As our ninth Multicultural Children’s Book Day holiday approaches on January 28, 2022, we are thrilled to have an amazing community of supporters!

The planning for our next online celebration is ramping up and we are looking forward to our next event with enthusiasm, optimism, and excitement! And as always, we hope everyone will join our celebration of diversity through children’s books again. Thank you for helping us to cultivate understanding, kindness, inclusion, and exploration of this beautiful world with quality diverse books for kids and teens.
A big part of what MCBD does is to create resources that provide and enhance diversity in children’s literature. This includes creating an in-depth “Class Kit” every year that is free to download. These Kits focus on a specific topic and provide relevant books, activities, and resources that can be used as a teaching tool. In 2019/2020, our free classroom kit celebrated Physical and Developmental Challenges: Understand and Celebrate Our Differences.

It’s no secret that some people feel awkward and uncomfortable around people with disabilities because they are not sure what to say or do. Their reaction may range from avoidance, fear and confusion, to wanting to ask a lot of questions. Asking respectful questions starts a dialogue, and it’s this dialogue that fosters disability awareness.
The MCBD Team has spent considerable time creating the book list for our Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020 Classroom Kit: Understand and Celebrate our Differences. We’ve replaced our previous title, “Understanding and Celebrating People with Disabilities,” after learning that this isn’t the correct language for some.
Within this free downloadable Classroom Kit, you will find:
~Book Recommendations for ages 4-12
~ Classroom or Home Activities
~ “Physical and Developmental Challenges” Classroom Poster thanks to the talents of award-winning illustrator, SKlakina
~HelpfulPhysical and Developmental Challenge Talking Points for Teachers
~Links, resources, and services available to families facing the challenges of coping with Physical and Developmental Challenges in the U.S.A
You will also find kidlit books that focus on:
● ADHD
● Allergies
● Anxiety/Separation Anxiety
● Asthma
● Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
● Cancer
● Charcot Marie Tooth
● Cerebral Palsy
● Cystic Fibrosis
● Deaf/Partial Hearing Loss
● Degenerative Diseases
● Diabetes
● Disfiguration
● Down Syndrome
● Dyslexia
● Epilepsy
● Glasses
● Limb Differences
● Mental Illness
● Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
●● Physical Disabilities involving Walking
● Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
● Prosthetic Implants
● Sensory Processing
● Someone Who Uses a Wheelchair
● Spinal Disorders
● Speech and Language Difficulties
● Tourette Syndrome
● Visual Impairment
Since this is a huge topic, we’d appreciate any suggestions you have to round out this list. Thanks so much!
Learn more about this kit, and others like it, HERE,
Keep Calm and Read On!
Rebecca “Becky” Flansburg is an author, freelance writer, and project manager for the non-profit online children’s literacy initiative, Multicultural Children’s Book Day/ #ReadYourWorld. Join the celebration! Our 9th annual celebration will take place on January 28, 2022. For more information, visit Multicultural Children’s Book Day on the web.
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