Birthdays

Jan 112024

Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton (born British West Indies, 1757; died Weehawken, New Jersey, July 12, 1804) was an early American leader. He rallied for the causes of the Revolutionary War and served for a while as George Washington’s aide-de-camp. He represented New York at the Constitutional Convention. He was secretary of the treasury while Washington was president and helped the new country become financially sound. He was mortally wounded after a duel with Aaron Burr. Children could learn more at: Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton believed in a strong central government, and he wrote a large portion of The Federalist Papers. Children can read The Federalist Papers at: Project Gutenberg.

Robert C. O’Brien (born Robert Conly in Brooklyn, New York, 1918; died Washington, DC, March 3, 1973) was an editor for National Geographic and a children’s author. He won the 1972 Newbery Medal for Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. He started Z for Zachariah, but he died before it was finished. His wife and daughter, following his notes, completed and published the book in 1974. Z for Zachariah received the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award and the Edgar Award in the juvenile division.

Alice Paul

Alice Paul (born Mount Laurel Township, New Jersey, 1885; died Moorestown, New Jersey, July 9, 1977) was a proponent of women’s rights, especially the right to vote. She picketed the White House, much to President Wilson’s chagrin. She was jailed for peacefully protesting, and she went on hunger strikes to bring attention to her cause. After the Nineteenth Amendment (voting rights for women) passed, she turned her attention to including women in the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Children can learn more at: Alice Paul.

Mary Rodgers (born New York, New York, 1931; died New York, New York, June 25, 2014) was a composer of musicals and a writer of children’s books. Her works include Freaky Friday and The Rotten Book.

Ann Tompert (born near Detroit, Michigan, 1918; died Port Huron, Michigan, April 17, 2019) wrote over 50 books. Two fine examples of her books is Grandfather Tang’s Story and Just a Little Bit.

Birthdays

Jan 122024

Goodnight Moon

Clement Hurd (born New York, New York, 1908; died San Francisco, California, February 5, 1988) wrote and illustrated around 100 books for children. He illustrated books for his wife, Edith Thacher Hurd. However, he is probably best known for illustrating Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon and her Runaway Bunny. He is the father of Thacher Hurd, also a writer and illustrator of children’s books. Children can learn more at: Clement Hurd.

Nina Laden (born New York, New York, 1962) writes and illustrates books for children. One of her book is Private I. Guana. Children can listen to Amanda Byles read Laden’s book, The Night I Followed the Dog at: http://www.storylineonline.net/ Children could also visit Laden’s website at: Nina Laden.

Jack London (born San Francisco, California, 1876; died Santa Rosa, California, November 22, 1916) was an author. He wrote more than 50 books, and two of his most celebrated works are Call of the Wild and White Fang. Children can read his works at: Project Gutenberg. They can learn more at: Jack London.

Charles Perrault (born Paris, France, 1628; died Paris, France, May 16, 1703) wrote several tales, including Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Little Red Riding Hood. Children can read many of his stories at: Project Gutenberg. They can learn more at: Charles Perrault.

John Singer Sargent (born Florence, Italy, 1856; died London, England, 1925) was a painter. Children could view some of his works at: John Singer Sargent. Sargent’s portraits flatter the subject, but they also tell much about fashion and home décor of the time. Children could view some of his works and discuss clothing and home settings. Children could learn more at: John Singer Sargent.

John Winthrop (born Edwardston, England, 1588; died Boston, Massachusetts, March 26, 1649) was the leader of the Massachusetts Bay Colony for many of the years between 1630 and 1648.

Birthdays

Jan 132024

Ragged Dick

Horatio Alger, Jr. (born Revere, Massachusetts, 1834; died Natick, Massachusetts, July 18, 1899) was an author. He wrote more than one hundred books where the young male hero fought tough times to find fame and fortune. Two of his most famous works were Ragged Dick, published in 1867, and From Canal Boy to President, published in 1881. Children can read his works at: Project Gutenberg.

