cocoa Kids on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Madison was excited about her birthday. Her mommy was going to let her pick out a pony to ride. During her party Madison ran into a dilemma, all the horses were different colors and she didn’t know which one to pick. This dynamic story explains that we are like horses unique and different colors. Horse of a Different Color was written to help explain diversity and individuality on a level that a child can understand.
Toshia Stelivan has lived in Texas for over 30 years. She has always been an avid reader. Toshia began writing short stories in elementary school. Her two daughters Madison and Morgan also love books. Toshia has a strong love for horses, and she volunteers at a local ranch helping children with disabilities. Toshia enjoys writing children’s books that provide a child with a learning experience.
Connect with Toshia via her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube
This early childhood book, available in both English and Greek, The Secrets Hidden Beneath the Palm Tree is written from a mother’s point of view with the purpose of helping children with hearing loss and their families at the critical inclusion stage.
In the book, a little girl named Angelia is curious about her classmate Jacob, who is a hearing aid wearer. Jacob briefly explains what hearing aids and cochlear implants are. He explains what audiologists and speech pathologists do, and along the way, he playfully introduces his hearing ear dog that helps him tackle challenges.
There is an emphasis through the different components in the book for a broader understanding of hearing loss and illustrates classroom tactics and facilitation for easier communication. When young children get exposed to differences in others, they learn tolerance, empathy, and create new ways of learning. For educators, the book provides a tool to start conversations with their students about hearing loss.
Karter Johnson is the 9-year-old CEO of Popcorn and Books. Popcorn and Books is a literacy advocacy company whose mission is to encourage the love of reading in children. Since beginning his business in 2019. Karter has led over 15 book readings in his free Facebook community. He also encourages other children to share and read their favorite books aloud in the group.
In April 2020 Karter decided to start a subscription box for kids aged 5-10. These boxes are used to create excitement around literacy and reading. Inside each box are a toy, popcorn, candy, and books. The response to our book subscription boxes has been very exciting.
“Hi my name is Karter Johnson and I am a literacy influencer from Detroit Mi. I am 9 years old and the CEO of Popcorn and Books. My goal is to encourage kids ages 5-10 to read more and to enjoy reading one book at a time.
I created Popcorn and Books to help fight the literacy problem that many kids face and to be there for kids who need someone to read with.
If you have a struggling reader or looking for ways to get your kids to read more I can help. Just let me know if you would like me to be their reading partner.”
To get involved with Popcorn and Books, visit Karter’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/popcornandbooks
Proud Uncle Casey Bell has authored books in multiple genres (Teen/Young Adult books, General Fiction, Non-Fiction, Short-Stories, Horror, Poetry, Children’s, Art, and has produced four Word Search books. A believer in being as unique as your fingerprint, Casey has stayed true to himself. He enjoys sharing stories, ideas, and art that cause people to think beyond the box. Not only a writer, but also a playwright, graphic designer, fine artist, and fashion designer.
His book, American History: Asian Americans, educates the reader on inventors and innovators who changed American history. All of these amazing history changers are of Asian descent.
BOOK RIOT lists THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM as one of “30 Fascinating Historical Fiction Books for Middle School Readers – October, 2018″
Yuriko was happy growing up in Hiroshima when it was just her and Papa. But her aunt Kimiko and her cousin Genji are living with them now, and the family is only getting bigger with talk of a double marriage! And while things are changing at home, the world beyond their doors is even more unpredictable. World War II is coming to an end, and Japan’s fate is not entirely clear, with any battle losses being hidden from its people. Yuriko is used to the sirens and the air-raid drills, but things start to feel more real when the neighbors who have left to fight stop coming home.
When the bomb hits Hiroshima, it’s through Yuriko’s twelve-year-old eyes that we witness the devastation and horror.
Kathleen Burkinshaw is a Japanese American author and the daughter of a Hiroshima survivor residing in Charlotte, NC. She’s a wife, mom, and owns a dog who is a kitchen ninja. She has presented her mother’s experience in Hiroshima to middle and high schools for the past 9 years. Writing gives her an outlet for her daily struggle with chronic pain from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy(RSD). The Last Cherry Blossom (Sky Pony Press,2016), is now a United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Resource for Teachers and Students. And is recently nominated for the NC School Library Media Association YA book award and 2019-2020 VSBA, 2018& 2016 Scholastic WNDB Reading Club selection, and Finalist for NC Sir Walter Raleigh Fiction Award, 2018 Sakura Medal, Japan, and SCBWI Crystal Kite Award(Southeast region).
