The series of posts celebrating and honoring different holidays of the year from the well-known holidays to the odd, funny, and wacky holidays continues. Try these read-alouds for May holidays.
Books for Kids About May Holidays
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May 1st: National Mother Goose Day
I love that Nina Crews uses photographs of children in her collage images in The Neighborhood Mother Goose. And, I appreciate that children of color are represented which is not easy to find in nursery rhyme books. Little ones will love pointing at all the things they find in the illustrations.
For more Mother Goose and nursery rhyme books, check out this list.—> Nursery Rhyme Books
May 2nd: Baby Day
Babymoon by Hayley Barrett is a beautiful look at those beginning days with a newborn. Oh, what a special time that is.
May 3rd: National Two Different Colored Shoes Day
You see all sorts of kicks walking down a city street. Come celebrate them all in City Feet by Aixa Pérez-Prado.
May 4th: International Firefighters Day
Yes, women can be firefighters and I’m so glad there is a book out there that highlights that fact. My Mom is a Firefighter by Lois G. Grambling is a must-read.
For more books about firefighters—>Books About Firefighters
May 5th: Museum Lover’s Day
Imagine if the art came to life and gave you items from the paintings and sculptures. You might not be able to touch the art but the art can touch you in the wordless book, Mayhem at the Museum: A Book in Pictures by Luciano Lozano
May 6th: National Nurses Day
Helping Hospital : A Community Helpers Book by Lindsay Ward looks at the vast opportunities of jobs associated with a hospital from the admissions department to different types of nurses and doctors. We explore the hospital and the workers while we travel with different patients visiting the hospital.
May 7th: Great American Grump Out
Sometimes our friends want to cheer us up, but there are days we just need to be grumpy in Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang.
May 8th: National Give Someone a Cupcake Day
Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes by Kimberly and James Dean encourages us to count down by twos from ten as the cupcakes start to disappear.
May 9th: National Lost Sock Memorial Day
One Red Sock by Jennifer Sattler is a fun book to work on color identification. This purple hippo has a problem. She can only find one red sock. As she searches her drawer she finds lots of socks but can she find a perfect pair?
May 10th: Clean Your Room Day
Yes, one can have too many toys especially when we all know that the very best toy is an empty box. Be inspired to do some cleaning, sorting, and giving away unused toys in Too Many Toys by David Shannon.
May 11th: Mother’s Day
Saturday by Oge Mora is the story of a young girl and her mother who only get Saturdays to spend the whole day together so they like to plan special things to do with each other. However, on this particular Saturday, it seems like their plans are going to be spoiled. But, we discover that as long as they get to be with each other that is all that matters.
For more Mother’s Day Reads—> Books for Mother’s Day
May 12th: International Day of Plant Health
In this story, Jesús has an important job of caring for Mamá’s house plants. All is going well until one of the plants goes crashing to the ground. Yikes! Enjoy Mamá’s Magnificent Dancing Plantitas by by Jesús Trejo.
May 13th: National Apple Pie Day
How to Grow an Apple Pie by Beth Charles is the story of a little girl who waits six years to pick up apples from her family’s apple trees. Children will learn about pruning, the role of bees, and how to pick apples from the tree while listening to the story too. Yep, an apple pie recipe is included.
May 14th: Dance Like a Chicken Day
How Do You Dance? by Thyra Heder showcases lots of dance moves from bopping to stomping. You are only limited by your imagination. Is there one best way? Nope. Dance however you feel comfortable. This is a great one for recognizing what makes us each unique and using our imagination. You’ll definitely want to turn on the music after reading and have a dance party.
May 15th: Bring Flowers to Someone Day
A Crown for Corina by Laekan Zea Kemp allows us to walk through Aubela’s garden to collect meaningful flowers for a birthday crown. Each flower represents something special to Corina that celebrates her past, present, and future.
For more books about flowers.—> Books About Flowers for Kids
May 16th: Drawing Day
Bridget loves to draw and believes that every artist wears a beret. But, what happens when she loses her beret? Find out in Bridget’s Beret by Tom Lichtenheld.
May 17th: National Graduation Tassel Day
Graduations are all about the completion of one chapter and the beginning of a new chapter.
