MONTH OF MARCH
Women’s History Month
The House That Jane Built read by Kiernan Shipka
This is the story of Jane Addams, the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, who transformed a poor neighborhood in Chicago by opening up her house as a community center. Ever since she was a little girl, Jane Addams hoped to help people in need. She wanted to live right in the middle of the roughest, poorest communities and create a place where people could go to find food, work, and help. In 1889, she bought a house in a run-down Chicago neighborhood and turned it into a settlement home, adding on playgrounds, kindergartens, and a public bath. By 1907, Hull House included thirteen buildings. And by the early 1920s, more than 9,000 people visited Jane’s home each week. An inspiration to all, Jane Addams continues to be a role model to girls and women of all ages.
Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl’s Baseball Dream read by Kevin Costner & Jillian Estell
If there was anything in the world better than playing baseball, Marcenia Lyle didn’t know what it was. As a young girl in the 1930s, she chased down fly balls and stole bases, and dreamed of one day playing professional ball. With spirit, spunk, and a great passion for the sport, Marcenia struggled to overcome the objections of family, friends, and coaches, who felt a girl had no place in the field. When she finally won a position in a baseball summer camp sponsored by the St. Louis Cardinals, Marcenia was on her way to catching her dream. Full of warmth and youthful energy, Catching the Moon is the story of the girl who grew up to become the first woman to play for an all-male professional baseball team. Readers everywhere will be inspired by her courage to dream and determination to succeed.
MONTH OF MARCH
National Reading Month
Library Lion read by Mindy Sterling
Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, is very particular about rules in the library. No running allowed. And you must be quiet. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren’t any rules about lions in the library. And, as it turns out, this lion seems very well suited to library visiting. His big feet are quiet on the library floor. He makes a comfy backrest for the children at story hour. And he never roars in the library, at least not anymore. But when something terrible happens, the lion quickly comes to the rescue in the only way he knows how.
SATURDAY, MARCH 1
National Pig Day
The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf read by Kaia Gerber
Three pigs spend their money on different things: potato chips, sody-pop, and building supplies. It comes as no surprise that a wolf is able to blow down the first two pigs’ houses. When the wolf can’t blow down the third pig’s brick house, everyone comes together and the fun begins. The first two pigs give him potato chips and sody-pop, and the third pig makes everyone a healthy meal. Since only one pig has a house left, the other two pigs and the wolf move in with her. The somewhat bad wolf is no longer hungry.
When Pigasso Met Mootisse read by Eric Close
What begins as a neighborly overture between a painterly pig and an artsy cow escalates into a monumental modern art mess! Before you can say paint-by-numbers, the two artists are calling each other names and building a fence between them. But it turns out that what divides them also reunites them.
MONDAY, MARCH 3
World Wildlife Day
A Tale of Two Beasts read by Sarah Silverman
There are two sides to every story. In Part One, a little girl finds a strange beast in the woods and takes it home as a pet. She feeds it, shows it off to her friends and gives it a hat. But that night it escapes. Then, in Part Two, the beast tells the story of being kidnapped by the girl, who force-fed it squirrel food, scared it with a group of beasts and wrapped it in wool. Can the two beasts resolve their differences? A Tale of Two Beasts is an eye-opening story that makes you look at things from a different perspective.
TUESDAY, MARCH 4
National Grammar Day
Thank You, Mr. Falker read by Jane Kaczmarek
If you ran for president, you would have to do a lot of hard work. You would study the nation’s problems, tell the American people about your platform, select a running mate, and debate your opponents on live television.
TUESDAY, MARCH 4
World Engineering Day
Rosie Revere, Engineer read by Lea Michele
A beautifully-illustrated tale of a girl and her dream to become a great engineer.
Where some people see rubbish, Rosie Revere sees inspiration. Alone in her room at night, shy Rosie constructs great inventions from odds and ends. Hot dog dispensers, helium pants, python-repelling cheese hats. Rosie’s gizmos would astound—if she ever let anyone see them.
Afraid of failure, she hides them away under her bed. Until a fateful visit from her great-great-aunt Rose, who shows her that a first flop isn’t something to fear—it’s something to celebrate.
THURSDAY, MARCH 6
National Dentist’s Day
The Tooth read by Annette Bening
Marissa loves candy – maybe too much. When she wakes up with a toothache, her mother takes her to the dentist, and on the way, Marissa notices a man sitting on a grate on the sidewalk to keep warm. So begins a day that Marissa will never forget.
