September 25 – National Open the Magic Day

About the Holiday

Created in 2021 by Courtney Hinshaw, a book lover, former teacher, and founder of Ramona Recommends, National Open The Magic Day honors the magic of reading aloud—especially reading picture books. As a child, Courtney faced struggles with dyslexia and auditory processing disorder, and while reading didn’t come easily, picture books gave her much joy and comfort. By establishing this holiday, her goal is to help more children feel confident with books, especially those who find reading hard.

Picture books aren’t just for the youngest readers, either! With their mix of story and illustrations, this creative masterpieces can open new worlds and a world of reading for children of any age—and even adults! To celebrate today, share picture books you loved as a child and your kids’s faves too! To learn more about the holiday and Courtney Hinshaw’s work with reading and literacy, visit Ramona Recommends and check out her blog post for National Open the Magic Day.

Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for gifting me a copy of this book for review!

Zombie and Brain Are Friends

Written by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic | Illustrated by Laan Cham

Zeb’s “family raised brains. Grain-fed, free-range brains.” In fact, anyone who bought their brains at the farmers market would tell you they were “the best brains in the entire county.” One Saturday, while Zeb worked among the crop, a baby brain snapped off its stem and bounced right into his hands. Zeb was smitten by how pink and squishy and adorable it was. Zeb decided to call him Brian and promised he’d take care of him. Brian snuggled close and “buzzed with delight.”

Zeb’s parents were much less enthusiastic and reminded Zeb: “‘Brains are food, NOT pets.'” Over the next few days Zeb and Brian did everything they could to change his parents’ minds. Finally they relented. Zeb was a fabulous caretaker, providing Brian with the best brain food, the most puzzling exercises, and always ensuring he never suffered brain freeze on chilly nights.

When Zeb woke one night to find Brian gone then spied him on the kitchen table and heard his dad say he was “going to make him a midnight snack,” Zeb was terrified. He snuck into the kitchen, grabbed Brian, and ran as fast as he could to a faraway field where brains roamed wild. After a tearful farewell, Zeb returned home, but it just felt empty. When his parents asked where Brian was and Zeb told them, he learned that his dad had been making a snack for Brian, not out of Brian.

The family scoured the neighborhood, but Brian was nowhere to be found. Then one morning as Zeb did his chores, he felt Brian at his heel. He had found his way home himself! Now their home—and their hearts—were full once more.

With its inspired take on E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, surprising friendship, and sweet tug on the heart, Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic’s Zombie and Brain Are Friends is a picture book for the whole family to read together. Loaded with delicious puns, wordplay, laugh-out-loud moments (as when Zeb tries a favorite pet owner’s ploy to entice Brian home), and even a couple of tear-jerking scenes, this heartwarming story is one kids and adults will want to share again and again.

Whether they’re shepherding their flock of brains on a hillside, selling their wares at a farmers market, or adjusting to a new pet in the house, Laan Cham’s delightful zombie family is relatable and loving. Pink, squishy Brian is a dear, and watching his and Zeb’s friendship blossom over fish dinners, puzzles, and outdoor play will squeeze your heart. Cham paints Zeb’s selfless act to save Brian with a broad brush of suspense and emotion, making the ending all the sweeter.

Full of heart, soul, and brains, Zombie and Brain Are Friends will appeal to all readers. It would be a well-loved addition to any home bookshelf and is a must for all library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547613625

About the Author

Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic is the author of The End of Something Wonderful; Hello, Star; The League of Picky Eaters; What is Hope; and Hummingbird Season. She writes books in the San Francisco Bay Area surrounded by a few kids, a few cats, and one husband. Visit her at stephanielucianovic.com and on Instagram @grubreport.

About the Illustrator

Laan Cham is a wandering dreamer with a BIG imagination who enjoys all things cute, random, and a little bit strange. (Because the best things in life are kind of out there.) She aims to spread joy through her stories and illustrations by encapsulating all the things she loves. Laan’s picture books include Somewhere in Between and Mao Mao’s Perfectly Imperfect Day. Visit her at laancham.com and on Instagram @laan.cham.

National Open the Magic Day Activity

Reading is Magic! Puzzle

Reading every day makes life magical! Print this Reading is Magic! puzzle to help these kids find a book they’ll love!

