Each month a variety of observances and celebrations take place, from well-known holidays to much lesser known fun (and downright funny or strange!) observances.  Here are some great younger reads to go with some of them.

International Drum Month

Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
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Melly only joined the school band because her best friend, Olivia, begged her to. But to her surprise, quiet Melly loves playing the drums. It's the only time she doesn't feel like a mouse. Now she and Olivia are about to spend the next two weeks at Camp Rockaway, jamming under the stars in the Michigan woods.

But this summer brings a lot of big changes for Melly: her parents split up, her best friend ditches her, and Melly finds herself unexpectedly falling for another girl at camp. To top it all off, Melly's not sure she has what it takes to be a real rock n' roll drummer. Will she be able to make music from all the noise in her heart?

Be Quiet, Mike! by Lisa Patricelli
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Even before he was born, Mike started drumming. Kick! Thump! Pow! Wherever he goes, his rhythms sing: swis, thak, go his books; bang, clank, goes the trash can; tap, tap, go his pencils; and “BE QUIET, MIKE!” yells everyone around him. But one day Mike sees a drum set in a store window — and puts his hands-on talents to work in a most impressive way. With the bold graphic style and clever details her readers love, Leslie Patricelli strikes a cymbal for active, high-energy little monkeys everywhere

Aviation History Month

Neo Leo: the Ageless Ideas of Leonardo Da Vinci by Gene Barretta
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At once an artist, inventor, engineer, and scientist, da Vinci wrote and drew detailed descriptions of what would later become hang gliders, automobiles, robots, and much more. In Neo Geo, Gene Barretta cleverly shows how Leonardo's ideas–many inspired by his love of nature–foreshadowed modern inventions, offering a window into the future

The Wright Brothers for Kids: How They Invented the Airplane by Mary Kay Carson
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This activity book tells the amazing true story of how two bicycle-making brothers from Ohio, with no more than high-school education, accomplished a feat that forever changed the world. At a time when most people still hadn't ridden in an automobile, Wilbur and Orville Wright built the first powered, heavier-than-air flying machine. Woven throughout the heartwarming story of the two brothers are activities that highlight their ingenuity and problem-solving abilities as they overcame many obstacles to achieve controlled flight. The four forces of flight–lift, thrust, gravity, and drag–and how the Wright brothers mastered them are explained in clear, simple text.

Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of the Sky by James Buckley
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When Amelia Earhart became the first woman to make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932, she immediately became an American icon and a subject of endless fascination for generations to come. In Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of the Sky!, the story of the bold and daring aviator's life is presented in graphic novel format, with full-color illustrations and historically accurate details. From her hardscrabble childhood to her final flight–and mysterious disappearance–Earhart's journey will entertain, captivate, and inspire readers of all ages.

Talkin’ about Bessie: The Story of Aviator Bessie Coleman by Nikki Grimes
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Soar along with Bessie Coleman in this inspirational tale of a woman whose determination reached new heights.Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman was always being told what she could & couldn't do. In an era when Jim Crow laws and segregation were a way of life, it was not easy to survive. Bessie didn't let that stop her. Although she was only 11 when the Wright brothers took their historic flight, she vowed to become the first African -American female pilot. Her sturdy faith and determination helped her overcome obstacles of poverty, racism, and gender discrimination. Innovatively told through a series of monologues

November 4th-10th is Chemistry Week

Chemistry for Kids: Homemade Science Experiments and Activities Inspired by Awesome Chemists, Past and Present by Liz Lee Heinecke
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Chemistry for Kids (Kitchen Pantry Scientist) features biographies of 25 leading chemists, past and present, accompanied by accessible, hands-on experiments and activities to bring the history and principles of chemistry alive.

Marie Curie for Kids: Her Life and Scientific Discoveries, with 21 Activities and Experiments by Amy O'Quinn
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Packed with historic photos, informative sidebars, a resource section, and 21 hands-on activities and experiments that illuminate Curie's life and work, Marie Curie for Kids is an indispensable resource for budding scientific explorers. Kids can: examine real World War I X-rays; make a model of the element carbon; make traditional Polish pierogies; and much more.

Kate the Chemist Series by Kate Biberdorf
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The Kate the Chemist fiction series features a 10-year-old Kate the Chemist who, along with her friends and little brother Liam, solves problems in her community with the help of science! This series shows kids that science truly is everywhere.

November 16th is Have a Party with your Bear Day

Surprise! by Caroline Hadilaksono
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Bear, Raccoon, and Squirrel are good friends, and when some city folks visit their woods they plan to throw a welcome party with snacks and entertainment–but when Bear returns with the party hats the humans are suddenly in a hurry to leave.

Bear Can’t Wait by Karma Wilson
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As final preparations are being made for a long-planned surprise party, Bear gets so excited he nearly ruins everything.

November 19th is Have a Bad Day Day

Alexander and the Horrible Terrible No Good Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
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Alexander could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. He went to sleep with gum in his mouth and woke up with gum in his hair. When he got out of bed, he tripped over his skateboard and by mistake dropped his sweater in the sink while the water was running. He could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

What do you do on a day like that? Well, you may think about going to Australia. You may also be glad to find that some days are like that for other people too.

The Bad Day by Frann Preston-Gannon
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Squirrel is left hanging when a search for a tasty nut goes wrong. Meanwhile, Bird has his beak buried in a tree trunk, Snake is tied in a knot, Tortoise is upside-down, and Fox? Well, Fox has a suspicious stomach ache. These animals are all having a VERY BAD DAY!

But soon it becomes clear that little Mouse is having the worst day of all, and his friends can only help him–and one another–if they work together.

Ode to the Bad Day by Chelsea Lin Wallace
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Sometimes the small disappointments and inconveniences in kids' days can feel much bigger than they are. And when they start multiplying . . . oh, what a bad day it can become! Told in a series of dramatic odes to a day's annoyances, Ode to a Bad Day lets children and caregivers alike find the humor and compassion in the days that could have gone better–and encourages readers to look forward to a better day . . . tomorrow.