In April 2020 NHK World-Japan, an international news station based in Japan did a short segment on The Last Cherry Blossom in both Japanese and English. The English segment was on its Newsroom Tokyo TV program and the Japanese segment was on its Today’s 2020 TV program. Listen to both programs HERE.
Learn more about Kathleen through her Blog – Creating Through the Pain or connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.
Janet is a full-time educator and part-time bilingual children’s book author, advocator, and promoter. Her books are about Hispanic legends that teach a strong message of family values, traditions, and culture. Janet currently has two books available in English and Spanish and just published her third book, Mermaids on a Mission to Save the Ocean.
Marlene and her six mermaid sisters are on a mission to save the oceans from mankind’s pollution. One mermaid is assigned to each of the Seven Continents to protect the surrounding oceans. Together the seven mermaid sisters take care of the sea animals and raise awareness on water pollution, conservation, and recycling around the world. The story is fiction but builds an important bridge for young children to connect with real environmental issues occurring in Florida and around the world. Join the movement of these mermaids on a mission to preserve the lakes, rivers, and oceans of the blue planet for future generations.
Her books The Legend of the Colombian Mermaid, The Legend of Roberto Cofresi – Puerto Rican Hero and La Leyenda de Roberto Cofresi – Un héreo de Puerto Rico have won numerous awards including:
2015 Mariposa International Latino Book Awards
2015, 2016 & 2017 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards
2016 & 2017 International Latino Book Awards
Connect with Janet via her website, Facebook, Twitter
Author Susan Schaefer Bernardo and illustrator Courtenay Fletcher met in a local Mommy and Me class 12 years ago when their kids were tots. The pair indie-published their first book Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs together in 2012 to reassure children coping with loss and separation — now they are a dynamic duo committed to creating books to heal and inspire children of all ages!
Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs is a timeless picture book with a powerful message: love is forever. It’s a wonderful bedtime book for any child, but especially helpful for children grieving a loss or coping with separation anxiety for any reason (divorce, deployment, foster care, etc). Soothing, lyrical text and heartwarming illustrations portray a diverse spectrum of children, engaged in joyful activities in nature.
As of 2019, Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs now has a new bilingual edition, Sun Kisses (Besos de sol, abrazos de luna).
New releases include Bernardo’s first novel Inspired (February 2018), a book intended to empower and encourage tween and teen girls, and a picture book biography of Theophile Steinlen entitled The Artist Who Loved Cats (Spring 2018). Find healing art activities and more information at www.innerflowerchildbooks.com.
Connect with Susan on her website, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook
Maya & Neel’s India Adventure Series by Ajanta & Vivek takes kids to a journey across India as they experience festivals, cities, food, music, dance, and everything else that makes the Indian culture so vibrant and joyful!
The series has 11 titles so far including festivals, places, mythology, activity books & more! The books provide an in-depth view via fun, non-religious and engaging content!
Ajanta & Vivek also teach fun multicultural content via their YouTube channel whose goal is to provide Cultural Screen Time and includes animations, dance-along videos, a trip to Indian stores, and more.
Culture Groove’s vibrant books include Diwali, Holi, Ramdan/Eid, Mumbai, Delhi/Taj Mahal, Ganesha, Krishna, Navratri, Vaisakhi, Indian Wedding and their latest: 50-Activity Diwali book.
CultureGroove’s vibrant books include Let’s Celebrate Holi! (Maya & Neel’s India Adventure Series), Let’s Celebrate Ramadan & Eid! (Muslim Festival of Fasting & Sweets), Let’s Celebrate Navratri! (Nine Nights of Dancing & Fun) Let’s Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali! (Maya & Neel’s India Adventure Series), Let’s Visit Mumbai! (Maya & Neel’s India Adventure Series) Delhi and Taj Mahal and more!
In the delightful chapter book, The Fairy Chase, what mermaid Echo wants most in her world is to find a real fairy. And in her quest, she gets help in the most unexpected way ever! With the help of her “fantastic” friends, Echo investigates whether or not fairies really DO exist in this sparkling Mermaid Tales adventure.
