Thursday, January 26, 2023

My Reviews for Multicultural Children's Book Day - LuzDelMes

When I was a child,  I always dreamed of traveling around the world , visiting different places, meeting people with different languages, and tasting delicious foods from around the world. A perfect dream that I made it reality over the years as travel agent. 

Now, I am enjoying this experience as an Author Sponsor, Reviewer, and Board of Advisors of Multicultural Children's Book Day (MCBD) #ReadYourWorld becasue books bring us to places you can't go in person! 

CELEBRATING 10th Annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day with forth amazing books 
JANUARY 26th CELEBRATING 10th Annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day #MCBD around the World. I will travel virtually to celebrate with Greek-co-host Agatha Rodi and all participants reading The Purple Shell.



As part of the MCBD I reviewed the following books for an honest review:


Book Review of Meet the Mermaids: Hi, I'm Anna

The Five Enchanted Mermaids are five racially diverse mermaids who live undersea in a mythical world called “Atargatis.” Each mermaid represents a different part of the globe and has a superpower. 

I read the book “Meet the Mermaids: Hi, I’m Anna. One day Anna visited Miss Molly’s School to talk to the students about the “Kindness Kids Club” and how they can participate in this amazing venture to be kind. Anna explains the three main types of kindness: “to our planet, to their people and to ourselves.” The students became Kindness Kids and went out to look for “kindness in action”. Great lesson, Anna!

Lois Petren, author of the Lulu and Lainey and Five Enchanted Mermaids series of children's picture books, said that she became an author by chance when she realized she had a story to tell. In 2018 in collaboration with LifeMadeSimple, LLC, Lois started writing books about the Five Enchanted Mermaids, to develop a growth mindset and learn developmental skills in children.

Book Review of Mermaids on a Mission to save the Ocean

by Janet Balletta (Goodreads Author),Alyssa Figueroa (Illustrator)

Great tool for teachers and good read for children
Mermaids on a Mission, as the title implies, is a book about seven mermaids who protect the ocean from mankind’s pollution. Each of the mermaids have a special power that allows them to save the valuable oceans and special creatures and plant life. The conversation between the mermaids describes the culture and characteristics of each of them. I love Fina from South America and her mission to protect injured animals in Aqua Pura.
Teachers have an excellent tool to teach children how important the oceans are by following the example and action the mermaids did to keep the waters clean from pollutants.

The illustrators, Alyssa Figueroa and Alexander C. Appello, created brilliant illustrations that make the story enjoyable to read to young children.
The author Balletta includes a helpful Teacher's Guide which introduces vocabulary, discussion questions on a deep and well research topic. Congratulations Mrs. Balletta!
Mermaids on a Mission to Save the Oceans is most highly recommended. 
recommend this book for children ages 5-8 years old. 


Book Review of "The Golden Seahorse

The Golden Seahorse is a mythical character that helps a little girl faces her fears to swim. A girl named Camila was afraid of the ocean because she didn’t know how to swim, but her mother told her not to be afraid because in the ocean there was a golden seahorse that would rescue her.

It is a bilingual book (English-Spanish) with coloring pages with vivid images to illustrate this sweet children's book tale. I definitely recommend this book for preschoolers to first grade students.

The Author, Camelia Kuhn is a kindergarten teacher based in Florida.   He was born in Hartford, Connecticut and grew up in Puerto Rico. From an early age, she found a love for reading through her loving mother who told her children's stories that inspired her to write this tale.  



Amelia Gets Busy! Written by Agatha Rodi - Illustrated by Joanna Scott

Since the beginning of the story, the main character, Amelia seems impressed with all the wonders around her at the village’s farm with her Greek grandma named "yiayia."  Visiting Grandma is an opportunity to enjoy nature, flowers, plants, birds and farm animals. The lovely yiayia protects Amelia with affection and care. The children story ends with a fond display of yiayia’s favorite keepsake box where she keeps the reason to be impressed of farm’s life. She gets very busyPerfect title!

The author Agatha Rodi uses poetic rhymes and rhythm to make the story dances with elegance. Soft pastel illustrations depict the simple and beautiful gardening and farming’s Greek life style. The characters are adorable!

 My favorite lines:

“A jar of yiayia’s favorite cherry jam
Some pieces of spinach pie and feta cheese
Full of spices and crispy dough.
I always take my village with me,
The blue light and the hues of the rainbow
That make me say wow!
That’s why I’m so impressed!’

 

Book Review of "For Every Little Thing: Poems and Prayers to Celebrate the Day"

June Cotner (Editor)Nancy Tupper Ling (Editor)Helen Cann (Illustrations)

I read this lovely book for an honest review, but it caught me by surprise the beauty of each page and the inspirational poems it contains. The illustrations by Helen Cann are full of vivid details that illuminates the poems along with this marvelous anthology that is divided into categories that make us reflect, not only on little things of our daily life but lead us in a simple and deep prayer.

My favorite poem: “The Power of One” As the poet said, “We need to believe in the power of one…”

It is written for children; however, it is a perfect poetic prayer book for everyone who wants to pray FOR EVERY LITTLE THING to Celebrate the Day. Perfect title! I highly recommend this prayer book for all ages.

