Día Celebration at Zavala Elementary

School Librarian, Lisa Lopez, sent news about her library's  Día celebration.

Snow White in New York

As a campus, we have been celebrating Día’s culminating event by implementing a two-week thematic unit on folk and fairy tales, which commenced with my performance of “Little Red Riding Hood” in both English and Spanish at our school library. Students in grades 3 through 5 have been composing and acting out their own folk and fairy tales of their choice, but with a twist. We have enjoyed plays titled: “Snow White in New York”, “Goldilocks and the Three Donkeys”, “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp”, “Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett”, “La Llorona”, etc. Students have been so excited about storytelling that they have created their own puppets, stages, and props using recyclables! They have presented their tales to the lower grades and to their peers in order to rehearse. During the actual 15^th Anniversary of Día in El Paso, TX students will be performing their tales at the storytelling booth!

Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett

Second graders enjoying Aladdin

Today's Día Reflection

Day by day, día por día

Let’s collaborate: honor the perspectives we each bring, listen with open hearts and minds, respect our varying styles and unite for the well-being and future of our children, our nation’s future.

I'm posting a Reflection each day during April in honor of Dia’s 15th Anniversary. All thirty Reflections will be available as a downloadable pdf at the end of the month.

The Spirit of Día

A new professional resource, Celebrating Cuentos: Promoting Latino Children’s Literature and Literacy in Classrooms and Libraries, (Libraries Unlimited, 2011) edited by Jamie Campbell Naidoo just released. Colorín Colorado has reprinted the chapter on Día, "The Spirit of Día : Celebrating Cuentos Every Day," co-authored by Jamie with Irania Patterson (Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library.) You can read it here.

Learn more about the book here.

Día in North Carolina

Kenzia Lett wrote about Día events at the Union County Public Library (NC).

Día de los niños/ día de los libros (Day of the Children/ Day of the Book)

Monday, April 25th at 3:00 p.m. @ MARSHVILLE
Don’t miss this celebration of children and books with fun activities and crafts. For ages 5-12. English/Español

Fiesta de día de los niños - Children’s Day Party!
Monday, April 25th at 4:00 p.m. @ WAXHAW
Celebrate Día de los niños/ Día de los libros with a fiesta! Books, music, crafts, and a piñata will make for a súper divertido (super fun) time!

Criss, Cross Mangosauce performs in celebration of Día de Los Niños/ Día de Los Libros
Tuesday, April 26th at 3:30pm @ Union West Regional
This is an interactive performance that makes children move and sing in both English and Spanish, using a combination of traditional Latin rhythms and classic American children’s rhymes. All ages invited for a fun and musical time!

My Garden: Growing Readers/Mi Jardín: Cultivando Lectores
Thursday April 28 at 4:00 pm @ Monroe
Join us for our Día de los Niños/ Día de los Libros (Day of the Children/ Day of the Book) celebration. Kevin Henkes’ My Garden sets the stage for this bilingual and nature-inspired program. Kids will have fun learning Spanish words and how to plant a flower. They will also take part in creating a special art project for our May bulletin board! For ages 4-9. Receive a free packet of flower seeds to take home and plant!

Today's Día Reflection

Day by day, día por día

Let’s connect in committed circles that form the powerful community-based National Día Community in our city, state, region and country.

I'm posting a Reflection each day during April in honor of Dia’s 15th Anniversary. All thirty Reflections will be available as a downloadable pdf at the end of the month.

Kutztown University Children's Literature Conference

I savor presenting to interested audiences as much as I enjoy writing. Good audiences energize me, and I was certainly energized recently in Pennsylvania. At Kutztown University Children's Literature Conference, I was fortunate to hear and visit with Jerry Pinkney, Linda Sue Park and Beth Krommes. I don't get to listen to authors and illustrators that often, so that alone was a treat. I also had the pleasure of speaking to three different audiences: second graders, university students and faculty, and area teachers and librarians. How excited these professionals and pre-service teachers were to hear about Día. "We'll do this!" they'd say enthusiastically. I felt surrounded by warm and friendly people, mostly women, who loved reading and wanted to share bookjoy.

Soon, Día's 15th Anniversary will end, and I'll be delighted to return to writing carrying some of that PA good-will with me.

Día Anniversary Celebration at ALA Conference

“Many Children, Many Cultures, Many Books: Celebrating the 15th Anniversary of El día de los niños/El día de los libros” will take place during the ALA Annual Conference on Saturday, June 25th, at 10:30 am, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Join us for the 15th anniversary celebration of Día! Hear from Día founder, Pat Mora, one of Día’s first supporters, Oralia Garza de Cortes, and Dia author Jeanette Larson. Also presenting will be Julie Corsaro, ALSC President, and Lucia Gonzalez, REFORMA President. REFORMA is the Founding Partner of Dia. Learn effective multicultural programming techniques for year round Día celebrations, and explore new Día resources.

Today's Día Reflection

Day by day, día por día

Let’s see ourselves as central rather than peripheral, as a force for positive change that welcomes ideas for expanding and deepening Día’s work.

I'm posting a Reflection each day during April in honor of Dia’s 15th Anniversary. All thirty Reflections will be available as a downloadable pdf at the end of the month.

Today's Día Reflection

Day by day, día por día

Let’s remember that though change is slow, people and institutions can change; our challenge is to be persistent, effective advocates.

I'm posting a Reflection each day during April in honor of Dia’s 15th Anniversary. All thirty Reflections will be available as a downloadable pdf at the end of the month.

D I A Spells Día

Two Día Dynamos are Laurina Cashin and Bobbie Combs who are my web team. They also generously donate some of their time to help me promote Día. At the beginning of the year, I received a package in the mail from my team. I opened it slowly and stared at the three letters below. Being a bit dense, I first arranged the beautiful letters decorated with art from BOOK FIESTA as A I D. Oh yes, thought I, Laurina and Bobbie do aid me. Very sweet. As I looked more carefully at Rafael López' art, I suddenly thought, OH! The letters spell Día. I was stunned at all the work and at the thoughtfulness. I then spotted the message, "For our friend Pat in honor of Día's 15th Anniversary." How sweet is that?

* Letters were created from a f & g of Book Fiesta!

Today's Día Reflection

Day by day, día por día

Let’s praise leaders who become Día champions because they are committed to assisting all children to become learners.

I'm posting a Reflection each day during April in honor of Dia’s 15th Anniversary. All thirty Reflections will be available as a downloadable pdf at the end of the month.

A Million Friends for Día

My good friend Joseph Rodriguez, a Día Dynamo who lives in Austin, sent me this video link some months back. I so liked the catchy music and the words Roberto Carlos is singing. The lyrics say that he doesn't want to sing alone. He wants a million friends to sing with him enlarging his singing. The words made me think of Día. (I know. Many things make Pat think of Día.) Día needs a million friends to enlarge its impact, its "song" too. Are you one of Día's friends?