Read Across America 2018-19 Calendar of Monthly Observances
Use this digital calendar to save the date and plan ahead for special celebrations and observances throughout the school year. Each month, we offer suggested books, activities, and resources to engage and motivate your students!
On the Calendar - September
National Hispanic Heritage Month
- Hispanic Heritage Booklists from Colorin Colorado
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. S (Knopf Books for Young Readers) After the death of her dutiful older sister, Olga, rebellious Julia deals with her family and the discovery of her sister's secret double life.
Themes: anxiety, depression, grief, identity, immigration, Mexican-American community, family
Resources:
Erika L. Sanchez's website
- Chicago Humanities Festival interview with Erika L. Sanchez
- Richard Wright and the Library Card by William Miller
September 1: National Book Festival
September 2: Margarita Engle
All the Way to Havana by Margarita Engle; illustrations by Mike Curato (Henry Holt and Co., 2017) takes readers for a ride in Cara Cara, a beloved family car, to see the sights on the streets of Havana.
Read, Discuss and Explore:
Ask students to think about what they see when they travel through their own neighborhoods. What's important, fun, or interesting about where they live? Who are the people who live there? Have students find out more about them. Students can interview family and friends to find out things they like about the neighborhood and what they might like to change. Or encourage students to take a walk on their street and write, draw, or photograph what they see. Have them compile their notes, interviews, illustrations, and photographs with other students into a special book that will help preserve local history in your community.
Learn More About:
- Cuba and Cuban heritage with these classroom resources from the State Library and Archives of Florida
- Margarita Engle, and her relationship with Cuba, in this video interview at Colorin Colorado
September 3: Labor Day
- Picture Books for Labor Day: The History of Solidarity from What We Do All Day?
September 8: International Literacy Day
September 11: National Day of Service and Remembrance
September 15: Tomie dePaola
September 17: Constitution Day
Learn more about the Constitution and how to uphold its principles from a citizen who is passionate about his adopted country.
Themes: American history, U.S. Constitution, civics, social justice, immigrants
Meet the author:
KidsReads: Khizr Khan biography
PBS News Hour: Khizr Khan's Brief But Spectacular take on dignity and patriotism
Random House Off the Page: Khizr Khan in conversation with Ben Greenberg
Discussion tools:
National Archives: Teaching Six Big Ideas in the Constitution
Constitution USA with Peter Sagal from PBS
Resources to engage students in meaningful civic learning from iCivics
September 21: International Day of Peace
On the International Day of Peace, explore the themes of community, tolerance, and citizenship with these books suggested by Reading Rockets
September 23-29: Banned Books Week
- Frequently Challenged Books for Kids and Teens, a list from Common Sense Media
September 25: James E. Ransome
On the Calendar - October
National Arts and Humanities Month
National Bullying Prevention Month
- Children from Lee & Low
Stella Diaz Has Something to Say by Angela Dominguez (Roaring Brook Press) Shy Stella loves marine animals but worries about finding the right words to make a presentation about them to her third-grade class.
Themes: immigrant experience, English as a second language, friendship, bullying
Meet the author:
Angela Dominguez website
Ready Set Draw! Author/Illustrator Angela Dominguez Draws! from KidLit TV
Chicago Public Library: Author of the Month Angela Dominguez
Discussion tools:
Let the Hot Air Out of Bullies!: An Activity for Kids from Teaching Tolerance
Identity-Based Bullying: Lesson Plan from the Anti-Defamation League
October 7-13 Teen Read Week
October 8 Indigenous Peoples Day
October 17 Christopher Myers
October 20 National Day on Writing
- Picture Books About Writers and Writing from Reading Rockets
October 24 Monica Brown
October 25 Read for the Record Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood written by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell and illustrated by Rafael Lopez, is shared through the eyes of a young girl but based on the work of artists Rafael and Candice Lopez, who brought their neighbors together to turn community spaces into a canvas for creative collaboration.
HMH Books for Young Readers, 2016.
maybesomethingbeautiful.com
October 31 Katherine Paterson
On the Calendar -- November
Native American Heritage Month
- American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Booklists from Colorin Colorado
#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale (Annick Press): The experience of being a Native American woman is vividly illustrated in poems, essays, interviews, photographs, and art.