You can purchase Zombie and Brain Are Friends from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

August 18 – Serendipity Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

The word “serendipitous” was first coined in 1754 by Horace Walpole in a letter to a friend as he described a Persian fairy tale known in English as The Three Princes of Serendip. In the story three young men, having been banished from the kingdom of Serendip (commonly known as Sri Lanka) to prove their worth, travel the world continuously enjoying surprising good luck—or serendipity—along the way. In 2001 author Madeleine Kay founded Serendipity Day to encourage people “to live your life . . . with the belief that at any moment, something wonderful is about to happen.” Let today’s holiday inspire you to pay closer attention to those moments of serendipitous magic that occur each day. They’re all around us as long as we recognize and embrace them!

The Strangest Fish

Written by Katherine Arden | Illustrated by Zahra Marwan

Daisy lives in a colorful house on the edge of a lake with water like “blue glass.” She loves the month of October for its golden trees, pumpkins, cider, and, especially, the county fair. After riding the teacups and munching popcorn, Daisy “fished for prizes from the go-fish booth.” She came away with her own, real, strange fish. Despite the fish’s extra fins, leaf-like scales, and big head, Daisy loved him and vowed to take care of him. At home she placed him in the nicest bowl and named him October.

In the morning, October had outgrown his bowl, so Daisy gave him a bigger one. The same thing happened the next morning, and the next, even though Daisy had transferred him to the bathtub. October looked like a pile of leaves. Daisy’s brother proclaimed him “so weird.” Daisy, though, thought “October was the best fish,” and when “she petted his scales, she was sure his blue eye winked at her.”

The next morning Daisy knew she had to move October again. But where? He “blinked his lake-blue eyes,” and she knew. She rolled October to the lake in her wagon then worried and worried about him all night. In the morning she ran to the lake but saw only a small ripple. Then a snout and a head broke the surface of the water, and Daisy was gazing into the lake-blue eyes of a water dragon. She cried “‘I knew you weren’t a fish!’” and happily climbed on his back for a magical trip around the lake.

Katherine Arden’s The Strangest Fish radiates charm and the type of serendipity children make happen every day with their open hearts. Daisy is a dear, and in one masterful scene that is both touching and candid, Arden reveals the depths of Daisy’s kindness: While carrying her unusual new pet from the car to the house, Daisy feels a pang of jealousy for the cute and more conventional stuffed koala bear her sister has won, but, not wanting to hurt the fish’s feelings, she keeps it to herself. “Friends didn’t hurt friends’ feelings,” she knows. Instead, Daisy tells her fish that she will give him “the nicest bowl.” Arden extends such perception to each family member, as well, through lyrical descriptions and dialog peppered with honest sibling and parental banter and Daisy’s loving reassurances to October that make her story a read aloud with poignancy for all ages.

Fanciful and shimmering with breathtaking color, Zahra Marwan’s watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations invite readers to enjoy a nostalgic autumn fair before welcoming them into Daisy’s close-knit family life. The siblings’ love for each other shows up in heart-patterned clothing and the way Daisy and her sister and brother huddle under one blanket as they worry about October together. Marwan’s singular fish is part punk aesthetic, part balloon, and completely adorable, stealing readers’ hearts from their first glimpse of him. The details Marwan sprinkles throughout her pages are both evocative and quirky, and she even adds a bit of foreshadowing (but I won’t tell you where). October’s final incarnation will delight kids and adults alike.

Enchanting, unforgettable, and with an ending that fulfills all of a child’s heartfelt wishes, The Strangest Fish is a story that kids will want to hear again and again and is a must addition to home, classroom, and all library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Astra Young Readers, 2024 | ISBN 978-1662620782

About the Author

Katherine Arden is the NYT-bestselling author of the Winternight Trilogy and the middle-grade series Small Spaces. She won the 2020 Vermont Golden Dome Book Award and was a finalist for the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Series. She graduated from Middlebury College in 2011, where she obtained her degree in Russian and French.

About the Illustrator

Zahra Marwan is a children’s book author-illustrator and the 2022 recipient of the Dilys Evans Founder’s Award. Her first picture book, Where Butterflies Fill the Sky, was named one of NPR’s Best Books of 2022 and a NYT Best Illustrated Children’s Book. Originally from Kuwait, Zahra now lives in New Mexico.

