Acorn Academy Approved!
At first glance, the children of the Acorn Academy fell in love with the characters of CeCe and Roxy. I can proudly say that Himani Readers USA has given their stamp of approval. We need more books that represent families that are biracial, multicultural and multilingual. These are the tenants of our brand and these are the types of books we want to promote! (*Disclaimer*) We were given "How We Came to Be," by Pascha Adamo, in exchange for our true and honest review. We tested the book on a diverse group of preschool students that immediately related to the story. After a wonderful story hour we were proud to donate CeCe & Roxy to a classroom who will cherish these unique characters!
When a biracial parent, author or teacher hears comments like "She Looks Like Me!" you know that your mission has been successful! Himani Readers USA and the Acorn Academy are looking forward to the next installment of the series and we encourage you to follow along on their website as well!
Universal Themes
Readers are intrigued about the very personal true account of a sweet girl and her dog. This series debut depicts milestones in the life of a family that values one another and their close friend Jacob. The events that lead up to CeCe meeting her best friend are endearing for little ones to follow. The adorable illustrations of CeCe and Roxy resonate with kids! I feel every child can relate to the longing and connection to have a pet, and bonding with animals.
The book's themes include; family, unwavering loyalty, friendship, duty to one's country, commitment and good moral values. This easy reader is a great "read aloud book" for an audience up to 5 years of age. These characters show a particular perspective of American subculture which might be unfamiliar to others. Readers will learn about the journey of a biracial friendship, biracial marriage as well as a glimpse into military life! Families and readers who may not be able to relate to this type of life can be informed and educated. For my son, he was fascinated with the term "deployment," and was exposed to new vocabulary which led to a great discussion! Diversity takes on different forms and this book exhibits many, with grace!
Read Out Loud Board Books are Important!
"How We Came to Be," is a great board book made of durable paperboard that will withstand any baby's gums. And as a by-product promote literacy through chewing! We start them young here at Himani Readers, because we believe the love of reading can be instilled by the positive behavior surrounding the "reading act." If a child has access to a book they can touch, see, taste from the earliest stages, they will equate positive voices, interactions, and all sensory input as pleasant and nurturing. Board books are essential to promoting early childhood development and fostering literacy! We can't wait to see more diverse board books come into the kid's lit market!
Why we need biracial books...
For my son to see a character in a book that resembles his skin tone is a HUGE deal for him (and me as a mom). After reading "How We Came to Be," my son immediately started drawing and coloring a picture featuring a brown skin girl. The overall connection was beautiful to behold. He didn't reach for a "peach" colored crayon that I hear his classmates refer to as "flesh color." (Which can be a whole other blog post!) He drew CeCe as he saw her, he didn't change her skin tone or represent her with a lighter color. Children need to see TRUE representations of themselves in the materials they read. WE as parents, teachers and authors need to be the advocates of change in children's media and literature. I am personally grateful that there are more options available with movements like #OWNvoices.
Pascha Adamo
I personally do not know the author and do not have any knowledge of whether she may identify as an #OWNvoice author. However from my perspective, I consider Adamo to be an #OWNvoices author. She writes her own story, the journey of her biracial family and her insight comes directly from her daughter's point of view! Only Adamo can tell the story of her own family's experience, and it is a legacy and wonderful heirloom to be able to pass down to the next generation. To have authors like her representing more diverse children's books is a victory in the literary community.
Representation Matters
We need books that represent characters and families that look different from each other. Bridging the gap and making space for important conversations about skin color, race and ethnicity can be easily done through books like this series. For example my biracial family will look different from another biracial family. And its crucial to have that representation and spectrum of diversity to paint a realistic picture of our world to this next generation. Biracial books need to be our "normal," not an exclusive niche market in children's publishing! Through no political lens or agenda at all, this book does a wonderful job of highlighting what inclusion and acceptance should look like. This book is much needed as a symbol of normalcy in a world that is very much wrapped in the turbulent times of bias.
I encourage you to start meaningful conversations with your students and children at an early age, and while you read this book. Have the talks about differences and show the importance of fostering kindness and loyalty which this book represents! Happy Reading!
