Bound To Go is a landmark collection of 35 songs from the African American folk tradition that includes spirituals, shout songs from the Sea Islands, prison ballads and secular songs.  Lovingly compiled, created and produced by Andrew Calhoun, a working folk singer, the collection shines new light onto some of the most moving and important songs in the American folk music tradition.

35 songs performed by 18 musicians offer a fresh look at the African American folk tradition. The artists on Bound To Go, have literally came from across the globe and and have occupations as far reaching. They are dancers, stay at home mothers, surveyors, teachers, liberians, and songwriters, all brought together by the majesty of Andrew Calhoun and Bound To Go.  Bound to Go puts some important songs back in circulation, presented in a form that reflects their original purpose; not the appreciation of one voice, but the inclusion of every voice.

We would love for you to listen to this amazing compilation that was sent to us by our friends at Waterbug Records . We thank them for sending this CD our way and highly recommend it as a wonderful tribute to African American folk music and the univeral language of song.

I recently purchased the Dora’s World Adventure CD for my 2 year old daughter who is ADDICTED to anything Dora or Diego. I wanted a different CD to play in my truck and picked this one up randomly. After listening to it several times I really started to LOVE this compilation of songs. The songs promote unity between cultures worldwide and within the US and teach words in several different languages. The songs have the feel of the culture they come from and Dora and Boots start off each song with a brief intro about the country that each is from. My daughter has picked up on many of the different words and can use them properly when saying “goodbye” and “hello” in swahili, hebrew and chinese. I think that Dora and Diego are absolutely WONDERFUL TV programs and I am impressed with their messages and the educational content of their shows. This CD is just the latest in the Dora Empire & I was not disappointed after purchasing this CD and listening to its message and fun, upbeat songs. It definitely gets 5 starts from me and my daughter. You won’t be disappointed either!!

Whole World
Illustrated by Christopher Corr
Sung by Fred Penner

“She’s got the fish of the sea
In her hands
She’s got the Whole World in her hands!”

Oprah loves us, and you will too! Oprah selected our Whole World book to be on her O magazine February “O List” of things she loves. This is a beautifully illustrated version of the song we all loved as children. Fred Penner, a famous children’s musician, contributed his talents to this catchy sing-along CD. The book also includes information about different ecosystems and has eco-tips on how to live green and respect our planet! The pronouns are mixed throughout the book, giving us all a better sense of how we are responsible for our own world.

“…this bright, lively interactive picture book makes a strong call for conservation. Each clear, spacious, double-page spread shows boys and girls of all races and places holding hands around the globe, playing together from the plains and deserts to the lakes and rivers and towns and cities … The chanting repetition with the colorful pictures of children everywhere will have even young preschoolers joining in the playful celebration of diversity and connection and saving the world.”
— Booklist

You can find out more about this book on my barefoot website, where the press release is listed as well as a few online activity sheets about our environment. This book is recommended for ages 0-9, but has a message we can all appreciate at any age! Along with spreading a message of global responsibility, Barefoot Books is donating 10% of Whole World sales to global conservation efforts. To find out more about this book, as well as find a list of our environmental partners, please visit my website at http://barefootfamily.mybarefootbooks.com

Jenn Aaron
US Stallholder US-1014367
Barefoot Books
http://barefootfamily.mybarefootbooks.com/

We All Went on Safari- A Counting Journey Through Tanzania
written by Laurie Krebs and illustrated by Julia Cairns

“We all went on safari,
Over grasslands damp with dew.
We came across some ostriches,
And Mosi counted two.”

 This book is great for toddlers beginning to count, as well as older children who are ready to learn about the world. The book follows a group of Maasai people as they explore their world, counting animals in English and Swahili. Each phrase and number get a beautiful two page illustration from Ms. Cairns. The counting poem is followed by a number of pages with information about the Maasai people, the country of Tanzania, the native animals and Swahili names. There are a number of pronunciation guides to assist in reading the story.

This book was winner of a Starred Review by the Kirkus Reviews, and recently School Library Journal said, “Youngsters will learn numbers from one to ten in English and Swahili as Mosi, Tumpe, Arusha, and other friends count African wildlife. Attractive borders frame vibrant watercolor spreads of different types of animals, including giraffes, elephants, zebras, and lions. The rhyming singsong verse, beginning with the refrain “We all went on a safari,” lends itself to a fun read-aloud.”

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each book will be donated to the African Wildlife Foundation, to aid their wildlife conservation and community building efforts in Tanzania. This is a fun book to read aloud or alone, and is a great way to introduce children of all ages to the country of Tanzania.

To find out more about this book and print an activity sheet, please visit my website at http://barefootfamily.mybarefootbooks.com

Thanks again to Jenn for the great write-up! Please take a look at what Barefoot Books has to offer - they truly are a unique and wonderful company.

