Page 22 – Pat Mora

Teachers: 10 Ways You Can Celebrate Children’s Day, Book Day

Many thanks to two of our Children’s Day, Book Day Supporters for these ideas: National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and Colorín Colorado.

#1: Find some special books that represent different cultures to share with your students on April 30th.

#2: Host a Facebook Live special event with a visiting author–or just invite parents and friends to watch your classroom celebration.

#3: April is National Poetry Month, so plan a poetry slam! Or, for younger students, plant a poetry garden: write poems, paste on sticks and “plant” them outside the school.

#4: Schedule a Skype author visit with your class.

#5: Pair readers of different age levels for read-alouds: principals can read a favorite childhood book; teens can help with storytimes for elementary students.

#6: Plan a bilingual/multilingual story hour featuring readers of languages spoken in the community.

#7: Have students create bookmarks and posters for a Children’s Day, Book Day art show.

#8: Find and share videos of authors reading a favorite poem or book.

#9: Plan a school-wide book-themed scavenger hunt.

#10: Make a classroom video with students sharing the name of their favorite book and/or why they love to read.

If you want to share YOUR ideas with us, send an email.

Diapalooza 2018

Hooray for Children and Books!

Twenty-three years of celebrating children and books. What a powerful duo!

Every day is Children’s Day, Book Day–all children, all cultures, all languages. On April 30th, all over the country in all languages including Spanish El día de los niños, El día de los libros (Día) families, libraries, and schools, etc. plan special celebrations, just as we plan for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

We want to be a nation of readers! What are your special plans for sharing bookjoy?

Pat

Celebrate Children's Day, Book Day!

Sharing Bookjoy with These Two Projects!

Pat has a poem called “How to Say a Little Prayer” in The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog: and Other How-To Poems, a brand-new collection of poems selected by Paul B. Janeczko and illustrated by Richard Jones.

Lee & Low Book is reissuing A Library for Juana: The World of Sor Juana Inés in paperback, on April 23. The book was originally published by Knopf Books for Young Readers in 2002.

Alive: March 2019

So much snow this year in Santa Fe! How fortunate I feel safe and warm reading One Hundred Poems from the Chineseby Kenneth Rexroth.

“The city is full of flying pear flowers.”

I enjoy Penelope Lively’s Oleander, Jacaranda: A Childhood Perceived. All her wise and witty perceptions. How lucky I am to be a reader and to have access to books. Do you too savor that blessing? How it expands our lives and connects us across languages and countries. Diverse humans.

Across our country, educators—teachers, librarians, publishers–who are not only readers but reading advocates are planning their annual Children’s Day, Book Day celebrations on April 30th, a year of connecting children to bookjoy. Families join this yearlong commitment at home and can participate in the spring community celebrations.

I am more ALIVE because I’m a reader. You?

Pat

leaves

Celebrating powerful women in March

Illustration by Raul Colon, from Dona Flor

Illustration by Raul Colón,
from Doña Flor

March is Women’s History Month.
Celebrate by reading about powerful women!

Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart A tall tale peppered with Spanish words and phrases about a big, beautiful woman. Also available in a Spanish edition.	A Library for Juana: The World of Sor Juana Inés About the 17th-century scholar who devoted herself to words. Also available in a Spanish edition.
Maria Paints the Hills A picture-book story of real-life Santa Fe painter Maria Hesch.	Agua Santa: Holy Water Drawing on oral and lyrical traditions, this collection of poetry honors the grace and spirit of mothers, daughters, lovers, and goddesses.