Latino Families and Explaining COVID: 2 Great Diverse Books for Kids

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{guest post by Tere Rodriguez- Nora}

I was so excited to receive copies of both of these diverse books for kids to review in honor of Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021! Here are my thoughts:

21 Cousins by Diane de Anda –Publisher: Star Bright Books –Picture Book; Ages 4 to 8; available 4/1/2021)

Tall, short, big, small, athletic, artistic . . . cousins may look different and have different interests and abilities, but that just makes them one extraordinary family! From Maricela’s bilingual spelling skills to Mario’s tech whiz abilities, no two cousins are alike—and that’s just the way they like it. All the cousins are muy entusiasmados for the surprise at the end of their family gathering!

I love this book! It describes perfectly how diverse could be a Latino family regarding physical characteristics. The book has a beautiful description of the different types of physical characteristics as well as descriptions of the cousins’ personalities, integrating disabilities as well. I can relate to this book because my family has diverse physical characteristics; for example, my dad has reddish color hair (now is all white) and blue eyes and I am a brunette with brown eyes. The book has lovely illustrations as well.

Dr. Adam and the Virus by Dr. Hazem Nassar

A global pandemic needs a global hero. Coronavirus needs no introduction nowadays. If it had a Twitter account, it’d be the most followed worldwide, which is a problem in many ways.

Not only our lives had been changed drastically, but it also brought along with it many uncertainties. Is the threat real, or is it a ‘hoax’? If it is real, how bad could it get? If bad enough, who will make it and who will not? Are we ever going to go back to ‘normal’ life again? If yes, then when? Why do we have to flatten the curve?

This book explains, in a simple way, how viruses work and the basics of the COVID as well the new safety rules and recommendations. It’s a simple way for to children understand what the virus and the new “normal” are about. As a Mental Health Therapist, I think this book can be helpful to children and parents that will need to explain the virus.

Tere Rodriguez- Nora is an Award-Winning Author, children’s books writer. She is also a professional Mental Health Therapist. Her stories are inspired by the experiences that her sons as well as the one she had as a little girl and the ones experienced by her dad. She is the author of Kikiwi y los desperdicios en el fondo del mar, En busca de la Paz, and Las estrellas de los Reyes Magos (International Latino Book Award, first place,2016). Besides her published books, she has other stories published in textbooks and anthologies Tere is also a blogger. She loves to write on her blog about anything and everything that comes to her mind; she loves to share her view on life and her experiences.
As a Mental Health Therapist, she works helping people in the Central Florida area.
She lives in Orlando, Florida.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021 (1/29/21) is in its 8^th 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.