Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 48
December 11, 2016
MCBD 2017 Sponsorship Opportunities Closing January 1!
The prep for the upcoming Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2017 (1/27/17) is humming right along!
In case you’ve missed all the details, Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom and I are teaming up for the fourth year to raise awareness on the ongoing need to include kid’s books that celebrate diversity in home and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents and educators.
Despite census data that shows 37% of the US population consists of people of color, only 10% of children’s books published have diversity content. Using the Multicultural Children’s Book Day holiday, we are on a mission to change all of that. This event has also proven to be an excellent way to compile a list of diverse children’s book titles and reviews for parents, grandparents, educators and librarians to use all year-long.
For the MCBD 2017 event, we have been very blessed to already have some amazing Sponsors in place. Our very first Platinum Sponsor, Scholastic, has signed on and we are beyond thrilled to have their support. Other Medallion Level Sponsors include heavy-hitters like Author Carole P. Roman, Audrey Press, KidLitTV, Capstone Young Readers, Author Gayle Swift, Wisdom Tales Press, Lee& Low Books, The Pack-n-Go Girls, Live Oak Media, Author Charlotte Riggle and Chronicle Books. If you know of someone interested in Sponsorship details, have them go HERE for the scoop.
There are also plenty Author Sponsorships available as well and it is an exceptionally good way for an author to get their multicultural children’s book in front of a captive audience. During our January, 27 2016 event, this initiative garnered over 93 million social media impressions. That is a lot of eyeballs on our diverse kids’ books information, authors and publishers!
But, if this of interest to you or an author you know, don’t delay! The deadline for ALL Sponsorship levels January, 1, 2017. We want to allow plenty of time to share the details of our authors and sponsors before the big day on 1/127/16. Please go HERE to view extended details and benefits of all of our Sponsorship Levels including Author Sponsors.
Being an Author Sponsor for this event gives books and authors visibility, traffic, social media support and an “in” with a vibrant readership and support system for a very affordable rate of $100. We also work very hard to match our author sponsors with book reviewers to give their work even more exposure. Currently we have over 250 children’s book reviewer who are standing by and ready to review books in January. And this year we aren’t limiting reviewers to bloggers only. Those moms and book lovers who have vibrant Facebook, YouTube and Instagram channels will be able to review books as well and share their reviews on these powerful social media channels.
All book reviews will be compiled the day of the event in a huge Linky Party that doubles as a reading and book resource list for parents, teachers, caregivers and libraries. This linky will be present all year along on the MCBD site, on Jump Into a Book and PragmaticMom along will all 16 CoHosts’ sites.
Again, don’t delay on becoming part of this global online event! The deadline for ALL Sponsorship levels January, 1, 2017. Please go HERE to view extended details and benefits of all of our Sponsorship Levels including Author Sponsors.
Don’t forget to connect with is on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld!
– Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MulticulturalChildrensBookDay
– Twitter https://twitter.com/MCChildsBookDay
Thank you so much for your support!
**For questions or inquires, email the MCBD Project Manager at Becky@multiculturalchildrensbookday.com
The post MCBD 2017 Sponsorship Opportunities Closing January 1! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
December 8, 2016
Parents everywhere are discovering the joys of A Year in the Secret Garden
As many of you already know, I truly believe books make the best gifts for kids. I think I may have mentioned it a time or two 
So imagine my delight and surprise when I awoke Tuesday morning to a landslide of book orders for my children’s book A Year in the Secret Garden! This made me smile because I know what fun and learning is in store for the happy little readers who will soon be immersing themselves into the world of Frances Hodgson Burnette’s classic A Secret Garden with a fun and modern twist.
As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages, is also an important act that will aid in them being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only work to create special family time, it allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences.
A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book.
This delightful children’s book that is co-written by Marilyn Scott-Waters and I offers unique and original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! With over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together.
This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst of many hours of family growth, learning and FUN! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
So I’ve decided to take my excitement and turn into An Extra Special Holiday Book Sale on this book, and only this book from my children’s book line-up.
Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!
ONE MORE THING…
Here’s something else that is near-and-dear to my heart because my parents were from Sweden. Every December 13th, we continue a long family tradition of celebrating St. Lucia. In the darkest hours of the morning a young girl with a wreath of candles on her head brings hope, warmth and light to the darkest, coldest time of the year. I have taken all of our favorite recipes, activities and books that celebrate this event, along with the history of Santa Lucia as well, and created a very special color pdf for the holiday season.
The Celebrating a Santa Lucia Christmas pdf guide is my gift to you and simply click the image below to enjoy these fun family-friendly activities. Click this link or click the image below to grab your copy and create some new traditions in your own family! Thank you!
