Multicultural Children's Book Day: Increasing Representation in Literature
Representation is essential. Seeing oneself doing certain things and being in certain spaces, especially for children, makes those things possible. When the media - books, movies, TV shows, news, social platforms - reflect a child’s identity, it honors their existence and validates the reality of their experience.
Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, who devoted her work and research to children’s literature, identified at least three benefits of representation that are now commonly held:
Mirrors: representation allows children to see themselves in the world and possibilities for themselves
Windows: representation allows children to learn about how diverse our world is
Sliding glass doors: representation allows children to step into different experiences, and relate to and empathize with others
These not only empower the child being represented, but also truly set all children up to navigate the world and engage with the people they’ll meet in a successful way.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day (MCBD) is a non-profit that seeks to increase representation in children’s literature so there are more mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors in classrooms, libraries, and homes around the world. Each year at the end of January, they connect educators, caregivers, and families with authors and publishers. Then, they mail books across the globe that are as diverse as the places they’re sent to. MCBD raises awareness through this annual exchange and celebration, and also donates books and provides reading resources.
The mission of this organization is professional and personal for me. As a teacher of hundreds of lower elementary students, each with their own culture, complex identity, and lived experiences, I take representation in my classroom library seriously. And as an Asian American, there were very few characters in books (and movies and TV shows) that looked like me when I was young. I almost never saw aspects of my Chinese culture shared, which made it feel like they weren’t significant or even normal (when really over a billion people had a lot in common with me). And while this has improved since the 90s, it’s still an occurrence that can feel surprising or novel. One of the most memorable books from my childhood was Dumpling Soup by Jama Kim Rattigan. It showed a ritual and food that was familiar to me.
This year I was gifted the book Tofu Takes Time by Helen H. Wu, published by Beaming Books (a great resource for diverse, high-quality literature). Wu is a first-generation Chinese immigrant and her tale reminded me fondly of Dumpling Soup. It also centers on intergenerational bonding through the ritual of food-making.
The central lesson of Tofu Takes Time is patience. The title serves as a refrain from the grandmother throughout the book, as the impatient young Lin goes through each step of making tofu from scratch. Pages are interspersed that trace the journey of all the ingredients, resources, and traditions that are going into the process of making tofu. These pages were poetically written, slowed the pace down, and connected the activity to nature, history, and ancestry. I enjoyed that they were included, since these things are also very central to Chinese culture.
In the end, the time spent together (not just the delicious tofu) was the real prize - which I thought was a really sweet and underrated moral. Julie Jarema’s joyful illustrations were simple and expressive, and the fantastical elements were whimsical and kids will find them interesting and funny. At the end of the text is an informational page about the history of tofu and a note from the author about her real-life inspiration for the book.
While some people claim that teaching about foreign foods is very surface-level representation, I find it is often the easiest entryway into another culture. Toward the end of the book when the tofu is finally eaten, Lin says, “Happiness fills my belly.” Food being tied to emotions, memories, and family is universal, and a great jumping off point for discussion. Children can easily talk about the foods they like and that they eat often, and special foods their family members serve. I also loved that this book could give children an appreciation for both passed-down customs and making things from scratch. As Lin’s NaiNai says in the book, “good things take time.”
Multicultural Children’s Book Day (1/26/23) is in its 10th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen, two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.
Ten years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. Read about our Mission & History HERE.
MCBD 2023 is honored to be supported by these Medallion Sponsors!
FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Pragmaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)
🏅 Super Platinum Sponsor: Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media
🏅 Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages
🏅 Gold Sponsors: Interlink Books, Publisher Spotlight
🏅 Silver Sponsors: Cardinal Rule Press, Lee & Low, Barefoot Books, Kimberly Gordon Biddle
🏅 Bronze Sponsors: Vivian Kirkfield, Patrice McLaurin , Quarto Group, Carole P. Roman, Star Bright Books, Redfin.com, Redfin Canada, Bay Equity Home Loans, Rent.com, Title Forward, Brunella Costagliola Bronze Sponsor
Poster Artist: Lisa Wee
Classroom Kit Poster: Led Bradshaw
MCBD 2023 is honored to be supported by these Author Sponsors!
Authors: Sivan Hong, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Josh Funk , Stephanie M. Wildman, Gwen Jackson, Diana Huang, Afsaneh Moradian, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Eugenia Chu, Jacqueline Jules, Alejandra Domenzain, Gaia Cornwall, Ruth Spiro, Evelyn Sanchez-Toledo, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Kiyanda and Benjamin Young/Twin Powers Books, Kimberly Lee , Tameka Fryer Brown, Talia Aikens-Nuñez, Marcia Argueta Mickelson, Kerry O’Malley Cerra, Jennie Liu, Heather Murphy Capps, Diane Wilson, Sun Yung Shin, Shannon Gibney, John Coy, Irene Latham and Charles Waters, Maritza M Mejia, Lois Petren, J.C. Kato and J.C.², CultureGroove, Lindsey Rowe Parker, Red Comet Press, Shifa Saltagi Safadi, Nancy Tupper Ling, Deborah Acio, Asha Hagood, Priya Kumari, Chris Singleton, Padma Venkatraman, Teresa Robeson, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Martha Seif Simpson, Rochelle Melander, Alva Sachs, Moni Ritchie Hadley, Gea Meijering, Frances Díaz Evans, Michael Genhart, Angela H. Dale, Courtney Kelly, Queenbe Monyei, Jamia Wilson, Charnaie Gordon, Debbie Ridpath Ohi, Debbie Zapata, Jacquetta Nammar Feldman, Natasha Yim, Tracy T. Agnelli, Kitty Feld, Anna Maria DiDio, Ko Kim, Shachi Kaushik, Shanequa Waison-Rattray, Susan S. El Yazgi, Shirim Shamsi
MCBD 2023 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!
MCBD 2023 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!
Check out MCBD's Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!
📌 FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day
📌 Register for the MCBD Read Your World Virtual Party
Join us on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at 9 pm EST for the 10th annual Multicultural Children's Book Day Read Your World Virtual Party!
This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.
We will be giving away a 10-Book Bundle during the virtual party plus Bonus Prizes as well! ***US and Global participants welcome.**
Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, and connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. We look forward to seeing you all on January 26, 2023, at our virtual party!