The Patchwork Garden Included in RIF’s Multicultural Collection!

HOUSTON, TX January, 2014—The Patchwork Garden / Pedacitos de huerto by Diane de Anda with illustrations by Oksana Kemarskaya has been chosen for inclusion in Reading Is Fundamental’s (RIF) 2013-14 Multicultural Collection of Children’s Literature. Containing only 40 titles, RIF’s Multicultural Collection is sponsored by Macy’s and consists of books focused on science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM).

Reading Is Fundamental prepares and motivates children to read by delivering free books and literacy resources to those children and families who need them most. During this year, RIF will distribute collections to schools and other organizations across the country, with a focus on reaching at-risk and underserved children.

In author Diane de Anda’s colorful picture book, a young girl inspires her neighbors to create community gardens full of delicious vegetables. According to Kirkus Reviews, “its positive message of collaboration and cooperation is enhanced by gouache paintings that cheerily depict a recognizably Latino neighborhood.” Brightly hued illustrations depict a cityscape full of multiple generations working towards a common goal in this inspiring bilingual book.

Diane De Anda is the author of three bilingual picture books for children, A Day without Sugar / Un día sin azúcar (Piñata Books, 2012),  Kikirikí / Quiquiriquí (Piñata Books, 2004) and Dancing Miranda / Baila, Miranda, baila (Piñata Books, 2001), and three collections of short fiction for young readers, The Monster in the Mattress and Other Stories / El monstruo en el colchón y otros cuentos (Piñata Books, 2011), The Ice Dove and Other Stories (Piñata Books, 1997) and The Immortal Rooster and Other Stories (Piñata Books, 1999).  A professor at UCLA for almost 30 years, she is the author of numerous articles and non-fiction books. She lives and works in Southern California.

Oksana Kemarskaya, a native of Ukraine, has illustrated numerous books for children, including Planet Earth Projects (Dover Publications, 2011), The Legend of the Vampire (Picture Window Books, 2010) and The Secret Lives of Plants! (Capstone Press, 2012). She lives and works in Canada.

Arte Público Press is the nation’s largest and most established publisher of contemporary and recovered literature by U.S. Hispanic authors.  Its imprint for children and young adults, Piñata Books, is dedicated to the realistic and authentic portrayal of the themes, languages, characters, and customs of Hispanic culture in the United States. Based at the University of Houston, Arte Público Press, Piñata Books and the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage project provide the most widely recognized and extensive showcase for Hispanic literary arts and creativity.