The post Parents everywhere are discovering the joys of A Year in the Secret Garden appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
The Tomten and the Reynard: A sweet kidlit review to get you in the Holiday Spirit
A tomte is just another word for a gnome. Tomtes know many things. They know what the weather will be by how quickly the squirrels are gathering nuts. They know how to find the tastiest mushrooms but most importantly, they know how to talk to animals, especially foxes.
The Tomten and the Fox is a story written by Astrid Lindgren and illustrated by Harald Wiberg. This is one of our absolute favorites this time of year.
As a fox sneaks up on the farm, a little tomte man watches over the family charged with his protection.
Quietly the fox looks for something to eat. His eyes fall upon the hens which would make a tasty meal. Before he can do any damge the tomte stops him and talks him out of stealing hens by offering him a bowl of porridge. Satisfied the fox goes back to his den.
It seems the great talent of this old, old, tomte is to talk a fox out of stealing a hen.
Want to know more about Swedish Folklore and Tomtes? Then you might enjoy my round-up of some truly wonderful Tomte-themed books for kids!
It’s an exceptionally magical time of year. As I was pondering this the thought of my friend the “winter tomte” or “jul tomte” popped into my mind. Is there really such a thing ? Ah yes there really is such a thing as a winter tomte and this time of year especially we have many eager children waiting for the Jul Tomte to come on Christmas Eve bring sack full of presents, chocolate and good fun.
The tomte in Sweden and Nisse in Norway and Denmark is a Scandinavian myth. Tomtes are small, bearded men who wear red colored caps and are rarely, if ever seen by humans. Since we are talking about Winter Tomte I have to also share that you’ll only see the menfolk as the women and children are home making merry and getting ready for the great celebrations ahead.
The word tomte actually means “homestead man” and the word Nisse is the nickname for the name Nils which means Nicholas as in St. Nicholas. So a tomte is a little man who resides on the farm and on Christmas, plays the roll of St. Nick and Santa all rolled into one.
Traditionally, tomtes live on farms, back yards, and maybe even under the pantry at your house. They stay out of sight during the day, and come out at night to do chores, and help out around the house, farm , and garden. They help farms, gardens, and homes to prosper and be successful. We never get something for nothing, so in return they ask that the land, garden, forest and animals be treated kindly and respectfully.
One of the greatest signs of good luck is to have a tomte living at your house, in your garden or on your farm. To make sure that they stay with you, always give them a bowl of porridge topped with butter and maybe even some brown sugar on Christmas Eve. They’ll be so happy. (Get the Recipe HERE)
Warning:
It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t warn you though, that tomtes have very bad tempers and are very strong. If you make them angry or offend them they’ll wreak havoc around the house and farm. Things to expect are all horses and cows tails tied together. All of the cereal boxes turned upside down in the cupboard. Silverware placed in the freezer, glasses turned upside down so you can’t pour milk or water into them. If everything is going backwards at your house or it’s just in complete chaos, you may have a disgruntled tomte!
ONE MORE THING…
Something else that is near-and-dear to my heart because my parents were from Sweden. Every December 13th, we continue a long family tradition of celebrating St. Lucia. In the darkest hours of the morning a young girl with a wreath of candles on her head brings hope, warmth and light to the darkest, coldest time of the year. I have taken all of our favorite recipes, activities and books that celebrate this event, along with the history of Santa Lucia as well, and created a very special color pdf for the holiday season.
The Celebrating a Santa Lucia Christmas pdf guide is my gift to you and simply click the image below to enjoy these fun family-friendly activities. Click this link or click the image below to grab your copy and create some new traditions in your own family! Thank you!
The post The Tomten and the Reynard: A sweet kidlit review to get you in the Holiday Spirit appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
December 7, 2016
Are trees magical? The kidlit book, The Wish Tree, may hold the answer
Charles and his friend Boggan know that there is a wish tree in the woods, and they go on a journey to find it, despite the disbelief of Charles’s sister and brother. He doesn’t need their blessings. His heart tells him its true. So Charles and Boggan journey into the snowy wood where they make new friends with the furry critters–a squirrel collecting acorns, a beaver collecting wood, and a fox collecting berries. However, the farther they go, Charles’s heart and belief starts to falter. He starts to think that they will never find the wish tree. Charles then puts all of his trust in Boggan and his new woodland friends to help him find his dream.
“The poetic text and heartwarming illustrations evoke the true essence of the holiday season and will inspire wishers everywhere. This gem of a book deserves center stage year round.”
Kyo Maclear and Chris Turnham have created a delicately beautiful book that is absolutely captivating. The fabulous illustrations will pull you into the story from the very beginning and have your child asking for this book every single night, even in the middle of a sweltering summer…maybe especially then.
