I’ve been so busy, I almost forgot to post my monthly round-up! Summer is a great time to read with your kids so grab these books from your local library or click on the link to buy them from Amazon (affiliate links).
When author Leslie V. Ryan reached out to me about her picture book I am Flippish!, I knew I had to read it with the kids! Inspired by a true event, this story is about Sean, little boy whose classmates don’t understand why he doesn’t look like his dad. Thankfully, the kids have a smart teacher and encourage his students to discover their own family’s ancestry. Together the students learn that Sean is Flippish, part Irish American and and Filipino American. The classmates start creating their own words to describe their cultural background too.
My husband and I always joked that our kids are Blackinese, part black, part Vietnamese. I LOVED this book. It will encourage your kids to embrace their heritage. If you live in the Los Angeles, CA area, Leslie V. Ryan will be reading her book on July 13 at the Japanese American National Museum. Here’s your chance to get an autographed copy! I received a review copy of this book.
What Can You Do With a Paleta? by Carmen Tafolla is the perfect summer time read. A paleta is a traditional Mexican frozen treat that are loved by kids and adults a like in this book. As the vendor pushes his cart down the street, the community comes out to cool down in the summer heat. There’s an English version and a Spanish/English bilingual version of this book as well.
I spotted First Book of Sushi by Amy Wilson Sanger in the gift shop at the Japanese American National Museum when I was in Los Angeles for V3Con last month. Turns out the author has an entire series of board books feature snacks from different cultures! I wish I had seen these when my kids were younger! What a fun way to introduce new foods to your kids.
The other books in the series are: Hola! Jalapeno (Mexican), Yum Yum Dim Sum (Chinese), Mangia! Mangia! (Italian), Let’s Nosh! (Jewish), Chaat and Sweets (Indian), and A Little Bit of Soul Food.
Ok, now I’m craving sushi, a steamed pork bun and some naan.
What are you reading with your kids this summer?
Im so excited to hear about this book! I call my son "Crotallino" (Croatian-Italian-Filipino American) and we are raising him to know all of his cultures (a common theme being food!) and even some of the languages. There are a lot of multicultural kids at his daycare, so I bet they would enjoy having this book in their collection too.