National Lazy Day

Summer Days and Nights is a good read aloud book for toddlers. Wong Herbert Yee writes in simple rhyme to describe a day and night in summer . Celebrate National Lazy Day by taking time to read and remind yourself and your child of the simple pleasures of summer days and nights. The illustrations are wonderful, and kids and adults will relate to a little inquisitive girl who is just enjoying the wonder of the world around her. From walking on tippy toe through the daisies, catching bugs, watching ants at a picnic, and listening to an owl hoot in the evening sky, the book reminds us of the joys of summer that are all around us.

Book Lovers’ Day

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak shows the immense power of words and books. The narrator of this story is Death, who tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster child in Nazi Germany in 1939. Liesel learns of death when her little brother dies early on. Hans, her foster father, teaches her to read, and she learns the power of books. Her fascination with books leads her to become a book thief. Through her life, we see the brutal control of the Nazis. In the end, only Liesel and Max, a Jewish man who was hidden in the basement, survive the war. This book is an excellent choice for readers of all ages. It was also made into a movie in 2013.

Sleep Under the Stars Night

This is a wonderful chapter book for learning readers, and it’s the 17th in a series written by Cynthia Rylant. Henry and Mudge, the dog, go camping with Henry’s parents. The story follows them through preparation, anticipation, set up, and sleeping under the stars. It’s a great introduction to camping and hiking and a great reminder of why it’s important to do those things with kids. When Henry’s parents build a campfire, and Henry looks into the sky at night, he can’t believe there are so many stars. For anyone who has experienced the night sky far away from city lights, it’s magical. Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night has three chapters: Big Bear Lake, A Good Smelly Hike, and Green Dreams. The book has 48 pages and is written for ages 5 to 7. The illustrations by Sucie Stevenson are delightful. Makes me want to go camping!

National Lighthouse Day

The Storm is the first in a series of eight books by Cynthia Rylant. All of the books use a lighthouse and the sea as the setting. The Storm is about a cat named Pandora who was once on a ship that was rescued by a lighthouse and has now dedicated her life to working a lighthouse so she can help others. She loves her work, but it’s a lonely job. Seabold is a sheep dog who loves the sea and spends his time sailing the oceans, which is also a lonely life. One day a storm catches him unaware and he is washed to shore right by the lighthouse where Pandora lives. The two become friends and later in the book rescue a trio of young mice who join their family. The Storm is a chapter book with lovely black and white illustrations by Preston McDaniels that help move and explain the story. This is a good read aloud book as some of the vocabulary may be difficult for young readers. The books have great information on lighthouses and the sea and sea creatures. Each book covers an encounter with a different creature from the sea. There is action, but it’s all low key–great read before bed book!

Wiggle Your Toes Day

This is a lovely and sensual book for young children written by Japanese poet Kiyomi Konagaya. The words combined with the illustrations by Masamitsu Saito transport you straight to the beach with all is colors, sights, and sounds. It captures a day at the beach, from exhilarating moments to quiet moments. “Ow, ow, ow” says the small boy as he runs across the hot sand to the cool ocean water, and then “ahhh,” as his feet feel the cool waves. Readers will be caught up in the exuberance of childhood and the excitement of the beach in this slice of life book for toddlers. It’s a perfect summer read, a perfect book for sitting back and wiggling your toes.

National Underwear Day

What better day to read one of the twelve Captain Underpants than National Underwear Day! The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey is a book that many second and third graders love. The humor appeals to them and encourages them to become independent readers, and I like giving children books they want to read. The first book was published in 1997 and the last in 2015, and the series continues to be exceedingly popular with the younger set. The book centers around two fourth grade boys – George Beard and Harold Hutchins – who write and sell their own comic books with Captain Underpants as the superhero.

National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day

Author/illustrator Gilbert Ford tells the story of the invention of the chocolate chip cookies. Actually, he gives three scenarios on how Ruth Wakefield came up with the iconic cookie–was it a happy accident, a last minute substitution, or a thoughtful invention. The story takes the reader from Ruth’s childhood and love of cooking to the days of the Great Depression when she and her husband take a chance on opening a restaurant, the Toll House Inn. Ruth is a hard worker and a stickler for detail. In her quest to please her guests, she experiments with a butterscotch cookie by adding bits of chocolate. It’s an instant success. It’s so much of a success, that Nestle begins making chocolate chips with the recipe on the back. For every kid, and adult, who loves chocolate chip cookies, this is a fun book to read and be inspired by the resourcefulness of Ruth Wakefield. It’s a 40 page book, recommended for ages preschool to 3, but older kids will like it too.

Friendship Day

The One and Only Ivan by is a book about the power of friendship. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla named Ivan, Newbery Medal Winning author Katherine Applegate chose to tell the story through the eyes of Ivan. Ivan lives in the Big Top Mall and sees the world through a computer that shows a lot of old cowboy movies until a new little elephant named Ruby enters his world. Stella, the old elephant, takes care of Ruby until an old injury proves fatal. Before Stella dies, she asks Ivan to help Stella find a better place. Ivan begins to remember his world before captivity and wants to find a way to give Ruby a better world. With the help of his other friends – Julia the custodian’s daughter and Bob the dog – Ivan finds a way to publicize their circumstances and get help. This is a wonderful book for kids ages 8-14.

National Coloring Book Day

“Once there was a man who saw color everywhere,” and so begins this true story of Edwin Binney, the man who invented Crayola Crayons. In the late 1800s, children wrote with slate pencils or chalk on small tablets, like little blackboards. They mostly wrote in white or gray. Edwin Binney’s wife Alice was a schoolteacher, and she knew children needed something better. Edwin Binney loved to invent things, and he was a good listener. So he gathered a team and went to work in a secret location. He and his team experimented with color and substance and came up with the crayon. He sold them in boxes of 8 for a nickel, and it was an instant success. From then on, more and more colors were added. To this day, crayons are a big part of childhood. Author Natascha Biebow includes a back story and information and pictures on how crayons are made today. Illustrations by Steven Salerno are wonderfully colorful and lively. It’s a 48 page book, recommended for ages 6 to 9, but it’s interesting for all ages.

Back to School Month

My First Day by Phung Nguyen Quang, and illustrated by Huyuh Kim Lien was published in February 2021. It’s an absolutely beautiful picture book about a boy in Vietnam on his first day of school. The book is about his journey to school. Like other children that live along the Mekong Delta, he travels by boat to school. This year his is allowed to take the boat down the river and go to school on his own. He starts out nervous, but also proud to be allowed to take the boat on his own, and by the end he has conquered his fears. The text uses school terms to descrive the river, the fish, the Mangrove Forest, and its unseen animals and strange sounds. It’s a beautiful book about Vietnam, but it’s also a beautiful book about first day of school jitters and the excitement of a new world opening up.