Established in 2014, today’s holiday honors purebred dogs and their unique traits. Each breed has particular skills that make them suited to a wide variety of jobs as companions, herders, and helpers. Unscrupulous breeders and puppy mills have diminished the reputation of purebred dogs, but that’s the fault of the people, not the dogs. Today, celebrate the beauty and personalities of purebred dogs by learning a little about your favorite breed or contact a shelter and see how you could help out! Today’s book gives kids another fun way to learn about twenty-six different breeds.
As it’s also Poetry on Your Pillow Day, which encourages people to enjoy a poem in the morning when they wake up and another poem before they go to sleep at night by placing a poem on a child’s, friend’s, or partner’s pillow why not combine the two and pick a poem from today’s book!
Name That Dog! Puppy Poems from A to Z
Written by Peggy Archer | Illustrated by Stephanie Buscema
So, you have a new puppy! The first thing you probably want to do it give your new friend a big hug. The second thing you probably want to do is give your new friend a name! But what? Do you name your pup for the socks on her feet? Or maybe for the way he wags his tail? Or maybe a favorite book character would inspire a good name. Name that Dog! understands the dilemma and gives readers a full alphabet of poetic names to think about. So let’s get started!
Image copyright Stephanie Buscema, 2010, text copyright Peggy Archer, 2010. Courtesy of Dial Books for Young Readers.
At A meet Aspen, who’s a Yellow Labrador Retriever. How did he get his name? You can see that “yellow hay and sunshine rays / are things she likes to lay in. / And piles of leaves from aspen trees / are what she likes to play in.” Bandit is a Boston Terrier and with two black patches around his eyes, “he sneaks around from room to room, / a bandit in disguise, / Stealing socks and slippers, / baseball caps and soap. / garden gloves and wooden spoons, / keys and jumping rope.”
The way Cocker Spaniel, Elvis, “dances around…” to “music with a rock ‘n’ roll sound” this pup whose “fur’s long and black” may just make you “…wonder / if Elvis is back!” The fancy Poodle, Noodles, isn’t named for the food. Instead, “All over my puppy / are oodles and oodles / of swirls of fat curls that / remind me of noodles.”
Image copyright Stephanie Buscema, 2010, text copyright Peggy Archer, 2010. Courtesy of Dial Books for Young Readers.
At R you’ll find a Saint Bernard. What name might fit him best? Well, “he’s grown quite big so far. / He’s bigger than his doghouse / And he won’t fit in the car!… / Beef stew and juicy soup bones / Are foods he likes the best. / I have the perfect name for him— / Tyrannosaurus Rex.” From R we race to the last letter: Z, where a Dutch Smoushond is “faster than a mustang. / Faster than a train. / Zip! he’s here. ? Zip! he’s there. / Zipper is his name!”
Along the way, readers meet a host of dogs, including a Dalmatian, Westie, Dachshund, Basset Fauve De Bretagne, Portuguese Water Dog, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Niederlaufhund, Scottie, Chihuahua, and more. Two poems about naming a dog bookend the alphabetic verses, creating a tidy package of puppy love.
Image copyright Stephanie Buscema, 2010, text copyright Peggy Archer, 2010. Courtesy of Dial Books for Young Readers.
Kids who love dogs will eagerly listen to this collection of poems featuring well-known and more unusual breeds. As each dog’s personality is revealed, readers will giggle at their special talents or the shenanigans they get into. Children with dogs will enjoy recognizing some of their own pet’s traits among the poems, and adults will have fun reading Peggy Archer’s charming rhymes and jaunty rhythms.
Stephanie Buscema accompanies Archer’s poems with sweet, funny, and feisty portraits of each breed of dog showing off their lovable natures. Her vibrant backdrops showcase each dog while also highlighting the humor, mischief, and character expressed in each poem.
Ages 3 – 6
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2010 | ISBN 978-0803733220 (Hardcover) / Scholastic, 2013 | ISBN 978-0545609098 (Paperback)
Discover more about Peggie Archer and her books on her website.
To learn more about Stephanie Buscema and view a gallery of her work, visit her website.
National Purebred Dog Day Activity
I Love Dogs! Word Search Puzzle
Discover the names of eighteen dog breeds in this printable word search puzzle!
