It started as a conversation between two book-loving moms a decade ago.
Mia Wenjen (Prgamaticmom) relates to the word “multicultural” in a very personal way. As a half Japanese and half Chinese mother of 3, she and her Korea-born husband, Tai, enjoy an active and busy life in Boston.
Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com) parents immigrated from Sweden many years ago and to this day, Valarie still speaks Swedish (plus five other languages fluently). Her family is Muslim-Americans who participate in fasting for Ramadan while also regularly visiting Viking Camp in Sweden on the Island where Thor is purported to be buried.
“As a child, I had read every single biography and chapter book in my elementary school library and had never once found an Asian American character in a book,” Mia shared. “Then, decades later as a mom, I found a dozen or so Asian American children’s book authors and was elated. But then I read a study by Lee and Low that showed the number of diversity books published each year has not changed for the last fourteen years. My blog was only a few years old, but I made a public statement on Facebook that, in response to the study, I was going to focus on multicultural KidLit. Valarie saw my post and called me, saying that she should just start our own holiday. I said, ‘Can you DO that? ‘Of course,’ she said. So we did.”
Connect with Valarie via her website, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.
Connect with Mia via her website, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and Facebook.
Language Lizard provides educators, librarians, and parents with resources that develop literacy skills among language learners, build inclusive classrooms, and celebrate cultural diversity.
Language Lizard offers bilingual books in 50+ languages, multilingual audio products, multicultural book sets & posters, and other resources for diverse classrooms. Teachers may download free multicultural lesson plans at LanguageLizard.com/LessonPlans.htm. In addition, the company’s blog and free monthly Culture Connection newsletter provide valuable information and special offers to those working with diverse children (sign up at LanguageLizard.com/Newsletter).
The company is running a giveaway of bilingual and multicultural books to newsletter subscribers and has already given away over $2,000 worth of bilingual books. Anyone interested in supporting multiculturalism can enter their current giveaway at LanguageLizard.com/Win-Bilingual-Books.
Bilingual Books are available in English with Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Burmese, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Dari, Dutch, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian-Creole, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Karen (Sgaw), Korean, Kurdish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malay, Malayalam, Nepali, Norwegian, Panjabi, Pashto/Pashtu, Patois, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Scottish Gaelic, Shona, Slovakian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Tamil, Thai, Tigrinya, Turkish, Twi, Urdu, Vietnamese, Welsh, Yiddish, Yoruba, Oromo, and Telugu.
And Language Lizard’s popular teaching manual, Building Bridges with Bilingual Books and Multicultural Resources, provides lesson plans and diversity activities to support culturally responsive teaching. Educators can even purchase a comprehensive multicultural teaching set with bilingual books that go along with all the lesson plans in the manual, providing easy access to many hours of culturally responsive instruction.
Language Lizard’s newest bilingual storybook offering, The Biscuit Moon, is an engaging Native American story about a distressed traveler. As we follow Buffalo’s journey, we explore the concepts of climate change, scarcity, and the need to share precious resources.
Language Lizard’s new multicultural idiom book series has been called “a teacher’s dream come true.” Using clever illustrations with settings and characters from around the world, the idiom books offer a fun way to learn idioms. They even come with free multicultural lessons and diversity activities to support culturally responsive teaching. And the many bilingual versions of the books provide idiom translations and meanings in a second language, making the idioms easier for English language learners to understand.
Connect with Language Lizard on their blog, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and, Instagram
Deedee Cummings is the founder of Make A Way Media and the author of eleven diverse children’s books including, Heart, My Trip to the Beach, If A Caterpillar Can Fly, Why Can’t I, My Dad’s Job, Love Is…,Think of It Like This!, Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess, and I Want To Be a Bennett Belle.
In The Nick of Time is Deedee’s latest title and this diverse holiday book has been profiled in USA Today.
Nick Saint never really put a lot of thought into his name until one snowy day in December when he accidentally receives a letter meant for Saint Nick. Realizing there is not much time left until Christmas, Nick opens the letter. The unexpected message inside ultimately leads him on a journey of understanding poverty, gratitude, and service to others while discovering the real meaning of the holiday spirit.
Nick’s actions and kindness are filled with heartwarming results that even please Santa Claus himself! An endearing story of a little brown boy who helps Santa save Christmas.
Children of all ages and backgrounds who read In the Nick of Time will understand that sometimes the smallest act of kindness can take up the biggest space in someone else’s heart.
As a therapist, attorney, author, and mom, Deedee is passionate about passing down the life lessons that were instilled in her by her beloved mom. All ten of DeeDee’s diverse picture, poetry, and workbooks for kids has threads of her professional knowledge running through them as well. Colorful and vibrant, her books for kids are not only fun to read, but they also work to teach coping skills, reinforce the universal message for love for all, and encourage mindfulness and inclusion.
She has spent more than two decades working with families and centers much of her writing around her experience working with kids in therapeutic foster care. Her stories are filled with positive and hopeful messages. DeeDee also uses therapeutic techniques in her stories to teach coping skills and lessen the stigma some people feel about receiving mental health assistance.
