**The posts I write might contain affiliate links or be written in collaboration with businesses or brands. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.**
{Guest post by Marta Magellan }
I was delighted with the opportunity to review the diverse picture book From My Window by Otávio Júnior, published by Barefoot Books.
I was curious about this book a year before it was published. In a strange coincidence, I had written my own story, titled From My Balcony, and sent it to Barefoot Books. In a nice note, editor Kate DePalma wrote that they had already acquired a similar book by Otávio Júnior, and I have been waiting to see it ever since. Both books are #ownvoices stories, both centered around children watching the world outside their home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.nbsp;
When I read Júnior’s book, I certainly could see how much more attractive his story was in comparison. Whereas mine was a middle-class child looking out an apartment balcony to streets too dangerous for her to play in, From My Window is about a child looking out the window of his house in a favela, where children live and play outside. The publisher describes it as a unique urban community. Some people know it as a slum, a place often associated with violence. Yet, favelas are real neighborhoods where people build their own brick houses outside government permission on the hills above Rio. It is well-known in that city, that the residents of those poorest of dwellings often have the best views.
What you first notice when you open the book, are the brilliant and bold illustrations by Vanina Starkoff. You cannot take your eyes off their abundant colors and numerous details. You get a sense of the crowded favelas, filled with the hanging wash, telephone wires, and children playing without feeling the ugliness that poverty sometimes brings.
Starkoff, the illustrator paints the favela in tropical colors, fills it with banana trees, flags, and birds, and suddenly, it is beautiful (although the birds flying look more like pheasants on their back, ready to be roasted). The author himself does not sugar coat where he lives. He calls his house a shack and does not ignore the rains causing many of the roofs to leak. He writes in a few simple words, and with them, the children in his favela, come to life filled with hope, dreams of playing soccer in Marcanã Stadium, and fantasy play filled with rhyme, funk, and poetry.
To learn more about this book, visit BarefootBooks.com
Bio: Marta Magellan was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, immigrating to this country at the age of seven. As a full professor of English, she taught Creative Writing, and Survey of Children’s Literature at Miami Dade College advised the campus award-winning literary arts magazine, and created the Kids’ Choice Story Contest for its Arts & Letters Day. She has written and published articles and essays in various magazines, for both children and adults. Now writing full time, she volunteers as a critique group leader for the Florida SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). Her published books for children have focused on wild animals and their place in the environment. More about her children’s writing on her website at www.martamagellan.com
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021 (1/29/21) is in its 8th 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.
Eight 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 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!
FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Prgamaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)
Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media
Gold Sponsors: Barefoot Books, Candlewick Press, Capstone, Hoopoe Books, KidLitTV, Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.
Silver Sponsors: Charlotte Riggle, Connecticut Association of School Librarians, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Pack-N-Go Girls
Bronze Sponsors: Agatha Rodi and AMELIE is IMPRESSED!, Barnes Brothers Books, Create and Educate Solutions, LLC, Dreambuilt Books, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin Real Estate, Snowflake Stories, Star Bright Books, TimTimTom Bilingual Personalized Books, Author Vivian Kirkfield, Wisdom Tales Press, My Well Read Child
MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!
Poster Artist: Nat Iwata
Authors: Author Afsaneh Moradian, Author Alva Sachs & Three Wishes Publishing Company, Author Angeliki Stamatopoulou-Pedersen, Author Anna Olswanger, Author Casey Bell , Author Claudine Norden, Author Debbie Dadey, Author Diana Huang & Intrepids, Author Eugenia Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Green Kids Club, Author Gwen Jackson, Author Janet Balletta, Author Josh Funk, Author Julia Inserro, Karter Johnson & Popcorn and Books, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, Author Keila Dawson, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Author Mia Wenjen, Michael Genhart, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Natalie Murray, Natalie McDonald-Perkins, Author Natasha Yim, Author Phe Lang and Me On The Page Publishing, Sandra Elaine Scott, Author Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher, Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids, Author Theresa Mackiewicz, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Author Toshia Stelivan, Valerie Williams-Sanchez & The Cocoa Kids Collection Books©, Author Vanessa Womack, MBA, Author Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series
MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!
MCBD 2021 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 Diversity Book for Classrooms Program
TWITTER PARTY! Register here!
Join us on Friday, Jan 29, 2021, at 9 pm EST for the 8th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter 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 an 8-Book Bundle every 5 minutes plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **
Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. See you all very soon on Twitter!
Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.
