Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 20
January 3, 2019
Chula The Fox | A Chickasaw Boy’s Journey {Diverse Chapter Book}
At first glance, I guessed this story would be a fox…the fuzzy red kind. But as I immersed myself in this intense diverse chapter book, I was fascinated by the world of the Chickasaw Indians and their struggled to live and survive in the most turbulent of primitive times.
Chula The Fox | A Chickasaw Boy’s Journey {Diverse Chapter Book}
Chula the Fox is a coming-of-age historical novel for middle-grade readers tells an honest and often frank story about Chickasaw lives and the challenges they faced during the early eighteenth century.
After a surprise attack on his father’s hunting party, Chula, a Chickasaw boy, is suddenly thrown into the murky and treacherous worlds of warfare and adulthood after the traumatic ambush costs him his father. This captivating diverse chapter book takes place during the turbulent 18th century and as a young boy without a father, Chula is left haunted by a restless spirit.
Chula concludes, in line with the customs of his time, that only vengeance will make things right again.
“Red-orange hues of sunlight spilled onto the trail, breaking up the shadows left from the night. A cool breeze brushed my cheek as I looked up through the canopy of leaves, shading my eyes with my hand. We crept along the dirt trail until a rustle in the underbrush caught our attention.”
With the help of his Uncle Lheotubby, and armed with a brand-new musket, Chula hones his skills to become a Chickasaw warrior. He vows to join a raid against the enemy, regardless of his youth, to avenge his father and put his spirit at peace. But Chula, his heart full of questions, finds that the greatest war rages within himself. It seems he is foiled at every turn by his nemesis, Nukni, and inwardly he is ambushed by self-doubt.
Does he have what it takes to prove himself as a Chickasaw Warrior? Is Chula destined for the path of his father, or will a different future await him? Grab your copy of this wonderful book via Amazon or on Chickasaw Press’ website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR of CHULA THE FOX
Anthony Perry grew up in Oklahoma and now lives in England with his wife and young children. He works as a quality improvement manager in the National Health Service in England and volunteers with hospitals in Pakistan to improve health services. He loves history and enjoys spending time with his family and traveling.
Perry has an undergraduate degree in comparative religion from Dartmouth College, a master’s degree in public health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and a master’s degree in public policy from Birkbeck College, University of London.
About Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019 (1/25/19) is in its 6th year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom. Our mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents, and educators.
MCBD 2019 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board
Medallion Level Sponsors
Honorary: Children’s Book Council, The Junior Library Guild, TheConsciousKid.org.
Super Platinum: Make A Way Media
GOLD: Bharat Babies, Candlewick Press, Chickasaw Press, Juan Guerra and The Little Doctor / El doctorcito, KidLitTV, Lerner Publishing Group, Plum Street Press,
SILVER: Capstone Publishing, Carole P. Roman, Author Charlotte Riggle, Huda Essa, The Pack-n-Go Girls,
BRONZE: Charlesbridge Publishing, Judy Dodge Cummings, Author Gwen Jackson, Kitaab World, Language Lizard – Bilingual & Multicultural Resources in 50+ Languages, Lee & Low Books, Miranda Paul and Baptiste Paul, Redfin, Author Gayle H. Swift, T.A. Debonis-Monkey King’s Daughter, TimTimTom Books, Lin Thomas, Sleeping Bear Press/Dow Phumiruk, Vivian Kirkfield,
MCBD 2019 is honored to have the following Author Sponsors on board
Honorary: Julie Flett, Mehrdokht Amini,
Author Janet Balletta, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw, Author Josh Funk, Chitra Soundar, One Globe Kids – Friendship Stories, Sociosights Press and Almost a Minyan, Karen Leggett, Author Eugenia Chu, CultureGroove Books, Phelicia Lang and Me On The Page, L.L. Walters, Author Sarah Stevenson, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Hayley Barrett, Sonia Panigrah, Author Carolyn Wilhelm, Alva Sachs and Dancing Dreidels, Author Susan Bernardo, Milind Makwana and A Day in the Life of a Hindu Kid, Tara Williams, Veronica Appleton, Author Crystal Bowe, Dr. Claudia May, Author/Illustrator Aram Kim, Author Sandra L. Richards, Erin Dealey, Author Sanya Whittaker Gragg, Author Elsa Takaoka, Evelyn Sanchez-Toledo, Anita Badhwar, Author Sylvia Liu, Feyi Fay Adventures, Author Ann Morris, Author Jacqueline Jules, CeCe & Roxy Books, Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace, LEUYEN PHAM, Padma Venkatraman, Patricia Newman and Lightswitch Learning, Shoumi Sen, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Traci Sorell, Shereen Rahming, Blythe Stanfel, Christina Matula, Julie Rubini, Paula Chase, Erin Twamley, Afsaneh Moradian, Lori DeMonia, Terri Birnbaum/ RealGirls Revolution, Soulful Sydney, Queen Girls Publications, LLC, Claudia Schwam.
We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.
