Amara, The Brave Mermaid

HerBrina Sade Shepherd, a community advocate and children’s book author, created Amara, The Brave Mermaid, which features a topic some might choose to avoid. The story’s mystical theme centers around a mermaid whose grandmother explains their history and relationship to the souls who chose freedom outside the slave trade by jumping into the sea to become merpeople. The book’s crystal-clear images, combined with soothing blue and green water-colored illustrations, are a sharp contrast to the fate of many enslaved people.  

The story’s format reflects the African American tradition of oral storytelling and invites difficult conversations about U.S. history. As we know from history, some who chose to jump ship managed to swim back to their own shores.

Picture book for ages 6 - 10

Despite the tough topic, this book ultimately celebrates courageous decisions and the importance of seeking freedom and pursuing dreams, even in the face of an unknown future, and it’s a crucial message for today’s youth. The author #gifted an ARC for an honest review.  

HerBrina Sade Shepherd serves on young professional organzational boards. Learn more about HerBrina and her books at www.herbrinasadeshepherd.com.  

Join us on 1/30/25, 9 pm EST for 13 years of Read Your World Day celebration! Register for our Read Your World Virtual Party: https://readyourworld.org/virtualparty . Dive into multicultural book discussions, timely issues, and diverse recommendations, and win a 10-Book Bundle + Bonus Prizes! US and Global participants welcome. Follow #ReadYourWorld for the conversation! See you on 1/30/25!    

Read Your World’s mission is to raise awareness of the need to include kids’ books celebrating diversity in homes and school bookshelves. Read about our Mission and history HERE.



Read Your World is honored to be Supported by these Medallion:

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

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

🏅 Platinum Sponsors: Publisher Spotlight and  Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 60 Languages 

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🏅 Corporate Sponsor: Crayola Education and Scholastic

Read Your World is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Authors: Stephanie M. Wildman, Martha Seif Simpson, Anna Jennings, Gwen Jackson, Afsaneh Moradian, author, author, author, author, Josh Funk, Nancy Tupper Ling, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Gea Meijering, Eugenia Chu, Dorktales Story Time, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Authors J.C. Kato and J.C.², Cynthia Levinson, Diana Huang, Rochelle Melander,  Lisa Chong, Lisa Stringfellow,  Brunella Costaglioga, Lindsey Rowe Parker, Rachel C. Katz, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Shifa Safadi, Lisa Rogers, Sylvia Liu, Eva Clarke

Read Your World is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts and by our Partner Organizations! 

Check out RYW’s Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!

📌 FREE RESOURCES from Read Your World Day

All of Those Babies

Some kiddos celebrate growing up, while others resist it. Either way, this snappy, rhyming book reminds readers that everyone grows, as this story shows, from the cutest multicultural toddlers to the most unusual baby animals—everyone, everyone grows. Readers will love the bold, gorgeous graphic illustrations and repetitive phrase that invites children to read along. All of Those Babies is a perfect book for home and school libraries.

In The Nick of Time Too

Author: Deedee Cummings

Illustrator: Charlene Mosley

Publisher: Make A Way Media

Date: 2022

Ages: 4 - 10

Pages: 38


In The Nick of Time Too expands the cultural perspective on traditional Christmas expectations about Santa. In this story, two friends’ simple holiday sleep-over and a diverse neighborhood gathering are the backdrop for a celebration of friendship, kindness, and open-mindedness. Children will enjoy this Christmas story’s multicultural bent, and parents will appreciate helping them explore representation and its various facets. The book’s backmatter contains a sweet recipe and information about one organization’s focus on creating positive change. 


Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2024 (1/25/24) is in its 11th year! Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen founded this non-profit children’s literacy initiative; they are two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural diverse books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.

Read Your World’s mission is to raise awareness of the need to include kids’ books celebrating diversity in homes and school bookshelves.

Check out MCBD's Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!

📌 FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

●       MCBD 2024 Poster

●       Mental Health Support for Stressful Times Classroom Kit

●       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

Love in the Library

Love in the Library is a bittersweet story based on the author’s grandparents’ love story. During WWII, Tama, a library worker, and George, who visited the library regularly to see Tama, were incarceration camp prisoners. Their crime--being Japanese Americans at a time while the US fought Japan during WWII.

The author does an excellent job juxtaposing the indignities of the camp with the couple’s budding relationship as well as the freedom to read and their emotional escape into books. The muted, earth-toned illustrations reflect the couple’s restrained hope and the capacity to dream of better circumstances. 

Children will benefit from reading this book alongside caregivers as they learn the full truth of history. Someone once said that when we don’t learn from our past, we’re likely to repeat it. This book will help raise little readers who will lead us toward better, hope-filled futures.       

This Train is Bound for Glory

This Train is Bound for Glory by Alice Faye Duncan and illustrated by Paul Kellam reintroduces the 1920s  American gospel song that celebrates a train loaded with jubilant passengers bound for heaven. 

Children will love singing with the interactive refrains and lyrical text as the train transports characters from widely diverse nationalities, while picking up more along the way.  The story begins like an ordinary train ride, but soon becomes magical as it whooshes through a colorful journey across prairies and into the glorious sky.

By the book’s end, children will be on their feet, singing, dancing, and wishing they could join this amazing train as it climbs higher and higher. Whether readers are spiritual or not, this book offers priceless, carefree moments of freedom, joy, and imaginative possibilities!  

Black History Moment

This post covers two of the many books by award-winning author and illustrator Floyd Cooper that capture the essence of childhood joys. In The Ring Bearer, a young boy is tasked with an important traditional wedding day role. Despite his nervousness, he succeeds in making it down the aisle in light of the potential little mishaps that can accompany big roles and responsibilities.

In Juneteenth for Mazie, a girl who tires from hearing “no,” hears the story behind Juneteenth celebrations and how her great-great-great grandpa also heard “no” until he heard a big YES for freedom. Both books’ muted illustrations display the warm, secure feelings of growing up in a caring family. Children, caregivers, teachers, and librarians will appreciate these hope-filled books about Black American families and their stories.

Floyd Cooper passed away in 2021 after working on nearly one hundred books. He received several Coretta Scott King Honor awards and was a 2013 nominee for a NAACP Image Award. The children’s literature community will continue to applaud and cherish his important life’s work.

Meet the Mermaids: Hi, I’m Zari

Lois Petren is the author of the Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids series which features five multi-cultural mermaids in their own individual book, each of whom possesses a different special skill. The main character in Meet the Mermaids: Hi, I’m Zari champions self-reliance as she encourages readers to help friends and try new things.

Zari suggests over a dozen ways that children can do things on their own throughout their day. The clean, unencumbered illustrations will help young children narrate each page and easily comprehend the book’s message. Meet the Mermaids: Hi, I’m Zari is a great way to introduce conversations with young children about chores, growing up, and independence. I received a copy for an honest review.