MONDAY, MARCH 10
National Pack Your Lunch Day
Carla’s Sandwich read by Allison Janney
When Carla brings weird sandwiches to school, her classmates have plenty to say about them. “That’s sick!” says Leslie. “That’s disgusting!” says Natie. But Carla thinks otherwise. “It’s unique. It’s creative.” Just like Carla. Although she is teased and even ignored by her classmates, Carla’s strong inner sense of uniqueness eventually wins them over. Wacky sandwiches, wacky illustrations and kid-true dialogue make this book’s message of acceptance, tolerance and the importance of individuality extremely palatable. And who knows? Carla’s Sandwich may even help parents with that ever present dilemma – what to pack for school lunch!
FRIDAY, MARCH 14
National Children’s Craft Day
So Much Slime read by June Squibb
With his art teacher’s permission, Matty does a slime demonstration in class. But when the stuff won’t stop spreading, Matty realizes that he forgot to bring the ingredient that magically turns glue and baking soda into slime!
Now his demo is a disaster and Matty is stuck in an icky, sticky swamp. His creative classmates try to help but – PLIP! SWOOSH! KABOOM! – the swamp only spreads. How will Matty get out of this sticky situation?
Too Much Glue read by Nicole Byer
Matty LOVES glue. At home with Dad, he makes glue glasses, glue mustaches, and glue bouncy balls. But at school, Matty’s art teacher worries and warns, “Too much glue never dries.”
In art class one day, Matty decides to make the most fantastic glue project ever, with a super-special ingredient – himself! Ignoring his teacher’s warnings, Matty belly-flops onto the glue-covered table, rolls all around in the sequins and glitter, and encounters an unexpected glitch – when he tries to get up, he boings right back into the slippery, sticky mess!
This calls for a dose of imagination and a little help from friends. They try a gigantic tow truck, some yarn lassoes, and dabbing Matty with everything in the nurse’s bag – but each wacky attempt only makes things worse! Finally Matty gets an idea from his hyperventilating teacher.
Will it work, or will Matty be a half-boy, half-art project stuck-to-a-table forever?
FRIDAY, MARCH 14
National Pi Day
Enemy Pie read by Camryn Manheim
It was the perfect summer. That is, until Jeremy Ross moved into the house down the street and became Enemy Number One. Luckily, Dad has a surefire way to get rid of enemies – Enemy Pie.
FRIDAY, MARCH 14
National Butterfly Day
Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly read by Kyra Sedgwick
It’s hard to be Velma, the littlest Gratch, entering the first grade. That’s because everyone has marvelous memories of her two older sisters, who were practically perfect first graders. Poor Velma—people can barely remember her name. But all that changes on a class trip to the magnificent Butterfly Conservatory—a place neither of her sisters has ever been. When a monarch roosts on Velma’s finger and won’t budge for days…well, no one will forget Velma ever again.
FRIDAY, MARCH 14
National Save a Spider Day
Sophie’s Masterpiece read by CCH Pounder
Sophie’s no ordinary house spider. She’s an artist; and every web she spins is more wondrous than the one before. But don’t mention that to the guests at Beekman’s Boardinghouse, because they don’t like spiders.
FRIDAY, MARCH 14
World Sleep Day
No More Noisy Nights read by Tony Hale
Who is making so much noise and how will Jackson ever get to sleep? Despite some silly, sleepy mistakes, genteel Jackson finds a fun and quiet activity for each of his noisy neighbors. He finally gets a great night’s sleep — and discovers three new friends in the morning.
Remember to Dream, Ebere read by Cynthia Erivo
From a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award winner comes an inspirational and heartwarming tale of a mother and child, and the dreams they build together.
When Ebere’s mother puts her to bed at night, she always says, “Remember to dream, Ebere.” And dream, Ebere does! Encouraged by her mother to make her dreams as big as possible, Ebere imagines herself as the captain of a rocket ship with the ability to go anywhere in the universe.
THURSDAY, MARCH 20
Spring Equinox
The Empty Pot read by Rami Malek
The Chinese Emperor announces an unusual test to choose an heir—the child who raises the best flowers from a seed given by the Emperor will be his successor. Ping, unaccountably, is unable to get his seed to sprout—but Ping’s empty pot is best of all.
SATURDAY, MARCH 22
National Goof Off Day
Clark the Shark read by Chris Pine
Clark is a shark with zing, bang, and boom. Clark zooms into school, crashes through the classroom, and is rowdy at recess. Clark loves life – but when his enthusiasm is too much for his friends, Clark’s teacher, Mrs. Inkydink, helps him figure out a way to tone it down. Clark the Shark celebrates boisterous enthusiasm – and knowing when it’s time for indoor voices.
SUNDAY, MARCH 23
National Puppy Day
Harry the Dirty Dog read by Betty White
Harry is a white dog with black spots who loves everything…except baths. So one day before bath time, Harry runs away.
