International Children’s Book Day

International Children’s Book Day is April 2

It is the birthday of Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen and also marks the holiday, Children’s Book Day. Hans Christian Andersen wrote The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Little Mermaid, The Snow Queen and a host of other fairy tales.

Getting kids to discover the joys of reading and the magic of books is what this day is all about all around the world. So gather your kids and grab some books and snuggle in for some quality book time.

Today there are so many ways to get children excited about reading, from watching read aloud books on youtube, to an old-fashioned trip to the library, to even planning a craft day where they write and draw their own books.

Some popular types of children’s books include picture books, board books, concept books, coloring books, book series and wordless books. Whether it’s rhyming book, a science book, an art book, a book about issues they may have in scchool – like bullying, a puzzle book, a counting book or a riddle book, getting books in the hands of boys and girls is an important step to getting them on the fun road to reading for life.

Childrens Book Trivia

The first picture book, published specifically for children, dates back to 1659. It was a book titled, Orbis Pictus, by Jan Amos Komensky.

One of the most popular children’s books ever is The Cat in The Hat, written by Dr. Seuss in 1957.

In 1990, J.K. Rowling gave us the world of Harry Potter, an adventure series that spans 7 books.

Children’s books are bestowed with many awards, the most notable being the Caldecott and Newbery Medals. Others include the Golden Kite Award, the National Book award and the Coretta Scott King award.

So celebrate International Children’s Book Day by picking up some books at the library, your local bookstore, download them on your Kindle or have your kids create their own books.