She is also the founder and creator of the Louisville Book Festival; a non-profit, literacy-based conference and book fair that will occur in Louisville, Kentucky on October 23rd and 24th, 2020. This event is designed to celebrate and grow the vibrant culture and community of Louisville while inspiring a love of reading for generations to come.
Connect with DeeDee via her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.
Candlewick Press is one of the fastest-growing children’s book publishers in the United States. Established in 1991, we are a progressive and creative company, with a steadfast commitment to the best, which is due in part to our rare independence–being 100 percent employee-owned gives us the freedom to publish only the books we believe in.
Our reputation for excellence in creating beautiful, high-quality children’s books is accomplished through a staff of dedicated, focused, and energetic individuals who enjoy an innovative, team-oriented work environment.
In 1992, Candlewick Press opened its doors as an independent children’s publisher, and we remain an independent publisher today. What does that mean? We are 100 percent owned and operated by our employees — who include our 85 staff members in Somerville and more than 155 authors and illustrators.
Candlewick Press arrived on the scene with some of the highest-quality picture books anywhere. And in the years since then, our offerings have grown to encompass all ages, from board books to e-books, high-end novelty to cutting-edge fiction. What hasn’t changed is our goal of excellence, our model of independence, and our commitment to the authors and illustrators who create our books and the readers who love them.
Their vast line-up of diverse books for all ages including notable titles like:
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat
On June 23, 2018, twelve young players of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach enter a cave in northern Thailand seeking an afternoon’s adventure. But when they turn to leave, rising floodwaters block their path out. The boys are trapped! Before long, news of the missing team spreads, launching a seventeen-day rescue operation involving thousands of rescuers from around the globe. As the world sits vigil, people begin to wonder: how long can a group of ordinary kids survive in complete darkness, with no food or clean water? Luckily, the Wild Boars are a very extraordinary “ordinary” group. Combining firsthand interviews of rescue workers with in-depth science and details of the region’s culture and religion, author Christina Soontornvat—who was visiting family in Northern Thailand when the Wild Boars went missing—masterfully shows how both the complex engineering operation above ground and the mental struggles of the thirteen young people below proved critical in the life-or-death mission. Meticulously researched and generously illustrated with photographs, this page-turner includes an author’s note describing her experience meeting the team, detailed source notes, and bibliography to fully immerse readers in the most ambitious cave rescue in history. For ages 8-12.
Can Bears Ski? by Raymond Antrobus and illustrated by Polly Dunbar
Little Bear feels the world around him. He feels his bed rumble when Dad Bear wakes him up in the morning. He feels the floor shake when his teacher stomps to get his attention. But something else is missing, like when his friends tell jokes that he isn’t sure he understands, or when all around him Little Bear hears the question, “Can bears ski?” Then, one day, Dad Bear takes him to see an “aud-i-olo-gist,” and Little Bear learns that he has been experiencing deafness and will start wearing hearing aids. Soon he figures out what that puzzling refrain is: “Can you hear me?” Little Bear’s new world is LOUD and will take some getting used to, but with the love and support of Dad Bear, he will find his way. In this lyrical picture book, award-winning creators Raymond Antrobus and Polly Dunbar draw on their own experiences to tell Bear’s story.
Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away by Meg Medina and illustrated by Sonia Sanchez (also available in Spanish)
A big truck with its mouth wide open is parked at the curb, ready to gobble up Evelyn’s mirror with the stickers around the edge . . . and the sofa that we bounce on to get to the moon.
Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela’s best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other: Daniela with her mami and hamster, and Evelyn with her mami, papi, and cat. But not after today—not after Evelyn moves away. Until then, the girls play amid the moving boxes until it’s time to say goodbye, making promises to keep in touch, because they know that their friendship will always be special. The tenderness of Meg Medina’s beautifully written story about friendship and change is balanced by Sonia Sánchez’s colorful and vibrant depictions of the girls’ urban neighborhood.
Flying Paintings: The Zhou Brothers: A Story of Revolution and Art by Amy Alznauer and illustrated by ShanZuo Zhou; DaHuang Zhou
First, there was one Zhou brother, and then there were two. They lived in a bookstore with their grandmother, Po Po, whose stories of paintings that flew through the air and landed on mountain cliffs inspired them to create their own art. Amid the turbulence of China’s Cultural Revolution in the 1970s, the Zhou Brothers began painting together on the same canvas. Today, ShanZuo and DaHuang Zhou are icons in the art world, renowned for working side by side on all their paintings and sculptures.
In this extraordinary biography, author Amy Alznauer joins with the Zhou Brothers to tell the story of their unique and often difficult childhood and their pursuit of a wild, impossible dream. The lyrical writing blends elements of legend, while the brothers’ dramatic illustrations soar with vibrant colors and surreal imagery from ancient Chinese cliff paintings. An inspiration for young artists and dreamers of all kinds, this deeply felt collaboration explores how art can bring people together, as well as set them free.
