Children's Book-A-Day Almanac by Anita Silvey

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers....the place to feed your need to read and today's post is ready to feed that need for a year...but first things first.

So, how have you enjoyed the month thus far?  Fun, right?  We've seen reviews and spotlights and contests (some of which are still going on now....if you would like to enter...oh come on, you win free books that rock and make this blogger a happy camper!) and all sorts of bookish fun.  Today is no different and we've got LOTS to celebrate thanks to the featured title!  How so?  Well, this isn't just any old book, not that any book is just "any old" book...they all have something to share, but this one is different and will help you plot your reading year with a smile and a turn of the page.  Ready to discover more?  Here we go!  Today's book of choice is....

Children's Book-A-Day Almanac

by

Anita Silvey

How can you not love a book about books?  Well, okay...let me back track there because some attempts at it aren't as successful as others but this one...in my opinion you can't go wrong.  Whether a book enthusiast (*raises hand*), bookseller (*raises other hand*), teacher, parent or librarian, I'd make room on your daily read this for this little gem.

Now, my review copy if a special pamphlet style edition highlighting a few random days throughout the year, but the full fledged edition will have tasty bookish tidbits for your information and exploration 365 days a year.  Take today for example (yes, I did pick TODAY to post because it is actually one of the featured days...pretty cool, right?  *high five*), we've got....

....Alaska Day - the holiday celebrated in Alaska that commemorates the transfer of the territory from Russia to the United States...with a recommended read of The Call of the Wild by Jack London!

...the beginning of National Freedom of Speech Week - a great time to celebrate our First Amendment rights...with a reading suggestion of First Freedoms by Charles C. Haynes, Sam Chaltain and Susan M. Glisson.

...National Chocolate Cupcake Day - do I really need to tell you how to celebrate this one?  ^_^








...and that's just the tip of the iceberg on today's entry in this delightful and informative read.  No, really!  All of that is simply sidebar information with the bulk of the page being occupied by another October celebration....International Dinosaur Month!

Now, I don't know about you, but I love my dinosaurs....favorite was the Stegosaurus...and I owe that fascination to dear old Mom for taking me to the Museum of Natural History as a child; still remember seeing the T-Rex skeleton there...and I have my souvenir tote bag somewhere around here still.  (Hehe.) Even if you're not a huge dino fan, the bookish side of you still gets to celebrate because the book featured is Danny the Dinosaur by Sid Hoff.  We learn where the series came from (an effort to entertain his sick daughter!), how successful the author was in his early days (not very...struggling artist certainly applied) and even a bit about the man behind the work (always interesting).  It's a well balanced piece that is sure to appeal to a broad audience.

In conclusion, it introduces a new approach to sharing more than just the books by connecting those stories and collections with real life events and extending the celebration beyond the page.  I'd certainly say it'd make a great resource for anyone that counts reading among the better parts of their days and I wouldn't be surprised to find it tucked on the corner of a teacher's or librarian's desk as a tool for inviting young minds into the vast world that awaits them within the pages.  A stellar addition to anyone's reading rotation and one that will be residing on my wish list for a future purchase as well.

Recommended read for teens and beyond as it has an adult flair to the presentation but the sharing of the information, stories and celebrations within is appropriate for all ages.  Interested in discovering more?  Check out the official website that adds an interactive aspect to the daily entries, like them on Facebook or follow along on Twitter!

ARC for review courtesy of Ksenia with MacMillan Children's Publishing Group.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their complete catalog of rocking reading choices, feel free to visit them online, like them on Facebook or follow along on Twitter.  This book is scheduled for release October 30, 2012 via Roaring Brook Press, so be on the look out for it on a bookstore shelf near you or get your pre order on with your favorite online retailer today.

Until next time...happy reading!