Maryland Day by Day Family Literacy Activity Forever Calendar Seek & Find Is there a detective in the house? Each month’s illustration features a Seek & Find to challenge your child’s attention to detail. Have fun learning about each month’s topic while hunting for all the small objects hidden in the pictures. Good luck! ~Marcia Leiter, Illustrator

On the Cover Maryland Flora and Fauna Seek & Find

White Oak Tree & Acorns Black-Eyed Susans North American Porcupine Eastern Striped Skunk Welcome! American Beaver Opossum The Maryland State Library is proud to introduce the Maryland Day by Day Family Literacy Activity Calendar. Star-Nosed Mole This calendar is designed to be a “Forever” calendar, meaning it can be used over again, year after year. Gray Squirrel Each month contains little boxes in which to fill the dates (ideally, with pencil!) so that the days/dates can Field Mouse Eastern Chipmunk be changed the next year. Box Turtle You will be excited to watch your child discover whole new worlds through books, reading, nature Scarlet Snake Baltimore Oriole and Chicks exploration, and arts and crafts. ­The activities that fill this calendar are selected to support the areas of Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly learning that should help your child become ready for school and ready for reading. Our goal is to help Dragonfly provide you with the tools that make spending time together easy and fun, while at the same time serving Ladybug as a guide for learning new things about our state and our world. In addition to suggesting activities using Black Bear materials found in your home, we provide lists of books and music which you can find at your local library, Red Fox along with many other educational resources. ­Public libraries across Maryland and other organizations are here to assist and support you as your family transitions through the early learning years to the school years.

We hope that this calendar provides your family with a love of learning to span the entire year, from January to December. About the Calendar All Children are Learners Children love to learn, and your child learns best when doing fun and interesting activities with you. This They are unique individuals that learn and develop at different rates. Children learn through play as calendar provides daily activities for you to do together that are enjoyable and educational. These activities they explore the world. Your child’s motor skills, language, thinking and social development change will help you get your child ready to succeed in school. Many of the activities require no supplies or use only dramatically as they grow. Understanding these changes will help you encourage your child to learn and common household items. “Play” is a child’s “work” so simply playing with your child using the daily activities is get ready for school. the goal. Remember, the things you learn with joy, you’ll remember forever. Reminder: Children develop at their own pace and these are common milestones to guide you. Tips for Using the Calendar • Every month includes a booklist of suggested titles to read with your child. These are just suggestions. Babies (Birth to eighteen months) Choose books together with your child that you will both enjoy. • They use sounds to attract attention. • Each day has an activity to do together. Like the booklists, these are suggestions. You can change them • They are attracted to patterns and high contrasts of color. to better suit your child or make up your own activity. • They respond to human voices, music, singing and sounds. • Some activities use salt dough or homemade play dough. Easy recipes for both are in the “Arts & • They rely on senses and like to touch, smell, grasp and taste. Crafts” section of this calendar located in the back. • They learn to understand simple words and directions. • If a book or activity is not interesting to your child, stop and try something else. The goal is to make • They learn to imitate simple sounds and motions. learning fun. • They learn to help hold a book, turn pages and lift flaps in flap books. • Children love to read the same books over and over, and doing so gives them a certain assurance and • They begin to understand many words, far more than the number they can say when speech begins. confidence. Read a book as many times as a child wants. • They have a very limited attention span. • Every child learns at his/her own pace. If you are doing these activities with more than one child, make sure to praise each child’s effort without comparing them to each other. Toddlers (Eighteen months to two years old) • They watch and imitate their parents. Tips for Reading Out Loud • They want to learn to use things. • Reading out loud and talking about books is one of the most important things you can do to get your • They like stories, songs, rhymes and looking at books. child ready for reading and success in school. • They tend to play next to, but not with, others. • Set the Mood: Make yourself and your child comfortable. Sit next to each other or with your child on • They listen and repeat words. your lap. Develop a routine of when you might read together. • They know how to hold a book and turn the pages. • Preparation: Look over the book before reading it together to make sure you are comfortable with it. • They do not yet understand numbers but will repeat them. Hold the book so the child can see it. • They are just learning to talk so it may be hard to understand what they are saying. • Expression: Change your voice for different characters; make your voice soft and loud. Put life and • They are just learning how to speak softer and louder. energy into your reading! • Patience: Take time to answer your child’s questions. Their questions show that they are engaged in the Preschoolers (Three and four-year-olds) story. It’s ok if your young child can’t sit still through the story. A child who moves around or plays with • They are becoming independent and are beginning to have friends. a quiet toy may still be listening to every word. • They are imaginative, talkative and they understand rules and consequences. • Participation: Let them repeat phrases with you or leave out a word here and there; see if they can • They know that printed words have meaning and may recognize some words. fill in the blank. Look at the pictures to help tell the story; ask your child what is happening or what • They can ask questions and explain things to others. happens next. • They understand how to count and may be able to count to ten or higher. • Pace: Don’t race while reading. Take your time. • They can talk in short sentences. • They want to make friends and play in groups. Tips for Using the Library • They take turns in conversations. • Visit Often: Your local public library always has new books and other resources for you and your child • They can print their name. to explore. • They can draw pictures. • Attend Events: Most libraries have free programs for young children such as story times, puppet shows and summer reading programs. • Go Online: You can access the Internet for free and find out information on health and wellness, child safety and school readiness. • Ask a Librarian: If you have trouble figuring out where to start or how to use the library, ask!

This is just the beginning There is a lot of good information that wouldn't fit in this calendar. Use the links and resources listed in the back of the calendar to learn more. There are also organizations in your community that offer a wealth of information. This calendar provides contact information for many of these organizations, but be sure to check for others that may be near you.

Remember to have fun with your child as they read, learn, and grow! Books to Read Bath Time! by Sandra Boynton The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Stan and Jan Berenstain Froggy Gets a Doggy by Jonathan London Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon? by Jane Yolen My Daddy Is a Pretzel: Yoga for Parents and Kids by Baron Baptiste My Trip to the Hospital by Mercer Mayer No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons) by Jean E. Pendziwol Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee Scaredy Squirrel by Mélanie Watt

Eating Healthy MyPlate illustrates the five food groups that are the building blocks for a healthy diet using a familiar image—a place setting for a meal. Before you eat, think about what goes on your plate or in your cup or bowl.

Seek & Find Bathtime A Bandaid on a Box A Mouse Toothbrush A Bunny Jumping Rope A Fire Escape Plan A Bug in a Boat A Mouse Doctor A Brush for a Bunny A Bird in a Bath A Bunny Playing Ball A Comb in a Mirror This calendar is designed to be a “Forever” calendar. It can be used over again, year after year. Please note that each month contains little boxes for each day of the month. Use these boxes to write in January: Health and Safety the date for each day of the month (ideally, with pencil!) so that the days/dates can be changed the next year.

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Let your child cut out How about a healthy Song Day! Practice Dog Visit Your or draw various foods snack? Try Ants on I like to eat, eat, eat Safety Library! they like and that are a Log! Take a stalk apples and bananas. Always ask the pet owner if Choose books about good healthy for them. Glue them of celery, fill the center with I like to eat, eat, eat apples you can pet their dog before health and eating well. on a paper plate and talk about peanut butter and put raisins and bananas. reaching out and touching them. on top. The raisins look like the Now change the vowel sound them. Pretend a stuffed animal ants crawling along the log. to A. is a real dog and practice Ask your child to make up a Talk about when to wash your I like to ate, ate, ate ay-pples petting them. Make an evacuation plan in story about the ants. hands. Ask your child before and ba-nay-nays case of a fire. Teach your child and after what activities they I like to ate, ate, ate ay-pples to “Stop, Drop and Roll.” think they should wash their and ba-nay-nays. hands. What are some Talk about the Exercise by giving the Bath Time! Focus on grains. What Exercise by playing tag It’s a New Year! Make vegetables you have importance of limiting children a sequence are they? How many or jump rope. If it is a list with your child of in your house? Make the number of sugary of two things to do. different grains can you too cold outside, dance their favorite memories some soup! If you don’t have foods you eat. Have a “No “Jump up, then sit down.” find and eat? inside. If your child is a baby, of last year. Have them draw enough ingredients, draw all Sugar” day today. Increase to three things. “Touch practice bouncing the baby on some of the memories to share the vegetables you would put your nose, turn around, then your knees. You can use the with friends and family. in your soup. sit down.” Also sing Head, repetition to sing the alphabet Shoulders, Knees, and Toes to or count. During bath time, talk about keep up the energy! the importance of being clean. Make up your own bath song!

Draw safety signs like Science Day! Mother Goose Concentrate on Draw pictures of Take the pictures from “Stop” and “Yield.” Time! showing your child how different fruits and yesterday and put them Talk about what they to brush their teeth vegetables and save on popsicle sticks or Wee Willy Winkie mean when crossing the street. well. Learn the toothbrush them for tomorrow’s activity. straws to make a puppet show Runs through the town Talk about traffic lights and rhyme: about eating healthy. Invite Upstairs, downstairs in his their colors. Have everyone I have a little toothbrush, everyone in the house to nightgown. play the game Red Light, Green I hold it very tight. participate. Talk about seeds, plants, and Knocking at the windows, Find out your child’s favorite Light. I brush my teeth each how different vegetables are yelling through the locks vegetable, and cook a meal morning and then again at grown. Identify the different “Are all the children in their that includes it. night. parts of plants, such as the beds? For it is nine o’clock!” roots, leaves, stem etc.

