Happy Multicultural Children’s Book Day! Now in its 10th year, I always enjoy participating in this special day. Here are the books I received this year.
One Hundred Percent Me by Renee Macalino Rutledge, illustrated by Anita Prades (Bloom Books for Young Readers, 2022).
This is a beautifully illustrated book about a young girl’s exploration of her mixed race identity. We see as she thinks about how to answer adults’ questions such as “where are you from?”, “what are you?”, or “aren’t you proud to look like your dad’s/mom’s side?” She embraces all aspects of her identity and ancestors, but also is always “one hundred percent me.” This is a lovely book could make for thought-provoking discussions with kids.
Running of the Noses by Jon-Barrett Ingels and Patrick Ballesteros (Piper + Enza, 2022).
Nicco has a runny nose. His friend Piper tries to teach him about runny noses by using imaginative stories. Nicco is afraid of going to the doctor, so Piper gives him a toy bird to comfort him. The doctor reassures Nicco that his body knows how to take care of itself, so to just listen to his body and get some rest and drink water.
I really like the fun illustrations and how the story is all told through dialogue. Some pages are presented as comic strips as well. Getting sick is unfortunately a timely topic right now, but the book presents it in a light way.
