COMMUNITY/COMUNIDAD

 In 2020, we launched our small publishing house dedicated to getting bilingual books into the hands of children all over the world. The pandemic hasn't stopped our mission. 

We've been able to do countless in-person and virtual assemblies for schools and helped implement bilingual curriculums into schools. We even did a virtual book reading for the Sacramento Public Library. We also donated books to programs for people living on the streets, children's hospitals, #learningkitsformigrantkids, little libraries and literacy programs across the globe.

We also won seven International Latino Book Awards, proving diverse books are not only needed but being embraced by our community. It feels great to know Latinx children who are underrepresented in the publishing world are seeing themselves on the pages of our books. 

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En 2020, inauguramos nuestra pequeña editorial dedicada a llevar libros bilingües a niños de todo el mundo. La pandemia no ha detenido nuestra misión.

Hemos podido realizar innumerables asambleas virtuales para las escuelas y hemos ayudado a implementar planes de estudio bilingües en las escuelas. Incluso hemos hecho una lectura virtual para la Biblioteca Pública de Sacramento. También hemos donado libros a programas para personas que viven en la calle, hospitales de niños, #learningkitsformigrantkids, bibliotecas pequeñas y programas de alfabetización en todo el mundo.

Además, ganamos el Premio Internacional del Libro Latino siete veces, lo que demuestra que la diversidad en los libros no solo es necesaria, sino que nuestra comunidad la recibe con los brazos abiertos. Es muy satisfactorio saber que los niños latinos, que están subrepresentados en el mundo editorial, se reconocen a sí mismos en las páginas de nuestros libros.

MR. MACAW/ SR. MACAW:

Four International Latino Book Awards in 2020

kidsShelf Books: Quarterly Book Cover Design -- January 2020

GIRL ON TV/CHICA EN LA TELE:

Center for Children's Literature: The Best Children's Picture Books of the Year in Spanish

It's Storytime with Fergie and Friends. 

Watch the book reading by clicking on the image.

Un cuento con Sarah Ferguson.  

Interview with Ty Steele with KCRA 3 News in Sacramento, California. Watch the segment by clicking on the image.

Una entrevista con Ty Steele con KCRA 3 en Sacramento, CA.  

Interview with Kim Hudson with Fox 2 News, St. Louis, Missouri. Watch the segment by clicking on the image.

Una entrevista con Kim Hudson con Fox 2 Noticias.  

Interview with Jed Doherty, Host of Reading With Your Kids Podcast. Watch the segment by clicking on the image.

Una entrevista con Jed Doherty.  

Interview with Kitty O'Neal on KFBK News in Sacramento. Listen to the segment below.

Una entrevista con Kitty O'Neal en KFBK en Sacramento.  Escucha abajo.

See more here.

Books are invaluable tools that help children form opinions and learn about the world.

They can teach them about their own identity and help make connections with others. But many books for kids lack the diversity needed to promote inclusion, including the availability of bilingual children’s books.

Today on Insight, the importance of bilingual children and young adult books with the author of a forthcoming bilingual children’s book. 

See more here.

There is little debate regarding the importance of reading to kids. There seems to be less of an emphasis, however, on diversity being reflected in children’s literature.

According to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, part of the University of Wisconsin that tracks diversity in publishing, roughly 5.5 percent of children’s books are created by Latinx authors or illustrators, and around 7 percent of children’s books are about a Latinx character when, according to the Pew Research Center, Latinos make up about 18 percent of the overall U.S. population as of 2017 and are one of the fastest-growing demographics.

This is why, after having two boys of her own, longtime journalist and KCRA 3 anchorwoman Leticia Ordaz was inspired to start her own publishing house, Cielito Lindo Books. Her first children’s book, which comes out March 16, is “The Adventures of Mr. Macaw,” featuring a Latinx cast of characters and written in both English and Spanish. The book includes the Spanish subtitle “Las Aventuras del Sr. Macaw” on the cover.

Read more here.

My journey to becoming a children's book author was featured in the Off Camera newsletter for the Northern California  National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) in September. Read the story below:

KCRA Reporter/Weekend Anchor Leticia Ordaz is launching an important new endeavor near and dear to her heart. A mother of two little boys, Ordaz believes it’s important to preserve the Spanish language in her family. “I don’t want my children to lose or forget this part of their culture/identity,” said Ordaz. So, she has undertaken a big project. She’s set-up a publishing company and writing a bi-lingual children’s book. 

Ordaz wrote her first book in 2018. It was a story about her two children. Initially, she was seeking out a major publisher. Then, she decided to publish it herself. She set up a small publishing house called Cielito Lindo Books, LLC. She wanted to make sure the picture book would be bilingual and that the characters would stay true to her vision.

Read more here.

 Reportera / presentadora de fin de semana en KCRA Leticia Ordaz está lanzando un nuevo e importante proyecto muy cercano a su corazón. Ordaz, madre de dos niños, cree que es importante preservar el idioma español en su familia. “No quiero que mis hijos pierdan u olviden esta parte de su cultura / identidad,” dijo Ordaz. Por lo que emprendió un gran proyecto, al crear una compañía editorial y escribir un libro bilingüe para niños. 

Ordaz  realizó su primer obra infantil en el año 2018. En la cual narro una historia sobre sus dos hijos.

Inicialmente, estaba buscando una editorial importante. Sin embargo después decidió publicarlo ella misma y creó una pequeña editorial llamada Cielito Lindo Books, LLC. Quería asegurarse de que el libro ilustrado fuera bilingüe y que los personajes se mantuvieran fieles a su visión.

Lee más aquí.