diversity books for kids
Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Travel helps us better understand one another. It gives us deeper insight into the journey that helped shape a person or community—the experiences that make us who we are today. Sharing this history with our children builds compassion, making sure diversity is something to be admired, not feared.
In honor of Multicultural Children’s Book Day, we are sharing Lena and the Burning of Greenwood. This newly published title is the first in our Beauty in Diversity collection—stories that share the rich (and sometimes tragic) cultural heritage of our world. It is our hope that you will read these together, taking time to discuss the beauty of our differences and uncovering the many ways in which we are all the same.
More about Multicultural Children’s Book Day…
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2022 (1/28/22) is in its 9th 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.
MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves. Read about our Mission & History HERE.
MCBD 2022 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!
SUPER PLATINUM: Make A Way Media
PLATINUM: Language Lizard
GOLD: Barefoot Books, KidLitTV, Candlewick, Capstone, Abrams Books
SILVER: Pack-n-Go Girls, Charlotte Riggle, Kimberly Gordon Biddle
BRONZE: Carole P. Roman, Patrice McLaurin, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin.com, Redfin Canada, Redfin Mortgage, Redfin/Title Forward, Create & Educate, Star Bright Books, Vivian Kirkfield, Dr. Eleanor Wint, Kind World Publishing, Snowflake Stories, Lisa Wee, SONGJU MA, Melissa Stoller, J.C. Kato and J.C.², Crystel Patterson, Audrey Press, Pragmaticmom, TimTimTom, Wisdom Tales
MCBD 2022 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!
Charlene Mosley (official MCBD2022 Poster Creator)
Illustrator Isabelle Roxas (Class Kit Poster Creator)
Alva Sachs, Brianna Carter, Ebony Zay Zay, Rita Bhandari, Gwen Jackson, Lois Petren/The 5 Enchanted Mermaids, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Josh Funk, Afsaneh Moradian, Eugenia Chu, Maritza Martínez Mejía, Diana Huang, Kathleen Burkinshaw, CultureGroove, Sandra Elaine Scott, Dorena Williamson, Veronica Appleton, Alejandra Domenzain, Lauren Muskovitz and Sandfish Publishing, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Kimberly Lee, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher, Nancy Tupper Ling, Winsome Hudson-Bingham, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Sivan Hong, Michael Genhart, Debbie Dadey, Elizabeth Cureton, Stephanie Wildman, Maryann Jacob, Sherri Maret, Rochelle Melander, Dia Mixon, Kiyanda and Benjamin Young, Shereen Rahming, Linda Thornburg and Katherine Archer, Rebecca Flansburg and BA Norrgard , Maxine Schur Natalie McDonald-Perkins
MCBD 2022 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!
MCBD 2022 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
Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents
Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit
FREE Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Raising Awareness on Systemic Racism in America Classroom Kit
About the Book
Lena is a 12-year old African-American girl born and raised in the 1920s Greenwood district of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Life is prosperous until one day she comes face-to-face with the ugly truth about racial tensions in the south. Referred to as the “Black Wall Street” of America, this affluent community is suddenly under siege by an angry mob of white citizens—families are torn apart and lives are lost.
This survival story cuts deep as one little girl struggles to understand why this is happening, “How could anyone have enough hate in their hearts to do this to people?“
Written by Nikki Shannon Smith, this book explores a dark time in our nation’s history, yet somehow manages to leave the reader hopeful and inspired. It is an important read for young kids, giving them an understanding of life as an African-American raised in a segregated nation. Despite the tragedy that unfolds, it leaves us yearning to do better—to learn from our past mistakes and right the wrongs that hurt so many.
About the Author
Nikki Shannon Smith is from Oakland, California, but she now lives in the Central Valley with her husband and two children. She has worked in Elementary Education for over twenty-five years, and writes everything from picture books to young adult novels. When she’s not busy with family, work, or writing, she loves to visit the coast. The first thing she packs in her suitcase is always a book. (https://nikkishannonsmith.com/)
More Books in the Girls Survive Series:
As a member of the American Booksellers Association, we have access to an endless inventory of great titles. Explore the world with our curated collection of travel books for the whole family. Every purchase supports our ongoing work to inspire kids through virtual and real-world travel!
Great review! Thank you for participating in Multicultural Children’s Book Day!
Thank you Leanna, it was our pleasure!