Multicultural Children's Book Day! #ReadYourWorld

It’s Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2023, and I’m so excited to share my review of the book I received: Alicia's Happy Day, written by Meg Starr and illustrated by Ying-hwa Hu and Cornelius Van Wright.

Join in on the celebration of Alicia’s birthday! I love that this lyrical picture book is written as a big, beautiful wish for a day filled with joy. My favorite line? “May you have a day that’s twirly-swirly.” 

As Alicia walks through her neighborhood with Mammi, we encounter salsa music, airplanes writing in the sky, and generous vendors like the Orange lady and the Icey man.

Alicia is obviously the main character, but Meg Starr has written the text in second person and in such a clever way that readers will feel as if all of these beautiful wishes are directed at them. Readers will feel blanketed in love and happy for Alicia when she celebrates. 

The story is a joy to read, and it’s a joy to look at as well. Ying-hwa Hu’s and Cornelius Van Wright’s watercolor illustrations are vibrant and lovely. As she moves through her neighborhood, Alicia’s excitement is obvious on every page and in every interaction. The celebration at the end of the book with friends, family, cake, balloons, and an adorable dog is my favorite spread.

I loved seeing the diverse places and people that Alicia encounters within the city. For readers who live in an urban setting, they’ll see familiar and fun people and places, and for readers who haven’t had this experience, Alicia’s Happy Day will offer them a view into city life. 

I appreciate that Meg Star is a teacher and professor in Early Childhood Education and has been a daycare teacher and director. She brings her knowledge of early childhood to her writing, and since much of the work she’s done is in East Harlem, her stories reflect that setting. Ying-hwa Hu and Cornelius Van Wright also live in New York City with their children, so the art within Alicia’s Happy Day is inspired by the busy, energetic city that surrounds them.

Star Bright Books offers Alicia’s Happy Day in an English edition (the version I reviewed, and this version includes a few Spanish phrases/words), a Spanish edition, and my favorite format, Spanish AND English! I appreciate Star Bright’s commitment to allowing all kids to see themselves within the pages of their books and to publish books in a variety of languages so that readers can read books in their own languages. Currently, Star Bright Books publish books in 33 languages!

This book was #gifted to me for an honest #review for Multicultural Children's Book Day 2023. #ReadYourWorld

THANK YOU to our wonderful participants and supporters including Co-Hosts, Medallion and Author Levels Sponsors, book reviewers, book donators, and readers! 

Link up your book reviews here and use this collection to discover new titles and authors for your home and classroom bookshelves. #ReadYourWorld

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2023 (1/26/22) is in its 10th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.

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

MCBD 2023 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Pragmaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)

🏅 Super Platinum Sponsor: Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media

🏅 Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages 

🏅 Gold Sponsors: Interlink Books, Publisher Spotlight 

🏅 Silver Sponsors: Cardinal Rule Press,  Lee & Low, Barefoot Books, Kimberly Gordon Biddle

🏅 Bronze Sponsors: Vivian Kirkfield, Patrice McLaurin , Quarto Group, Carole P. Roman, Star Bright Books, Redfin.com, Redfin Canada, Bay Equity Home Loans, Rent.com, Title Forward

Poster Artist:  Lisa Wee

  

Classroom Kit Poster: Led Bradshaw

MCBD 2023 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Authors: Sivan Hong, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Josh Funk , Stephanie M. Wildman, Gwen Jackson, Diana Huang, Afsaneh Moradian, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Eugenia Chu, Jacqueline Jules, Alejandra Domenzain, Gaia Cornwall, Ruth Spiro, Evelyn Sanchez-Toledo, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Kiyanda and Benjamin Young/Twin Powers Books, Kimberly Lee , Tameka Fryer Brown, Talia Aikens-Nuñez, Marcia Argueta Mickelson, Kerry O’Malley Cerra, Jennie Liu, Heather Murphy Capps, Diane Wilson, Sun Yung Shin, Shannon Gibney, John Coy, Irene Latham and Charles Waters, Maritza M Mejia, Lois Petren, J.C. Kato and J.C.², CultureGroove, Lindsey Rowe Parker, Red Comet Press, Shifa Saltagi Safadi, Nancy Tupper Ling, Deborah Acio, Asha Hagood, Priya Kumari, Chris Singleton, Padma Venkatraman, Teresa Robeson, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Martha Seif Simpson, Rochelle Melander, Alva Sachs, Moni Ritchie Hadley, Gea Meijering, Frances Díaz Evans, Michael Genhart, Angela H. Dale, Courtney Kelly, Queenbe Monyei, Jamia Wilson, Charnaie Gordon, Debbie Ridpath Ohi, Debbie Zapata, Jacquetta Nammar Feldman, Natasha Yim, Tracy T. Agnelli, Kitty Feld, Anna Maria DiDio, Ko Kim, Shachi Kaushik 

MCBD 2023 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!

