Have you heard of Día? El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), commonly known as Día, is a celebration of children, families, and reading that culminates yearly on April 30. Día, founded by author Pat Mora emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Día is an internationally recognized initiative that emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children from all backgrounds. It is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages and cultures. The common goals of all Día programming are to:
- Celebrate children and connect them to the world of learning through books, stories and libraries.
- Nurture cognitive and literacy development in ways that honor and embrace a child’s home language and culture.
- Introduce families to community resources that provide opportunities for learning through multiple literacies.
- Recognize and respect culture, heritage and language as powerful tools for strengthening families and communities.
April 2021 is Día’s 25th anniversary! There are so many ways to celebrate our appreciation and love for books and children!
At Puerta Abierta Atitlan we have been sharing Book Fiesta, written by Pat Mora and illustrated by Rafael Lopez with with our students, staff and community and, as we approach April 30, we will continue to incorporate book appreciation into our school days. Book Fiesta is a delightful story (available in English, Arabic and Spanish) to introduce children and adults to the joy and wonder that books provide! Book Fiesta also contains the history of Día and offers suggestions for creating your own book fiesta!
Title: Book Fiesta
Author: Pat Mora
Illustrator: Rafael Lopez
Regional focus: The Whole Wide World
Themes: book appreciation, reading, Book Day/Children’s Day
What I love:
- Rafael Lopez is one of my all-time favorite illustrators. His pictures are vibrant, whimsical and full of joy!
- Illustrations depict children from across the globe reading in all sorts of real and fantastical environments (under a tree, with a pet, in a submarine or in a hot-air balloon).
- Pat Mora provides us with an opportunity to celebrate and honor books and the pleasure of reading as we would celebrate Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or a birthday.
Discussion:
- Do you have a favorite book? What is it? What do you most like about this book?
- Where is your favorite place to read?
- Describe the party that you would like to host for Book Day/Children’s Day. Remember that there are no limits…use your imagination to design the book fiesta of your dreams.
Activities:
- Make your own mini-book. Follow the steps here.
- Bake a book inspired cake!
- Write a letter to your favorite author/illustrator and share with them why you LOVE their book.
- Read a story to a friend (human or animal).
Happy Book Day/Children’s Day! Learn more about the celebration here.
Sail Away Story 
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