Love is Powerful by Heather Dean Brewer and LeUyen Pham
Mari raised her sign for everyone to see.
Even though she was small and the crowd was very big,
and she didn’t think anyone would hear,
she yelled out.
Mari is getting ready to make a sign with crayon as the streets below her fill up with people. “What are we making, Mama?” she asks. “A message for the world,” Mama says. “How will the whole world hear?” Mari wonders. “They’ll hear,” says Mama, “because love is powerful.” Inspired by a girl who participated in the January 2017 Women’s March in New York City, Heather Dean Brewer’s simple and uplifting story, delightfully illustrated by LeUyen Pham, is a reminder of what young people can do to promote change and equality at a time when our country is divided by politics, race, gender, and religion.
Mary Seacole: Bound for the Battlefield by Susan Goldman Rubin and illustrated by Richie Pope
Mary Seacole spent much of her life on the front lines of the Crimean War, ministering to the wounded, caring for soldiers, and making her mark on the world of medicine. This fascinating biography honors Mary Seacole’s life, from her childhood in Kingston, Jamaica, and her encounters with racist Americans to her treatment of cholera patients in Panama and her bitter run-in with Florence Nightingale, who declined to work with her in Crimea because she wasn’t white. But Mary Seacole knew that the sick and wounded needed her compassion and care, and despite all obstacles, she answered the call to help them. Author Susan Goldman Rubin gives voice to this fearless nurse and healer through captivating details drawn from Mary Seacole’s own writings, while debut illustrator Richie Pope vividly captures her service at the bedside and on the battlefield. Inspiring and engaging, this biography introduces a compelling heroine who rose above barriers to earn a place in history.
Northbound: A Train Ride Out of Segregation by Michael S. Bandy; Eric Stein and illustrated by James E. Ransome
Michael and his granddaddy always stop working to watch the trains as they rush by their Alabama farm on the way to distant places. One day Michael gets what he’s always dreamed of: his first train journey, to visit cousins in Ohio! Boarding the train in the bustling station, Michael and his grandma follow the conductor to the car with the “colored only” sign. But when the train pulls out of Atlanta, the signs come down, and a boy from the next car runs up to Michael, inviting him to explore. The two new friends happily scour the train together and play in Bobby Ray’s car—until the conductor calls out “Chattanooga!” and abruptly ushers Michael back to his grandma for the rest of the ride. How could the rules be so changeable from state to state—and so unfair? Based on author Michael Bandy’s own recollections of taking the train as a boy during the segregation era, this story of a child’s magical first experience is intercut with a sense of baffling injustice, offering both a hopeful tale of friendship and a window into a dark period of history that still resonates today.
Superhero Gran by Timothy Knapman and Joe Berger
All grandmothers are wonderful, and this gran is no exception. She might not lift buildings or go whooshing through the sky, but she can plan super sleepovers, tell tickle-filled stories, and even put together great disguises to make a superhero team with her grandchildren. For ages PreK to 2.
The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel by Sheela Chari
Mars Patel’s friend Aurora has disappeared! His teachers are clueless. His mom is stressed out about her jobs. But Mars refuses to give up—after all, his own dad disappeared when Mars was a toddler before he and Ma moved to Puget Sound from India. Luckily, Mars has a group of loyal friends eager to help—smart Toothpick, strong and stylish JP, and maybe-telepathic Caddie. The clues seem to point toward eccentric tech genius (and Mars’s hero) Oliver Pruitt, whose popular podcast now seems to be commenting on their quest! But when the friends investigate Pruitt’s mysterious, elite school, nothing is as it seems—and anyone could be deceiving them. Slick science, corporate conspiracies, and an endearingly nerdy protagonist make this first book in the series a fresh, exciting sci-fi adventure.
For Carrie and her best friend, Zora, Eatonville—America’s first incorporated Black township—has been an idyllic place to live out their childhoods. But when a lynch mob crosses the town’s border to pursue a fugitive and a grave robbery resuscitates the ugly sins of the past, the safe ground beneath them seems to shift. Not only has Zora’s own father—the showboating preacher John Hurston—decided to run against the town’s trusted mayor, but there are other unsettling things afoot, including a heartbreaking family loss, a friend’s sudden illness, and the suggestion of voodoo and zombie-ism in the air, which a curious and grieving Zora becomes all too willing to entertain.
In this fictionalized tale, award-winning author Victoria Bond explores the end of childhood and the bittersweet goodbye to Eatonville by preeminent author Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960). In so doing, she brings to a satisfying conclusion the story begun in the award-winning Zora and Me and its sequel, Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground, sparking inquisitive readers to explore Hurston’s own seminal work.
Connect with Candlewick on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest Instagram, and YouTube.
Barefoot Books has created more than 700 books, spoken word stories, music, animations, characters, puzzles, and games that open children’s hearts and minds to their wonderfully diverse world. Their first app, Barefoot World Atlas, has had 4 million+ downloads and was selected by Apple as one of their top 10 apps of all time. Their YouTube channel has over 150 million views. However, their proudest accomplishment is to have put nearly 25 million books into the hands of children around the world.