Wendy Hart Beckman (born Overbrook, Pennsylvania, 1958) has written several books for young adults and at least one book for adults. She has also published over 300 articles. One of her books is Robert Cormier: Banned, Challenged and Censored. Young adults could check out her website: http://wendyonwriting.com/.

N. M. Bodecker (born Copenhagen, Denmark, 1922; died Hancock, New Hampshire, February 1, 1988) wrote and illustrated books for children and adults. One of his books is Miss Jaster’s Garden.

Michael Bond (born Newbury, Berkshire, England, 1926; died London, England, June 27, 2017) was an author. He wrote the Paddington Bear series (26 books), the Olga De Polga series (at least 19 books), the Monsieur Pamplemousse series (at least 21 books), and at least 18 other books.

Salmon Portland Chase (born Cornish, New Hampshire, 1808; died New York, New York, May 7, 1873) was a politician and senator. He was Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of the Treasury from 1861 to 1864. During his tenure, he created a national banking system and introduced paper currency. He also had the words “In God We Trust” stamped on coins. From 1864 to his death in 1873, he was the sixth chief justice of the Supreme Court. He would have liked to be president, but his anti-slavery views put off many voters.

Birthdays

Jan 142024

Benedict Arnold (born Norwich, Connecticut, 1741; died London, England, June 14, 1801) was an American officer who became a traitor during the Revolutionary War. Children could read Jean Fritz’s Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold. They could also view: Benedict Arnold.

Julian Bond (born Nashville, Tennessee, 1940; died Fort Walton Beach, Florida, August 15, 2015) was a Civil Rights leader. He helped create the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

Books by Thornton Burgess

Thornton Burgess (born Sandwich, Massachusetts, 1874; died Hampton, Massachusetts, June 5, 1965) wrote over 170 books for children. His works include Old Mother West and The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat. Children can read many of his works at: Project Gutenberg. They can learn more at: Thornton Burgess.

Hugh Lofting (born Maidenhead, England, 1886; died Santa Monica, California, September 26, 1947) was an author. He is famous for his ten Dr. Dolittle books. His Voyages of Dr. Dolittle won the 1923 Newbery Award. Children could read his works at: Project Gutenberg. They can learn more at: Hugh Lofting.

Shannon Lucid (born Shanghai, China, 1943) is a retired astronaut. She has flown in space five times, including spending 188 days aboard the Mir space station. At the time she set the US record for longest time in space and the world record for the longest time for a woman in space. She conducted experiments aboard the Mir space station. Older children could learn more at: Shannon Lucid.

Matthew Fontaine Maury

Matthew Fontaine Maury (born Spotsylvania County, Virginia, 1806; died Lexington Virginia, February 1, 1873) was an amazing seafarer, scientist, cartographer, educator, and author. He charted ocean currents and winds; he worked with others to establish a common language and measurement system for ocean navigation. The author of around 18 books, Maury was called “Father of Modern Oceanography and Naval Meteorology” and “Scientist of the Seas.” Older children could read some of his papers at the Virginia Military Institute site at: Maury Papers.

Portrait of Berthe Morisot painted by Edouard Manet

Berthe Morisot (born Bourges, France, 1841; died Paris, France, March 2, 1895) was an impressionist painter. She married Edouard Manet’s brother, Eugene, and she exhibited her first paintings at the Salon de Paris when she was 23 years old. She most enjoyed painting family and friends, landscapes, and familiar scenery around houses and gardens. Children can view some of her works at: Berthe Morisot.

Albert Schweitzer (born Kayserberg, Upper Alsace, 1875; died Lamboren, Gabon, September 4, 1965) balanced his love of music, theology, and medicine. As a young adult, he was a very accomplished organist. He also wrote about music and composers. In 1913 he went to Gabon as a missionary and as a doctor. He practiced there on and off, continuing to write and play concerts whenever possible. He received the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize. Idea: Children could research his life and decide which of the three areas benefited most from his work.

Hendrik Willem van Loon (born Rotterdam, Netherlands, 1882; died Connecticut, March 11, 1944) wrote a number of books for young adults. He received the very first Newbery Medal in 1922 for The Story of Mankind. Children can read The Story of Mankind at: Project Gutenberg. They can also learn more at: Hendrik Willem van Loon.

