Wonderful Weirdos Day

For Wonderful Weirdos Day, no book could be better that Dan Gemeinhart’s Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. Coyote Sunrise and her dad Rodeo have been rambling around the country in a converted bus for five years when she learns that the city is planning to demolish a park in her old neighborhood. She knows she has to get back to the park and retrieve a long-buried box before it’s lost forever. With a journey of thousands of miles ahead of her, Coyote has a lot to overcome in a short amount of time. Along the way, she finds friends and discovers truths to guide her. It’s a coming-of-age story on love, grief, friendship, and family that readers will long remember.

International Literacy Day

Rocket Writes a Story is the second in a series of books by Tad Hills, a New York times bestselling author. The first book is called How Rocket Learned to Read. I love this book because the dog Rocket and his teacher, the little yellow bird, are charming and relatable characters. Now that Rocket has learned to read, he has fun discovering new words, like buttercup and banana. He writes the words down on pieces of paper and the little yellow bird hangs them on a word tree. Seeing all the words together inspires Rocket to write a story. As all writers, he experiences writer’s block when he sees the blank sheet of paper and joyful “tail wagging” inspiration when words come together. He also meets a new friend and makes that the center of his story. I love the way the characters interact, and I love the two storylines; one with Rocket learning to write a story, and another with Rocket discovering a new friend. This is a 40 page picture book for pre-school through grade 3, and it’s a wonderful series for encouraging learning!

Neither Snow Nor Rain Day

Neither snow nor rain stopped the Pony Express. They’re Off!: The Story of the Pony Express written and illustrated by Cheryl Harness is a treasure for lovers of the Old West. The Pony Express lasted less than two years, but its riders are among the legendary heroes of the Wild West. The illustrations are incredibly beautiful and illuminating. Although the book is quite short, it is packed with information and has wide appeal.

Read A Book Day

Read A Book Day is a good day to start reading the Harry Potter series, the best-selling series of all times. The seven novels tell the story of the young wizard Harry Potter and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. They are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Their struggles against Lord Voldemort have entranced multitudes of children (and adults) around the globe. If you haven’t read at least one of the Harry Potter Books, start with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the first book in the series, and see if the Harry Potter books capture you too.

National Waffle Week

National Waffle Week is the perfect time to learn about breakfasts around the world. Alice B. McGinty’s Pancakes to Parathas introduces children to breakfasts found in twelve countries. Supported by Tomoko Suzuki’s vivid illustrations, this picture book shows cultural diversity and helps children learn details about different foods, as well as geography. Food lovers of all ages will enjoy learning what people around the world eat.

Labor Day

Night Job, a picture book by Karen Hesse and illustrated by G. Brian Karas, is slice of life description of night work. A father takes his son to work with him as he cleans the school building. The book takes the reader on a quiet journey with father and son, showing the comforting routine, the close relationship between father and son, and the benefits of sharing our life and our work with children. The methodical work of the father is contrasted with the boy’s childlike wonder and willingness to help and be a part of his father’s work. It’s a lovely book for sharing the value of labor with our children.

Skyscraper Day

Skyscraper Day gives kids an incentive for learning about skyscrapers. Libby Romero’s Skyscrapers, a Level 3 book in the National Geographic Readers series, traces the history of tall buildings beginning with pyramids and cathedrals and ending with a look into the future. This book has eight chapters about skyscrapers and a glossary and quiz in the back of the book. The text and pictures make the book accessible for young readers, and the facts are interesting enough to intrigue more advanced readers.

National Play Outside Day

National Play Outside Day makes me think of Beatrix Potter, the English author of the classic book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. The book begins, “Once upon a time, there were four little rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-Tail, and Peter.” Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-Tail were good little bunnies, but Peter was quite naughty. This book tells of his venture into Mr. McGregor’s garden, and his outdoor adventures have delighted generations of children since it was published in 1902. The edition pictured above has original illustrations that I grew up knowing and loving, but I also appreciate how technology has allowed this book to become accessible to more children. It is available as a free e-book from freekidsbooks.org at https://mymccoys.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Peter-Rabbit-FKB-Kids-Stories.pdf .

World Letter Writing Day

Today is in some ways such an old-fashioned holiday. How often do we write letters by snail mail today? It reminds me of a book by Beverly Cleary and Paul O. Zelinsky – Dear Mr. Henshaw – which was first published nearly forty years ago in 1984. Leigh Bott is a new student in sixth grade after he and his mother move to a new town following his parents’ divorce. His teacher assigns the students to write their favorite author, and Mr. Henshaw is Leigh’s choice. Mr. Henshaw responds, and he and Leigh begin a correspondence which evolves into Leigh writing pretend letters to Mr. Henshaw in his diary. Although the story takes place long ago, Leigh’s emotions and problems are timeless. Another real plus is that readers can learn the value of expressing emotions through journaling.