The warm temperatures, flowering trees and green lawns indicate that spring has sprung and it is time to think about the end of the school year. There are so many display ideas for this month; it is hard to pick just ten. See the ones I selected below and don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest for even more great displays.
Get Caught Reading Month
This is a nationwide campaign to remind people of all ages how much fun it is to read. Launched in 1999 and supported by the Association of American Publishers, Get Caught Reading encourages you to order free posters, read the newsletter, download free videos, and join the thousands of celebrities, booksellers, teachers, and librarians who continue to embrace this campaign across the country. Go to http://www.getcaughtreading.org/ and click on the “Teachers & Librarians” link on the left side of the webpage.
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
Get a jump on your Summer Reading Program. Gather books about physical fitness and sports from all areas of the library and display them prominently. Add posters with facts and statistics on physical activity from this webpage: http://www.fitness.gov/resource-center/facts-and-statistics/.
Mother Goose Day (May 1)
Mother Goose Day was founded in 1987 by Gloria T. Delamar in tandem with the publication of her book, Mother Goose; From Nursery to Literature. The purpose is to re-appreciate the old nursery rhymes. The National Education Association has compiled a collection of resources to help you celebrate Mother Goose. Go to http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/51755.htm. Display your books of nursery rhymes in the children’s area.
Children’s Book Week (May 2-8)
The 2016 celebration marks the 97th annual commemoration of Children’s Book Week, the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Display, booktalk and promote the nominees for the Children’s Choice Book Awards found at http://bookweekonline.com. Free posters are available at this website.
Star Wars Day (May 4)
May the 4th Be with You! Gather all the Star Wars books and dvds for a display on this day. Add a light saber and a storm trooper helmet to attract attention. Go to http://www.starwars.com/may-the-4th for other ways to celebrate.
Mother’s Day (May 8, 2016)
Celebrate mothers by displaying books featuring moms in the children’s area. Complete the look with pots full of either real or silk spring flowers.
Mary Pope Osborne’s Birthday (May 20, 1949)
Mary Pop Osborne is an American author of children’s books. She is best known for the award-winning and bestselling Magic Tree House series which has been translated into more than 30 languages and has sold more than 130 million copies worldwide. This is an easy display to set up—the books are all in the same place on the library shelves. Prepare a bookmark with the Official Magic Treehouse interactive website: http://www.magictreehouse.com.
World Turtle Day (May 23)
Display both fiction and nonfiction books about turtles and you could even add a live pet turtle if you know anyone that has one. Put the official book trailer for Kevin Sherry’s Turtle Island on your webpage or Facebook page to draw attention to the day. Here is a link to that book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xeTm0uh7Ac.
National Hamburger Day (May 28)
National Hamburger Day is celebrated each year on May 28. This day is set aside to honor a classic sandwich, which from early on was prepared with all of the characteristic trimmings, including onions, lettuce, and pickles. Set up a display inside the library with a charcoal grill (no charcoal, of course), ketchup and mustard bottles, and books about hamburgers. Maybe your Friends Group would want to set up a grill outside the library and take free-will offerings for hamburgers they cook.
Andrew Clements Birthday (May 29, 1949)
Andrew Clements is an American writer of many children’s books. His debut novel Frindle won annual book awards determined by the vote of U.S. schoolchildren in about twenty different U.S. states. Display Clements’ titles along with a list of his novels so that fans can check off each book they read. Go to http://www.andrewclements.com/ for Reading Group Guides and other fun extras.