Looking to add more diversity to your library? Read this multicultural children’s book review of ‘The Night Owl Goes to Space’ by Kim C. Lee.
I hummed “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” as I crammed books onto my son’s bookshelf. I have a bad habit of setting them on the floor after we finish our bedtime reading. There is usually a tall pile by the time I finally put them away.
But if there is one thing I don’t mind cleaning up, it’s books. As an avid reader and a mom who is working hard to instill a love of reading in my kids, I cherish our books.
I’m also quite particular about which ones we read. Books are a window to the outside world and help shape how we think. So it’s important to me that the books we read reflect the diverse world we live in.
That’s why I was thrilled to have an opportunity to review a book for Multicultural Children’s Book Day. I was matched with The Night Owl Goes to Space by Kim C. Lee.
I was gifted a copy of “The Night Owl Goes to Space” to write this post. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided.
The Night Owl Goes to Space
This charming picture book follows the journey of an adventurous little boy who dreams of exploring space. His adventures take him far beyond his bed and into the vast reaches of outer space.
As we follow our little night owl, we get to tag along as he visits the planets and all the wonderful things in space. Just to make it back in bed in time for his alarm to go off.
About the Author
The author, Kim C. Lee, is an American author living in Maryland. She wrote her first book The Night Owl as a gift for her son and went on to write a few other books including Meet Frankie Jordan and Grand Joy.
The Night Owl Goes to Space is a continuation of The Night Owl. As much as we enjoyed this book, I’m looking forward to reading the first one.
Kim shares her passion for diversity and inclusivity through her writing, aiming to inspire children of all backgrounds to see themselves represented in literature.
You can head to Kim C. Lee’s website to learn more about this amazing author and her other books.
My Thoughts on The Night Owl Goes to Space
I enjoyed the book and so did my son. We sat down to read it together and we were both captivated by the colorful illustrations and the story.
We loved how the book talked about the planets in space and even mentioned some of the moons that orbit the planets. My son went through an outer space phase, so he was excited to see some familiar names and learn about new ones.
The message of following your dreams and exploring new places is also something I appreciated. It’s an important lesson for children to learn and this book presents it in a fun and relatable way.
A nice bonus for the books is that the little boy looked a lot like my son. To see how tickled his little face was when he noticed it really drove home how important representation in literature is.
Multicultural Children’s Book Review – A few of our favorite things
Here are a few of the other things we liked most about the book:
- Beautiful illustrations
- Rhyming (I love it when children’s books rhyme! )
- Extra space facts throughout the book and at the end. They made the book educational as well as enjoyable to read.
- Length – The book was long enough to feel like a good story but short enough for bedtime.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2024 (1/25/25) is in its 11th year! Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen founded this non-profit children’s literacy initiative; they are two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural diverse books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.
Read Your World’s mission is to raise awareness of the need to include kids’ books celebrating diversity in homes and school bookshelves. Read about our Mission and history HERE.
Read Your World celebrates Multicultural Children’s Book Day and is honored to be Supported by these Medallion and Ruby Sponsors!
FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Pragmaticmom) and Valarie Budayr (Audreypress.com)
Super Platinum Sponsor: Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media
Platinum Sponsors: Publisher Spotlight, Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Lerner Publishing Group
Gold Sponsors: Barefoot Books, Astra Books for Young Readers
Silver Sponsors: Red Comet Press, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Lee and Low Books, Cardinal Rule Press
Bronze Sponsors: CK Malone, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Anita Crawford Clark, Star Bright Books, Blue Dot Kids Press, Brunella Costagliola, Red Fin, Fabled Films
Ruby Sponsor: Crayola
MCBD 2024 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!
Authors: Gwen Jackson, Josh Funk, Eugenia Chu, Sivan Hong, Marta Magellan, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Angela H. Dale, Maritza M Mejia, Authors J.C. Kato and J.C.², Charnaie Gordon, Alva Sachs, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Lisa Chong, Diana Huang, Martha Seif Simpson, DARIA (WORLD MUSIC WITH DARIA) Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou, Gea Meijering, Stephanie M. Wildman, Tracey Kyle, Afsaneh Moradian, Kim C. Lee, Rochelle Melander, Beth Ruffin, Shifa Saltagi Safadi, Alina Chau, Michael Genhart, Sally J. Pla, Ajuan Mance, Kimberly Marcus, Lindsey Rowe Parker
MCBD 2024 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!
MCBD 2023 is Honored to be Supported by our Partner Organizations!
Check out MCBD’s Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!
FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day
- MCBD 2024 Poster
- Mental Health Support for Stressful Times Classroom Kit
- Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents
- Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit
- FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit
- FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit
- FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit
- FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit
- FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit
- Gallery of Our Free Posters
- FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program
Register for the MCBD Read Your World Virtual Party
Join us on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 9 pm EST celebrating more than 10 years of Multicultural Children’s Book Day Read Your World Virtual Party! Register here.
This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.
We will be giving away a 10-Book Bundle during the virtual party plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **
Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, and connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. We look forward to seeing you all on January 25, 2024, at our virtual party!
Final Thoughts on Multicultural Children’s Book Review – The Night Owl Goes to Space
Would I recommend reading The Night Owl Goes to Space by Kim C. Lee? Absolutely! It’s a wonderful addition to our bedtime story routine and I don’t doubt it would be a wonderful addition to yours!
If you’re looking for more books that support diversity, be sure to check out the other books reviewed for Multicultural Children’s Book Day.
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Candice is a mom of 3 who has been homeschooling since 2013. She has an A.A.S. in Early Childhood Studies and cares deeply about helping other parents get the information and resources they need to help them homeschool their children with confidence.