Barefoot Books is proud to showcase THREE breath-taking books for MCBD2021:
In this #OwnVoices book inspired by the author’s hometown of Chennai, India, a girl explores the vibrant rainbow of delights in a southern Indian street market as she searches for a gift for her amma (mother). Educational endnotes explain all the items on sale and introduce readers to markets around the world. For ages 4-9.
What do you see from your window? This #OwnVoices picture book from Brazil offers a first-hand view of what children growing up in the favelas of Rio de Janiero see every day. A vibrant and diverse celebration of urban community living, brought to life by unique, colorful illustrations that juxtapose brick buildings with lush jungle plants. For ages 4-10.
Barefoot Books has a New Website!
We have launched a new website where you’ll enjoy many new features such as a revamped Living Barefoot Blog, detailed product descriptions, and an easier way to browse and find the perfect books and gifts for the children in your life. Our Autumn/Winter catalogue is also here and has information about our new titles as well as our backlist favorites in easy to navigate categories.
Browse their catalog of beautiful and diverse books HERE.
Connect with Barefoot Books via their website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.
STORYMAKERS, our flagship series, is an entertaining talk show highlighting bestselling kid lit authors and illustrators. The series is hosted by Rocco Staino, Contributing Editor at School Library Journal, a contributing writer at The Huffington Post, and Director of Empire State Center for the Book, affiliate of the U.S. Library of Congress.
READ OUT LOUD – Enjoy storytime with authors at KLTV HQ!
READY SET DRAW! – Get inspired to draw with talented illustrators from children’s literature.
YOUNG AT ART with James Ransome – In this series, kids learn basic and intermediate art skills used in children’s book illustrations!
The BIG Picture LIVE! with Andrea Davis Pinkney – LIVE drawing and fun tutorials.
IN STUDIO – Join the KLTV film crew as we visit artists’ studios around the world!
PAST PRESENT: GIVING PAST STORIES NEW LIFE with Lesa Cline-Ransome – Explore non-fiction story writing, share how we can learn about ourselves and find common bonds with people from the past.
WHAT BECOMES A CLASSIC? with Leonard Marcus, digs into the historical and cultural context around the creation of a children’s classic.
Go on an adventure in a world of stories with us! KidLit TV is the place to discover great children’s books and connect with the people who create them.
Peachtree Publishing Company Inc. is a trade book publisher based in Atlanta, Georgia, specializing in children’s books, including board books, picture books, and middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction. We create books that educate, entertain, encourage, and endure.
The company, begun in 1977 by music publisher Helen Elliott, originally emphasized works exclusively by Southern writers, particularly in the areas of adult fiction and humor. One of a handful of regional houses established throughout the U.S. in the late seventies, Peachtree was the first trade publishing house in the South to achieve national recognition and distribution with several books on The New York Times Best-Sellers list. We still maintain a backlist of adult titles covering consumer references, regional guides, fiction, and memoirs. In 1988, Margaret Quinlin was named executive editor and vice president of Peachtree. Quinlin’s background included fifteen years of publishing experience in New York, Boston, and Washington, DC. In June 1990, Quinlin purchased a controlling interest in Peachtree from the Elliott family to become president and publisher. In November 2018, the company was acquired by Trustbridge Global Media, a division of Trustbridge Partners.
Peachtree offers an entire catalog of beautiful and diverse books for young readers including:
William Still and His Freedom Stories, written and illustrated by Don Tate
Feast of Peas, written by Kashmira Sheth and illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler
Lali’s Feather, written by Farhana Zia and illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman
Going Down Home with Daddy, written by Kelly Starling Lyons and illustrated by Daniel Minter
Nina Soni, Former Best Friend, written by Kashmira Sheth and illustrated by Jenn Kocsmiersky
King & Kayla and the Case of the Unhappy Neighbor, written by Dori Hilestad Butler and illustrated by Nancy Meyers
Hoopoe Books is an imprint of The Institute for the Study of Human Knowledge (ISHK), an educational nonprofit that publishes books for children.
Hoopoe’s books uncover the ancient and wonderful world of oral and written storytelling from a time before societies had formal schools when stories were the way in which everyone learned the much-needed universal lessons of tolerance and appreciation of all cultures. Through these stories, the children of today can develop an understanding of the universality of our natures, our hopes and dreams, and an appreciation of the diverse ways in which they are expressed.
The Lion Who Saw Himself in the Water by Idries Shah (ages 3-11)
Silly Chicken by Idries Shah (Eng-Urdu, for ages 3-8)
Helping children develop a love of reading and learning is at the heart of what we do at Capstone. We believe that #ReadingIsForEveryone! Our goal is to provide boundless opportunities for children to access books and online resources and we are dedicated to the belief that all kids are readers when matched with the right book. By piquing their curiosity through positive early literacy experiences, we can help create a lifetime love of reading and learning.
