Birthdays

Aug 292025

Karen Hesse (born Baltimore, Maryland, 1952) has written at least twenty books for children. Her must-read book Letters from Rifka earned the 1992 Sydney Taylor Book Award for Older Readers. Her Out of the Dust received both the 1998 Newbery Medal and the 1998 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Children could visit her blog at: Karen Hesse.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (born Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1809; died Boston, Massachusetts, October 7, 1894) was a polymath and poet. He was famous for his charm and wit. In 1830 he wrote a poem, Old Ironsides, that saved the USS Constitution (still in commission) from being destroyed. Children can read some of his works at: Project Gutenberg.

John Locke (born Wrington, United Kingdom, 1632; died High Laver, United Kingdom, October 28, 1704) was a philosopher. Thomas Jefferson was greatly influenced by Locke. Idea: Children could read more about Locke’s philosophy at: Project Gutenberg. Then they could look for strands of that philosophy in the Declaration of Independence.

Birthdays

Aug 302025

Ellen Arthur

Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur (born Culpeper, Virginia, 1837; died New York, New York, January 11, 1880) was the wife of Chester A. Arthur, twenty-first president of the United States. She was the daughter of William Lewis Herndon, an explorer of the Amazon River. She died before Arthur was ever elected president. Children could visit a website at: Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur.

Virginia Lee Burton (born Newton Centre, Massachusetts, 1909; died Boston, Massachusetts, October 15, 1968) was a children’s book writer and illustrator. She won the 1943 Caldecott Medal for The Little House. She also wrote and illustrated Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. Children could learn more at: Virginia Lee Burton.

Donald Crews (born Newark, New Jersey, 1938) is a picture book author and illustrator. He has received two Caldecott Honor Awards: in 1979 for Freight Train and in 1981 for Truck. He received the 2015 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for his body of works.

Laurent de Brunhoff (born Paris, France, 1925) writes and illustrates books for children. His father, Jean de Brunhoff, created the Babar series. Laurent continued to write 45 more Babar books after his father died. He has also written other types of books for children.

Millicent Selsam (born New York, New York, 1912; died New York, New York, October 12, 1996) wrote over 100 books for children. Her books include Greg’s Microscope and Egg to Chick. Children can learn more at: Millicent Selsam.

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (born London, England, 1797; died London, England, February 1, 1851) was an author. One of her most famous works is Frankenstein. She was married to poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and she edited much of her husband’s work after he died. Children can read Frankenstein and many of her other works at: Project Gutenberg.

Roy Wilkins (born St. Louis, Missouri, 1901; died New York, New York, September 8, 1981) was a civil rights leader. The grandson of a slave, he was a driving force in the NAACP. Children could learn more at: Roy Wilkins.

Ted Williams (born San Diego, California, 1918; died Inverness, Florida, July 5, 2002) was a famous baseball player. He was a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War. An outfielder, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966. Children could learn more at: Ted Williams.

Birthdays

Aug 312025

Conrad Buff II (born Speicher, Switzerland, 1886; died Laguna Hills, Calfiornia, March 11, 1975) wrote and illustrated fourteen books with his wife, Mary Buff. Theiy received a Caldecott Honor Award in 1943 for Dash and Dart. They received three Newbery Honor Awards: in 1947 for The Big Tree, in 1952 for The Apple and the Arrow, and in 1954 for Magic Maize.

Alan Jay Lerner (born New York, New York, 1918; died New York, New York, June 14, 1986) was a lyricist. He teamed with Frederick Lowe on many musicals, including My Fair Lady and Camelot.

Kenneth Oppel (born Canada, 1967) has written at least 35 books for children and young adults. His books include the Silverwing saga and the Airborn series. Young adults can visit his website at: Kenneth Oppel.

Itzhak Perlman (born Tel Aviv, Israel, 1945) is a famous violinist.

Deborah Kogan Ray (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1940) has written at least seventeen books for children. She has also illustrated at least 60 books for children written by other authors. Her books include Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Loved to Draw and Paiute Princess: The Story of Sarah Winnemucca. Children can visit her website at: Deborah Kogan Ray.