Serendipity Day Activity

Go Fishing Game

Kids can engage in their own serendipitous adventure with this Go Fishing Game! With a paper plate pond, some printable fish, and a few other supplies, kids will be catching a whole lot of fun in no time!

Supplies

Printable Colorful Fish Template
Printable Black and White Fish Template
Printable Go Fishing! Playing Die (optional)
A large straw, wooden dowel, or pencil for a fishing pole
String
Two 1-inch round magnets for fishing pole
Paper clips
Scissors
Crayons (optional)
Glue (optional)

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-go-fishing-game-1

Directions

Color the paper plate blue
Print the Go Fishing! Game Playing Die (optional)

To Make the Fish

Print the fish templates or have kids draw and color their own fish and cut out
Tape a paper clip to the back of the fish or slip a paperclip on the nose of the fish
If using back-to-back templates, cut fish out, put a paper clip between the sides and glue or tape the two sides together

To Make the Fishing Pole

Tie a length of string to the straw, pencil, or dowel
Sandwich the other end of the string between the two circular magnets
Lay the fish on the plate
Go fishing!

Optional Game: Kids can roll the die to determine which fish to catch.

You can purchase The Strangest Fish from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

June 24 – International Fairy Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Full of sparkle, magic, and mischief, it’s no wonder that fairies captivate the imagination of young and old around the world! Today we celebrate these mythical creatures and all the joy they bring through cultural associations, books, movies, and pretend play. For an interesting look at the history of International Fairy Day, plus lots of ways to celebrate with your family and friends, visit Days of the Year and Punchbowl.

Thank you to Candlewick Press for sharing a copy of Fairy Walk with me!

Fairy Walk

By Gaia Cornwall

As their mothers relax and talk, three children and their curly-haired dog “skip, skip, skip, trip” into the woods behind the house, hopping from stone to stone to cross the little river “into the misty magic” of fairyland. “Where are you, fairies?” they call. Are they among the honey snowdrop flowers on the ground or under the boulder, so heavy it takes all three of them to tip? They don’t see any fairies, but they do find “a dragon!”—an orange salamander.

Are there fairies across the clearing, enjoying a feast on a “cozy, snug” mushroom table? No—or are there? Maybe they’re just a little farther, under the blanket of pixie moss. A peek underneath reveals “Bugs!” that “scramble, scamper, roll, and burrow,” but not a single fairy.

After all this fruitless searching, the kids grow frustrated and exhausted. It’s time for a snack. While they eat their sandwiches, the children decide that perhaps the fairies are shy. They then engage their other senses and can “hear them whisper in the trees.” They feel “thrums” in the ground below and appreciate the “whisper soft” wings of a butterfly.

They reconsider the gifts of flowers, stones, and mushrooms they’ve found, smelling them more deeply, creating a rock cairn, and inspecting them with a magnifying glass. The children leave a present for the fairies as well. The day is waning, and the trio bids goodbye to their fun and to the fairies, with hope for the future: “See you later!”

In her lovely, lyrical story that sings with sumptuous sensory language and the cadence of childhood fancies, Gaia Cornwall invites children into the magical realm of a lush woodland fed by a rocky stream and brimming with glorious flowers, mushrooms, and the kind of creepy crawlies that set the imagination whirling.

While the kids within the pages never see a fairy, the kids reading the pages will be delighted to spy plenty of tiny blue, sparkle-winged fairies hiding in the foliage; perched on the edge of a bird’s nest; enjoying the day among the mushrooms; and flitting playfully here and there with the kids’ charmed dog, who can see them. Eagle-eyed kids will also want to look for the tiny ladybug in each illustration. Cornwall’s soft-hued pencil, watercolor, and collage illustrations are dappled with texture and rich in details of the natural world that children and adults will also want to linger over.

