A Brief History of El día de los niños/El día de los libros
El Día del niño is celebrated each year on April 30th. This day is all about recognizing the importance of children in society and promotes their well being and literacy. “El día de los niños,” is a traditional holiday that is celebrated in Mexico and many other Latin American countries sin 1925. Acclaimed author Pat Mora took up the cause in 1997 and brought it to the United States where the celebration includes literacy and the love for reading. A year later, the U.S. Congress officially designated April 30 as “Day of the Child.”
As stated in the American Library Association website, Día is a nationally recognized initiative that emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children from all backgrounds. It is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages and cultures. The common goals of all Día programming are to:
- Celebrate children and connect them to the world of learning through books, stories and libraries.
- Nurture cognitive and literacy development in ways that honor and embrace a child’s home language and culture.
- Introduce families to community resources that provide opportunities for learning through multiple literacies.
Recognize and respect culture, heritage and language as powerful tools for strengthening families and communities.
Planning to celebrate Día at your library? Check out the following resources:
Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) – A Division of the American Library Association (ALA)- webpage: El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day) – Booklists
Another ALA webpage dedicated to Día: Celebrating Día Today and Every Day of the Year
REFORMA – The National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and Spanish Speaking – Día Mini-Grants
Pat Mora’s Website: Children’s Day, Book Day Resources to Share
Colorín Colorado: El día de los niños/El día de los libros
California State Association: Día de los niños/Día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day)
Texas State Library: El Día de los niños/El Día de los libros: A Celebration of Childhood and Bilingual Literacy
REFORMA de Florida 