Something To Do
1. Your Own Wish Tree
Everyone needs a wish tree. Putting your hopes, dreams, and wishes to pen and paper is a way to make them real to you.
So go find your favorite tree in your backyard. Or if your a city dweller, create a wish tree with a collection of branches in a jar to create your own wish tree.
Ally at No Time for Flashcards has some instructions how to create a wish upon a star:
Guest poster Gladys Elizabeth Barbieri also shared a wonderful Wishing Star Mobile activity on JIAB when she reviewed the multicultural picture book, Wish: Wishing Traditions Around the World by Roseanne Thong on this post.
2. It’s that time of year again where we’re all waiting for that first snowfall. Some of you may have already been lucky enough to have it. And we all have that snow bucket list that we check off the very first day. If you’re looking for some new activities to add to your list, check out this neat-o snow activities for kids list!
One of my past posts on JIAB also addressed some “cool” ideas for winter play and reading
g!3. Charles goes out into the forest by himself, without a map or a compass. He was being led by magic. However, it’s always a good idea to know how to get back home from the wilderness. Check out these helpful tips!
4. An Edible Wish Tree
These 3-D Cookies look exactly like Charles’s Wish Tree! And they look extra yummy!
Happy reading!
**Some of these links are affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I will get a very small commission. This money will be used to get more books into the hands of parents, teachers and librarians.
ONE MORE THING
This holiday season, give your children the gift that will nurture a lifetime of positive habits; give the gift of a book.
As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages, is also an important act that will aid in them being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only work to create special family time, it allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences.
A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book. This delightful children’s book from authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters offers unique and original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! With over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together.
This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst of many hours of family growth, learning and FUN! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
The post Are trees magical? The kidlit book, The Wish Tree, may hold the answer appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
December 6, 2016
#ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2017: Authors Share their Fav Booklists
Things are just humming along in a crazy-busy when it comes to prep for yet another Multicultural Children’s Book Day holiday! There is SO MUCH exciting things going on. We already have over 250 children’s book reviewers signed up and some truly impressive 2017 Medallion Level Sponsors and Authors Sponsors already on board. It’s shaping up to be yet another exceptionally successful celebration of diversity in children’s literature.
We are also thrilled to be working with the Children’s Book Council to spotlight 24 diversity authors and illustrators in celebration of Multicultural Children’s Book Day! They will each be sharing eight multicultural children’s books during the months of January and February.
January 2: Jo Meserve Mach and Vera Lynne Stroup-Rentier
January 3: Darcy Pattison
January 4: Crystal Smith
January 5: Linda Williams Jackson
January 9: Francisco Vallejo
January 10: Michael Smith
January 11: Curtis C. Chen
January 12: Shannon Jones
January 14: SF Said
January 15: Stephanie Campisi
January 16: The Editors at Science, Naturally
January 17: Luis Amavisca
January 23: Erin Dealey and Luciana Navarro Powell
January 22: Louise Gornall
January 23: Carl Angel
January 24: J. Torres
January 30: Farhana Zia
January 31: Cynthia Levinson
February 1: Aram Kim
February 2: Julius Lester
February 6: Stacy McAnulty
February 7: Brynne Barnes
February 8: Alice Pung
February 9: Soman Chainani
To examine any book more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.
I am an Amazon affiliate which means if you buy anything through my blog, I get a very small kickback at no cost to you. I use this money to pay for postage and handling for my giveaways.
To find more diverse and multicultural books for children, please check out our Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents. We also have Pinterest board full of ideas:
The post #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2017: Authors Share their Fav Booklists appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
December 5, 2016
Last day to score some kidlit book deals!
LAST DAY! Today (12/5/16) is the last Day of the very special Audrey Press Holiday Book Love Sale! All Audrey Press/Aletha Press children’s and YA books are on sale just in time for Christmas. Remember, giving a young reader a book for Christmas is a gift that they can open again and again.
As the holiday season approaches, consider adding the gift of books to your shopping list. There are many wonderful booklists available for parents looking to give their child the gift of reading and adventure. A book makes a great gift because they are meaningful, beautiful, portable, appealing, and inexpensive and it’s a gift that can be opened again and again. Books are the perfect gift for any age and a gift that doesn’t require batteries or sizing instruction!
If you would like to get started on your family reading adventure, or would just like to add to your family bookshelf, Audrey Press has some special deals on their catalog of books to get readers and gift-givers on their merry way. From November 28th to December 5th, give the gift of reading, adventure and education at extra-special (and extended) Black Friday prices! Go HERE for more details. Sale ends 12/5/16.
The post Last day to score some kidlit book deals! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
December 4, 2016
An Exceptionally Magical Winter Tomte Booklist!
