Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1463867
H U N D R E D S O F public and school libraries celebrate reading around April 30, El Día de los Niños/El Día de los Libros (Children's Day/Book Day), commonly known as Día. This national library program fosters literacy for all children from all backgrounds. Join in the fun by reading to students or having them read, and by participating in literacy activities. Find resources at dia.ala.org, including planning tools, coloring and activity sheets. As far as picking a book to read, you can't do better than CTA's California Reads (cta.org/careads). The annual booklist is recommended by teachers and has suggestions for all grade levels. Among the 2021-22 books: Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang, illustrated by Charlene Chua (pre-K , kindergarten). Funny, fierce and fearless Amy Wu loves to make bao with her family. But her dump- lings keep coming out all wrong. Then she has an idea that may give her a second chance. A delightful story that teaches perseverance and ingenuity, as well as culture. We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly (grades 3-5). Three siblings in seventh grade together in Park, Delaware, in 1986 struggle with their own anxieties as the launch of the space shuttle Challenger approaches. One is in danger of failing seventh grade again. Another has an explosive temper he doesn't understand. And his twin dreams of being NASA's first female shuttle commander — but feels like she's disappearing. Science teacher Ms. Salonga assigns her students a proj- ect related to the ill-fated Challenger, which changes their lives and brings them together in unexpected ways. Pharmacy Girl: The Great War, Spanish Influenza, and the Truth About Billy Detwiler by Kate Szegda (grades 6-8). During the Spanish influenza in 1918, people wore masks, and schools, restaurants and churches closed. An esti- mated 675,000 Americans died — at the same time the country was embroiled in World War I. Meanwhile, young Josie's problems with school and friends become insignificant when her mother comes down with the flu. While she faces spoiled, arro- gant Billy Detwiler, who derisively calls her "pharmacy girl," in a class election, she raises money for a Liberty Loan (a war bond) and steps up to help her family when the pan- demic strikes home. d i a . a l a . o r g d i a . a l a . o r g E ach Story MATTERS Every Child COUNTS © 2020 Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association EVENT DETAI LS: A Día to Remember 10 cta.org In the Know N E W S & N O T E S