Publisher’s Weekly Star Watch Nomination

Many authors and publishers include diversity in their books as if they’re checking off a box to fulfill a requirement. Sophia Day does something extraordinary. She helps us realize that diversity in character, family composition, abilities, interests, and backgrounds is the norm not the exception.
— Leslie Silk Eslinger, M.Ed., Director of Education and Development, Becker School Supplies

Over the past year, we have been working with Becker’s School Supplies to distribute our Celebrate!™  series to schools across the nations. From selling our Celebrate! Diversity 8 pack of board books and sharing our MVP Kids® at conferences, the Becker’s School Supplies staff has fallen in love with our MVP Kids®. Leslie Silk Eslinger, M.Ed., Director of Education and Development, recently nominated Real MVP Kids® for Publisher’s Weekly Star Watch Award. This award is for the brightest entrepreneurs, innovators and game-changers who are transforming the publishing industry in unique and inventive ways. Below is what Leslie had to say about Real MVP Kids® and Sophia Day®:

“I believe in my heart that [Sophia Day] is doing something remarkable.  Sophia Day is the author of the Real MVP Celebrate!series of board books published by MVP Kids Media. Through the characters she has created in these stories, we are reminded of our inalienable rights as humans to be appreciated, celebrated, and cherished as individuals.   Our past history and present times tells us that we sometimes forget this.

“Sophia Day has given us a gift. She has masterfully created 16 child characters who belong to 12 diverse families. We get to know Lucas, Lebron, Gabby, Sarah, Annie, Blake, Frankie, Leo, Miriam, Yong, Julia, Olivia, Aanya, Liam, Faith, and Ezekiel as if they are neighbors or our friends. Sophia Day welcomes the readers into the fold of these children’s lives and helps us to know them in a meaningful way.  Many authors and publishers include diversity in their books as if they’re checking off a box to fulfill a requirement. Sophia Day does something extraordinary. She helps us realize that diversity in character, family composition, abilities, interests, and backgrounds is the norm not the exception. 

“There’s something else unique about the MVP Kids book series. The quality of the writing, the accuracy of the cultural references, and the interesting characters shows genuine respect for our youngest readers.  These books show an appreciation for toddlers, their teachers, and their families as caring, curious and compassionate beings. We are invited to spend time and share experiences with the characters at holidays, at doctor’s offices, meal time and other day and night time routines.  Readers will see themselves in these stories and feel understood and appreciated.”

To learn more about Becker’s School Supplies and order our Celebrate! Diversity Book Set, follow this link: https://www.shopbecker.com/infants-and-toddlers/books-and-literacy/_/celebrate-diversity-book-set/?q=Celebrate