Echo is excited when her Aunt Crabella and Uncle Leopold visit, especially since Aunt Crabella always has amazing stories about all of her many ocean travels. But when Aunt Crabella tells Echo about the Hairy Fairy—a fairy that visits mermaids while they sleep and purposely tangles their hair—Echo is all set to catch the fairy in the act.
Shelly and Kiki tell Echo that fairies aren’t real, but Aunt Crabella says she believes they are. And what’s the harm in believing? When Echo can’t seem to catch the Hairy Fairy, she becomes determined to figure out if fairies really do exist! She teams up with Shelly and Kiki and makes “Fairy Juice” (via a recipe from Rocky Ridge) in order to go on a fairy hunt on Trident City’s majestic Sperm Whale Mountain.
But what will they find on their fairy hunt? Will all of Echo’s magical fairy dreams come true?
Debbie Dadey is the author and co-author of 176 traditionally published books, including The Mermaid Tales and the best-selling Adventures of the Bailey School Kids. A former teacher and school librarian, Debbie enjoys sharing activities and teaching units on her website, debbiedadey.com.
Connect with Debbie via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube
Eight-year-old Sissy loves her life. She loves her toys, her Big house, and her Big backyard. But when Sissy’s parents decide they are going to live in a Tiny House on wheels and travel around the U.S., Sissy isn’t sure that she will like the idea of “living tiny.” But as she and her mommy and daddy learn about downsizing, repurposing, and how “stuff is just stuff” in a positive way, Sissy soon understands that living Tiny has BIG possibilities; possibilities for all sorts of adventures and learning.
Written by Rebecca Flansburg and BA Norrgard, both Minnesotans (who have been friends for over 30 years), Sissy Goes Tiny was created to share the idea and process of “going Tiny” from a child’s perspective. BA has been living tiny for over 5 years with husband John.
B.A. Norrgard photographed in 2013 with her under 150 square foot tiny home.
In Sissy Goes Tiny, eight-year-old Sissy and her parents make the bold choice to downsize their life and embark on a journey of living tiny and doing more with less. At first, Sissy struggles to get used to the idea of living in a tiny house on wheels and traveling around the U.S, but as she and her mommy and daddy learn about downsizing, repurposing, and how “stuff is just stuff,” she soon understands that a life of “living tiny” will be filled with the big adventures and learning.
Connect with Rebecca via her website, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
As a mom, dedicated kidlit reader, author, and co-founder of the non-profit Multicultural Children’s Book Day, Mia Wenjen has been on a decade-long journey to discover the best diversity books in children’s literature. With a determination to change the world, one book at a time, Wenjen created BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 as a way to highlight books written by authors who share the same marginalized identity as the characters in their books.
Inside the pages, readers, parents, caregivers, educators, and librarians will find extensive book recommendations for Native American Heritage Month #OwnVoices, Muslim #OwnVoices, Holocaust #OwnVoices, African American #OwnVoices, Asian American #OwnVoices, Latinx #OwnVoices, LGBTQ #OwnVoices, Sensory Issues #OwnVoices and much more. While change is a long time coming, it starts with a single book.
Mia Wenjen is CEO at PragmaticMom.com; a mash-up covering education, parenting, and multicultural children’s books. Her blog receives over one million views a year. She is a co-founder of Multicultural Children’s Book Day.
Currently, this book is available on Amazon Kindle in ebook form. Take a sneak peek at this robust diverse and #OWNVOICES children’s book resource by clicking the image below or visiting Amazon.com.
Scribbles is a young girl who struggles in school. She would rather draw her favorite animal, frogs, all day. Mrs. Sunshine notices her struggle and guides her in her schoolwork so she can feel successful in both environments: school and drawing. Come along with Scribbles and watch how she conquers both!
As a special education teacher, Theresa has encountered all types of learners and has had great success in teaching them that they are more than their disability. Her book, Scribbles, has won an International Award and was also reviewed by PBS. With a mission to heal struggling students and help them understand that they should not give up, Theresa plans on releasing more educational books in 2020 and 2021. Her other educational titles include Tommy and Mrs. Sunshine, Robbie and Ava, Midnight Versus Sunshine, Best Buds for Life, and many more.
Connect with Theresa via her website, Facebook, Twitter,
Greenhorn is Anna Olswanger’s middle-grade novel and short indie film of the same name.
