Book-A-Day Almanac
Discover the stories behind the children’s book classics and the new books on their way to becoming classics.
George and Martha
Elementary School, Picture Book, PreschoolWere he still living, I’d be sending birthday greetings to Jim Marshall today. He died at the age of fifty, much too young and with too many great books still to come. And I have missed him, personally and professionally, for twenty years. A highly sophisticated human being, Jim grew up in San Antonio, Texas, […]
Animals, FriendshipFeatured on October 10
The Fire Cat
Beginning Readers, Elementary School, FictionOctober happens to be Fire Pup Month. But even old dogs can learn new tricks—and today I will be writing about a cat, not a dog! This year I’ve been meeting with a group of children’s book experts and enthusiasts to choose a small library of the best children’s books. Through this project I have […]
Animals, Cars, Cats, TransportationFeatured on October 1
Shadow on the Mountain
Elementary School, Historical Fiction, Middle SchoolSeptember has been designed Read a New Book Month. Certainly those headed back to school, whether teachers or students, will probably encounter some new titles in the next few weeks. I’d like to highlight a book just published in 2012: Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus. Margi Preus has published two stellar books in […]
History, World War IIFeatured on September 10
Mom, It’s My First Day of Kindergarten!
Elementary School, PreschoolAlthough some schools began in August, this week many children are headed back to school and some are headed there for the first time. Starting kindergarten is a topic so well covered by children’s books that I sometimes mistakenly think no one can come up with an original approach. But then creative people always find […]
Asian American, Family, Multicultural, SchoolFeatured on September 5
Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree
Elementary School, Fiction, Middle SchoolAround this time of year, many children have already headed back to school or are in the process of doing so. If you are hunting for a book that might make middle school sound more interesting than the child in your life thinks it will be, pick up the book of the day, Lauren Tarshis’s […]
Family, SchoolFeatured on August 27
Girls Think of Everything
Elementary School, Nonfiction August has been designated National Inventors Month. So often when we think of inventors, we think of dead white men. But in 2000, writer Catherine Thimmesh and illustrator Melissa Sweet published a book that changed that perception for me: Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women. Catherine sets the stage in the […]
History, Inventors, Science, WomenFeatured on August 20
Extra Yarn
Elementary School, Picture Book During August many individuals visit one of the hundreds of arts and crafts fairs held around the country. Whether you are going to the Festival of the Hills in St. Louis or looking forward to the Minnesota State Fair for its crafts exhibits, you should pick up one of the best celebrations of the art […]
Art, Clothing, ImaginationFeatured on August 13
Carver
Elementary School, High School, Middle School, PoetryAugust has been designated National Inventor’s Month. Possibly because my engineer father held many telecommunications patents, as a child I always felt that invention was something exciting and possible. Certainly in the book of the day, Marilyn Nelson’s Carver, George Washington Carver emerges as a figure any child would want to emulate. Marilyn Nelson has […]
19th century, African American, Award Winning, History, Newbery, ScienceFeatured on August 6
Glory Be
Elementary School, Historical FictionThe summer in New England has been unbearable a few days in July; but I can always drive down to the ocean for a fresh breeze. Not so in my landlocked childhood state of Indiana. For many of my summers, the community pool provided the only escape from long, hazy summer days. Hence I found […]
Civil Rights, Family, HistoryFeatured on July 30
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
Elementary School, FictionThe first entry of our book of the day, Wendy Mass’s Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life occurs on July 22, and so today seemed an appropriate time to look at this beloved book by one of today’s most popular writers for children. Our hero Jeremy beings his saga with words that grab readers’ […]
Family, HumorFeatured on July 22
The Amulet of Samarkand
Elementary School, Fantasy, Middle SchoolJuly marks Audio Book Month, a perfect time to listen to a title that will entertain the entire family. I owe the audio of the day to Alison Morris of Scholastic Book Clubs, who raved about Simon Jones’s rendition of The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud for Listening Library. How right she was. Now […]
Adventure, London, MagicFeatured on July 16
My Life as a Book
Elementary School, Fiction, Middle School Lazy July days—perfect for summer reading. But what if you don’t like to read; what if you actively avoid reading? Such is the dilemma of our protagonist of the day, twelve-year-old Derek, who begins his saga in My Life as a Book by Janet Tashjian with these bold words: “I DON’T WANT TO READ THIS […]
Family, Humor, SchoolFeatured on July 9
The Sherwood Ring
Elementary School, Historical Fiction, Middle School Today marks American Independence Day, the Fourth of July, a time of parades, firecrackers, and outdoor picnics. But every time the Fourth of July comes around, I wonder how much children think about the reason for this holiday. If they don’t, how do we inform them about the American Revolution? Our book of the day, […]
Colonial America, Ghosts, HistoryFeatured on July 4
The Secret of the Yellow Death
Elementary School, NonfictionOn June 18–20, 1900, a young visionary doctor, Major Walter Reed, finished his preparations for a trip that would make him famous. Then from June 21–24 he traveled on the U.S.S. Sedgwick from New York to Cuba. Although Reed had long anticipated the trip because he wanted to do something that would “alleviate human suffering,” […]
20th Century, History, ScienceFeatured on June 18
The Lions of Little Rock
Elementary School, Historical Fiction, Middle SchoolOn June 15, 1836, Arkansas became the 25th state admitted to the Union. Hence today marks Arkansas Admission Day. Certainly in the last part of the twentieth century, Arkansas has loomed large in American politics: It’s the home state of President Bill Clinton and also the site of the highly contested 1957 attempt to integrate […]
Civil Rights, History, School, Social ConscienceFeatured on June 15
The Odyssey