Fairy Walk is an enchanting and clever combination read-aloud and fun I-spy story that children and adults will love sharing again and again. The book is sure to inspire nature walks through the neighborhood, in the backyard, or on hiking trails, where, even if you don’t see fairies, you’ll find lots of the gifts they scatter about. Fairy Walk will enjoy brisk circulation in any library and is highly recommended for home collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Candlewick Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1536230710

About the Author/Illustrator

Gaia Cornwall loves to write and illustrate for children. She is the author-illustrator of Jabari Jumps, which was a Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book and an American Library Association Notable Children’s Book, and its follow-up, Jabari Tries, as well as The Best Bed for Me. Gaia Cornwall lives in Connecticut. Visit her at gaiacornwall.com.

International Fairy Day Activity

Fairy Walk Activity Kit

Learn how to draw fairies and bugs and go on a nature hunt with this four-page Fairy Walk Activity Kit from Gaia Cornwall and Candlewick Press!

You can purchase Fairy Walk from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

April 11 – National Humor Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

There may be no more infectious sound than the giggle or guffaw of a good laugh. Laughter is therapeutic and can make tough times a little easier. Established in 1976 by comedian and author Larry Wilde, National Humor Month celebrates all things funny and raises awareness of the benefits of laughter and joy. The health benefits of an optimistic outlook are well documented, and lightheartedness also improves communication skills and boosts morale. Kids, it seems, are born with the ability to see and appreciate the silliness and fun in life. Today’s book is sure to keep your kids giggling!

Thanks go to Flamingo Books for sharing a copy of It Started with a P with me!

Review by Dorothy Levine

It Started with a P

Written by Brittany Pomales | Illustrated by Andrew Joyner

When King Liam awakens from a petrifying dream, he protests that a problem starting with the letter P will properly ruin his party. But what was it? King Liam is positively puzzled, so he proclaims, “Everything that starts with the letter P must go.” Thus, his royal advisor Cedric proceeds to “purge the palace of Ps,” pitching pepperoni pizzas from the window, propelling pigeons from the parapet and pronouncing all pants (long, short, old, new, smarty, scaredy, fancy, and even his own) prime lunch for Percival the goat.

Everything is going according to plan when poof—people begin to arrive. “People?! No, that won’t do,” King Liam proclaims, and everyone is hastily pushed off the pier into paddle boats. Finally, it seems the palace is P-free. Or so it seems . . . until the king pops up from his seat crying, “Palace!” and realizes there’s one more P from which to flee.

The king packs and paddles away to a deserted island where there are “No pals. No presents. No party.” Plopped down on his own, King Liam has some time to ponder. It isn’t long before he remembers (and realizes he has become) the P from his dream—a party pooper! He decides it’s time to prove he can pivot from his party-pooping, plundering patterns; there is still time to prepare a pretty playful and peaceful party for all.

With the help of a princess, some piranhas, and his previous party guests, King Liam’s party is once again popping, or puffing one might say, as he blows out the candles on his birthday cake. And when one little candle flame just won’t perish . . . what does he do? Prepare to laugh and groan as the king predictably prompts another rash proceeding that will make you want to say “pfffff!”

It Started with a P punctuates a problem-solving tale with perfect alliteration and perfunctory placed humor. Brittany Pomales packs in the P’s along with a story that will have children and adults laughing aloud. The story playfully pokes at rash decisions that one may feel inclined to make when faced with big emotions and shows the silly consequences of post-tantrum decisions.

Andrew Joyner’s illustrations pack a punch with color, and P-named details for readers to point out (even ones not included in the text). In some scenes the story is portrayed simply through the pictures—like when we see a frame-by-frame recollection of the King’s past “King-size” meltdowns. Red and yellow seethe from the king as he preposterously shouts, and the parrot and royal assistant match with their feathered green-and-orange looks. The silliness of the drawings adds another layer to an already humorous tale.

Ages 4 – 8

Flamingo Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-0593690833

About the Author

Brittany Pomales wrote this book. Unless you didn’t find it funny; in that case, someone else wrote it. When she isn’t writing books, Brittany is often playing with, singing to, or reading to her daughter along with her husband and dog in their Arizona home. She has celebrated over thirty birthdays. Thankfully, none have resulted in a celebration crisis—yet!

About the Illustrator

Andrew Joyner is the illustrator of the #1 New York Times bestseller Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum as well as Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm by Jonathan London and Roar for Reading by Beth Ferry. He is also the author and illustrator of The Pink Hat and Stand Up! Speak Up!. He lives with his family on the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia.

National Humor Month Activities

Plenty of P Activities

Prepare and paint a P-shaped Parrot Picture with instructions from ABCDee Learning and peruse their page for more P-themed craft activities!

You can purchase It Started with a P at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local, independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

December 7 – It’s the December Cold Moon

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

December’s full moon is commonly known as the Cold Moon—a Mohawk name that reflects the changing temperatures and the onset of winter’s sustained cold weather—and tonight’s moon offers not only glorious viewing but a rare celestial event. As the moon rises and moves across the sky, it will pass in front of Mars, eclipsing the planet for an hour—a phenomenon called an occultation. What makes tonight’s lunar occultation special is that the moon will block Mars near it’s brightest point, which happens only once every 26 months. This event will be visible to people living in central, western, and southwestern parts of North America on December 7 as well as to those in Western and Northern Europe and Northern Africa on December 8. To learn more about tonight’s Cold Moon and the lunar occultation and to find a schedule of viewing times, visit Space.com. You can also provide interesting information as well as a visual of the moon’s trajectory at In-The-Sky.org. To enjoy the wonder of the full moon anytime, read on about today’s featured book!

I’d like to thank Page Street Books for sending me a copy of Mending the Moon for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Mending the Moon

Written by Emma Pearl | Illustrated by Sara Ugolotti

“The full moon was shining bigger and brighter than ever. So big and so bright that it was too heavy to hold itself up in the sky.” Although the moon valiantly tried to hold itself in place, it fell to Earth, shattering like glass as it landed upon a mountain peak. Luna, who watched the sky every night, saw it all. She rushed to wake her grandfather, and together they ran out of the house to try to help. As they entered the woods, they saw moon shards scattered everywhere. “They were hard and smooth and warm. They were pearly and glistening and beautiful.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mending-the-moon-Luna-and-Poppa

Image copyright Emma Pearl, 2022, text copyright Sara Ugolotti, 2022. Courtesy of Page Street Kids.

When Luna wondered if they could fix the moon and set it back in the sky, her grandfather told her they had to try. “‘The moon is more important than you can imagine,'” he said. Luna and Poppa prepared to begin the big job of picking up the pieces of the moon, but as turned to look around, they discovered that the woodland animals had already begun gathering the pieces. Deer, bears, foxes, rabbits, owls, squirrels, and other animals had all picked up shards and brought them to Luna.

They all carefully reconstructed the moon like a jigsaw puzzle, but when they had put the last piece in place, they realized that one shard was missing. They looked and looked without success. Then Luna saw the lake. “‘The missing piece must be in the lake!’ she cried.” Hearing this, an elk talked to a frog, and he dove in. When the frog resurfaced, he held the missing shard in his mouth. Luna found that it fit perfectly.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mending-the-moon-looking-for-missing-piece

Image copyright Emma Pearl, 2022, text copyright Sara Ugolotti, 2022. Courtesy of Page Street Kids.

Now, how to make sure the pieces stuck together? After an unsuccessful attempt, the silkworms were enlisted to spin thread. With pine needles and lots of patience, Luna, Poppa, and the animals stitched the moon together again with the silk that “…glowed like it was made of moonlight.” Once the moon was reassembled, it was time to think about how to return it to its place in the sky. Luna thought maybe the birds could help, but they were already flying away to their nests.

Or were they? Soon, more birds than Luna had ever seen whooshed out of the darkness—birds, it seemed, from all over the world. As the birds got into position to lift the moon and began soaring into the sky, Luna provided instructions—and encouragement. At last, the moon was back where it belonged. Its sparkled light shone on Luna, Poppa, and the animals, who danced, cavorted, and fluttered in the clearing on the mountaintop.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mending-the-moon-dancing

Image copyright Emma Pearl, 2022, text copyright Sara Ugolotti, 2022. Courtesy of Page Street Kids.

Emma Pearl’s imaginative story shines with the fantastical and nature-focused elements that infuse folktales with their magical power to enthrall children and adults alike. Young readers will instinctively empathize with Luna’s deep connection to the night sky, reflected even in her name, and marvel as the forest animals band together to retrieve the shards and sew them together again. Pearl’s cleverly conceived plot makes enchanting use of the woodland setting, especially in sewing the moon together. Her dialogue between Luna and Poppa as well as the secret communications among the animals will also captivate children and draw them into the mystery and wonder of the story.

