Spotlight days with good book

With sponsors touting everything from Father's Day to Smile Week, most days of the year have a spotlight on them. Some are well recognized, such as Flag Day, while others are observances organized locally and internationally. Still others — little-known days, weeks and months — make their mark through individuals and special interest groups.

Summer has a smattering of both well-known holidays and "just happening days" that most people hardly recognize. The ones I've chosen — and one that I invented — to spotlight can be observed with books.

June

June is the month to celebrate children. June 1 is Stand for Children Day, designated by Marian Wright Edelman and the Children's Defense Fund. It's also Children's Awareness Month, remembering children and grandchildren who have lost their lives through violence, and National Bless-A-Child Month for awareness of challenges facing children in today's world.

• There is no limit to the wonderful books about children. My favorite is "Children Just Like Me" (DK), which celebrates children all over the world.

• "I Am American" by Charles R. Smith Jr. (Scholastic) portrays children growing up in America today.

June is also National Candy Month, sponsored by manufacturers and retailers to promote candy fun and feasting.

• "How Sweet It Is (and Was): The History of Candy" by Ruth Freeman Swain (Holiday) gives us a yummy look at a scrumptious topic.

• "Hershey's Milk Chocolate: Weights and Measures" and "Twizzlers: Shapes and Patterns," both by Jerry Pallotta (Scholastic) use candy to teach math.

June 5: United Nations: World Environment Day is observed annually on the anniversary of the opening of the U.N. Conference on Human Environment in 1972.

• "Our Planet Earth" by Giovanni Caviezel (Barron's) explains the many dimensions of the world including water cycle, tectonics, climate zones and an overview of the continents.

• "An Anthology for the Earth," edited by Judy Allen (Candlewick), is a collection of beautiful art with tributes to many parts of the world.

June 6: The anniversary of D-Day commemorates the end of World War II in 1944.

• What does the "D" stand for? What were the invasions? Shelley Ranaka and David Craig have made an dramatic answer to these and hundreds of other issues surrounding the war in "The Day That Changed America: D-Day" (Hyperion). This is reading for all ages.