Birthdays

Sep 012025

Jim Arnosky (born New York, New York, 1946) is a children’s book author and illustrator. He stresses animals, plants, and nature. His works include Big Jim and the Whitelegged Moose and Turtle in the Sea. Children could visit his website, particularly the coloring pages, at: Jim Arnosky.

Bernard Fantus (born Budapest, Hungary, 1874; died Oak Park, Illinois, April 14, 1940) created the first blood bank at Cook County Hospital in Chicago on March 15, 1937.

Engelbert Humperdinck (born Sieburg, Germany, 1854; died Neustrelitz, Germany, September 21, 1921) was a composer. He is famous for his opera Hansel and Gretel. He also wrote incidental music for plays, including several works by Shakespeare.

Edgar Rice Burroughs (born Chicago, Illinois, 1875; died Encino, California, March 19, 1950) was, at various times, a soldier, gold miner, cowboy, and policeman. He is famous for writing the Tarzan books. He wrote twenty novels. They have been translated into fifty languages, and over twenty million copies have been sold. The character was also featured in movies, comic strips, and television. Children can read many of his works at: Project Gutenberg. Children can learn more at: Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Birthdays

Sep 022025

Demi (born Charlotte Dumaresq Hunt in Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1942) has written and/or illustrated at least 300 books for children. Her books include Muhammad and Gandhi. Children can learn more at: Demi.

Eugene Field (born St. Louis, Missouri, 1850; died Chicago, Illinois, November 4, 1895) was a writer. He is most known for his poetry. Idea: Children might enjoy reading The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat, published in 1894. Children can read many of his works at: Project Gutenberg.

James Forten

James Forten (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1766; died Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 4, 1842) was the son of free African Americans. He was almost sold into slavery during the Revolutionary War. Later he became a successful businessman and was active in the abolition movement. They could learn more at: James Forten. How did he help the antislavery movement?

Christa McAuliffe

Christa McAuliffe (born Concord, Massachusetts, 1948; died in the Challenger disintegration, January 28, 1986) was a high school teacher. She was picked to be the Teacher in Space, the first ordinary person to travel in space. Six other crew members died with her. Children can learn more at: Christa McAuliffe.

Bernard Most (born New York, New York, 1937) writes books for children. His books include If the Dinosaurs Came Back and The Cow That Went Oink. Children can visit his website, particularly the coloring pages, at: Bernard Most.

Elizabeth De Trevino (born Bakersfield, California, 1904; died Cuernavaca, Mexico, December 2, 2001) was a children’s author. One of her most popular works is I, Juan de Pareja, which received the 1966 Newbery Medal.

Birthdays

Sep 032025

Books by Aliki

Aliki Brandenberg (born Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, 1929) has written and/or illustrated at least 80 books for children. She has written, among other works, How a Book Is Made and Milk: From Cow to Carton.

Prudence Crandall (born Hopkinton, Rhode Island, 1803; died Elk Falls, Kansas, January 28, 1890) was a teacher. Her school was boycotted when the families found out she had included an African-American girl. She then created a school for “young ladies and misses of colour.” The town of Canterbury eventually drove her out, and she moved west. Older children can read a brief biography at: Prudence Crandall.

Birthdays

Sep 042025

Syd Hoff (born New York, New York, 1912; died Miami Beach, Florida, May 12, 2004) was a children’s book author and illustrator. One of his books is Danny and the Dinosaur. Children could visit a website devoted to him at: Syd Hoff.

Sarah Childress Polk

Sarah Childress Polk (born Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 1803; died Nashville, Tennessee, August 14, 1891) was America’s First Lady from March 4, 1845 to March 4, 1849. She was the wife of James Polk, eleventh president of the United States. She was a very active First Lady, serving as her husband’s secretary. Children could visit a website at: Sarah Childress Polk.

Birthdays

Sep 052025

Sunday Outing

Paul Fleischman (born Monterey, California, 1952) has written at least 35 books for children. He is the son of Sid Fleischman. Graven Images received a 1983 Newbery Honor Award. His book Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices earned the 1989 Newbery Medal. Idea: Children could read and enjoy some of his works. One of his books, Bull Run, describes the Civil War from various points of view. That book was awarded the 1989 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Children can visit his website at: Paul Fleischman.

