Harriet Beecher Stowe
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, was published in 1852. Over 300,000 copies of the book were sold in the first year of publication. Some experts believe the book was a catalyst for the Civil War. Children can read Uncle Tom’s Cabin at: Project Gutenberg. Children can learn more about the author at: Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Ellen Conford (born New York, New York, 1942; died Great Neck, New York, March 20, 2015) wrote at least 35 books for children and young adults. Her books include the Annabelle series and the Jennie Archer series.
Mitsumasa Anno (born Tsuwano, Japan, 1926; died December 24, 2020) wrote and illustrated at least 40 books for children. He wrote among other works Anno’s Journey, published in 1977. He received the 1984 Hans Christian Andersen Award for his body of work.
Henrik Ibsen (born Skien, Norway, 1828; died Oslo, Norway, May 23, 1906) was a playwright. One of his most famous plays is Peer Gynt. Children can read some of his works at: Project Gutenberg.
Lois Lowry (born Honolulu, Hawaii, 1937) has written close to 50 books for children. She wrote among other works Number the Stars, which earned her the 1990 Newbery Medal, and The Giver, which received the 1994 Newbery Medal. She is also the author of the Anastasia series and the Gooney Bird series.
Bill Martin, Jr. (born Hiawatha, Kansas, 1916; died Commerce, Texas, August 11, 2004) wrote over 300 books for children. His books include Knots on a Counting Rope and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Children can go to: http://www.storylineonline.net/ to see and hear Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels read Knots on a Counting Rope.
Fred Rogers (born Latrobe, Pennsylvania, 1928; died Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, February 27, 2003) was the producer and host of “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” The television show, produced in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, debuted February 19, 1968, and closed on August 29, 2008. Children can learn more at: Fred Rogers.
Louis Sachar (born East Meadow, New York, 1954) has written at least 25 books for children. His book Holes won the 1999 Newbery Medal. He also wrote the Wayside School series. Children could visit his website at: Louis Sachar.
United Nations Flag
United Nations designates today as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Flag of Namibia
Namibia celebrates Independence Day. It declared itself free from South Africa in 1990. The Kalahari Desert is one of the geographic features of this fairly large (about half the size of Alaska) country. Windhoek is the capital. About 2.2 million people live in Namibia, and many of them depend on mining for jobs. The country is the world’s fourth largest producer of uranium, and diamonds and zinc also contribute to the economy. Children can learn more at: Namibia.
Pocahontas
Pocahontas died in Gravesend, Kent, England, in 1617. She was probably born in 1595. She had accompanied her husband, John Rolfe, on a trip to England to meet his family and friends. Children could visit a website at: Pocahontas.
Breitling Orbiter 3
Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones in 1999 became the first people to circle the earth in a hot air balloon. Their 26,000-mile trip took 19 days, 21 hours, and 55 minutes. Their trip started in Switzerland and ended in Egypt. The gondola looks like a gigantic red pill, and solar panels provided power for GPS and communication. Children can see a photo of the gondola and read more at: Hot Air Balloon.
Johann Sebastian Bach (born Eisenach, Germany, 1685; died Leipzig, Germany, July 28, 1750) was a composer of Baroque music. His work is very complex, so it was not popular during his lifetime. He became famous after his death. He created several hundred compositions, including almost 300 cantatas.
Peter Catalanotto (born Long Island, New York, 1959) is a children’s author and illustrator. He has written and illustrated about fourteen books. He has also illustrated books by other authors, including Cynthia Rylant and Susan Patron. One of his books is Dylan’s Day Out. Children can visit his website at: Peter Catalanotto.
Lisa Desimini (born Brooklyn, New York, 1964) writes and illustrates books for children. Her works include Moon Soup and My House. Children can learn more at: Lisa Desimini.
Michael Foreman (born Pakefield, England, 1938) is a British writer and illustrator of children’s books. He has written and/or illustrated over 180 books. He has won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice, once in 1982 and again in 1989. Children can view a list of his works at: Michael Foreman.
Francis Lewis (born Wales, 1713; died New York, New York, December 31, 1802) signed the Declaration of Independence. He represented New York. In his early life, he fought in the French and Indian War. The British imposition of the Stamp Act angered him, and he became politically active. After he signed the Declaration of Independence, he worked hard to strengthen the navy and the army. In the fall of 1776, the British seized and destroyed his home, and they imprisoned his wife for several months under deplorable conditions. She died two years later. His only daughter married an English officer and moved to England. Children can learn more at: Francis Lewis.
David Wisniewski (born Middlesex, England, 1953; died Alexandria, Virginia, September 11, 2002) was a children’s author and illustrator. He had an unusual method of illustration; he layered cut papers to create a kind of three-dimensional effect. One of his books, Golem, won the 1997 Caldecott Award. Children can learn more at: David Wisniewski.
Daffodils
Daffodil Day is today! These early blooming flowers indicate spring is here. The American Cancer Society has linked daffodils to cancer awareness. Children could learn about the life cycle of daffodils. They could also identify the parts of the daffodil plants. Come fall, they could plant daffodil bulbs.
Weddell Seal
International Day of the Seal was declared by Congress in 1982. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has ranked ten of the 36 species of seals as endangered or vulnerable. Factors influencing their survival include unintentional catching by commerical fisheries, marine pollution, climate change, and habitat destruction. Idea: Children could research different types of seals. They could learn about the life cycles of these marine mammals. They could read some very interesting facts about seals at: Seals.
Lynx Lake, Arizona
United Nations declares today as World Water Day. The 2024 theme is Water for Peace. As the world’s population increases and the amount of water remains the same, water increasingly becomes more important to countries. Children could learn more at: World Water Day.