Feb 102025
 
George Washington in British Uniform

George Washington in British Uniform

French and Indian War officially ended in 1763. The French and the British signed the Treaty of Paris. The war meant that the British greatly expanded their territory in North America. However, the war was a tremendous financial burden to Great Britain. That financial burden was passed on to the American colonists in the form of various taxes. The French and Indian War eventually led to the Revolutionary War. Did you know George Washington was an officer on the British side? Children could read Struggle for a Continent: The French and Indian Wars 1689-1763 by Betsy Maestro and Giulio Maestro.

Feb 102025
 

Amendment Twenty-Five to the Constitution was adopted in 1967. It delineated presidential succession requirements under four conditions and clarified Article II of the Constitution.

1. Should the President die, the Vice President becomes President.
2. Should there be no Vice President, the President can nominate someone and both portions of Congress must confirm the candidate with a majority of votes.
3. Should the President be unavailable (for example, a medical operation), the Vice President can take over.
4. Should the President be unable to discharge powers, the Vice President, with the support of Congress, can take over the responsibilities. This has never happened.

Older children can learn more at: Amendment Twenty-Five.

 

Feb 102025
 

Adrienne Adams (born Fort Smith, Arkansas, 1906; died Rolla, Missouri, December 3, 2002) wrote and illustrated books for children. She received a 1960 Caldecott Honor Award for her illustrations in Houses from the Sea. Adams earned a 1961 Caldecott Honor Award for her work in The Day We Saw the Sun Come Up. Alice E. Goudy wrote both of those books. Children can learn more at: Adrienne Adams.

Lucy Cousins (born United Kingdom, 1964) has written at least 38 books for children. She is best known for her series Maisy the Mouse. Children can view her website at: Maisy.

Stephen Gammell (born Des Moines, Iowa, 1943) has illustrated over 50 books for children. He received a Caldecott Honor Award in 1983 for Where the Buffaloes Begin. He earned the 1989 Caldecott Medal for Song and Dance Man. He illustrated Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and its sequels.

Elaine Lobl Konigsburg (born New York, New York, 1930; died Falls Church, Virginia, April 19, 2013) was a children’s author. She wrote among other works Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth, which received a 1968 Newbery Honor Award. In that same year Konigsburg was awarded the Newbery Medal for the classic From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. She received another Newbery Medal in 1997 for A View from Saturday. Children can learn more at: Elaine Lobl Konigsburg.

Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (born Moscow, Russia, 1890; died Moscow, Russia, May 30, 1960) was an author. One of his most famous works is Doctor Zhivago; he received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1958 for the book. Children can read some of his poems at: Pasternak.

Leontyne Price (born Laurel, Mississippi, 1927) is an opera singer. She rose to fame as one of the first African Americans to perform in leading roles at the Metropolitan Opera. In 1997 she wrote Aida, a book for children, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon.

Feb 112025
 

United Nations Flag

International Day of Women and Girls in Science is today! Created by the United Nations in December of 2015, the day is dedicated to bringing gender equality to the fields of math and science. Presently about 97 percent of Nobel Laureates are men and only three percent are women. Women in the fields of math and science are often paid less than their male counterparts. “More women and girls in science equals better science,” stated Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General. Children can learn more at: Women and Girls in Science.

Feb 112025
 

National Inventors’ Day is today! In 1983 President Ronald Reagan declared February 11 to be National Inventors’ Day, honoring Thomas Edison who was born on this day in 1847. The day recognizes all inventors and encourages everyone to try out new ideas. Children could list all the inventors they can think of and perhaps rank them in order of importance. They could research famous people who were also inventors. For example, Abraham Lincoln is the only president who received a patent. They could also learn more about creating an invention by reading Kids Inventing! A Handbook for Young Inventors by Susan Casey.

Feb 112025
 

Philadelphia established the first hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital, in the United States in 1751. Aided by Benjamin Franklin, Dr. Thomas Bond created the hospital where people received free medical care. Children can take a virtual tour of the old buildings at: Pennsylvania Hospital.

Feb 112025
 
Vatican

Flag of the Vatican

Vatican achieved its independence from Italy in 1929. While Vatican City had been separate from Rome for centuries, documents signed this day in 1929 made the Vatican a distinct government. According to the CIA World Factbook, the Vatican is about 0.7 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC. The smallest country in the world, the Vatican is home to around 850 people. More than four million people visit the Vatican each year. Children could learn more at: Vatican.

Feb 112025
 
Mandela

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was freed from prison in South Africa in 1990. He had been in prison for 27 years due to his anti-apartheid activities. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. He was elected president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He died on December 5, 2013. Children can learn more at: Nelson Mandela.

Feb 112025
 
Thomas Edison holding a lightbulb.

Edison Holding a Light Bulb
NPS Photograph

Thomas Alva Edison (born Milan, Ohio, 1847; died Menlo Park, New Jersey, October 18, 1931) held more than 1,200 patents. He invented the incandescent light bulb, the phonograph, and part of the telephone transmitter. Children can learn more by visiting the Thomas Edison National Park website at: Thomas Alva Edison.

Holly Keller (born New York, New York, 1942) writes and illustrates books for children. She has written and illustrated at least 35 books, including Geraldine and Mrs. Duffy and Farfalina and Marcel, which received the Charlotte Zolotow Award in 2005. She has also illustrated at least 20 books by other authors, including Patricia Lauber and Paul Showers.

Mo Willems (born Des Plaines, Illinois, 1968) is an animator and a writer/illustrator of at least 80 books for children. He has received three Caldecott Honor Awards: Don’t Let the Pigeons Drive the Bus in 2004, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale in 2005, and Knuffle Bunny: A Case of Mistaken Identity in 2008. He has also received two Theodore Geisel Awards: There is a Bird on Your Head in 2008 and Are You Ready to Play Outside? in 2009. Children can visit his very interesting website at: Mo Willems.

Jane Yolen (born New York, New York, 1939) has written over 400 books for children, and she has received many, many awards. Her book Devil’s Arithmetic received the 1989 Sydney Taylor Award. She has received three Golden Kite Awards: The Girl Who Cried Flowers and other Tales in 1974, The Transfigured Hart (Honor Book) in 1975, and Moon Ribbons and other Tales (Honor Book) in 1976. She wrote The Emperor and the Kite, and its illustrator, Ed Young, received a Caldecott Honor Award in 1968. She wrote Owl Moon, and its illustrator, John Schoenherr, received the 1988 Caldecott Medal. Children can visit her very interesting website at: Jane Yolen.