It’s an exceptionally magical time of year. As I was pondering this the thought of my friend the “winter tomte” or “jul tomte” popped into my mind. Is there really such a thing ? Ah yes there really is such a thing as a winter tomte and this time of year especially we have many eager children waiting for the Jul Tomte to come on Christmas Eve bring sack full of presents, chocolate and good fun.
The tomte in Sweden and Nisse in Norway and Denmark is a Scandinavian myth. Tomtes are small, bearded men who wear red colored caps and are rarely, if ever seen by humans. Since we are talking about Winter Tomte I have to also share that you’ll only see the menfolk as the women and children are home making merry and getting ready for the great celebrations ahead.
The word tomte actually means “homestead man” and the word Nisse is the nickname for the name Nils which means Nicholas as in St. Nicholas. So a tomte is a little man who resides on the farm and on Christmas, plays the roll of St. Nick and Santa all rolled into one.
Traditionally, tomtes live on farms, back yards, and maybe even under the pantry at your house. They stay out of sight during the day, and come out at night to do chores, and help out around the house, farm , and garden. They help farms, gardens, and homes to prosper and be successful. We never get something for nothing, so in return they ask that the land, garden, forest and animals be treated kindly and respectfully.
One of the greatest signs of good luck is to have a tomte living at your house, in your garden or on your farm. To make sure that they stay with you, always give them a bowl of porridge topped with butter and maybe even some brown sugar on Christmas Eve. They’ll be so happy. (Recipe Below)
Warning:
It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t warn you though, that tomtes have very bad tempers and are very strong. If you make them angry or offend them they’ll wreak havoc around the house and farm. Things to expect are all horses and cows tails tied together. All of the cereal boxes turned upside down in the cupboard. Silverware placed in the freezer, glasses turned upside down so you can’t pour milk or water into them. If everything is going backwards at your house or it’s just in complete chaos, you may have a disgruntled tomte.
Enough of warnings…..would you like to know more about winter tomte and all of the great magic they bring ? Have a look below for some great tomte adventures.
The Winter Tomte Booklist
The tomte, who speaks the “tomter” language, is a good-natured elf-like creature who lives only on farms and is very busy during the winter while adults and children sleep. These people have never seen him, but they do see his tiny tracks in the snow. The invisible “tomten” also visits all the farm animals, speaks with them in his language, and brings them straw if they are cold.
The Tomten and the Fox by Astrid Lindgren
A beautifully illustrated tale adapted from an old Swedish poem. The Tomten, who looks after the farm at night, meets a hungry fox and agrees to share his supper with him if the fox promises to leave the hens alone. A very gentle, friendly story. It is refreshing that he understands that the fox is hungry and needs to eat – rather than the ‘nasty fox’ approach.
The Yule Tomte and the Little Rabbits: A Christmas Story for Advent by Ulf Stark
Grump the Yule Tomte lives all alone, which is exactly how he likes it! He’s waiting for Christmas to arrive when all of a sudden a gust of wind steals his mittens from the washing line and his hat from his head. That’s the last straw — he won’t be the Yule Tomte any more! Binny and Barty, the rabbit children, live with their family in the forest. They’ve never heard of Christmas, or the Yule Tomte, until the wind brings them some strange gifts…All the animals in the forest prepare for the arrival of Christmas. They make presents, bake sweet treats and even write a song. But will the Yule Tomte ever bring Christmas to the big forest? This charming and funny Christmas story of a grumpy tomte and the hopeful little rabbits is told over twenty-five chapters — one for each day of Advent — with delightful festive illustrations. Perfect for families to share together.
The Tomte’s Christmas Porridge by Sven Norquist
Every Christmas Eve, the Master puts out rice pudding for the tomtes to say thank you for their help around the house throughout the year. But recently the Master has forgotten, and Mama tomte knows he’ll forget again this year. The elves hatch a plot to steal a bowl of Christmas pudding, without being seen, so that Papa tomte doesn’t get upset. This charming story is based on an old Swedish Christmas tradition. It is illustrated with great humour and is full of delightful detail, as the tomte family scurry around their Master’s house one busy Christmas Eve.
Little Tomte’s Christmas Wish by Inkeri Karvonen
Little Tomte lives happily in his cosy house beside a beautiful tree. When winter arrives, he’s worried that Christmas won’t come — until he makes a special Christmas wish. He embarks on a candle-making plan which will help make his wish come true. A heartwarming festive tale drawn with gentle humour by acclaimed Finnish illustrator Hannu Taina.
The Christmas Tomten by Viktor Rydberg
On Christmas Eve, Vigg is invited to accompany the Christmas tomten on his rounds which include a stop at the Hall of the Mountain King.
