In partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Purple Butterfly Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Kindness Machine

Written by Christina Dankert

Illustrated by Chad Dankert

Ages 4+ | 32 Pages

Publisher: Purple Butterfly Press | ISBN-13: 9781955119085

Publisher’s Synopsis: Creative and artistic 2nd-grade teacher, Mr. Wilson, wants to teach his students about kindness. Mr. Wilson creates The Kindness Machine, a special machine that shows the students exactly what they can do to bring kindness to their classroom and into their hearts! Instead of telling his students to “be kind,” which is something children hear from a very early age, they learn exactly what they can do in their own lives by pressing the special buttons. In the end, Mr. Wilson teaches his students that they each have their own Kindness Machine within them to help make kind decisions for others and themselves.

This creative, innovative, and fun teaching method will direct kids to be kind to one another in their classroom and beyond. The book includes discussion questions to help the reader consider not only kindness towards others but also kindness towards themselves, a lesson that is not always taught.

The Kindness Machine is a practical and innovative tool for teaching emotional literacy, kindness, and acceptance of self and others.

Available in hardcover, paperback, and as an ebook.

PURCHASE LINK

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3COBXwa

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/2078/9781955119085

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christina Dankert is a second-grade teacher. She has a passion for literacy and believes that we can change the world by reading to the children in our lives. This is her debut picture book. She lives in Sylvania, Ohio, with her husband, Chad, and their two children. She has dreamed of collaborating with her husband to merge their two professions of educator and artist into one meaningful product. The Kindness Machine allowed that dream to come true.

Learn more about Christina at www.christinadankert.com.

MY REVIEW OF THIS BOOK:

SPREAD A LITTLE KINDNESS

Kindness for All

Written by Christina Dankert

Illustrated by Chad Dankert

What a wonderful message for elementary school children! This multicultural book portrays a diverse second-grade class with a wonderful role model as a teacher.

Mr. Wilson is a popular teacher with a penchant for invention. One day he brings one of them to class. He hides the invention under a bedsheet. The children are excited and curious. What could it be?

Mr. Wilson asks the class to identify their superpowers. When they claim not to have any, Mr. Wilson shows them how his invention is the kindness machine that will reveal each student’s superpower.

Can this be true? One by one the students step up to the machine and learn how each possesses a unique superpower that can help them to spread kindness.

The author includes wonderful illustrations and discussion questions to use before, during, and after the reading, making this picture book a valuable teaching tool.

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a classroom set of The Kindness Machine or one of five individual copies!

One (1) winner receives:

A classroom set (30 copies) of The Kindness Machine will be sent directly to the winners’ school of choice, along with autographed bookplates personalized for each student and the teacher.

Five (5) winners receive:

A copy of The Kindness Machine, with bookplates autographed by author Christina Dankert

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

https://gleam.io/xE0ba/the-kindness-machine-book-giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE

Tuesday, March 22, 2022The Children’s Book ReviewA book review ofThe Kindness Machine

Wednesday, March 23, 2022The Fairview ReviewA book review ofThe Kindness Machine

Thursday, March 24, 2022Books Are Magic, TooA book review ofThe Kindness Machine

Friday, March 25, 2022Me Two BooksA book activity to pair withThe Kindness Machine

Monday, March 28, 2022The Momma SpotA book review ofThe Kindness Machine

Tuesday, March 29, 2022icefairy’s Treasure ChestA book review ofThe Kindness Machine

Wednesday, March 30, 2022Life Is What It’s CalledAn interview withAuthor Christina Dankert

Thursday, March 31, 2022Book Bug CAA book review ofThe Kindness Machine

Friday, April 1, 2022Barbara Ann MojicaA book review ofThe Kindness Machine

Monday, April 4, 2022Lisa’s ReadingA book review ofThe Kindness Machine

Tuesday, April 5, 2022Younger Family FunA book review ofThe Kindness Machine

Wednesday, April 6, 2022Satisfaction for Insatiable ReadersA guest article byAuthor Christina Dankert

Thursday, April 7, 2022Crafty Moms ShareA book review ofThe Kindness Machine

Take a listen, March 20, 2022

Do you ever wonder what heights you could rise to in your personal and professional life if you put all of your thinking into focus? So much of our brain capacity is unused and lying dormant. In a world that centers on acting on impulse and making snap decisions, what we need to do is put on the brakes. Even more important, how can we teach our children to make their own decisions, form their own opinions, and learn to become the independent thinkers that leaders and inventors must develop? What if you knew the secret of thinking so that your life would improve tenfold and help you achieve all the goals you have in life? Then you could pass these skills on to your children and grandchildren.

