Book-A-Day Almanac
Discover the stories behind the children’s book classics and the new books on their way to becoming classics.
365 Penguins
All Ages, Picture BookToday marks Penguin Awareness Day. Who doesn’t love penguins? They look so wonderful in their tuxedos, so well turned out and charming. But, then, I must admit that I have never lived with any. If I did, possibly I’d feel differently—I’d be more circumspect about them, like the family in our book of the day, […]
Animals, Award Winning, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Family, Humor, PenguinsFeatured on January 20
Winnie the Pooh
All Ages, Classic Today has been designated Winnie-the-Pooh Day. On October 14, 1926, a British playwright, who also liked to dabble in poetry and prose for children, published a book named after a stuffed toy bear: “Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin.” Milne’s son Christopher […]
Humor, ToysFeatured on January 18
Letters From a Desperate Dog
Elementary School, Picture BookJanuary 8 through 14 is designated Universal Letter Writing week, celebrating the art of writing and receiving a hand-written letter. Certainly in the age of computers, letter writing on paper has suffered in popularity. Even the protagonist of our book of the day, Emma, uses the keyboard to send off her letter. Possibly Emma can be […]
Animals, Dogs, HumorFeatured on January 13
Walter R. Brooks
Classic, Elementary School, Fantasy, Middle School, Mystery/ThrillerOn January 9, 1886, Walter R. Brooks was born in Rome, New York. Orphaned at an early age, he was sent to a military academy and then attended the University of Rochester. An interest in homeopathic medicine brought him to New York City, where he worked for the Red Cross. He then turned his hand […]
Adventure, Animals, Humor, PigsFeatured on January 9
Captain Underpants
Elementary School, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, SeriesToday is set aside to “Run it up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes.” The concept behind the day, and the phrase, is to get people to try out a new idea. But often for children, these sayings take on literal meanings, such as in Jerry Spinelli’s Who Ran My Underwear Up a Flagpole. […]
Adventure, Humor, Imagination, SchoolFeatured on January 2
The Twenty-One Balloons
Elementary School, FantasyOn December 14, 1782, the Montgolfier brothers’ first balloon lifted off on its first test flight. Later they would conduct public demonstrations, taking a thirty-three-foot diameter balloon aloft for about ten minutes. From this humble beginning, humans sailing the skies in a hot-air balloons became a possibility. William Waterman Sherman, the protagonist of the Newbery […]
Adventure, Award Winning, Humor, Newbery, TechnologyFeatured on December 14
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Elementary School, FictionAround this time of year, many families, some who do not even regularly attend church, find themselves in one, supporting the local Christmas Pageant. This event, acted out in communities across America, allows children to play starring roles in the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. Sometimes even local animals make debut appearances in […]
Christmas, Family, Holidays, HumorFeatured on December 13
The Scrambled States of America
Elementary School, Nonfiction, Picture BookThis month schools began participating in the National Geographic Bee, an annual contest sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The third week of November the Society marks Geography Awareness Week, providing a multitude of project materials at their website. Since 1989, participants from fourth through eighth grades have competed in this annual event for scholarships, based […]
Geography, HumorFeatured on November 15
Pippi Longstocking
Elementary School, FantasyBorn on November 14, 1907, Astrid Lindgren grew up on a farm just outside Vimmerby, Sweden. Pippi Longstocking, the book for which she became world-renowned, published in the United States sixty years ago, arose from stories she told her seven-year-old daughter. Sick in bed with pneumonia, the young girl asked for a story about Pippi […]
Adventure, Animals, HumorFeatured on November 14
Mary Poppins
Elementary School, FantasyOn November 13, 1926, a short story appeared in a New Zealand newspaper, the Christchurch Sun, by a young writer, who had emigrated to England from Australia. It recounted the saga of an “underneath nurse” age seventeen, and her charges Jane, Michael, Barbara, and John. On a day out, she puts on gloves, tucks a […]
Adventure, Humor, MagicFeatured on November 13
So You Want to Be President?
Elementary School, Nonfiction, Picture Book It’s November when Americans vote in national elections. November is also Picture Book Month, a time set aside to celebrate the need for picture books in the lives of children. Both causes merge in our book of the day, which both educates and entertains young people — just as good picture books should. Winner of the 2001 Caldecott Medal for David […]
Award Winning, Caldecott, History, Humor, PoliticsFeatured on November 2
It’s a Book
All Ages, Picture BookIn 1929 the General Federation of Women’s Clubs adopted a holiday that became generally observed in the country by 1949 as National Author’s Day. The resolution for the holiday reads: “by celebrating an Author’s Day as a nation, we would not only show patriotism, loyalty, and appreciation of the men and women who have made […]
Humor, TechnologyFeatured on November 1
Bats at the Ballgame
Elementary School, Picture BookToday the boys of October, the World Series contenders, begin the final part of the yearly epic quest—to gain the World Series pennant. For over a century, baseball and baseball legend have been an integral part of American life. If you plan to watch or attend the World Series, or if you just want to […]
Animals, Baseball, Bats, Humor, SportsFeatured on October 27
Pete’s a Pizza
Elementary School, Picture BookToday we celebrate an event everyone can enjoy. October is National Pizza Month, a perfect time to engage in America’s favorite pastime: eating a scrumptious pie. As a nation, we consume 350 slices of pizza each second! According to a recent Gallop poll, children three to eleven prefer pizza over any other food for lunch […]
Food, HumorFeatured on October 24
Daily children’s book recommendations and events from Anita Silvey.
Discover the stories behind the children’s book classics . . .
The new books on their way to becoming classics . . .
And events from the world of children’s books—and the world at large.