We love animals, but do we take care of them the way we should? Today’s holiday was established in 1931 to promote global awareness of animals and the issues surrounding their welfare. From pets to domesticated animals to wild creatures, humans must protect and advocate for their companions and fellow travelers on this earth. Issues such as pollution, habitat destruction, and poaching threaten the world’s wide variety of species, while closer to home spaying and neutering controls the population of feral animals that often suffer from a lack of resources.
The wildlife kingdom is majestic and awe-inspiring. Today celebrate the world’s animals by taking a trip to a zoo, aquarium, or animal preserve, consider adopting a shelter animal, or donating your time or talents to your favorite animal cause.
Pink is for Blob Fish: Discovering the World’s Perfectly Pink Animals
Written by Jess Keating | Illustrated by David DeGrand
Pink is sweet like cotton candy, right? Pink is pretty like a rose, isn’t it? Pink is quiet like twightlight, don’t cha think? Well…yes, and…maybe not so much. You’d be pardoned for squirming in the presence of a pinktoe tarantula which is found in the rain forests of Matinique and Guadeloupe and can defeat predators with their spiky hairs, and if you can’t make heads or tails of the Pink Fairy Armadillo, which looks like a cross between a lobster tail and a shag rug, no one will blame you.
Text copyright Jess Keating, illustration copyright David DeGrand, courtesy of Penguin Random House
But the world is full of pink, and for each of these grimace-inducing bubble-gum-hued creatures there are plenty who simply take your breath away with their beauty. Imagine watching a duo-toned light-and-dark-pink Roseate Spoonbill take off and soar over marshland along America’s Gulf Coast or a river in South America or the West Indies like a valentine on the wind. You will likewise marvel when you see the delicate form of the Orchid Mantis. This variety of praying mantis found in the rain forests of Indonesia and Malaysia is so identical to real orchids that other insects can’t tell the difference and often land in the grasp of their tricky predator.
Text copyright Jess Keating, illustration copyright David DeGrand, courtesy of Penguin Random House
Seas and rivers also teem with pink wildlife. Pygmy Seahorses swimming in the waters of the South Pacific blend in to their coral surroundings like a spiky ball among hedgehogs. With white-and-pinkish bodies dotted with strawberry-colored knobs, these seahorses are perfectly camouflaged against predators. The rose-colored Amazon River Dolphin hunts for piranhas, crustaceans and bottom dwelling fish with its long snout in the freshwater rivers of South America. The rivers, lakes, and swamps of sub-Sahara Africa are home to Hippopotamuses, which “ooze thick pink oil all over their skin. This pink ‘sweat’ acts like an antibiotic sunscreen, so hippos can stay out in the sun all day without getting burned.” Imagine if you could do that!
Of course, there is also the Blobfish, recently voted as the world’s ugliest animal. But isn’t this little glob of gelatinous goo really so ugly it’s cute? Found in deep waters off the coasts of Australia and New Zealand, this fish survives where others cannot by simply opening its mouth and gobbling down whatever floats by.
With many more examples of pink wildlife in this captivating book, it’s guaranteed that after flipping through the pages of Pink is for Blobfish you will never look at pink the same way again!
Text copyright Jess Keating, illustration copyright David DeGrand, courtesy of Penguin Random House
Jess Keating highlights a host of fascinating pink animals in this volume that is sure to delight kids and get them excited about the world less seen. The first in the World of Weird Animals series, Pink is for Blobfish is loaded with scientific facts, remarkable trivia, and humorous asides to pique the interest of readers’ inner zoologist. Each two-page spread provides a spectacular up-close photograph of the animal, insect, or fish described as well as its common name, species name, size, diet, habitat, and predators or threats. Keating also taps into her audience’s love of the unique and even the bizarre with conversational paragraphs that reveal unusual habits, traits, survival mechanisms, and more for each creature featured.
David DeGrand lends his unique illustration style to the pages with funny cartoon portrayals of the creatures and one of their signature traits. These humorous depictions will not only make kids and adults laugh but will promote better understanding of each unique animal.
Pink is for Blobfish is a perfect addition to personal libraries for budding environmental scientists or anyone interested in the wider, wilder animal world and is an exciting title for school libraries and classrooms, where it could inspire scientific study.
