Happy Friday; today I'm celebrating the daylily. Did you know that this elegant flower only opens for one day? In the picture, you see the bloom that opened on Wednesday in between the Tuesday bloom (bottom) and its Thursday counterpart. Today, no more daylilies, just the poem that these three gifts inspired me to write.
I'd like to mark today National Daylily Day, in honor of the fragile flower that gives me pause and begs the question: How would we celebrate today if we only had one day to bloom?
It also provides a beautiful segue into today's PPBF.
Title: I'm In Charge Of Celebrations
Author: Byrd Baylor
Illustrations: Peter Parnall
Publisher: Aladdin Picture Books
Birth Date: October 1, 1995
Suitable for ages: 6-9 (and older)
Themes: celebrations, gratitude, joy
Brief synopsis: A girl who puts herself in charge of celebrations narrates through all of the beauty that she encounters as she finds herself and joy making glorious connections in great outdoors.
{Snippet from the} Opening page:
Some people ask me,
"Aren't you lonely
out there,
with just
desert
around you?" ...
. . . Lonely?
I can't help
laughing
when they ask me
that.
Resources:
Why I like this book: Although the book, which I feel like is for older elementary kiddos because it's a bit longer and quite deep, is about to be a quarter-of-a-century old, it's so incredibly timely for such a time as this. The narrator, who put herself in charge of celebrations, finds so many reasons to celebrate, one hundred and eight in just a year, to be exact. Tongue in cheek, she tells us that she's choosy about what she celebrates, but we soon find that she celebrates
in,
out,
around,
before and
behind her,
the little things,
the big things,
and the in-between things.
It's so beautifully clever and poetic, a text that ought to be an incredible springboard for what the children (and adults!) in your mentorship and care want to celebrate. Like Daylily Day. Invite them to pick a day and plan the celebration, like my friend Grant did a few years back, by celebrating December 18th as
Author Peter H. Reynolds loved his idea so much
that he created this image for us!
During a time when it may seem like there's not a whole lot to celebrate,
use this diamond in the rough to mine a reason (or 108!) to rejoice.
use this diamond in the rough to mine a reason (or 108!) to rejoice.
And don't get too busy celebrating the daylily with me to head to
Susanna Hill's blog for today's other PPBF picks.
If you decide to try your hand at poetry, share your masterpiece with us
in the comments below so we can celebrate you.
Such a beautiful and inspiring post. I listened to the book video and it is truly relevant today. I was not familiar with Byrd Baylor, but will change that. And, I loved your opening about the daylily. I had gardens filled with them, and never noticed how they bloomed. I'll never look at a daylily the same again. That would make a wonderful PB. Lovely sharing today!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pat; if you're researching Byrd's books, don't miss Everybody Needs A Rock. I think you and your grandkids would LOVE it!
DeleteI appreciate your kind words about my post and I'll totally kick around the idea of a daylily picture book.
I had never heard of this book. Thank you for revisiting it. It does, indeed, sound like it would inspire gratitude and celebratory feelings. And thank you for an inspiring poem!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jilanne, for stopping by to pick up a new vintage read. I'm also a huge fan of Everybody Needs A Rock by this dynamic duo. They are simple yet pack a reflective punch! And I appreciate you reading my poem; that was a therapeutic one to ponder.
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