Book-A-Day Almanac
Discover the stories behind the children’s book classics and the new books on their way to becoming classics.
Josephine
Elementary School, Picture Book Black History Month encourages the sharing of books about African American history with children. And although there has always been a certain predictability to the titles authors and publishers offer for young readers on this topic, we have recently seen some unique and unexpected titles, such as Steve Sheinkin’s Port Chicago 50. Such is the […]
20th Century, African American, Dance, History, Multicultural, ParisFeatured on February 17
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
Elementary School, Picture Book, Preschool The first week of February has been set aside to celebrate children’s authors and illustrators. I’ve already written about the author of the book of the day, How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? Jane Yolen. Today I would like to sing the praises of illustrator Mark Teague. I recently had the pleasure of sharing an […]
Bedtime, DinosaursFeatured on February 4
The Iridescence of Birds
Biography, Elementary School, Picture Book As all who closely follow the children’s books world know, around this time of year the major children’s book awards (Newbery and Caldecott) get announced at the annual ALA meeting. Many enjoy the process of Mock Caldecott or Newbery award events, a way to get everyone involved. In my case I sit down every year […]
ArtFeatured on January 19
I’m My Own Dog
Elementary School, Picture Book, PreschoolToday we celebrate National Dress Up Your Pet Day. But not my dog Lancelot. Like many Bernese Mountain Dogs, he possesses an incredible sense of dignity. The only item he has ever allowed added to be added to his already regal appearance is a jingle-bell collar at Christmas. For all who are thinking about dressing […]
Animals, Dogs, HumorFeatured on January 14
Flashlight
Picture Book, PreschoolIn 1965, UNESCO set aside a day to highlight to individuals and communities the importance of literacy, and deemed it International Literacy Day. People celebrate it around the world every year on September 8. But before children can become verbally literate, they need to develop visual literacy. In our book of the day, Flashlight, Lizi […]
AnimalsFeatured on September 8
Brave Chicken Little
Elementary School, Picture BookAugust has been designated Get Ready for Kindergarten month, so this month’s Almanac entries focus on books that discuss the kindergarten experience. When I think about what reading heritage all kindergarten-bound children should be familiar with, I think of folklore and fairy tales. Robert Byrd’s Brave Chicken Little, a variation on the familiar tale, was […]
Animals, Fairy TaleFeatured on August 28
The Pilot and the Little Prince
Elementary School, Picture BookAntoine de Saint-Exupery was born in Lyon, France, on June 29, 1900. Called the Sun King by his family because of his golden hair, the young boy truly had his eyes on the sky. At the age of twelve he made his first flying machine from a bicycle. In The Pilot and the Little Prince, […]
History, Planes, True Story, World War I, World War IIFeatured on June 29
Ira Sleeps Over
Elementary School, Picture BookThis week we celebrate the annual observance of Children’s Book Week. In April, an exhibit of the work of Bernard Waber opened at the Eric Carle Picture Book Museum in Amherst, Massachusetts. About a hundred people attended the opening, including a roster of writers and illustrators who had known and loved Bernie Waber. Meeting Bernie’s […]
Family, ToysFeatured on May 12
We’re Going On a Bear Hunt
Babies and Toddlers, Picture Book March has been designated March into Literacy Month, and when I think of that idea, a particularly brilliant book comes to mind—We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and illustrator Helen Oxenbury. This book completely belongs to both author and illustrator. Michael Rosen took a chant for children that enticed him, and set […]
FamilyFeatured on March 17
Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors?
