Pulitzer Prizes were awarded for the first time in 1917. Laura E. Richards and Maude H. Elliott, assisted by Florence H. Hall, won the biography award for Julia Ward Howe. Older children could visit the Pulitzer website at: http://www.pulitzer.org/. They could also read the book at: Project Gutenberg.
Tiananmen Square Massacre occurred in Beijing, China, in 1989. Several thousand people were killed when Chinese troops opened fire on demonstrators. The protesters were demanding more freedom from the Chinese government. In the weeks following the massacre, thousands of demonstrators were imprisoned.
Aesop (born perhaps this day 620 BC; died 564 BC) was a storyteller, best known for his fables. Little is really known about his life; some accounts state he was a slave who gained his freedom through his ability to entertain. Children can read a variety of his fables at: Project Gutenberg.
King George III
George III (born London, England, 1738; died Windsor Castle, England, January 29, 1820) was the King of England during the American Revolution. He realized he was not a good political leader. His actions probably contributed to the start of the war. At one point he almost abdicated. He experienced periods of dementia, and from 1811 until his death the country was actually run by his son, George IV. Children could read Jean Fritz’s Can’t You Make Them Behave, King George?
Joyce Sidman (born Hartford, Connecticut, 1956) has written at least thirteen books of poetry for children. She received a 2011 Newbery Honor Award for Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night. Another of her books is Eureka! Poems about Inventors. Children can visit her website at: Joyce Sidman.
Model of First Hot Air Balloon
Hot Air Balloon Day is today because the first hot air balloon was flown in 1783. Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier launched their globe aerostatique in Annonay, France. The unmanned balloon ascended 1,500 feet and traveled for a distance of about 7,500 feet.
Flag of Denmark
Denmark celebrates Constitution Day. Its constitution was written in 1953, and the country is now a constitutional monarchy. According to the CIA World Factbook, Denmark is about twice the size of Massachusetts. The country is composed of the Jutland Peninsula and a number of islands. Because it is bordered by the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, winters are comparatively mild and summers are cool. About 5.6 million people live in Denmark. Copenhagen is the capital. Children can learn more at: Denmark.
Bananas were imported into the United States for the first time in 1876. Today Equador exports the most bananas, and over 2.7 billion bananas are imported into the United States each year. Children could learn more about bananas at: 
Bananas. Then they could make banana pudding and read Bananas Gorilla by Richard Scarry. Today is Richard Scarry’s birthday.
John Couch Adams (born Laneast, Cornwall, England, 1819; died Cambridge, England, January 21, 1892) was a mathematician and astronomer. Using only mathematics, he predicted the location of the planet Neptune in 1845. Using Adams’s calculations, Johann Gottfried Galle, spied Neptune for the first time on September 23, 1846.
Allan Ahlberg (born England, 1938) has written at least 140 books for children. His wife Janet illustrated many of his books until she died in 1994. One of their collaborations is Each Peach Pear Plum. He also wrote The Jolly Postman.
Dr. Jill Biden
Jill Biden (born Hammonton, New Jersey, 1951) became America’s First Lady on January 20, 2020. She is the wife of President Joe Biden. Dr. Jill Biden, Ed. D., is also a community college instructor. She was America’s Second Lady from January 20, 2009, to January 20, 2017 when Joe Biden was Vice President. Children can learn more at: Dr. Jill Biden.
. Books by Franklyn Bradley
Franklyn Branley (born New Rochelle, New York, 1915; died New Brunswick, Maine, May 5, 2002) wrote at least 115 books for children. Most of his books were about science, especially astronomy.
Kyle Lukoff (born Skokie, Illinois, 1984) has written at least eleven books for children. His book Too Bright to See received a 2022 Newbery Honor Award.
Rick Riordan (born San Antonio, Texas, 1964) writes books for young adults. His Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is extremely popular. Children can visit his website at: Rick Riordan.
Much Loved and Often Read Book by Richard Scarry
Richard Scarry (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1919; died Gstaad, Switzerland, April 30, 1994) was a children’s author and illustrator. He wrote more than 300 books, and over 100 million copies of his books were sold. His books include Busy, Busy Town and Bananas Gorilla. Children could learn more at: Richard Scarry.
Socrates (born Athens, 469 BC; died Athens, 399 BC) was a philosopher and a teacher. One of his most famous sayings is “the unexamined life is not worth living.” Idea: Children could find out more about the Socratic method of teaching at: Socrates.
Flag of Sweden
Sweden celebrates National Day. Gustavus I became the king of Sweden in 1523. Today Sweden still has a constitutional monarchy; the reigning monarch is King Carl XVI Gustaf. According to the CIA World Factbook, Sweden is about the size of California. This long, thin Scandinavian country is bordered by the Baltic Sea, and the climate ranges from sub-arctic in the north to temperate in the south. Over nine million people live in Sweden, and most of the population live in the southern portion. Iron ore, timber, and hydropower contribute greatly to the economy. Stockholm is the capital. Children can learn more at: Sweden.
Cherokees started on the “Trail of Tears” in 1838. Over 16,000 Native Americans were forcibly removed from their long-held homelands in Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. They had to move to what is today Oklahoma. Many died from starvation and exposure to the elements. Children could read The Trail of Tears by Dennis Brindel Fradin. They could also learn more at: Trail of Tears.
Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony was fined for voting in an 1872 election in Rochester, New York. She and a group of women tried to vote. They were arrested and sentenced to pay a fine. She would not pay the fine, but the judge freed her. He was afraid she might appeal the verdict to a higher court and thus begin a series of court battles regarding women’s rights to vote and women’s suffrage. Children could learn more at: Susan B. Anthony.