Birthdays

Mar 022025

Leo Dillon (born Brooklyn, New York, 1933; died Brooklyn, New York, May 26, 2012) was a children’s book illustrator with wife Diane Dillon. They illustrated at least 40 picture books, including Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears: A West African Tale which received the 1976 Caldecott Medal. The following year they again received the Caldecott Medal for their illustrations in Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions. They also illustrated at least 30 chapter books. They received the 2002 Virginia Hamilton Award for their body of works. Children can learn more at: Leo Dillon.

Sam Houston

Sam Houston (born Rockbridge County, Virginia, 1793; died Huntsville, Texas, July 26, 1863) is one of Texas’s greatest heroes. He defeated General Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836. He was elected to the United States Senate and served as governor of Texas until 1861 when he declined to swear allegiance to the Confederacy. Children can learn more at: Sam Houston.

Marjorie Blain Parker (born Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 1960) writes books for children. Her books include Jasper’s Day and When Dads Don’t Grow Up. Children can visit her website at: Marjorie Blain Parker.

Dr. Seuss (born Theodor Seuss Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts, 1902; died La Jolla, California, September 24, 1991) was an author and an illustrator. He wrote among other works Green Eggs and Ham, published in 1960. His birthday is celebrated by the Read Across America program. Children could visit a website at: http://www.nea.org/readacross. They could also read Imagine That! How Dr. Seuss Wrote the Cat in the Hat, written by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. Finally, they could make and eat green eggs by adding a few drops of green food coloring to scrambled eggs before cooking the eggs.

Birthdays

Mar 032025

Alexander Graham Bell

Alexander Graham Bell (born Edinburgh, Scotland, 1847; died Baddeck, Nova Scotia, Scotland, August 2, 1922) invented the telephone. Bell’s first call to Thomas Watson (who was in another room in the same building) was on March 10, 1876. The famous duo of Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson made history again when the first transcontinental telephone call occurred on January 25, 1915. Watson was in San Francisco, California, when Bell called him from New York, New York. President Woodrow Wilson and the mayors of both cities were also part of the call. Bell also investigated causes of deafness. Children can learn more at: Alexander Graham Bell.

Jacqueline Joyner-Kersee (born East St. Louis, 1962) is an Olympic gold medalist in the heptathlon. She received the gold medal in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics. Sports Illustrated named her female athlete of the century.

Suse MacDonald (born Evanston, Illinois, 1940) writes and illustrates books for children. Her wonderful book Alphabatics received a 1987 Caldecott Honor Award. Other books include Dino Shapes and Circus Opposites.

Patricia MacLachlan (born Cheyenne, Wyoming, 1938; died Williamsburg, Massachusetts, March 31, 2022) wrote at least 60 children’s books. She wrote among other works Sarah, Plain and Tall, which received the 1986 Newbery Medal, the 1986 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and the 1986 Golden Kite Award. Other works include Before You Came and All the Places to Love.

George Pullman (born Brocton, New York, 1831; died Chicago, Illinois, October 19, 1897) invented the Pullman sleeping car for the railroad. Children could learn more at: George Pullman.

Birthdays

Mar 042025

Meindert DeJong (born Weirum, Netherlands, 1906; died Allegan, Michigan, July 16, 1991) wrote books for children. He received numerous awards for his books, including the 1955 Newbery Medal for The Wheel on the School. He also earned four Newbery Honor Awards: Shadrach in 1954, Hurry Home, Candy in 1954, The House of Sixty Fathers in 1957, and Along Came a Dog in 1959. In 1962 he was the first American to win the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Children can read more about him at: Meindert DeJong.

Prince Henry the Navigator (born Portugal, 1394; died Portugal, November 13, 1460) encouraged and expanded exploration of Africa and other lands. He planned more than fifty expeditions, but he never went on any of these trips himself. He brought in experts in cartography, astronomy and mathematics. Through his work, Portugal became a leading force in exploration. Children can learn more at: Prince Henry the Navigator.

Dav Pilkey (born Cleveland, Ohio, 1966) has written and illustrated at least 50 books for children. He has created the Captain Underpants series, the Dumb Bunny series, and the Dog Man series. Children could visit his site at: http://www.pilkey.com/.

Casimir Pulaski

Casimir Pulaski (born Winiary, Mazovia, Poland, 1747; died on the warship Wasp, October 11, 1779) was a military leader in his native Poland. He came to America after Poland was partitioned. He became a hero during the Revolutionary War. Pulaski was mortally wounded during the siege of Savannah.