Winter frost by Michelle Houts
An ordinary Danish Christmas turns extraordinary when a family overlooks an important folkloric tradition.
Christmas has come, and with it a sparkling white winterfrost over the countryside. But twelve-year-old Bettina’s parents have been called away unexpectedly, leaving her in charge of the house, the farm, and baby Pia. In all the confusion, Bettina’s family neglects to set out the traditional bowl of Christmas rice pudding for the tiny nisse who are rumored to look after the family and their livestock. No one besides her grandfather ever believed the nisse were real, so what harm could there be in forgetting this silly custom? But when baby Pia disappears during a nap, the magic of the nisse makes itself known. To find her sister and set things right, Bettina must venture into the miniature world of these usually helpful, but sometimes mischievous folk. A delightful winter adventure for lovers of the legendary and miraculous.
The Gnome Craft Book by Thomas and Petra Berger
In English, tomte are known as gnomes. I thought maybe, just maybe all of this reading about tomte might have you wanting to make a few of your own. This is a fantastic book with really great totes?gnomes to make and tomte/gnome crafts.
Gnome crafts offer a wealth of possibilities for activities with children, appealing to their imagination in a vivid and entertaining way. Thomas and Petra Berger show how to make gnomes out of walnuts, twigs, wool and paper, as well as from a variety of other media. There are plenty of different types of gnome to keep children amused for hours. Any of the characters in the book would be at home on a seasonal nature table. Includes instructions for making Astrid Lindgren’s classic gnome the Tomten.
A Magic Porridge Recipe
Now that you know a little more about the Winter Tomte and what magic he brings. Let’s leave him something in return for his kindness. Make sure you taste a lot of it to make sure it’s just right for our kind friend. ~God Jul~ which means Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays in Swedish.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 cups of water
1 cup of arborio rice. This is a short grain rice used in Risotto. You can find it in any grocery store.
5 cups of milk 2% is best or whole milk.
2-3 tbsp of butter or margarine
1 tsp of salt
3 tbsp sugar
Sugar, cinnamon, and milk to serve with
Directions
Boil water in a heavy sauce pan or large pot, add rice and salt, and boil with a lid until the rice as absorbed all the water.
Pour half of the milk in and simmer on low, stirring constantly for 15 minutes.
Continue to let simmer and add the rest of the milk, stirring every now and then to keep the porridge from sticking.
Mix in the butter, sugar and add salt and/or more sugar to taste if you choose.
After cooking between 40 and 50 minutes, the porridge is finished. Serve with cinnamon, sage and milk as each person chooses.
Jul Porridge: Remember to leave a bowl out for your Jul tomte on Christmas Eve. Don’t forget the great toppings such as cinnamon and sugar. If you’re Jul Tomte is really happy, he’ll leave one almond in the porridge pot. Whoever gets it in their bowl on Christmas morning will have great good luck and good fortune for the next year.
***Some of these links are affiliate links
As the holiday season approaches, consider adding the gift of books to your shopping list. There are many wonderful booklists available for parents looking to give their child the gift of reading and adventure. A book makes a great gift because they are meaningful, beautiful, portable, appealing, and inexpensive and it’s a gift that can be opened again and again. Books are the perfect gift for any age and a gift that doesn’t require batteries or sizing instruction!
If you would like to get started on your family reading adventure, or would just like to add to your family bookshelf, Audrey Press has some special deals on their catalog of books to get readers and gift-givers on their merry way. From November 28th to December 5th, give the gift of reading, adventure and education at extra-special (and extended) Black Friday prices! Go HERE for more details. Sale ends 12/5/16.
The post An Exceptionally Magical Winter Tomte Booklist! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
November 29, 2016
So who are the CoHosts of Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2017?
As my family and I focus on relaxing and cleaning up after our huge Thanksgiving gathering, I can’t help but to notice that a brand new month is just a few days away. December marks the month of festitivities and celebrations, but its also a reminder that another holiday is creeping closer. I know the Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2017 isn’t until Janurary 27th, but the way the time flies…it will be here in no time.
With that in mind I want to introduce some of the special people who help bring this successful and growing event to life; our CoHosts.
The Multicultural Children’s Book Day CoHosts are a group of powerhouse bloggers and parents who all share the same passion for reading and understand the importance of diversity in children’s literature. They also act as ambassadors for MCBD’s yearly event by assisting in spreading the word, extending the event’s reach through social media and acting as hosts sites for the wildly popular book review/blog post link-up that occurs on the actual day of the holiday (1/27/17).
We are proud to introduce our sixteen CoHosts for our 2017 event below. These writers, moms, reviewers, book lovers and thought leaders were selected by the MCBD team because of their true dedication to supporting diversity in children’s literature and we would appreciate if you could take a few minutes and visit each of these excellent blogs and say “hello.”