Based on a true story, Greenhorn gives a human dimension to the Holocaust. It underscores our flawed humanity and speaks to the healing value of friendship. Greenhorn is a provocative book that middle schoolers and their families will want to ponder and discuss. Greenhorn premiered at the Landmark NuArt Theatre in L.A. and at The Museum of Tolerance in New York. It was named the 2015 Audience Award Winner for Best Short Film Drama at the Morris and Mollye Fogelman International Jewish Film Festival in Memphis and subsequently aired on public television in Memphis and Kentucky. It was part of the Festival Internacional De Cine Judio en Mexico and screened at the L.A. International Children’s Film Festival at WonderCon.
Her first children’s book Shlemiel Crooks is based on a Yiddish newspaper article she uncovered about the attempted robbery of her great-grandfather’s kosher liquor store in St. Louis in 1919. Shlemiel Crooks is a Sydney Taylor Honor Book and PJ Library Book. In 2011 the Kaufman Center in New York adapted “Chicken Bone Man” and Shlemiel Crooks into a family musical, which premiered at Merkin Concert Hall.
Anna Olswanger is both an author and a literary agent. After nine years at Liza Dawson Associates in New York, she now has her own agency Olswanger Literary LLC. Her clients include the New York Times best-selling author Michael Hall and the Newbery Honor Book winner Vince Vawter. “The Home of the Blues” (Memphis) is the backdrop to many of Anna’s fiction stories, including “Chicken Bone Man,” which won Maryland’s F. Scott Fitzgerald Short Story Contest.
Connect with Anna via her website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest
Keila V. Dawson is co-editor of NO VOICE TOO SMALL: FOURTEEN YOUNG AMERICANS MAKING HISTORY, along with Lindsay H. Metcalf and Jeanette Bradley, illustrated by Bradley (Charlesbridge, September 2020) and the forthcoming NO WORLD TOO BIG:YOUNG PEOPLE FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE also with Lindsay H. Metcalf and Jeanette Bradley, illustrated by Bradley (Charlesbridge, spring 2023). She is the author of THE KING CAKE BABY, illustrated by Vernon Smith (Pelican Publishing 2015), and the forthcoming OPENING THE ROAD: VICTOR HUGO GREEN AND HIS GREEN BOOK, illustrated by Alleanna Harris (Beaming Books, January 26, 2021). Dawson was born and grew up in New Orleans, has lived and worked in the Philippines, Japan, and Egypt, and lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.
OPENING THE ROAD is the untold true story of the mailman who wrote the Green Book travel guides published from 1936 to 1966-67 that Black Americans used to plan safe road trips & vacations during legal segregation.
From the publisher:
“Hungry? Check the Green Book. Tired? Check the Green Book. Sick? Check the Green Book.”
In the late 1930s when segregation was legal and Black Americans couldn’t visit every establishment or travel everywhere they wanted to safely, a New Yorker named Victor Hugo Green decided to do something about it. Green wrote and published a guide that listed places where his fellow Black Americans could be safe in New York City. The guide sold like hotcakes! Soon customers started asking Green to make a guide to help them travel and vacation safely across the nation too. With the help of his mail carrier co-workers and the African American business community, Green’s guide allowed millions of African Americans to travel safely and enjoy traveling across the nation. For grades K-3rd. Available in ebook and hardcover form.
Find her on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or her website.
Author Claudine Norden’s purpose is to help redefine introversion as a positive attribute by shining a light on its strengths. Introversion and extroversion are hard-wired. We cannot change our hard-wiring, however, we can grow our perspective and emotional intelligence and develop new ways of responding to the world around us.
Claudine’s mission is to share her story of honoring quiet temperaments, how it affects her family dynamic, how it can affect classroom settings, and how young children can be taught to embrace their unique learning styles and ways of interacting in this extroverted world. By
honoring each of our identities, we can create nurturing environments where we all thrive.
Quigley the Quiet Hedgehog is a delightful story about a self-confident, assertive hedgehog who enjoys reading, creating, adventures, friends, and solitude. In a world where the extrovert ideal is celebrated, Quigley explains the introverted nature and demonstrates finding freedom in serenity. This colorful hardcover storybook with hand-painted illustrations encourages quiet temperament at home, school, and in social situations. Quiet, introverted children are often not affirmed that quiet is okay. In a culture where the loud and exuberant has mistakenly been equated with what is socially acceptable, it’s an appropriate time to explore and celebrate the thoughtful, introspective view of the world as seen through the eyes of the quiet child. {for ages 2-10}
Connect with Claudine via her website and Facebook.