Ages 5 – 10
Knopf Books for Young Readers, Penguin/Random House, 2016 | ISBN 978-0553512274
You’ll discover books, videos, creature features, resources, and lots more on Jess Keating’s website!
You will find the world of David DeGrand‘s art and comics on his website!
Pink is for book trailers—at least this one!
World Animal Day Activity
Play the Wonderful Wildlife Board Game! Animal tokens images copyright Conor Carroll
Wonderful Wildlife Board Game
Fascinating animals are found in every part of the world. Play this fun printable Wonderful Wildlife Board Game to match each animal to the area where it lives.
Print one set of 16 Wildlife Tokens for each player
Print two copies of the 8-sided die, fold, and tape together
If you would like, color the map and tokens
Choose a player to go first
Each player rolls both dice and places an animal on their map according to these corresponding sums of the dice below
The first player to fill their map is the winner!
1 = Flamingo – South America
2 = Emperor Penguin – Antarctica (Southern Ocean)
3 = Giraffe – Africa
4 = Bald Eagle – North America
5 = Ibex – Europe
6 = Kangaroo – Australia
7 = Panda – Asia
8 = Orca – Antarctica (Southern Ocean)
9 = Toucan – South America
10 = Buffalo – North America
11 = Koala – Australia
12 = Lion – Africa
13 = Etruscan Shrew – Europe
14 = Manta Ray – Pacific Ocean
15 = Sea Turtle – Atlantic Ocean
16 = Tiger – Asia
Q&A with Author Jess Keating
Today I’m tickled pink to talk to Jess Keating about her work as a zoologist and an author, her favorite animals, and a very cool holiday tradition.
In your work, your books, and your online presence, you bring kids and adults closer to the animal kingdom. What in your early years inspired you to become a zoologist?
I wish there was one poignant answer to this question! The truth is, all my life I’ve been enamored with animals. A physicist I admire once said this: The world is beautiful to look at, but it’s even more beautiful to understand. To me, that sums it all up perfectly.
As a kid, animals sparked my curiosity, my imagination, and even my creativity. The diversity they represent is so amazing to me—they all live their lives so differently, with different senses, abilities, and environments, yet it works perfectly for them. I instantly felt a kinship with them, and as a kid, I wanted to know everything about them.
As I got older and was able to really get into zoology, my goal shifted. The world of animals is so endlessly fascinating, and I now I want to take every opportunity to share it with others, especially young readers.
All animals are amazing, but do you have a soft spot for one particular animal or species? If so, why?
Now this is such a hard question! My favorite animal has always been the wolf. I was lucky enough to see one in the wild once, and it’s pretty hard to come away from that experience without believing in magic!
Lately, I also have a soft spot for nudibranchs! I included one (the Hopkins’ rose nudibranch) in my last book, but there are so many other species that we know so little about! As I mentioned above, it’s the diversity that takes my breath away. Some of them look like bunnies:
Image courtesy of crawl_ray on flickr.com
Some even look like pizzas!
Image courtesy of Arthur Anker on flickr.com
You do such a great job of reaching out to kids through videos, KeatingCreature on Twitter, your YouTube Channel: Animals for Smart People, personal appearances, and Skype visits. Can you describe a funny or favorite anecdote from one of your events?
Thank you for the Youtube shout out! I really hope teachers find my videos useful! As for a favorite event, when you mix animals and kids, the results are often hilarious. Usually, my visits involve a lot of dead things. I bring a collection of skulls, animal bones, and animal track castings with me. Every so often, we get lucky with some live specimens.
One of my favorite events was a library visit that involved a 10+ foot python. I had her resting on my shoulders (as you do), and I remember laughing because almost all of the adults in the room were skittish, backing off toward the door.
When I asked who else wanted to hold this lovely python, every adult shook their head. There was no way they were going near it! But then, a tiny six year old girl rushed up to the front, with a massive smile on her face. She wasn’t afraid at all as she held that snake—and I’m pretty sure that her big moment meant as much to me as it did to her!
What inspired you to write Pink is for Blobfish?
Pink is for Blobfish is a book so close to my heart! I know that sounds strange, because it’s essentially a book filled with weirdos!
