Memorial Day Books

Book Buzz is a blog produced in collaboration with neighborhood librarians from Houston Public Library, Harris County Public Library and the Bellaire Library.

Growing up, Memorial Day always marked the beginning of summer fun to me.  School was out (or would be in a few days), the pools were open, fashion rules of the day finally allowed for the wearing of white shoes and a long weekend allowed for family visits with great food. Ah, the food.

But the true meaning of Memorial Day is much more symbolic than just planning for a long-weekend of summer fun. Memorial Day recognizes those who died in service to our country and was borne out of the Civil War and a desire to honor those who died in service. It was officially proclaimed in May 1868 with the purpose of decorating the graves of servicemen and originally called Decoration Day.

There are three excellent titles that will help introduce early elementary-school children to the basic facts about the reasons and the traditions for celebrating Memorial Day at the end of each May. Scouts are often enlisted to help place flags in cemeteries to continue the tradition of this honor.

The first title by Jacqueline S. Cotton is simply titled Memorial Day. As part of the Rookie Read-About Holidays series it offers colorful photos and simple text will encourage children to read on their own as they learn about this holiday.

Bullfrog Books presents Memorial Day by R. J. Bailey. In this book young readers will learn about the ways people celebrate it. Vibrant photos and appropriate text will engage young readers.

One of the newest titles available is Let's Celebrate Memorial Day by Barbara deRubertis in the Holidays & Heroes series. The book tells the story of the people and events behind Memorial Day using artwork, photos and other images to engage the reader.

So between bites of cold potato salad and the perfect brisket, take a moment to hug a loved one as you get summer started.