Co-Hosts and Global Co-Hosts
A Crafty Arab, Agatha Rodi Books, All Done Monkey, Barefoot Mommy, Biracial Bookworms, Books My Kids Read, Crafty Moms Share, Colours of Us, Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes, Descendant of Poseidon Reads, Educators Spin on it, Growing Book by Book, Here Wee Read, Joy Sun Bear/ Shearin Lee, Jump Into a Book, Imagination Soup, Jenny Ward’s Class, Kid World Citizen, Kristi’s Book Nook, The Logonauts, Mama Smiles, Miss Panda Chinese, Multicultural Kid Blogs, Raising Race Conscious Children, Shoumi Sen, Spanish Playground
TWITTER PARTY Sponsored by Make A Way Media!
MCBD’s super-popular (and crazy-fun) annual Twitter Party will be held 1/25/18 at 9:00pm.E.T. TONS of prizes and book bundles will be given away during the party. GO HERE for more details.
FREE RESOURCES From MCBD
Free Multicultural Books for Teachers: https://wp.me/P5tVud-1H
Free Empathy Classroom Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians, and Educators: http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/teacher-classroom-empathy-kit/
Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.
The post Chula The Fox | A Chickasaw Boy’s Journey {Diverse Chapter Book} appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
December 27, 2018
A Kidlit book in 18 languages: Womagis-A Word Magician Around the World
It’s hard to believe that December is slipping away and in the not-too-distant future, we will be welcoming in a brand new year.
December is also pretty much a blur because of the planning and million moving parts that is this globally-known online (and offline!) celebration know as Multicultural Children’s Book Day. It’s hard work, but oh-so worth it!
A Little Backstory on MCBD
Multicultural Children’s Book Day has is getting BIGGER and gaining momentum more and more every day! Currently, the 2019 lineup includes a ton of and impressive Medallion Level Sponsors and over 40 Author Sponsors with more being added daily. Currently, we a record-setting 775reviewers signed up to review books on Amazon, a blog, Facebook (Pages only-no profiles), Instagram or YouTube. Our 26 CoHosts and Global CoHosts are working hard to spread the work and countless authors and publishers donating multicultural children’s books.
As a Cohost, JIAB has the option of removing some pretty amazing books and narrowing it down to a handful it a challenge!
A Super Magical Diverse book for Kids
With that in mind, do I have a treat for you!
In my wanderings, I came across a very special author and was lucky enough to be gifted a wonderful diverse/bilingual language picture book that traveled all the way from Spain!
Womagis: A Word Magician Around the World by Marta Villegas is one of those books that, once you hold it in your hand, you want the world to know about it
December 20, 2018
7 Sweet Winter Solstice Kidlit Books and Activities
Winter Solstice is a moment when the earth’s tilt causes the shortest day and longest night of the year. Since pagan days, it has traditionally meant the “year as reborn,” with ancient (and modern) Scandinavians fusing it into the longer Jul (or Yule) season.
The Winter Solstice is also known as the shortest day and longest night of the year and it usually takes place on December 21st every year in the Northern Hemisphere. Many cultures around the world celebrate the solstice by holding festivals, and holidays. These celebrations were created to celebrate the return of light, and the joy of each day growing longer and longer.
A recent Smithsonian article about Native American history also revealed that the Winter Solstice was a time of storytelling. After a long summer and fall of gathering food and supplies, Native Americans took full advantage of the long dark evenings by telling stories that would entertain and teach the children.
Another Fun Fact:
With all this in mind, here are some ways to celebrate the Solstice and maybe even create your own Jalobokaflod!
Winter Solstice Inspired Books for Kids
Snow Party: A Story of the Winter Solstice by Harriet Ziefert (for ages 4 and up)
The sweet and vibrant illustrations paint a whimsical wonderland of snow and magic. The concept is simple – a bunch of snow people gather together to throw an outdoor party to celebrate the shortest day of winter.
Lights of Winter: Winter Celebrations around the World by Heather Conrad
Lights of Winter is a children’s picture book about winter celebrations around the world: Solstice, Yule, Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukkah, Teng Chieh, Diwali, Soyal, Las Posadas, Zagmuk, Saturnalia. For ages 3-9. Thirteen color illustrations.
Dear Rebecca, Winter is Here by Jean Craighead George (for ages 4 and up)
From a letter written by her grandmother, Rebecca learns that winter began on June 21, while she was cooling off under the hose. The northern half of the Earth began to grow cold, and the days grew shorter. The birds began to fly to the sunny underside of the Earth, and the groundhogs and bears went to sleep. But on December 22, summer will begin. Before long, Rebecca will take off her shoes and jump over bluebells.
NOTE: Check out our book review and activity for Jean Craighead George’s book, My Side of the Mountain, HERE.
A Solstice Tree for Jenny by Karen Shragg
It’s Christmas time all across America and Jenny is feeling left out. Her secular parents, born to different faiths that they no longer observe, don’t believe in celebrating Christmas. She never seemed to mind before, but this year it bothers her–maybe because they’re home and not on the Florida coast where they usually go at this time of the year to avoid the holiday hoopla. All around her the neighbors have decorated their houses with festive lights, while her house, by contrast, looks drab and uninviting during the long, cold winter nights. Feeling like an outsider, she wonders why her family needs to be so different! She talks with her mom and dad about their reasons for not observing the holidays.