A Crafty Arab: Kay Tarapolsi is a Libyan American artist who creates art to promote a positive image of Arab culture. Kay creates handmade Arab, Fa
rsi and Urdu crafts and cards. Check out her wares on Zibbet (www.ACraftyArab.zibbet.com), Amazon, Etsy or select stores in Seattle, WA, Dearborn, MI, and Washington, DC. The Arabic Alphabet Animal Poster became an idea back in 2002 when Kay received an alphabet poster (in English) by Jill M. Schmidt, a published illustrator of children’s books. Kay realized there was a need for an Arabic poster that was bright, fun and colorful and began working with Jill in 2010 to create this product line. Kay teaches Arab art education to various schools in the Pacific Northwest and has been an artist in resident in several summer camps.
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, G+
All Done Monkey
Leanna is a stay at home mother to two sweet, funny, rambunctious boys and a sweet baby girl! Sh
e draws inspiration from the Writings of the Bahá’í Faith and tries to raise her Monkeys in a fun, spiritual, loving environment. She and her husband, who is from Costa Rica, are raising their boys to be bilingual and bicultural but more importantly to be “world citizens.” All Done Monkey is dedicated to sharing this journey with you! All Done Monkey focuses on multiculturalism, children’s education, natural parenting, and spiritual education.
Leanna is the co-founder of Bahá’í Mom Blogs and founder of Multicultural Kid Blogs.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, G+
Books My Kids Read – Michelle is a parent of two girls and a lover of all things children’s literature. Her blog was born out of a need to find appropriate re
ading material for her advanced reader and has turned into a place to share interesting books that her family has found. Michelle’s passion about multi-cultural children’s literature stems from the fact that she is raising her girls to be Jewish in a community where they are in a complete minority. In addition, she loves finding books with really strong female characters who stand up to outdated traditions. When not blogging, Michelle writes for a local magazine, teaches Hebrew school, and shares her love of books by being an independent consultant for Usborne Books & More.
Connect with Michelle on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram
Carrie is a former high school math teacher and diversity club leader. Now she uses her expertise to write about her adventures with her daughter, review books and products and share information. Crafty Moms Share is a place where Carrie shares her ideas, knowledge and more and hosts link parties to allow others to share as well. She is a member of Multicultural Kid Blogs and a believer that we are all equal and need to be respected for our differences as well as our similarities.
Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, website
Colours of Us: Svenja is an adoptive mom and social worker, originally from Germany, living in South Africa. As a mom of a little African girl she always searches for multicultural children’s books that have a positive message, and that do not support stereotypes. She shares her findings on her website, Colours of Us. Svenja is passionate about promoting diversity in children’s literature and toys. She believes that all children deserve to see themselves reflected in the books they read and the toys they play with. Because representation matters!
Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, G+
Kim Vij: Kim Vij is a Certified Teacher with over 20 years of experience using her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Central Florida. She moved from the traditional classroom to raise her 3 children and to be an advocate for early childhood education using a much larger platform online. When she is not creating or pinning ideas for kids, you will often find Kim speaking at events, hosting twitter chats or discussing with a friend at a play date about how to help their child learn with developmentally appropriate strategies. A community builder at heart, she serves as an organizer of a local mom’s group and as a school volunteer coordinator. Kim is the Co-author of the popular website The Educators’ Spin On It.
Kim on Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram
Amanda Boyarshinov: Amanda is a National Board Certified teacher with oodles of experience in early childhood education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in Reading for grades K-12. You will often find her in her backyard exploring nature with her kids or doing a hands-on science project at the kitchen table. She loves to walk her dog and snuggling up with a good book when she isn’t elbow deep in baking blueberry muffins in the kitchen. She shares educational activities for children ages 0-7 at The Educators’ Spin On It. Here are some of her tips on building a diverse bookshelf.
More about Amanda, Twitter, Instagram
Watch from Amanda and Kim’s upcoming book, 100 Fun & Easy Learning Games for Kids: Teach Reading, Writing, Math and More With Fun Kid Activities Paperback – May 24, 2016
by Amanda Boyarshinov (Author), Kim Vij(Author)
Becky Flansburg is a blogger and Virtual Assistant from Minnesota who writes about parenthood topics and moms in business. As Project Manager for Multicultural Children’s Book Day, blogger, WAHM, and freelance writer, Becky knows being a mom is The.Best.Thing.Ever and Team Family is #1. Her goal with Franticmommy is to provide tips, ideas, products and services to help other women realize their dreams of business ownership while also sharing the “holy crap!” moments of parenthood and life.
Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Jodie Rodriguez has a passion for helping caregivers nurture our youngest readers. As a 
former National Board Certified early-childhood, elementary teacher and administrator, she has worked with thousands of families and educators providing best literacy practices. She lives near St. Louis, Missouri and now stays home with home with her two young sons. She is the creator/founder of Growing Book by Book. A blog dedicated to helping caregivers nurture our youngest readers. You will find book lists, book related activities and literacy tips and tricks for kids ages 0-8.
Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Growing Book by Book
Melissa Taylor, MA, is an education expert and Pinterest influencer as well as a mother, teacher, and freelance writer. She writes an award-winning learning blog, Imagination Soup and freelances for publications online and in print, including Sylvan Learning, Random House, USA Today Health, The Writer, and Scholastic Parent and Child. Connect with Melissa on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Google+.
Becky Morales started Kid World Citizen as a way to share ideas from her classroom 
and activities that she did with her kids. Becky an adoptive mom and the cultures in her family’s household include Mexico, China, Ethiopia, and African-American, but has expanded the blog to include cultures from around the world. Becky loves meeting other globally-minded parents and teachers and sharing ideas to expose kids to world cultures. She has also written a book to help teachers and homeschoolers increase global learning with their kids (and in it there is a booklist of over 300+ excellent multicultural titles for elementary learners!).
Facebook, Pinterest, G+, Twitter, Instagram
MaryAnne was raised in five countries on three continents. She currently lives in California with her husband and their four children. MaryAnne blogs at Mama Smiles about building a rewarding family life through mindful parenting and educational and creative family activities. MaryAnne has a Masters in education and Ph.D. in medicine. She enjoyed freelance writing and photography.
Connect with Mama Smiles on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, G+
Multicultural Kid Blogs is a supportive community which brings together parents, educators, bloggers, writers and artists from across the world. Our mission is to inspire and support parents, caregivers and educators raising the next generation of global citizens through arts, activities, crafts, food, language, and love. We do this by creating educational and parenting content which celebrates global cultures, languages and belief systems and by promoting diversity in all its forms while recognizing our common concerns and dreams for our children.
Facebook, G+, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram
Randomly Reading: Alex Baugh is a former 4th grade classroom teacher and homeschooler with one Kiddo. She is also on an children’s book award granting committee, where they read over 6,000 books a year. Alex’s experience has made her very aware of the responsibility we all have when it comes to the multicultural content of children’s literature and she shares that he keeps that in mind with every blog post she writes for Randomly Reading.
Twitter @randomlyreading, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+
The Jenny Evolution – The Jenny Evolution is a parenting lifestyle blog focused on topics moms care about. From important parenting tips to family meals to simple kid activities, moms want information they can immediately use and have fun with. The Jenny Evolution is focused on articles that enrich family life without making it complicated… because who has time for that?
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, G+
The Logonauts: Katie is a life-long reader and enjoys ensnaring others in the web of life-long reading. As a traveler, photographer, and former archaeologist, 
she has visited four five continents (honeymoon in Morocco!), numerous countries, and 41 of the 50 US States. She loves introducing her students to the wider world and fostering their excitement about other countries and cultures. Logonaut was a word invented by Katie and three of her pre-service teacher colleagues while creating a unit on vocabulary-building and word roots. It has as its roots logo (Greek for word) and naut (Greek for ship or nautae, Latin for sailor): word sailor. In their estimation then, a logonaut is someone who sails on the sea of words and shares an appreciation and love of the power of words and language.
Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, G+
Youth Literature Reviews –Katie Meadows is a mother, wife, and book lover from the Pacific Northwest. As a bookseller, Katie spe
nt years helping children, parents, and educators find the perfect book. In 2012 she launched Youth Literature Reviews, a blog that features book reviews and carefully curated book lists for children of all ages, from babies to teens.Connect with Katie on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Would you like to be a Reviewer for MCBD 2017 and Receive a Free Diversity Book?
Bloggers can go here to sign up via our Google Form to review a multicultural children’s book for this event. MCBD is also open to reviewers do not have a blog, but have a strong presence on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
How It Works: Bloggers are then “matched” with an author or publisher that will supply them with a free children’s book to review. Bloggers are encouraged to read the books and share their thoughts on the book (a basic book review) in the form of a blog post.Many bloggers add a book extension activity. Go HERE for the full details and instructions.
Once their book review blog post is live (any time between January 1 and January 27th is good), bloggers are invited to “link up” their blog post on the Linky that will be found on any of our CoHosts’ sites and also the MCCBD website. on January 27th..
(NOTE: We will not be shipping out any books for the 2017 online event until Dec of 2016!)