Critical thinking is developed over time and is like learning any sport or art. You can’t just get up one morning and say, “I think I’ll become a critical thinker today.” No one can simply will it into happening. For many, it takes years to develop a critical thinking knack. In some older citizens, we call it, “wisdom.”

The only paths through which a person can develop insightful thinking are by knowing and accepting the truth that there are flaws in your thinking. You must also constantly practice becoming a thinker who can effectively solve problems through logical thinking rather than emotions.

Becoming a critical thinker can help you develop strategies where you overcome the obstacles that life presents. Here are some obstacles you may want to obliterate from your life – and that’s possible with critical thinking:

• Analyze the influences in your life. Learn to make your own decisions rather than falling under those influences.

• Get your ego under control. Your ego may be keeping you back from advancing at work and from developing better relationships. Critical thinking can help you think without the influence of an inflated ego.

• Solve problems. Being too scattered to solve problems and “thinking” with emotions usually doesn’t solve anything. Using critical thinking can help you get in touch with your emotions and solve problems through logical thinking.

• Stop wasting time. You may be wasting entire days of productivity by going in many directions at once. We pride ourselves on multi-tasking, but in doing more, are we accomplishing less? We may not actually be enjoying anything we do to waste time because we know we’re going to be behind on our work or frustrated about wasting the day. Critical thinking can teach you how to evaluate your time and spend it wisely.

We all have a great capacity to think critically and to improve our lives immensely, but most of the time, it’s dormant. That’s because it’s undeveloped. We can make it better with practice, just as we would when learning a musical instrument or sport.

Non-critical thinking is a habit that we’re not even mindful of most of the time. We sit, staring at a mindless program on television, playing mindless video games, or engaging in gossip or other pursuits that don’t require critical thinking. Deep down in our hearts, we know that we are spinning our wheels.

If you want to develop the traits of a critical thinker, know that you must study and research – then, put what you’ve learned into practice on a daily basis. It’s worth the effort. Your life and that of those you care about will be happier for it.

Remember, “If you don’t know your history, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Cinnamon the Adventurous Guinea Pig Goes to Devil’s Island

Written by Daniel Turner

Illustrated by Gayle Skinner

This is a delightful beginning reader chapter book. It contains a few simple illustrations peppered throughout to keep the reader interested. The animal characters featuring guinea pigs and Siamese cats are delightful. They provide young readers with models of compassion, kindness, empathy, resilience, and teamwork.

Driven to flee their home because of a volcanic eruption, the animals get lost at sea, captured by the nasty, Captain Blood, and develop a plan to resist their enslavement. Will they be able to escape his clutches? What will the future hold for them?

The book is under sixty pages which makes it a good choice not only for a beginning but also for a reluctant reader. I would also recommend it as a classroom read-aloud that could be used to teach desirable values.

If you are looking for more teaching resources, check out my youtube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVUU3m8cCeBUr2wxHAQi6Lw

Extraordinary Women in History, 70 Remarkable Women Who Made a Difference

Written by Leah Gail

This book is packed with information. The author explores the lives of 70 women, some of whom are well-known and others left forgotten in the annals of history.

Familiar faces include Florence Nightingale, Amelia Earhart, Dian Fossey, and Joan of Arc. Their field of endeavor ranges from military heroes, activists, athletes, inventors, and creative thinkers. The book harkens back to ancient and medieval times as well as contemporary examples. These women are representative of many races and many countries.

There is a bibliography for additional research. This book would be a good starting point for research on women representatives to be used in the study of woman’s history. My reason for a lower rating is that the writing is choppy in sections which can make it difficult to read. I would still recommend it as a reference book, particularly for middle-grade students.

Looking for more educational resources?

Check out my youtube channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVUU3m8cCeBUr2wxHAQi6Lw

The New Kid: Surviving Middle School Is Tough

Written by Maureen Straka

Alex is dismayed that his best friend, Luke, is moving. The summer becomes a boring nightmare. When Alex wakes up late for the first day of school, he is certain it is an evil omen.

This book contains well-defined characters that will appeal to the middle-grade reader. So many familiar struggles. There are bullying, school and family relationship struggles, trust, and acceptance issues.

This book is a quick read, under one hundred pages, and a good choice for reluctant readers. I would recommend it for the eight through twelve age group.

LOOKING FOR MORE FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES?

SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVUU3m8cCeBUr2wxHAQi6Lw

When The Sky Roars: Dyslexia Font Edition

Written and Illustrated by Katie Weaver

A little boy is afraid of thunder. He decides he must put his foot down and conquer this fear. He ventures off on a trip to the sky with helium balloons. Once there he meets all kinds of fascinating scenarios like a pirate ship and a family of dinosaurs who are eating their delicious pie.