Peggy Rathmann (born Saint Paul, Minnesota, 1953) is a children’s book author and illustrator. Her Officer Buckle and Gloria received the Caldecott Medal in 1996. Children can visit a website at: Peggy Rathmann. Idea: Students, like Officer Buckle, could make a list of safety tips.

Birthdays

Mar 052025

Mem Fox (born Melbourne, Australia, 1946) has written at least 50 books for children. Her works include Yoo Hoo, Ladybug! and Goodnight, Sleep Tight. Children could visit a website at: Mem Fox.

James Merritt Ives (born New York, New York, 1824; died 1895) was part of the lithographic team of Currier and Ives. They published more than four thousand different scenes of events ranging from the commonplace to historic. At the time, the prints were used for decoration or book illustration. Now originals are rare and expensive. Children can view many of the works of Currier and Ives at: Currier and Ives.

Gerardus Mercator (born Rupelmonde, Flanders, 1512; died Duisburg, Germany, December 2, 1594) invented the Mercator projection for maps. He was able to portray more accurately the earth on a flat piece of paper. He also used the term atlas for the first time to refer to a compilation of maps. Because the Mercator Projection distorts the size of land masses at the poles, it is seldom used today. Children could learn more about Mercator and Mercator Projections at: Mercator. What kind of projection is most used today? Children could have fun at: Map Projections.

Howard Pyle (born Wilmington, Delaware, 1853; died Florence, Italy, November 9, 1911) was an illustrator. Children can read more about Pyle and then see many of his illustrations at: Illustrations. They can also learn more at: Howard Pyle.

Birthdays

Mar 062025

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Elizabeth Barrett Browning (born near Durham, England, 1806; died Florence, Italy, June 29, 1861) was a poet. One of her most famous works is Sonnets from the Portuguese. She was married to Robert Browning, also a famous poet. One of her most famous lines is “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” Children can read her works at: Project Gutenberg.

L. Gordon Cooper

L. Gordon Cooper (born Shawnee, Oklahoma, 1927; died Ventura, California, October 4, 2004) was an astronaut. One of the original seven astronauts, he was launched into space on the last Mercury mission. He logged more hours in space than the other six astronauts combined. He was the first astronaut to sleep in space (the mission was 34 hours long). He also flew on the Gemini 5 mission with Pete Conrad. They were in space for eight days and circled the earth 120 times. Children could learn more at: L. Gordon Cooper.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez (born Aracataca, Colombia, 1927; died Mexico City, Mexico, April 17, 2014) was a writer. His books include One Hundred Years of Solitude and Living to Tell the Tale. He received the 1982 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Anna Claypoole Peale (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1791; died Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 25, 1878) was an artist. She was a part of the famous Peale family of artists, and she specialized in painting miniatures and still life works. Her miniature portraits were much in demand; she painted about 200 of them. Children can see several of her works at: Anna Claypoole Peale.

Chris Raschka (born Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, 1959) writes and illustrates books for children. His book Yo! Yes? received a 1994 Caldecott Honor Award. His Hello, Goodbye Window received the 2006 Caldecott Medal, and A Ball for Daisy earned him the 2012 Caldecott Medal.

Pieta by Michelangelo

Michelangelo (born Caprese, Italy, 1475; died Rome, Italy, February 18, 1564) was an artist, an architect, and a poet. Among his accomplishments are the painting of the Sistine Chapel, the sculpture Pieta, and the sculpture David. Children could visit a website at: Michelangelo. They could also read Diane Stanley’s book Michelangelo. Finally, they could learn about the rivalry between Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

Birthdays

Mar 072025

Russet Potatoes

Luther Burbank (born Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1849; died Santa Rosa, California, April 11, 1926) developed 800 new types of fruits, vegetables and flowers. He created plants that increased quality and quantity of yield. The russet Burbank potato was one of his big successes; that type of potato is the leading tuber in food processing. Children could grow their own potato plants:
1. Punch two small holes in the bottom of five paper cups.
2. Fill the paper cups about a third full with potting soil.
3. Cut a potato into sections so that each section has an eye in it.
4. Place one potato section into each paper cup and add soil to almost fill the paper cup.
5. Place the cups on an old tray with a lip. Water, and place tray where it will receive sunlight.
6. Water often and watch. Soon potato vines will appear! When Mother’s Day comes along, plant the vines outside. In the fall check for potatoes in the soil.