Themes: First Nations; Native Peoples; girls and women; biography; multicultural; stereotyping; acceptance; community; prejudice; self-esteem; tolerance
Resources:
Co-editors Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale on Dreaming In Indian video from Annick Press
Native American Cultures Across the U.S. lessons and resources from EDSITEment
National Picture Book Month
- 30 Books for Picture Book Month from Black Children's Books and Authors
November 1 Author
November 9 Lois Elhert
November 11 Veterans Day
- Chatting About Books: Honoring Veterans Day, a podcast from ReadWriteThink
November 12-16 American Education Week
November 14 Education Support Professionals Day
November 16 Substitute Educator
- Nerdy Book Club: Top 10 Books in My Substitute Teaching Bag by Kristen Papa
November 22 Thanksgiving
- American Indian Perspectives on Thanksgiving from the National Museum of the American Indian
- Thanksgiving Resources from Oyate
November 24 Tim Tingle's birthday
On the Calendar -- December
- 10 Books for Universal Human Rights Month from school librarian Matthew Winner
December 3-7 Inclusive Schools Week
- Culturally Authentic Texts for All Students and Those Who Need Them Most from Responsive Reads
December 6 Jason Reynold
For Every One by Jason Reynolds (Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum)
Everyone has a dream--and this poem is a reminder to all the dreamers that their dreams matter.
Themes: poetry, frustration, courage, compassion, call to action
Resources:
Jason Reynolds' website
Interview with Jason Reynolds on Sirius XM Make It Plain
December 8 Henry Cole
December 10 Human Rights Day
December 15 Bill of Rights Day
- Picture Books and the Bill of Rights from the National Constitution Center
- Book Links: Discovering the Bill of Rights through Fiction
December 20 Lulu Delacre
Us, in Progress: Short Stories About Young Latinos by Lulu Delacre (HarperCollins)
Short stories drawn from true accounts offer moving portraits of the hardships and victories of the diverse Latinos who live in the United States.
Themes: Latino experience, short stories, identity, immigration, bullying, family, religion
Meet the author:
Lulu Delacre website
A video interview with Lulu Delacre from Reading Rockets
Discussion tools:
T.A.P. in to the Book: Story connections for each story in US, in Progress
Tougher Times For Latino Students? History Says They've Never Had It Easy from NPR
Latino Americans from PBS Learning Media
On the Calendar -- January
- The Mentor's Field Guide by Gail Manza and Susan K. Patrick
National Braille Literacy Month
- The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped: About Braille
January 1 New Year
- Read in the New Year, a booklist from NEA
January 4 World Braille Day and Birthday of Louis Braille
- Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille by Jen Bryant; Illustrated by Boris Kulikov
January 5 Lynne Cherry
January 21 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
Marley Dias Gets It Done (And So Can You!) by Marley Dias (Scholastic):Explore activism, social justice, volunteerism, equity, inclusion, and how to use social media for good while "keeping it real" with Marley.
Themes: activism, reading and literacy, making a difference
Meet the author:
Marley Dias by Jacqueline Woodson
Teen activist and author Marley Dias on CBS This Morning
Discussion tools:
1000 Black Girl Books Resource Guide created from the #1000blackgirlbooks campaign led by Marley Dias
Marley Dias: The 13-Year-Old Activist & Author: article, paired texts, related media and guides from CommonLit
January 19 Pat Mora
January 31 Brian Collier
On the Calendar - February
- African American Booklist from NEA
- Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Little, Brown) The dead are never gone and the spirts of murdered African-American boys have a mission to continue on and bear witness.
Themes: racism, police brutality, grief, forgiveness, friendship
Meet the author:
Jewell Parker Rhodes' website
Q & A with Jewell Parker Rhodes from Publishers Weekly
Meet Jewell Parker Rhodes video from Little, Brown Young Readers
Discussion tools:
Book Club Guide from Little, Brown Young Readers
Author Jewell Parker Rhodes: My Personal Connection to Ghost Boys
Talking points for Ghost Boys from the author
National African American Read-In
- Top 134 Recommended African-American Children from the African American Literature Book Club
- African American Authors Booklist from NEA
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt/Macmillan): While ruthlessly pursued by Prince Inan, Zelie, her older brother Tzain, and rogue Princess Amari, fight to restore magic to the land and activate a new generation of magi.