As you can probably guess, I’ve been reading animal books my whole life. I loved them all, but what I really wanted was to write something that says as much about us as it does about the wild animals on each page. A book that not only shares amazing animals with kids, but also gets them thinking critically about how they view the world, especially regarding their assumptions and judgments. Pink is for Blobfish is my way of getting readers to look at gender expectations, while (hopefully) instilling them with a little wonder about the natural world.
There’s so much humor in your writing and videos. How does your love of comedy help you connect to readers?
The short answer is, I’m just a big ham and love making people laugh. There’s also the added bonus with nonfiction: we’re much more likely to remember something if we connect with it emotionally. My way of accomplishing that is to be funny and get kids laughing. Fiction or nonfiction, one of the easiest ways for me to reach readers is through a well-timed joke.
But, you can also get a little deeper with it. I once heard that Jim Carrey doesn’t think of his job as “making people laugh.” Instead, he views it as “freeing people from concern.” The minute I heard that, it resonated with me. For those few moments, when you’ve got a reader laughing, they’re free from any concern in their lives. It’s a reprieve, a bright moment. It’s true for us as adults too—it’s pretty much impossible to be stressed out when you’re reading about a pigeon that wants to drive a bus!
Now, when I approach my writing, I look for those moments. If I can make myself laugh, that’s half the battle.
What’s the best part about writing books for kids?
For both fiction and nonfiction, my favorite part is seeing the look on a kid’s face when you open a door for them into a whole new world. Sometimes, it’s the ridiculously colorful world of nudibranchs. And sometimes, it’s helping them to the realization that they aren’t alone, no matter how weird they feel.
What’s up next for you?
I’m so glad you asked! I just received F&Gs of the second book in the World of Weird Animals series! I can’t give away the title just yet, but I can say we are going to look at MONSTERS. This isn’t just going to be a book of creepy creatures. We’re going to dig into why we see certain animals as monsters, and how those judgments and assumptions affect how we think of them. I was blown away with the discussions that Pink is for Blobfish prompted with kids, and I can’t wait to see how they respond to this book!
I also have my first picture book biography, SHARK LADY, coming out next year! I’ve always been a fan of sharks, and I was thrilled to tell the story of Eugenie Clark, one of the world’s first female shark scientists. Eugenie is one of those incredible women that changed the world just by being her fearless self, and I am so eager to share this book with everyone. Look for it around June!
I can’t let you get away without asking you a few holiday-themed questions, so…
You told me that World Animal Day is one of your favorite holidays. Can you talk a little about that?
What could be better than a day devoted to animals!? World Animal Day is a day to chat about animals all over the world, and how we can best protect them and their futures. A funny thing happens when you start talking about animals in the global sense—you can’t help them without also helping us. Education and awareness can accomplish so much!
Do you have an anecdote from any holiday that you’d like to share?
I have one that ties in really well here! When I was a teen, I had a really cool Christmas tradition that I highly recommend to parents of animal lovers. On Christmas morning (or any special holiday morning for you!) I would go to my local humane society, bring treats, and walk the dogs. Usually, these centers have lots of volunteers, but busy holidays are often pretty slow for them and there’s not a lot of help. I guarantee the dogs will love the company, and you’ll get to spend an hour surrounded by wagging tails! You can’t lose.
Has a holiday ever influenced your work?
Yes! A very savvy bookstore (DDG Books!) organized a “Valentine for Blobfish” event when Pink is for Blobfish came out. So many young readers felt bad that the blobfish was voted the world’s “Ugliest Animal” (true story!) and they wanted to send him valentine cards to make him feel better!
Thank you, Jess! It’s been so much fun! I wish you all the best with all of your books and your other ventures!
Learn more about Jess Keating!
As a zoologist turned middle grade and picture book author, Jess Keating has been sprayed by skunks, bitten by crocodiles, and been a victim to the dreaded paper cut. Her MY LIFE IS A ZOO series earned two Kirkus stars, a Red Maple nomination, a Rocky Mountain Book Award nomination, and a spot on the LA Times Summer Book Pick List.
Her quirky nonfiction picture book series kicked off with PINK IS FOR BLOBFISH, with a sequel to follow in 2017. Her first picture book biography, SHARK LADY, will also be published in 2017.
