Pat was the guest at the Poetry Foundation’s Young People’s Poetry Day event this year!
Hello from the Poetry Foundation!
Every Day is Children’s Day, Book Day!
April Poetry Celebrations
Poetry Foundation’s Young People’s Poetry Day
This year, Pat will be an in-person guest at the Poetry Foundation’s Young People’s Poetry Day event on Friday, April 8 from 12-12:45pm Mountain Time. The event will be held at:
The Poetry Foundation
61 W Superior Street
Chicago, Illinois
Find out more or register here.
Lee & Low Webinar: The Power of Poetry with Poet and Storyteller Pat Mora
The webinar featured tips and strategies about how to use poetry with students in various educational settings. Watch it here:
Children’s Day, Book Day: 26 Years
April 30th 2022 is the 26th Anniversary of the national year-long literacy initiative Children’s Day, Book Day (CDBD). Every child in the U.S. learns English, and this initiative strives to inspire all our children and their families to be readers.
Twenty-six years ago, I first heard of the Mexican tradition of celebrating April 30th as El día del niño, the Day of the Child. I immediately thought: why don’t we celebrate Children’s Day in our country? AND, let’s link that tradition to reading.
Día, which means day, is sometimes used as a nickname, symbolizing the dailiness of our work. The annual triad: April, Children’s Day, Book Day; May, Mother’s Day; June, Father’s Day.
Children’s Day, Book Day is a collaboration of national, state and local library and literacy organizations, educators, publishers and readers creatively promoting the sharing of bookjoy, the private pleasure of reading—and its importance.
Together, let’s grow a nation of readers, essential in our democracy.
Pat Mora
Art by Students
I am so fortunate to know Teacher Librarian Mackie Fritzmeier at Steck Elementary School, Denver Public Schools. Mackie and I met when she was with the Santa Fe Public Schools and hosted an amazing Children’s Day, Book Day celebration. (Annually, such culminating celebrations of children as readers are held across the country on or near April 30th, or a convenient day near that.)
Recently, Mackie sent me a box of art by her younger students in Denver. Page after page, I enjoyed the students’ art and comments about six of my children’s books. What a gift.
Through the years, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and learning from teachers and librarians. As spring begins, join me in honoring educators who encourage and motivate our young to be readers.
Pat