Can you believe it? Read Your World Day is almost here!! The celebration is this Thursday!! Have you signed up for the virtual party yet? Today we are sharing a diverse young adult book as part of the special day! The book is the first in a series of two books. The book is Standard Models: Ordinary Gods: a Comedy About a K-Pop Group and Their Fans by Diana Huang. It is recommended for ages 12 to 18.
Read Your World 2026 (1/29/26) is in its 14th 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 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion:
FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Pragmaticmom) and Valarie Budayr (Audreypress.com)
🏅 Super Platinum Sponsor: Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media
🏅 Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 60 Languages and Jeanne Walker Harvey
🏅 Gold Sponsors: Publisher Spotlight
🏅 Silver Sponsors: Red Comet Press
🏅 Silver Corporate Sponsor: Kathy Choi
🏅 Bronze Sponsors: Fabled Films Press
🏅 Corporate Sponsor: Crayola Education
Read Your World is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!
Authors: Audrey Barbakoff, Federico Erebia, Teddi Ahrens, Stephanie M. Wildman, Maritza M. Mejia, Authors J.C. Kato and J.C.², Eugenia Chu, Dorktales Storytime Podcast, Josh Funk, Frances Díaz Evans, Gaia Cornwall, Eric Clock, Maria Wen Adcock, Diana Huang, Gwen Jackson, Gea Meijering, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Ismee Williams, Karin Fisher-Golton, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Tami Lehman-Wilzig, Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou, Nancy Tupper Ling, Teresa Robeson, Crystal Z. Lee, Karen Leggett Abouraya, Elly Swartz, Robbin Miller, Shifa Safadi, Tonya Ellis, Lisa Stringfellow, Sylvia Liu, Kimberly Biddle, Nadine Pressley, Natahsa Yim Carter, and Lisa Chong.
Read Your World is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts and by our Partner Organizations!
Check out RYW’s Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!
📌 FREE RESOURCES from Read Your World Day
- FREE RYW2026 Poster
- FREE Building Community with Bilingual Books 2026 Classroom Kit
- FREE Mental Health Support for Stressful Times Classroom Kit
- FREE Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents
- FREE 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 Read Your World Virtual Party: https://readyourworld.org/virtualparty
Join us on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 8 pm EST celebrating 14 years of Read Your World Day 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 are 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 29, 2026, at our virtual party!
About the Book:
Hyun-Ki was a typical high school student preparing for an uncertain future. She crosses paths with members of STModL (Standard Model), a nine member all male K-pop idol group. They protect and save each other as she navigates the thin line between fame and ordinary life.Standard Models is written as a fun silly k-drama style fan fiction fantasy of a girl being besties with an all male K-pop idol group as we explore adolescent stresses and multicultural joy.
From Me:
In this book we meet Hyun-Ki, a Korean young woman. She is taking classes to prepare for the big exam that determines what universities she may get into in Korea. As she and her friends prepare, she keeps finding some strange situations and somehow this colorful group of young men keep showing up to save her. She and her friends become friends of one of the most popular K-Pop groups as a result. The story shares her adventures of bumping into these kind young men and how the lives intertwine.
It is a fun book and shares diverse characters and a bit of the culture in Korea. The K-Pop group has members that are from various countries and educated in different places. Hyun-Ki and her friends are finishing school and ready for the next step which for most will be university. The adventures include visiting extended family and various festivals. The girls even become aunties to a young dancer who also seems to keep showing up where Hyun-Ki is. It is a story of friendship as well as caring for others. It shows the importance of the chance meetings as well as social media. It also shares a fun world of K-Pop, talent, and celebrities. At the end of the book Diana shares three short stories as well. They are interesting and share different types of tales.
This book is perfect for the K-Pop fans as well as anyone who loves following celebrities. I can see many loving this story. It shares a view of a different life for most kids but one they are very interested in. Be sure to come back on the 29th or after to check out the link party and register for the virtual party!
Be sure to register for the Read Your World Day Virtual Party. It is full of giveaways!! Plus be sure to check out the big link party to find even more amazing diverse books perfect for different ages!!
