Sep 13 2026
On September 13, we celebrate the birthday of Else Holmelund Minarik, the Danish-born American author who gave generations of beginning readers one of children’s literature’s most comforting companions: Little Bear. Born on September 13, 1920, in Fredericia, Denmark, Minarik came to the United States as a small child, learned a new language, became a teacher, …
Jun 10 2026
Born on June 10, 1928, Maurice Sendak changed children’s literature by taking children seriously. His stories could be funny, strange, frightening, mischievous, tender, and sometimes unsettling because he understood that childhood itself contains all of those things. Children become angry. They feel jealous, lonely, frightened, possessive, adventurous, and overwhelmed. They imagine monsters and occasionally behave …