Help your child make Make a Mother Goose Play a game outside Talk about being safe. Song Day! a noisemaker out of like Tag, Kick the Can or Make sure everyone Nutrition Train! Time! Sing Are You Eating to pasta, cereal, or beans Hide and Go Seek. If it in the family knows The body works like a “Nutrition Little Miss Muffet the tune of Frére Jacques: by placing some in a paper cup is too cold to be outside, then their name, address, telephone Train.” Along the way, whatever sat on her tuffet, Are you eating and taping another on top. exercise by putting on music number, and what to do in case children eat gets loaded onto the eating her curds and whey. Are you eating Use it to read the rhymes on and dancing fast. Talk about of an emergency. train. Bad foods slow the train Along came a spider, who Healthy foods? this page. some of your favorite songs. down. Healthy foods speed the sat down beside her and Healthy foods? Talk about the right way to train up and help it work right. frightened Miss Muffet away. For your body needs them cross a street: hold hands, look Make your own train. Draw the Today we call curds and whey For your body needs them left, then right, then left. Try to good things that are part of the cottage cheese! Everyday draw the signs you see every train! Everyday. day. Everyone dance together Cows provide dairy and Song Day! Eat the Rainbow! Mother Goose and you can make up milk makes your body Sing and march to Time! your own tune. Then do and bones strong. Can Do Your Ears Hang Low?: Old MacDonald had a farm the Hokey Pokey! you drink two glasses of milk Do your ears hang low? e-i-e-i-o. And on that farm he today and talk about all the Do they wobble to and fro? had a cow e-i-e-i-o. different bones in your body? Can you tie them in a knot? With a moo moo here Let your child make their own Talk about how important Can you tie them in a bow? and a moo moo there. pretend first-aid kit for dramatic vegetables are to being healthy. Can you throw them over Help your child list or draw Here a moo, there a moo, play with a box, cotton balls and Try to eat three different your shoulder a fruit for each color in the everywhere a moo moo. swabs, popsicle sticks, and cut vegetables today. Like a Continental soldier? rainbow. Old MacDonald had a farm up gauze or use toilet paper. Do your ears hang low? e-i-e-i-o. Books to Read The Chesapeake Bay Seek & Find Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do Kitten's First Full Moon The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States, measuring almost Find everything that is: You See? by Bill Martin Jr. by Kevin Henkes 200 miles long, It is thought to be over 12,000 years old, forming when the Red Black A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni Little Black Crow by Chris Raschka glaciers melted, flooding the Susquehanna River. It is home to over 2,500 species of plants, 300 species of finfish, and almost 20 species of shellfish, including the Yellow White Elmer by David McKee Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown blue crab and eastern oyster. Oysters help improve water quality and provide food One by Kathryn Otoshi Blue Gray Freight Train by Donald Crews and habitat to other animals. Although over-harvesting, disease, and habitat loss The Day the Crayons Quit The Pink House by Kate Salley Palmer have led to a drop in population, recovery efforts are Green Pink by Drew Daywalt Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann underway to replenish oysters in the bay, revitalizing Orange Brown Go Away, Big Green Monster The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister the Chesapeake ecosystem. by Ed Emberley You Can’t Take a Balloon into the https://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/oysters Violet Multicolor I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More! Metropolitan Museum by Karen Beaumont by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman Maryland Spotlight: Jerdine Nolen Born in Mississippi and raised in Illinois, Jerdine Nolen now calls Maryland home. She has always loved words and writing and has spent her life as an educator and children’s book author. She has written many picture books, including In My Momma’s Kitchen, Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life, and the Plantzilla series; early chapter books, including the Bradford Street Buddies and Max & Jax series; and middle grade February: Colors novels, including Eliza’s Freedom Road and Calico Girl. Look for Nolen’s picture book, Freedom Bird, in 2020. Many of her books have been chosen as nominees or winners of state books awards and have been noted in the children’s publishing world as a Best Book of the Year. Nolen states, “Stories help us examine the world we live in. Stories give us hopeful answers and insights to questions no one person can answer on their own—stories help us share our lives.”

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Science Day! Today’s color Today’s color is The color of the The color of the Visit Your Do you know the colors is red. yellow. day is gray. day is blue like Library! that make the rainbow? Get your heart rate up by doing Castles are often gray and the sea. Check out some books from R- Red, O-Orange, jumping jacks! Have your child made of stone. Can you draw a Sing A Sailor Went to Sea and this month’s booklist. If Y- Yellow, G- Green, spell their name or count while castle and then make up a story use hand motions. B- Blue, I- Indigo, and they jump. about the family that lives in possible, get I Ain’t Gonna Make a giant heart for your A sailor went to sea sea sea V- Violet Think of all the flowers that the castle?” Paint No More!, Kitten’s First library or librarian. Take it to To see what he could see see Also known as the Color have yellow in them. Did you Full Moon, Little Black Crow them the next time you visit see. Spectrum! Draw a rainbow know the state flower is the and Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. and tell them why you love But all that he could see see see using those colors. Black-Eyed Susan? Have you your library! Was the bottom of the deep ever seen one? blue sea sea sea.

The color of the Today you get to pick Today’s color Today’s colors Color Storytime! day is white. the color of the day! is plum. are black and Point out things that Make little snowmen out of Little Jack Horner white. are your color. Help your child cotton balls and practice your Sat in a corner write their name using their Some books are illustrated in counting. Eating his Christmas pie. color. Cut it out and hang it up! only black and white. Look He put in his thumb Make some paint from yogurt through your books to find What are your favorite things And pulled out a plum and food coloring! If you Make Valentine cards together. one. If you have a copy, read that are white? And said “what a good boy Pretend you’re a librarian and don’t have yogurt, use shaving Give them to people in your Kitten’s First Full Moon. Ask am I!” have a story time for your cream. If you have a copy, read family or to your friends. your child to tell you the story. family and stuffed animals. I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More!

Today’s color Today’s color The color for the The color of the Today’s color Make bubbles Today’s color is brown. is tan. day is navy blue. day is lime green. is gold. with dish soap & is pink. Make up a teddy bear action Try saying this tongue twister Spend some time looking Let’s make a baggy fish! water. Do This Little Piggie on your rhyme! For young ones, try five times: through magazines or books Take a brown paper bag and fill child’s fingers or toes. bouncing them up and down She sells sea shells by the sea and seeing all the things that it with newspaper. Tie the end and clapping hands. shore! are navy blue. What is your of the bag with a twist tie or favorite? Talk about how this rubber band. Cut the end part shade of blue is called navy Talk about all the things that into two fins. Decorate your blue. grow! How many are lime fish using gold and your other What colors are your bubbles? green? favorite colors! Sing a song about bubbles while you pop them!

Today’s color Today’s colors The colors for Today’s color Multi-color day! Spend time cutting up a Gather all the books newspaper or magazine and magazines around is black. are pastels. today are silver is orange. Can you think of an looking for the letters your house and pretend Rose, peach and lavender are and gold. Read Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. Talk animal that has many colors? in your name. Try to find all that it’s a library. Sign up examples of pastels. If you want about his feelings throughout If one doesn’t come to mind, Do you know the friendship different color letters. Glue family and friends for library to make your own pastel eggs: the book. How did the book create your own animal and song? them onto paper for your very cards and let them check out Boil the eggs and once they make you feel? make up a story about where Make new friends but keep own name plate. books. Go outside or look outside and are cool dip them in a cup with the old, it lives. Draw the animal and see what kinds of birds you can vinegar and a few drops of Some are silver, the other are all the colors that make it see. Do you see any birds that food coloring. gold. beautiful. are black? If you have a copy, If you have several people, try read Little Black Crow. singing the song in a round.

Today’s colors Use your yogurt paint Write out the names of Can you make a Primary colors Flip through the An Alphabet are neon- which from earlier this different colors. Have butterfly out of shades calendar and ask your of Colors! month and place it in your child trace the of purple? Try making child to point out their are very bright Starting with A, go through the zip lock bags. Seal them with words in the matching color. different shades of purple paint favorite colors. Throughout the shades. alphabet and see if you and as little air as possible. Your For little ones, use specific and then paint some butterflies. day look for those colors! your child can name a color for Can you think when you might child can practice writing their colors when talking about every letter! see neon colors? Can you make letters on the bag. objects today, like green tree, The three basic colors that up a rhyme about neon colors? red ball, or blue shirt. For little ones, try bouncing make up every other color are: them on your knees to the red, yellow, and blue. Mix the rhythm of all the neon colors paint of two primary colors to you can think of! create secondary colors! Books to Read Get Ready for Kindergarten! Maryland Spotlight: Seek & Find All the World Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert • Read daily with your child, and talk together about what A Beach Ball by Liz Garton Scanlon you are reading. Kevin O’Malley Mouse’s First Fall Flying Boots • Encourage your child to tell stories with words and pictures. Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book by Lauren Thompson In 4th grade, Kevin O’Malley knew he wanted of Months by Maurice Sendak • Listen to music and encourage your child to sing songs. A Mouse Kite My Garden by Kevin Henkes to illustrate children’s books. A graduate of The Curious Garden • Encourage make-believe play. Lunch for a Worm Snow by Uri Shulevitz the Maryland Institute College of Art, Kevin is by Peter Brown • Offer opportunities for sorting, matching, counting, and A Sniffing Bee The Snowy Day the beloved illustrator of over 75 books full of Flotsam by David Wiesner comparing. A Mouse in a Pocket by Ezra Jack Keats personality and humor, including Straight to In the Small, Small Pond • Play word games (spoken and written). Winter is the Warmest the Pole, Roller Coaster, and the popular Reading a Book by Denise Fleming • Talk about and illustrate the differences between different Season by Lauren Stringer Miss Malarkey series. He lives in Baltimore. A Nesting Bird Kite Day by Will Hillenbrand living things, and encourage questions about the natural world. A Purple Crocus Maryland Spotlight: Debbie Levy Debbie Levy is the author of more than 25 books of nonfiction, fiction, and poetry for young people, includingNew York Times bestselling I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark, winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award and National Jewish Book Award. Recent books also include This Promise of Change: One Girl’s Story in the Fight for School Equality (with Jo Ann Allen Boyce); Becoming RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Journey to Justice, The Year of Goodbyes; The Key from Spain: Flory Jagoda and Her Music; and Yiddish Saves the Day! A former lawyer and newspaper editor, Debbie lives in Maryland. March: Seasons “Reading is one of the great pleasures of life. You can do it nearly anywhere. You’re never too young or too old for it. Reading is entertainment. It’s education. If reading were food, it would be the most delicious dish that you can never get enough of.”

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Science Day! Take a Walk It’s March into Mother Goose Make a picture of your Visit Your Library! family or friends and Teach your child about Outside Literacy Month Time! what you can do outside in the four seasons. Help them See what you can find to count: Practice your marching to The Rain, rain, go away, the summer. Draw them, color learn the names of each one sticks, petals of flowers that Ants Go Marching. Come again another day, them, or cut pictures from and what it looks like as the have fallen, leaves, or acorns. Little Johnny wants to play. magazines. seasons change. Can you see any signs of Rain, rain, go to Spain. springs? Never show your face again. Talk about rainy weather and Pick out some books about the show your child how to use an You can also use your child’s four seasons: spring, summer, umbrella. Practice saying and name and make up hand fall and winter. If possible, get spelling the word umbrella. motions! Kite Day.

Sing a Song It’s Youth Pretend it’s winter and Mother Goose Theodore Seuss Geisel of Spring! Art Month. drink your favorite Time! “Dr. Seuss”was born warm drink. Talk about March 2, 1904. Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle The itsy bitsy spider what fun things you did over Practice rhyming words of items Spring, spring is coming soon, Climbed up the water spout. winter. Make paper snowflakes you find around the house. Grass is green and flowers Down came the rain and with scissors and folded paper! bloom. washed the spider out! Birds returning from the Out came the sun and dried Talk about daylight saving south, Bees are buzzing all up all the rain. times and why we “spring Pretend to be falling leaves! about. Leaves are budding and the itsy bitsy spider ahead” an hour. Have your Talk about why leaves fall off everywhere. Create your own piece of art climbed up the spout again! child help you change the the trees. Spring, spring is finally here! and display it in your home! clocks. Help your child pick Science Day! Mother Goose What animals do you Spend some time Bath Time! out something green to hear during spring? talking about healthy Talk about how some Time! Have some fun in the wear. Spend some time Go outside and close foods. What is your animals migrate south for It’s raining, bath. You can talk about all the talking about shamrocks and your eyes. Can you hear the favorite seasonal food? the winter. Explain south by It’s pouring. fun things to do in the water. things that are connected to birds chirp, frogs ribbit or bugs showing your child on a map The old man is snoring, Make up your own songs about St. Patrick’s Day. If you can, go buzzing around? or globe. being in the water. outside and look for a four-leaf He went to bed with a cold in clover! his head, And didn’t get up ‘til the Try to have a picnic today at a morning. local park, in your yard, or even inside your house!

