Blogs
A starred review for MY COLORS, MY WORLD
Our board book adaptation of My Colors, My World / Mis colores, mi mundo received a STARRED review in the July 1st issue of Kirkus! My Colors, My World is the first book in a series of board books we plan to publish as part of our First Voice Early Literacy Initiative, which aims to fill a long-standing need for bilingual board books for children ages 0–5. We're ecstatic about the review and this auspicious beginning to the series.
From Kirkus Reviews:
MY COLORS, MY WORLD / MIS COLORES, MI MUNDO (reviewed on July 1, 2011)
Pub Date: March 14th, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-89239-234-6
Page count: 16pp
Publisher: Children's Book Press
Author and Illustrator: Maya Christina Gonzalez
This adaptation utilizes a brilliant palette to convey a girl’s lush landscape.
Evoking the hot desert sun, warm, festive hues glow as Maya reflects on the vivid colors outside and above her family home. The Latina child experiences vibrant garden blossoms and the touch of her loving father’s hair. Bilingual phrasing places Spanish text on the left-hand page and the English translation on the right; the text is placed separately at the bottom of each page while visual design serves to bridge the two languages. Typography denotes the featured color. Full, yet spare, images contain a stirring lyricism. “The sunset turns my whole street pink.” The child's tantalizing descriptions continually illustrate keen engagement. “Mud is squishy, cool, and brown. / …Yellow pollen peeks at me.” In a vivacious dance between fantasy and reality, she flies against billowing clouds, near the watchful moon and sun and under her parents’ unobtrusive days.
More than a Crayola-rich concept, this exhilarating experience spills over in its sensuous perspective. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)
Artist Elaine Pedlar opens pop-up store in Dumbo
Calling all "dreamers and fashion lovers" in the New York City area! Artist and fashion designer Elaine Pedlar opened a pop-up store in Brooklyn's Dumbo neighborhood a few weekends ago. Pedlar, whose work you may recognize from the Children's Book Press book, A Shelter in Our Car, offers up multicultural paper dolls, coloring books, postcards, and other pieces of art at her store, which she named Dumbelle... Pretty Smart! Copies of her book are available there as well. Those of you in the NYC area can visit the store until September 1st. Check out the website for more details about the store and to watch a charming little video featuring the paper dolls. Don't miss blog.dumbelle.com for news and more photos.
Recent awards announcements
In case you missed it, the International Latino Book Awards and the Américas Awards were announced in the last few weeks. We're delighted to share that both of the books we published in 2010 were honored:
From North to South / Del Norte al sur (written by René Colato Lainez and illustrated by Joe Cepeda) garnered First Place in the Best Children's Picture Book (Biligual) category of the International Latino Book Awards. Let Me Help! / ¡Quiero ayudar! (written by Alma Flor Ada and illustrated by Angela Domínguez) was named an Honorable Mention in the same category. The 2011 International Latino Book Awards Celebration was held on May 25 at el Museo del Barrio in New York City. For more information about the awards and a complete list of winners, click here.
We're also happy to announce that From North to South was named a Commended Title in the 2011 Américas Awards. This award is given in recognition of U.S. works of fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction (from picture books to works for young adults) published in the previous year in English or Spanish that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States. Visit their website for details about this year's winners.
A Conversation with Carmen Lomas Garza
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Fresh off of her recent residency at the De Young Museum in San Francisco, award-winning artist and CBP author Carmen Lomas Garza was featured in a video about the inspiration behind her artwork. Carmen explains how the ideas for her paintings came from her own memories of growing up in a Mexican-American community. While Carmen never anticipated that her artwork would be used in bilingual children’s books, she is proud to show Mexican American children images that are familiar to their own upbringings. Carmen explains that these images can also be used to show young children what their Mexican culture has contributed to American society.
You can see Carmen’s artwork and stories for yourself in her books, Family Pictures / Cuadros De Familia and In My Family / En mi familia.
