Next week is Children’s Book Week, an annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading. Established in 1919, it has been going strong for 99 years! Every year, events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, bookstores, homes–wherever young readers and books connect! On their resource website you can download free bookmarks, activities, event kits & more for your Children’s Book Week–and Día–celebrations.
Annually during Díapalooza, we remember that we all need to be good stewards of the beauty on our planet: www.earthday.org.
Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge
if the earth’s old bones smile
I hear them
in the hush of this greenless forest
shining up to the gray clump of salt cedar
to black swords of mesquite
to the grace of grasses, yellow, rust
if the earth’s old bones smile
I hear them
in the hush of this greenless forest
shining up to the gray clump of salt cedar
to black swords of mesquite
to the grace of grasses, yellow, rust
if the earth’s old bones smile
I hear them shining
to strange chirps and chatters
to strange birds with necks that flow and flow
Canadian geese, sandhill cranes
stirring the air, stirring the air
if the earth’s old bones smile
I hear them shining
in pools, in the mallard’s green shimmer
in the startled FLAP
filling the blue with a whirl white
silent, vast
then dip of black tip
snow geese, snow geese
if the earth’s old bones smile
I hear them
shining in the white of the majestic crane
the great Whoop
white neck flowing, flowing
into desert grasses
white flowing
into the smile of old bones.
© Pat Mora; poem from Communion
In 1997, the first annual Día celebrations were held in cities including El Paso and Austin. Texas has continued to support Día with celebrations in many places, and California is not far behind! Here’s what’s happening in 2018:
El Paso
This year mark’s El Paso Public Library’s 22nd Día celebration! Held on Saturday, April 28 in Washington Park from 10-4, the festivities routinely draw 20-30,000 attendees, giving away up to 30,000 books to children who might not otherwise have a book of their own. Follow them on Facebook.
The Texas Center for the Book at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Both organizations are involved Children’s Day, Book Day partners, encouraging libraries statewide to participate in Día through their newsletters, social media and the Lone Star Día website. This year, the Texas Center for the Book gave grants of $200 to assist Texas libraries who serve children in need in planning their celebrations.
Día San Francisco
San Francisco’s first Día celebration was in 1999 and each year the event grows in attendance and collaboration. Past celebrations have attracted over 800 children and their families who enjoy diverse performance groups, storytellers, literacy-related family activities, and the SFPL Bookmobile as well as the new mobile Librotero, a mobile book giveaway cart–instead of paletas, families choose libros to take home. This year’s celebration is on Sunday, April 29, 2018 from 1-4 with books, bubbles, dancing and hula hoops! Visit San Francisco’s official Día page or follow them on Facebook.
Yolo County Library (CA)
Yolo County celebrates Día in all of their branches! Children who attend these events will receive a free book and can participate in educational activities, watch a special performance, and listen to a story time program. Parents and caregivers will find helpful local resources from community organizations. Find out more.
Santa Ana
The City of Sanata Ana will hold their 10th annual Día celebration on Saturday, April 21. Watch a video from their 2017 celebration:
Teachers are important advocates for Children’s Day, Book Day. The American Federation of Teacher’s Share My Lesson website is a destination for educators who dedicate their time and professional expertise to provide the best education for students everywhere. visit their Día page to find lesson plans.
Share My Lesson is up for a #Webby award in Education. Vote for them by Thursday, April 19!
Meryle Leonard with her son Jay.
Colorín Colorado Manager and Día Dynamo Lydia Breiseth has been a loyal and creative Día supporter for years, maintaining a Children’s Day, Book Day page on the Colorin Colorado website with resources, videos and planning ideas. This year she also sent a survey to find out about Día celebrations in schools–if you know of a school planning a celebration, please share the survey with them!
April Children’s Day, Book Day celebrations can be found in many different places–here are two examples happening this month:
Community Organizations
ELLAchattanooga is a community arts organization in East Lake, Chattanooga, TN who has an annual Book Fiesta. This year’s event will be on Saturday, April 14 from 1-4. Inspired by Pat’s Book Fiesta, they set out to bring her book to life in East Lake Park, inviting the whole neighborhood out to read, play and create in English & Spanish! Enjoy this video of last year’s celebration:
Public Libraries
Ana Ruiz Morillo
Parents: plan a gathering for family and friends. You can select a book for the party theme, plan some games and activities, and prepare a feast–but don’t forget to #ShareBookjoy at the party!
Teachers: Decorate school hallways and classroom doors with multicultural book covers, share poetry with The Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations and pair readers of different age levels for read-alouds.
Librarians: Launch your Summer Reading Program with books that honor America’s many cultures and languages, have a book parade–invite children to dress as their favorite characters and create a display of bookjoy quotes from authors and patrons.
Don’t forget to share Book Fiesta! Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day, Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros!
Illustration by Rafael Lopez from Book Fiesta!