National Holidays

Reviewed with Mari C. Schuh’s Flag Day.

PreS-Gr. 2. Designed for beginning readers, these books in the National Holidays series are useful for presenting basic information to younger children. The texts are quite short, with one or two lines in large typeface on each of the nine double-page spreads. The format is rather small, but the colorful, full-page photographs illustrate each subject clearly, and the inclusion of people from many ethnic backgrounds reflects the diversity of people celebrating American national holidays. Each book briefly explains a holiday, its history, and how it is celebrated. Flag Day includes Truman designating June 14 a holiday, children studying the history of the American flag, and pictures of flags displayed on houses and in a parade. Labor Day tells when the holiday was created, whom it honors, and some of the ways that people relax on the day. Each book ends with a glossary and a short list of recommended books, as well as directions to the publisher’s Internet site, which leads children to appropriate, subject-related sites for each holiday. Carolyn Phelan

Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Description

Simple text and photographs describe the history of Labor Day and how this holiday, which honors people who work, is celebrated in the United States.

“A gripping account…. Winds were so strong that they tore babies from the arms of their parents. Over four hundred people lost their lives, including over two hundred veterans of World War I. It was a tragedy that did not have to happen.” – John Wallace Viele, author of The Florida Keys: A History of the Pioneers “Makes for fascinating reading about a period of time when science, politics, and nature converged, resulting in disaster.” – Rodney E. Dillon Jr., Vice President, Past Perfect Florida History, Inc.”

Description

In the midst of the Great Depression, a furious storm struck the Florida Keys with devastating force. With winds estimated at over 225 miles per hour, it was the first recorded Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States. Striking at a time before storms were named, the catastrophic tropical cyclone became known as the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, and its aftermath was felt all the way to Washington, D.C. In the hardest hit area of the Florida Keys, three out of every five residents were killed, while hundreds of World War I veterans sent there by the federal government perished. By sifting through overlooked official records and interviewing survivors and the relatives of victims, Thomas Knowles pieces together this dramatic story, moment by horrifying moment. He explains what daily life was like on the Keys, why the veteran work force was there (and relatively unprotected), the state of weather forecasting at the time, the activities of the media covering the disaster, and the actions of government agencies in the face of severe criticism over their response to the disaster. This title provides a frightening account of the first Category 5 storm to strike the U.S.

“Maynard expertly tugs heartstrings in a tidy tale. ” (Kirkus Reviews )

“Maynard’s inventive coming-of-age tale indelibly captures the anxiety and confusion inherent in adolescence, while the addition of a menacing element of suspense makes this emotionally fraught journey that much more harrowing.” (Booklist )

Description

With the end of summer closing in and a steamy Labor Day weekend looming in the town of Holton Mills, New Hampshire, thirteen-year-old Henry—lonely, friendless, not too good at sports—spends most of his time watching television, reading, and daydreaming about the soft skin and budding bodies of his female classmates. For company Henry has his long-divorced mother, Adele—a onetime dancer whose summer project was to teach him how to foxtrot; his hamster, Joe; and awkward Saturday-night outings to Friendly’s with his estranged father and new stepfamily. As much as he tries, Henry knows that even with his jokes and his “Husband for a Day” coupon, he still can’t make his emotionally fragile mother happy. Adele has a secret that makes it hard for her to leave their house, and seems to possess an irreparably broken heart.

But all that changes on the Thursday before Labor Day, when a mysterious bleeding man named Frank approaches Henry and asks for a hand. Over the next five days, Henry will learn some of life’s most valuable lessons: how to throw a baseball, the secret to perfect piecrust, the breathless pain of jealousy, the power of betrayal, and the importance of putting others—especially those we love—above ourselves. And the knowledge that real love is worth waiting for.

In a manner evoking Ian McEwan’s Atonement and Nick Hornby’s About a Boy, acclaimed author Joyce Maynard weaves a beautiful, poignant tale of love, sex, adolescence, and devastating treachery as seen through the eyes of a young teenage boy—and the man he later becomes—looking back at an unexpected encounter that begins one single long, hot, life-altering weekend.

The popular Rookie Books expand their horizons – to all corners of the globe! With this series all about geography, emergent readers will take off on adventures to cities, nations, waterways, and habitats around the world…and right in their own backyards.

About the Author

Carmen Bredeson is the author of several nonfiction books for children.

On This Date : A Day-by-Day Listing of Holidays, Birthday and Historic Events, and Special Days, Weeks and Months – An affordable new almanac from the creators of Chase’s Calendar of Events.

This fun, fact-filled calendar/almanac will fulfill the needs of amateur marketing mavens, freelance writers, and trivia buffs who need to know what happened On This Date. This fascinating volume is packed with entries selected from Chase’s Calendar of Events, including more than 2,000 celebrity birthdays, important dates from history, fixed religious and national holidays, and special days, weeks, and months. Arranged day-by-day, from January 1 through December 31, the entries are American in emphasis and include humorous days (No Housework Day, Stay Home Because You’re Well Day) and sponsored days and months (National Honey Month, Great American Smokeout) that aren’t found in other day-by-day historical almanacs.

Key features include:

• More than 2,000 entries
• Contact information for event sponsors, including Web addresses
• Complete name and subject index
• Lists of movable religious and national holidays

From the Back Cover
Are you hopelessly inquisitive or trivia-mad? On This Date . . . will satisfy your curiosity!

On what day did Vietnam and the United States resume diplomatic relations? (See May 26.)

When is Mickey Mouse’s birthday? (See November 18.)

On what day does Peru celebrate its independence? (See July 28.)

Just what is Z Day? (See January 1.)

On This Date . . . has the answers to these questions and so much more! Comprised of select entries from the incomparable perennial favorite Chase’s Calendar of Events, this handy, fact-filled reference is packed with more than 2,000 events, milestones and trivia. You will find everything in here, from special months like American Heart Month to actor Russell Crowe’s birthday to the debut date of the “Peanuts” comic strip. With items arranged in calendar-date order, you will find:

• Historic milestones–space missions, stock market highs and more
• Birth anniversaries of important figures, from Charles Dickens to Tecumseh
• Key dates in American history
• Listings of United Nations special days
• Premiere dates for major television shows
• And much, much more!

Thanks to On This Date . . . , you’ll never miss National Roller Skating Month or your favorite celeb’s birthday again!