Wishing you a belated but meaningful celebration of Read Your World Day 2026! And more timely wishes for an educational and celebratory Black History Month!
This year’s Read Your World Day was Thursday, January 29, but due to a variety of factors my book and I came together a little late. That timing was serendipitous because I was assigned an important book for Black History Month. A big thank you to Albert Whitman & Co. for sending me a copy of their 2025 picture book Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls’s Voyage Out of Slavery, written by Leah Schanke and illustrated by Oboh Moses.
Based on true events, Freedom at Dawn recounts how Robert Smalls, an enslaved boat pilot, devises and carries out a plan to sail his family plus twelve others to freedom right out of Charleston, South Carolina’s Confederate harbor under the cover of night. Author Schanke tells the story from the point of view of Smalls’s young daughter, Lizzie. The clearly portrayed love and thoughtfulness of Lizzie’s parents create a container that allows Schanke to expose young readers to the dire situation of their family and other enslaved people in a way children can absorb. At the same time, readers are reminded that real people have used their skills, smarts, and bravery to escape the most dangerous of situations.
Despite the grim circumstances, the setting of the story—mostly on or near the water and in the boat—creates opportunities for dynamic, aesthetic images. Illustrator Oboh Moses uses a painting style that gives a sense of history come to life. He deftly portrays emotion and caring in the characters’ faces and stances.
The book is a lovely item to hold. It welcomes readers with the ideas of freedom and dawn in the title and with the colors of a miraculous sunrise on the cover and title page, and echoed in the end papers. Back matter sections provide more information about the US Civil War and Smalls, who went on to fight on the Union side in the Civil War and later serve five terms in the US House of Representatives. I recommend Freedom at Dawn wholeheartedly to schools, libraries, and families who are looking for ways to introduce children to the painful-but-foundational history of slavery in the United States and who want to provide inspiration through a true story of courage and wit.
Though Read Your World Day 2026 has passed, you can access the book reviews for the event on this Giant Linky, and you can view a recording of the Read Your World Day virtual party and its slide deck here.
Read Your World will have a Black History Month event with author panelists and book giveaways on Tuesday, February 17 at 4pm PT/7pm ET. Register here. And here’s a list of more picture books to celebrate Black History Month.
I also want to shout-out my friend and champion of Black History, Tamara Shiloh. I was fortunate to get to know her through editing her Just Imagine series, fantasy stories that introduce kids to real Black inventors and scientists who impact our everyday lives but are often overlooked. She also offers an educational program for teachers on teaching Black History all year long. AND she owns and operates my geographically closest independent bookstore, Multicultural Bookstore and Gifts, which is a joy to visit and takes online orders as well.
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Read Your World 2026 (1/29/26) is in its 14th 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: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 60 Languages and Jeanne Walker Harvey
🏅 Gold Sponsors: Publisher Spotlight
🏅 Silver Sponsors: Red Comet Press
🏅 Silver Corporate Sponsor: Kathy Choi
🏅 Bronze Sponsors: Fabled Films Press
🏅 Corporate Sponsor: Crayola Education
Read Your World is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!
Authors: Audrey Barbakoff, Federico Erebia, Teddi Ahrens, Stephanie M. Wildman, Maritza M. Mejia, Authors J.C. Kato and J.C.², Eugenia Chu, Dorktales Storytime Podcast, Josh Funk, Frances Díaz Evans, Gaia Cornwall, Eric Clock, Maria Wen Adcock, Diana Huang, Gwen Jackson, Gea Meijering, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Ismee Williams, Karin Fisher-Golton, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Tami Lehman-Wilzig, Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou, Nancy Tupper Ling, Teresa Robeson, Crystal Z. Lee, Karen Leggett Abouraya, Elly Swartz, Robbin Miller, Shifa Safadi, Tonya Ellis,Lisa Stringfellow, Sylvia Liu, Kimberly Biddle, Robbin Miller, Tonya Ellis, Nadine Pressley, Natahsa Yim Carter, and Lisa Chong.
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
- FREE RYW2026 Poster
- FREE Building Community with Bilingual Books 2026 Classroom Kit
- FREE Mental Health Support for Stressful Times Classroom Kit
- FREE Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents
- FREE 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
Karin Fisher-Golton 