Themes: colorism, oppression, prejudice, magic, siblings, resistance
Resources:
Tomi Adeyemi's website
Teacher for Children of Blood and Bone from Macmillan
February 9 Matt de la Pena's Birthday
February 12 Jacqueline Woodson's birthday
February 13 Carole Boston Weatherford's Birthday
- Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (Little Bee Books, 2016) describes the lives of slaves who labor daily from sun up to sundown, but on Sunday afternoon gather in Congo Square in New Orleans to share music.
Discuss and explore:
Though the couplets evoke nursery rhymes, this title can be enjoyed by all ages and is especially important in a discussion of slavery in America. A discussion guide by the publisher can help facilitate that conversation and the educator resources from Music Rising at Tulane open a line of inquiry for all grade levels.
February 18 Presidents Day
- Presidential Reads Booklist from NEA
On the Calendar - March
- 20 Great Read Aloud Titles from NEA
National Women's HIstory Month
- Women's History Month Booklist from NEA
Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World written and illustrated by P; translated by Montana Kane (First Second): Meet 29 feisty females -- ome world famous, some little known--in this collective comic biography
Themes: women, biography, defiance, doing your own thing
Resources:
Interview with The Beat: Penelope Bagieu on Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World
Using Young Adult Graphic Novels in the Classroom from First Second includes discussion questions, teaching recommendations, and CCSS alignment for Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World
- Celebrate Music in Our Schools Month With Drum-Inspired Books
The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk (Delacorte): Autumn, Logan, and Shay have each lost someone they loved and seek healing in friendship and music to cope with their individual grief.
Themes: loss, grief, love, friendship, family, music
Resources:
Ashley Woodfolk's website
Spotify playlist for The Beauty That Remains
March 1 NEA's Read Across America Day
March 1 Tonya Bolden
March 8 International Women's Day
March 12 Naomi Shihab Nye's Birthday
March 21 World Poetry Day
Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes and Friendship by Irene Latham & Charles Waters; Illustrated by Sean Qualls & Selina Alko (Carolrhoda Books-a division of Lerner) Irene and Charles end up as partners for a poem-writing project family, friends, food, and what they learn about race and the world around them.
Themes: misconceptions, self-awareness, coming of age, injustice, empowerment
Meet the authors:
Irene Latham's website
Charles Waters's website
Author Q & A with Irene Latham and Charles Waters
Irene Latham and Charles Waters on The Children's Book Podcast
Discussion tools:
Teacher created by Berry and Company Educational Experiences
Discussing Race, Racism and Other Difficult Topics With Students from Teaching Tolerance
Promoting Social Imagination Through Interior Monologues from Zinn Education Project
March 25 Kate DiCamillo's birthday
On the Calendar -- April
- Arab and Arab American Booklist from Social Justice Books
A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi (Philomel):After a horrific bombing, Tareq must travel with his father and one surviving younger sister, Susan, from war-torn Syria to Turkey to Greece.
Themes: war, refugees, survival, families, grief, trauma
Resources:
Atia Abawi's website
Teacher from Unleashing Readers
- Poetry in the Classroom Calendar from the American Academy of Poets
Poetry Booklists from Reading Rockets: Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth; illustrated by Ekua Holmes (Candlewick, 2017) These original poems--written in thr style of Robert Frost, William Carlos Williams and other famous poets-introduce and celebrate great poets and are models of experimentation for young writers.
Read, Discuss and Explore:
Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets introduces students to the idea of creating original art or poetry in honor, celebration, or appreciation of another writer, poet, or artist. Have students consider the poems and poets presented in the book. Which poems make them curious to explore more about the poet being celebrated? Encourage students to research and read more about that poet and the poetry he or she created. Have them think about how the poem in Out of Wonder pays homage to the original poet. Ask them to write their own poems celebrating the poet they've researched or another favorite poet of their own.
Learn More About:
- How to use Out of Wonder in the classroom with this Teachers Guide from Candlewick Press.
- How to use Out of Wonder as a pathway into your own poetry workshop from The Classroom Bookshelf
- Reading Without Walls Recommended Books by Theme from Reading Rockets
Chasing Space Young Readers' Edition by Leland Melvin (Amistad): Get an inside look at the rigorous training and work required to make it all the way to outer space from athlete-turned-astronaut Leland Melvin.
