Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Yay! It’s the 7th edition of Multicultural Children’s Book Day! A quick word about this wonderful initiate:
“Our mission is to not only raise awareness for the kid’s books that celebrate diversity, but to get more of these of books into classrooms and libraries. Children’s reading and play advocates Valarie Budayr from Jump Into a Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom have teamed up to create an ambitious — and much needed — national event. On January 27th five years ago, Jump into a Book and PragmaticMom created the first ever Multicultural Children’s Book Day as a way of celebrating diversity in children’s books.”
Click HERE to find out more information.
I’m participating in a few different ways this year. A few bloggers will review my book A Real Live Pet.
Book synopsis
JJ’s little sister, Nala, loves her pet stick. But JJ wants a real pet for his birthday. So when he catches a frog at the pond, he’ll do anything to keep it―but will his parents let him?
Kane Press’s Science Solves It! series merges fiction and science in storylines that intrigue youngsters and encourage them to observe, investigate, predict, and experiment! Young readers ages 5–8 will be inspired by the relatable characters in each story as they solve kid-sized mysteries and dilemmas.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Real-Live-Pet-Nonliving-Science/dp/1635920094
I also have the pleasure of reviewing two diverse books to honor Multicultural Children’s Book Day, so let’s get to that!
Book 1
The School Science Competition by Avril O’Reilly
Book synopsis
Uh oh. We have a problem. Mum and Dad want to go for a romantic dinner but who will look after Bekki the Fairy? Bekki’s naughty magic spells have frightened away most of the babysitters. Mikita the science student and physics genius agrees to help but she has a lot of homework to do. Is Bekki going to have a very boring night or can she use her magic to brighten up the evening? Those poor baby-sitters. All they want to do is get on with their science projects.
At the back of the book is a real-life scientist, Mumbi, who makes products for black hair. The baby-sitters all do STEM subjects and would love to be scientists like her when they grow up. What a cool job!
My Honest Review
(this book was gifted to me and the opinions expressed are my own)
Bekki the Fairy is helpful. Or at least, she tries to be. That’s what makes her character so endearing and charming. I had a good laugh reading about how she scared away almost all the babysitters, until Mikita came along. I appreciate having strong female characters who are smart, and well versed in subjects such as science and physics. Little girls, especially from a diverse background, should be reading books with positive role models. As Mikita tries to fix her science invention, Bekki tries to help. I like the way science facts are peppered through the story without it being too preachy or “educational” in tone. This is a great example of informational fiction, where kids can learn about various concepts such as what particles are. I also enjoyed the illustrations, which were photos of the characters in real time. Very original!
Author quote
“I wanted to make books for the kids in London who I felt did not have any books with girls on the cover who looked like them.”
-Avril O’Reilly
Avril’s Social Media
https://twitter.com/Avrilfrances
https://www.facebook.com/AvrilsStorybooks/
Book 2
This is the Earth, by Deedee Cummings, illustrated by Charlene Mosley
Book synopsis
A recent Purple Dragonfly Award First Place winner, Cummings uses bold and bright illustrations in This is the Earth to share a message of peace, love, respect, compassion, and inclusion. Published in early 2019, the book’s core message is this: peace is meant for all of us and it is everyone’s responsibility to care for each other like the family that we are.
This vibrant diverse picture book encourages people of all backgrounds to unite together and create a force of peace and respect for all instead of viewing their part of the world as a secluded island. Kids and adults will love the lyrical message and thoughtful artwork that reinforces the fact that every human being is our neighbor and part of a larger family.{ages 2 and up}
My Honest Review
(this book was gifted to me and the opinions expressed are my own)
The book This is the Earth begins with a poignant quote:
“We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers.”
-Martin Luther King Jr.
What a beautiful planet we live on, yet discrimination and prejudice still run rampant. This is the Earth celebrates each individual, while respecting diversity. It’s okay to be different, is one of its central message. In fact, we should celebrate our differences. At the same time, we need to be cognisant of the earth we stand on each day, and give our respect to Mother Nature.
The book is filled with charming rhyming passages, simple enough for very young ones to understand. The message is positive and one that’s instilled in harmony. At the end, the author discusses the various notions of peace and encourages the reader to discover what peace can mean for them. A great read to share with the family!
Author quote
“My hope for This is the Earth is that it will spark conversations in schools and day cares, around dinner tables and during bedtimes,” Cummings noted. “These conversations can include discussions about why it has been so hard for humans to exist on the same planet together and how we can change that. I hope children read the story, look at the pictures, and are able to feel peace. My hope is that This is the Earth also helps readers of all ages understand that feeling ‘at peace’ and learning about each other with an open mind is a better way to go through life.”
-Deedee Cummings
Author Bio
Deedee Cummings is a veteran author of 11 diverse picture books and CEO of Make A Way Media. She is also a long-time MCBD Sponsor and a (for the second year!) is our exclusives SUPER PLATINUM SPONSOR for MCBD2020. The book she is focusing on this year is the multi-award-winning This is the Earth.
Deedee’s Social Media
Lydia Lukidis 