Mother Goose Talk about how the Science Day! Say a word and have Draw a picture of your weather changes each your child tell you the favorite season. Share Time! Soak a cotton ball with season. opposite (big, small, why it is your favorite. Jack be nimble, Jack be water and put a popcorn kernel happy, sad.) What is your favorite activity to quick, Jack jumped over the in it. Place it in a paper cup and do in that season? candlestick! cover with plastic wrap. Secure Use a paper towel roll, or with rubber band. Put it in a imagine a candle stick on the window where it will get sun. Talk about the different clothes ground. Have your child jump Check every day to see if the you wear each season. Do Draw a picture of a tree as it over the “candlestick”. If your seed has sprouted. Talk about animals wear clothes? What is goes through all four seasons. child is too small, lift them over how plants grow. your favorite furry animal and the “candlestick.” why? Find things that are Kite Day! Practice jumping and Play Simon Says. Mother Goose Music in Our red, orange or yellow, hopping on one foot. Take turns with your Make a mini kite with Time! Schools Month. like leaves in the fall. Create a rhyme as you child. paper, popsicle sticks, and Higglety pigglety pop, Make up a song about going hop and jump. string. How do you think a kite The dog has eaten the mop! to school! works? If you have a copy, read The pig’s in a hurry, Kite Day. The cat’s in a flurry, Higglety, pigglety, pop! Trace the hands of those in the home to make the outline of mittens. Color them all different colors! Books to Read Sneaks the Cat Seek & Find The Neighborhood Mother Gorrion Del Metro by Leyla Torres MD Summer Reading Mascot Book! Book! Book! Goose by Nina Crews A Raven Reading Gracias/Thanks by Pat Mora by Deborah Bruss In 1986, Baltimore County Public Library Rocket Writes A Story by Tad Hills A Mouse on a Tower Just a Minute! A Trickster Tale and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom created Sneaks the Cat as its Summer A Sick Day for Amos McGee A Happy Sailor by Bill Martin Jr. Counting Book by Yuyi Morales Reading Club mascot. In 1999, Sneaks by Philip C. Stead became the official face A Chugging Train The Library by Sarah Stewart Magic Windows/Ventanas Magicas We Are in a Book! (An Elephant by Carmen Lomas Garza of summer reading to over A Knee Patch Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems half of the public library My Abuelita by Tony Johnston A Cowboy Hat Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen Wild About Books! by Judy Sierra systems in Maryland. Today, My Name is Celia by Monica Brown Sneaks is the popular A Log Cabin LMNO Peas by Keith Baker Spanish-Language Books The Day of the Dead/El Día de los mascot of summer Miss Brooks Loves Books (And A Bird Saying Hello Book Fiesta! by Pat Mora Muertos by Bob Barner I Don’t) by Barbara Bottner reading in public libraries A Statehouse Dome Fiesta Babies by Carmen Tafolla throughout Maryland.

Sneaks photo courtesy of BCPL Maryland Spotlight: Lulu Delacre Three-time Pura Belpré Award honoree, Lulu Delacre, has been writing and illustrating children's books since 1980. The New York Times Bestselling artist was born and raised in Puerto Rico to Argentinean parents. Her Latino heritage and her life experiences inform her work. Her 40 titles include Arroz con Leche: Popular Songs and Rhymes from Latin America, ¡Olinguito, de la A la Z! Descubriendo el bosque nublado; Olinguito, from A to Z!, Unveiling the Cloud Forest, Us, in Progress: Short Stories About Young Latinos, Rafi and Rosi; Music! and The Art of Turning Pages by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Lulu lives in Silver April: Reading Spring, MD. “I delight in creating books that portray my own culture with authenticity in both words and pictures. And if painting Latinos true to their own beauty, fosters respect; or if sharing some of their stories builds bridges among children, I want to keep on doing it. Because for me, that is the true measure of success. ¡Viva nuestra herencia!”

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Mother Goose Can you work on What is April Fool’s Visit Your Time! writing your own story Day? Library! together? You can add Hey diddle diddle Celebrate National Library to it every day this month. Tell a story about someone who The cat and the fiddle, Week by checking out some plays a trick or joke. The cow jumped over the books. If possible, get LMNO moon; Peas, Chicka Chicka Boom The little dog laughed Boom, Library Mouse, Rocket Point out the name of the Use a cookbook to make To see such sport, Writes a Story, and Wild author and illustrator of a book. something new! Read the Practice singing the ABC’s. Talk And the dish ran away with About Books. Talk about what each person recipe and talk about the about letters and words. the spoon. does. ingredients. Try to choose a healthy recipe. Talk about the different Read two books to Find a newspaper or Mother Goose Help your child make Spend time reading jobs people have. If your child before bed. any item with print. See Time! and decorate a together. When your you have a copy, read Ask your child about how many words your bookmark. child sees you reading, All around the mulberry bush LMNO Peas. What are the their favorite part of each one. child can pick out. they will mimic your behaviors. The monkey chased the different jobs the peas do? weasel Look for the red ladybug on The monkey stopped to pull each page! up his socks Pop! Goes the weasel. Have your child draw a picture of their favorite character from a book.

Walk through your Have your child draw Write out each letter of Mother Goose Encourage your child to house or outside. See if a mouse and give it the alphabet. Cut them Time! write or tell you a story. you can find items with a name. If you have out in squares and take If they tell it to you, Down by the station, the first letter of your child’s a copy, read Library Mouse them around the house. Call write it down so you can share early in the morning name. together. out a letter for your child to it with their family and friends! See the shiny train cars find until they are all gone! If you have a copy, read Rocket All in a row. Writes a Story. Waitin’ to get hitched up Have your child draw a tree and Put on some music and dance! And go on their adventure write alphabet letters hidden in Try listening to different types Chug, chug the leaves. If you have a copy, of music and see how your Toot, toot read Chicka Chicka Boom dancing changes. Off they go! Boom. Sit down as a family Ask your child to tell Find a book with few Mother Goose Ask your child about With your child, look and read a story. you a story. When they words (try author Time! their favorite books. If at the pictures in a finish, ask questions. Donald Crews.) You tell you have a copy, read book and guess what Humpty Dumpty sat on This is how children learn how one version of a story and let Wild About Books. There happens. Then read the story the wall. to tell complete stories and your child tell another. are lots of books mentioned together to see if you were Humpty Dumpty had a know you are interested in throughout, how many have right. great fall. what they have to say. you read? All the king’s horses And all the king’s men. Draw a large outline of your Couldn’t put Humpty together child’s name. Have them trace again. and color each letter.

Go outside and look Label items in your Celebrate Find some pictures Turn Off Celebrate “Day up at the clouds. Do house. Practice saying Earth Day! from a magazine or the TV Day! of the Child/Day they look like animals, the words together. pamphlet. Lay them out Wear something green. Talk of the Book” shapes or something else? in a row and tell a story about about the things you will do to them. Visit your library if they are be more earth friendly today. having a special program.

Read a story and then act it out using puppets, dolls, or stuffed Spend some time reading animals. today. Books to Read Finger Play: I Have a Little Turtle Seek & Find

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer Those Darn Squirrels! I have a little turtle (cup hands) (extend hands out and clap them shut) A Toe in Danger Corduroy by Don Freeman by Adam Rubin He lives inside a box, And he snapped at me! A Sailboat He swims in his puddle, (extend hands out and clap them shut) Good Night, Gorilla We’re Going on a Bear Hunt A Mother Otter (move arms to swim) by Peggy Rathmann by Michael Rosen He caught the minnow And climbs up on his rocks. (cup hands together) A Piggyback Ride I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Robin Page (moved arms to climb) He caught the flea Three Dragonflies The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney What’s Your Favorite Animal? He snapped at the minnow (cup hands together) A Curious Oyster Make Way for Ducklings (extend hands out and clap them shut) by Eric Carle He caught the mosquito A Pair of Dolphins by Robert McCloskey He snapped at the flea (cup hands together) When Dinosaurs Came with A Heron Chick Hiding Peek-a-Moo! by Marie Torres Cimarusti Everything by Elise Broach (extend hands out and clap them shut) But he didn’t catch me! Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy E. Shaw He snapped at the mosquito (shake head and wave finger) A Very Long Bridge Assateague Island is a 37-mile barrier island located off the eastern coast of the Delmarva peninsula. The northern two-thirds of the island is in Maryland; the southern third is in Virginia. The Maryland section contains the majority of Assateague Island National Seashore and May: Animals Assateague State Park. In addition to its beaches and the Assateague Lighthouse, this island is best known for its herds of Assateague ponies, who have roamed the beaches, pine forest, and salt marsh since the 1600s.

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Make an Song Day! Practice the sounds that Our state bird is the Visit Your animal collage animals make. What’s Baltimore Oriole and Library! your favorite? the state dog is a Cut out pictures of animals or Check out some books from Chesapeake Bay Retriever. draw some pictures and paste this month’s list. If possible, get Draw a picture of what you them on a big piece of paper. Sheep in a Jeep and The Lion think these look like. & the Mouse. Make up a story about an animal. Where do they live? What kinds of animal friends Play leap frog with your child. Sing Old MacDonald Had a do they have? Draw pictures to Talk about why it is called leap Farm. Sing as many animals as go along with your story. frog. you can think of!

Can you think of words Help your child make Count the number of Draw a picture of the Some picture books Practice singing your Make thumb- or sounds that rhyme a card for Mother’s different animals you little turtle from the have no words only ABC’s today! Can you print animals! with the word sheep? Day—you can include can find on packaging, finger playI Have a pictures. See if you have think of an animal for If you have a copy, read Sheep grandmothers, godmothers, or clothing, or other things around Little Turtle. Do the finger play any books that are wordless every letter of the alphabet? in a Jeep. Practice making the friends’ mothers. you. when you’re finished drawing and make up your own words! sounds in the book. the picture. If you have a copy, read The Lion & the Mouse.

Cut strips of paper and make bookmarks for your friends and family.

Dance to songs with Take turns pretending Salt Dough Play Which is bigger? Mother Goose Let’s Play Pretend It’s Children’s animals in the title like to be different animals Animals! using animals. Time! Book Week! Hound Dog and The and guess which Get out your salt dough or Hickory, dickery, dare, If you can’t visit your library Lion Sleeps Tonight. animal the other person is play dough and make some The pig flew up in the air; make your own book! Don’t pretending to be. animals! The man in brown, forget to draw pictures to go Soon brought him down, along with the story. Hickory, dickory, dare.

What animal would you be and why?

Talk about what kinds Make a poster about Talk about how eggs The author of The Look through a of animals live in insects! Don’t forget to come from chickens. Wizard of Oz was born magazine or book for our state. Visit dnr. include colorful ones Decorate an egg with this month. Draw a animals found in other maryland.gov to learn more like ladybugs and butterflies. markers. Don’t forget to use it picture of the lion! words like coward, crabby, or about which animals live in before it spoils! catastrophe. Maryland.