We believe in kids, their dreams, and their success. We believe curiosity should be encouraged, imaginations should be unencumbered and all kids should find themselves represented in books. Our passion for creating inspired learning has made us the most trusted publisher of children’s books and digital media solutions for libraries, classrooms, and consumers for 30 years. Whether print, online, or new, yet-to-be-discovered formats, Capstone provides children with the content they love to help them build literacy skills that will last a lifetime.
Join us in celebrating diverse children’s books by sharing some of our newest titles with a child in your life! Browse our #OwnVoices online catalog for our latest titles featuring inclusive characters such as:
Hello, Mandarin Duck! by Bao Phi, illustrated by Dion MBD
Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper
Camila the Star series by Alicia Salazar, illustrated by Thais Damiao
Astrid and Apollo series by V.T. Bidania, illustrated by Dara Lashia Lee
Emma Every Day series by C.L. Reid, illustrated by Elena Aiello
The Scrumptious Life of Azaleah Lane by Nikki Shannon Smith, illustrated by Gloria Felix
Yasmin series by Saadia Faruqi, illustrated by Hatem Aly
Sadiq series by Siman Nuurali, illustrated by Anjan Sarkar
The Greatest Superpower by Alex Sanchez
Farah Rocks New Beginnings by Susan Muaddi Darraj, illustrated by Ruaida Mannaa
Connect with Capstone via their website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest.
Dreaming of true-blue friends, mysterious adventures, and faraway places? Pack-n-Go Girls take you there!
CASL, the Connecticut Association of School Librarians, is the professional association of Connecticut school library media specialists.
CASL is committed to excellence in education by ensuring that students are active readers and effective users of ideas and information to become lifelong learners. The Association provides leadership, professional development, publicity, networking, and support to the Connecticut school library community. CASL supports licensed, highly qualified library media specialists and fully funded library programs in all K-12 schools. CASL promotes collaboration between classroom teachers, library media specialists, administrators, and curriculum specialists for the benefit of student achievement, especially in information literacy and technology literacy. CASL serves as a cooperative agency bringing together the profession, the State Department of Education, regional associations, national associations, and the general public.
Learn more about CASL HERE.
In The St. Nicholas Day Snow,, a huge snowstorm hits Elizabeth’s small community on Saint Nicholas Day. But, of course, it’s about more than that. The story starts on the morning of the Eve of St. Nicholas. Elizabeth’s grandmother is sick, and her parents have to leave town to make sure she’s okay. So Elizabeth is spending the day and the night with Catherine.
Elizabeth’s parents have totally forgotten that it’s St. Nicholas Eve. In their family, St. Nicholas visits on St. Nicholas Eve and leaves gifts in the children’s shoes. In Catherine’s family, St. Nicholas visits on Christmas Eve. So, on top of being worried about her grandmother, Elizabeth is now worried that St. Nicholas won’t visit her. She argues with Peter, Catherine’s little brother, about when and how St. Nicholas visits. The St. Nicholas Day Snow, can be purchased on Amazon.
Charlotte Riggle is a writer, a reader, and a passionate advocate of picture books. Her first book, Catherine’s Pascha, is as beautiful as Pascha itself, with words that sparkle and illustrations that glow with the joy of the feast.
Catherine’s Pascha was a finalist in the 2015 Best Book Awards.
Charlotte lives with her husband in the Pacific Northwest, in a house full of books and music and a fluffy brown dog. She shares faith, hope, and picture books on her website, on Facebook and Pinterest, and on Instagram.
LaDonna’s Easter in Paris is Dr. Kimberly A. Gordon Biddle’s 2nd published picture book. In this story, LaDonna has an adventure in Paris during the Easter Holiday. There she learns the universality of hope and love after facing some challenges. This is a follow up to LaDonna Plays Hoops, an inspirational and contemporary story of LaDonna’s visit to her grandma for a family reunion where she plays her older male cousin in a game of one-on-one basketball. It’s during this game that she learns some valuable life lessons. This story was a finalist in the American Fiction awards for 2019 in 3 categories.
Dr. Biddle is an emeritus faculty of Child and Adolescent Development at Sacramento State. She is also lead author of two textbooks relevant to the field of Child and Adolsecent Development. She won an Excellence in Education Award from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2018 and a Career Achievement Award from the University of Redlands in 2019.
She is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the American Educational Research Association, and the American Psychological Association. She is also a proud PAL-listed member of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
Connect with Kimberly on Facebook and on her Pink Pearl Writing site.
Redfin Real Estate is a technology-powered, residential real estate brokerage. We’re proud that Redfin is a place where different points of view are encouraged and respected. At the same time, we recognize that meaningful change requires ongoing analysis and action. We’re cultivating greater inclusion and diversity with employee-led initiatives across the company.
Redfin is committed to education and diversity which aligns well with the vision of Multicultural Children’s Book Day’s initiatives.
Connect with Redfin via YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest
Redfin’s mission is to redefine real estate in the customer’s favor. They are full-service, local agents who get to know homebuyers and sellers over coffee and on home tours, and use modern technology to make you smarter and faster.