Iliana: A Winter Solstice Tale by Walter Fordham (for ages 4 and up)
Iliana is the story of a young girl’s quest for the sun. As the days grow shorter, everyone around her is worried, and no one knows what to do. Determined to save her kingdom from darkness, Iliana sets off alone to find the sun. Her adventures take her to unexpected realms where she encounters magical friends who help her on her way and, in the end, she discovers more than she set out to find.
The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren (for ages 4 and up)
The Tomten has been the source of several book reviews and activities here on JIAB even though it is not directly connected to the Winter Solstice. The story takes place on the darkest night of winter and tells the story of a prowling, hungry fox. It is a delightful bedtime story for children of all ages. We encourage parents to read this to children to help them feel safe and snug in their beds on a cold, dark winter’s night such as the solstice.
The Shortest Day by Wendy Pfiffer
Happy Reading!
Something To Do
Sometimes embracing and celebrating a short day with longer-than-normal-darkness is the best way to go! Something that pairs with reading nicely is baking and crafts. Here are some ideas:
Evening Tissue Paper Lantern Walk by Valarie Budayr
With nothing more than some tissue paper, a balloon and glue, your kids will welcome the shortest day of winter while toting their very own lantern.
As the nights grow longer, we can take advantage of this and create the opportunity to bring a little beautiful light into the world with our lanterns. Creating tissue paper lanterns is a creative activity the entire family can do together regardless of their ages.
I like evening walks. As the day winds down, an evening lantern walk is a way for us to share time together, reconnect and create a special way to bring the day to a close.
As a family, we also look forward to family craft time and the process of creating our lanterns has become a fun family tradition. Once our lanterns are done, we then spend a few moments planning our very special evening walk together.
Would you like to create your own Evening Paper Lantern Walk? Go HERE to download the instruction tutorial.
Snowflake Ornament
has a delightful twig/snowflake ornament craft that is perfect for celebrating winter.
Let’s EAT!
Elisa Kleven’s Sun Bread Recipe
Ingredients
3 eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, melted*
2 packages dry yeast (1 package = 2¼ teaspoons)
3 tablespoons lukewarm milk
Instructions
Mix eggs and sugar well.
Combine flour and butter.
Add the eggs mixture to the flour mixture and beat well.
In a small bowl combine yeast and milk. Allow to stand until mixture is foamy, at least 5 minutes.
Add the yeast mixture to the batter and stir. Knead dough on greased, floured surface for 8-10 minutes. (My dough is usually very sticky and buttery so I add ¼ to ½ cup more flour whenever I knead this dough.)
Place dough in greased bowl, cover with a cloth and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour (dough will be doubled in size).
Gently deflate the dough, knead for 5 minutes, then separate into 2 portions.
To form the sun’s face, shape one portion of the dough into a round, somewhat flattened ball, then place on a large greased (or covered with cornmeal) baking sheet. (I also used parchment paper.) With the greased end of a wooden spoon or with your finger, poke two “eyes” in the sun: draw a mouth with same way (I use a wide-lipped glass and press it gently into the dough). Make sure the lines are deep so they won’t close up during rising and baking. Make a nose by securely attaching a small ball of dough to its face.
Make the corona of the sun by rolling one half of the remainder of the dough into four or five long “snakes.” Curl the snakes into puffy “snail” shapes. Shape the rest of the dough into four or five puffy triangles. Firmly attach the snails and triangles to the sun’s face. (Use some water if the dough is dry. My dough was very buttery and moist, so I did not need to.)
Cover the sun and let it rise again in a warm place for about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. I sprinkled my sun’s corona with red salt and white sea salt. Bake for about 10-20 minutes.** Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the bread. It should come out clean.
Download the recipe HERE.
ENJOY!
The post 7 Sweet Winter Solstice Kidlit Books and Activities appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
December 18, 2018
7 Lesser-Known Kidlit Books that Celebrate Winter
There is something about December that has us running for our favorites of everything and that includes books. Chiller temps, warm socks and family snuggle time makes books that highlight the season even more special.
Lesser-Known Kidlit Books that Celebrate Winter
Eleven award-winning holiday stories from nine authors fill the pages of Winter Wonder.
Winter Wonder brings readers a plethora of Christmas stories by an array of well-loved authors featuring characters drawn from their award-winning books. The book recently won an award itself–first place in the Purple Dragonfly Children’s Book Awards for Best Anthology.
The Story of the Snow Children by Sibylle von Olfers
I can’t think of a better way to start off the December season than with the story of The story of the Snow Children by Sibylle von Olfers. Who couldn’t love Poppy in her little red hat going to a winter’s feast? I was trying to remember the first time I heard this story and I can’t remember. It seems like it been a constant throughout my life.
The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown
The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown is a heart grabber. The book has the most beautiful paintings courtesy of illustrator, Jim Lamarche.
