April 30, 2023 is El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day). The roots of this holiday, known as Día, date back almost one hundred years.
Originally, Día was intended to acknowledge the importance and promote the well-being of children in general. In the mid-1990s, a specific focus on children, families and reading began.
The first observances of Día took place primarily in the Southwestern U.S. and centered on Spanish-speaking children and families. Today’s Día programs and celebrations emphasize the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Día is an annual celebration of literacy, culture and diversity. But we all know that these values matter each and every day of the year.
One way that the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC), Día’s sponsor, supports the holiday’s goals is to create booklists for children of various ages. These lists highlight titles that feature children and families from a wide variety of backgrounds. In doing so, they offer readers the mirrors, windows and doors, described by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, that allow them to recognize themselves and learn about others.
Día-oriented booklists can also be found on our website, providing quick access to many of the featured books. Check out Día booklists for children birth – grade 2, for children in grades 3 – 5 and for teens in grades 6 – 8.
All of these booklists are a great way to begin your explorations. When you decide to dive deeper, consider checking out some additional booklists that encourage readers and listeners to learn about and appreciate the diversity of our community.
These include Black, Indigenous and People of Color in Books for Kids, Racial Representation in Books for Children and Teens and LGBTQ Booklists as well as others accessible through our Kids & Teens page. Or ask your local librarian for more suggestions that celebrate children, families, literacy and culture–every day of the year.
You can sign up for a free library card here.
If you are new to our eResources, check out these tutorial videos on how to get started.
If you’re looking for more book suggestions, we’re happy to recommend them to you! Use this Book Recommendation form to send us some information about what you like to read and we’ll curate a list just for you.
If you have any additional questions, you can contact a librarian through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. You can also call us at 412.622.3114 or email us at info@carnegielibrary.org