The holidays are quickly approaching, but don't miss the sweetest holidays of all- Bookish Holidays!
After all, books are the remedy for all that can go wrong during the holiday season! Don't have a gift for Aunt Suzy- how about a book? Need an escape from all your crazy relatives? Book a personal day after the hoopla is over. Spend an entire, blissful day in your PJs devouring your latest must-read book. Have a Christmas list bigger than your budget? Take a page out of Jerry Seinfeld's playbook & regift a few of those books on your shelf. Bonus- you're creating space for new books!
Books make every day better- including the holidays! So don't miss these November Bookish Holidays & keep the good times rolling!
National Picture Book Month
The pinnacle of book nirvana- picture books! They are the gateway to a child's lifelong love of reading. They are art, stories, ideas, discussion starters, and creativity at your fingertips. They are snuggle-time with your child and a nostalgic feeling for a childhood long ago. They are a vibe!
If you haven't blown your book budget this year- go crazy and buy 30 to share every November day with your child. If you have blown your budget- splurge on one beautiful book & run to the library to check out the other 29. Either way, don't miss out on this opportunity to share your love of books with a child in your life.
11/1: National Author's Day
Authors are not Presidents- so no National Holiday. Nor do we get a week like those treasured teachers, nurses, and secretaries. But we do get a day- we'll take it! Here are 8 easy ways to support your favorite author on National Author's Day:
Buy her book.
Subscribe to his newsletter.
Review her book an Amazon & Goodreads.
Make a social media post hyping up his book.
Talk about her book to your friends and family.
Request his book at your library & favorite bookstore.
Give her book away as a gift.
Follow him on social media.
A big thank you to all you obsessed readers out there! You make the Book World go round!
11/7-13: National Book Award Week
Every year, the National Book Award is given to one book in each of the following categories: fiction, documentary, poetry, translation, and youth literature. The National Book Foundation also awards two-lifetime achievement awards for Outstanding Contribution to American Literature and the Literary Award for Outstanding Achievement to the American Literary Community.
The purpose of the National Book Award is to celebrate the best literature published in the United States, expand its audience, and ensure that books have a prominent place in our culture.
Discover this year's nominees (and eventually the winners) at www.nationalbook.org. Celebrate the week by reading a few books on the list.
11/12: Chicken Soup for the Soul Day
About 30 years ago, two motivational speakers, Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen, had a brilliant idea! They compiled a collection of inspiring stories from ordinary people and put them in a book that has been uplifting and warming souls ever since.
So, do what you're supposed to do in November, cook up a warm pot of soup and count your blessings! Write your own Chicken Soup story, create a gratitude journal, or re-read your favorite copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul. (Sidenote: There are over 200 books in this series! Which proves that sometimes, good news sells!)
11/14-18: World Nursery Rhyme Week
Georgie Porgie, puddin' and pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry;
When the boys came out to play,
Georgie Porgie ran away.
This was my all-time favorite nursery rhyme along with Little Miss Muffet and Jack Horner. What was yours? Some teachers fear that nursery rhymes are going out of style. Make sure the nursery rhyme lives on in the hearts of children and make this a must-have in your book collection- maybe it could be one of your picture book purchases! See how things work out so beautifully in Book World?!
11/14-18: Young Readers Week
This is the week to get kids fired up about reading! Hire a celebrity, or better yet, an author to read to kids at your nearest school. Buy or donate books to your neighborhood school. Take your children on a field trip to the bookstore or library and enjoy a Book Day together. Start a read-aloud or audiobook with your child. Set some book goals for the holiday season and plan out some fun rewards to enjoy. Create a cozy book nook in your house and fill it with family favorites. Basically, turn up the book volume in your house and celebrate reading.
11/20-26: National Bible Week
Is it a big surprise that year after year the Bible remains the top-selling book in the nation? It is so popular that it is no longer included on bestseller lists- 6 billion copies sold speaks for itself! So, take this week and let this Holy Book transform your life like it has for billions of people throughout history.
Here are some ideas for your family:
Create a book of your family's favorite verses. Don't forget to add illustrations.
Read through one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John). If you're unsure of which to choose- go with John if it's your first time reading the Bible.
Pick 7 favorite Bible stories and read one each night directly from the Bible. (Moses Parting the Red Sea, Jesus Walking on Water, Jesus' Birth, Abraham & Sarah, etc.)
Gift a Bible to a friend, stranger, or shelter. Highlight some beautiful verses & write some notes in the margins if you have the time.
Pick some favorite passages and read them in several translations using Bible Gateway. Discuss the variations and which one resonates with you and why.
Watch some YouTube videos on the history of the Bible and how it came to be. Here are 3 videos I show my 6th-grade students:
11/29: C.S. Lewis & Louisa May Alcott's Birthdays
Celebrate the Birthdays of 2 iconic authors by buying a complete box set of their beloved classical works. C.S. Lewis penned the Chronicles of Narnia- with Aslan the lion being a Christ-type character or Christ reimagined in another world. Louisa May Alcott authored Little Women- a coming-of-age story of 4 close-knit sisters set in the 1860s.
Complete set with original artwork and a bonus trivia book.
A beautiful hardcover edition with
removable replicas of characters' letters.
11/30: Mark Twain's Birthday
Here are a few facts you should know about one of America's most treasured authors so you can celebrate his Birthday right!
Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens. He penned the name Mark Twain after a steamboat term. His dream job was to be a steamboat pilot.
His most famous works include Huckleberry Finn & Tom Sawyer.
He was a lover of cats- maybe because he had to be saved from drowning 9X in the Mississippi River. Apparently, big rivers are no place for boys who can't swim!
Mr. Twain was one of 7 kids and had to drop out of school when his father died. However, he took advantage of the library and educated himself.
Mark Twain submitted the first-ever typewritten manuscript.
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)
We have finally made it to the grand finale- the big cheese- the king pen (please enjoy my play on words) of our bookish holidays- NaNoWriMo! An entire month in which authors scramble, pledge, and dream of accomplishing the impossible- writing a 50,000-word novel in one month's time. Of course, this holiday has mercifully been created to help writers finish in one month what they have procrastinated doing since they made that New Year's resolution to finally write their version of the Great American Novel by the end of the year.
This phenomenon started in 1999 with 21 writers on a quest. By the next year, 140 writers joined their ranks. Today it boasts over 300,000 writers chasing their dreams. If you would like to join the fun, visit their website at www.nanowrimo.org!
There you have it, another full month of celebrating all things books and reading! When we count our blessings this November, I hope books are at the top of all our lists. They certainly deserve it! If you're looking to get a jump on your Christmas shopping, you may want to check out my blog post, "35 Bookish Gift Ideas". You'll be sure to find a special gift idea for a fellow book lover and maybe a gem or two for yourself!
Happy Holidays & Happy Reading!
Stacey Faubion