Talk about the names of baby What animals live under water? animals: kitten, puppy, lamb, Make your best fishy face! colt, etc. What are some cold What kind of animals Do you know the Together, write a poem Make up a finger play weather animals? Talk live in the jungle? Can sounds the jungle about your pet or what to The Quiet Mouse. about animals that you make up a story animals in your story your favorite animal Once there lived a live in the snow and draw your about these animals? from yesterday make? Take does all day. quiet mouse. favorite! turns making the animal’s He lived inside sounds! a quiet house. When all was quiet Explain to your child what it as could be, means for an animal to be Take a walk and look for OUT POPPED HE!” endangered. Ask your child butterflies. Can you tell a story what people can do to protect about what the butterflies are endangered animals. doing? Books to Read Maryland’s Best – Seek & Find Healthy Foods Blueberries for Sal In the Night Kitchen Homegrown By Heroes by Robert McCloskey by Maurice Sendak The Maryland Department of Agriculture has partnered with the Farmer Cherries Beets Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin Orange Pear Apple Bear Veteran Coalition and MidAtlantic Farm Credit to create the Maryland’s Lettuce Peas Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss by Emily Gravett Best – Homegrown By Heroes Program. Tomatoes Apple Stone Soup by Marcia Brown If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Spinach Celery by Laura Numeroff Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola This program supports Maryland veteran Carrots Grapes Jamberry by Bruce Degen The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli farmers’ efforts to produce local, fresh Strawberries Kale Lemons Are Not Red We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past produce by branding products with the by Laura Vaccaro Seeger by Jacqueline Woodson Whole Grain Bread Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal Maryland’s Best – Homegrown By Heroes logo. Maryland Spotlight: Ronald L. Smith Ronald L. Smith was born in Maine to a military family that moved frequently. After working many years in advertising, he is now a writer of children's books, winning the American Library Association's Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent for his book, HooDoo, in 2015. As a child, Ron read a lot of books, especially fantasy and science fiction, which has inspired his lifelong love of the fantastical. "Libraries were my favorite place as a kid. There, I could travel to Middle Earth, Narnia and other June: Food fantastical worlds just by opening a book.” He is the author of Hoodoo, The Mesmerist, Black Panther: The Young Prince, and The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away. He currently lives in Baltimore, MD.

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Make popsicles by Talk about the Food Make a card for a Science Day! Visit Your putting juice into ice Plate from January. father, friend’s father, or Add food coloring to Library! cube trays and placing Does your child grandfather today. cups of water and put in celery Check out some of the great a toothpick in each cube. remember the different foods stalks. What do you think will books about food listed Freeze and eat! that we should eat every day? happen? Check back tomorrow above! If possible, get If You and see! Talk about how plants Give a Mouse a Cookie, The need water to grow. Watermelon Seed, Jamberry, Pick a letter and eat three Find a package of dried beans. and Little Pea. foods with that letter. Talk Use them to practice counting. about why they are good for You can use them again later in you when you eat them. the month.

Make up a story about Use animal crackers to Talk about foods Read one of the books Mother Goose When you go to the what you think would host an animal cracker and flavors enjoyed about food from the Time! store, spend time happen if you gave a circus! in Maryland. Do you library. When you are pointing out the color Change out muffin for other mouse a cookie. If you have a know how to make crab cakes done, have your child retell you of the foods and their names. foods. Clap along. copy, read If You Give a Mouse or a Smith Island cake? Have the story. Oh, do you know the muffin a Cookie. you tried Old Bay seasoning? man, Explore these tastes. The muffin man, the muffin Go outdoors and enjoy a picnic. man. Look at the shapes of your Oh, do you know the muffin food. How many square items man, do you have, how many circle That lives on Drury Lane? items? Talk about yesterday’s Cows are wonderful! Eat an apple or Science Day! Try and visit a local farm picnic. Describe some Enjoy a glass of milk watermelon and count or farmer’s market today Show your child how of the foods you ate. and draw a picture of a the seeds. If you have to see what foods are to tell the temperature outside What different colors did you cow family. a copy, read The Watermelon growing locally. Have you eaten by reading a thermometer. Talk eat and what shapes? Seed. any of them before? about hot and cold and why some foods need to stay cold.

Name as many fruits and Go outside and make mud vegetables as you can and talk pies. Count them forwards and about what color they are. backwards but don’t eat them!

Bake something Make a food alphabet Science Day! Song Day! Spend some time together! If you can’t book. Fold over paper, making a meal together. Talk about taste buds. On top of spaghetti all bake, pretend! Practice and either draw or cut Talk about what kinds Find items around your house covered with cheese. measuring ingredients. out pictures of food items. of food you are making and let that taste different, such as I lost my poor meatball your child help. salty, sweet, and sour. What is When somebody sneezed. your favorite? It rolled off the table, and onto the floor. How many different types of Play with your peas! How many And then my poor meatball, berries can you think of? How peas fit on a spoon? Put them rolled out of the door. many have you eaten before? If on, count, then eat them! Yum! you have a copy, read Jamberry. If you have a copy, read Little Pea.

Go outside and march Find a can or box in Make a paper plate Make music with Mother Goose around to The Farmer the house and use it to pizza. Use a paper plate water! Fill glasses with Time! in the Dell. practice reviewing the as the pizza and you different amounts of Mr. East gave a feast; Make up the rest of the lyrics. alphabet. can draw or cut out shapes to water. Take a fork or spoon Mr. North laid the cloth; The farmer in the dell “make” the toppings. and tap the glass. Listen to the Mr. West did his best; The farmer in the dell different sounds each glass Mr. South burned Hi-ho, the derry-o makes! his mouth, eating a The farmer in the dell. Play with your food! You can cold potato. Eat a rainbow! Try to eat make apple smiles by cutting something red, orange, yellow, apple quarters into halves, or green, and blue today! try making ants on a log. Books to Read

Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird

Bats in the Band by Brian Lies

Ben’s Trumpet by Rachel Isadora

Berlioz the Bear by Jan Brett

Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle

Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae

Meet the Orchestra by Ann Hayes

Olivia Forms a Band by Ian Falconer

Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman

Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs by Alan Katz

Tito Puente, Mambo King by Monica Brown

The Wheels on the Bus by Paul O. Zelinsky

When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss

Music for All Ages Many local libraries have children’s music that you can check out and bring home. Make sure to ask a librarian about what kind of music would be perfect for you and your child. A recommended list of children’s music is also included in the back of this calendar.

Seek & Find Insects & Instruments

Praying Mantis Bongo Drum Cicada Maracas Grasshopper Violin Cricket Flute Beetle Banjo Caterpillar Snare Drum Butterfly Clarinet Dragonfly Tambourine Ladybug Tuba Ant Trumpet Bumble Bee Kazoo "Music is as inherently motor as it is auditory. Many of us ‘conduct’ while listening to classical July: Music music, hum along with show tunes, or dance to popular music.” –Dr. Mark Jude Tramo, musician and scientist

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Mother Goose Sing a patriotic song Song Day! Count out ten dry beans Visit Your such as This Land is or pieces of uncooked Time! Sing and do the Library! Your Land or The Star pasta. Put them Little Boy Blue, come blow motions to Head, Shoulders, Check out some books about Spangled Banner. between two paper plates and your horn, Knees and Toes. music and dance. If possible get staple the plates together to The sheep’s in the meadow, Flora and the Flamingo and make a rattle. The cow’s in the corn. Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin from Where is that boy who looks this month’s booklist. Talk about musical theater. If after the sheep? Go outside together and jump you have a favorite musical, Under the haystack fast rope or do some jumping jacks. sing or play some of the music asleep. Sing songs as you jump. for your child.

Pretend to play Play some quiet music Create a dance to your Play some classical instruments like the and stretch along to it. favorite song. Talk music and dance to it. piano, violin, guitar or Count quietly as you about what makes that If you have a copy, read drum. stretch together. song your favorite. Flora and the Flamingo and try to copy the flamingo like Flora tries.

Put on some music and find Sing a lullaby together at Talk about how to sing in “a the rhythm. Practice clapping to bedtime such as Rock-a-bye round.” Try singing in a round the beat. Baby. to Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

Play musical chairs. Make music with your Song Day! Science Day! Sing a song to your Song Day! Read a book and stop Change the rules to fit body by snapping, child in the morning to halfway through. Have Sing and do the Have your child bang Sing and do the how many players clapping and stomping. wake them up. your child guess what motions to The Wheels on the on different size pots and pans motions to Five Little Speckled you have. will happen before you read the Bus. with a wooden spoon. Talk Frogs. rest of the book. about the variety of sounds high and low that he makes.

Talk a walk outside and Song Day! Get out your favorite Mother Goose Song Day! listen to nature’s music. book and point out the Sing and act out The Time! Sing and dance to The Try to identify who or parts of the book using Noble Duke of York. Sing, sing, what shall I sing? Hokey Pokey. what is making each sound. this song: The cat’s run away with the Front of the book, back of the pudding string! book! Front of the book, back Do, do, what of the book! shall I do? Title page! Title Page! What in your house can The cat’s run Have your child make up their Author and illustrator, author become a musical instrument? away with own song and help them write and illustrator! Look around and make some the pudding down the lyrics. Spine of the book! music. too! Spine of the book! Read a book together Play some music and Song Day! Bath Time! Make rhythm sticks by and point out any dance! Find a partner filling paper towel rolls Sing Take Me Out to Sing and do the unusual words. Talk and Square Dance if or toilet paper rolls the Ballgame together. motions to Where is about what they mean. you know how. The Square with dry beans or uncooked Thumbkin? Have the finger Dance is Maryland’s state pasta. Tape the ends closed and family run away under the dance. shake. water.

Talk about what sounds Put on some music while you different animals make. Draw a bake something together. picture of animals that sing. Books to Read

The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse by Eric Carl

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw

Journey by Aaron Becker

Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig

Press Here by Herve Tullet

Quinnie Blue by Dinah Johnson

Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner

Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

“We cannot create what we can't imagine.” –Lucille Clifton, 1936-2010

Seek & Find Deep Sea Adventure

A Spouting Whale A Spyglass and a Seagull Feeding a Big Fish Juvenile Jellyfish Riding a Seahorse X Marks the Spot Sleeping Baby Octopus A Pirate Hook Storytime for Starfish Flying Ray Circling Sharks The Planet Saturn “Once you learn to read you are forever free.” –Frederick Douglass, 1818-1895 Born in Maryland in Talbot County, Frederick Douglass escaped a life of slavery in 1838 and spent the rest of his August: Imagination life as an abolitionist, author, and public speaker on human rights. At an early age he realized the importance of reading as a way toward freedom.

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Talk about what the Make a fort or castle Have your child pretend Make a hat out of Song Day! Visit Your Library! word imagination with blankets and play to be a bird such as things in your house. Check out some books means. Point out and in it together. a sandpiper and fly Decide where or for about imagination. If possible say aloud each letter in the around the house. what event your child would get Harold and the Purple word “imagination.” wear their hat. Crayon, It Looked Like Spilt Milk and Pete’s a Pizza from this month’s booklist. Have a real or imaginary tea Make up a recipe together and party with your child and sing cook something fun. Try to use I’m a Little Teapot. healthy ingredients.

