Ox-Cart Man, the 1980 Caldecott Medal Book
American Library Association will announce its Youth Media Awards, including the prestigious Newbery and Caldecott Medals and Honor Books. The announcements will start at 8:00 AM eastern time. Children could discuss what books should receive the awards.
Postal service between Boston and New York was started in 1673. The monthly service was the first of its kind in the colonies. Prior to that, some people boarding ships would act as couriers for packages and letters. Over land, people would ask ministers or merchants to transport important packages. Sometimes letters would move from tavern to tavern. There was no guarantee a letter would reach its recipient. The Postal Road followed Native American trails and ultimately became the major thoroughfares for the region. Mile posts were set up along the road. Children could participate in a wide variety of outstanding activities at: Postal Service.
World’s biggest cheese was made in Wisconsin in 1964. Using 170,000 quarts of milk from 16,000 cows, the Wisconsin Cheese Foundation made a block of cheddar cheese 14 ½ feet by 6 ½ feet by 5 ½ feet. It weighed 34,591 pounds. The cheese was driven from Wisconsin to New York to be part of the World’s Fair. The cheese was later eaten. Children could sample some cheddar and other types of cheeses. Children can learn more and watch a great video at: Cheese Making.
Andre Ampere (born Lyons, France, 1775; died Marseilles, France, June 10, 1836) was a physicist specializing in electricity. The ampere, a measure of electrical current, is named for him. Children could conduct some great electricity experiments by following the directions at: http://www.energizer.com/science-center.
Jerry Craft (born New York, New York, 1963) is a cartoonist (Mama’s Boyz) and a children’s book author/illustrator. He earned the 2020 Newbery Medal and the 2020 Coretta Scott King Author Medal for his graphic novel New Kid. Children can learn more at: Jerry Craft.
Blair Lent (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1930; died Medford, Massachusetts, January 27, 2009) wrote and illustrated children’s books. He received a 1965 Caldecott Honor Award for The Wave, a 1969 Caldecott Honor Award for Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky: An African Folktale, and the 1973 Caldecott Medal for The Funny Little Woman. Perhaps he is most famous for illustrating Arlene Mosel’s Tikki Tikki Tembo. He also wrote and illustrated Molasses Flood, a story about the Boston Molasses Disaster, which occurred on January 15, 1919. Children could learn more at: Blair Lent.
Brian Wildsmith (born Penistone, England, 1930; died Grasse, France, August 31, 2016) illustrated at least thirteen books for children. His first book, ABC, received the Kate Greenaway Award in 1963.