Jess is also the creator, writer and host of Animals for Smart People, a Youtube series about animals, science, and nature. Subscribe today and bring Jess into your classroom!
Connect with Jess Keating:
You can find Jess on Twitter @Jess_Keating and on Facebook @JessKeatingBooks!
Pink is for Blobfish can be found at these booksellers
Today we celebrate all those people who look at a problem and design a solution, or who just ask, “What if…?” and search for answers. So put on your thinking cap, look around you, and do something new, novel, and completely unexpected. Who knows…you may be the next great inventor!
Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women
Written by Catherine Thimmesh | Illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Throughout history women have invented new and clever ways of doing things—necessity is the Mother of invention, after all. In her fascinating picture book, Catherine Thimmesh highlights ten women and two girls whose creativity has changed the world.
Here, you’ll learn the intriguing stories behind each invention, the struggles for recognition, and the ultimate victory of innovation. Did you know that the original recipe for chocolate chip cookies was just a time-saver? Or that people once thought windshield wipers weren’t necessary? You’ll also discover how liquid paper, flat-bottomed paper bags, and the Glo-sheet came to be. Women in science have contributed Kevlar, Scotchgard, the COBOL computer language, and the space shields that protect the International Space Station, satellites, and more.
Catherine Thimmesh is an excellent storyteller, drawing you into the actions and minds of these women innovators and the situations or environments that fostered their talents. Melissa Sweet accompanies each profile with portraits of the inventor and colorful collage illustrations that build on the text and tell stories of their own.
Ages 7 – 12
Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 2000 | ISBN 978-0618195633
Innovation Day Activity
Invention Word Scramble
Every invention started out as a jumble of ideas in someone’s head. In thisInvention Word Scrambleyou can unscramble the letters of some of the world’s greatest creations. Solutionincluded. Odog cklu!
Western Monarch Day celebrates the migration of these beautiful butterflies from the Rocky Mountain area to California, where they spend the winter. Other monarchs make different journeys, as you will see in today’s reviewed picture book. Today the monarch population is in peril, but there is something you can do! In honor of today’s holiday, consider planting milkweed in your yard. Not only will you attract these fascinating creatures to your home, but you will be helping to feed them and increase the population.
Hurry and the Monarch
Written by Antoine Ó Flatharta | Illustrated by Meilo So
A swift, graceful monarch butterfly and a slow, lumbering tortoise couldn’t be more different, but the friendship between these two creatures in Ó Flatharta’s Hurry and the Monarch, illuminates the majesty of life for all.
On an October day in Texas a monarch butterfly lands on Hurry the tortoise’s back and asks where she is. “Wichita Falls,” answers Hurry, and the monarch knows her trip from Canada is not over yet. Before she continues her flight, however, the monarch and Hurry talk about their differences. While the monarch is well traveled, Hurry feels he has been in Wichita Falls “forever.” The monarch suggests that Hurry may one day break out of his shell and fly away like she did, but Hurry doubts it. And when it comes to dealing with cold weather, the monarch seeks out a warmer climate, while Hurry sleeps the winter away.
The monarch flies away and joins other monarchs on their journey to Mexico. It is now November, and the monarch has found the green forest where she will spend the winter with millions of others. With the spring thaw, the monarch begins her return journey, stopping once again to visit Hurry. Here she lays eggs on a milkweed plant and flies away. Hurry watches as the eggs transform into caterpillars and finally into butterflies.
Before hurrying away to discover life, one newborn monarch asks Hurry what he thinks the world is like. “I imagine,” Hurry says, “that it is like my garden. A place full of astonishing things.”
Meilo So’s watercolor illustrations are full of color and motion that beautifully depict both the gentile friendship between Hurry and the monarch and the astounding migration of the millions of butterflies that occurs each year. The natural world these characters inhabit is rendered in bold, joyous colors, and children will love to linger over the details of each page.
The Author’s afterword is a must-read, as it contains many fascinating facts about the lives of monarch butterflies and tortoises.
Ages 4 – 8
Dragonfly Books, 2009 | ISBN 978-0385737197
Western Monarch Day Activity
Monarch Migration Maze
The monarch needs help finding her way to the green forest. Print out theMonarch Migration Mazeand show her the way!
celebratepicturebooks.com 