William Whipple (born Kittery, Maine, 1730; died Portsmouth, New Hampshire, November 10, 1785) signed the Declaration of Independence. He represented New Hampshire. A merchant, Whipple was active in New Hampshire government as it related to England. As time wore on, he became active in revolutionary activities. After signing the Declaration of Independence, he became a brigadier general in the American army and earned a reputation as a savvy and brave leader. Throughout the war, his slave Prince Whipple accompanied him everywhere. After the war, William Whipple freed Prince Whipple because the former thought that freedom was for all. Children could learn more at: William Whipple.

Birthdays

Jan 152024

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (born Atlanta, Georgia, 1929; assassinated Memphis, Tennessee, April 4, 1968) was a civil rights leader and a minister. He was an excellent student and skipped two years of high school. He entered Morehouse College at age fifteen. He graduated in 1948 and decided to become a minister. He obtained a divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in theology from Boston University. In 1954 he became the pastor of a congregation in Montgomery, Alabama. He became active in civil rights in 1955. He urged people to use nonviolent methods to obtain their rights. He was arrested and jailed several times. King and other leaders organized a march to Washington, DC, in 1963. There he gave his famous I Have a Dream speech. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. While supporting a strike of garbagemen in Memphis Tennessee, he was killed by James Earl Ray. Idea: The children could read excerpts from the I Have a Dream speech and illustrate his words. They could also view photos of King at: Martin Luther King.

Bijou Le Tord (born Saint Raphael, France, 1945) writes and illustrates books for children. The illustrations of her 22 books definitely remind the reader of impressionist paintings. Children can wind their way through her website at: Bijou Le Tord.

Philip Livingston (born Albany New York, 1716; died York, Pennsylvania, June 12, 1778) signed the Declaration of Independence. He represented New York. Born into wealth and prestige, he made his own fortune by being a merchant. He became involved in politics and legislation at a variety of levels, including the Continental Congress. During the Revolutionary War, he actively raised funds for the troops. He died in York when the Continental Congress was in session there. Children could learn more at: Phillip Livingston.

Edward Teller (born Budapest, Hungary, 1908; died Stanford, California, September 9, 2003) was a renowned physicist. He is known as the father of the hydrogen bomb. Children could learn more at: Edward Teller.

Birthdays

Jan 162024

Dizzy Dean (born Jay Hanna Dean in Lucas, Arkansas, 1911; died Reno, Nevada, July 17, 1974) was a baseball pitcher and a baseball game announcer. Idea: Sports announcing is difficult. Record a baseball game. Replay it, but eliminate the sound. Have children try to be the commentators. Children could learn more at: Dizzy Dean.

Marla Frazee (born Los Angeles, California, 1958) writes and illustrates books for children. She earned a 2009 Caldecott Honor Award for A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. She also earned a 210 Caldecott Honor Award for All the World. Children can learn more at: Marla Frazee.

Robert Lipsyte (born New York, New York, 1938) is a sports journalist and a writer of sports books for juveniles. His works include Center Field and Yellow Flag. He received the 2001 Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement. Young adults can visit his website at: Robert Lipsyte.

Kate McMullan (born Saint Louis, Missouri, 1947) has written over 100 books for children. Her books include Fluffy the Classroom Guinea Pig and the Myth-O-Mania Series. Children can visit her website at: Kate McMullan.

Rebecca Stead (born New York, New York, 1968) writes books for children and young adults. Her book When You Reach Me received the 2010 Newbery Medal. Children should visit her very interesting website at: Rebecca Stead.

Sarah Rosetta Wakeman (born Chenango County, New York, 1843; died New Orleans, Louisiana, June 10, 1864) fought for the Union Army during the Civil War. Using the name Lyons Wakeman, she enlisted as a private in Company H of the 153rd New York State Volunteers. She died of dysentery in the Marine General Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was buried with full military honors in Chalmette National Cemetery. The name on her tombstone is Lyons Wakeman.