I would like to thank Sheena for this great review as well as her unique perspective on race and diversity! You can view her blog at: http://www.mommydaddyblog.com

Growing up I went to predominantly African American schools. I wasn’t taught much about diversity and different cultures, just racism and segregation year after year. Of course this had some effect on how I perceived other races. I developed schemas based on textbooks, television, and my surroundings. Although we were taught Martin Luther King’s dream multiple times in school, it didn’t have much affect on me because there was no uniting races when the school made up one race. I wasn’t exposed to diversity early on so I didn’t know how to interact once exposed later in life. Of course I was always taught to treat others with respect but the subject of diversity never really popped up.

I remember entering high school, it was a predominantly African American high school but there was a noticeable percentage of Caucasian students as well. At first interacting with each other was a little awkward, making sure we didn’t say anything to offend each other. I remember at a band gathering having a conversation with a group of people of different races; “no offense” was used quite a few times. Nothing said was offensive, “no offense” was just said to be courteous just in case someone did take offense, I suppose. It just tickles me now thinking about it because we didn’t know how to act around each other. This was due to the lack of exposure and proper knowledge of other races and cultures.

It is important to start teaching children early about diversity. While it is important to teach your children to embrace their culture it is also important to teach them about the cultures of other people. It will help them better understand why some people do the things that he or she may not do, why, and to certainly not be afraid of them because of it. The key is to help your children become well rounded individuals because the real world is one gigantic melting pot.

There are a handful of stores that are devoted to promoting multicultural products for children. Regionz Kidz is a great place to pick up products to help teach your children diversity and unity. At Regionz Kidz you can find SUPER CUTE culturally diverse t-shirts for infants, toddlers, and mommies! Regionz Kidz’s t-shirts feature amazing sketches of babies in different regions all over the world. There are over 104 designs to choose from. You can even have a custom sketch of your child designed! In addition to t-shirts, Regionz Kidz offers books and games as well! Some useful articles and resources can be found on the Regionz Kidz blog and free coloring sheets can be found here! Regionz Kidz was founded last year and has gotten off to a great start! I look forward to seeing what the future brings!

This entry was written by our new partner Jenn Aaron of Barefoot Books. She will be doing a review every month for us to learn about some of the books Barefoot offers that can help us teach our children about diversity and other cultures. If you would like to purchase any of these books, please visit Jenn’s website at: http://www.barefootfamily.mybarefootbooks.com and use code EV01 when checking out! - - Lisa

Playtime Rhymes for Little people a re-release with a newly recorded singalong CD featuring Susan Reed. This hand-sewn anthology is full of exmples of Clare Beaton’s wonderful fabric and embellishment work. It includes a collection of forty popular action rhymes with favorites such as “I’m a Little Teapot” and “Head and Shoulders,” as well as less familiar selections such as “Fishes Swim in Water Clear” and “There’s a Wide Eyed Owl”.

Barefoot says, “The book is designed to help children develop language and counting skills while improving their coordination and encouraging them to interact. Playtime Rhymes for Little People is a glorious anthology that will keep children happily occupied for many hours, and will be treasured for many generations.”

Kids will be familiar with a number of the poems, and will be delighted with the ones they’ve never heard before. Poetry is an important part of building pre-reading skills, as well as strengthening the abilities of beginning readers. This is a book that you can be proud to give as a gift for a baby shower, birthday, christening, easter, or any number of other special occasions. The best gift you can give is the gift of reading- just 20 minutes a day can boost early literacy rates and the enjoyment of reading for years to come.

Personal Child Stories was founded by Australian native Shara  Lawrence-Weiss. Shara currently resides in Arizona with her husband  and two children.

While earning a degree in Elementary Education,  Shara saw a need in many children that she longed to address. So many  children in our classrooms today struggle with emotional hurdles,  learning disabilities, developmental delays, and so on. No doubt this  was always the case, however, the “stigma” has lightened to the point  that addressing these issues is no longer taboo. Quite the contrary.

At Personal Child Stories , books can be created for any and every  reason, including story-lines that relate to tolerance, acceptance,  change and diversity. These personal books containing custom photos  are quickly embraced by each child becoming a fast favorite.

Personal Child Stories is currently moving more deeply into the creation of  books for Special Needs children, IEP students, and children who would  greatly benefit from a book focused not on what is being done wrong  but rather on what can be done that is RIGHT.

Each book is laminated  and coil bound making them durable, easy to clean, and safe for
children of all ages and stages. Books may contain a page on which to  write with a dry erase marker in order to practice writing numbers,  letters, words, or concepts. Group books can also be created to read  to the class as a positive approach to explaining one another’s
differences.

You can find out more information by going to http://www.personalchildstories.com