Elementary School, Graphic Novel, Middle SchoolAccording to Eratosthenes, a Greek mathematician and poet, on June 11, 1184 BC the city of Troy was sacked and burned by the Achaeans, ending the Trojan War. Although throughout the years, the very existence of Troy itself has been debated by scholars, one truth remains: Whether real or fabled, these events form the backdrop […]
Adventure, Ancient, History, QuestFeatured on June 11
The Case of the Missing Marquess
Elementary School, Middle School, Mystery/ThrillerAround this time of year many school children find themselves on summer vacation, often with an assignment to read a number of books over the summer. I myself was never so happy as a child as when I had unlimited time to read and a pile of new offerings by my chair. Well, if you […]
Adventure, LondonFeatured on June 9
The Lemonade War
Elementary School, FictionThis week we celebrated Memorial Day, a time to honor those who have defended us during wartime. But unofficially it also means the beginning of summer, a time to bring out the barbecue and plan for warmer days. If you have any industrious children ages seven through twelve looking for some summer inspiration, you might […]
Family, FoodFeatured on May 28
The Boggart
Elementary School, FantasyOn May 23, 1935, Susan Cooper was born in England. While at Oxford, she listened to lectures by J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, who had set up the curriculum in English Literature and Language. Although this meant as a student that she didn’t read much written past 1832, it did give her a lot […]
England, Magic, TechnologyFeatured on May 23
Tangerine
Elementary School, Fiction, Middle SchoolOn May 21, 1904, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was founded in Paris. Today the Fédération administers the World Cup. What the rest of the world calls “football” has been renamed soccer in the United States. Over the last decade, because of soccer’s obvious advantages—an exciting game, team play, and inexpensive equipment—the sport […]
Family, Soccer, SportsFeatured on May 21
The Great Molasses Flood
Elementary School, NonfictionIn the spring of 2012 several first-rate natural disaster books appeared, probably because of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Besides the Titanic books, Sally M. Walker wrote a thrilling account of the Halifax Explosion of 1917 in Blizzard of Glass. Our book of the day by Deborah Kops, The Great Molasses […]
20th Century, History, ScienceFeatured on May 8
The Animal Family
Elementary School, Fiction Born on May 6, 1914, Randall Jarrell did not publish his first children’s book until he was fifty. By that time he had established himself as one of America’s premiere poets for adults and was also renowned for his brilliant literary criticism. Michael di Capua, then at Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, lured Jarrell into children’s […]
Animals, FamilyFeatured on May 6
Step Gently Out
Elementary School, Picture Book, Preschool In April we’ve been celebrating Poetry Month. I actually wish every day were Poetry Day for children and that a poems were part of their daily literary diet. In the last couple of years, single poetry volumes for children ages two through eight—the work of Joyce Sidman and books like Marilyn Singer’s Mirror Mirror—have increased. […]
Animals, Insects, NatureFeatured on April 24
The One and Only Ivan
Elementary School, Fiction April has been designated Pets Are Wonderful Month (PAWS), which all pets are, of course. As I write, my dear Lance snoozes not far from my feet. They provide inspiration and attention. People have kept all kinds of animals, as pets or objects of curiosity, over the years. And the treatment of these animals lies […]
Animals, Social ConscienceFeatured on April 18
The White Mountains
Elementary School, Middle School, Science FictionOn April 16, 1922, John Christopher was born as Samuel Youd in Lancashire, England. Leaving school at sixteen, Christopher began writing adult science fiction novels, but then a British publisher asked Christopher if he would try his hand at a science fiction novel for young readers. Quite naively Christopher believed that writing a book for […]
Adventure, Dystopia, QuestFeatured on April 16
Wonder
Elementary School, Fiction, Middle SchoolApril 12 marks a day that I am very fond of: Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) Day. It reminds us to put aside whatever we are doing and take time to enjoy a book. Since Beverly Cleary’s birthday also falls on this day, families can find no better place to go than Cleary’s books. Today […]
Family, School, Special NeedsFeatured on April 12
Little Red Riding Hood
Elementary School, Picture Book, PreschoolBorn in Philadelphia on April 8, 1939, Trina Schart Hyman trained as an illustrator and spent over three decades creating beautiful books and artwork for children. Beloved by her editors, Trina, who was always a force to be reckoned with, delighted in making sure they actually studied what she had drawn. She usually wove in […]
Award Winning, Caldecott, Fairy Tale, FolktaleFeatured on April 8
Green
Elementary School, PreschoolApril has been designated School Library Media Month and Gardening Month. Since both causes are dear to my heart, I set aside this day early in April to celebrate both so that the party can continue through the rest of April. I believe that school libraries, or media centers, have done more to help children […]
Ecology, Gardening, Nature, SpringFeatured on April 4
A Bear Called Paddington
Chapter Book, Elementary SchoolMarch has been set aside to celebrate the idea that “Humorists are Artists.” Funny books are among the hardest things to write for children—and often the writers get less respect than their more serious counterparts. I am, therefore, always happy when the Almanac can celebrate humor and humorists. Published in 1958, Michael Bond’s A Bear […]
Animals, Bears, LondonFeatured on March 26
Alabama Moon
Elementary School, Fiction, Middle SchoolAs the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War continues from March 21-23 in Jackson County, Alabama, one of the largest reenactments of the war takes place. The Siege of Bridgeport attracts thousands of people for this annual event with period music, encampments, and vendors. I myself have never attended a reenactment that I didn’t love […]
Adventure, SurvivalFeatured on March 23
And Then It’s Spring
Elementary School, Picture Book, Preschool It has been an unusually difficult winter in New England this year, with several feet of snow arriving in the region. Although my Bernese Mountain Dog Lance has enjoyed every flake, I find myself longing for the first day of spring. That sense of joy, of the brown, dry earth coming to life has been […]
Animals, Nature, Seasons, SpringFeatured on March 20
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.
