El Dia de los Ninos/El dia de los libros
Children’s Day/Book Day
Children’s Day/Book Day, also known as El día de los niños/El día de los libros (or simply Día), is a celebration of children, families, and reading held annually on April 30. The celebration emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
According to the Association for Library Service for Children (ALSC), Día is an enhancement of Children’s Day, which began in 1925. Children’s Day was designated as a day to bring attention to the importance and well-being of children. In 1996, nationally acclaimed children’s book author Pat Mora proposed linking the celebration of childhood and children with literacy to found El día de los niños/El día de los libros.
The S-collection presents a selection of Pat Mora’s charming books for children in honor of Día, and in honor of her constant efforts to improve literacy for Spanish and English speaking children alike.
Abuelos. 2008.
Young Ray and Amelia move to a new village and experience the fright and fun of “los abuelos” for the first time.The tradition of “los abuelos” comes from northern New Mexico. In the cold months of midwinter, village men disappear to disguise themselves as scary old men and then descend on the children, teasing them and asking if they’ve been good.
[Education S-Collection Q. S. M792a]
The Bakery Lady. 2001.
Monica, who wants to be a baker like her grandmother, finds the doll hidden in the bread on the feast for the Three Kings and thus gets to bake cookies for the next fiesta. Text is in both English and Spanish.
[Education Storage Q. SE. M79ba]
Dona Flor: A Tale About a Giant Woman With a Big Heart. 2005.
Dona Flor, a giant lady with a big heart, sets off to protect her neighbors from what they think is a dangerous animal, but soon discovers the tiny secret behind the huge noise.
[Education S-Collection Q. SE. M79d]
Join Hands! The Ways We Celebrate Life. 2008.
A pantoum, a Malaysian poetic form, captures the joys of children playing together.
[Education S-Collection S.811 M79j]
Marimba! Animals from A to Z. 2006.
Rhyming text reveals the antics of an alphabet full of zoo animals as they enjoy a night of singing, dancing, feasting, and playing musical instruments while their keepers sleep. Includes pronunciation and translation guide to Spanish words that appear throughout the text.
[Education S-Collection Q. SE. M 79m]
The Rainbow Tulip. 1999.
A Mexican-American first-grader experiences the difficulties and pleasures of being different when she wears a tulip costume with all the colors of the rainbow for the school May Day parade. Text is in English and Spanish.
[Education Storage SE. M79r]
The Race of Toad and Deer. 1995.
This Guatemalan folk tale is retold by Pat Mora, with illustrations by Maya Itzna Brooks. With the help of his friends, Tio Sapo, the toad, defeats the overconfident Tio Venado, the deer, in a race.
[Education S-Collection S.398.2 M79R]
Tomas and the Library Lady. 1997.
While helping his family in their work as migrant laborers far from their home, Tomas finds an entire world to explore in the books at the local public library. Text is in both English and Spanish.
[Center for Children’s Books SE. M79t]
Uno, Dos, Tres: One, Two, Three. 1996.
Pictures depict two sisters going from shop to shop buying birthday presents for their mother. Rhyming text presents numbers from one to ten in English and Spanish.
[Education Storage Q. SE. M79u]
ALSC leads the way in forging excellent library service for all children by supporting the profession of children’s librarianship through education, advocacy and collaboration. For more information about ALSC awards, projects and events, visit www.ala.org/alsc, or contact the ALSC office at 800-545-2433, ext. 2163, alsc@ala.org.
For more information on Día, and to find a celebration and events at a library near you, please visit the ALSC/ Día website at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/initiatives/diadelosninos