Flag of Isle of Man
Isle of Man celebrates Tynwald Day. The island, located in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland, is about three times the size of Washington, DC. It is a British crown dependency but not part of the United Kingdom. Not quite 85,000 people live there, and Douglas is the capital. Its economy is based on tourism and small manufacturing.
Flag of Cabo Verde
Republic of Cabo Verde (previously known as Cape Verde) celebrates Independence Day. Portugal relinquished all claims to the country in 1975. During the exploration period, the islands served as supply stations. During the last century, whaling became an important source of income. The country is actually composed of fifteen islands, and the combined area is about the size of Rhode Island. The climate is temperate, but water is scarce and droughts are common. About a half million people live in this country west of Africa. Praia is the capital.
Staffordshire Hoard was discovered in a field near Litchfield, England, in 2009. Over 3,500 items (mostly gold and silver) were found buried, and most of the items were made around the 7th century AD. The items are mostly military; no household items or women’s jewelry were found. Children can learn more at: http://www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/.
Phineas Taylor Barnum (born Bethel, Connecticut, 1810; died Bridgeport, Connecticut, April 7, 1891) created Barnum’s American Museum in 1842. It featured unusual acts. He went on to highlight the talents of the singer, Jenny Lind. He opened “The Greatest Show on Earth” in 1871. Later he merged his business interests with J. A. Bailey and formed the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Idea: Children could create their own “Greatest Show on Earth.”
Sylvester Graham (born West Suffield, Connecticut, 1794; died Northampton, Massachusetts, September 11, 1851) was a minister and physician who invented the graham cracker. He was a member of the temperance movement and an early vegetarian. He developed graham flour, a course-ground type of whole wheat. Does his birthday inspire S’Mores?
Meredith Ann Pierce (born Seattle, Washington, 1958) writes fantasy books for young adults. Her work includes the Darkangel trilogy and the Firebringer trilogy.
John Schoenherr (born New York, New York, 1935; died Easton, Pennsylvania, April 8, 2010) was an illustrator. He illustrated 40 books for children, and he received the 1968 Caldecott Medal for Jane Yolan’s Owl Moon. He also illustrated Sterling North’s Rascal. He is perhaps best known for his illustrations of Frank Herbert’s Dune.
Flag of Malawi
Malawi celebrates Republic Day. It received its independence from Great Britain in 1964. This landlocked country, slightly smaller than the state of Pennsylvania, is located in central Africa. Almost 17 million people live in the country. One of its major industries is the processing of foods, including tea, sugar, and tobacco. Lilongwe is the capital.
Comoros celebrates Independence Day. Comoros declared its independence from France in 1975. This archipelago is located in the Mozambique Channel, and the country is smaller than Rhode Island. Over 700,000 people live on the islands. Its major industries are perfume distillation and fishing. Moroni is the capital.
Antirabies inoculation was administered safely for the first time by Louis Pasteur in 1885. He saved a child who had been bitten by a rabid dog.
Babe Ruth
Major League All-Star Game was held for the first time in 1933 in Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois. Players included Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Planned as a one-time event, the very successful All-Star game has been played every year since then, except 1945 (World War II) and 2020 (Covid-19 Pandemic). Children could learn more, including a list of every All-Star Game, at: Baseball.
Kathi Appelt (born Fayetteville, North Carolina, 1954) has written at least 40 books for children. Her novel The Underneath received a 2009 Newbery Honor Award. Appelt also wrote Before and After Otis. Children can visit her website at: Kathi Appelt.
George W. Bush
George W. Bush (born New Haven, Connecticut, 1946) was the forty-third president of the United States. He is a former governor of Texas. Children can visit a website at: George W. Bush.
Cheryl Harness (born Maywood, California, 1951) has written and illustrated at least 35 books for children. Her books include Mary Walker Wears the Pants and Just for You to Know. Children can visit her website at: Cheryl Harness.
Ekua Holmes (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1955) is an artist and children’s book illustrator. She received a 2016 Caldecott Honor Award for Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement. She earned the 2018 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets.
John Paul Jones (born Kirkbean, Scotland, 1747; died Paris, France, July 18, 1792) was a Revolutionary War hero. His name was really John Paul, but he added the names Jones when he fled a murder charge in the Caribbean and came to the United States. He was captain of the U. S. S. Bonhomme Richard and battled the British Serapis. When the British captain asked him if he was ready to surrender, he replied, “Sir, I have not yet begun to fight.”
Frida Kahlo (born Coyoacan, Mexico, 1907; died Coyoacan, Mexico, July 13, 1954) was a surrealist painter. She was the wife of Diego Rivera. Children can view some of her works at: Frida Kahlo.
Carol Lerner (born Chicago, Illinois, 1927) has written and illustrated about twenty books for children. Books include Butterflies in the Garden and Plants that Make You Sniffle and Sneeze.
Dhan Gopal Mukerji (born Kajangal, India, 1890; died New York, New York, July 14, 1936) was a writer. He received the 1928 Newbery Medal for Gay Neck, The Story of a Pigeon. Children could read his Kari the Elephant at: Project Gutenberg.
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan (born Anne Francis Robbins in New York, New York, 1921; died Los Angeles, California, March 6, 2016) was America’s First Lady from January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989. She was the wife of Ronald Reagan, fortieth president of the United States. Her given name was Anne, but she was nicknamed Nancy as a small child. Her parents divorced, and her mother married Loyal Davis. He adopted Nancy. She became an actress and appeared in eleven movies. While she was First Lady, she directed major changes to the second and third floors of the White House. Children can visit a website at: Nancy Reagan.
Gloria Skurzynski (born Duquesne, Pennsylvania, 1930) has written more than 60 books for children. Her books include This Is Rocket Science and Are We Alone? Children can visit her website at: Gloria Skurzynski.
Solomon Islands celebrate Independence Day. These Pacific islands became free from Great Britain in 1978. The total area of the islands is a bit smaller than the area of Maryland. Natural resources include fish, bauxite, and forests. Almost 600,000 people live there, and Honiara is the capital.