Amanda Gorman (born Los Angeles, California, 1998) is a poet and an activist. She read her poem, “The Hill We Climb” at President Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration. She was the first person to read a poem at a Super Bowl when she read her “Chorus of the Captains” at Super Bowl LV, also in 2021.

Janet Guthrie (born Iowa City, Iowa, 1938) is a former race car driver. She is the first woman to qualify and race in the Daytona 500 and the Indie 500. Children can visit her website at: Janet Guthrie.

Stephen Hopkins (born Providence, Rhode Island, 1707; died Providence, Rhode Island, July 13, 1785) was a governor of the colony of Rhode Island and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. In 1764 he wrote a pamphlet called “The Rights of Colonies Examined” in response to the Stamp Act. The second oldest signer of the Declaration, he had to support his right hand with his left hand when he wrote his signature. He stated, “My hand trembles, but my heart does not.” Children could learn more at: Stephen Hopkins.

Piet Mondrian (born Amersfoort, Netherlands, 1872; died New York, New York, February 1, 1944) was an artist. He is most known for his abstract studies of color. Children could view some of his works at: Piet Mondrian.

Maurice Ravel (born Cibourne, France, 1875; died Paris, France, December 28, 1937) was a composer. One of his most famous works is Bolero, a ballet composed in 1928. Idea: Play some of his music to the class and tell students to listen for the Spanish influences or the jazz overtones.

Birthdays

Mar 082025

Howard Hathaway Aiken (born Hoboken, New Jersey, 1900; died St. Louis, Missouri, March 14, 1973) invented the digital computer. He finished the Harvard Mark I, funded by IBM, in February 1944. He later created the Harvard Mark II, the Harvard Mark III (with some electronic components), and the Harvard Mark IV (with all electronic components).

Hannah Hoes Van Buren
Library of Congress

Hannah Hoes Van Buren (born Kinderhook, New York, 1783; died Albany, New York, February 5, 1819) was the first wife of Martin Van Buren, eighth president of the United States. She died from tuberculosis before he was elected to office. Children could visit a website at: Hannah Hoes Van Buren.

Josephine Cochran (or Cochrane) (born Ashtabula County, Ohio, 1839; died Chicago, Illinois, August 3, 1913) invented the first practical dishwashing machine in 1886. Cochran received Patent Number 355,139. Children can view the patent at: Dishwashing Machine. She founded the Garis-Cochrane Manufacturing Company shortly after the patent was issued. The company was renamed Cochran’s Crescent Washing Machine Company in 1897. After her death in 1913, the business was acquired by KitchenAid, now part of Whirlpool Corporation. Children could read Josephine and Her Dishwashing Machine: Josephine Cochran’s Bright Invention Makes a Big Splash, written Kate Hannigan and illustrated by Sarah Green.

Kenneth Grahame (born Edinburgh, Scotland, 1859; died Pangbourne, Berkshire, England, July 6, 1932) was an author. Idea: He is most known for his book Wind in the Willows. He also wrote The Reluctant Dragon. Children can read his works at: Project Gutenberg. They can also learn more at: Kenneth Grahame.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1841; died Washington, DC, March 6, 1935) was one of the most important judges America has had. He was the son of Oliver Wendell Holmes, a distinguished writer. He fought in the Civil War and was wounded three times. He became a lawyer and was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1902 by President Theodore Roosevelt. He served on the Supreme Court for almost thirty years. Idea: Students could read more about his philosophy and his court decisions.

Robert Sabuda (born Wyandotte, Michigan, 1965) writes and illustrates books for children. He is known for his pop-up books. He has written and/or illustrated at least 38 books. His books include The Mummy’s Tomb and The Knight’s Castle. Children can learn how to make different pop-ups at: Robert Sabuda.

Birthdays

Mar 092025

Harry Bliss (born Rochester, New York, 1964) is a cartoonist and an illustrator of at least 20 children’s books. He illustrated Sharon Creech’s A Fine, Fine School and Doreen Cronin’s Diary of a Worm.

Bobby Fischer (born Chicago, Illinois, 1943; died Reykjavik, Iceland, January 17, 2008) was a world chess champion from 1972 to 1975.

