Skip to content
Pragmatic Mom
Menu
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Policies
    • Media Kit
    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright
    • KidLit Blogroll
  • My Book Lists
    • My List of Lists
    • Multicultural Books for Children: 60+ Book Lists
    • #OwnVoices
    • Summer Reading Lists for Middle School Kids
    • Asian American Children’s Books
    • African American Children’s Books
    • Arab American Children’s Books
    • Latinx American Children’s Books
    • Native American Children’s Books
    • LGBTQIA+ Children’s Books
    • Diverse Books for Kids
    • Best Books for Kids
  • Education
    • STEM/STEAM
    • Math
    • Social Studies
    • Art Projects for Kids
    • Applying to Art School
    • Applying to College
    • Book Club for Kids
    • 70+ Free Educational Games
  • Controversial
    • Sexual Misconduct in Children’s Book Publishing #MeToo #TimesUp
    • Rethinking & Examining Dr. Seuss’ Racism
    • Blood Feud over YA #BloodHeir
    • Tulsa Race Massacre: What They Don’t Teach You in History Books
    • The Chinese Exclusion Act – What They Don’t Teach in History Books
    • Segregation in California Schools: What They Don’t Teach in History Books
    • SCBWI Minnesota Racist Illustration and Gaslighting Response
  • My Books
    • My Book Announcements
    • The Traveling Taco on Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025!
    • We Sing From the Heart makes Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year 2025!
    • The Traveling Taco featured in Booklist
    • Origami French Fries: Activity for THE TRAVELING TACO
    • Book Announcement: A Place to Call Home! {and a new title …}
    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE makes Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction!
    • Cover Reveal of my latest picture book … FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE!
    • Picture Book Announcement! BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación
    • We Sing From the Heart gets a few stickers!
    • Book Announcement! Postcards from Malcolm X: How Yuri Kochiyama Became a Civil Rights Activist
    • Kirkus Reviews My Newest Picture Book: THE TRAVELING TACO
    • We Sing From the Heart is a Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner!
    • We Sing From the Heart gets a few stickers!
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART wins California Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART is Orbis Pictus Recommended Book
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
    • Dorktales Podcast: Simon Tam, Hidden Hero of History
    • Food for the Future Wins Nautilus Silver Book Award
    • Food for the Future makes Mass Book Award Long List!
    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE Makes Green Earth Book Award Long List!
    • Food for the Future is a finalist for 2023 INDIES Book of the Year!
    • New! Food for the Future Activity and Discussion Guide!
    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection!
    • ‘Food for the Future’ selected for Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best books
    • Scholastic Purchased CHANGING THE GAME!
    • Starred Review for FOOD FOR THE FUTURE from School Library Journal!
    • Sumo Joe makes Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year list!
    • How To Coach Girls wins Silver Award!
    • Posts on My Books
  • My Book Events
    • My Book Events
    • I’m Signing Books at ALA 2025 in Philly!
Menu
Beautiful Barefoot Books

6 Beautiful Barefoot Books

Posted on September 26, 2016May 2, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

I love the message that Barefoot Books’ newest title, The Barefoot Book of Children. It’s about opening the hearts and minds of children to spark their curiosity to learn about people around the world. It’s about examining differences to find connections and similarities, thus discovering the humanity in each and every person.

Author Kate DePalma and senior editor at Barefoot Books would like to thank you personally for learning more about The Barefoot Book of Children.

The Barefoot Book of Children by Tessa Strickland and Kate DePalma, illustrated by David Dean

What can you see or hear or smell from where you are?

Which [languages] do you recognize?

Does [your name] have a meaning?

With gentle questions, this beautifully illustrated book helps kids see their place in the world as well as make connections to others who are different from them. It’s a book to encourage children to ask questions about how children live around the world. Each illustration vignette shows a child from a different culture but doing similar things: taking a bath, in their special getaway place, at a place of worship, and in their own home. Pair this book with the World Atlas. [large format picture book, ages 2 and up]

bfb-of_children_hc_3d_web_400px

Other Favorite Barefoot Book Titles

Barefoot Books was one the first children’s book publishers to devote their catalog to multicultural and diverse books for kids. Not surprisingly, they are based in Cambridge, Massachusetts which also has a rich multi-ethnic population. Over the past decade, I have enjoyed many of their books with my kids. These are some of our favorites. How about you? What Bareboot Books do you recommend? Thanks for sharing!