Biography, Elementary School, Picture Book Since 1987, Women’s History Month has been celebrated in March—a time to look at all the unsung heroines and their contributions over the years. In 2013 the talented duo of Tanya Lee Stone and Marjorie Priceman teamed up to create a picture book perfect for Women’s History Month, Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors? The […]
History, Science, Social Conscience, WomenFeatured on March 10
There Goes Ted Williams: The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived
Elementary School, Picture BookI grew up in the state of Indiana, where basketball stood as the supreme sport, and moved to a city Boston, where baseball reigns. Consequently, like most Bostonians, I know that today the Red Sox play their first game in spring training. So I thought I would use this occasion to talk about one of […]
20th Century, Baseball, History, Sports, World War IIFeatured on February 27
Lifetime: The Amazing Numbers in Animal Lives
Elementary School, Nonfiction, Picture Book February has been designated Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month. Of course, any time we connect children with a good book, seeds are being planted. But certainly children of the twenty-first century will need both math and science skills for the duration of their lives, and exciting books in this area are far too hard […]
Animals, ScienceFeatured on February 17
The Other Side
Elementary School, Picture Book Today, many in the blogging community will be celebrating multiculturalism in children’s books. For a list of those participating, check pragmaticmom and Jump Into a Book. In a society where our children come from a variety of racial backgrounds, the plea for high-quality content, featuring characters of all races, has never been more important. On […]
African American, Civil Rights, History, MulticulturalFeatured on January 27
The Bear’s Song
Elementary School, Picture Book, PreschoolFrom January 19–25, we celebrate Hunt for Happiness Week. A perfect book for this week has been sitting on my shelf for months: Benjamin Chaud’s The Bear’s Song. A large picture book at 14 ½ inches tall by 9 ¾ inches wide, The Bear’s Song first appeared in France and has been published in the […]
Animals, Bears, ImaginationFeatured on January 20
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild
Elementary School, Picture BookToday we celebrate a little-recognized holiday, “Thank Goodness It’s Monday,” and an event that lasts for all of January, The Celebration of Life. These two seemingly incongruous observances remind me of one of my favorite picture books of 2013, Peter Brown’s Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. Now, for want of a better term, I am a […]
Animals, HumorFeatured on January 6
How Tom Beat Captain Najork and His Team of Hired Sportsmen
Elementary School, Picture Book Today on the Almanac, I send birthday greetings to Sir Quentin Blake, born outside of London. While still a teenager, he began contributing to Punch magazine. After studying English at Cambridge, he took life-drawing classes at the Chelsea Art School and, in 1960, began a glorious career as a children’s book illustrator—one that has resulted […]
Humor, Imagination, SportsFeatured on December 16
Mr. Wuffles!
Elementary School, Picture BookDecember has been designated Read a New Book Month. Often in December, we hunt for something recently published that will make the perfect gift. Now, I admit that I favor dog books. And my readers have been patient with me as I rhapsodize over titles like Love that Dog or Homer, month after month. But […]
Animals, Cats, Humor, Imagination, TechnologyFeatured on December 2
How I Learned Geography
Elementary School, Picture BookNovember has been designated Life Writing Month, dedicated to the idea that each person has a story to tell from his or her own history. Next week, we celebrate National Geography Week. Our book of the day, Uri Shulevitz’s How I Learned Geography, can be used for both occasions. This powerful picture book, perennially popular […]
Geography, History, World War IIFeatured on November 12
Exclamation Mark
Elementary School, Picture Book This week has been designated World Communication Week to remind us that computer access has made worldwide communication possible. Even this blog, read around the globe, and my national and international friendships on Facebook and Twitter would not be possible without all the technological breakthroughs that have sustained the Internet. If Twitter were a country, […]
ImaginationFeatured on November 4
Locomotive
Elementary School, Nonfiction, Picture BookOctober has been designated National Reading Group Month. Usually, reading groups select novels. But today I recommend an unusual and brilliant work of narrative nonfiction published last month: Brian Floca’s Locomotive. With a career that began when Brian illustrated books for Avi in the early 1990s, the artist has continued to grow and get better […]
History, Science, Technology, Trains, TransportationFeatured on October 21
Redwoods
Elementary School, Nonfiction, Picture BookOctober 2, 1968 marks the establishment of California’s Redwood National Park, which protects slightly less than half of the remaining coast redwoods. Unfortunately, I have never personally seen one of these beauties, but hearing about the raging fires in Yosemite National Park in August and September led me to return to one of my favorite […]
Ecology, Nature, ScienceFeatured on October 2
The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdös
Biography, Elementary School, Picture Book Today we can celebrate Wonderful Weirdos Day, created by the citizens of Austin, Texas. The organizers suggest that we all need to recognize those individuals in our lives who are not normal or average. Our book of the day does just that; even its subtitle suggests that it celebrates a wonderful weirdo as it chronicles […]
History, Science, TechnologyFeatured on September 9
Where Is the Green Sheep?
