Each Story Matters, Every Child Counts: Celebrate Digital Día with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
Written by Victoria Reeder
El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), commonly known as Día, is celebrated annually on April 30. The celebration emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds and is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages and cultures.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is celebrating Día digitally this April, and our celebration features award-winning author and storyteller, Carmen Agra Deedy. Deedy is the author of Rita and Ralph’s Rotten Day, The Library Dragon and more.
Below are books that celebrate the Latinx community, their culture and their contributions to United States history and culture. You can access these materials with your device online or by putting them on hold and picking them up at your local branch!
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach by Carmen Agra Deedy
A 2009 Odyssey Honor title, this Cuban folktale retelling Martina is told by her abuela to spill coffee on suitors’ shoes to help her decide whom to marry. Available in English and Spanish.
Turning Pages: My Life Story by Sonia Sotomayor
This is an autobiographical picture book written by the first Latina Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor. Sotomayor tells the story of her upbringing and her path to the Supreme Court, all the while and sharing her lifelong love of books and the role they played in her success. Available in English and Spanish.
Green is a Chile Pepper by Roseanne Thong
A fun, rhyming bilingual concept book where readers follow a little girl as she discovers all the bright colors in her Hispanic American neighborhood. The bold colors of Latinx culture are shared through food and fun in both English and Spanish.
Salsa Lullaby by Jen Arena
Join Mami, Papi, and their young daughter for a vibrant bilingual bedtime story where preparing for bedtime includes baby salsa lullaby music, singing and dancing.
The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez by Adrianna Cuevas
Based on folktales from Panama and Costa Rica, 12-year-old Nestor Lopez is a Cuban American boy who must use his ability to communicate with animals to save his town when they are threatened by a witch that transforms into animals.
Nuestra América: 30 Inspiring Latinas/latinos Who Have Shaped the United States by Sabrina Vourvoulias
The Smithsonian Latino Center has compiled an illustrated collection of 30 notable Latinx individuals who have contributed to U.S. history and culture, including activist Emma Gonzalez and actor, playwright and composer Lin Manuel Miranda.
Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt de la Peña
From the award-winning team behind Last Stop on Market Street, we meet Carmela and her brother in their vibrant Spanish-speaking community. Carmela is full of wishes big and small, while her brother’s wish seems to be that she had stayed at home. Available in English and Spanish.