They put golden tinsel
on his branches
And golden bells
And green icicles
And silver stars
And red and green and blue
And purple chains of shining Christmas balls.
All alone in an empty field grew a little fir tree. It dreamed of being part of a forest, or part of anything at all. Then one winter day, a man takes the little fir tree away and it finds itself at the center of a little boy’s very special celebration. This sweet little boy is special, he has a lame leg and he has never been to the forest and so his father brings the forest to him. This little tree gets planted in a wooden tub. “You have come to me from the wild green forest, and you are a part of my very own world.” said the little boy.
In the spring the little tree is returned to the woods to grow through the summer only to return to the little boy the following winter. The tree loved to celebrate Christmas with the little boy but after a few years, both of them became too big for this annual journey. I will not tell you the rest. You will just have to get yourself a copy and find out what happens.
The Little Snowgirl by Carolyn Croll
Croll holds a special place in her heart for her Russian heritage and her interpretation of the old Russian folk tale The Little Daughter of the Snow is a beautiful new twist on an old story.
The story centers around a very sweet couple who had just enough in life: a home, food, warm clothing, and love. But the one thing they wanted more than anything else was a real child of their own.
Saddened by his wife’s pain of not having a child, the husband goes outdoors late one winter’s night and creates a beautiful Snowgirl out of fresh snow for his wife to wake up to in the morning. While his wife is very happy to see his creation, she saddens again knowing that it is still not a ‘real’ child.
On Christmas Eve, the Snowgirl decided to ask Babouschka for something very special. Dismayed by the thought of their daughter sleeping in the cold on such a special evening, the couple decides to carry her inside and put her near the fire to keep her warm like a real child.
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Somewhere in the dusty stacks of books I still have from childhood I know lurks the whole Little House series that received as a gift when I was eight! To this day, this book cover reminds me so much of the North Country when I lived my whole life. And how this series of book warmed my heart and piqued my interest in reading.
This book is known as the book that started it all” since Little House in the Big Woods is the first book in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s treasured Little House series, which is based on her life growing up as an American pioneer.
Told from four-year-old Laura’s point of view, this story begins in 1871 in a little log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Laura lives in the little house with her pa, her ma, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their trusty dog, Jack. Pioneer life is sometimes hard for the family, since they must grow or catch all their own food as they get ready for the cold winter. But it is also exciting as Laura and her family celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do the spring planting, bring in the harvest, and make their first trip into town. And every night they are safe and warm in their little house, with the happy sound of Pa’s fiddle sending Laura and her sisters off to sleep.
And so begins Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved story of a pioneer girl and her family. The nine Little House books have been cherished by generations of readers and listeners as both a unique glimpse into America’s frontier history and a heartwarming, unforgettable story.
First Snow byBomi Park(Chronicle Books):
There’s something magical about the first snowfall of the year. This little girl is woken by the pat pat pat of the first snowflakes on her window. She’s drawn outside by the magic white flakes and starts rolling her first snowman of the year, followed by her puppy friend. The longer she rolls her snow ball, the farther she gets into the forest. Then she comes upon an entire field of children making snowmen. It’s the magic of the first snow!
The Saint Nicholas Day Snow. by Charlotte Riggle
Most folks know St. Nicholas from Clement Clark Moore’s “Night before Christmas.” In that nineteenth-century poem, the saint is a jolly old elf. And many families love celebrating the magic of this St. Nicholas. They love sending wish lists to the North Pole. They love the reindeer, the sleigh loaded with gifts, the stockings hung by the chimney with care and filled to overflowing with candy and toys.
The story itself, the story of The Saint Nicholas Day Snow, is a story of here and now. A young girl’s grandmother is ill, so her parents arrange for her to spend the night with her best friend. They need to get to the hospital where the grandmother is being treated.
In the hurry and the worry, Elizabeth’s parents have forgotten that it’s St. Nicholas Eve. Read the full review, along with some awesome cookie recipes, HERE.
Something To Do:
Corn Husk Dolls:
Before pioneer girls like Laura Ingalls had access to “fancy” store-bought dolls, they make their own with corn husks and bits of cloth.
Materials Needed:
string
scissors
a bucket of water
bags of cornhusks- most easily purchased (dried, cleaned and in uniform sizes), at a local craft store
cornhusk doll diagram page (print out)
****Before beginning, soak cornhusks in a bucket of water until they are soft and pliable.****
Heart-shaped door or tree hangers
Since the story of The Litte Fir has heart we are going to make something wonderful for this tree. A thick, felt heart, to be exact. I’m going to take one of my favorite buttons to put it at the center of the heart and then add a string to hang it on our “outdoor” tree. It also makes a nice package tag.
Make a heart pattern
Take a thick piece of felt any color and cut out one heart pattern
Take your favorite button and glue it in the middle of the heart
Use a small hole punch to make a hole a the top of your heart.
Thread ribbon or string through the hole.
Now hang it up.
Bring Your Own Little Snowgirl to Life for Your Children!
