Here’s a quick look at some of the literary holidays you can celebrate this month: Almanacs, paperbacks, and the Wizarding World!

The entire month of July is read an Almanac month. Providing a wealth of knowledge, they are typically published once a year. The most common almanacs are used for planting dates, tide tables, and celestial events. However, those listed below are a little bit different than your typical almanac.
National Geographic Kids Almanac 2019 will provide you with a wide range of information and interesting tidbits. A little bit of everything!
Native American Almanac is a fascinating collection of history. It’s gathered the stories of 345 tribal nations, many biographies, pre- and post-contact history. It’s a wealth of knowledge that celebrates the indigenous people of America.
Almanac of the Dead by Leslie Marmon Silko while not a true almanac, it was hard not to include just one fictional work. It blends folklore, apocalyptic prophecies, and an impassioned view from the conquered of America to tell a rough tale that’s powerful to read.
July 30th is National Paperback Day, a great day to pull out a paperback and enjoy the convience or famility of reading a paperback book. Originally developed as a cheaper and lighter way to entertain people on the train, it should be an easy thing to find at a second hand bookstore or in our collection of honor system paperbacks located at each branch. On top of that, I’ve listed a couple that you can check out from our shelves.
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith is a coming of age novel following a girl growing up in a ramshackle castle.
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor; an exciting adventure as Binti tries to make it to the best university in the galaxy alive. Definitely a fast read and something very easy to carry.
Let’s end July with Harry Potter Day on July 31st. It’s the day that both Harry and J.K. Rowling celebrate their birthday on. A great way to celebrate their birthday is with a pink cake that looks like it might have been sat on, a Harry Potter movie binge, or a book in their honor. I’ve listed a few Harry Potter Themed books below:
Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic gives you a walkthrough of the exhibit the British Museum created full of exciting things like original drafts by J.K. Rowling, DaVinci’s notebook, Hogwarts curriculum, and much more.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne is a continuation of the Harry Potter tale but as novelization of the play. Get some friends to join you in acting out a few scenes from this play.
J.K. Rowling by Victoria Peterson-Helleque is a young adult biography on the author herself. A quick and interesting read.
– Posted by Meranda T