Have your child Ask your child what Make up a song about Bath Time! Pretend to make a imagine what it might they would like to be the month of August pizza. If you have a Bring some objects with be like to live on the when they grow up and and sing it together. copy, read Pete’s a you into the bath. Use them to moon. Have them draw a have them draw a self-portrait Pizza or any book about pizza. tell a story about their life in picture of what they imagine. of themselves as an adult. Act out the book after you read the water. it together. Go outside, lie on the ground, and look up at the clouds. What Use a broom or stick as a shapes do you see? If you have pretend horse. Ride your horse a copy, read It Looked Like around the house, driveway Spilt Milk. or yard.

Read a book and ask Science Day! Paint on the sidewalk Make bubble solution Set up a pretend Make a guessing box your child to imagine or driveway with water (recipe in the back). kitchen and cook from an empty tissue Pretend that you are what would have and watch it evaporate. Sit outside and blow something with your box. Pick out items seeds planted in the ground happened if the characters bubbles. Look for shapes in the child. together to put in the box. Let and then grow into a flower. in the story made different bubbles that float by. your child put his hand into the Talk about what seeds need choices. box and without looking, guess to grow. what each object is. Imagine something amazing and then draw it with a purple crayon. If you have a copy, read Harold and the Purple Crayon.

Use your imagination Read a book together. Use dolls, action figures, Mother Goose Song Day! to go on a Maryland Have your child or stuffed animals to Time! Sing and do the trip. Where would you imagine what happens act out a story. motions to London Bridge. Hickory, Dickory, Dock! go and what would you see? after the book ends. The mouse ran up the clock. Use the state map in the back London Bridge is falling The clock struck one. of this calendar and plan your down! falling down! falling The mouse ran down. pretend trip. down! Hickory, London Bridge is falling Dickory, down! My fair lady! Set up a pretend grocery store Dock. Play dress up using old clothes. and let your child go shopping. Put on a little show in costume. Talk about choosing healthy foods. Cover the floor with Imagine that a laundry Mother Goose Dough Animals! I Spy Outside paper and have basket or box is a car Time! Make salt dough or play Take a walk outside and everyone make one for your child. Make car Star light, star bright, the first dough and have your child use play I Spy. large picture together. noises and drive them around star I see tonight; it to mold an imaginary animal. the house. I wish I may, I wish I might, Have them describe what their Have the wish I wish tonight. animal is and what it is called. Read a fairytale together. If you don’t have any fairytale books, Ask your child what kind of pet make up your own story about they would have if they could a character from a fairytale. have any animal in the world. Books to Read

Alphabatics by Suse MacDonald

Alphabet City by Stephen T. Johnson

AlphaOops! The Day Z Went First by Alethea Kontis

Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

Curious George Learns the Alphabet by H. A. Rey

Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert

The Graphic Alphabet by David Pelletier

The Hidden Alphabet by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

I Stink! By Kate McMullan

Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book by Muriel Feelings

Old Black Fly by Jim Aylesworth

Shiver Me Letters: A Pirate ABC by June Sobel

The Sleepy Little Alphabet by Judy Sierra

American Sign Language Alphabet

Seek & Find Alphabet Find all the things that begin with each letter of the alphabet. There is a list of 100 words on the last page of the calendar. Maryland Spotlight: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Phyllis Reynolds Naylor has written more than 135 books, including the Newbery Award-winning Shiloh and its sequels; the Alice series; Roxie and the Hooligans, and Roxie and the Hooligans at Buzzard’s Roost. She states the happiest part of her childhood “was listening to my parents read to us aloud, long after we learned to read ourselves. A half hour or so was September: Letters reserved each evening for storytime, and I still remember the pleasure of listening to my mother read from The Wind in the Willows and the way Dad could imitate all the characters in Huckleberry Finn. I absolutely love making up stories. The best part about writing is the moment a character comes alive on paper or when a place that existed only in my head becomes real." Phyllis lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

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Make an A is for Apple B is for C is for Cup D is for Dig E is for Exercise Visit Your Library! ABC Book Bumblebee Make a tower using Touch your toes, do Make a 26 page booklet from With your hand in a fist say: paper or plastic cups. How high some jumping jacks and, blank paper. Together, write Here is a beehive, but where can you go? stretch your arms up high. Feel each letter on the top of each are the bees? Hiding inside your body move and breathe! page. Fill in your book with where nobody sees. Watch and drawings or magazine you’ll see them come out of Check out some alphabet pictures all month long. their hive Fill a small container with books. If possible get Eating 1,2,3,4,5… dirt or rice and hide objects the Alphabet and Shiver Me Eat an apple and count the BZZZ! in it. Have your child dig for Letters from this month’s seeds. treasure! booklist.

Look for Letters F is for Fruit G is for H is for Honey I is for Ice J is for Jack Letters Ahoy! Read one of your Talk about your favorite Grandparents Melt ice cubes and talk and Jill Talk like a pirate day! If library books. Help your child fruits and then make some fruit Tell your child a story about about temperature. Have your Jack and Jill went up the hill you have a copy, find the letters of their name in salad together. their grandparent or have child list things that are hot to fetch a pail of water; read Shiver Me Letters: the words of the book. a grandparent tell a story and things that are cold. Jack fell down and broke his A Pirate ABC. themselves. crown, and Jill came tumbling after. September is National Honey Month. Taste some honey and talk about where it comes from.

Dough Spelling! K is for King L is for Leaves M is for Music N is for Noodle O is for Origami Eat Your Letters! Old King Cole was a Sing the Alphabet Help your child spell Have a healthy snack merry old soul Song together. Try singing it their name or make the of fruit or vegetables. If you And a merry old soul was he; while doing the American Sign alphabet using spaghetti have a copy, read Eating the He called for his pipe, Language letters (above.) noodles. Alphabet for inspiration! And he called for his bowl And he called for his fiddlers three. Origami is the Japanese art Make salt dough or play dough Take a walk outside and look of making objects by folding and use it to spell out your for leaves. Try to find ten paper. Help your child fold a name. different kinds of leaves. paper airplane.

I Spy Letters P is for Pat-a- Q is for Quilt R is for Ring S is for T is for Sign Your Name Point out the letters cake Around the Sign Language Treasure Hunt Using the guide above, you recognize in signs, labels Draw a family quilt on paper Rosie Explain the idea of sign Find objects around the house practice spelling out your and billboards throughout the Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, and have each family member Ring around the rosie. language. Teach them to say I that start with each letter of child’s name in American Sign day. baker’s man, decorate one or more squares. A pocketful of posies love you. the alphabet. Language. Bake me a cake “Ashes, Ashes” as fast as you can. we all fall down! Roll it, and prick it, and mark it with a “B” And put it in the oven for baby and me!

Tell the Story U is for V is for W is for Wash X is for Y is for Yellow Z is for Zoo Choose your favorite Umbrella Vegetables Make paint with X-marks-the-spot Point out all the yellow alphabet book to look at Slap your legs in tune to: shaving cream mixed with a Find your country, state and city objects you see throughout together. Have your child tell Rain is falling down SPLASH! few drops of food coloring. on a map. Draw a map of your the day. the story by looking at the Rain is falling down SPLASH! Paint with it in the tub during neighborhood. illustrations. Pitter patter, pitter patter, bath time. Rain is falling down Write a list of animals you may SPLASH! Name a vegetable that see at the zoo. Draw or paint starts with each letter of the a picture of your favorite zoo alphabet. animal. Books to Read Maryland Spotlight: Laura Gehl Seek & Find

Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh Laura is a former science teacher who loves visiting schools, providing The mice are playing interactive, prop-filled presentations. She is the author of many award- Chicka Chicka 1,2,3 by Bill Martin Jr. One Hundred Hungry Ants by Elinor J. hide and seek. Pinczes winning books, including One Big Pair of Underwear, Hare Count Down to Fall by Fran Hawk How many mice can Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons and Tortoise Race Across Israel, And Then Another Sheep Fiesta! by Ginger Foglesong Guy by Eric Litwin Turned Up, Koala Challah, the Peep and Egg series, My Pillow you find? Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews Keeps Moving, I Got a Chicken for my Birthday, and Delivery by Eileen Christelow Bear. Upcoming releases include Except When They Don’t, Count them. Ten Little Fish by Audrey Wood How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten? Dibs!, Juniper Kai: Super Spy, and the Baby Scientist series. Don’t miss any! by Jane Yolen Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, four children, and a large How Much is a Million? by David M. Schwartz stash of dark chocolate. “Poetry is a matter of life, not just a matter of language.” –Lucille Clifton, 1936-2010 Born in 1936, award-winning author, Lucille Clifton, was Maryland’s poet laureate from 1974-1985. In her work, she focused on the African-American experience and family life. She also wrote many children’s books, designed to help children better understand their world. Her most famous character October: Numbers was Everett Anderson, an African-American boy living in a big city. Clifton wrote eight Everett Anderson titles, including Everett Anderson’s Goodbye (1984), which won the Coretta Scott King Award. Clifton believed that “Poetry is a matter of life, not just a matter of language.” She died in 2010.

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Help your child write How tall are you? It’s Popcorn Song Day! Help your child count Visit Your out the numbers 1 Measure each family their fingers and toes. Poppin’ Month! One potato, Library! to 10. Use this sheet member today and Count forwards and two potato, Check out some number throughout the month to again at the end of the month. backwards. Three potato, four, books. If possible get Five Little practice counting. Five potato, six potato, Monkeys Jumping on the Bed Seven potato, more! and Ten Black Dots from this month’s booklist. Take a walk outside and look Pop some popcorn and count for acorns. Count how many how many pieces you eat. you find.

Count the pairs of Count by fives and tens Show your child a clock Science Day! Number 5 Day! Have everyone in your socks your child has. as high as your child and count the hours. family vote on their Help your child sort Look for the number Talk about other things can go. Explain the number of favorite book. Count up coins into groups by size. Talk five today. If you have a copy, that come in pairs. hours in a day. the votes and see which book about size and which is smaller read Five Little Monkeys is the winner. and which is bigger. Jumping on the Bed.

Draw a picture with ten black dots. If you have a copy, read Ten Black Dots.

It’s Fire Mother Goose Count to ten Draw a picture of family Prevention Time! in Spanish: members who live with 1. uno 2. dos you. Count how many Month! 1, 2 buckle my shoe, 3. tres 4. cuatro people. 3, 4 open the door, Show your child your household 5. cinco 6. seis 5, 6 pick up sticks, smoke detector, or install a new 7. siete 8. ocho 7, 8 lay them straight, one. Many fire departments 9. nueve 10. diez offer free smoke detectors so 9, 10 a big, fat hen! conatct your local department Explain what a dozen means. Exercise with your child by Have your child tell you a story to check. Talk about fire safety. Count the number of eggs in hopping or doing jumping about a carton. jacks. Count as you go. 1 pumpkin, 2 bats and 3 owls.

Show your child what Talk about how much There are 24 counties in Song Day! Dough time it is during the a penny, nickel, dime Maryland. Count from 1 This old man, he Counting! morning, afternoon, and quarter are worth to 24 together. played one, Make salt dough or play dough evening and bedtime. Talk about and how many of each are in He played knick-knack and use it to mold the numbers some of the routines you have at a dollar. on my thumb; 1 to 10. those times of day. With a knick-knack paddywhack, With your child count how Give the dog a bone, Choose a new recipe to make many books your child owns. This old man together. Point out the different Have him choose a few of his came rolling home. measurements in the recipe. favorites to read aloud.