Erin Entrada Kelly (born Lake Charles, Louisiana, 1977) writes books for children. She received the 2018 Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe. She also received a 2021 Newbery Honor Award for We Dream of Space. Children can learn more at: Erin Entrada Kelly.

Gloria Jean Pinkney (born Lumberton, North Carolina, 1941) is a children’s book author and an ordained minister. She is the wife of Jerry Pinkney and the mother of Brian Pinkney. Her books include Sunday Outing and Back Home.

Birthdays

Sep 062025

Jane Addams

Jane Addams (born Cedarville, Illinois, 1860; died Chicago, Illinois, May 21, 1935) was an activist for social welfare and women’s rights. She founded Hull House and was the co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. Children could read The House that Jane Built, written by Tanya Lee Stone and illustrated by Kathryn Brown. The Jane Addams Children’s Book Award was created in her honor in 1953. The award recognizes books that promote peace, equality for minority groups, world issues, and equality for both men and women. Children could learn more about Jane Addams and the Jane Adams Children’s Book Award from Children’s Book Award Handbook, by Diana F. Marks.

John Dalton (born Eaglesfield, England, 1766; died Manchester, England, July 27, 1844) was a scientist. He is known for his work in atomic theory and in research regarding color blindness.

Tony DiTerlizzi (born Los Angeles, California, 1969) writes and illustrates books for children. He co-wrote the Spiderwick Chronicles with Holly Black. He earned a 2003 Caldecott Honor Award for The Spider and the Fly. Children can visit his website at: Tony DiTerilizzi.

Marquis de Lafayette

Marquis de Lafayette (born Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier in Chavaniac, France, 1757; died Paris, France, May 20, 1834) was called “The Hero of Two Worlds.” He contributed to the American Revolution by convincing Louis XVI to send men to fight. He attained the rank of major-general and helped force Cornwallis to surrender at Yorktown. He returned to France and drafted “A Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.” Children could read Russell Freedman’s Lafayette and the American Revolution.

Felix Salten (born Budapest, Hungary, 1869; died Zurich, Switzerland, October 8, 1945) was an author. His most famous book is Bambi. Children could learn more at: Felix Salton.

Jessie Willcox Smith (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1863; died Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 3, 1935) was a prolific illustrator. Her illustrations appeared in over 250 periodicals, on 200 magazine covers, and in 60 books. Some of her most well-know children’s book illustrations include Heidi by Johanna Spyri and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

Birthdays

Sep 072025

Elizabeth I (born Greenwich Palace, 1533; died Richmond, England, March 24, 1603) was queen of England from 1558 until her death. Her parents were Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. During her reign England became a leading power. Idea: Children could read from the Royal Diaries series, Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor England, by Kathryn Lasky.

Elmer Hader (born Pajaro, California, 1889; died Nyack, New York, September 9, 1973) was a writer and illustrator of children’s books. He and his wife Berta Hader collaborated on more than 100 books. They received the 1948 Caldecott Medal for The Big Snow.

Eric Hill (born Holloway, United Kingdom, 1927; died Templeton, California, June 6, 2014) wrote children’s books. He is most known for his books about Spot, a puppy always getting into trouble. More than 60 million copies of his books have been sold. Children can learn more at: Eric Hill.

Buddy Holly (born Charles Harden Holly in Lubbock, Texas, 1936; died in a plane crash near Mason City, Iowa, February 3, 1959) was a leader of rock ‘n’ roll. One of his most famous songs was “Peggy Sue.”

Jacob Lawrence (born Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1917; died Seattle, Washington, June 9, 2000) was an African American painter and illustrator. He received the Spingarn Medal. Children can visit a website at: Jacob Lawrence.

LeUyen Pham (born Saigon, Vietnam, 1973) writes and illustrates books for children. Her illustrations of Bear Came Along, written by Richard T. Morris, earned her a 2020 Caldecott Honor Award.

Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses (born Greenwich, New York, 1860; died Hoosick Falls, New York, December 13, 1961) was a contemporary primitive artist. She began painting when she was 78 years old. Children could view some of her work at: Grandma Moses.

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