Check out their website and the new Redfin App
Vivian Kirkfield is a former kindergarten teacher and the author of many picture books including Pippa’s Passover Plate (Holiday House); Four Otters Toboggan: An Animal Counting Book (PomegranateKids); Eureka Honor Award winner and 2020 Notable Social Studies Trade Book Sweet Dreams, Sarah – From Slavery to Inventor (Creston Books); Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe (Little Bee Books); and Junior Library Guild Selection From Here to There: Inventions That Changed the Way the World Moves (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, January 19, 2021) as well as the parent-teacher guide filled with hundreds of activities, Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking (MoneyPenny Press, 2010).
Vivian’s newest book From Here to There: Inventions That Changed the Way the World Moves (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, illus by Gilbert Ford) will be released 1/19/21.
Vivian lives in the picturesque town of Bedford, New Hampshire where she reads lots of books, writes lots of stories, and plays lots of board games with her young grandson.
Connect with Vivian on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube
Lucy and her favorite stuffed animal, Lou, do everything together. While on a family cruise, the wind sweeps her stuffed animal off into the ocean where is lost forever. Join Lucy in a story about grief and loss, as she navigates moving forward while honoring her beloved stuffed animal.
This book is a great tool for parents to jumpstart the conversation about life and death. Helping our young readers to begin exploring the understanding of grief, Lost takes loss and puts the experience into a palatable story for young readers. Lost is not only filled with diverse characters and valuable lessons, it touches on the topics of multiculturalism, death, bereavement, loss, emotions, and feelings for elementary-aged children.
Christine began publishing in 2013 and opened Dreambuilt books in 2017. Dreambuilt Books is an indie publishing company focused on children’s books with life & moral values. There are currently 7 titles: PB& J, GUTS, KIND, RESCUE, CELEBRATE, HOME, & LOST. Books from Dreambuilt Books focus on using stories to jumpstart purposeful discussions with children and add valuable, unique lessons to your bookshelf.
Dreambuilt’s Mission is to provide literature that teaches and inspires its audience.
“The company is founded on the principles that all audiences deserve valuable words, all dreamers deserve support, and all of our dreams have the possibility of being our reality and our success,” Christine shared.“We aim to provide support, equip with tools, & promote the success of aspiring authors and illustrators.”
Connect with Dreambuilt Books via the website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube
For the fourth year running, TimTimTom – Bilingual, Personalized Books joins us again as a sponsor of MCBD. TimTimTom was started by two multilingual moms Gaby (Peruvian/German) and Kat (Belgian) crazy about languages and children’s books.
They have Gaby’s then 3-year old’s blunt judgment of their horrible on-the-fly-translation skills to thank for the motivation to create TimTimTom Books. TimTimTom’s goal is to motivate kids to enjoy reading, even in their not so strong language.
The original idea for TimTimTom – Bilingual Personalised Books was to help parents trying to raise bilingual kids no matter what combination of languages they had at home. However, as they were working on their first story, they noticed that many kids where not being represented in books and set their goals to change this. Every child should have the chance to become the hero of a story.
TimTimTom – Bilingual Personalized Books, because reading in two languages is twice the fun!
With three stories, 10 languages, and over 100 personalization possibilities to choose from, your child becomes the hero of any TimTimTom story, not only by name and appearance but also in the language(s) he/she speaks or is learning in school.
TimTimTom Books to watch for include Underwater Adventure, Football/Soccer Story, and Swan Lake!
Connect with Tim Tim Tom Books via their website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram
Multicultural children’s book publisher Wisdom Tales Press is joining us again (for the 8th year!) as one of our Bronze Sponsors!
Wisdom Tales is the name of the children’s book imprint of the award-winning publishing house, World Wisdom, which was founded in 1980. Wisdom Tales publishes both children’s and teen titles and was created for the purpose of sharing the wisdom, beauty, and values of traditional cultures and people from around the world with young readers and their families. The content, illustrations, and production quality of these books are intended to assure them a lasting value for children, parents, teachers, and librarians.
The Generous Fish by Jacqueline Jules
Inspired by Jewish folklore, The Generous Fish is the story of a young boy named Reuven who takes a verse from scripture to “cast your bread upon the waters” (Ecclesiastes 11:1) quite literally. The result of his daily act is a giant talking fish with golden scales! Boy and fish spend idyllic days together until the villagers realize those scales are real gold. Every villager has good reason to ask for one. Devorah needs clothes for her children. Old Joseph needs money for a cane. The fish says he has plenty to share. But he grows weak from giving away too much, too fast. Can Reuven stand up to the village and save his friend?
