What is
Día de los Libros?
The annual holiday celebrates literacy and bilingual learning. This year, we’re celebrating by sharing the joy of storytime with families across California. Reading to young children can positively shape kids’ social and emotional development. It also develops literacy, exposes kids to different cultures and languages, and promotes healthy routines.
Join First 5 California and the California State Library in celebrating Día de los Libros on April 30, 2023.
2023 Participants
Giannina Pérez
Chair of the First 5 California Commission
Giannina Pérez is an early childhood policy leader with more than 20 years of experience in state policy, advocacy and government. She was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom as Chair of the First 5 Commission of California in May of 2022. Previously, she served as Senior Advisor for Early Childhood to Governor Newsom. In this role, she helped lead the passage and implementation of the Governor’s comprehensive two-generation agenda for children and families. In addition to her gubernatorial appointments, Giannina has collaborated with Early Edge California to ensure more young multilingual learners have the support they need to succeed. For more than a decade she worked at Children Now, leading the organization’s work on early childhood system building centered on young children and their families.
She holds a MPP from the School of Public Affairs at UCLA and a BA in Government from CSU, Sacramento. Giannina is also a certified life coach who supports women leaders pursuing greater personal and professional fulfillment. As the proud daughter of Peruvian immigrants, she recognizes the importance of creating a state where all children and families feel welcome and can thrive. She dedicates her work to her first early childhood teacher, her abuelita Carmela.
Watch Giannina Pérez read Carousel King and the Space Mission.
Watch Giannina Pérez read El Rey del Carrusel y La Misión Espacial.
Greg Lucas
California State Librarian
Lucas was appointed California’s 25th State Librarian by Governor Jerry Brown on March 25, 2014. During Greg’s tenure, the state library has prioritized improving reading skills throughout the state, putting a library card in the hands of every school kid and providing all Californians the information they need, no matter what community they live in. Prior to his appointment, Greg was the Capitol Bureau Chief for the San Francisco Chronicle where he covered politics and policy at the State Capitol for nearly 20 years.
Amy Travis
Executive Director of First 5 Kern County
As the Executive Director of First 5 Kern, Amy Travis is committed to helping children from prenatal to 5 years old and their families thrive. With over ten years of experience working in child-serving agencies, Amy has dedicated her career to investing in the well-being of young children. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership from Fresno Pacific University, and is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Strategic and Organizational Leadership from the same institution, following prior studies at Loyola University Chicago.
Amy also serves on the Board of Directors for the Kern County Network for Children, where she works to address the most pressing issues facing children in the area. When she's not working, Amy enjoys volunteering with her church, reading, and spending quality time with her family. She resides in Bakersfield, CA.
Leticia Ordaz
Author & Founder of Cielito Lindo Books
Leticia Ordaz is the founder of the bilingual publishing house Cielito Lindo Books and a seven-time award-winning children’s book author at the International Latino Book Awards. She is also an Emmy-nominated anchor/reporter in Sacra-mento, California. Leticia is the author of The Adventures of Mr. Macaw, That Girl on TV Could Be Me! The Journey of a Latina News Anchor, Mr. Macaw’s Paleta Adventure, The Carousel King and the Space Mission, and Mr. Macaw Lost in the Big City. As a literacy ambassador, she is excited to share bilingual stories with children around the world. Leticia hopes to break barriers and change statistics that currently show only 7% of children’s books feature Latinx characters or subjects, and there are only 10% Latinx authors and illustrators in the U.S.
Natasha Yim
Children’s Author
Natasha Yim is a children’s author and freelance writer. She has published nine picture books and written for Highlights for Children, Appleseeds, Faces, and Muse magazines. Her book, Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas was a Junior Library Guild and Scholastic Book Club selection. Mulan’s Lunar New Year was released by Disney Press in 2018, and she has published two books with Disney/Pixar: Like Mother, Like Daughter, (2022) based on the Pixar movie, “Turning Red” and Lightyear, (2022), a Little Golden Book adaptation of the movie, “Lightyear.” Natasha's two nonfiction titles about the Lunar New Year will be released in November 2023 by Jump! Publishing and Quarto Books, and the sequel to Luna’s Yum Yum Dim Sum, Luna and the Case of the Missing Mooncakes, will be published in 2025. Natasha grew up in Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong and loves to write about people and cultures from around the world.
