In honor of our trip to the National Down Syndrome Congress National Convention, ABC Signing Kids and ABC Barefoot Kids are hosting a giveaway!  For those going to the conference, you can sign up in person at the ABC Signing Kids both, and get even more entries by signing up here.  For those who are not able to make the trip to Indianapolis, you are still welcome to sign up to try to win.  Here is what one lucky winner will receive...

This video does a great job of answering that question! 

Contact me if you would like to learn more about Barefoot Books, or visit myBarefoot Book Website. 

The Starter Kit Sale gives you a great opportunity to get $300 worth of Barefoot Books for just $100.  Barefoot Books capture the imagination, spark curiosity, inspire creativity and instill a respect for cultural, social and ecological diversity.  Click to find out more about the Barefoot Books Ambassador Opportunity

Today is Multicultural Children's Book Day!  Here is a count down of our top 10 favorite children’s books to enjoy that celebrate the multicultural world in which we live.

10.  The Wise Fool – Fables from the Islamic World

Meet Mulla Nasruddin, a legendary character whose adventures and misadventures are enjoyed across the Islamic world. This witty collection of stories portrays his eccentric, engaging and irreverent character. Nasruddin always has a twinkle in his eye, a sliver of wisdom in his ramblings, and a few good surprises up his sleeve! Ages 6 and up
Written By: Shahrukh Husain
Illustrated By: Micha Archer

9. Mama Panya’s Pancakes – A Village Tale from Kenya
On market day, Mama Panya’s son Adika invites everyone he sees to a pancake dinner. How will Mama Panya ever feed them all? This clever and heartwarming story about Kenyan village life teaches the importance of sharing, even when you have little to give. There’s a bonus recipe for Mama Panya’s pancakes at the back of this book so you can carry the story into your kitchen!

Notable Books for a Global Society
Winner of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award

Ages 4 to 10 years
Written By: Rich Chamberlin, Mary Chamberlin
Illustrated By: Julia Cairns

8. Jewish Tales
This engaging collection includes eight delightful tales from the Jewish tradition. Each story has been chosen for its appeal to families and each has a simple — yet powerful — message. Written by Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand, herself a mother of three, this is a fantastic set of stories to share and to treasure. Includes two story CDs narrated by Debra Messing. Ages 7 and up
Written By: Shoshana Boyd Gelfand
Illustrated By: Amanda Hall
Narrated By: Debra Messing

7. The Mountains of Tibet!
A Tibetan woodcutter dreams of exploring the world, but is too busy with his life to ever leave his valley. After he dies, he is taken on a journey through the cosmos and all the places on Earth as he makes choices that lead him to a new life. First published as part of the debut list for Barefoot Books in 1993, this gentle and inspiring look at life after death is just as relevant today. For all ages
Written By: Mordicai Gerstein

6. Lola’s Fandango
One of our favorites! Even if audible stories are not your thing you should make an exception and listen to the story-CD that comes with both the paperback and hardcover versions! It is very well done and truly brings the story to life!

Lola is a young Spanish girl in awe of her glamorous older sister. However, she discovers her own talent and duende, or spirit, through secret fandango lessons from her father. The text is infused with the rhythms, movements and sounds of the dance and the humanity of Lola’s family is beautifully portrayed by Micha Archer’s collage-paintings.

Ages 4 to 10 years
Written By: Anna Witte
Illustrated By: Micha Archer
Narrated By: The Amador Family

5. Tales from Old Ireland
Celebrate the wonder of Ireland with the seven enchanting stories in this captivating collection. The rich traditions of Irish storytelling are honored with larger-than-life characters, myths and legends around every bend, and plenty of magic. Book with double CDs include stories read by Grammy-nominated singer Maura O’Connell.

Ages 6 and up
Retold By: Malachy Doyle
Illustrated By: Niamh Sharkey
Narrated By: Maura O’Connell

4. The Girl with the Brave Heart
Shiraz, a kindhearted young girl growing up in Tehran, has a miserable life at home with her stepmother and stepsister, who treat her like a servant. When the wind blows Shiraz’s ball of wool into the garden next door, she spends the day helping and caring for the old lady who lives there, with miraculous results. Then her stepmother sends her own daughter off on the same mission . . . but will the results be the same?