Through a unique friendship between a boy and a magic fish, award-winning author Jacqueline Jules has created an environmental fable sure to generate discussion in the classroom and at home. What happens when we want something that depletes another’s resources? Frances Tyrrell’s finely detailed illustrations delightfully capture a child’s innocent love for the natural world. An author’s note provides biblical sources on human interaction with the environment. For ages 5+
SHIVA by Demi
Worshipped by millions of Hindus worldwide, Shiva (“the auspicious one”) is the god of love, righteousness, forgiveness, longevity, protection, health, and prosperity. He is said to bring good fortune, grace, and compassion. Shiva is depicted as clothed in ashes, with the crescent moon crowning his head, the holy river Ganges flowing from his matted hair, the third eye on his forehead, a serpent around his neck, and a tiger skin around his waist. As Nataraja, or “Lord of the Dance,” he controls the forces of creation, preservation, and destruction.
Award-winning author Demi presents the life and teaching of this central god within the Hindu pantheon, replete with stunning illustrations that faithfully reflect the ancient traditions of Hindu painting and iconography. Also included is an appendix of Hindu prayers to the god Shiva and notes on his representation as “Lord of the Dance.”
The Story of the Mongolian Tent House
Is a retelling of the tale of how the round yurt or ger, came to be in Mongolia. It is a story about teamwork for the betterment of all. Based on an original tale by award-winning Mongolian author, Dashdondog Jamba, and retold by distinguished international author, Anne Pellowski, find out how the traditional Mongolian tent house (called a ger in Mongolian and a yurt in Turkish), was created in the ancient past by drawing on the example of nature, and how it later became a beloved symbol of friendship and harmony. With stunning illustrations of Mongolian culture by renowned artist, Beatriz Vidal, young readers can experience first-hand the wide-open steppes of this vast and wildland bordering on Russia to the north and China to the south. For ages 4+
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“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”~Toni Morrison
It doesn’t matter if your child speaks Spanish or English, has brown eyes or blue, or has a single mom or two … Snowflake Stories makes books that look and sound just like you!
Parents, grandparents, and educators appreciate the uniqueness and relevancy of Snowflake Stories’ line of multi-award-winning, bilingual, and single-language personalized children’s books. Customizable casts and characters plus five languages allow Snowflake Stories to create books featuring bilingual, biracial, LGBT, and other families often overlooked by traditional publishers.
Author Jill Barletti founded Snowflake Stories because she struggled to find books written in Spanish for her two half-Peruvian children. She and her kids have labored to build the company because they truly believe that just like a snowflake … every child’s story is unique!
Learn more about Snowflake Stories and their Bilingual Personalized Children’s Books, check out this in-depth article on the MCBD blog.
Connect with Jill and Snowflake Stories via their website-www.SnowflakeStories.com
Or on social media–Twitter: @Snowflake_Story // @JillBarletti | Facebook: @SnowflakeStories | Instagram: @snowflakestories
Connect with The Barnes Brothers via their website, Twitter, and Facebook.
Dyesha and Triesha McCants are educators with 17+ years of experience. The ladies are proud graduates of Morgan State University, located in Baltimore, MD, where they received their bachelor’s degrees in Elementary Education. The ladies went on to receive their master’s degrees in Early Literacy from Cambridge College, Mass. They are currently working on their doctorate degrees in Educational Leadership at the University of MD Eastern Shore. After graduating from Morgan State Univ., Dyesha and Triesha went on to work in Baltimore City Public Schools for a couple of years, then went to work in Prince George’s County Public Schools where they have been for the past 16 years.
The Misadventures of Tarah and Darah: The Switch is a wonderful picture book based on real-life sisters, Dyesha and Triesha McCants. In The Misadventures of Tarah And Darah: The Switch: Tarah and Darah have hatched a hilarious prank. But, when they start to trick their friends, they realize that there’s more to being twins than simply looking alike. For ages 6-10.
Connect with Dyesha and Triesha via their website, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Star Bright Books is an independent children’s book publisher established in 1994. We are dedicated to producing great books for great kids—books for parents and children to discover together. Our high-quality hardcover, paperback, and board books are available in bookstores, schools, libraries, and literacy programs.
We believe all children should see themselves in print and make a concerted effort to include children of all colors, ethnicities, nationalities, and abilities in their books. As Star Bright Books also believes that children should see and hear books in their mother tongues, we publish books in 29 languages: Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Navajo, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Portuguese, and more!
Star Bright Books’s vast catalog of multicultural-themed children’s books include Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You! (Board Book; Birth to 2; also in Spanish/English), The Big Day (Picture Book; Ages 4 to 8), Banana for Two (Board Book; Birth to 2; in Punjabi/English, Spanish/English, and other languages), Carry Me (Board Book; Birth to 3; in multiple languages), Cradle Me (Board Book; Birth to 3; in Navajo/English, Ojibwe/English, and Spanish/English), Layla’s Head Scarf (Picture Book; Ages 5 to 8), Zachary’s Dinnertime (Picture Book; Ages 5 to 8),
Books and Bricks: How a School Rebuilt the Community (Early Chapter Book; Ages 10 to 12), Alicia’s Happy Day (Picture Book; Ages 4 to 8; in Spanish and Spanish/English), Papa Gave Me a Stick (Picture Book; Ages 4 to 8), Big Box for Ben (Board Book; Ages 2 to 4; in multiple languages), Smelling Sunshine (Picture Book; Ages 4 to 8), Wash Day (Picture Book; Ages 5 to 10), The Barefoot Champion (Early Chapter Book; Ages 7 to 9), and Down in the Subway (Picture Book; Ages 4 to 8).
