OVERVIEW
Día is a literacy initiative that is a nationally recognized initiative that emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children from all backgrounds. It is collaboration of national and state library and literacy organizations, educators, and readers that are creatively striving to share book joy and its importance. It was founded by author Pat Mora and is celebrated annually on or around April 30th. The school will have a book fiesta that celebrates children and is a time to share languages, cultures, and stories from other countries around the world.
PLANNING
September – November
Form diverse partnerships. Create a Dia committee that includes librarians, teachers, parents, local literacy programs, non-profits, and funders. Also, consider faith communities, university students, media contacts, summer reading club coordinators, bookstores, etc.
Clarify goals and plan your book fiesta with the committee. Select date(s) and if needed, form sub-committees such as fundraising, activities/speakers/programs, media & publicity, volunteers, etc. Design/Locate creative literacy-related activities.
Establish a budget, contact possible funders/partners and begin to plan fundraising events if needed. Are their grants available to help fund?
Finalize locations and reserve rooms and/or facilities?
January - March
Review the book collection and evaluate for diversity and inclusion. Explore options for book donations. Contact First Book for free and low-cost new books and other resources for low socio-economic populations. (firstbook.org/libros)
Finalize activities and promotions. If you have a guest speaker or author for this event, prepare contracts and/or make travel arrangements.
Outline the the marketing campaign including social media campaign and coordinate with the broadcast teacher to promote the campaign internally.
Order promotional items, books for giveaways, and craft supplies for activities. Order refreshments.
Design promotional materials for the campaign.
Confirm attendance by leaders at the celebration site – administrators, principals, community members.
Create a poster of each book cover and include the annotation, so students that don’t read the book can vote based on the synopsis
April
Decorate school, library, and displays for the event. Construct posters/signage, multi-language if appropriate. Design & Create book displays.
Enjoy the book fiesta and document the event (s).
Remind attendees that Día is a yearlong family literacy initiative with annual, culminating family celebrations in April.
Thank partners and hold a de-briefing session. Document information to prepare for the next year.
PROMOTION
The event will be promoted using the following tools:
ELA Classrooms
Día Display in Library
Bulletin Board or Window Display
Library Webpage
Parent Newsletter
School Social Media Account
School Webpage in The Latest News section
Daily Announcements & Weekly Broadcast
PREPARATIONS
Librarian will need to communicate/collaborate with the ELA teachers at the beginning of the year. Starting in September, establish a monthly Book Club to improve the level of casual reading and increase the love of reading. To promote the club, initiate Free Book Fridays on a regular basis to build up our student’s home libraries. In support of the event, conduct activities to promote the district’s “Read for a Better Life” initiative in September and “Read Across America” Days each year in conjunction with the national recognition day in March.
PROCEDURES
Begin the “Book Fiesta” month by highlighting author/illustrators during the month of April. Gather book collections of recommended books for children/teens in multiple languages. Decorate school hallways and classroom doors with multicultural book covers and could have a competition component. Create special displays of bilingual and world language books from the library collection and ask classroom teachers to include read-alouds with multicultural themes in their classrooms.
Organize a book drive and deliver books during April as a part of the Día celebration.
Promote and Involve family members in literacy events throughout the year.
Create literacy-focused programming ideas for the month of April.
Create literacy-focused games for the event and additional games can be used during advisory or in the book club.
Event will feature speakers, poets, and local young adult authors if possible.
Students participate in interactive groups that focus on literacy activities, such as crafting and sharing a slam poem or learning how to write strong dialogue for a character, create a writer’s notebook, or craft song lyrics.
Students receive at least one free book and if there’s an author visit, they can get a signed copy of the author’s book.
PAYOFF
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.
REFERENCES
Celebrating Dia
Children’s Day, Book Day (CDBD) https://www.patmora.com/whats-dia/#:~:text=April%2030th%20and%20every%20day,readers%2C%20essential%20in%20our%20democracy
Inclusive Literacy Celebrations https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/12-strategies-creating-inclusive-literacy-celebrations-ells
Share Bookjoy
3 Ways to Celebrate Día
RESOURCES
Booklists & Social Media Graphics
FirstBook Membership