Bath Time! I Spy Numbers Point out your child’s Song Day! Read a picture book Did you grow taller? birthday and those of and then count the Measure each family Bring a set of Point out the numbers Sing songs with family members on a pages together. member again and see measuring cups or spoons into you recognize in signs, labels numbers such as Five Little calendar. Talk about everyone’s if anyone grew. the bathtub. Practice counting and billboards throughout the Pumpkins or Five Little Ducks. age. and measuring. day.

Count the number of seeds in a pumpkin, apple or other fruit. Books to Read Native American Heritage Month Seek & Find Abuela by Arthur Dorros Llama Llama Misses Mama Maryland was home to several different Indian tribes when English A Mouse Doll by Anna Dewdney th Bee-bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park settlers arrived in the 17 century. The Algonquian-speaking Indians of Toasting Marshmallows Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present the Chesapeake Bay and coastal areas including the Lenape, Nanticoke, Blackout by John Rocco A Ladybug House by Charlotte Zolotow Piscataway, Assateagues, Powhatan, and Pocomoke Indians. There were Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? Almost 8 O’Clock! The Napping House by Audrey Wood also Iroquois-speaking groups such as the Susquehannocks, living in the by Eric Carle A Falling Tower Piedmont and in the mountains. These tribes were part of the Northeast Owl Moon by Jane Yolen Grandpa’s Spectacles Grandpa Green by Lane Smith Woodlands group, living in wigwams or longhouses. They were “hunter- Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats Guess How Much I Love You gatherers”: farmers, fishers, and trappers, living off of the Chesapeake A Bunch of Bananas The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant by Sam McBratney Bay and surrounding forests and rivers. Today, Maryland recognizes two Popcorn on the Floor The Hello, Goodbye Window What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies tribes: the Piscataway Indian Nation and the Piscataway Conoy Tribe. A Happy Bird Dreaming by Norton Juster Do Best by Laura Numeroff Moons and Stars Maryland Public Libraries: Early Literacy & Learning Spaces Maryland public libraries throughout the state provide interactive, fun learning spaces for children and families to help foster early literacy skills, family engagement, and school readiness. These November: Family areas are specifically designed for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, birth to 5, and encourage interactive play and learning with parents, family members, or caregivers through books, learning toys, and spaces that encourage imagination, language development, motor, STEM, and social skills.

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Does your family have Put on some of your Cut out the pictures Talk about the Visit Your favorite foods? Spend favorite music and that were drawn importance of Library! time cooking a meal dance with your family. yesterday and make grandparents or aunts Check out some books together. them into puppets by taping and uncles in your family. Take about families. If possible get them to popsicle sticks or a special family member to your Blackout and What Mommies straws. Put on a puppet show library this month to play and Do Best/What Daddies Do about your family. read in the early literacy and Best from this month’s booklist. learning area. Count how many brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins Draw pictures of all your family and pets you have in your family. members, save for tomorrow.

Talk about what kinds Mother Goose Have your child name Talk about Write a poem about a Have a family story of activities you would Time! one thing that makes Veteran’s Day family of turkeys. time. Have each person do if the lights went each member of your choose a favorite book Chook, Chook, Chook, Chook, Explain what the word veteran out. If you have a copy, read family special. to read. Chook, Good morning, Mrs. means. Do you have any Blackout. Hen. veterans in your family? How many chickens have you got? Madam I’ve got ten. Talk about what each member Four of them yellow, and four of your family does best. If of them are brown, you have a copy, read What and two of them are speckled Mommies Do Best/What red, the nicest in town. Daddies Do Best. Play a game as a Have your child set the Song Day! Science Day! Mother Goose Trace your hand to family. If you don’t table for dinner and tell make a turkey. Draw a You are my sunshine. Do a simple science Time! have a game, make you who sits at which whole family of turkeys My only sunshine. experiment together. For Learn a family nighttime poem: one up! seat. Help them write place for Thanksgiving. You make me happy when example, fill numerous cups When little Fred went to bed, cards with each person’s name. skies are gray. with water and add different He always said his prayers. You never know dear how colors of food coloring. Have He kissed his mama and then much I love you. your child mix two colors to papa, Please don’t take my sunshine create a new one. Help them And straightaway went Draw a picture of an animal away. observe what happens. upstairs. home. Talk about the different kinds of homes that animals live in. Talk about some of Have your child tell you Dough Family! Have each family Have each family your family traditions a story about a special member share one member draw a self- Make salt dough or or create a new one. day they spent with thing for which they are portrait. play dough and use it to sculpt another family member. thankful. models of your family members.

Talk about the history and Help your child write and send meaning of Thanksgiving. a letter to a family member.

Bath Time! Have your child make November Mother Goose Have an older adult or up a story about their grandparent tell your During bath time act out: is National Time! favorite animal family. child a story from their Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in Adoption Month. Bye, baby Bunting, childhood. a tub, And who do you think Talk about how families are Father’s gone a-hunting, they were? similar and different. Mother’s gone a-milking, The butcher, the baker, the Sister’s gone a-silking, candlestick-maker, Brother’s gone They all sailed out to sea, to buy a skin Talk about some of the animals ‘twas enough to make a man to wrap the in your neighborhood and stare. baby Bunting in. Take a walk outside as a family. whether they are part of a family. Books to Read Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson Boo’s Dinosaur by Betsy Byars Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel George and Martha by James Marshall Henry and Mudge: The First Book by Cynthia Rylant How Do You Hug a Porcupine? By Laurie Isop How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills I Will Surprise My Friend! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems Making Friends by Fred Rogers Mr. Gumpy’s Outing by John Burningham My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo A Weekend with Wendell by Kevin Henkes Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka

Everyday Fun to Get Your Child Ready to Read Many of the daily activities included in this calendar can be adapted for you and your baby. The point of the activities is to have fun learning – feel free to change them to better suit you and your little one. Keep in mind that learning to read begins now – way before your child ever starts school.

Five of the best ways to help your child get ready to read are by doing the following together everyday: • Talking • Singing • Reading • Writing • Playing

Seek & Find Snowy Day

A Mitten on a Tail Mouse Whiskers A Snow Bee A Snow Bird A Hat for an Ear Boot Buttons A Snow Angel Bunny Tracks Hot Chocolate Hot Tub Snowballs Marshmallow Snowman Bird Tracks Maryland Spotlight: Mary Amato Mary Amato is an award winning children's and YA book author, poet, playwright, and songwriter. Her books have been translated into foreign languages, optioned for television, produced onstage, and have won the children's choice awards in several states. She teaches popular workshops on writing and the creative process around the country. Among her most recent titles are: News from Me, Lucy McGee; December: Friends Open Mic Night at Westminster Cemetery, Our Teacher is a Vampire and Other (Not) True Stories, The Chicken of the Family, Please Write in This Book, and her Riot Brothers series. Mary gives voice to the funny, sad, messy, and wondrous stories of life, especially the stories of children and young adults. Her mission is that “each book has humor, heart and grit. I believe that stories lift us, heal us, and connect us.” She lives in Hyattsville, MD.

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Make up a rhyme The word friend begins Write a poem Song Day! Visit Your about friends and clap with the letter F. What about a chubby Insert a friend’s name Library! out the beat. other things begin little snowman. when singing BINGO: Check out some books about with F? I have a very special friend friends. If possible get How And can you guess her Rocket Learned to Read and name-o? One Cool Friend from this J-U-L-I-E J-U-L-I-E month’s booklist. J-U-L-I-E And Julie is her name-o! Talk about why friends are Discuss ways your child can be important. a good friend to someone.

Ask your child what Make up a story about Science Day! Have your child learn Song Day! Talk about how friends animal they would like friends by taking turns about a friend by can help each other. If Take turns being the to bring home from the and each telling a part. asking them questions you have a copy, read leader and march in a circle zoo if they were allowed. If you about their family, pets, likes How Rocket Learned to Read. singing: Follow the leader have a copy, read One Cool and dislikes. wherever he goes Friend. What he does next, nobody knows! Pretend to be snowflakes, Invite one of your child’s friends snowballs and snowmen, and over to play or meet them and then melt. Talk about how their parents at a park or the temperature affects snow. library. Tell a story about Talk about what Read one of your library Talk about winter in Dough Friends! Song Day! a special meal you qualities a good friend books together. Point Maryland and how it Make salt dough or play Will you be a friend shared with friends, should have. out the author’s and compares to winter in dough and use it to shape the of mine, A friend of mine, a then make a meal together. illustrator’s names. other places. letters in the name of a friend. friend of mine? Will you be a friend of mine and (insert an action) around with me? (Name) is a friend of mine, friend of mine, friend of mine. (Name) is a friend of Make a holiday or winter card mine who (insert an action) for a friend. around with me!

Mother Goose Draw pictures of your Song Day! Are you having a special Spend time reading friends and cut them family celebration? Talk books about friends, Time! Sing It’s a Small World. out. Make them into about your family’s sharing or holidays. Three little kittens puppets by taping them to celebrations and traditions. they lost their mittens, popsicle sticks or straws. Put And they began to cry, on a puppet show about your Oh, Mother Dear, friends. we sadly fear Help your child cut out paper Our mittens we have lost. Help your child practice zipping snowflakes. Tape them to the What! Lost your mittens, you or buttoning their coat. Take a window or string them together naughty kittens! walk outside together. to make a garland to hang. Then you shall have no pie.