Board books and picture books featuring diverse children include Babies, Babies! (Board Book; Birth to 2;s in Spanish/English), Brothers and Sisters (Picture Book; Ages 4 to 10), My Face Book (Board Book; Birth to 2; in 23 languages), Read to Me (Board Book; Birth to 3; in Spanish/English, Haitian Creole/English, and Vietnamese/English) and Words Are Like Faces (Picture Book; Ages 4 to 8).
Tall, short, big, small, athletic, artistic . . . cousins may look different and have different interests and abilities, but that just makes them one extraordinary family! From Maricela’s bilingual spelling skills to Mario’s tech whiz abilities, no two cousins are alike—and that’s just the way they like it. All the cousins are muy entusiasmados for the surprise at the end of their family gathering!
Diane de Anda cleverly highlights the beautiful diversity of Latino and mestizo families as readers are introduced to each cousin. Isabel Muñoz’s whimsical illustrations are filled with rich details, delivering a cornucopia of color for young readers. Featuring a mix of skin tones, personalities, and abilities, 21 Cousins is a delightful read that invites children to appreciate the rich heritage of Latino culture.
21 Cousins will:
Encourage bonding between children and their extended family
Teach young children about Latino and mestizo culture
Reveal the importance of appreciating and respecting differences
Help young children adapt to change and new family additions
“Big day ahead!” Big Mama says as she wakes young Tansy. She hurries Tansy through breakfast and a bath and dresses in her best clothes. Big Mama even wears her special brooch from Pop-Pop. But what could be so special about this day? Soon enough, Tansy learns the importance: Big Mama is voting for the first time!
The elation and pride of Big Mama is captured in brilliant storytelling and gorgeous watercolors, bringing this historical moment alive. The Big Day celebrates Agnes Sadler, the first Black woman to cast a vote in Knoxville, Tennessee, on September 6, 1919. The book includes an Author’s Note, a biography of Agnes Sadler, and a woman’s suffrage timeline and map.
The Big Day will:
Teach children about the woman’s suffrage movement
Introduce a historic moment in Black women’s history
Convey the critical importance of voting and voting rights
Prompt interest in civic duties, community-building, and social issues
Uh oh! Baby needs a clean diaper. Mama diapers and plays with Baby while lovingly singing her own version of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Diaper changing has never been such fun!
As the newest book in the Small Talk Books® series, Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You! focuses on the first stage of a child’s language development and encourages parents to talk to their babies during everyday chores. Even a diaper change offers the perfect opportunity to foster a special connection. Little babies will be enchanted by the sparkling stars throughout the book. Includes a note to parents and caregivers written by an early childhood expert.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You! will:
Increase bonding between parents and their babies
Develop foundational language skills in babies
Create a fun routine for diaper changing and similar chores
Educate parents on the importance of hands-on interactions with babies
Connect with Star Bright Books via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Create and Educate, LLC was founded by Sheka Houston and Tammy Taylor, school leaders with 40 years of experience between the two of them and an added bonus of having backgrounds and experiences in business, banking, and real estate. In terms of educational results, the dynamic duo has been involved in charter school start-ups, has instituted AVID and Leader in Me as school initiatives has received the South Carolina Palmetto Silver Award for academic growth, moved schools from the Priority and Comprehensive Support and Improvement statuses, won the Palmetto State Arts Education Steam School of Excellence Award and moved schools from the 17th percentile to the 90th percentile in reading on the NWEA MAP assessment.
Create and Educate partners to review books, products, and services to determine if they are a good fit for K-12 settings. The company also helps entrepreneurs with successfully reviewed products gain more exposure by being featured in the Create and Educate Magazine provided to educators across the United States. Finally, the company works with affiliate module/course contributors and helps content creators develop better offerings by providing knowledge about adult learning strategies.
Connect with Sheka and Tammy via the Create and Educate Solutions website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
My Well Read Child is a literacy initiative that believes every child deserves to see themselves in the books they read. This organization recognizes the needs of our nation’s most vulnerable and we aim to change the narrative one book at a time.
My Well Read Child is a literacy initiative to change the way children of color read books and perceive themselves. For too long, marginalized children have been underrepresented in literacy, My Well Read Child seeks to change that by creating the largest platform for African-American children’s books and their authors. We are changing the narrative one book at a time, with books that teach, inspire, uplift, and motivate.
On January 29, 2021, My Well Read Child will be hosting their first virtual book fair of the year on Multicultural Children’s Book! The MWRC Team will have presentations and live readings by authors Kim Lee, Erica Pullen, and Tonya Ellis. 📚 sign-up here to join the party!
Visit the My Well Read Child bookstore or connect with them on Facebook and Instagram.