As Memorial Day is marked this month, there are many great picture books for children that highlight the reason behind the holiday.
A Day for Rememberin’ by Leah Henderson is inspired by the first Memorial Day and imagines the event through the story of Eli, the 10-year-old son of a formerly enslaved man, newly freed.
The Poppy Lady by Barbara Elizabeth Walsh tells the story of Moina Belle Michael, a schoolteacher from Georgia who used red poppies to commemorate fallen soldiers during World Wars I and II.
Twenty-One Steps by Jeff Gottesfeld honors nameless fallen soldiers and those who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery outside of Washington, D.C.
These are just some of the great picture books available through Hennepin County Library that honor Memorial Day.
Molly Rivard is a librarian, serving the Wayzata and Long Lake branches of the Hennepin County Library system. Read more at hclib.org.