Themes: memoir, character, achievement, setbacks, football, NASA
Meet the author:
Leland Melvin's website
Science Friday: Chasing Space: Astronaut Leland Melvin
Discussion tools:
CSPAN BookTV interview with Leland Melvin
NASA's African-American Astronauts Fact Sheet
Leland Melvin at the 2017 National Book Festival
You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins (Farrar, Straus and Giroux): Three generations of women in the Das family struggle to find their places in the world and to accept one another and their life choices.
Themes: families, immigrant life, love, friendship, identity, coming of age
Resources:
Mitali Perkins' website
Discussion Questions for You Bring the Distant Near from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
April 2 International Children
April 7 National Library Week
- Library Love Booklist from NEA
April 12 Beverly Cleary
April 13 Rita Williams-Garcia
April 22 Earth Day
April 24 Loren Long
April 29 Children's Book Week
April 30 El día de los libros
On the Calendar -- May
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
- Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Booklists from Color Colorado
Aru Shah and the End of Timeby Roshani Chokshi (Disney): Launched into the world of Hindu gods, Aru faces the Sleeper demon from the Lamp of Bharatan her Spider-Man pajamas.
Themes: Indian mythology, peer pressure, girl power, identity, heroes
Meet the author:
Roshani Chokshiwebsite
Rick Riordan Interviews Roshani Chokshi
Discussion tools:
Educator from Disney Hyperion
The Mahabharata: An introduction to the epic poem of ancient India from Asia Society Kids
Crash Course World Mythology: Indian Pantheons
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F. C. Yee (Amulet Books):Harvard-hopeful Genie meets Quentin and is distracted by his good looks and his insistence that she has supernatural powers that she must use to help him fight demons.
Themes: magic, adventure, friendship, Chinese folklore, family life
Resources:
USA Today Happy Every After interview with F.C. Yee
Monkey by Cheng'en Wu; translated by Arthur Waley
The Journey to the West translated and edited by Anthony C. Yu
May 2 Holocaust Remembrance Day
May 5-11 Teacher Appreciation Week
- Authors and Illustrators Celebrate Their Teachers at Reading Rockets
May 7 National Teacher Day
- Celebrate Teachers! Booklist from NEA
May 10 Christopher Paul Curtis's Birthday
May 17 Grace Lin's Birthday
When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin (Little, Brown, 2016)
The evil Tiger Emperor has kidnapped Pinmeithe Luminous Stone That Lights the Night to trade for her freedom.
Read, Discuss and Explore:
Stories provide a key means for students to understand the world around them as well as other people. After reading When the Sea Turned to Silver, have students think about where they get their stories and who are the storytellers in their lives. What makes those stories memorable? Have students try turning a vivid memory into a story they can share. Get them to think of a memory and connect it to the emotion it makes them feel. Ask them to craft their memory into a story or drawing that would evoke that emotion in others. What can they share that will help connect others to their story?
Learn More About:
- Using When the Sea Turned to Silver in the classroom with math, science, and other fun activities from the author and Curious City DPW , a Readers Theater script, and a reading group guide from the publisher.
- The Art of Storytelling from MENSA for Kids and Storytelling: Oral Traditions from PBS LearningMedia
May 19 Arthur Dorros's Birthday
May 27 Memorial Day
- Books for Memorial Day Booklist from NEA
On the Calendar -- June
- The Rainbow Booklist from ALAGay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table
The Prince and the Dressmakerby Jen Wang (First Second): By day, Prince Sebastian is heir to the throne; by night, heLady Crystallia made all the more fabulous by Frances, his secret dressmaker.
Themes: gender fluidity, misfits, acceptance, friendship, fairy tales
Resources:
Jen Wang's website
Using Young Adult Graphic Novels in the Classroom from First Second includes discussion questions, teaching recommendations, and CCSS alignment for The Prince and the Dressmaker
- The GLSEN Companion to NEA
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater (Macmillan): The true story of an agender teen who was set on fire by another teen while riding a bus in Oakland, California.
Themes: gender identity, community, crime, justice, penal racism, tolerance, forgiveness
Resources:
Dashka Slater's website
KQED Forum podcast: A Tale of Two Oaklands Colliding on 'The 57 Bus'
The 57 Bus Discussion Guide from Macmillan
National Audiobook Month
- Notable Children's Recordings recommended by the American Library Association
June 7 Louise Erdrich's birthday
June 14 Flag Day
June 18 Angela Johnson
June 19 Juneteenth
June 20 World Refugee Day
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani (Dial): In her diary, Nisha writes letters to her late mother about having to leave their home after the partition of India creates the country of Pakistan.
