Birthdays

Jul 142025

Gerald Ford

Gerald Rudolph Ford (born Leslie Lynch King, Jr., in Omaha, Nebraska, 1913; died Rancho Mirage, California, December 26, 2006) was the 38th president (1974-1977) of the United States. Ford was in the navy during World War II and was awarded ten battle stars. He was a congressman for thirteen terms. He was the only president not elected to either the presidency or the vice presidency. He was Speaker of the House when Nixon resigned from office. Because the vice president had resigned earlier, Ford became president. Children could visit a website at: Gerald Ford. Idea: Children could research the presidential line of succession.

Woody Guthrie (born Woodrow Wilson Guthrie in Okemah, Oklahoma, 1912; died New York, New York, October 3, 1967) was a singer and a songwriter. One of his most famous works is “This Land Is Your Land.”

Laura Joffe Numeroff (born Brooklyn, New York, 1953) is an author and illustrator. She has written at least 50 books, including If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and its many variations. Children can visit her website at: Laura Numeroff.

Peggy Parish (born Manning, South Carolina, 1927; died Manning, South Carolina, November 19, 1988) was an author. She is known for her Amelia Bedelia series. Her nephew Herman Parish continues to write Amelia Bedelia books. Children could learn more at: http://www.ameliabedeliabooks.com/.

Brian Selznick (born East Brunswick Township, New Jersey, 1966) writes and illustrates books for children. He earned the 2008 Caldecott Medal for The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Other books include Wonderstruck and The Houdini Box. Children can visit his website at: Brian Selznick.

Isaac Bashevis Singer (born Radymin, Poland, 1904; died Surfside, Florida, July 24, 1991) was a writer. He immigrated to the United States in 1935. He wrote in Yiddish, and he received the 1978 Nobel Prize for literature. Idea: Children could read some of the parts of Stories for Children, published in 1934.

Birthdays

Jul 152025

Thomas Bulfinch (born Newton, Massachusetts, 1798; died Boston, Massachusetts, May 27, 1867) was a mythologist. He wrote Bulfinch’s Mythology. Idea: Children could create some plays about some of the myths after they read Bulfinch’s Mythology at: Project Gutenberg.

Walter D. Edmonds (born Boonville, New York, 1903; died Concord, Massachusetts, January 24, 1998) wrote books for both children and adults. He received the 1942 Newbery Medal for The Matchlock Gun.

Marcia Thornton Jones (born Joliet, Illinois, 1958) has written over 135 books for children. Her books include The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids series and Ratfink. Children can visit her website, particularly the Activities and Fun Stuff link, at: Marcia T. Jones.

Clement Clarke Moore (born New York, New York, 1779; died Newport, Rhode Island, July 10, 1863) wrote A Visit from Saint Nicholas. It was published without his permission in a newspaper on December 23, 1823. Idea: Children could celebrate a little Christmas in July and read A Visit from Saint Nicholas at: Project Gutenberg.

Yuko Shimizu (born Tokyo, Japan, 1965) is an illustrator. Her illustrations in The Cat Man of Aleppo, written by Irene Latham and Karim Shamsi-Basha, earned her a 2021 Caldecott Honor Award.

Rembrandt Van Rijn (born Leiden, Netherlands, 1606; died Amsterdam, Netherlands, October 4, 1669) was a painter. He was a prolific artist. About 600 paintings and 1,400 drawings have survived. He created about 100 self-portraits, giving us a great deal of information about himself. Children could visit a website at: Rembrandt Van Rijn.

Birthdays

Jul 162025

Arnold Adoff (born Bronx, New York, 1935; died Yellow Springs, Ohio, May 7, 2021) wrote more than 30 books for children. His work includes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. His works include The Return of Rex and Ethel and Hard to Be Six.

Amundsen and Others with the Norwegian Flag

Roald Amundsen (born near Oslo, Norway, 1872; died near the Arctic, June 18, 1928) was an explorer. He was the first person to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through the Northwest Passage. He traveled to the South Pole in 1911 and soared over the North Pole in a dirigible in 1926. He was attempting to rescue another Arctic expedition when his plane and its crew went down.

Arthur Bowie Chrisman (born Clarke County, Virginia, 1889; died Shirley, Arkansas, February 14, 1953) was a writer. He received the 1926 Newbery Medal for Shen of the Sea: Chinese Stories for Children.

Richard Egielski (born New York, New York, 1952) has written and/or illustrated more than 50 books for children. He received the 1987 Caldecott Medal for Hey, Al, written by Arthur Yorinks. Egielski wrote and illustrated Buz and Slim and Jim.

Shirley Hughes (born West Kirby, United Kingdom, 1927; died London, United Kingdom, February 25, 2022) wrote more than 50 books and illustrated more than 200 books. She earned the 1977 and 2003 Kate Greenaway Medals. Her works include the Alfie books and Dogger. Children could learn more at: Shirley Hughes.

Joshua Reynolds (born Plympton, Devon, England, 1723; died London, England, February 23, 1792) was an artist. He was known primarily for his portraits of English nobility. Children can view over 600 of his works at: Joshua Reynolds.

