National Matchmaker Day

For National Matchmaker Day, The Fairy Tale Matchmaker Book 1 by E. D. Baker is an interesting read for book lovers who are fans of fairy tales and nursery rhymes. Cory hates her job as a tooth fairy so much that she quits. The Tooth Fairy Guild targets her for quitting, and she runs into all kinds of problems ranging from a broken window to an influx of crabs. She supports herself by doing odd jobs while she looks for a career that fits her personality. Her journey to matchmaker is filled with difficulties, but the one positive factor is that she is now free in daytime, so she can interact with friends and pursue her interest in playing in her band. This is the first book in a series of four.

National Beach Day

Beach is a beautiful book, written and illustrated by Elisha Cooper. In these last weeks of summer, this is a wonderful book to read and reminisce about the beach, or if you’re planning one more trip to the beach, read and anticipate about the joys. The book starts out with intent: “Away to the beach! Away to sand and salt water, to rolling dunes and pounding waves.” The opening spread is just the stillness of a quiet beach, but as you turn the pages, people begin arriving. Through pictures and text, the book describes the familiar activities of a day at the beach. It’s a lovely picture book to read and discuss with a child. What do they love about the beach? What is their favorite activity? What is this person doing in the picture? One reviewer commented that they liked the art in the book so much that they kept the book on their coffee table at their beach house. It’s just that good!

Hurricane Katrina, 2005

In 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast leaving more than 1800 people dead and over 160 billion dollars of destruction in its path. The Rose Without a Name is the story of the rose that was the only rose in Peggy Martin’s garden of 450 roses to survive the effects of the hurricane. Its miraculous survival gave hope to a broken land. The gorgeous rose, once popularly known as the Katrina Rose, is now officially named the Peggy Martin Rose. Melisssa Vandiver’s vivid illustrations are a beautiful addition to the text. The book includes facts about hurricanes and roses. The back of the book has the true story and photographs of Peggy Martin and her rose. (https://crimsondragonpublishing.com/product/the-rose-without-a-name/)

National Thoughtful Day

Thank You Omu!, written and illustrated by Oge Mora, has won many awards, including a 2019 Caldecott honor book. It’s a tale from Nigeria about a woman, Omu, making a delicious stew for her dinner. As the smell of the stew wafts across the city streets, people are drawn by the enticing smell to knock on her door. She shares stew with a little boy, a hot dog vendor, a police woman, a baker, and many more. But after sharing bowls of stew all day, there is nothing left for her at dinner time. But, the new friends she shared with earlier show up with food to share with her. Everyone is grateful and thankful. It’s a good story for thoughtful day as we all consider ways to be more thoughtful and kind to one another.

National Dog Day

Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp is the first in a series of picture books, which include Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog and Madeline Finn and the Therapy Dog. In this first book, a little girl, Madeline Finn, is a reluctant reader. She has trouble reading out loud and gets the words and letters confused. Her teacher encourages her with heart stickers that say “keep trying,” but Madeline Finn wants to earn the coveted star sticker. One day her mother takes her to the library, and the librarian introducers her to Bonnie, a big white dog, and asks Madeline Finn if she would like to read to Bonnie. This is a sweet and encouraging story about children learning at their own pace, and the love and acceptance of a dog. What a wonderful way to celebrate National Dog Day.

National Park Service Day

America’s National Parks 1 is a Lonely Planet Kids book by author Alexa Ward and author-illustrator Mike Lowery. It’s a wonderful book to show children (and their parents) some of the things they can see and do in each of the sixty national parks. Beginning with Acadia and ending with Zion, this book introduces each park with facts, photographs, and cute illustrations. If you’re looking for an overview of the parks or if you’re planning a trip, this book is resource you won’t want to miss.

National Waffle Day

Adventures with Waffles by Maria Parr is a book recommended for ages 7 to 10 set in a place called Mathildewick Cove in Norway. It’s about two nine year old children, Lena, who is bold and adventurous, and her more practical neighbor and friend Trille (nickname for Theobald Rodrik Danielsen Yttergard). Lena instigates many reckless, harrowing. and hilarious adventures, pulling Trille along with her. The book is narrated by Trille, who lives in a big household where his Aunt Granny is a frequent visitor, and she makes the best waffles ever, which add sweet and comforting relief to the misadventures. Readers get Trille’s viewpoint and interpretation of daily life, from Sunday School and the Bible stories taught to community traditions and celebrations. In one of many adventures, Trille and Lena decide to test the story of Noah’s ark by “borrowing” Trille’s uncle’s boat and putting as many pairs of animals on board as they can. Things fall apart when they add a cow to the mix on the small boat. This is a wonderful story of childhood and exploration and longings and friendship. There is diversity in the families and the encounters with the community, just like in real life.

Ride the Wind

Feel the Wind written and illustrated by Arthur Dorros is the perfect book to introduce children to the wind and its power. This book is packed with information about the wind presented in a kid-friendly way. The author’s use of literary language promotes imagination with its metaphors, similes, and personification, and the back of the book has directions for making a wind vane. It’s definitely a short book that encourages long discussions.    

National Tooth Fairy Day

This Holly Hobbie book is one of the Toot and Puddle series, and it’s a reassuring way to introduce kids to the prospect of losing teeth and the tooth fairy. Charming Opal is as it says, a charming, sweet story. It’s about a little pig’s visit to see her cousin Puddle and friend Toot. While visiting Toot and Puddle’s home in Woodcock Pocket, Opal enjoys summer fun and games. But, Opal has a loose tooth, and it gets looser each day until one day she loses it in Pocket Pond. The pigs are determined to find the tooth in the pond. Once the tooth is found, Opal is sure the tooth fairy will find her way to Woodcock Pocket, but Toot and Puddle aren’t so sure, so they devise their own plan to help. As can be anticipated from the cute names of pigs and places, Charming Opal ends on a happy, sweet note. This is a 32 page picture book for ages 4 to 8, and it’s a reassuring story for kids who may be nervous about having a loose tooth.

Poet’s Day

If you’re looking for positive affirmations, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers by Fred Rogers is the ideal book. It has seventy-five of Mr. Rogers’s songs written as poetry. With a traditional rhyme scheme and an encouraging message, each poem is a treasure that will likely bring back memories from the parents’ childhood. Luke Flowers’s illustrations are bright and happy. This is a book that you will want to read over and over again – and maybe even sing.