Talk about how Bath Time! Song Day! Help your child come Talk about New Year’s animals can be our up with a New Year’s Eve and practice Bring some favorite I’m a great big friends too. Talk about resolution. counting backwards toys or action figure friends into snowman, tall and fat. pets you have or other animals from ten. the bathtub. See which float Here is my tummy. your child knows. and which sink. Here is my hat. Raisins for my eyes, and a carrot for my nose, I’m all snow from head to toe! Tell your child a story about one Read a book and substitute of your friends when you were your child’s name and friends’ their age. names for the characters in the story. Books to Read to Little Ones Maryland Spotlight: Dr. Betsy Diamant-Cohen Baby Cakes by Karma Wilson Dr. Betsy Diamant-Cohen is the creator of "Mother Goose on the Loose," an award-winning, early-literacy Baby Faces by Margaret Miller program for children, from birth to age 3, and their parents or caregivers. This innovative program Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton is based on research that shows that children learn best through routine and repetition in a Clap Hands by Helen Oxenbury nurturing environment. "Mother Goose on the Loose" uses a variety of activities, such as Counting Kisses by Karen Katz rhymes, songs, puppets, and instruments, to foster speech development, From Head to Toe by Eric Carle motor coordination, self-confidence, and sensitivity to others. She has traveled around the country and internationally to share this program with public librarians, Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown childcare providers, and families through family programming and storytimes. She Hush, Little Baby by Marla Frazee lives in Baltimore. I Love Animals by Flora McDonnell I Went Walking by Sue Williams Itsy Bitsy Spider by Annie Kubler Choosing Books for Babies Llama Llama Nighty-Night by Anna Dewdney • Board books are popular for babies because they are small and • Choose books with familiar objects or routine events like “More, More, More,” Said the Baby sturdy. taking a bath or going to bed. by Vera B. Williams • As your baby learns to grasp things, choose light, washable • As your baby gets older, choose books with textures, things to My Very First Mother Goose by Iona Opie cloth or vinyl books. touch, and flaps to lift. Piggies by Audrey Wood • Choose books with bright, colorful illustrations, geometric • Babies of any age enjoy homemade books and family photo shapes, and clear pictures of human faces with high contrast albums. Say Goodnight by Helen Oxenbury between the picture and the background. • Mother Goose rhymes are always a good choice. Time for Bed by Mem Fox

Tips for Sharing Books with Babies • Set the Mood: Pick a time when you and your child are in a good mood, ready to enjoy your time together. Choose a quiet spot. Turn off the TV and the radio. Your voice is your child’s favorite sound. Babies enjoy a soft, sing-song voice. You don’t even need to read every page or all the words on the page of a book -- talking about one picture or one page is just fine. Singing about a picture or the story is great, too! Even if you can’t sing on key, your child still thinks your voice is beautiful. • Preparation: Choose books you will enjoy. Don’t worry if you think you are not a good reader yourself. Even if you just talk about the pictures, you and your child will gain the enjoyment from the experience of reading together. • Participation: Hold your baby in your lap and be sure (s)he can see the pages. Let your baby interact with the book and pages. Ask questions and point out objects. Do not be upset if your baby grabs the book and begins to chew on it. That is normal! If your baby puts a book in his mouth, you might try to gently and slowly take the book away from the baby’s mouth and cheerfully say, “Let’s see what’s inside this book!” If your baby just wants to play with the book, that is fine. Perhaps you can try to read it together later. • Read Often: Spend time every day reading a book with your baby. Let your baby play with books. Keep a book in your diaper bag so you can pull it out when it is convenient.

Special Information About Babies and Reading Reading out loud helps babies to associate reading with warm, pleasant feelings. It introduces babies to sounds and rhythms, especially through rhymes like Mother Goose and poetry. Babies make sounds first – gurgling and cooing – which eventually become talking. They point, touch and chew on books, which help to develop their senses. Brain research has shown that your child’s brain is being “wired” continually in the first months and years of his life. This “window of opportunity” is the perfect time to read aloud and share books with your little one. Sing Together!

Try out these alternative words for the song A-B-C, 1-2-3 by the Tokens (You can sing the fun words together: Dilly dilly dum dum dum dum dilly dilly Don’t forget to clap your hands and even do the twist!) A B C D E F G I’ll Read To You And You Read To Me 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Books Give You Wings — They’re A Bit Of Heaven 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Books Give You Roots That Reach For The "Music, Music, Music" Sun G F E D C B A “Music, music, music” are the words to an old song that reminds us that the connection to music is in each one of us. Many Hooray We’re Going To The Library Today studies have shown the incredible impact music can have on a child’s development. Children can respond to music in the womb and, by a few months old, their wiggling and cooing demonstrate their reaction to a particular song, melody or rhythm. By the age of two, the brain signals the body to develop a sense of physical rhythm as well as movement like marching and dancing. Children's Music Anna Moo Crackers by Anna Moo Music is for Every Age Baby Loves Hip Hop Presents the Dino-5 by Various Artists From newborn infants to adults, we all respond and connect to music. Babies under six months tend to use their whole bodies Best of the Laurie Berkner Band (such as wiggling) if they hear music they like. As they grow older and motor skills begin to develop, they start to clap their by Laurie Berkner hands or shake a rattle. To children, their parent or caregiver’s voice is their favorite sound so it is important to spend time Clap for Love by Little Miss Ann singing with your child. Family Time by Ziggy Marley Sing, dance, play and move with your child throughout each day. As your child grows older, you can expose your child to all different kinds of music including classical, world music, reggae and oldies. Many contemporary and classic songs are filled Here Come the 123s by They Might Be Giants with wonderful drumming and rhythm sections that inspire dancing. Here Come the ABCs Many mainstream rock and pop bands release albums for children. Rockabye Baby, for example, is one series that includes by They Might Be Giants instrumental lullaby versions from bands such as Coldplay and Pink Floyd. If you prefer more traditional children’s music, make Jim Gill Sings Moving Rhymes for Modern sure to check your library for the selections recommended in the “Children’s Music to Check Out!” section. Times by Jim Gill Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill Maryland Spotlight: Mr. Jon (Jon Lewis) Kids in Action by Greg & Steve Singer/Songwriter, Jon Lewis, has over two decades of musical experiences that include playing shows in coffee houses, Kids in Motion by Greg & Steve recording music CDs, appearing on a TV show, becoming a finalist in a national song-writing competition, and having Little Songs by Brian Vogan international radio play from Belize to Ireland. Raffi The Singable Songs Collection In 2009, Jon began working with children at the C. Burr Artz Central Library in Frederick MD, leading to a new direction by Raffi in his musical career: songwriting and performing regularly for children. Jon and his wife, Carrie, recorded their first album Six Little Ducks by Kimbo for children and families, Mr. Jon & Friends at a Grammy Award winning studio, Acacia Recording & Production. It quickly became a top seller on CDbaby.com and won a 2013 Parents’ Choice Award. Currently, Mr. Jon plays over 200 shows a year Smithsonian Folkways Children’s Music Collection by Various Artists for children. Mr. Jon’s new album, Rock & Rhyme, is also a top seller on CDbaby.com and recipient of another Parents’ Choice Award. SnackTime by the Barenaked Ladies Mr. Jon & Friends make music for children and their families that inspires fun, laughter, and dancing. Sometimes with a band, Time for Music by Frank Leto sometimes as a duo, and sometimes solo -- the music of Mr. Jon & Friends will bring a smile to all who hear. Jon states: "I love World Playground the power of music. Such a great way to promote early learning, healthy movements, and connection with others. It's also by Putamayo Presents super fun for your ears!" Learn About Maryland

Seek & Find

How many counties does Maryland have? Count them. What states surround Maryland? Name them. Which counties are in each of Maryland’s Geographical Regions? What are Maryland’s main bodies of water? Which county do you live in? Find it on the Map. HISTORIC SITES Charles Cobb Island Day is held every June. Allegany Fort Cumberland was a military and economic center during the French and Cecil The Elkton Fall Fest happens every September. Indian War (1754–63) and figured significantly in the early career of George Washington. Dorchester

Cambridge Tall Ships Schooner Rendezvous is held every October. Anne Arundel Home of the United States Naval Academy, founded in 1845. John Paul Jones Frederick is interred here in a crypt in the Naval Academy Chapel. Colorfest, one of the largest outdoor craft shows on the East Coast, is held every October. Baltimore The B & O Railroad Museum denotes the birthplace of American railroading. Garrett The Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine inspired Francis Celtic Festival is held annually in early summer. Scott Key, a lawyer and amateur poet, to compose "The Star Spangled Harford Banner," originally entitled "Defense of Fort McHenry." The Darlington Apple Festival is held each October. Caroline Howard The Linchester Mill was a part of the east/west secret network used to assist The Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival happens every spring. freedom seekers. Kent Carroll The National Music Festival is held every June. The Union Mills Homestead is located in Union Mills, MD. The homestead is now a museum of American culture, operated by the Union Mills Homestead Montgomery Foundation. PARKS & GARDENS The World of Montgomery Festival happens every October. Frederick Prince George’s County Allegany South Mountain Battlefield was the first major Civil War battle to take place The Hispanic Festival is held every September. Rocky Gap State Park contains 243-acres and is surrounded by mountains in MD. and Lake Habeeb, known for having the "bluest water in the state."

Queen Anne’s Montgomery Kent Island Day is held every May. Caroline The Clara Barton National Historic Site includes the Clara Barton House, Adkins Arboretum is a 400 acre garden dedicated to the diverse, native established in 1974. Clara Barton was an American pioneer teacher, nurse, Somerset plants of the Delmarva Peninsula. and humanitarian, and was the founder of the American Red Cross. Annual National Hard Crab Derby & Fair is held every Labor Day weekend. Carroll St. Mary’s St. Mary’s The Carroll County Farm Museum offers sensational events and family- St. Mary’s City is home to a living history museum on the site of the first Maryland Day at St. Clement’s Island is held annually in late March. friendly activities in a nostalgic setting.

English colony in Maryland. Talbot Dorchester Washington The St. Joseph Jousting Tournament & Horse Show occurs every August. Harriet Tubman Memorial Garden features interpretive signs and murals that

The Antietam National Battlefield of the Civil War is located in Sharpsburg, MD. Washington pay tribute to her and those who traveled to freedom from slavery through The Leitersburg Peach Festival occurs annually in late summer. the Underground Railroad. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1933 as a FESTIVALS Wicomico waterfowl sanctuary for birds migrating along the Atlantic Flyway. The National Folk Festival is held every September.

Allegany Frederick Worcester Annual Heritage Days Festival celebrates the start of summer and the history The C&O Canal National Park remembers the canal that was a lifeline for The Jelly Fish Festival is held every June. of the area. nearly 100 years for communities along the Potomac River, sending coal,

lumber, and agricultural products down the waterway to market. Anne Arundel Kunta Kinte Heritage Festival happens in September at the Annapolis City The Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls State Park are both FAMOUS PEOPLE located in the Catoctin Mountains. Dock. Anne Arundel Baltimore Garrett Artscape is America’s largest free arts festival and is held every July. Charles Carroll was one of the signers of the American Declaration of Deep Creek National Park is known for its streams and waterfalls. Independence. Baltimore County Harford Johns Hopkins, 1795-1873, a wealthy merchant and investor, left large Located on Otter Point Creek, the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center is a 600+ The Maryland State Fair happens annually in late August-early September. endowments to found Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Hospital.

acre portion of the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Calvert Baltimore American Indian Heritage Day takes place every fall. Queen Anne’s Edgar Allen Poe spent much of his life in Baltimore and died there in 1849. The Terrapin Nature Area features a 3.25-mile oyster chaff walking trail. Caroline Thurgood Marshall, 1908-1993, served as an Associate Justice of the St. Mary’s The Wheat Thrashing Steam & Gas Engine Show occurs in August. Supreme Court of the United States from 1967-1991. He was the Court's Point Lookout State Park, includes a Civil War Museum, Lighthouse, and 96th justice and its first African-American justice. Carroll Reconstructions of Fort Lincoln and a Civil-War-era prisoner-of-war camp. The Flower and Jazz Festival is held the second Saturday in May. Carroll/Frederick Washington Francis Scott Key, writer of the Star Spangled Banner, was born in what was Washington Monument State Park is the first completed monument then Frederick County and now is part of Carroll County. dedicated to the memory of George Washington. Dorchester Wicomico Harriet Tubman was born into slavery and later utilized the Underground Pemberton Historical Park is a 262-acre conservation area with nature trails Railroad here. & a house museum built in 1741. Harford Worcester Famed Orioles baseball player, Cal “Iron Man” Ripken, was born in Havre de Grace. Assateague Island National Seashore is home to beaches, forests, and the Talbot famous Assateague ponies. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in 1818.