World Atlas by Nick Crane, illustrated by David Dean

The world is a joy to explore in this colorful atlas that entices with Lift the Flaps facts about each region. Pair this with The Barefoot Book of Children to match the geographic region with the kids in each vignette. It’s like putting a place to a face! [nonfiction geography book, ages 4 and up[

worldatlas_hc_w

Lola’s Fandango by Anna Witte, illustrated by Micha Archer

Lola discovers a pair of dancing shoes in Mami’s closet and convinces her Papi to teach her to dance the Flamenco. They practice secretly because Mami doesn’t seem to want to be reminded of her dancing days. Together they also cook up a very special surprise for Mami’s birthday. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Lola's Fandango
by Anna Witte, Micha Archer , et al.

The Girl With A Brave Heart: A Tale from Tehran by Rita Jahanforuz and Riotah, illustrated by Vali Mintzi

For a multicultural take on Cinderella, this Middle Eastern version sends a message that beauty is truly from within. Shiraz’s father remarries when her mother dies and her life changes to one of constant chores, accompanied by a cruel stepmother and step-sister. One day, when a ball of yarn lands in a neighbor’s yard, Shiraz meets an old woman who requires her to complete three chores in order to get her yarn back. Shiraz reinterprets the chores, from destruction to beautification. In following the old woman’s instructions about washing in the clear and dark pools, she emerges more beautiful than ever. When her step-sister attempts the same routine, she has very different results. [picture book, ages 6 and up]


thegirlwithabraveheart_ushb_w_2

The Boy Who Grew Flowers by Jen Wojtowicz, illustrated by Steve Adams

Rink, a boy with hidden talents, lives with his uniquely talented family in isolation on Lonesome Mountain. On a full moon, he can grow flowers all over his body. Still, this doesn’t keep him from attending school, but his perceived strangeness is a barrier to making friends. When a new girl, Angelina, joins his class, everyone is drawn to her kindness. Rink decides to make her a special gift and discovers that they have much more in common than anyone realizes. Together, their gifts literally blossom, and Lonesome Mountain changes from a desolate place to a garden of flowers.

For kids who feel that they are different from other children, this book will bring comfort that there is someone out there who will appreciate and even share their unique gifts. Pair this book with Grace Lin’s chapter book Where The Mountain Meets the Moon to continue the theme of a desolate place changed by the actions and bravery of a child. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

boywhogrewflowers_hc_w

Yoga Pretzels card deck by Tara Guber and Leah Kalish, illustrated by Sophie Fatus 

We are starting our own Family Yoga class; just the five of us. It’s my husband’s idea. He’s done a little yoga but has bad shoulders from a lifetime of competitive golf. Grasshopper and Sensei is recovering from her fourth concussion, so Family Yoga will ease her back into athletics. She hopes to return to her club volleyball team in a few months. PickyKidPix finds yoga calming, and my son will strike a yoga pose for fun. We use these cards to play with yoga poses. For a complete zen experience, use Yoga Pretzel cards with these picture books on mindfulness. [deck of yoga cards, ages 2 and up]

Yoga Pretzels from Barefoot Books

 

 To examine any book more closely at Barefoot Books, please click on image of book.

Beautiful Barefoot Books

As an Barefoot Book Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

Follow PragmaticMom’s board Multicultural Books for Kids on Pinterest.

Follow PragmaticMom’s board Children’s Book Activities on Pinterest.

 

My books:

We Sing From the Heart picture book cover reveal of The Slants Simon Tam

 Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Cover Reveal: Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime!Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World

  • Junior Library Guild Gold selection
  • Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
  • Starred review from School Library Journal
  • Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
  • 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
  • Green Earth Book Award longlist
  • Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids

 Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me

cover for Sumo JoeChanging the Game: Asian Pacific American Female Athletes by Mia WenjenAmazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide

How To Coach Girls by Mia Wenjen and Alison FoleyAsian Pacific American Heroes

4 thoughts on “6 Beautiful Barefoot Books”

  1. maryanne @ mama smiles says:
    September 26, 2016 at 3:50 pm

    I love Barefoot Books. We own a bunch of them, and they are all beautifully done.

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      October 4, 2016 at 4:44 pm

      Hi MaryAnne,
      I love them too! Such great multicultural choices!

      Reply
  2. Svenja says:
    October 12, 2016 at 3:30 am

    The Barefoot Book of Children looks amazing! It’s definitely going on the list of books to get for my daughter.