Ida B. Wells (born Holly Springs, Mississippi, 1862; died Chicago, Illinois, March 25, 1931) was a journalist. The daughter of slaves, she fought against lynchings. Children could visit a website at: Ida B. Wells.

Birthdays

Jul 172025

John Jacob Astor (born Waldorf, Germany, 1763; died New York, New York, March 29, 1848) moved to New York City when he was twenty years old. He made quite a bit of money from a fur trading business. He invested most of his money in real estate in Manhattan Island and became very wealthy.

Chris Crutcher (born Dayton, Ohio, 1946) has written at least fifteen books and a number of short stories for young adults. His books include Ironman and Whale Talk. He received the Margaret Edwards Award in 2000 for his body of work. Children could visit his website at: Chris Crutcher.

Elbridge Gerry (born Marblehead, Massachusetts, 1744; died Washington, DC, November 23, 1814) signed the Declaration of Independence. He represented Massachusetts. He was also the fifth vice president of the United States when he died. His wife was the last surviving wife of a signer to die. Idea: The term gerrymandering relates to some of Gerry’s activities. Children could find out what the term means. Children could learn more at: Elbridge Gerry.

Karla Kuskin (born New York, New York, 1932; died Seattle, Washington, August 20, 2009) wrote and illustrated over 40 books for children. Her works include City Dog and Soap Soup. Children can visit a website about her at: Karla Kuskin.

Rosa Jackson Lumpkin (born Flint, Georgia, 1876; died Buffalo, New York, December 16, 1991) lived to be 115 years old.

Jacqueline Rogers (born Westport, Connecticut, 1958) writes and illustrates books for children. Her works include Best Friends Sleep Over and Kindergarten ABC. She has illustrated books by many other authors, including Beverly Cleary, Jean Marzollo, and Betsy Byars. Children could visit her website at: Jacqueline Rogers.

Birthdays

Jul 182025

Felicia Bond (born Yokohama, Japan, 1954) is a writer and illustrator of books for children. She illustrates the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie series. Her written works include Tumble Bumble and Poinsettia and her Family. Children could visit an interesting website at Mouse.

John Glenn

John Glenn (born Cambridge, Ohio, 1921; died Columbus, Ohio, December 8, 2016) in 1962 was the first American astronaut to circle the earth. He traveled into space again in 1998 as a payload specialist on a shuttle mission. He was also a United States senator from Ohio from 1974 to 1999. Older children could learn more at: John Glenn.

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela (born Mvezo, South Africa, 1918; died Johannesburg, South Africa, December 5, 2013) was the son of a tribal chief. He became a lawyer and then joined the African National Congress. He was incarcerated for 28 years because he spoke out against apartheid. He was released in 1990, and he served as president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He received the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize. Children could read Nelson Mandela, written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson.

Jerry Stanley (born Highland Park, Michigan, 1941) writes books for children. His works include Children of the Dustbowl: The True Story of the School at Weedpatch Camp and Cowboys and Longhorns.

Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Yevtushenko (born Zimma, Russia, 1933; died Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 1, 2017) was a poet and novelist.

Birthdays

Jul 192025

Samuel Colt (born Hartford, Connecticut, 1814; died Hartford, Connecticut, January 10, 1862) perfected and manufactured the first repeating pistol. He was one of the first manufacturers to use an assembly line. His company, after his death, produced the six-shooters popular in the Old West.

Edgar Degas (born Paris, France, 1834; died Paris, France, September 26, 1917) was an Impressionist painter. Children could view some of his works at: Edgar Degas.

Marilyn Kaye (born New Britain, Connecticut, 1949) has written over 100 science fiction books for children and young adults. Her books include the Gifted series and the Replica series.

Garth Nix (born Melbourne, Australia, 1963) writes books for children and young adults. His work includes the fantasy The Old Kingdom series and The Seventh Tower series. Children can learn more at: Garth Nix.

Eve Merriam (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1916; died New York, New York, April 11, 1992) wrote plays, poetry, fiction and nonfiction for a wide range of ages. She published at least 88 books, including Ten Rosy Roses and Twelve Ways to Get to Eleven. Children can learn more at: Eve Merriam.

Mabel Louise Robinson (born Waltham, Massachusetts, 1874; died New York, New York, February 21, 1962) wrote at least thirteen books for young adults and adults. She wrote novels that showed that young women could be strong and independent. She twice received Newbery Honor Awards: in 1938 for Bright Island (illustrated by Lynd Kendall Ward), and in 1940 for Runner of the Mountain Tops: The Life of Louis Agassiz (also illustrated by Lynd Kendall Ward). Louis Agassiz was a paleontologist and naturalist.

Rosalyn Sussman Yalow (born Bronx, New York, 1921; died Bronx, New York, May 31, 2011) was a medical physicist. She, together with two colleagues, developed the radioimmunassay technique, a way to measure many types of medical conditions using only a small amount of blood. She received the 1977 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology. Children could learn more at: Rosalyn Sussman Yalow.