Book Review of Amazing Sports from Around the World 

“Amazing Sportsfrom Around the World” contains a variety of sport that will surprise you. The book blends engaging illustrations with explanatory narratives about each sport from a wide variety of cultures, such as, Tossing Tuna, Polo on elephants, Jockeys riding ostriches and much more.

Sit, read, and take a trip around the world to learn about different cultures and how they entertain themselves through sports. Readers will learn the history of a variety of sports, how each sport is played, and similarities and differences among the sports across cultures. 

The author, Doug McLaughlin, a fitness trainer talks about how his book inspires readers to learn about new cultures and exciting sports. 

I’m reviewing this book as part of Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2023 (1/26/23) in its 10th Year Anniversary. 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 2023 

Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

Thank you for your support!🌷 #LuzDelMes 🌠

ACTIVIDADES GRATIS EN: www.luzdelmes.com

Maritza Martínez Mejía
Mother, Theologian, Author, Educator and Translator

Member: FWA, MCBD Board of Advisors,  Read to Me, Day! Ambassador 
ANLMI & Gremio Poético Colombiano 

FREE Reading Activities visit: www.luzdelmes.com
Received Crystal Apple, VCB Poetry 2015, Latino Book Awards 2016 

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Book Review of Amelie at Grandma's



Amelie at Grandma's! Written by Agatha Rodi - Illustrated by Joanna Scott

Since the beginning of the story, the main character, Amelia seems impressed with all the wonders around her at the village’s farm with her Greek grandma named "yiayia."  Visiting Grandma is an opportunity to enjoy nature, flowers, plants, birds and farm animals. The lovely yiayia protects Amelia with affection and care. The children story ends with a fond display of yiayia’s favorite keepsake box where she keeps the reason to be impressed of farm’s life. She gets very busy at Grandma's. Perfect title!

The author Agatha Rodi uses poetic rhymes and rhythm to make the story dances with elegance. Soft pastel illustrations depict the simple and beautiful gardening and farming’s Greek life style. The characters are adorable!

My favorite lines:

“A jar of yiayia’s favorite cherry jam
Some pieces of spinach pie and feta cheese
Full of spices and crispy dough.
I always take my village with me,
The blue light and the hues of the rainbow
That make me say wow!
That’s why I’m so impressed!’

I recommend this book for children ages 5-8 years old. 
I’m reviewing this book as part of Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2023 (1/26/23) in its 10th Year Anniversary. 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 2023 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Pragmaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)

🏅 Super Platinum Sponsor: Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media

🏅 Platinum SponsorsLanguage Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages 

🏅 Gold Sponsors: Interlink Books, Publisher Spotlight 

🏅 Silver Sponsors: Cardinal Rule Press Lee & Low, Barefoot BooksKimberly Gordon Biddle

🏅 Bronze Sponsors: Vivian KirkfieldPatrice McLaurin Quarto GroupCarole P. RomanStar Bright BooksRedfin.com, Redfin Canada, Bay Equity Home Loans, Rent.com, Title Forward

MCBD 2023 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Authors: Sivan HongAmanda Hsiung-BlodgettJosh Funk Stephanie M. WildmanGwen JacksonDiana HuangAfsaneh MoradianKathleen BurkinshawEugenia ChuJacqueline JulesAlejandra DomenzainGaia CornwallRuth SpiroEvelyn Sanchez-ToledoTonya Duncan EllisKiyanda and Benjamin Young/Twin Powers BooksKimberly Lee Tameka Fryer BrownTalia Aikens-NuñezMarcia Argueta MickelsonKerry O’Malley CerraJennie LiuHeather Murphy CappsDiane Wilson, Sun Yung Shin, Shannon Gibney, John CoyIrene Latham and Charles WatersMaritza M MejiaLois PetrenJ.C. Kato and J.C.²CultureGrooveLindsey Rowe ParkerRed Comet PressShifa Saltagi SafadiNancy Tupper LingDeborah AcioAsha HagoodPriya KumariChris SingletonPadma VenkatramanTeresa RobesonValerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena PublishingMartha Seif SimpsonRochelle MelanderAlva SachsMoni Ritchie HadleyGea MeijeringFrances Díaz EvansMichael GenhartAngela H. DaleCourtney KellyQueenbe MonyeiJamia WilsonCharnaie GordonDebbie Ridpath OhiDebbie ZapataJacquetta Nammar FeldmanNatasha YimTracy T. Agnelli, Kitty Feld, Anna Maria DiDio, Ko Kim, Shachi Kaushik 

Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

Thank you for your support!🌷 #LuzDelMes 🌠

ACTIVIDADES GRATIS EN: www.luzdelmes.com

Maritza Martínez Mejía
Mother, Theologian, Author, Educator and Translator

Member: FWA, MCBD Board of Advisors,  Read to Me, Day! Ambassador 
ANLMI & Gremio Poético Colombiano 

FREE Reading Activities visit: www.luzdelmes.com
Received Crystal Apple, VCB Poetry 2015, Latino Book Awards 2016