Years ago, Little Acorn Learning founder, Eileen Straton, creating the most delightful companion activity for The Little Snowgirl. Go here for the tutorial.
More books about winter!
The post 7 Lesser-Known Kidlit Books that Celebrate Winter appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
December 10, 2018
Get a Sneak Peek at DC Comic’s new middle grade graphic novel!
How do you get kids to read? Give them something they want to read about, like superheroes. And graphic novels.
At the height of my tween’s “reluctant reader” phase, I could always get her to be interested in a graphic novels.
Graphic novels that really appeal to kids of all ages are becoming easier and easier to find. And one more is about to take the world by storm!
In the spring of 2019, DC is launching an all-new middle-grade graphic novel line, DC Zoom, that will star Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and many more of young fans’ favorite DC Super Heroes.
DC Zoom is a new middle-grade graphic novel line from DC. The line will introduce DC’s most iconic Super Heroes to a new generation of fans with stories told by some of the most successful authors from the middle-grade publishing space. DC Zoom titles will be standalone stories, not part of DC’s ongoing continuity, and completely accessible to new readers who have no previous knowledge of DC characters. The line will launch in April 2019 with the release of Super Sons: The PolarShield Project by Ridley Pearson with art by Ile Gonzalez.
“In Dear Justice League, I wanted to explore who these DC Super Heroes are behind the masks and answer the kinds of questions kids would have for these larger than life figures,” explained Northrop. “On a personal note, comics helped me become a better reader, a better storyteller and helped me fit in as a kid. Writing about these same characters is a dream come true and feels like coming full circle to where things began for me as a reader. I hope kids enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it and I hope it helps young fans see that everyone is going through something. Even when it seems like someone is perfect or has it made, they’re probably trying to figure it out just like the rest of us.”
“I remember discovering DC characters when I was a kid, watching the Super Friends TV show and reading the comics that my dad used to buy me on Sundays,” recalled Duarte. “To know that a new generation will discover these Super Heroes and Super-Villains with our book makes me really happy and proud.”
In Dear Justice League, the greatest heroes in the DC universe, the Justice League, find time in between saving the world to answer mail from their biggest fans—kids! Hot-button questions like, “Does Superman ever make mistakes?” “What was Wonder Woman’s eleventh birthday like?” “Does Aquaman smell like fish?” will be answered, giving readers the inside scoop into everyday heroics. The Justice League’s honest and humorous answers will surprise and delight fans of any age, as it turns out that being a superhero is not too different from being a kid.
Dear Justice League is now available for pre-order and will hit stores everywhere books are sold on August 6, 2019.
About Michael Northrop:
Michael NorthropMichael Northrop is the New York Times bestselling author of Scholastic’s new multi-platform series, TombQuest. His first young adult novel, Gentlemen, earned him a Publishers Weekly Flying Start citation, and his second, Trapped, was an Indie Next List selection. His first middle-grade novel, Plunked, was named one of the best children’s books of the year by the New York Public Library and was selected for NPR’s Backseat Book Club. He is originally from Salisbury, Connecticut, a small town in the foothills of the Berkshire mountains, where he mastered the arts of BB gun shooting, tree climbing, and field goal kicking with only moderate injuries. After graduating from NYU, he worked at Sports Illustrated Kids magazine for 12 years, the last five of those as baseball editor.
About Gustavo Duarte:
Gustavo Duarte is a Brazilian cartoonist, graphic designer, and a comics creator and currently resides in São Paulo. For the last 20 years, Duarte’s cartoons and illustrations have been published in some of the most popular publications in Brazil. In 2009, Duarte began publishing his own comics like Monsters!, Có!, Birds and others. In addition to his own works, he has also written and illustrated comics for major publishers including DC (Bizarro) and Marvel (Guardians of the Galaxy and Lockjaw), among others.
Upcoming DC Zoom titles:
Super Sons: The PolarShield Project by Ridley Pearson with art by Ile Gonzalez
($9.99, 978-1401286392, April 2, 2019)
Set in a backdrop of an ecological disaster, the sons of Batman and Superman join forces in this series debut to uncover a global conspiracy.
DC Super Hero Girls: Spaced Out by Shea Fontana with art by Agnes Garbowska
($9.99, 978-1401282561, June 4, 2019)
In this space traveling adventure, Earth’s newest Green Lantern, Jessica Cruz, is adjusting to life at Super Hero High when she’s called to OA to introduce herself to the Green Lantern Corp. But when Cruz and her superhero friends arrive, their meet-and-greet is derailed by an intergalactic threat.
The post Get a Sneak Peek at DC Comic’s new middle grade graphic novel! appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
December 9, 2018
Weekend Links: Book-Inspired Cookies Around the World
What does this time of year make me think of?
COOKIES!
Baking cookies, eating cookies, researching new cookie recipes so I bake them and eat them…
You get the point
December 6, 2018
Giggles and Joy Series: Spiritual Life Lessons for Kids
Being a kid can be tough. All those different thoughts and emotions going on and not knowing how to interpret them. Well, that’s all about to change with Ariane de Bonvoisin’s remarkable new children’s series!