LUNA’S YUM YUM DIM SUM by Natasha Yim, illustrated by Violet Kim, Publisher-Charlesbridge Publishing
Natasha Yim is a children’s author and freelance writer. Her other diverse picture book titles include MULAN’S LUNAR NEW YEAR, THE ROCK MAIDEN, GOLDY LUCK AND THE THREE PANDAS, SACAJAWEA OF THE SHOSHONE, and CIXI, THE DRAGON EMPRESS.
On Luna’s birthday, the whole family goes out for dim sum–but Luna and her brothers can’t agree on how to share their pork buns fairly. How can three people divide up five buns? Should some siblings get more than others? Or should they cut the buns into smaller and smaller pieces so everyone gets the same amount? For ages 4-8.
Connect with Natasha via her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Children’s Author, Poet, Librarian, Wife, Mom, Crazy Lady…not necessarily in that order. Nancy Ling is the winner of the prestigious Writer’s Digest Grand Prize and the Pat Parnell Poetry Award. She draws her inspiration from the multicultural background of her family and the interwoven fabric of familial culture which is, on the surface, seemingly every day.
She is the author of My Sister, Alicia May (Pleasant Street Press), Double Happiness (Chronicle Books), The Story I’ll Tell (Lee & Low Books.
Currently, she resides in Walpole, Massachusetts with her husband, Vincent, and their two girls.
Connect with Nancy via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or via BookShop.org or www.NancyTupperLing.com
Michael Genhart, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in San Francisco, CA.
He is the author of numerous picture books – covering themes such as bullying, friendship, homelessness and compassion, uniqueness, LGBTQ+
families, and multicultural families. He lives with his family in Marin County.
Michael’s books include ACCORDIONLY: ABUELO AND OPA MAKE MUSIC – the story of a boy who brings the two cultures of his family together through the music, the music of the accordion, with the help of his two
grandfathers, Abuelo and Opa. (For ages 4-8 years old) Click here to access a coloring activity for Accordionly
and RAINBOW: A FIRST BOOK OF PRIDE -a celebration of rainbows, the colors of the rainbow flag and what each color means, rainbow families of all kinds, and feeling proud of who you are! (For ages 3-5 years old)
Click here to access a coloring activity for Rainbow
Click here to access questions about Rainbow
Connect with Michael via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Natalie’s The Amazingly Cool Collection is a powerful and vibrant series that share the message that all children should have the validation of what makes them an individual. They are not just cool, but amazingly cool. As a mental health counselor, during the day, Natalie has learned about the importance of positive self-image as well as having pride in your culture. Those varying factors are what truly makes a person unique.
Natalie Murray is the author of the Amazingly Cool Collection. A mental health counselor by day, she has seen how important it is to foster confidence, self-acceptance, and pride in yourself and has written these books with the hope that they will help children to learn to think positively of themselves and others. From Birmingham, England, Natalie comes from a Caribbean family and strongly advocates for diverse representation across all forms of media. Natalie herself is visually impaired and looks to inspire others with disabilities to become involved in literature and the arts in whatever form. When not working as a counselor or writing books, Natalie enjoys writing poetry and plays, going to the cinema, and learning other languages.
Children all have different interests, talents, and aspirations. Often these are not encouraged either because they are not noticed, nurtured, or are seen as inappropriate for a child based on their gender, background, and/or perceived academic ability. Grow Up and be Great focuses on how different children have the capacity to do whatever they want and encourages children to follow their passions and see themselves as capable of making that into a success, regardless of their gender, background, culture, disability, or expectation.
Connect with Natalie via her website or Instagram.
Vanessa is the author of the children’s STEAM book, ‘Emerald Jones: The Fashion Designer Diva’ (2020), and the romance novel, ‘Paint the Sky Purple’ (2010). She has a LinkedIn Learning course “Managing A Diverse Team” and an audio course on Listenable, “Practicing DEI Can Improve Organizational Culture”. She is an experienced consultant and facilitator in leadership, diversity, governance, community dialogue, and soft skills.