Yuri Alexseyevich Gagarin (born Gzhatsk, Russia, 1934; died in a plane crash near Moscow, Russia, March 27, 1968) was a Soviet cosmonaut. He was the first man to travel in space. His spacecraft completed one complete orbit of the earth on April 12, 1961. He was instantly famous, and eventually he became involved in the training of other cosmonauts.

William Jackson (born Cumberland, England, 1759; died Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 17, 1828) fought in the Revolutionary War. However, he is most famous for serving as the secretary during the Constitutional Convention. He did not represent any of the thirteen states, but he kept minutes and maintained secrecy during the convention. He deserves more attention than he currently gets. Older children can learn more at: William Jackson.

Ellen Levine (born New York, New York, 1939; died New York, New York, May 26, 2012) wrote around 20 books for children. Her book Freedom’s Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories received a 2001 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. She also wrote Henry’s Freedom Box. The illustrator, Kadir Nelson, received a 2008 Caldecott Honor Award for the artwork.

Amerigo Vespucci (born Florence, Italy, 1451; died Seville, Spain, February 22, 1512) was an Italian explorer. Even though Columbus reached the New World before Vespucci, the latter was the first to realize it was a new continent. Vespucci traveled at least twice to the New World around 1499 to 1502. Columbus continued to believe he had landed near India. Martin Waldseemuller, an early cartographer, named the new land America in honor of Amerigo Vespucci. Children could read Jean Fritz’s outstanding book, Around the World in a Hundred Years to learn more about Vespucci and Columbus.

Birthdays

Mar 102025

Mary Buff (born Cincinnati, Ohio, 1890; died 1970) wrote and illustrated fourteen books with her husband, Conrad Buff II. Theiy received a Caldecott Honor Award in 1943 for Dash and Dart. They received three Newbery Honor Awards: in 1947 for The Big Tree, in 1952 for The Apple and the Arrow, and in 1954 for Magic Maize.

Clare Boothe Luce (born New York, New York, 1903; died Washington, DC, October 9, 1987) was a writer and politician. She edited two magazines and wrote a number of plays. She was elected to the House of Representatives and was the first woman to be named ambassador to an important country. She was the US ambassador to Italy from 1953 to 1956.

Lillian D. Wald (born Cincinnati, Ohio, 1867; died Westport, Connecticut, September 1, 1940) was a nurse and social worker. She founded the Henry Street Settlement. It became an important public health nursing center. She campaigned actively to make Congress create the United States Children’s Bureau. Children can learn more at: Lillian Wald. The Henry Street Settlement continues to operate.

Birthdays

Mar 112025

Ralph Abernathy (born Linden, Alabama, 1926; died Atlanta, Georgia, April 17, 1990) was a civil rights leader. He helped organize the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott, and he worked closely with Martin Luther King, Jr. He assumed some of King’s responsibilities after King was assassinated. Children could learn more at: Ralph Abernathy.

Libba Bray (born Montgomery, Alabama, 1964) writes books for young adults. Her books include Going Bovine, which received the 2010 Michael L. Printz Award, and Beauty Queens. Young adults can visit her site at: Libba Bray.

Wanda Gág (born New Ulm, Minnesota, 1893; died New York, New York, June 27, 1946) wrote and illustrated books for children. Her book Millions of Cats received a1929 Newbery Honor Award. The ABC Bunny earned Gág a1934 Newbery Honor Award. Nothing at All received a 1942 Caldecott Honor Award. Notice that she earned both a Caldecott and Newbery Awards. Children could read Deborah Kogan Ray’s book, Wanda Gág: The Girl Who Loved to Draw. They can also learn more at: Wanda Gag.

Ezra Jack Keats (born Brooklyn, New York, 1916; died New York, New York, May 6, 1983) was a children’s author and illustrator. He wrote, among other works, The Snowy Day which received the 1963 Caldecott Medal. In addition, Goggles received a 1970 Caldecott Honor Award. In 1985 the Ezra Jack Keats Book Awards were created. Every year the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation honors the best new authors and illustrators. Children can learn more at: Ezra Jack Keats. Children could also learn more about Ezra Jack Keats and the Ezra Jack Keats Book Awards from Children’s Book Award Handbook, by Diana F. Marks.

Robert Treat Paine (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1731; died Boston, Massachusetts, May 11, 1814) signed the Declaration of Independence. He was also elected to the Constitutional Convention. From 1777 to 1790 he was our country’s first attorney general. He also served on the Massachusetts State Supreme Court from 1790 to 1804. Children could learn more at: Robert Treat Paine.

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