January 5: National Bird Day

On January 5 the United States celebrates National Bird Day.  This is a wonderful opportunity to explore the topic with elementary students that encourages good literacy practice. 

 There are poetry books that feature birds, like Superlative Birds by Leslie Bulion and illustrated by Robert Meganck.  Our students marvel at the various types of birds and how they behave.  It is perfect for readers to ask questions that could lead to further research about what interests them.

A favorite non-fiction picture book on birds is Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by Steve Jenkins.  Our students were challenged to build a nest out of a bag of recycled materials.  It was a fun and engaging STEM activity.

You can also go the narrative, fiction route with picture books that feature birds. 

Our students love Nerdy Birdy by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Matt Davies.

Graphic novels that feature birds include the Bird & Squirrel series by James Burks, which our students love to read.

Or if you have older readers, upper elementary through middle school, you may suggest a popular chapter book, Pablo and Birdy by Alison McGhee and illustrated by Ana Juan.  This is a mysterious book that was nominated for our state's book award, the William Allen White Book Award.

 

January 4: Trivia Day

 

Trivia books are one of the top circulating types of books in our school library. In every library and school where I have worked I found that students genuinely enjoy browsing and sharing what they are learning in non-fiction books.  National Geographic for Kids Weird but True series is compact, visually appeasing and full of information that young people find interesting.

Guinness World Records are another series that students are always checking out.  The traditional Guinness World Records books are popular, but also the specialized titles, like the Gamer's Edition are even more coveted.  Readers share the games they recognize and point out new ones that they want to explore more.

Specific trivia books about movie franchises are also fun for readers.  Star Wars and Harry Potter behind-the-scenes are full of secrets that only super-fans know.  They use the books to stump their friends and find details that they missed when reading stories or watching the films that go with the characters.

Even geography lovers like learning state-related trivia with books like, United Tweets of America: 50 State Birds, Their Stories, Their Glories, by Hudson Talbott.  The level of detail that Talbott includes in each page's state facts provides the reader even more to learn about the state other than the state bird.  This is a fun book to share with someone as you take turns pointing out what you notice in the illustrations.