'From My Window' by Otávio Júnior Book Review - Multicultural Children's Book Day 2021

 

I am excited to be celebrating Multicultural Children's Book Day - an annual celebration of diverse children's books. We love learning about different cultures and so participating in Multicultural Children's Book Day gives us the opportunity to discover new diverse books to add to our bookshelf. This year, I am grateful to Barefoot Books for gifting me "From My Window" by Otávio Júnior.

"From My Window" by Otávio Júnior is not your typical picture book with a story to tell. Instead it transports you and gives you a glimpse of the author's world - the favela Complexo do Alemão in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Vanina Starkoff's illustrations are so bright and colorful and they invite you into the world of the favela, a world where there may be struggles and violence but also beauty, creativity, community, hopes, and dreams. Some of the pictures are so full of detail that I think I could read the book 10 times and still find something new in them! But they also feel exactly what I imagine a favela to be - densely packed and so full and busy!

"From My Window" reminded me of the book, "Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay" by Susan Hood. Both Ada and Otávio Júnior grew up in what most of us would likely consider unfortunate circumstances and both were saved, one by music and the other by books. I think it's an enlightening book for children living in more developed or prosperous areas as well as those living in rural areas. And for those living in similar circumstances, it's such a wonderful reminder that where you start doesn't have to dictate where you end up! 

"From My Window" would go along beautifully with a unit study on Brazil. The story makes you want to learn more about favelas - I had no idea so much of the population of Rio lived in favelas, or that favelas even existed! If you would like to do a stand-alone activity after reading "From My Window," you could have your children draw a picture of what they see outside their window. I think it would be an amazing book to collect "from my window" drawings from children around the world!

I also had the opportunity to review "Brandon Makes Jiǎo Zi" by Eugenia Chu.

Don't forget to connect with Multicultural Children's Book Day on social media and make sure to look for and use #ReadYourWorld.

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Instagram

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.

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

Gallery of Our Free Posters

FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program

TWITTER PARTY! Register here!