I’ve found myself more draw to books lately that are deeper than the normal fluff of bunnies, kites, and burping frogs (though, those can be lovely too
December 4, 2018
An Exceptional Opportunity for Authors and Book Reviewers
It’s hard to believe our 6th Multicultural Children’s Book Day online and offline celebration is less than two months away and it all began as a desire to right a wrong in the children’s book industry.
Back in 2013, the original founder of Jump Into a Book, Valarie Budayr, and fellow mom/book lover Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom decided that the time had come for a diverse-book-related initiative. There was an overwhelming need for young readers from the diverse world we live in to “see themselves” in the pages of the books they read.
The focus of this very special initiative was two-fold: get diverse books into the hands of young readers while also shining the spotlight on the authors and publishers who create them.
Together these two powerhouse women created an ambitious — and much-needed — national event know today as Multicultural Children’s Book Day.
MCBD2019 is January 25, 2019Now as the calendar is getting ready to flip yet another new month, the JIAB Team thought we better give a “heads up!” to diverse kids’ and YA book lovers and book publishers who would like to get involved in this online and offline celebration.
MCBD Sponsorship Deadline is 12/15/18
Sponsorship for Multicultural Children’s Book Day is not only a great way to support this event; it is an excellent way to get your name (and your books) in front of thousands of readers. All of our Sponsors get a name mention within the hundreds of reviews that get posted from December to January 25th and also on the sites of our 24+ CoHosts sites. The deadline for ALL Sponsor sign-ups is 12/15/18.
Our Sponsorship levels also range from Platinum to Author Level and “Friends of MCBD” to fit any budget.
Check out our current Medallion Level Sponsors and Author Sponsors to see what amazing people you’ll be keeping company with!
NEW PERK: Those who sign up for Platinum or Super Platinum level for MCBD2019 will be enjoying the opportunity of providing up to 12 guest posts (written by the sponsor) that can be used on the MCBD blog over the course of 12 months!
This is a big deal! On any given day the MCBD blog gets around 600-800 hits and during the month before and after our online holiday that number triples. Guest posts are also “evergreen” which means they live on the MCBD blog forever. This benefit is perfect for book launches, company news, special sales or announcements of new books!
Again…The deadline for ALL Sponsor sign-ups for is 12/15/18. Get the full scoop on all levels of Sponsorship for MCBD2019 here.
MCBD Book Reviewer sign-up Deadline is 12/15/18
If you love diverse books for kids and have a social media platform to share a review on, we want to give you a FREE diversity book to review!
In a nutshell; you don’t have to be a blogger to review multicultural children’s books for our MCBD 2019 online event. You just need to have a love of diversity in children’s literature and be willing to share on your social media platforms such as Facebook (Pages only-no Facebook profiles), Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or YouTube.
**We encourage honest Amazon reviews of assigned books whenever possible as well.
We are thrilled to announce that we have almost 700 book reviewers signed up to review multicultural kids’ and YA books for our event. Get all the details and sign up info HERE. Reviewer sign up closes 12/15/18.
Don’t forget to grab your FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit!
Sign up
HERE
FREE Classroom Poverty Kit 2019: Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate | Understanding Poverty in America
Our FREE Classroom Kit contains:
~27 Classroom Books that will help Readers Understand Poverty in America for ages 4 -12
~ Two Classroom or Home Activities
~ “Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate” Classroom Poster thanks to the talents of award-winning illustrator, Mehrdokht Amini
~Helpful Poverty Talking Points for Teachers
~Links, resources and services available to under-served families in the U.S.A
From the MCBD Team: As our sixth Multicultural Children’s Book Day holiday approaches on January 25, 2019, we are thrilled to have you as part of our amazing community of supporters! With enthusiasm, optimism, and hope, we are preparing for MCBD 2019 and hope you will, again, join our celebration of diversity through children’s books.
Thank you for cultivating understanding, kindness, inclusion, and exploration of this beautiful world in your classroom.
The post An Exceptional Opportunity for Authors and Book Reviewers appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
November 29, 2018
5 Kidlit Books that Help us Appreciate HOME
“Home is a privilege.”
This was a line from a long-running crime-based TV show that I watched a snippet of recently. Although I rarely watch TV, this line captured my attention and touched my soul. Home is something many of us take for granted. But my guess is that those who lost theirs in the recent California wildfires, or those who leave Mexico and line up outside the Door of Hope praying for a better life in the USA.
No matter how you define “home,” the common denominators is that it is the place where love grows best.
Kidlit Books that Help us Appreciate HOME
Home by Adam Leitman Bailey
Home is the story of a young boy from a small apartment in a big city who dreams about different places to live. Ultimately he is searching for the true meaning of home and the importance of finding a place in the world and the love that resides there. Home takes children on a journey using their own eyes to visit many different places to live while providing a touching story about the importance of family over all else. Within the pages of this enchanting book, the boy goes out on a colorful adventure to visit many different homes – from a large house in the suburbs to an igloo to a farmhouse – and meets families wherever he goes. The boy enjoys visiting each residence, but at the conclusion of his trip, he comes to a realization. This is a story about the importance of love and family over all else.
