One of the things that I enjoyed doing when my oldest child was a baby was to take her for strolls to the library. I needed some fresh air, personal time and more books to add to my collection.

Altthough there were many interesting titles stored in the bookshelves, it was difficult to find diverse books where children like mine could see themselves in the pages of a book.

Representation in children’s books is so important. This is why Multicultural Children’s Book Day is a great way to celebrate and encourage the publication of multicultural children’s books.

Founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom, Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2017 (1/27/17) is in its fourth year! Their mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ 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, the MCBD Team is on a mission to change all of that.

 

RELATED POST: 5 Reasons We Need Multicultural Children’s Books

Multicultural Children’s Book Day: Book Review “A Charmed Life/ Una Vida Con Suerte”

 

This is my second year reviewing a book for Multicultural Children’s Book Day. (You can read here my book review from last year). And today, I am so excited and honored to share with you this bilingual gem: A Charmed Life / Una vida con suerte. By Gladys E. Barbieri and Illustrated by Lisa Fields.

The cover was the first thing that captivated me about this picture book. It is hard not to smile when you see this little girl’s joy in a swing set. But, it’s the story of dreams and hopes what makes this book a must-read to every children.

In the book, a little girl named Felicia accompanies her mom to work cleaning a home situated in what it looks like it’s an expensive neighborhood. She knows her mom’s expectations to behave and stay out of her way while she works. But Felicia gets tired and bored of the same routine so she decides to explore other areas of the mansion.

When Felicia is playing at the beautiful swing set, Mrs. Fitzpatrick, the friendly owner of the home, joins her with a lemonade pitcher and a plate of cookies. Soon they are connected to each other through a charm bracelet that lead to conversations about hopes for better tomorrows.

This book brings important discussions about immigrants and their struggles. Even, if you are not a first-generation immigrant, the story of hopes for a “charmed life” will also inspire you. However, what I love the most about A Charmed Life / Una vida con suerte is to know that many children in America will find themselves in the pages of this book.