Limerick Day is today, honoring the birth of Edward Lear. Lear, an artist, musician, and writer, is particularly famous for his limericks. A limerick is a five-line poem. The first, second, and fifth lines rhyme and have three metrical feet. The third and fourth lines rhyme and each have two metrical feet. Limericks are often humorous and sometimes not child appropriate. Find more information about Lear in today’s Birthdays section.
Lear’s Limerick (four lines)
Jennifer Armstrong (born Waltham, Massachusetts, 1961) has written at least 44 books for children. Her books include Once Upon a Banana and Becoming Mary Mehan.
Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra (born St. Louis, Missouri, 1925; died Montclair, New Jersey, September 22, 2015) was a baseball player and manager. He is well-known for his witty sayings, including “It’s de ja vu all over again.” Children can read more “yogi-isms” at: Yogi-isms.
Dorothy Hodgkin (born Cairo, Egypt, 1910; died England, July 29, 1994) was a British chemist. She used X-Ray crystallography to observe the structure of molecules. She received the 1964 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Children could learn more at: Dorothy Hodgkin.
Edward Lear (born Highgate, England, 1812; died San Remo, Italy, January 29, 1888) was a writer, artist, and ornithologist. He is famous for his limericks. Two of his works are A Book of Nonsense, printed in 1846, and Nonsense Songs, published in 1871. Children can read many of his poems at: Lear Poems. Idea: The children could write limericks. A limerick is a poem with five lines. The first, second and fifth lines rhyme and have three metrical feet. The third and fourth lines rhyme and have two metrical feet. Children can learn more at: Edward Lear.
Betsy Lewin (born Clearfield, Pennsylvania, 1937) illustrates books for children. She wrote and illustrated at least 11 books, some co-authored with her husband, Ted Lewin, who died in July of 2021 . She has illustrated at least 50 books written by other authors. She received a 2001 Caldecott Honor Award for Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type. Children can visit her website at: Betsy Lewin.
Mildred McAfee
Mildred McAfee (Parkville, Missouri, 1900; died Berlin, New Hampshire, September 2, 1994) was the first director of the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). She was appointed by President Roosevelt in 1942. Within three years her group had trained over 85,000 women. She was also president of Wellesley College.
Farley Mowat (born Belleville, Ontario, Canada, 1921; died Port Hope, Canada, May 6, 2014) wrote about 45 books. One of his books is Owls in the Family, and another famous work is Never Cry Wolf. He sold around 17 million books.
Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale (born Florence, Italy, 1820; died London, England, August 13, 1910) elevated the status of nurses. During the Crimean War, she worked tirelessly for the wounded. She was known as the “Lady with the Lamp.” She was the first woman to receive the British Order of Merit. Children could read Heart and Soul: The Story of Florence Nightingale, by Gina K. Gorrell. Young adults could also read books written by Nightingale at: Project Gutenberg.