Vanessa Cedeño
Chief of Staff at First 5 Alameda County
Since January 2023, Vanessa Cedeño serves as Chief of Staff at First 5 Alameda County providing leadership support to the Agency and overseeing Communications, Policy, and Government Affairs. Prior to joining First 5 Alameda, Vanessa served as Chief of Staff to Alameda County Supervisor Dave Brown, Policy Director for the Alameda County Social Services Agency, Deputy Chief of Staff and First 5 Alameda Commission Alternate for the late Supervisor and Commissioner Wilma Chan, and Program Coordinator for Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees. She has over 10 years of experience informing and shaping public policies, programs, and investments that affect families and children.
Watch Vanessa Cedeño read Con Pollo: A Bilingual Playtime Adventure.
Zachary Ginder, PsyD, MSW
Commissioner, First 5 Riverside County & Executive Director, Inland Empire Autism Assessment Center of Excellence
Dr. Zachary Ginder has a passion for service to others, which is exemplified by his direct practice and leadership within the fields of health, human services, and education. His experience comprises a diverse portfolio of work in healthcare, homeless and residential services, and educational settings; service populations include families and children experiencing homelessness, runaway and foster youth, transitional age youth, early through post-secondary education students, neurodiverse populations, employee assistance settings, and individuals, children, and families impacted by HIV/AIDs.
Dr. Ginder has been an invited presenter for local and national workshops and conferences, and a subject matter expert on topics related to stress reduction, work-life balance, workplace wellness, and contemplative practices. He is currently the Executive Director of the Inland Empire Autism Assessment Center of Excellence (AAC), a non-profit organization providing the gold standard in autism and neurodevelopmental evaluation, and owner of Pine Siskin Consulting, an occupational health consulting firm. Dr. Ginder serves on the First 5 Riverside Children and Families Commission, representing Supervisorial District 1, and participates in the Inland Empire Children’s Cabinet.
Dr. Edwin Gomez
Commissioner, First 5 Riverside County & Superintendent of Schools, Riverside County Office of Education
Dr. Edwin Gomez serves as the 13th Riverside County Superintendent of Schools.
In his role, Dr. Gomez works with the county’s 23 school districts and the staff at the Riverside County Office of Education to ensure high quality education that invests in all students while developing and sustaining strong collaborative relationships with students, teachers, parents, and the community for student success.
Dr. Gomez began his educational career teaching in grades K-8. He has served as a principal in various social-economical communities, led a school out of program improvement status, subsequently resulting in nomination for a National Blue Ribbon Award. Dr. Gomez has been a district Chief Academic Officer and served as a District Superintendent for Adelanto Elementary School District and Coachella Valley Unified School District. He currently serves on the First 5 Riverside County Commission.
Prior to his appointment as the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez served as the Riverside County Deputy Superintendent of Schools and as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Riverside County Office of Education, overseeing the day-to-day operations and coordinating the legislative link between the County Office and state and federal government officials.
Dr. Gomez earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Studies from Pitzer College, his multiple subject teaching credential from the University of Redlands, and Masters of Arts and Doctorate degrees from the California State University, San Bernardino.
Kristin Spanos
Chief Executive Officer for Alameda County First 5
Kristin Spanos is the Chief Executive Officer for Alameda County First 5. Ms. Spanos, who earned a Master of Public Administration with a specialization in Public Finance from New York University, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, has previously served as the Chief Operating Officer for First 5, Deputy Director, Policy Director and Interim Finance Director for Alameda County Social Services Agency, the Chief of Policy and Community Development for Youth Uprising in Oakland, the Principal Financial Analyst for the City of Oakland, and a Bank Examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank in both New York City and San Francisco.
Watch Kristin Spanos read First Morning Sun: A Book of Firsts.
Shalini Singh Anand
Author and consultant for FIRST 5 Santa Clara County
Shalini Singh Anand is an author and consultant for FIRST 5 Santa Clara County
with extensive experience in news reporting and writing. She previously worked as an on-air news reporter and print journalist for local stations like Fox and NBC
News and the International Channel in Los Angeles and the Bay Area. At FIRST 5 Santa Clara County, she created Potter the Otter’s first book A Tale About Water. The book has since circulated over 1 million copies.