A Full Year Of Reading the Picture Book One day at a Time

Parents are always interested in finding great guides that serve as direction to a collection of picture books for young children and also as they grow, young adult readers too. February seems a perfect month to start the search and discovery for such books. And here is one I’ve found that will take parents, grandparents and anyone interested in young readers through the year. Children’s Book-A-Day Almanac, compiled by picture book expert, Anita Silvey is one place to start on serving up a wealth of wonderful books out there for young readers through the entire year!

It serves up a sort of combination history and literature, in that each page features an event of the day, a children’s book that RELATES to that event AND a list of other events that took place that day.

In the back are Indexes of Books and Authors, Books by Type (for instance, Classic, Beginning Reader, Picture book etc.) and Books by Age, from Babies and Toddlers through High School.

For instance, today just happens to be the birthday of author Lewis Carroll of Alice in Wonderland fame, composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and author Julius Lester. His book, Sam and the Tigers will be featured as a picture book for observing February as Africa American History Month.

For as Frederick Douglass, African American orator, statesman and writer said, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

And here’s a thought to start you and your young ones on the journey to a book that will entertain, enliven and educate the both of you. I recently heard a bit of dialogue from an episode of the TV comedy, The Big Bang Theory” that stuck with me and I’m paraphrasing, “The most powerful graphic chip ever invented is the IMAGINATION!!” so please start the new year off by reading to and with your children. Create some wonderful images TOGETHER, with that most inventive of graphic image-makers – their own imaginations!!!