Literacy Calendar

Through children’s books, interviews with Black children’s authors and illustrators, classroom activities, online history resources, and powerful documentaries, we celebrate and learn about the lives and contributions of African Americans. 

February 14th is Valentine’s Day, a day to show family and friends how much you love and appreciate them. Here at Reading Rockets, we also see Valentine’s Day as a perfect opportunity to practice creative writing skills — and take a fresh look at poetry, figurative language, and word play.

NEA’s Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading with the theme: Celebrating a Nation of Diverse Readers. 

April is National Poetry Month, 30 days of celebrating the joy, expressiveness, and pure delight of poetry. Learn more about the National Poetry Month, get to know some of our most well-loved children’s poets in our video interview series, browse the many online resources listed here, and visit your local library or bookstore to discover wonderful new books and anthologies.

April 12 — Beverly Cleary’s birthday — is D.E.A.R. Day, a national celebration of reading designed to encourage families to make reading a priority activity in their lives.

We thank our teachers every day for the important work they do in our classrooms — especially for sharing their love of books, reading, writing, and creating a vibrant literacy community.

Through children’s books, interviews with children’s authors, activities, and educational resources, we celebrate and learn about the rich history and cultural heritage of Asian Pacific Americans. 

Summer is a great time to encourage kids to read and actively explore the world. Books can be the perfect springboard to building background knowledge and a love of reading.

Back to school time can be a challenging transition for everyone. We’ve got some helpful tips, articles, and other resources for families and teachers — plus some recommended picture books to ease back-to-school jitters.

October is Learning Disabilities and Dyslexia Awareness Month. We have lots of helpful resources for learning more about dyslexia and LD, and how to support our kids with school, friends, and family.

Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is a national campaign to bring young children together with valued grownups in their lives to read the same book, on the same day, in communities all over the world. 

Photo: Jumpstart

Through children’s books, interviews with children’s authors, activities, and educational resources, we celebrate and learn about Native American and Alaska Native history and culture.