Themes: refugees, families, religion, bravery, identity
Meet the author:
Veera Hiranandani's website
An in-depth interview with Veera Hiranandani and her editor Namrata Tripathi from Penguin Middle School
Discussion tools:
Penguin School & Library Marketing Educator
Partition of India: My memories from Witness, a World Service radio programme
The Religions of South Asia from The Asia Society
June 25 Eric Carle
On the Calendar -- July
- Our National Parks Booklist from Reading Rockets
Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol (First Second): Vera finally talks her mom into sending her to summer camp, but the Russian Orthodox camp isn
Themes: memoir, fitting in, navigating cultural differences, resilience, being yourself, friendship
Meet the author:
Vera Brosgol's website
Camping Out with Vera Brosgol: Kirkus interview with Julie Danielson
Off Panel #160: In the Summertime with Vera Brosgol podcast
Discussion tools:
Be Prepared excerpt
A Guide to Using Graphic Novels With Children and Teens from Scholastic
How to Teach Memoir in the Middle Grades from Middle Web
July 2 Cynthia Kadohata
Checked by Cynthia Kadohata (Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum) When his Doberman Sinbad is diagnosed with cancer, Conor gives up some of his hockey lessons to help pay for Sinbad's treatment.
Themes: hockey, family, relationships, pets, friendship, sacrifice
Meet the author:
Cynthia Kadohata's website
The Amazon Book Review: Talking to National-Book-Award Winner Cynthia Kadohata About "Checked"
Discussion tools:
Simon & SchusterCurriculum Guide
Passion & Purpose: Activities and Resources from InspirED
The Hockey Writers: Hockey 101: A Beginner
July 4 Independence Day
- Books for Independence Day from NEA
-
Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card by Sara Saedi (Knopf): Understand the hurdles Sara and her family faced to rebuild their lives after fleeing Iran and the anxiety that being an undocumented immigrant added to her awkward teenage years.
Themes: immigration, family, coming of age, memoir, cultural identity
Resources:
Sara Saedi's website
Americanized Discussion Guide from Random House Teachers and Librarians
July 11 National Summer Learning Day
- Great Summer Reads Booklist from NEA
July 12 Lesa Cline-Ransome
July 13 Ashley Bryan's Birthday
Edcommunities Groups
Collaborate with educators on this topic in the groups below.
Illinois Education Matters
Illinois Education Matters is a network for all practitioners in education - IEA members and non-members. This effort is designed to serve as a repository for professional development, tools, resources, and information on grants, conferences / workshops, etc. Imagine this as your one stop for all connections. If you have joined our group, please message me - letting me know that you joined. I do not get any information telling me you joined. Our membership is so large, it takes me forever to go through and see our new members. Thanks for your help.
You can also join other active groups on edCommunities. Several IEA members are facilitators for edCommunities. Check out and join their groups, if interested.
Mary Ann Rivera - Illinois ESPs
Mary Jane Morris - Illinois Education Matters IEA
Jillian Huber - Integrating Reading and Writing 9th-12th
Jim Grimes - Higher Education
Amy Kappele - Early Childhood Development & Education
Secondary Literacy
Do you want to inspire your students to think critically, to analyze works, and to use their imaginations on a daily basis? Do you want to explore ways you can integrate reading into writing curricula and writing into reading curricula in your high school classroom? Join us at the Integrating Reading and Writing 9th-12th group to share, explore, and discuss ways for teachers of all content areas to link these two important life skills together in order to help students get the most out of themselves every day.
School Integrated Pest Management
This group will provide information and resources for integrated pest management training and advice for all educators and school districts .
Pest management is important, but often overlooked, part of school safety. Pests can cause stings and bites, and can trigger allergies. In addition, some pests pose health threats by spreading germs and filth. Un-managed pest problems can result in damage to school property, unsightly landscapes, and other unsafe conditions.
NEA's Read Across America: Building a Nation of Readers
Reading Rockets offers a wealth of research-based resources designed to launch young readers. It's for parents, teachers, and other educators in helping struggling readers build fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills.
Coming in 2019...
NEA's Read Across America Day
Friday, March 1, 2019
National Teacher Day
May 7, 2019
National Teacher Appreciation Week
May 6-10, 2019
American Education Week
November 11-15, 2019
