Multicultural Children’s Book Day

By Gladys Elizabeth Barbieri

In an effort to promote, educate and bring light the many multicultural and diverse picture books that have been written, Multicultural Children’s Book Day (MCCBD) was created.  Founded by play and reading advocates, Valarie Budayr from Jump Into a Book and Mia Wenjen from Pragmatic Mom, they teamed up to create an ambitious and necessary national event to celebrate these books. The mission of MCCBD is to not only raise awareness for the kid’s books that celebrate diversity, but to get more of these of books into classrooms and libraries.

MCCBD will be celebrated on January 27^th, 2016, where teachers, parents, librarians, picture book bloggers and children’s authors will participate. This year, the Classroom Reading Challenge will be incorporated and they are asking for teachers, librarians and parents to read up to four multicultural picture books during the month of January.  I encourage schools, teachers and librarians to participate. It is a fun way to get kids to learn about the diversity in our world, near and far, as well as an opportunity to read rich and quality picture books that are too often not celebrated nor recognized. 

For more information please visit: 

http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/our-programs/mccbd-2016-classroom-reading-challenge/

Gladys Elizabeth Barbieri is a 1st grade teacher & award winning author of bilingual picture books RUBBER SHOES, a lesson in gratitude & PINK FIRE TRUCKS.