WWW: Latin@s in Kid Lit

Latin@s in Kid Lit is a unique new blog created by kid lit authors and dedicated to Latino/a children’s literature. The site was created to identify and promote books where youths can “see themselves in terms of race, culture, and lived experiences in the literature they read.”

The concept behind the site speaks to me personally, because I, like many other Latin@ kids, had a hard time engaging with books that revolved around characters who I could never relate to.  Ignoring cultural relevance when designing a reading list for the classroom is a well-documented barrier to literacy.

As the creators of Latin@s in Kid Lit explain, kids “connect with stories for varied reasons, including the simple one that something in the narrative is familiar.”

The site features content that engages with works about, for and/or by Latino@s and encourages interest in Latino/a literature for all grade levels. Teachers will find the grade-appropriate booklists and interviews with authors and illustrators particularly helpful in developing reading lists and designing curriculum. Aspiring authors can check out the recent blog posts about the publishing process, which collectively amount to a practical step-by-step guide for getting Latino/a kid lit published.

Latin@s in Kid Lit is currently hosting a “12 Days of Christmas” twelve book raffle. All are welcome to enter and books will be awarded to one winner a day from Christmas Day through Three Kings Day (January 6). There look to be some pretty good books up for grabs. Vamos a Leer encourages teachers to enter the contest and support this awesome new blog.

This will be the last WWW post until I return from break in January.

All the best until then,

Adam