Happy Read Your World Day! This 13-year tradition of celebrating diverse children’s books, formerly called Multicultural Children’s Book Day, has a new name. The non-profit that organizes this event has become involved in more than the yearly celebration. Activities also include providing instructional materials and books to schools and libraries, curating book lists, spreading the word about diverse books and their authors through social media, and sponsoring the Pedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Awards. (You can read more about all those activities here.) They’ve long had the motto “Read Your World,” which I love. To me it both means read about the world that reflects yourself and means read about the diversity that exists in the world we live in. It is now the name of the organization and the day.
As you may know, I’ve been proud to volunteer for Read Your World for many years and have served on its Board of Advisors since 2020.
This year, I thank Lerner Publishing/Carolrhoda Books for sending me a copy of the picture book Slippery, Spicy, Tingly: A Kimchi Mystery by author-illustrator Yangsook Choi. On the surface it is the story of a boy’s lively halmoni (grandmother in Korean) visiting and making kimchi with him and his parents in the traditional way, but it is so much more—all within the compact picture book format.
What I love most about Slippery, Spicy, Tingly is that it is a sensory experience! Those words in the title come up not only related to kimchi, but to elements of Halmoni’s personality and the boy protagonist Keo’s experience. There are other wonderful sensory details as well, such as the smell of dirt, the tickling of feet, and the crunch of kimchi that isn’t ready yet. This book would make a great starting point to invite children to notice these kinds of details and the words we use to describe them, either at school or at home.
I always appreciate a layered grandparent character in a children’s book, and Keo’s halmoni certainly fits that description. Keo wonders about his importance in her full life. Some of her actions are mysterious him. They include digging a pit in his back yard and putting a giant clay jar inside! He comes to see that her process of making traditional kimchi not only results in one of his favorite foods, but is an act of love.
Though I’ve never made kimchi, I have made sauerkraut, and I can attest to how fascinating and delicious the fermentation process is. I know it to be quite nutritious as well. Yangsook Choi portrays all these aspects deftly within the story, in ways children can understand without a sense of being lectured. Her Author’s Note at the end provides more information.
I recommend Slippery, Spicy, Tingly for those interested in sensory adjectives, family traditions, Korean traditions, nutrition, fermented foods, and, of course, kimchi.
Read Your World 2025 (1/30/25) is in its 13th 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. 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
🏅 Gold Sponsors: Third State Books
🏅 Silver Sponsors: The Quarto Group, Red Comet Press and Lerner Books
🏅 Silver Corporate Sponsor: Scholastic Books
🏅 Bronze Sponsors: Lee and Low and Star Bright Books
🏅 Bronze Corporate Sponsor: Crayola Education
🏅 Ruby Corporate Sponsor: MagicBlox
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, Joaquín Camp, Rahana Dariah, Ziggy Hanaor, 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, Crystal Murakami, Teddi Ahrens
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
- RYW2025 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
📌 Register for the Read Your World Virtual Party: https://readyourworld.org/virtualparty
Join us on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 9 pm EST celebrating 13 years of Read Your World Day Virtual Party! Register here.
This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.
We will be giving away a 10-Book Bundle during the virtual party plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants are welcome. **
Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, and connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. We look forward to seeing you all on January 30, 2025, at our virtual party!
Find reviews on the Big Giant Linky, here: https://readyourworld.org/2025-big-giant-linky/
Karin Fisher-Golton 