MCBD 2023 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!

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

📌 FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

• MCBD 2023 Poster

• Mental Health Support for Stressful Times Classroom Kit

• Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents

• Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit

• FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit

• FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit

• FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit

• FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit

• FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit

• Gallery of Our Free Posters

• FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program

📌 Register for the MCBD Read Your World Virtual Party

Join us on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at 9 pm EST for the 10th annual Multicultural Children's Book Day Read Your World Virtual Party!

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

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

Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, and connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. We look forward to seeing you all on January 26, 2023, at our virtual party!

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It’s Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2022, and I’m so excited to share my review of the book I received: Dinner on Domingos. This gorgeous book is published by Barefoot Books, whose motto is “Step inside a story.” Dinner on Domingos allows us to do this because the story is told in first person through the voice of narrator Alejandra. Yes, this is a story from author Alexandra Katona’s childhood! 

As a teacher, I was excited to receive Dinner on Domingos because I know that there’s just something about stories that connect with food. During the pandemic, I’ve started teaching a “Comfort Food” unit that includes foodie picture books. My students and I are so thankful for the books that include recipes because--in the kids’ words--these books make us hungry! Students are always eager to try the recipe at home. 

This is so much more than a food book, though! Readers will love the Spanish words sprinkled throughout the text. The majority of these words are understood through context, but if not, a glossary is part of the backmatter. Alexandra’s writing evokes the senses by sharing sights, smells, and tastes during this Sunday trip to Abuelita’s (Grandma’s) house for dinner.

The love between Abuelita and Alejandra is evident, but the rift between them is exposed through the text as well: “I wish I had the words to answer.” and “I wish I spoke more Spanish.” Still, Alejandra and her family all join together for Sunday (Domingo) dinners. The cousins play, fight, and make memories. Abuelita cooks, and the family eats. Nothing seems to bring Abuelita greater joy than being surrounded by and feeding her family. “When we’re full, her heart is, too.” And after the meal, Abuelita and Alejandra dance. This is when Alejandra apologizes for not being fluent in Spanish: “Lo siento.” Abuelita laughs and shows her love, and the rift between grandmother and granddaughter closes with a hug. Their language is love, food, and making memories.

What a beautiful book! I connected with the nostalgia and memories--I loved learning more about Alexandra’s family and seeing her experiences through her eyes. This story brought back so many of my own wonderful memories of family gatherings!

As a mother of Latine children who don’t speak Spanish and who have Spanish-speaking relatives they also struggle to communicate with, this is a powerful, important book. My children will see themselves in the character of Alejandra, and will connect with Alexandra’s path as an adult who chose to learn Spanish in order to communicate with members of her family. I’m so thankful that Dinner on Domingos exists for kids like mine who will see themselves within the story, feel the pain of not being able to communicate fully with a loved one, and learn the resolution for Alejandra/Alexandra.

I was already a huge fan of Claudia Navarro’s vibrant illustrations. I first fell in love with Claudia’s work when I saw the illustrations she created for AJ Irving’s gorgeous book Dance Like a Leaf. Claudia’s work is colorful, emotional, and playful. The illustrations of Abuelita’s house and the spreads with food illustrations are my favorite and never fail to make me hungry.

Beautiful backmatter includes a note from Alexandra about her ancestry and how learning Spanish played a part in her relationship with her family. I am SO excited that Abuelita’s recipe for Ecuadorian Locro is included--I can’t wait to eat this delicious soup! :)

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

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

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

SUPER PLATINUM: Make A Way Media

PLATINUM: Language Lizard

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

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

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

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

Charlene Mosley (official MCBD2022 Poster Creator)

Illustrator Isabelle Roxas (Class Kit Poster Creator)

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

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

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

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

FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents

Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit

FREE Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit

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

Gallery of Our Free Posters

FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program

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

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

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

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

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