Sometimes You Fly by Newbery Medalist, Katherine Applegate starts with the major accomplishments of learning to eat all the way to eating that graduation cake. We have lots of messy starts to accomplish great things.
For more graduation books, check out this list.—> Books to Give for a Graduation
May 18th: National Visit Your Relatives Day
Soul Food Sunday by Winsome Bingham is a love song to the foods that bring families together each Sunday. There is so much to love in this book from the mouth-watering foods of mac-n-cheese, greens, ribs & sausage, and sweet tea to the vibrant moving images to o the cadence of the words. It’s all a win. Oh, and there is a mac ‘n’ cheese recipe in the back of the book that you must try.
May 19th: National May Ray Day
Celebrate the rays of sunshine today.
Get all the hot details about the sun in Sun by Stacy McAnulty. Lots of bright bold pictures and even more facts.
May 20th: National Flower Day
The Night Flower by Lara Hawthorne takes us to the desert and introduces us to the bloom of the saguaro cactus. Meet all the animals that come to visit it too from the mice to the fruit bats.
May 21st: International Tea Day
Teatime Around the World by Denyse Waissbluth is one of my favorite tea-related books. Did you know that it is common to add yak butter to tea in Tibet? Or, that pulled tea is the national drink in Malaysia? This book is filled with interesting tidbits that only enhance the read-aloud experience.
For more books about tea, enjoy this list.—> Books About Tea
May 22nd: Buy a Musical Instrument Day
A is for Oboe: The Orchestra’s Alphabet by Lera Auerbach and Marilyn Nelson is for all music lovers. Take the letters one at a time to discover something about the orchestra from b is for bassoon to s is for solo.
May 23rd: World Turtle Day
One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies helps us understand the long journey of the loggerhead turtle.
May 24th: National Escargot Day
Get ready to use your best pretend French accent in Escargot by Dashka Slater. How many books feature a snail as the main character? It’s clever, fun to read, interactive, and just might get kids to eat a salad with carrots. Those are huge wins.
May 25th: National Brown-Bag It Day
One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey by Henry Cole is GORGEOUS. The preface pages show how a tree transforms into a paper bag. Then, we begin the journey of one of those bags through three generations. The bag is a carrier of many things and a keeper of memories. And, in the end, we get to see it become part of the circle of life. Don’t miss the author’s note about Henry Cole’s personal experience of the first Earth Day and a special bag in his life.
May 26th: Memorial Day
An incredibly gorgeous book pays tribute to our fallen and unnamed soldiers. I love picture books that can be used with older students and this one definitely fits that bill. Twenty-One Steps by Jeff Gottesfeld is a perfect reading pick for Memorial Day or Veteran’s Day. But, really it can be shared any day of the year.
Children will learn about how the tomb of the unknown soldier came to be and the practices that are put in place every hour of every day of the year there.
May 27th: Scripps Spelling Bee
How Do You Spell Unfair? by Carole Boston Weatherford is the story of MacNolia Cox and her experience with racism at the National Spelling Bee in the 1930s. This true story really opens our eyes to unfairness and racism.
May 28th: National Hamburger Day
Lift the flaps and discover lots of things you would never want to eat on a hamburger in Sam’s Hamburger by David Pelham. Kids will be giggling and gagging at all the gross things inside Sam’s burger.
May 29th: National Alligator Day
Petite Rouge by Mike Artell takes us to the bayou in this Cajun spin. Grand-mère is in need of some gumbo. Petite Rouge Riding Hood will encounter a hungry alligator on the way to make this delivery. You definitely need to practice reading this one aloud a few time before sharing with the kids.
May 30th: International Hug Your Cat Day
Cat Ladies by Susi Schaefer is the story of Princess who takes care of her human ladies and even makes room for taking care of one more “lady” after she has been trained.
May 31st: National Smile Day
Looking for Smile by Ellen Tarlow is the story of a bear and a smile who are always together. But, then one day smile is gone and the bear can’t figure out how to reunite with it. Luckily, a tweeting bird helps.
Printable List of May Holiday Books
Grab a printable list of the books to enjoy with students.
Happy May reading!
Brenda says
Thank you for always sharing awesome resources. You are appreciated! Smiles!
Jodie Rodriguez says
Thank you, Brenda!