Direct all questions and inquires to becky (at) multiculturalchildrensbookday (dot) com
The post So who are the CoHosts of Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2017? appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
November 28, 2016
The Audrey Press Holiday Kidlit Book Love Sale has Begun!
As the holiday season approaches, consider adding the gift of books to your shopping list. There are many wonderful booklists available for parents looking to give their child the gift of reading and adventure. A book makes a great gift because they are meaningful, beautiful, portable, appealing, and inexpensive and it’s a gift that can be opened again and again. Books are the perfect gift for any age and a gift that doesn’t require batteries or sizing instruction!
If you would like to get started on your family reading adventure, or would just like to add to your family bookshelf, Audrey Press has some special deals on their catalog of books to get readers and gift-givers on their merry way. From November 28th to December 5th, give the gift of reading, adventure and education at extra-special (and extended) Black Friday prices!
SO…what if I told you that all of the fairy tales, myths and legends that have been told about dragons over the years are WRONG. What if I told you that Dragons are indeed Real and that they are different than you’ve ever imagined? This fairly true stor
y is based on the author’s childhood friendship with a REAL live Dragon; a very special Dragon that she and her brother spent two magical summers with. As readers turn the pages and learn the truth about Dragons, they will see that the fiercest beasts in known history can actually be the best of friends. It’s a lesson in finding companionship in the most unusual of places. Dragons are Real is a magical book filled with stunning illustrations and hints that dragon are indeed all around us 
November 27, 2016
Whose Shadow Do I See? A sweet picture book by Rosalind Bunn
{Guest Post from Hannah Rials}
Recently I had the chance to not only read, Whose Shadow Do I See By Rosalind Bunn (Illustrated by Mark Braught), I was able to meet the author as well!
Falling asleep is hard. There are noises and shadows. What animals and monsters are waiting for little boys and girls at bedtime? This particular little boy is have an extraordinarily hard time falling asleep. His papa tucks him in, and every time he turns to leave, the boy catches a new shadow creeping up his wall. But every shadow he sees can be explained as the tree branch, or the teddy bear, or the little boy’s pet cat. Now it’s time to quiet his mind, lie down, and fall fast asleep.
Whose Shadow Do I see? by Rosalind Bunn is the perfect bedtime story for difficult sleepers or kids with some wonderfully overactive imaginations. Calm your children’s fears and quiet their minds with this charming story and beautiful illustrations!
Grab your copy of this wonderful picture book for kids here and here are some fun ways to bring the book to life:
Something To Do
1. Bedtime Puppet Show:
If your kids are prone to seeing shadows at bedtime like this little boy, try a shadow puppet show. They’re the ones creating the shadows. Act out each shadow the little boy in the book sees with your hands. It’s also a test of creativity!
2. Bedtime Yoga
We all have seen how popular yoga has become! But bedtime is a great way to calm your mind before bed. Check out this Kid’s Yoga bedtime routine for a restful night of sleep!
3. Create monster spray!
I remember having this stuff as a kid—the magic liquid my parents sprayed in corners, closets, and under the bed. Create your own easy-peasy-lemon-squeezey. What You’ll need:
-A spray bottle
-Water
-A few drops of lavender or whatever relaxing scent you prefer
Let Your Scribbles be Enough also has a fun spin on creating Monster Spray!
My Interview with Rosalind Bunn:
Q:What is your favorite publishing memory?
Roselind: My favorite would have to be when my first title was published, “Sophie May and the Shoe Untying Fairy.” It didn’t seem “real,” if that makes sense. But each is exciting-even with my 5th coming out soon.
Q: Why did you choose to write children’s books?
Rosalind: I have always loved children’s books. I have fond memories of the children’s section of the library growing up. I think my daughters were ” dragged” to all sorts of signings as kids. Of course, they now have books signed by J.K. Rowling, R.L. Stine, Jan Brett-the list goes on…
**Let’s just take a moment to gawk and be jealous**
Q: Did you ever have trouble sleeping as a child?
Rosalind:Not that I remember, but my Mom may remember things differently!
Q: What writing rules would you either like to banish or promote?
Rosalind: There are rules??
(I Love this response)
Q:What is your favorite children’s book?
Rosalind: There are so many…I love “Where The Wild Things Are,” “Room On the Broom,” and any Nancy Tillman book—they are beautiful.
ONE MORE THING
This holiday season, give your children the gift that will nurture a lifetime of positive habits; give the gift of a book.
As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages, is also an important act that will aid in them being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only work to create special family time, it allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences.
A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book. This delightful children’s book from authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters offers unique and original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! With over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together.
This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst of many hours of family growth, learning and FUN! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
The post Whose Shadow Do I See? A sweet picture book by Rosalind Bunn appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