Mixed-Race in America: The New York Times explores the changing demographics in the US
For 36 years, Children's Book Press has published books about the multicultural experience of children in the US. More than ever today, we find our books to be increasingly relevant as data from the 2010 Census emerges, specifically with regards to the growing mixed-race population. According to the latest figures, the mixed-race population amongst American children has increased almost 50%, to 4.2 million, since 2000, making it the fastest growing youth group in the country. (This is especially interesting to us now, as we prepare to publish a new book this fall that deals with the issue head-on. Read more below...)
In recent years, we’ve witnessed the national discourse on multiculturalism evolve and grow, especially in the mainstream media. The New York Times has recently entered the national discussion by publishing a series of articles called "Race Remixed," which explores the growing number of mixed-race Americans. The series addresses issues such as the growing number of inter-racial marriages and the many different ways one can define one’s own ethnic and racial identity.
One article explores the enormous demographic shift occurring among today's youth. According to the article, the student population currently enrolled in America's universities include the largest group of mixed-race youth ever to come of age in the US. To illustrate just how much the mixed-race youth population has grown, The New York Times profiles several students from the University of Maryland who belong to the Multiracial and Biracial Student Association. Their family histories are rich and varied, and their personal accounts of how they've come to terms with their own racial identity are fascinating.
"As a mixed-race Latina, with two beautiful mixed-race daughters, I'm very glad that attention is being given to those of us with a multiplicity of ethnic identities," writes Monica Brown, an award-winning writer and the author of an upcoming Children's Book Press book entitled Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match / Marisol McDonald no combina, which is due out in Sept. 2011. "I want my children to celebrate their diverse backgrounds without having to choose only one 'box'. I wrote Marisol McDonald to celebrate a girl who refuses to be 'either or.'" Stay tuned to the Many Voices Blog for upcoming features about the book. (Read the full post...)
Monica Brown's daughters, Juliana & Isabella Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match
Claiming Face with Maya Gonzalez: Part 8 – Polka Dots, Self-Portraits and First Voice Multicultural Literature for Children
In September 2010, Children’s Book Press launched a new blog feature by Maya Christina Gonzalez, featuring educator resources and classroom activities from her curriculum, Claiming Face. Part 8 of this monthly series is below.
I am open to learn from everything in life, including polka dots. As you may recall in my last post, I spoke again about my Polka Dot Theory as it related to the Mirror projects that I like to do with children and adults.
The power of the polka dot is amplified when we go beyond that initial mark and express ourselves more fully, through self-portraiture or words. I like beginning with acknowledging the polka dot, because it hints at the vast and multidimensional levels available to us when we engage in creation/expression. This includes not only our own exceedingly unique and individual experience, but also all of our cultural, social and historical influences as well. 
My hands, my polka dot, my art, my words convey my life as Maya, but also my life as a bi-racial, Chicana, working class, queer person born with a girl body. The colors that speak to me, the way I layer and collage, the images that are familiar and make up a cohesive visual vocabulary for me are telling. Growing up with half of my family speaking Spanish while I did not, the inflection, song, tone, the way of putting words together, the white teachers who spoke at the front of my class, the children of color and the way we whispered in the back of class, all of this informed how I write and what I write. My father taught me through actions, through beliefs, through our shared culture, the importance of the wind, the sound of birds, the tale a tree tells as it grows, the dance between life and death, the spirit within all things. This is in my hands, my eyes, my heart when I take up a pencil or a paint brush. I am what and how I express. What's fascinating is that some of it can be tracked, while some of it cannot. It is the deep, abiding legacy of generations and generations of Mexicans and Germans. It goes beyond color and image relevance and hints at something at once mysterious and completely true. (Read the full post...)
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Let Me Help!
Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone! Today, Mexicans and Mexican Americans commemorate the Mexican Army's unlikely victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It's a day to celebrate the causes of freedom and democracy. And, as author Alma Flor Ada says in the introduction to her book Let Me Help!, the holiday has evolved into a celebration of the culture and experiences of Mexican Americans in general.
Let Me Help! takes place on Cinco de Mayo, and follows one family's preparations for the big day. Their pet parrot, Perico, longs to help the family get ready, but everyone shoos him away... until he proves to them that he has a very special way to contribute. The littlest book lovers will empathize with Perico and delight in how he eventually saves the day.
Countless communities are celebrating Cinco de Mayo today. So break out the banderas, enjoy the baile folklórico, and share a book like Let Me Help! with the ones you love!
Calling all dual language schools: Win $500 worth of bilingual books!
We're thrilled to partner with our friends at SpanglishBaby.com on their first ever "My Bilingual School Library Contest." SpanglishBaby is a terrific resource for parents who are raising bilingual and bicultural children. You'll find loads of articles, book reviews, interviews with experts, and other useful resources dealing with everything from education to food. This year, they've launched a special book give-away contest in honor of Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros, a national celebration of children and books. Children's Book Press, along with several other publishers of bilingual and Spanish-language books, have donated a total of $500 worth of books for contest, and all public schools with dual language, bilingual/ELL, or Spanish-language programs are eligible to enter. For complete contest rules and details, visit the My Bilingual School Library website. Hurry! The deadline to enter is May 8th.
Amazing performances planned for Día this Sunday
The Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros celebration in San Francisco is only a few days away. This FREE event promises an exciting, fun-filled afternoon for young children and their families-- with everything from hands-on art activities to free books. Our event takes place on Sunday, April 24th from 1-4 pm at the Main Branch of the San Francisco Public Library. (See our previous blog post for more details or RSVP on Facebook.)
Plus this year, we have an exciting line-up of performers. Did we mention the entertainment is free? Here's what's in store:
Start off the Dia celebration shortly before 1:00pm with a bang…and a gong….with the Yau Kung Moon Lion Dancers just outside the entrance to the Koret Auditorium on the lower level of the Main Library. Then follow them inside for a rousing lion dance performance and martial arts demonstration. YKM is a martial arts and lion dancing organization considered to be one of the most well respected in the U.S. featuring pioneering Northern and Southern lion dancing at competitions, and performances.
Our emcees Dra. Marisol and Nurse Rona from Nuestros Niños and Childhood Matters will welcome you to the program which continues with a dance performance from the Fei Tian Academy of the Arts California, a private school for grades 6 to 12, combining traditional arts and rigorous academics to successfully educate the whole child. Fei Tian CA also offers an after school program featuring Chinese culture, classical dance, calligraphy and fine arts.
Next up are local puppet masters, The Fratello Marionettes presenting 'Carnival of the Animals' : 3 classic fairytales – The Three Little Pigs, The Tortoise and the Hare and The Ugly Duckling performed wordlessly to music by the French composer Camille Saint-Saens. Utilizing a unique performance style, the puppet and puppeteer are seen in full view of the audience on a raised stage.
Wrapping up the performances is the high energy music and dance of Haiti, presented by Afoutayi Dance Company, featuring dancer Djenane Sainte-Juste, with her brother on drums and her mother Florencia Pierre on vocals. A native of Haiti, Djenane is an accomplished choreographer, dancer, actress and vocalist who specializes in traditional Haitian dance, and folklore. Her innovative choreography along with her love of dance, storytelling and children enhance her interactive performances for families.
Being Bilingual May Boost Your Brain Power
At least, that is the conclusion of psychologists Janet Werker and Ellen Bialystok, who were recently interviewed on NPR.
They explained that bilingualism can be beneficial to children, with studies proving bilingual speakers perform better on various cognitive tests. Furthermore, one study proved that dementia set in four to five years later in people who spent their lives speaking two languages rather than one. This new evidence suggests that being bilingual can actually be good for your health!