Arts & Crafts Play Dough Salt Dough Bubble Blowing Craft Books to 1 cup flour 1 cup of fine salt 1 cup water 1 cup of flour Solution Check Out! 2 tsp. cream of tartar 1/2 cup of water (may add more) 3 cups water Around the World Art & Activities 1/3 cup salt 1 cup liquid dish detergent by Judy Press 1 Tb. vegetable oil Instructions: 1 Tb. sugar food coloring In a large bowl, combine the salt and the Art Lab for Little Kids: 52 Playful flour. Instructions: Projects for Preschoolers by Susan Instructions: Make a well in the salt/flour mixture and Combine ingredients well. Dip bubble Schwake wand in and blow. To make a bubble In a saucepan, mix flour, cream of tartar add the water. The Arts and Crafts Busy Book wand you can bend a pipe cleaner, wire and salt. Add water and vegetable oil. Turn Knead until smooth and shape into a ball. by Trish Kuffner burner on medium/low and stir. Before When not in use, wrap in plastic or store in or wire hanger into shape. For colored it thickens, add food coloring and stir. an airtight container. solution, add food coloring. Easy Origami by John Montroll Continue stirring until it separates from Ed Emberley’s Complete Funprint pan and no longer looks wet. Remove HINT: To get a softer dough you can add Drawing Book by Ed Emberley and put on wax paper until it cools. Knead more flour. Add more salt to get more cooled dough and store in plastic bag. texture. To add color to your dough, add First Art for Toddlers and Twos food coloring or paint. Knead to get an by MaryAnn F. Kohl even color. Sock Puppet 1 old, mismatched light colored sock Little Kid Paper Plate Crafts Binoculars Glue by Chris Yates Construction paper Preschool Art: It’s the Process Not 2 toilet paper tubes or 1 paper towel tube Yarn the Product! by MaryAnn F. Kohl Yarn Beaded Bracelet Markers Markers, crayons or stickers 1 pipe cleaner Science Arts: Discovering Science Tape Assorted beads Instructions: Through Art Experiences Holepunch or scissors Have your child put the sock on their hand by MaryAnn F. Kohl Instructions: to see how it would work as a puppet. Instructions: Show Me a Story: 40 Craft Projects Bend the end of the pipe cleaner so that Help them decide what kind of puppet Tape the two toilet paper tubes together. If and Activities to Spark Children’s the beads will not fall off. Show your child they would like to make. Using glue, paper, using a paper towel tube, cut it in half and Storytelling by Emily K. Neuburger how to thread the beads onto the pipe markers, yarn and any other craft supplies tape two pieces together. Make a small cleaner. Encourage them to make a color you might have, create a face and hair for hole in each side and tie string around pattern or to count the beads. Once the the puppet. Once it is finished, your child to make a necklace. Decorate tubes pipe cleaner is almost full, bend the two can give their new sock puppet a name with markers, crayons or stickers. Once Books About ends together to make a bracelet. and use it to tell a story. completed, ask your child to describe what they see when they use their binoculars. Art to Read Aloud Edible Finger Paint Paper Plate Mask Art & Max by David Wiesner The Art Lesson by Tomie dePaola Vanilla or plain yogurt Paper plates Food coloring Construction paper Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg Paper or paper plate Scissors Markers Dave the Potter by Laban Carrick Hill Instructions: String The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds Divide yogurt up into separate containers to Glue make as many colors as you would like. Add Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni Instructions: food coloring to each and mix. Encourage Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh your child to use his fingers to dip in the paint Cut two circles out of the paper plate for your eyes. Decorate the paper plate with crayons, and draw a picture on the paper or paper markers, colored pencils, or even cut outs from magazines. Use construction paper to cut out The Museum by Susan Verde plate. If your child is hesitant to touch the shapes for ears, trunk, or nose. Using scissors or a hole punch, make two small holes near the Museum Shapes paint with his fingers, let him use a paintbrush side of the plate to attach string. Pull the string and make a knot, then take both pieces to tie by the Metropolitan Museum of Art or Q-tip. Refrigerate any left over paint to use around the back of your child’s head. Be creative with what you have to decorate the mask. within the next few days. Stickers, pieces of fabric, feathers, or other items make great decorations. Too Much Glue by Jason Lefebvre Find & Visit Your Library! Helpful Contacts & Reading Resources Did you know that there are over 200 public library branches throughout Maryland and 19 B'more for Healthy Babies MD Department of Human bookmobiles? In 2018, Maryland public libraries offered over 35,000 early literacy programs healthybabiesbaltimore.com Services (for Children & Families) 1.800.332.6347 CentroNia, Maryland for children, birth through age 5. Get in on the fun! Find your public library below. dhs.maryland.gov 301.543.8040 Allegany County Library System | 301.777.1200 | alleganycountylibrary.info https://www.centronia.org/ MD Department of Natural Resources (Educational Resources) Anne Arundel County Public Library | 410.222.7371 | aacpl.net Get Ready to Read! 877.620.8367 getreadytoread.org Enoch Pratt Free Library (Baltimore City) | 410.396.5395 | prattlibrary.org dnr.maryland.gov/education Baltimore County Public Library | 410.887.6100 | bcpl.info Maryland Public Television - Kids PBS Kids Reading Games Calvert Library | 410.535.0291 or 301.855.1862 | calvertlibrary.info 410.356.5600 pbskids.org/games/reading Caroline County Public Library | 410.479.1343 | carolib.org mpt.org/kids/ The Peter Rabbit Website Carroll County Public Library | 410.386.4488 | library.carr.org Maryland Book Bank peterrabbit.com Cecil County Public Library | 410.996.5600 | cecil.ebranch.info 443.517.9767 Ready At Five Charles County Public Library | 301.934.9001 | ccplonline.org mdbookbank.org 410.788.5725 Dorchester County Public Library | 410.228.7331 | dorchesterlibrary.org Maryland Family Network readyatfive.org Frederick County Public Libraries | 301.600.1630 | fcpl.org 410.659.7701 marylandfamilynetwork.org RIF (Reading is Fundamental) The Ruth Enlow Library of Garrett County | 301.334.3996 | relib.net Leading to Reading Harford County Public Library | 410.638.3151 | hcplonline.org Maryland Head Start Association rif.org Howard County Library System | 410.313.7750 | hclibrary.org 301.744.9472; 443.595.6472 md-hsa.org Sesame Street Online Kent County Public Library | 410.778.3636 | kentcountylibrary.org sesamestreet.org Montgomery County Public Libraries | 240.777.0016 | montgomerycountymd.gov/library/ MD Department of Agriculture Maryland’s Best - Homegrown by Heroes Starfall Prince George's County Memorial Library System | 301.699.3500 | pgcmls.info 410.841.5779 starfall.com Queen Anne's County Library | 410.758.0980 | qaclibrary.org https://marylandsbest.maryland.gov/ Storyline St. Mary's County Library | 301.475.2846 | stmalib.org homegrown-by-heroes/ storylineonline.net Somerset County Library | 410.651.0852 | somelibrary.org MD State Department of Education Storyplace: Talbot County Free Library | 410.822.1626 | tcfl.org 410-767-0100 The Children’s Digital Library Washington County Free Library | 301.739.3250 | washcolibrary.org marylandpublicschools.org storyplace.org Wicomico Public Libraries | 410.749.3612 | wicomicolibraries.org MD Department of the Environment Worcester County Library | 410.632.2600 | worcesterlibrary.org 410-537-3000 MD State Library Resource Center (SLRC) | Enoch Pratt Free Library | 410.396.5429 mde.maryland.gov slrc.info MD Department of Health – MD Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped (LBPH) | 410-230-2424 Maternal and Child Health Bureau http://www.lbph.maryland.gov phpa.health.maryland.gov 410.767.6500 Find your local public library at: marylandlibraries.org About the Illustrator: Marcia Leiter Alphabet Seek & Find A: Africa, Alphabet, Animals, Ant, Antanae, Marcia Leiter is the author and illustrator of a picture book series featuring Sweet Pea, String Bean, multitudes of mice Apple, Arm, Arrow and other creatures. She lives in Carroll County, Maryland surrounded by a green garden filled with trees, flowers, B: Bird, Beak, Blackboard, Bow, Box, Bug, Bunny, Branch, Bread rabbits, butterflies, birds, and the occasional snake or fox. She has completed three books so far which can be found at C: Chain, Chalk, Chalkboard, Crayons, Crumbs your local library, and has plans for many more. (Yes, each book has a Seek & Find at the end!) You can learn more at D: Desks, Door, Dress sweet-pea.net. E: Ear, Eggs, Eraser, Eye F: Face, Feet, Fence, Fish, Flower, Fly, Frame, Frog G: Giraffe, Globe, Grass H: Hand, Hinge, Hippo I: Iguana, Ink J: Jam, Jar K: Key, Knob, Koala L: Ladybug, Leaf, Legs, Letters M: Marbles, Moose, Mouse N: Nail, Nest, Nine O: Ostrich, Owl P: Pants, Pencil, Petal, Picture, Pocket, Polka Dots Tell us what you think! Q: Queen, Quill Rhino, Ribbon, Rose Is Your Child on the Path to School Readiness? Complete our survey about Maryland Day by Day R: by scanning the QR Code or visiting the link below. S: Shelf, Shoe, Sign, Smile, Sock, Spider, Take the Start Smart Readiness Quiz online: Students, String, Stripes http://www.theschoolfoundation.org/start-smart/readiness-quiz T: Tail, Teacher, Tiger, Tree, Turtle U: Umbrella, Underwear, Up V: Vase, Violin Take this quick quiz to evaluate if your 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 year old is developing W: Watch, Web, Wing towards school readiness. Thank you to The School Foundation of Florence X: Xylophone County, SC, for making this site available. Y: Yardstick, Yo-Yo Z: Zipper, Zoo https://tinyurl.com/y3g3bbn2 Acknowledgements

The Maryland Day by Day Family Literacy Activity Forever Calendar is a collaboration of several wonderful and talented people. We are fortunate to have worked with these groups and individuals for this original edition of the calendar. We would like to thank them for their words of inspiration, assistance, and support of this project, and permission to use professional resources, logos, and photos:

Institute of Museum and Library Services * Mary Amato * Jerdine Nolen * Lulu Delacre * Kevin O’Malley * Debbie Levy * Ronald L. Smith * Laura Gehl Phyllis Reynolds Naylor * Jon Lewis * Marcia Leiter * Betsy Diamant-Cohen and the Mother Goose on the Loose program * Baltimore County Public Library Maryland’s Best - Homegrown By Heroes Program * Public Library Association’s (PLA) and the Association of Library Services to Children’s (ALSC) Every Child Ready to Read program * Carroll County Public Library * H. G. Roebuck & Son, Inc. * South Carolina State Library Staff * The School Foundation of Florence, South Carolina

From Carrie Sanders and the Maryland State Library, we dedicate Maryland Day by Day to families across the state in the hope that you will continue to develop a love for libraries, books, and learning that will last a lifetime. This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Maryland State Library 667.219.4800 marylandlibraries.org