Birthdays

Jul 202025

Alexander the Great (born Pella, Greece, July 20/21, 356 BC; died Babylon, Iraq, June 10/11, 323 BC) established one of the largest kingdoms in ancient times. He was never defeated in battle, and he possessed great military skills. Children could read Alexander the Great by Demi.

Paulette Bourgeois (born Toronto, Canada, 1951) writes books for children. Her works include the Franklin the Turtle series and Oma’s Quilt. Her works have been translated into 38 languages. Children can visit her website at: Paulette Bourgeois.

Hillary (left) and Norgay

Sir Edmund Percival Hillary (born Auckland, New Zealand, 1919; died Auckland, New Zealand, January 11, 2008) was an explorer. He and Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 1953, became the first people to climb Mount Everest. Idea: Children could determine what gear is necessary for such climbs. They could also read Everest: The Remarkable Story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, by Alexandra Stewart.

Birthdays

Jul 212025

Frances Folsom Cleveland

Frances Folsom Cleveland (born Buffalo, New York, 1864; died Baltimore, Maryland, October 29, 1947) was America’s First Lady from June 2, 1886 to March 4, 1889 and from March 4, 1893 to March 4, 1897. She was the wife of Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. She married him during his first term in office and became First Lady at age 21. Their daughter was named Ruth; the candy bar Baby Ruth was named after her. Grover Cleveland died in 1908. The former First Lady married Thomas J. Preston, Jr., in 1913. Children can visit a website at: Frances Cleveland. Idea: Children could eat small Baby Ruth candy bars and learn more about Frances Cleveland’s life.

Ernest Hemingway (born Oak Park, Illinois, 1899; died Ketchum, Idaho, July 2, 1961) was a writer. Two of his most famous works are The Old Man and the Sea and A Farewell to Arms. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. Children could learn more at: Ernest Hemingway.

Isaac Stern (born Kreminiecz, USSR, 1920; died New York, New York, September 22, 2001) was a violinist.

Birthdays

Jul 222025

Stephen Vincent Benet (born Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 1898; died New York, New York, March 13, 1943) was a writer. He received a Pulitzer for John Brown’s Body, a long poem published in 1928. He won another Pulitzer for Western Star, printed in 1943. He also wrote short stories and novels. Children could learn more at: Stephen Vincent Benet.

Margery Williams Bianco (born London, England, 1881; died New York, New York, September 4, 1944) wrote at least 24 books for children. Her book Winterbound received a 1937 Newbery Honor Award. Using the pen name Mary Williams, she wrote The Velveteen Rabbit. Children can read The Velveteen Rabbit at Project Gutenberg.

Alexander Calder (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1898; died New York, New York, November 11, 1976) was an artist known for making enchanting mobiles. Children can visit a fascinating website at: Alexander Calder.

Patricia Calvert (born Great Falls, Montana, 1931) writes books for young adults. Her books include Sooner and The Stone Pony.

Daniel Carroll (born Upper Marlboro, Maryland, 1730; died Rock Creek, Maryland, May 7, 1796) represented Maryland at the Constitutional Convention. Having suffered religious persecution, he helped draft the first amendment and the tenth amendment. Children could learn more at: Daniel Carroll.

S. E. Hinton (born Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1948) writes books for children and young adults. One of her books is The Outsiders. She received the 1988 Margaret A. Edwards Award for her first five young adult books. Young adults can visit her website at: S. E. Hinton.

Emma Lazarus (born New York, New York, 1849; died New York, New York, November 19, 1887) wrote poetry. Part of her “The New Colossus” was inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty. Children can read some of her work at: Project Gutenberg.

Gregor Mendel (born Heinzendorf, Austria, 1822; died Brunn, Austria, January 6, 1884) was a monk who pioneered work in genetics. In 1856 he started experiments with pea plants in the monastery vegetable garden. He continued breeding and crossbreeding the plants for a number of years. He kept notes. His work was not seen until after his death. Older children can read about his experiments at: Mendel.

Reverend William Archibald Spooner (born London, England, 1844; died Oxford, England, August 29, 1930) frequently confused parts of words. These led to spoonerisms. For example, he might say “pony pest card,” instead of “penny post card.” Idea: Children could make up their own spoonerisms. Children could visit a website at: Spooner.

Birthdays

Jul 232025

Patricia Coombs (born Los Angeles, California, 1926) writes and illustrates books for children. She writes the Dorrie the Little Witch series.

Robert Quackenbush (born Hollywood, California, 1929; died New York, New York, May 17, 2021) wrote at least 110 books and illustrated at least 60 books. He wrote both the Miss Mallard series and the Detective Mole series. Children could learn more at: http://www.rquackenbush.com/.

Vera Rubin (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1928; died Princeton, New Jersey, December 25, 2016) was an astronomer who studied galactic rotation curves. Her work led to the concept of dark matter. Children can learn more about her at: Vera Rubin. Children can learn about dark matter and dark energy at a GREAT site: Dark Matter.

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