Birthdays

Jan 172024

Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky, 1942; died Scottsdale, Arizona, June 3, 2016) was a heavyweight boxer. He carried the torch for part of the opening ceremonies for the 1995 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Children could learn more at: Muhammad Ali

John Bellairs (born Marshall, Michigan, 1938; died Haverhill, Massachusetts, March 8, 1991) was a children’s author. He published at least 31 mystery and suspense novels. His work includes The Curse of the Blue Figurine and The House with a Clock in its Walls. Edward Gorey illustrated many of his books. Children could investigate a website devoted to him: http://www.bellairsia.com/.

Robert Cormier (born Leominster, Massachusetts, 1925; died Leominster, Massachusetts, November 2, 2000) was a children’s author of at least eighteen books. Two of his works are The Chocolate War and I Am the Cheese. Children could read a transcript of an interview with him at: Cormier Interview. They could learn more at: Robert Cormier.

Ben Franklin

Benjamin Franklin (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1706; died Philadelphia, Pennsylvania April 17, 1790) was a statesman, writer, printer and much more. He signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. He published Poor Richard’s Almanack. He invented many items, including bifocal glasses and the lightning rod. He created the first fire company and the first free library. Idea: Children could make a timeline of his life and then decide whether he made the most contributions to science or to the freedom of America. Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia, by Margaret Cousins, is an excellent source of information. Children could learn more at: Ben Franklin.

Shari Lewis (born Shari Hurwitz in New York, New York, 1934; died Los Angeles, California, August 2, 1998) was a puppeteer and a leader in children’s educational television. The creator of the puppet Lamb Chop, she published at least 60 children’s books. Idea: Bring in materials to make puppets of various kinds. Consider sock puppets, stick puppets, even finger puppets. Children could produce a puppet show.

Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama (born Chicago, Illinois, 1964) was America’s First Lady from January 20, 2009 to January 20, 2017. Married to Barack Obama, the 44th President, she was a lawyer before she began helping her husband’s political career. As First Lady, she devoted time and energy to Let’s Move, a program to reduce childhood obesity and increase children’s knowledge of healthy lifestyle choices. She also planted and maintained a large garden on the White House property. Children can learn more about her at: Michelle Obama.

Janet Stevens (born Dallas, Texas, 1953) began illustrating books for children in 1978. Today she creates her images using Adobe Photoshop and other technology tools. She received a 1996 Caldecott Honor Award for her illustrations in Tops and Bottoms. Illustrator of about 60 books, she explains her process at her VERY INTERESTING website: Janet Stevens.

Birthdays

Jan 182024

Raymond Briggs (born Wimbledon, England, 1934; died Brighton, England, August 9, 2022) wrote and illustrated at least 29 books for children. He twice received the Kate Greenaway Medal, once in 1966 for The Mother Goose Treasury and once in 1973 for Father Christmas. One of his most famous works is the wordless book The Snowman.

A(lan) A(lexander) Milne (born London, England, 1882; died Hartfield, England, January 31, 1956) was an author. He is best remembered for his Winnie the Pooh stories. Idea: Have a Winnie the Pooh day. Children could bring in their stuffed creatures, and they could share some of his writing. Children can read some of his works at: Project Gutenberg. However, the Winnie the Pooh books are not there. Children could learn more at: Milne.

Peter Roget (born London, England, 1779; died West Malvern, England, September 12, 1869) composed Roget’s Thesaurus. His book premiered in 1852. The word thesaurus comes from Latin and Greek roots meaning treasury. Children could view an online thesaurus at: http://thesaurus.com/. Idea: Children could learn how to use a thesaurus. Each could create a page of a thesaurus regarding a certain word. Consider using colors and action verbs. Children could also read The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet.

Alan Schroeder (born Alameda, California, 1961) has written at least 20 books for children. His books include Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman and Satchmo’s Blues.