This folktale is smartly illustrated and has a unique and  thought-provoking ending that may escape the youngest readers. I suggest this book for children on the higher end of the publisher’s recommended age range.

Ages 4 to 10 years
Written By: Rita Jahanforuz
Illustrated By: Vali Mintzi

10. The Farmyard Jamboree
Sing and dance along with a young boy who introduces different members of his family along with a new farmyard animal and animal baby on every page of this rollicking early learner, inspired by a Chilean folk tale.

Ages 3 to 7 years
Written By: Margaret Read MacDonald
Illustrated By: Sophie Fatus
Sung By: Bob King

2.  The Story Tree – Tales to Read Aloud

If you’re going to get just one new book from the list, CHECK THIS ONE OUT! The Story Tree was the perfect book to carry with us on our summer vacation this year. We read one of the seven stories from around the world each night and adored them all. A Jewish tale, called The Blue Button, is our personal favorite.

Ages 3 to 7 years
Retold By: Hugh Lupton
Illustrated By: Sophie Fatus

1. My Granny Went to Market – A Round the World Counting Rhyme
A charming tale for the youngest adventurers! Fly away with Granny and count with her from one to ten as she spins around the world on an unforgettable shopping trip. This colorful, rhyming story is followed by a counting page for reinforced learning. Ages 3 to 7 years
Written By: Stella Blackstone
Illustrated By: Christopher Corr
Click on any of these books to order from  ABC Barefoot Kids online store, and save 20% off your ENTIRE order with coupon code FIRST2014! code expires 31 March, 2014.

Here are photos of the top 10 books from 1 to 10.

A very Happy New Year to all of my likers, customers and Barefoot Books fans.  Thank you for making 2013 a great year to start ABC Barefoot Kids. 

Exciting times lie ahead for Barefoot in 2014 with a super sale starting 9th Jan,  an awesome reduction on our business in a box starter kit when becoming an Ambassador, and even more fundraising and chances to win free books.  See you in 2014! 

Want a chance to win some great children's products while supporting your local economy?  Then vow to shop at least one local business on Small Business Saturday, November 30th 2013, and you are entered to win!  (We are on the honor system here folks and this contest us open to anyone in the US, so you are promising to shop where you live). Get extra entries by liking ABC Signing Kids and ABC Barefoot Kids  Facebook Pages or by following them on Twitter.  If you are in Southeast Nebraska, you can  get an extra entry by signing up with me in person on Small Business Saturday  at the Craft Fair during the Elmwood Holiday Extravaganza at Josoff's Fitness Center.   We will have some great specials!

Barefoot Books is celebrating their 20th anniversary with 20% off the top 20 best selling books over the last 20 years.  Click here for a PDF flyer of our top 20 on sale now through the month of September, or click here to go straight to the website to start shopping.

To help celebrate, this great Anniversary, ABC Barefoot Kids is pairing up with ABC Signing Kids to give away one of the top 20 Barefoot Books and a Signing Time DVD.   Why both?  Signing time and Barefoot Books are awesome together.  There are so many great Barefoot Books that have similar themes to Signing Time vidoes.  Reading and signing along with these books is a great way to incoroprate sign into your daily routine. 
Sign up today!   Good Luck!

Win one of our best selling Barefoot Books and  your choice  of one of these great Signing Time DVD's.

Summer is a great time to make a reading resolution with your child.  There are many way you can do this, but here a few ideas.
1.  ENcourage your child to read at home for 20 minutes every day (or parents, you can read to pre-readers for 20 minutes)
2. Fill your home library with great books (Barefoot Books are the best!)
3.  Give your child fun rewards for meeting their goal every day, and for milestone reading amounts.  These can be free or low cost rewards like a one on one time with Mom or Dad, a trip to the park or ice cream, or bigger rewards like swimming, mini golf or best of all -  a new book!

ABC Barefoot Kids can help you meet these summer reading goals with our Independent Reader Sale.  Now thru the end of June, save 20% off select independent reader titles. or Go Greek with our 3 for 2 sale on select Greek titles.  Click on either of the photos below to learn more. 

Happy Reading!

 






These beautiful well written stories would make a fine addition to any home library.  They are also very durable and will stand up well over the years.  This Weekend Only.  Clik HERE to start shopping now.