Spring has sprung and hopefully, your days are being spent rocking on your porch swing with a fantastic book in your hand and a sweet dog at your feet (or a cute cat on your lap).
And if you're busy reading, then you should also be busy posting on Bookstagram. But, if you've had a slow week and are looking for something else to chat about besides a book review, here are some bookish holidays celebrated in May to stir your creative juices. Because let's face it, if we aren't here to tell the world that it's Mother Goose Day- who will?
So, take a gander at all these May bookish holidays & share your love for reading with your book community!
National Get Caught Reading Month
Who doesn't want to get busted for this crime? To celebrate at your house, buy a few book-related treats like bookmarks, stickers, journals, etc. And when you spy someone reading, surprise her with a little gift to spread the bookish cheer.
Even better, set a goal at the beginning of the month for the number of reader sightings you hope to see. A few trips to the library will ensure your bookworms get off to a good start. If your fam reaches the goal, celebrate with a trip to the bookstore.
Be sure to post your candid shots to your story or play a game of reading tag with your Booksta Buddies.
National Latino Books Month
If you love art, then check out these beautiful Latino picture books @coloursofus. And then do yourself a favor and add a few to your bookshelf!
Did you see Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown?! I must read it! And Love to Mama: A Tribute to Mothers by Pat Mora? I'm getting my tissues ready before I even crack that cover! Annnnd the cover art of Manuel's Murals and I'll Meet You in Your Dreams? Simply stunning! My children's book TBR grew by at least 10!
I know it's May and Christmas seems so far away, but I have to mention two of my favorite holiday books by Latino author, Tomie DePaola; The Night of Las Posades and The Legend of the Poinsettia. DePaola has so many good books, but these are musts! Who says you can't celebrate Christmas all year long anyway?
National Short Story Month
Have you always wanted an excuse to subscribe to The New Yorker? In 1940 it published "Short Stories from the New Yorker" and it has been the holy grail of writers ever since. If you're serious about your fiction- then take the plunge- plus you'll get to tote your books around in that coveted New Yorker tote bag.
Project Gutenberg is another online resource you may want to check out & it's free. It is a digital library with thousands of short stories- mostly those for which the copyright has expired.
If these two options seem a bit stuffy Wattpad and Reedsy are free online book communities with millions of stories to choose from. And if you're feeling brave, you can even publish your own!
2nd Week: Reading is Fun Week
Never have truer words been spoken. So, clear your calendars this second week of May and spend all your time nose-deep in an epic story that will leave you breathless. Or just read that trashy romance you just scrolled past on Bookstagram! No need to be pretentious, reading is for fun- especially this week.
5/1: Mother Goose Day
Georgie Porgie, pudding, and pie,
Kissed the girls, and made them cry.
When the boys came out to play,
Georgie Porgie ran away.
Poor George is having a rough day! As a child, this was my go-to Mother Goose rhyme. I found anything about kissing to be extremely fascinating! (It's a wonder I'm not a romance writer.) But Humpty Dumpty, Hey Diddle Diddle, and Little Miss Muffet aren't too shabby either.
Let's keep these treasures alive. Buy your littlest book friend a nursery rhyme book and post your favorite rhyme on Bookstagram using the hashtag #MotherGooseDay.
5/2 Harry Potter Day
Okay Potterheads, today is your day to go full HP Geek! Gush about the illustrated books, profess your allegiance to the Hufflepuffs, and embrace your mugglenesss.
Why on May 2nd you non-HP people ask? Because on this date the evil Lord Voldemort met his doom at the hands of Harry Potter during the Battle of Hogwarts- the final conflict of the Second Wizarding War.
On Bookstagram, share your HP shrine, post your favorite HP memory, dress in character, or create some fanfiction. It will be a great day for you to connect with other HP enthusiasts.
5/5 National Cartoon Day
Pay homage to your favorite cartoon as a kid. Here's some ideas:
Dazzle followers with little-known trivia
Create fanart
Make a reel recreating a favorite scene
Share a meme
Display a collection
You could also share your favorite comic books or review your most beloved graphic novels.
However you choose to celebrate, this should be a fun-filled day on Bookstagram.
5/12: National Limerick Day
How this is not celebrated on St. Patrick's Day or at least in the month of March- I'll never understand. But here we are in May with an opportunity to share some thought-provoking poetry. Enjoy my ode to books!
My Ode to Books
There once was a gal with no books
She was blessed with sultry good looks
But looks fade away
And men go astray
Now she dreams of sweet tome-filled nooks
Speaking of nooks, if you would like inspiration for creating your own book nook, check out my blog post, Create Your Dream Book Nook.
5/22 Sherlock Holmes Day
Calling all mystery fans! Today is your day! Clue us in on some great mystery books! (wink, wink)
My 2 favorites of the year so far:
The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson is a thrill ride with twist after twist. Highly entertaining & I highly recommend it!
A Quiet Life in the Country by T E Kinsey is a fun, cozy mystery. Lady Hardcastle and her trusty sidekick will have you in stitches and cheering them on.
We all need a little mystery in our lives. And since we're not all part of the Mystery Inc. Gang or Agatha Christie Crazees, we need some good book recs. So, shine your preferred genre in the best light and do a spotlight on your auto-buy mystery author or create a carousel of your top 10 thrillers.
5/23: National Library Workers Day
They are the sages of book recommendations, the curators of masterpieces, the masters of research, the event planners extraordinaire- they are the heart of our communities! They are our librarians!
So, take a moment to acknowledge their valuable work via shout-outs on Bookstagram. Or double whammy, stop by your local branch with a few treats and check out a few books for yourself!
5/31: National Speak in Sentences Day
We end the month with an English teacher's dream. Now that I think about it, this holiday was probably created by teachers to torture their students one last time before the summer break. But it's also an opportunity for us bibliophiles to flex our literary muscles.
On this day, we dedicate ourselves to using grammatically correct sentence structure to communicate. Not a "huh," "Bruh," or "dude" should be heard. No emojis either! You may only communicate as if Ms. Manners were your idol. Do you accept the challenge?
(Hey, it's better than National Speak Like a Pirate Day. That's September 19th if you're interested.)
Another month in the books! Have fun celebrating the joy of reading and all things bookish. If you're on Bookstagram, follow me @staceywritesandreads. I'm always looking for my next great read!
Happy Reading,
Stacey Faubion
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