Daniel Webster

Daniel Webster (born Salisbury, New Hampshire, 1782; died Marshfield, Massachusetts, October 24, 1852) was a politician and a speaker. Younger children might want to read Daniel Webster: Liberty and Union, Now and Forever by Bonnie Carmen Harvey. Older children might want to read The Devil and Daniel Webster, by Stephen Vincent Benet. Webster was a United States senator, member of the House of Representatives (representing two states at different times), and secretary of state (under Millard Fillmore, William Henry Harrison, and John Tyler). He ran for president, and he argued cases before the Supreme Court – busy man!

Thomas A. Watson (born Salem, Massachusetts, 1854; died Pass-a-Grill Beach, Florida, December 13, 1934) was Alexander Graham Bell’s assistant and the recipient of the world’s first telephone call on March 10, 1876. Then Watson became the recipient of the first transcontinental phone call on January 25, 1915. Watson was in San Francisco, California, when Bell called him from New York, New York. President Woodrow Wilson and the mayors of both cities were also part of the call. Watson was also in inventor in his own right, and he developed an extensive naval shipyard.

Birthdays

Jan 192024

Paul Cezanne (born Aix-en-Provence, France, 1839; died Aix-en-Provence, France, October 22, 1906) has been declared the “father of modern painting.” He did not become famous until after his death. He tended to convey the emotion of the object painted rather than its physical appearance. Children could visit a website at: http://www.paul-cezanne.org/.

Alice Eastwood (born Toronto, Canada, 1859; died San Francisco, California, October 30, 1953) was a botanist. She studied botany in Europe and in the United States. In 1890 she took a job at the herbarium of the California Academy of Sciences. From 1894 to 1943 (when she retired) she was head of the department of botany. She collected and traded specimens of numerous plants from the western United States. Children could learn more at: Alice Eastwood.

Lisa Campbell Ernst (born Bartlesville, Oklahoma, 1956) has written or illustrated at least 30 books for children. Her works include Sylvia Jean, Drama Queen and The Gingerbread Girl.

Pat Mora (born El Paso, Texas, 1942) writes books for children, young adults, and adults. She pays particular attention to the Latino community, the importance of literacy, and the value of multilingualism. She created El dia de los ninos/ el dia de los libros, a day to share books with children and improve literacy. The American Library Association cohosts this yearly event on April 30th. She has written about 39 books, many published in both English and Spanish. Her books include A Birthday Basket for Tia and The Night the Moon Fell. Children can visit her website: Pat Mora.

Edgar Allan Poe (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1809; died Baltimore, Maryland, October 7, 1849) was a poet and a writer. His most famous works include the poem The Raven and the tale The Gold Bug. Idea: Older children enjoy a choral reading of The Raven. Many of his works can be found at: Project Gutenberg. Children can learn more about Poe at: Edgar Allan Poe.

James Watt (born Greenock, Scotland, 1736; died Heathfield, England, August 19, 1819) was an inventor and a civil engineer. While he did not invent the steam engine, he did make it more practical. The electrical unit, the watt, is named in honor of him. Idea: Children could look at different types of light bulbs and find the wattage. They could then discover the relationships between watts and brightness.

Birthdays

Jan 202024

Tedd Arnold (born Elmira, New York, 1949) has written and/or illustrated over 100 books for children. His book Rat Life received the 2008 Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel. He is well-known for his Fly Guy series.

Buzz Aldrin (born Edwin Aldrin in Montclair, New Jersey, 1930) is an astronaut and the second person to walk on the moon. On July 20, 1969, he followed Neil Armstrong and walked on the moon’s surface. Older children can visit his website at: Buzz Aldrin.

Richard Henry Lee (born Virginia, 1732; died Virginia, June 19, 1794) signed Declaration of Independence. Born into a very wealthy family, he received some of his education in England. His family was steeped in politics, and Lee was elected to the House of Burgesses in 1758. He was one of the first leaders to advocate independence. On June 7, 1776, he spoke to the Continental Congress and proposed, “that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.” That speech started the process of independence. During the Revolutionary War, he was president of Congress, making him the leader of the new country. After the Revolutionary War, he was one of Virginia’s senators. He resigned from the Senate in 1792 due to illness and an accident. Children can learn more at: Richard Henry Lee.

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