Author Bailey is also donating 100% of the proceeds from Home to BUILDING FOUNDATIONS AND DREAMS, the charity he founded that strives to assist underserved students of all ages in pursuing their dreams.
The Big Adventures of Tiny House by Susan Schaefer Bernardo and Courtney Fletcher
What better way to get the perspective of a home than from a house itself! And a “tiny house” no less! The adventure begins when an old farmhouse gets salvaged and recycled into Tiny, a snug little house with a big heart — and WHEELS! With the help of Big Truck, Tiny sets off across America to discover if he is still a real home. Tiny makes friends on the road, like Shiny the Airstream, Waverly the houseboat, and Buster the skoolie (a school bus transformed into a home on wheels).
After thousands of miles, Tiny discovers that home isn’t a place…it’s a feeling in your heart. The irresistible rhymes and delightfully detailed illustrations in this new classic from the creators of Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs are sure to enchant children – and the book’s gentle messages about sustainable living and working together will delight parents and teachers as well.
If You Lived Here: Houses of the World
Step into unique homes from around the world and discover the many fascinating ways in which people live and have lived. If you lived in the mountains of southern Spain, your bedroom might be carved out of a mountain. If you lived in a village in South Africa, the outside of your house might tell the story of your family. And if you lived in a floating greenhouse in the Netherlands, you could rotate your house to watch both the sunrise and sunset.
With intricate bas-relief collages, Giles Laroche uncovers the reason why each home was constructed the way in which it was, then lets us imagine what it would be like to live in homes so different from our own. Showing the tremendous variety of dwellings worldwide log cabins, houses on stilts, cave dwellings, boathouses, and yurts, this book addresses why each house is built the way that it is.
Two Homes by Claire Masurel
Two Homes is a sweet picture book with clear, matter-of-fact language and sweet watercolor illustrations show all the good things about having two homes (two favorite chairs, two sets of toys) and, more importantly, reassure young readers that each parent always loves them no matter where they live. At Mommy’s house, Alex has a soft chair. At Daddy’s house, Alex has a rocking chair. In each home, Alex also has a special bedroom and lots of friends to play with. But whether Alex is with Mommy or with Daddy, one thing always stays the same – Alex is loved. The gently reassuring text focuses on what is gained rather than what is lost when parents divorce, while the sensitive illustrations, depicting two unique homes in all their small details, firmly establish Alex’s place in both of them. Two Homes will help children – and parents – embrace even the most difficult of changes with an open and optimistic heart.
A New House by Jill Wenzel and Jan Westberg
Moving from a familiar home to a brand new one can be more overwhelming than exciting for young kids. A New House helps to make moving fun again with a lively activity book, geared towards 8-10-year-old kids. The book features games and puzzles to help kids understand the process of moving.
Something To Do: Making Mini Houses our of Everyday Items
I have fond memories during childhood of my parents bringing home empty boxes for us kids for us to make into our own dollhouses. It was a VERY happy day when my mom brought home discarded wallpaper sample books or old JC Penney catalogs. The wallpaper sample books were the perfect fodder for wallpapering our cardboard house walls and the catalog was a great source of glue on “home decor” like clocks, lamps, rugs, chairs and so much more.
The supplies are delightfully simple…basically, everything I mentioned above plus glue, tape, and markers. Challenge your kids to unplug and make the cardboard condo of their dreams!
TP Rolls and Paper Cup Houses
ArtsyCraftsyMom has a great tutorial on creating your own Paper Cup Village! Recreate your childhood memories with this Paper Cup Miniature Village craft – Fun, Frugal and so easy to make a town paper display with young kids.
Don’t throw those empty toilet paper rolls away! Dress them up with cup wrapper roofs, felt and tissue paper!
Book Reviewers Needed!
*Love diverse kids/YA books? So much that you’d like to review one for MCBD2019? Perfect, because we’d like to give you one!
Book Reviewer signup is now open and as long as reviewers have the capability to post a review on a blog, Facebook (Pages only, no Profiles), Instagram, YouTube, and Amazon, they will be able to get a free diverse book for our celebration. GO HERE to sign up.
*Our 2018/2019 Classroom Poverty Kit is ready for download!
Our Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate: Understanding Poverty in America kit is ready to be downloaded and enjoyed by parents, librarians, and educators. Go HERE to download.
REMINDER: We’d like to remind everyone of the 2019 date change (and future dates for MCBD as well).
Instead of being “every January 27th,” we are shifting to a “last Friday in January” focus so we don’t interfere with International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This change just felt right and we are glad to make this positive move. So, the next Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019 will be on January 25, 2019.
As always, this non-profit thanks you for helping us to continue our mission of getting diverse books into classrooms and the hands of young readers while also helping authors and publishers shine the spotlight on their work.
Our official hashtag is #ReadYourWorld
Thank YOU for helping us to continue our mission!
Follow our hashtag #ReadYourWorld on Twitter and Facebook for more news and updates.
