The LBBC Celebrates El Día de los Niños, El Día de los Libros and an Invitation from Pat Mora

This month, families and communities all over our country will be celebrating El día de los niños, El día de los libros. Frequently referred to as simply “Día,” the concept is defined as “a daily commitment to link all children to books, cultures, and languages.”


Pat Mora’s site statest that the goals of Día are to exhibit a daily commitment to honor children and childhood; promote literacy; honor home languages and cultures, thereby promoting bilingual and multilingual literacy to encourage global understanding through reading; involve parents as valued members of the literacy team; and to promote library collection development that reflects our plurality.

Originally a Mexican holiday, Day of the Child has been transformed and merged with the idea of literacy by author Pat Mora. In 1996, Pat presented her family literacy initiative to universities and libraries, which pledged their enthusiastic support, and on April 30th, 1997, the first annual El día de los niños, El día de los libros celebration took place.

Today, communities around this nation endorse the Día initiative and many host celebrations around the end of April or beginning of May.

The Latin Baby Book Club grew out of a need that we saw in our country. Parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and many others are actively seeking an on-line resource that celebrates Latino children’s literature and advocates early literacy.

The goals of the LBBC are to:

• SHARE bilingual and bicultural books that celebrate our diverse Latino heritage,

• SUPPORT the growing number of Latino authors who are forging a path in this as of yet undefined and underrepresented field.

• EMPHASIZE the importance of literacy and sustained parental involvement,

• DIRECT parents to activities, tools, and resources for developing their children’s literacy skills

• PRESENT all this information in an easy, reader-friendly format.

This month, in addition to our regular book reviews, we are happy to share with you a number of articles on literacy and diversity. We also have a nice line-up of giveaways, so be sure to check back with us regularly this month for your opportunity to win!

But perhaps most importantly, we are excited and honored to welcome several guests who have graciously agreed to contribute some short pieces in honor of Día, including the holiday’s founder, Pat Mora, who sent us the following invitation to share with all of you…

"Want to enjoy our first Díapalooza, a month-long, virtual celebration of El día de los niños, El día de los libros/Children’s Day, Book Day? Beginning April 1, on my blog, we’ll feature posts that celebrate and support Día’s main goal of daily linking all children to books, languages and cultures. We’ll share photos, stories, interviews, my visual history of Día, contests and give-aways. Lots of Día links and ideas are also available on my web site.

Congratulations to each of you who is raising a reader. As I say in my suggestions at the back of Reading Fiesta, I encourage families to begin the Día Tradition and annually celebrate Día at home, school and at your public library. Host an annual Día party and encourage your local schools and libraries to plan creatively to nurture reading families. Join the National Día Community by being a leader in fostering a love of reading where you live. Wishing you and your family bookjoy."

~Pat Mora