Sara Ugolotti’s striking illustrations glow with an exquisite color palette of lush colors sprinkled with light evanescing from the shards of the moon and the brilliant stars above. Luna’s interactions with woodland animals are filled with joy as they all work together to mend the moon and return it to the sky. Images of the birds in all colors and sizes swooping down to the mountain to help Luna and Poppa will mesmerize kids, and you may even find them dancing in the moonlight along with Luna, Poppa, and all of the animals.

For children who love folktales, fantasies, and a touch of magic to their stories, Mending the Moon will be a favorite addition to home, school, and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Page Street Kids, 2022 | ISBN 978-1645675600

Discover more about Emma Pearl and her books on her website.

To learn more about Sara Ugolotti, her books, and her art, visit her website.

December’s Cold Moon Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-moon-phases-craft

Phases of the Moon Blackboard

If you have a little space lover in your family, they may like keeping track of the phases of the moon with their own chalkboard! This craft is easy and fun to do together and will make a cool wall decoration for any child’s room.

Supplies

Black tri-fold presentation board or thick poster board
Pencil
White chalk or glow-in-the-dark paint
Circular object to trace (or use a compass) to make the moon
Mountable squares for hanging

Directions

The chalkboard can be made any size that you prefer by adjusting the size of the board and sizes of the “moon”

Cut your black tri-fold or poster board to the preferred dimensions. My board measures 4 feet long x 1 foot high
To create nine moon phases, with the pencil trace nine circles at equal distances apart in the center of the board
With the chalk or paint, fill in the center circle completely to make the full moon.

To make the moon phases to the right of the full moon

In the circle to the right of the full moon, color in the left side of the circle until it is ¾ full. Make a dotted line along the right side of the circle
In the next circle color in the left half of the circle with chalk or paint. Make a dotted line to indicate the right half of the circle
In the third circle from the center fill in a ¼ section crescent on the left side of the circle. Make a dotted line around the remaining ¾ of the circle
To mark the new moon on the end, mark the circle with a dotted line

To make the moon phases to the left of the full moon

In the circle to the left of the full moon, color in the right side of the circle until it is ¾ full. Make a dotted line along the left side of the circle
In the next circle color in the right half of the circle with chalk or paint. Make a dotted line to indicate the left half of the circle
In the third circle from the center fill in a ¼ section crescent on the right side of the circle. Make a dotted line around the remaining ¾ of the circle
To mark the new moon on the end, mark the circle with a dotted line

Hang the blackboard on the wall with mounting squares

You can follow the phases of the moon through each month by adding the dates that correspond to each phase and erasing and changing them as the weeks progress.

**You can find Mending the Moon at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

December 21 – National Flashlight Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

The founders of Flashlight Day chose the Winter Solstice to shine a little more light on today’s celebrated object. As today is the winter solstice and the shortest of the year, you may find that a flashlight comes in handy during that extra bit of darkness. If you’re wondering about the history of the flashlight, it all goes back to the invention of the dry-cell battery in 1887. These portable power sources inspired new products, such as the flashlight or torch (as it’s called outside of North America), which was invented in 1899. So indispensable is the flashlight, that it is even incorporated into our phones! To celebrate today’s holiday, why not turn off the lights tonight and tell stories, play games, or go exploring illuminated only by your flashlight!

Flashlight Night

Written by Matt Forrest Esenwine | Illustrated by Fred Koehler

Three brave explorers—a boy, a girl, and a little brother—set out from their tree house at night armed only with their flashlight. In the golden beam, the picket fence turns dilapidated and overgrown as it weaves in and out among the gnarled trunks of a dense forest. The children follow “past old post and rail / along a long-forgotten trail / into woods no others dare, / for fear of what is waiting there.” Soon, they find a crawlspace under the deck of their house and venture in. They can hear the sound of rushing water and the yowl of a big cat. Before joining his friend and her little brother, the boy shines his flashlight around the yard, illuminating a wild waterfall and a tiger on the prowl where a tabby had dozed just minutes ago.