BOOK MARKED
Happy Birthday,
Blue Balliett!
“Have You Filled a Bucket
Today?: A Guide to Daily
Happiness for Kids”
by Carol McCloud
While using a simple metaphor of
a bucket and a dipper, author Carol
McCloud illustrates that when we choose
to be kind, we not only fill the buckets
of those around us, but also fill our own
bucket! All day long, we are either filling
up or dipping into each other’s buckets
by what we say and what we do. This
book teaches empathy, kindness and
spreading around happiness.

“The Day the Crayons Quit”
by Drew Daywalt
This hilarious and fun story outlines
the tale of colorful and hardworking
crayons as they try to talk to their cre-
ative owner from taking a break from
their coloring duties. Beige Crayon is
tired of playing second fiddle to Brown
Crayon. Black wants to be used for
more than just outlining. Blue needs
a break from coloring all those bodies
of water. What will make them resume
their essential duties?
“Little Blue Truck”
by Alice Schertle
Beep! Meet Blue. A muddy country road
is no match for this little pick up — that
is, until he gets stuck while pushing a
dump truck out of the muck. Luckily,
Blue’s pack of farm animal friends are
willing to do whatever it takes to get
their pal back on the road. This book is
full of truck sounds and animal noises
that kids will love. And it sends a mes-
sage about the power of friendship and
helping others.

“The Pout-Pout Fish”
by Deborah Diesen
Swim along with the pout-pout fish
as he discovers that being glum and
spreading “dreary wearies” isn’t really
his destiny. Bright ocean colors and
playful rhyme come together in this
super fun and humorous fish story that
aims to turn even the poutiest of frowns
upside down. ■
Each month, we celebrate a
birthday of literary significance.

“Any time you can get
kids curious, they’re
going to pay attention
and focus in a different
way,” writes Blue Balliett.

Balliett is the
American author of several
bestselling and acclaimed mystery
novels, including “Chasing Vermeer,”
“The Wright 3,” “The Calder Game”
and “The Danger Box.” Her work
has the Edgar Allan Poe Award for
Best Juvenile Novel, Chicago Tribune
Prize for Young Adult Fiction, the
Agatha Award for Best YA Novel, as
well as a spot in the official White
House library. Her book “The Danger
Box” was given to President Obama
in January 2011 as a gift from the
American Booksellers Association.

Book Worm Angels, a Chicago-
based organization that continuously
provides thousands of books to
classrooms in public schools across
the city, also honored Balliett with the
2012 Kermit W. Myers Achievement
Award, for “extraordinary
contributions to literacy.”
Balliett’s books also stretch across
many audiences, as her writings
appear in more than 30 languages.

Born and raised in New York City, she
studied art history at Brown University.

Now, she lives in Chicago and has taught
at The University of
Chicago Laboratory
Schools. These days
writes full time, all from
the comfort of the
Hyde Park home that
she shares with her
husband and three
children. ■
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