Bonus extras include a yummy recipe for Berry Crumb pie. Children will lose their anxiety about thunder and enjoy a delightful rhyming picture book filled with imaginative pictures and verse. I particularly like the color enhancement of key vocabulary words and the font that is friendly for dyslexic readers.

Recommended for parents and teachers of children ages three through eight.

Looking for more learning opportunities for the family.

Check out all the resources at http://www.LittleMissHistory.com

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2022 (1/28/22) is in its 9^th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.

MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves. Read about our Mission & History HERE.

MCBD 2022 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!

SUPER PLATINUM: Make A Way Media

PLATINUM: Language Lizard

GOLD: Barefoot Books, KidLitTV, Candlewick, Capstone, Abrams Books

SILVER: Pack-n-Go Girls, Charlotte Riggle, Kimberly Gordon Biddle  

BRONZE: Carole P. Roman, Patrice McLaurin, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin.com, Redfin Canada, Redfin Mortgage, Redfin/Title Forward, Create & Educate, Star Bright Books, Vivian Kirkfield, Dr. Eleanor Wint, Kind World Publishing, Snowflake Stories, Lisa Wee, SONGJU MA, Melissa Stoller, J.C. Kato and J.C.², Crystel Patterson, Audrey Press, Pragmaticmom, TimTimTom, Wisdom Tales 

MCBD 2022 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Charlene Mosley (official MCBD2022 Poster Creator)
Illustrator Isabelle Roxas (Class Kit Poster Creator)

Alva Sachs, Brianna Carter, Ebony Zay Zay, Rita Bhandari, Gwen Jackson, Lois Petren/The 5 Enchanted Mermaids, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Josh Funk, Afsaneh Moradian, Eugenia Chu, Maritza Martínez Mejía, Diana Huang, Kathleen Burkinshaw, CultureGroove, Sandra Elaine Scott, Dorena Williamson, Veronica Appleton, Alejandra Domenzain, Lauren Muskovitz and Sandfish Publishing, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Kimberly Lee, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher, Nancy Tupper Ling, Winsome Hudson-Bingham, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Sivan Hong, Michael Genhart, Debbie Dadey, Elizabeth Cureton, Stephanie Wildman, Maryann Jacob, Sherri Maret, Rochelle Melander, Dia Mixon, Kiyanda and Benjamin Young, Shereen Rahming, Linda Thornburg and Katherine Archer,  Rebecca Flansburg and BA Norrgard , Maxine Schur  Natalie McDonald-Perkins

MCBD 2022 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!

MCBD 2022 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!

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

FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

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

FREE Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Raising Awareness on Systemic Racism in America Classroom Kit

Gallery of Our Free Posters

FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program

Join us on Friday, Jan 2, 2021, at 9 pm EST for the 8th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter Party! Be sure and follow MCBD and Make A Way Media on Twitter!

This especially fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.

We will be giving away an 8-Book Bundle every 5 minutes plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **

Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. See you all very soon on Twitter!

Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO PARTICIPATE IN MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN’S BOOK DAY SINCE ITS INCEPTION NINE YEARS AGO. HERE IS MY AUTHOR’S REVIEW FOR 2022!

A MISSED OPPORTUNITY?

To Carnival!

Written by Baptiste Paul

Illustrated by Jana Glatt

Melba lives on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. She feels excited because tomorrow the town will celebrate Carnival. Her Uncle has chosen her idea for his band’s costume. Melba hopes they will win a prize in the parade.

The next morning, Melba hurries to catch the bus into town, but people and things along the route distract her. Will she arrive on time? Her idea might be the winner.

This adorable, multicultural picture book contains beautiful illustrations created in childlike images. It also reinforces the sequence of events told in the tale that enhances a child’s reading comprehension skill. In addition to the charming cultural tale, readers learn about the creole language, customs, and the geography of Saint Lucia.

Highly recommended for elementary and middle-grade students. An excellent choice for parents and teachers to open a discussion of Caribbean language, customs, and traditions.

Looking for more great books, click on the link below:

Max, the Intrepid Mouse

Written by Elizabeth Klein

Max, the mouse, is an adorable character. He aspires to be successful in whatever endeavor he tries, Max would like to be a writer, a detective, an inventor, and a hero.

Max’s family is constantly in awe of his adventures. He is empathetic and good-natured, but his enthusiasm leads to trouble no matter what he does. Readers will delight in his exploits both in his barn home and out in the fields where he invents a mouse van to transport his family on a Christmas vacation.

The chapters are short; the vocabulary challenging enough, and the creativity of the plot a real enticement for beginning and middle-school readers. Fans of detective, adventure, fantasy and fairy tales will find the book equally entertaining.

Looking for quality books for your child?