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      October 20, 2016 at 10:03 am

      Hi Svenja,
      It’s like a new classic and so beautiful! Hope she loves it too!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Looking for something? Search here.

I’m Mia Wenjen!

Mia Wenjen Pragmatic Mom

Hi, I’m Mia Wenjen. Nice to meet you!

I blog excessively about diverse children’s books (picture books through middle grade). I am also the co-founder of Read Your World Celebrates Multicultural Children’s Book Day on Jan 25, 2024, our 11th year!

I’d love to chat with you. Let’s connect! PragmaticMomBlog (at) gmail (dot) com or through my social media handles.

Free Blog Updates in your Inbox (RSS feed)

Monthly Newsletter with Subscriber Only Giveaways in your Inbox

My Linktree (click for my links & socials)

my linktree

My Websites

  • How To Coach Girls
  • I Love Newton
  • Mia Wenjen (My New Author Website)

Camp Cody: Overnight Camp in New Hampshire

Read Your World LGBTQIA+ Books Save Lives Merch!

https://www.pragmaticmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Read-Your-World-FINAL-Merchandise-Video.mp4

Purchase Read Your World Merch

LGBTQIA+ Books Save Lives Merch.

Buy it here!

Search Amazon

Find Children's Books

Newton Children’s Book Festival 2025

Newton Children's Book Festival 2025

Get My Books Signed or Inscribed through my shop (click to purchase)

Mia Wenjen signed books

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime! (click to purchase)

Cover Reveal: Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime!

We Sing From the Heart (click to pre-order)

We Sing From the Heart picture book cover reveal of The Slants Simon Tam

FOOD FOR THE FUTURE (click to purchase)

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng

CHANGING THE GAME (click to purchase)

Changing the Game: Asian Pacific American Female Athletes by Mia Wenjen

SUMO JOE (click to purchase)

Sumo Joe cover reveal

Asian Pacific American Heroes (click to purchase)

Asian Pacific American Heroes by Mia Wenjen

GNOMES & UNGNOMES: Poems of Hidden Creatures // I have 3 haiku poems (click to purchase)

GNOMES & UNGNOMES: Poems of Hidden Creatures 3 haiku by Mia Wenjen
Read Your World is Multicultural Children's Book Day

ClothingRIC- A Premium Coupon Website!

ThingsFromMars- The Wondrous World of Wacky Gift Products!

How to Get Kids Reading

  • Multicultural Books for Children: 60+ Book Lists
  • Getting Kids to Love Reading
  • Summer Reading Lists for Kids By Grade
  • Summer Reading Lists for Middle School Kids

Heim Nest Kid Mattress Exclusive Deal

Heim Nest Kid Mattress

AdvancedWriters.com is an expert writing service which helps students with academic writing.

educational toys

CEX.IO is a versatile crypto exchange platform where users can buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies, as well as access resources and tools to learn how to trade effectively.

MyPaperDone.com
is surely one of the best when it comes to paper writing assistance.

My Custom Essay
will guide you through academic life.

Essay Writing Services

If you ask "write my essay", Topessaywriting can help you with paper writing

TranslationReport can help you to choose the best translation service

If you are looking for the most trusted essay writing service, check this article about best essay writing service reviews at Econotimes

educational toys from dhgate stores

Assignment Writing Services Offer Assignment Assistance In UK Based Company 50% Discount Students

Playing at online casinos can be an exciting and rewarding experience, and you can find the best options at casinoszondercruksonline.com. 

For those seeking a safe and reputable gambling experience, the Meest betrouwbare buitenlandse casino lijst is an invaluable resource.

Archives

Categories

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship (click to purchase)

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide

HOW TO COACH GIRLS (click to purchase)

How To Coach Girls silver award winner

Archives

I’ll be sharing WHAT I WISH I KNEW BEFORE I STARTED MY KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

HOW TO COACH GIRLS book trailer by Mia Wenjen & Alison Foley

https://youtu.be/j74M0bBxrGg

Recent Posts

  • My Daughter’s Start Up SWARM wins $100k from VentureCat! June 20, 2025
  • The Traveling Taco on Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025! June 18, 2025
  • Cover Reveal for Fight for the Right to Read June 16, 2025
  • We Sing From the Heart makes Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year 2025! June 13, 2025
  • Sumo Joe turns 6 Years Old and 6 book GIVEAWAY! June 11, 2025

Categories

© 2025 Pragmatic Mom | Powered by Superbs Personal Blog theme
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT