April is full of holidays for the reader in you to enjoy. 

National Poetry Month:  Began in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets and it's celebrated by schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets.  There are many ways that you can celebrate National Poetry Month such as signing up to receive a Poem-a-Day, buy a Poetry book, start a poetry book reading group, etc.  You can check out their website to see 30 ways to celebrate national poetry month.

International Children's Book Day (ICBD) - 4/2:  International Children's Book Day (ICBD) has been celebrated since 1967 on Hans Christian Anderson's birthday.  It is "celebrated to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children's books.  Each year a different National Section of IBBY has the opportunity to be the international sponsor of ICBD. It decides upon a theme and invites a prominent author from the host country to write a message to the children of the world and a well-known illustrator to design a poster."  This year IBBY Latvia is sponsoring International Children's Book Day 2018.

National Library Week:  This year marks National Library week's 60th year anniversary which started in 1958.  Concerned that Americans were reading less the National Book Committee was created in 1954. "The committee's developed a plan for National Library Week based on the idea that once people were motivated to read, they would support and use libraries." The first National Library Week theme was "Wake Up and Read!"

National DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) Day - 4/12:  DEAR is designed to remind families to make reading a priority in their lives.  The date of April 12th is in honor of Author Beverly Cleary and creator of the books Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins which is a favorite book of many readers.  To celebrate National DEAR Day families are encouraged to take at least 30 minutes and enjoy books together. 

​Happy reading!!
How have decided to celebrate these holidays this month?  Do you have any favorite poets or poems?  Have you heard of any of these literary holidays before?  Have any of them interested you to start looking for them yearly?

Enjoy!

December is Read a New Book Month.  

Although 2017 is coming to a close and the holiday's are upon us there's still nothing better then curling up with a good book to take all the stress away from all the holiday shopping, cooking and cold weather.  With December being Read a New Book Month I realized a new book doesn't have to be a book you just bought at the bookstore (although of course it can be) but it can be a "new" old book you're interested in reading, a "new" book by a new author or a "new" genre than what you're used to reading.  Maybe I'm being a bit liberal with the definition but any reason to read works for me.  Kick your feet up, grab a hot cup of hot chocolate and start reading!!!

What new book(s) are you planning to read?

​The month of September hosts quite a few literary holidays:

• National Literacy Month:  Encourages reading and learning.
• Library Card Sign-Up Month:  This year DC Super Heroes, Teen Titans, has teamed up with the American Library Association (ALA) to "promote the value of a library card."  This is to serve as a reminder to parents and caregivers that a library card is the first step to academic achievement.
• 9/8 - International Literacy Day:  "This year, International Literacy Day (8 September) will be celebrated across the world under the theme of ‘Literacy in a digital world’. On 8 September, 2017 a global event will be organized at UNESCO’s Headquarters in Paris, with the overall aim to look at what kind of literacy skills people need to navigate increasingly digitally-mediated societies, and to explore effective literacy policies and programmes that can leverage the opportunities that the digital world provides."
  
• 9/22 - Hobbit Day (read some Tolkien):  Began in 1978 and is "scheduled to fall on Bilbo's and Frodo's mutual birthday, the date of the Long Awaited Party (translated in text by Tolkien as September 22)."
  
• National Book Festival:  The 17th annual National Book Festival took place on Saturday, Sept. 2nd at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center right here in Washington, D.C.  The Library of Congress National Book Festival is an annual literary event that brings together best-selling authors and thousands of book fans for author talks, panel discussions, book signings and other activities.  In 2018 the National Book Festival will take place on Saturday, Sept 1st.  
• Banned Books Week (4th Week of the Month) (9/24-9/30):  Is an annual event which celebrates the freedom to read.
• Tolkien Week (4th Week of the Month):  Began in 1978.  Hobbit Day and Tolkien Week are celebrated during the same week - starts 9/17 and ends 9/23.  Tolkien Week honors J.R.R. Tolkien and his son and editor, Christopher J.R. Tolkien, and celebrates the Middle-earth cycle.

Please enjoy another wonderful month of reading!