Check out http://www.LittleMissHISTORY.com

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHILDREN’S BOOK REVIEW AND JEANNE WALKER HARVEY

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Written by Jeanne Walker Harvey

Illustrated by Loveis Wise

Ages 4-8 | 40 Pages

Publisher: HarperCollins | ISBN-13: 9780063021891

Publisher’s Synopsis: Celebrate the life-changing power of art in this inspiring and stunningly illustrated picture book biography of American artist Alma Thomas.

Meet an incredible woman who broke down barriers throughout her whole life and is now known as one of the most preeminent painters of the 20th century. Told from the point of view of young Alma Thomas, readers can follow along as she grows into her discovery of the life-changing power of art.

As a child in Georgia, Alma Thomas loved to spend time outside, soaking up the colors around her. And her parents filled their home with color and creativity despite the racial injustices they faced. After the family moved to Washington DC, Alma shared her passion for art by teaching children. When she was almost seventy years old, she focused on her own artwork, inspired by nature and space travel.

In this celebration of art and the power of imagination, Jeanne Walker Harvey and Loveis Wise tell the incredible true story of Alma Thomas, the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum in New York City and to have her work chosen for the White House collection. With her bold and vibrant abstract paintings, Alma set the world ablaze with color.

Ablaze with Color includes extensive backmatter with photos, an author’s and illustrator’s note, a timeline, and a list of sources and resources, which will be a great tool for parents, educators, and librarians. Perfect for Women’s History Month and Black History Month units alongside such favorites as Malala’s Magic Pencil, Hidden Figures, and Mae Among the Stars.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zCihtO

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/2078/9780063021891

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeanne Walker Harvey has been a longtime docent at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Just like Alma Thomas, Jeanne believes that art brings us joy. Her other picture books include Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines and My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden’s Childhood Journey. Jeanne studied literature and psychology at Stanford University. She lives in Northern California.

Visit her online at www.jeanneharvey.com.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Loveis Wise is an illustrator and designer from Washington, DC. They are currently based in Los Angeles and their work often speaks to themes of joy and liberation. Their work can be found through the New Yorker, Google, Adobe, and the New York Times.

You can find them online at www.loveiswise.com.

MY REVIEW OF THIS BOOK

Ablaze in Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Written by Jeanne Walker Harvey

Illustrated by Loveis Wise

Harvey and Wise share the story of the first black woman to have her work exhibited in a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of Art in New York City. Michele Obama chose her Resurrection painting as the first Black woman’s art displayed in the White House.

Alma grew up in segregated Georgia where schools and institutions remained segregated at the time. Her parents countered that by opening their home to books of all sorts and teachers who gave lectures. Alma preferred to be outside absorbing the colors, sights, and sounds of nature.

Alma’s parents moved to Washington, DC as she turned fifteen. Schools and institutions remained closed to black students. As alma matured, she followed in her parents’ footsteps and brought art to students in her home. She organized field trips and encouraged them to display their work.

When Alma retired from teaching, she turned back to creating her own art projects, infusing them with the colors of nature. She grabbed inspiration from the space program of the late sixties. Galleries soon took notice of her brilliant abstract pieces, leading to her solo exhibit and notoriety. The Mayor of Washington, DC proclaimed “Alma Thomas Day,” on September 9, 1972.

The book features stunning illustrations, along with a timeline of Thomas’s life and historical events. Harvey provides references for young readers to satiate their curiosity and expand their knowledge. Highly recommended resource for students and teachers in elementary, middle school, and beyond.

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a classroom set of the picture book Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas!

Three (3) winners receive:

A classroom set of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas, autographed and personalized for each student and the teacher by Jeanne Walker Harvey (no more than 30 books per set).

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

https://gleam.io/N6hGR/ablaze-with-color-book-giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE

Saturday, January 15, 2022The Children’s Book ReviewA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Monday, January 18, 2022Some the WiserA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Tuesday, January 19, 2022Barbara Ann Mojica’s BlogA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Wednesday, January 20, 2022Twirling Book PrincessA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Thursday, January 21, 2022Lisa’s ReadingA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Friday, January 22, 2022Glass of Wine, Glass of MilkA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Monday, January 25, 2022Heart to HeartA book giveaway ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Tuesday, January 26, 2022Satisfaction for Insatiable ReadersA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Wednesday, January 27, 2022Life Is What It’s CalledA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Thursday, January 28, 2022Books Are Magic TooA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Friday, January 29, 2022The Momma SpotA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Monday, February 1, 2022Writer with WanderlustA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Tuesday, February 2, 2022Me Two BooksA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Wednesday, February 3, 2022icefairy’s Treasure ChestA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Thursday, February 4, 2022BookShelfMommaA book review ofAblaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas