Social Issues

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020 – Freedom Soup

 

FREEDOM SOUP
Written by by Tami Charles
Illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara
(Candlewick Press; $16.99, Ages 5-9)

 

Freedom Soup book cover

 

Let’s Celebrate
The 7th Annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day
& Spread the Word About #ReadYourWorld!

 

Freedom Soup, written by Tami Charles and illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara is a celebration in the kitchen when Grandmother and Belle come together for the New Year’s Day tradition of making this soup. As the family’s recipe is shared, Belle also learns about Ti Gran’s birthplace (Haiti) where slaves labored making this soup for their masters because Freedom Soup was only for the free.

Belle comments that with a name like Freedom Soup, the soup should have been free for everyone; Ti Gran replies, “Oh, Belle. Nothing in this world is free, not even freedom.” While the literal cost of the soup can be counted in ingredients and labor, greater messages include family and pride.

 

Freedom Soup Int 1
FREEDOM SOUP. Text copyright © 2019 by Tami Charles. Illustrations copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline Alcantara. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

 

Alcántara takes the evocative text and, through her art, further enlivens the tale with movement and rhythm. Characters dance and sway while cooking as Ti Gran recounts Haiti’s history.

Following the story is a summary of how Haiti overcame slavery and claimed independence from France. The author’s recipe for this soup sounds delicious and is on my list to try in 2020.

 

Freedom Soup Int 3
FREEDOM SOUP. Text copyright © 2019 by Tami Charles. Illustrations copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline Alcantara. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

 

This book truly defines Multicultural Children’s Book Day’s motto, “read your world.” Sharing what brought us to this country brings us closer, as does cooking with family, friends, and people you haven’t met yet.

★Starred Reviews – Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Shelf Awareness for Readers

  • Reviewed by Christine Van Zandt

 

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020 (1/31/20) is in its 7th 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 book into the hands of young readers and educators.

Seven 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.

MCBD 2020 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board

Super Platinum

Make A Way Media/ Deirdre “DeeDee” Cummings

Platinum

Language Lizard, Pack-N-Go Girls

Gold

Audrey Press, Lerner Publishing Group, KidLit TV, ABDO BOOKS: A Family of Educational Publishers, PragmaticMom & Sumo Joe, Candlewick Press

Silver

Author Charlotte Riggle, Capstone Publishing, Guba Publishing, Melissa Munro Boyd & B is for Breathe

Bronze

Author Carole P. Roman, Snowflake Stories/Jill Barletti, Vivian Kirkfield & Making Their Voices Heard, Barnes Brothers Books, TimTimTom, Wisdom Tales Press, Lee & Low Books, Charlesbridge Publishing, Barefoot Books, Talegari Tales

Author Sponsor Link Cloud

Jerry Craft, A.R. Bey and Adventures in Boogieland, Eugina Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Kenneth Braswell & Fathers Incorporated, Maritza M. Mejia & Luz del mes_Mejia, Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Josh Funk and HOW TO CODE A ROLLERCOASTER, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Lauren Ranalli, The Little Green Monster: Cancer Magic! By Dr. Sharon Chappell, Phe Lang and Me On The Page, Afsaneh Moradian and Jamie is Jamie, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, TUMBLE CREEK PRESS, Nancy Tupper Ling,Author Gwen Jackson, Angeliki Pedersen & The Secrets Hidden Beneath the Palm Tree, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 by Mia Wenjen, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher (Founders of Inner Flower Child Books), Ann Morris & Do It Again!/¡Otra Vez!, Janet Balletta and Mermaids on a Mission to Save the Ocean, Evelyn Sanchez-Toledo & Bruna Bailando por el Mundo\ Dancing Around the World,Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, Sarah Jamila Stevenson, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Teresa Robeson  & The Queen of Physics, Nadishka Aloysius and Roo The Little Red TukTuk, Girlfriends Book Club Baltimore & Stories by the Girlfriends Book Club, Finding My Way Books, Diana Huang & Intrepids, Five Enchanted Mermaids, Elizabeth Godley and Ribbon’s Traveling Castle, Anna Olswanger and Greenhorn, Danielle Wallace & My Big Brother Troy, Jocelyn Francisco and Little Yellow Jeepney, Mariana Llanos & Kutu, the Tiny Inca Princess/La Ñusta Diminuta, Sara Arnold & The Big Buna Bash, Roddie Simmons & Race 2 Rio, DuEwa Frazier & Alice’s Musical Debut, Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series  Green Kids Club, Inc.