The post 5 Kidlit Books that Help us Appreciate HOME appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
November 27, 2018
The Story of the Moonbeam Book Awards (and a very special winner!)
The Story of the Moonbeam Book Awards
Guest Post by Amy Shamroe
“Celebrating youthful curiosity, discovery and learning through books and reading.” – Moonbeam Awards Motto
Each year in January, booksellers and those in publishing note and celebrate the finest in children’s books. In 1922, the American Library Association began recognizing the contribution of children’s literature makes to society. The Newberry Awards were first, acknowledging the finest written stories. In 1938, the Caldecott Awards were created to honor children’s picture book. They are two of the most recognizable book awards in the world, and certainly for kids’ books. Most booksellers and librarians will probably agree that these awards are of great import to those who try to encourage literacy.
All that having been said, there are major problems with the system.
As the world of publishing has changed, the field for these awards has been uneven, to say the least. A look at the list of winners and honorees for the last couple decades, there is one commonality. All have been backed by one of the major publishing houses. Now, take a walk through the children’s section of your local bookstore (especially if you are lucky enough to have an independent store in your area still). There are all kinds of regional and small presses producing beautiful picture books and creative fiction. These books are expected to compete for two awards with the likes of Penguin and HarperCollins and their publicity departments. This is not to say they do not produce wonderful books worthy of praise, but it is not a fair fight.
That brings up another problem. There are only two awards. Elitism certainly has its place in the world, creating a firm line between quality and mediocre. Times have changed, though. While strolling through the children’s section, look at all the different genres of books. There are fiction and non-fiction in picture books and chapter books. There are hundreds of quality educational activity books and beginning readers. Where is the recognition for these books?
Here in lies the inspiration for the Moonbeam Children’s Books Awards.
After years of running the Independent Publisher Book Awards, the volume of children’s books was more than obvious to the board. It was not a leap to conceive of an awards program that would celebrate the quality and variety of books that exist in today’s market.
It was decided, unlike the Independent Publisher Awards, the Moonbeam Awards would be open to all publishers – corporate and independent. This was to ensure that the best available would be able to compete on a level field. More specific categories and criteria that factor in originality to presentation allow for a different interpretation than other awards programs. There is also a bit of elitism present here that prevents the committees from awarding a slew of winners and honorees for a consideration fee or with the intention of marketing to as many people as possible. All finalists either place gold, silver or bronze or are carefully selected for quality. The results to date seem to indicate the ideal is a reality. There have been independently published winners as well as winners represented by the likes of Simon & Schuster.
There is an even more important point to all of this, though. Librarians and educators are fighting every day to keep our youth reading in the face of an abundance of television and video games. Finding the right book or series to spark or feed curiosity and make reading a thrill and not a chore is imperative. They need quality choices and respectable sources for new ideas. The world of literature offers something for everyone, and that includes children. Let’s help people realize this.
Clandestine by Hannah Rials wins SILVER at 2018 Moonbeam Awards
Imagine our excitement when we received the email that Jump Into a Book long-time intern, Hannah Rials, won a SILVER in the YA Thriller/Mystery category at the 2018 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards!
About Clandestine by Hannah Rials
The much-anticipated sequel to JIAB intern, Hannah Rials’ runaway YA hit, Ascension. Book Two in the Ascension series is Clandestine and its already bringing in raves reviews.
“Gripping until the very end.” – Scott Reintgen, author of Nyxia
“Dark, surprising, and full of twists, the Ascension series is a delectable addition to vampire canon. Rials paints a rich and engrossing world of vampires, half-vampires witches– each with their own agenda. Cheyenne’s struggle to be free is one that every girl will recognize, and I rooted for her as she bristled against the roles cast for her by society. It’s the story of a girl yearning to come into her own powers, powers both frightening and beautiful.” ~Maggie Thrash, author of L.A. Times Book Prize nominee Honor Girl
Cheyenne Lane never believed it could come to this—imprisoned by her own family, who are plotting to overthrow the vampire Council. Ripped away from the happiness of her summer romance and friendship in New Orleans, Cheyenne is forced to begin her education at Clandestine, the secret Deuxsang University, one year early.
She is guarded constantly, separated from her best friend Anne, and desperate for any word from Eli and the witches. Meanwhile, her cousin Lilith has discovered that Cheyenne possesses all four vampiric abilities—unheard of for a Deuxsang—and intends to use her in the Ascending’s rebellious scheme.
At 17, Cheyenne finds herself the center of a centuries-old conspiracy involving the vampires, Deuxsang, and witches, and everyone is telling her who she should trust and what she should do. Her head is too full of voices and opinions, and it’s time for Cheyenne to make up her own mind.
Is she ready to step into the role she was made for? Who can she trust? Who is her friend and who is her enemy? Is she really a born leader? All questions that only she can answer. As the information and scenario gets more confusing, she knows she must listen to her intuition if she is going to shift the truth from all the lies.
Grab your copy of the #YAThriller Clandestine HERE and get sucked in…
The post The Story of the Moonbeam Book Awards (and a very special winner!) appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