Babies and Toddlers, Picture Book, Preschool Around this time of year Ohio celebrates Sheep Day! In Wayne County at the Sheep Research Unit, Ohio State University faculty, staff, and students convene to discuss how to successfully raise sheep. If I were anywhere near this event, I’d go because I have a soft spot for sheep. Instead I’ll pick up the book […]
Animals, BedtimeFeatured on July 13
Let’s Do Nothing!
Elementary School, Picture Book, PreschoolFor some reason, although it is summertime, things seem busier than ever during the month of July. I suppose I always secretly long for the summers I remember from my youth—with long periods of unstructured time. New Englanders tend to cram six months of living into the days of sunshine. But when I feel frantic, […]
HumorFeatured on July 1
Waiting for Wings
Elementary School, Picture Book, PreschoolToday we celebrate Butterfly Day, a time to go out and gaze at some of nature’s most beautiful creatures. They lift their wings and our spirits. My favorite butterfly book since 2001 has been Lois Ehlert’s Waiting for Wings, an oversized volume that highlights butterflies and the plants that sustain them. Lois Ehlert always knew […]
Animals, Gardening, Insects, Science, ZoologyFeatured on June 19
Lucky Ducklings
Elementary School, Picture Book, Preschool At the Natural History Museum in Rotterdam on June 5, they acknowledge Dead Duck Day and discuss ways to prevent these winged city dwellers from colliding into windows. I, however, don’t like to use Almanac pages to feature dead ducks or dead dogs. But our book of the day, Eva Moore’s Lucky Ducklings, does explore […]
Animals, Ducks, True StoryFeatured on June 5
The Shrinking of Treehorn
Elementary School, Picture Book Born in Chicago on February 22, 1925, Edward St. John Gorey briefly attended the Art Institute of Chicago but actually received a B.A. from Harvard in French. He began his career as a book jacket designer and became a staff artist at Doubleday. Around that time, Gorey started publishing illustrated tales, often under a pseudonym, […]
Art, FamilyFeatured on February 22
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs
Elementary School, Picture Book, PreschoolJanuary has been designated National Folktale Month. Ever since Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith published The True Story of Three Little Pigs, over two decades ago, fractured fairy tales, or folklore, have attracted writers and illustrators. Our book of the Day, Mo Willems’s Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs, falls squarely in that tradition. Children enjoy stretching […]
Dinosaurs, FolktaleFeatured on January 7
Stories 1 2 3 4
Elementary School, Picture Book Today illustrator Etienne Delessert celebrates his birthday—he has been creating children’s books for more than fifty years. When I was a young critic in the 1970s, the avant guard of illustration consisted of Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are), Tomi Ungerer (No Kiss for Mother), Edward Gorey (The Shrinking of Treehorn), and Etienne Delessert, […]
Art, Bedtime, Imagination, TrendsettingFeatured on January 4
Monsieur Marceau
Biography, Elementary School, Picture Book December has been designated Read a New Book Month. During this month many hunt for new books to give as gifts. If you are one of those people, take a look at the picture book biography, Monsieur Marceau, written by Leda Schubert and illustrated by Gerard Dubois, winner this year of NCTE’s Orbis Pictus Award. […]
History, Theater, World War IIFeatured on December 10
Unspoken
Elementary School, Picture BookDecember has been designated Read a New Book Month. I look forward to this celebration because I can present some new gems of the last couple of years. In 2012 Henry Cole published a remarkable wordless picture book, Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad. In artwork created only with charcoal, paper and pencil, Henry […]
Civil War, History, Social ConscienceFeatured on December 5
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.
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