Emerald Jones: The Fashion Designer Diva
Eleven-year-old Emmie Jones has a PASSION for fashion. She dreams of becoming a fashion designer. During her fifth-grade class, she often finds herself daydreaming about fashion shows and designing stylish clothes instead of paying attention to the lesson. Although Emmie is a good student and math comes easy for her, she cannot wait until she is old enough to quit school and follow her designer path. When she is caught unready during class, and teased by a classmate, her retaliation sends her to the principal’s office. There Emmie meets a mystery person who offers her a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Meet Emerald Jones, the Fashion Designer Diva!
Connect with Vanessa via her website, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
Sandra Elaine Scott is the author of the award-winning book, The Magical Day. Inspired by her bicultural heritage, she is a child at heart and has a love for all things magical. She loves to read and dream up stories. Sandra’s wish is that children learn to love themselves and create their own magical joy-filled days.
The Tale of the Black Unicorn (for ages 4-8)
Reina is a special unicorn who loves playing with her friends until the day her appearance starts changing. When magical things start to happen, she tries to hide her differences. The enchanting tale of the Black Unicorn is told to 8-year-old Reina, who learns to have confidence in herself and to be proud of who she is. This wonderful twist on identity and loving yourself will inspire readers as they hear the powerful message of acceptance: You are Loved! You are Beautiful! You are You!”
Connect with Sandra via her website, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Goodreads.
Natalie McDonald-Perkins is an elementary school teacher from San Francisco, California. She earned her Master of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in Multicultural Studies, Social Justice
Education, and Action Research from California State University, Fresno in 2015. Natalie has worked in the education field for 18 years and has been a teacher for seven years. Throughout her
entire career, she has been dedicated to serving underprivileged youth. She spent most of her career teaching in Sacramento, California, and East Oakland, California. Her professional interests
include social-emotional learning, culturally relevant teaching, and behavior management through positive student-teacher relationships. She also enjoys mentoring and supporting other teachers with routines, rituals, curriculum, and instruction. In her free time, she enjoys writing, spending time with her family, and reading. The little girl in her desired more positive representations of African American boys and girls in children’s literature.
Natalie McDonald-Perkins’ debut book, Best in Me, is a short, multicultural, picture book of poetry that celebrates children of all backgrounds. The children join a counseling class because they get teased for being different. But when the students share how they’re unique, they make a powerful discovery: their happiness comes from loving what makes them special.
This book is one that will linger within your soul for days, months, and years to come. This book reignites the senses through the use of poetry. Her intentional and perfectly crafted words take every adult on a nostalgic journey, forcing one to reexamine childhood wounds, at the hands of unkind people. While Perkins invites us into the lives of nine multicultural children, she effortlessly uses the power of language to weave a common thread that will resonate with children across the world, as well as the child that still lives within every adult. As you flip through the pages of this book and get lost in the words, Perkins will subconsciously challenge you to initiate a dialogue with your children and students. Step up and rise to Perkins’ challenge, by first, owning this book, and gifting it to the ones you love. This book belongs within EVERY child’s personal library and EVERY school library across the world. Dare to look within yourself and discover and/or rediscover the best in YOU!” -Elementary School Teacher
Connect with Natalie via her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Green Kids Club strives to provide educational and fun stories for children that introduce the concepts of environmental stewardship and endangered species conservation at a young age in order to preserve the earth for generations to come.
Sylvia Medina is the president, primary author, and creative director of the Green Kids Club. She has spent her career focused on environmental issues and helping to preserve animal welfare.
She developed the Green Kids Club concept, which would help her children, as well as other children around the world, learn early positive environmental habits that they could share with others. Sylvia also founded the Snake River Animal Shelter, East Idaho’s only non-profit animal sheltering facility, to fill a need in the community
Green Kids Club’s new book release to their Environmental Heroes series, titled, “A Tail of Three Lions!” They are further excited that this book about lions was co-written with Ian Michler, the lead character of the award-winning documentary, “Blood Lions” and co-leader of the related campaign to end practices like farming, poaching, and other forms of exploitation threatening African lions.
The story focuses on a family of lions and the impact of wildlife tourism practices, such as petting lion cubs and captive hunting. The book is illustrated by Morgan Spicer @barkpointstudio and includes photographs in the back pages following the story to introduce children to facts about lions, their habitat, and human threats.
Connect with Green Kids Club via their website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