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, Afsaneh Moradian, Agatha Rodi Books, All Done Monkey, Barefoot Mommy, Bethany Edward & Biracial Bookworms, Michelle Goetzl & Books My Kids Read, Crafty Moms Share, Colours of Us, Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes, Educators Spin on it, Shauna Hibbitts-creator of eNannylink, Growing Book by Book, Here Wee Read, Joel Leonidas & Descendant of Poseidon Reads {Philippines}, Imagination Soup, Kid World Citizen, Kristi’s Book Nook, The Logonauts, Mama Smiles, Miss Panda Chinese, Multicultural Kid Blogs, Serge Smagarinsky {Australia}, Shoumi Sen, Jennifer Brunk & Spanish Playground, Katie Meadows and Youth Lit Reviews

FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

TWITTER PARTY! Register here!

Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

 

 

 

 

 

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Kids Picture Book Review – Have You Seen My Blankie?

HAVE YOU SEEN MY BLANKIE?
Written by Lucy Rowland
Illustrated by Paula Metcalf
(Nosy Crow; $16.99, Ages 2-5)

 

Have You Seen My Blankie cvr

 

Princess Alice always takes her soft, warm and snuggly blankie to bed until one day it goes missing in Have You Seen My Blankie? The picture book, told in rhyme, is written by speech and language therapist Lucy Rowland, with colorful full-page illustrations by Paula Metcalf.

The book opens to Princess Alice’s bedroom with purple walls, a large canopy bed and more toys than most kids would know what to do with. But the toys aren’t as important to Alice as her white and orange blankie she is shown cuddling on her bed. “This blankie was so cuddly! So soft and warm and snuggly!”

 

have you seen my blankie int2
HAVE YOU SEEN MY BLANKIE?. Text copyright © 2019 by Lucy Rowland. Illustrations copyright © 2019 by Paula Metcalf. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

 

“But one day … it went missing!” Metcalf shows Princess Alice searching under her bed, the piano, the couch pillows, and even inside the toilet (she stands on a stool for this drawing!) Each illustration shows her princess crown on top of her head which I found adorable. Princess Alice hurries to the palace door and asks her brother, who is upside down swinging on a tree (but his crown doesn’t slip), “Do you have my blankie, Jack?” Jack explains that after he used her beloved blankie as a curtain, a giant took it from him and wouldn’t give it back! Rowland offers some laugh out loud brother sister dialogue kids will love.

Princess Alice’s search begins as she tracks down Giant Jim who says, “Yes, I had your blankie but I used it as a hankie.” Each illustration depicts beautiful detail of the scene. We know Giant Jim is a chef by the apron he is wearing, and the rolling pin in his hand. His outdoor table is set for tea, and his smile shows the reader he is a nice giant.

 

have you seen my blankie int3
HAVE YOU SEEN MY BLANKIE?. Text copyright © 2019 by Lucy Rowland. Illustrations copyright © 2019 by Paula Metcalf. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

 

Page by page Princess Alice continues her search for her beloved blankie. “But then she saw her blankie with a dragon who looked cranky.” Alice felt a little scared. “That’s my blankie she declared.”

Alice has an idea and works with the dragon to find him a replacement, so he will return her blankie. The detailed drawings and fun rhymes, take the listener into an imaginary world of magical kingdoms, giants and snuggly teddy bears. Princess Alice shows love and compassion for the dragon who took her blankie. Knowing how important it is to sleep with something soft and warm, she wipes away his tears. strokes his head, and promises she will find something that’s just right.

This sweet story teaches children about kindness and compassion, even for someone who may have caused them harm. They’ll be happy when two unlikely characters become friends: ” … inside a royal palace lives a young princess named Alice. And now there is a dragon who will often come to stay!” Have You Seen My Blankie? is a comforting bedtime story for any child who, while still needing a security blanket or stuffed animal to cuddle, will feel reassured to learn that even a big dragon needs a snuggle at bedtime.

  • Reviewed by Ronda Einbinder

Read another picture book review by Ronda here.

 

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One Wedding and a Meltdown

Ask Amy Green: Bridesmaid Blitz by Sarah Webb ($6.99, Candlewick, ages 11 and up) is a quick-paced, light reading “romp” through the 13- year-old Dubliner Amy Green’s fall school year.  As this is Ireland, the school structure is different, but the same girl clicks and teen dreams are all there. Filled with zany characters, Dublin-ese teen lingo (Fun and Funny!) and a positive view of contemporary family structures – Amy has strong bonds with devoted, divorced parents, half-siblings, and supportive cousin role models and godmothers.  She has tricky relationships to build with both of her parents’ significant others.  Webb provides an enticing glimpse at Paris as Amy and company travel there on a surprise shopping trip for Amy’s bride-to-be mother (hence, the title) for Amy’s mother.  The quaint Parisian side streets, delicious boulangerie aromas and alluring fashion boutiques are all there for the tasting!  Bridesmaid Blitz is a series that any tween thru teen would love to explore! Start with Bridesmaid Blitz or one of Webb’s funky “Ask Amy” titles in the series – Boy Trouble or Summer Secrets.

Ask Amy Green: Bridesmaid Blitz was reviewed by guest reviewer Dr. Juli Barry from Los Angeles. Dr. Barry has her PhD in 20th century American fiction.

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