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Zachariah’s Perfect Day: A Book Review
Zachariah’s Perfect Day, written by Farrah Qazi and illustrated by Durre Waseem, tells the story of a Muslim boy’s first fasting day during the holy month of Ramadan. It is a wonderful addition to my collection of multicultural children’s books. The story begins with 12-year old Zachariah waking up and being excited to be old enough to join Muslims around…
International Children’s Book Day
International Children’s Book Day has been celebrated annually on or around Hans Christian Andersen‘s birthday (April 2) since 1967. The day is about inspiring a love of reading and shining a light on children’s literature. Each year the event is sponsored by a different member of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). The country…
The World’s Happiest Countries
Happy International Day of Happiness! Meet the top 10 happiest countries according to the World Happiness Report. As you scroll down the graphic, try to identify each country. The answers are below it. The World’s Top 10 Happiest Countries Denmark Switzerland Iceland Norway Finland Canada The Netherlands New Zealand Australia Sweden Student Activities 1. Locate each country on a…
Catherine’s Pascha – A Book Review
Today is “Clean Monday,” the start of Lent for Orthodox Christians around the world. Pascha, Orthodox Easter, is celebrated on May 1. As an American married to a Greek, I have been celebrating Pascha for many years. We raised our children to learn about both of our Easter traditions – from the Easter Bunny…
Maslenitsa – Pancake Week in Russia
Maslenitsa, a traditional Slavic festival, takes place during the last week before the start of the Orthodox Lent season and marks the end of winter. Maslenitsa is also known as “Butter Week” (“maslo” is the Russian word for butter) and “Pancake Week” (their round shape symbolizes the sun). Lots and lots of pancakes are eaten during this week! Blini, thin Russian…
Hina-Matsuri, The Japanese Doll Festival
The Japanese Doll Festival (Hina-Matsuri), or Girls’ Day, is celebrated on March 3. Hina are the special dolls for the occasion and Matsuri is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday. Families and communities wish health and happiness for all girls on this special day. Hina dolls are typically a gift from a girl’s grandparents for her…
World Read Aloud Day
“World Read Aloud Day is all about spreading love for reading. We think everyone in the world should get to read and write. Every year, people all around the globe celebrate WRAD by reading and sharing stories together.” LitWorld As an elementary teacher and mother of two, read aloud time has always been a special…
International Mother Language Day
International Mother Language Day is an annual observance sponsored by UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization) to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The mother language is the language(s) in which first words are spoken and thoughts expressed. Watch people from around the world share what their mother tongue is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC2XOmxNahU…
International Book Giving Day
International Book Giving Day takes place every year on February 14. The event is about sharing the love of books, and the goal is about getting books into the hands of as many children as possible. Here are some ways you can get involved. Gift books to friends, family, and/or strangers. Donate gently used books…
Chinese New Year Activities
Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival in China, begins on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month of the Chinese calendar. The festival lasts for about 23 days, ending on the 15th day of the first lunar month in the following year in the Chinese calendar. Bring the celebration into your home…
Multicultural Children’s Book Day Book Review: The Case of the Portrait Vandal
Multicultural Children’s Book Day (MCCBD) #ReadYourWorld The MCCBD team’s mission is to raise awareness about the importance of diversity in children’s literature. Young readers need to see themselves within the pages of a book and experience other cultures, languages, traditions and religions. The MCCBD team encourages readers, parents, teachers, caregivers and librarians to follow the…
Australia Day
January 26 is Australia Day – a day for celebrating being Australian. This national public holiday consists of hundreds of events taking place across the country, including parties, concerts, parades, sporting events, barbecues, fireworks, and more. Let’s take a look at just some of the events that will be held in Sydney this year: WugulOra Morning Ceremony:…