12th November Orange for Orangutan Day

We made what I thought was a lovely display of the jellyfish books, both fiction and nonfiction books in readiness for Jellyfish Day, but by the time the day arrived there was only two books left, so no longer a display. I was looking to see what other day was coming up and saw this! Great we have lots of orangutan books and most of them are nonfiction, perfect for Nonfiction November.

ORANGE FOR ORANGUTAN DAY 2026

12 NOVEMBER 2026

Join us in wearing Orange for Orangutan Day! It’s a day to gather your friends, family, or work colleagues together and show how much you care about orangutans by hosting your own event and have everyone wear as much orange as possible!

When I put the orangutan books together there certainly was an 'orange' look to it.

And a sign that says Read like the Orangutan!

Orangutan Day is the 13th August which I have written about here.

10th November World Science Day for Peace and Development

 

By linking science more closely with society, World Science Day for Peace and Development aims to ensure that citizens are kept informed of developments in science. It also underscores the role scientists play in broadening our understanding of the remarkable, fragile planet we call home and in making our societies more sustainable.

Science cannot be ignored and must be at the forefront of every nation to make wise decisions about the future. For years, pioneers in the world of physics, chemistry, engineering, and other scientific studies, have been advising the world about the importance of science in our modern era. 

The International Science Council is encouraging its members to explore how scientific cooperation builds bridges across borders and addresses shared global challenges like climate change, health, and emerging technologies.

Currently, a group of Year 2 students and I are reading picture book biographies and one of them read the book about Alfred Nobel and was very surprised to read that he had invented dynamite and that it in turn had been used for purposes that Nobel had not intended it be used for. She also realised he was the same man that the Nobel Peace Prize was named for and this started quite a discussion about inventions and scientists intentions. That made me think of other biographies where science and peace went together.

Alfred Nobel: the Man Behind the Peace Prize  by Kathy-Jo Wargin

A quick and curious mind, combined with a love of science and chemistry, drove Nobel to invent numerous technological devices throughout his long life. But he is perhaps most well known for his invention of dynamite. Intending it to help safely advance road and bridge construction, Nobel saw his most famous invention used in the development of military weaponry.

Scientists Saving the World  by Saskia Gwynn

Scientists who are zooming through space, protecting the planet, singing with whales... and even learning to travel through time. Get ready to meet more than 20 inspiring, real-life scientists, and discover how they started asking questions... just like YOU!

Peace and Me by Ali Winter

This illustrated collection of inspirational ideas about peace is based on the lives of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates of the 20th and 21st centuries, among them Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Theresa and Malala Yousafzai.

Science and Me  by Ali Winter

Discover some of the inspirational men and women who have received Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry and Medicine from 1901 to the present day, among them Marie Curie, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin and Donna Strickland. A glimpse into the often surprising lives and sometimes accidental discoveries of a group of extraordinary scientists, this fascinating collection shows that the science you learn at school really can change the world.

Wangari's Trees of Peace by Jeanette Winter

The true story of Wangari Maathai, an environmental and political activist in Kenya and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. As a young girl growing up in Kenya, Wangari was surrounded by trees. But years later when she returns home, she is shocked to see whole forests being cut down, and she knows that soon all the trees will be destroyed. So Wangari decides to do something - and starts by planting nine seedlings in her own backyard. And as they grow, so do her plans . . .

Not a biography, but an excellent provocation for this topic.

Before It Was Called Science  by Corey Tott

Across these vast lands and skies, the First Peoples have walked with Country for thousands of years. They read the land and waters like a book. They knew the winds, watched the stars and listened deeply to the environment around them. They understood that to take care of Country is to take care of yourself, your family, and the generations yet to come.This is the perfect book to get kids excited about science and sustainability.

And a book like this can initiate all sorts of science questions.

Science All Around Us  by Mei Liu and Chris Nixon

This stunningly illustrated book draws on the scientific knowledge of Scienceworks experts, and will inspire readers to see the many ways that science is always all around us.

9th - 13th November World Nursery Rhyme Week

World Nursery Rhyme Week is an annual celebration of nursery rhymes and the important role they play in supporting early childhood development and education. In 2026, World Nursery Rhyme Week runs from 9th – 13th November. 

Each year, World Nursery Rhyme Week selects five rhymes and runs a ‘Rhyme a Day’ challenge that invites pre-school settings to encourage their pupils to learn and sing one of the rhymes each day. 

The rhymes have been chosen to support development across key areas such as vocabulary, language and literacy skills; numeracy skills; and fine and gross motor development. The 2026 rhymes are:

• Hickory Dickory Dock
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Once I Caught a Fish Alive
• Doctor Foster Went to Gloucester
• Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Find a good anthology of nursery rhymes such as the Iona Opie ones that are illustrated by Rosemary Wells, but there are other very comprehensive ones.

Many nursery rhymes also come in stand alone picture or board books, eg

When I meet with my preschool classes I have noticed though, that they do not know their nursery rhymes like they used to and if the picture book I'm sharing with them relies on knowledge of a nursery rhyme I need to do more scaffolding than I had planned. I will say the nursery rhyme and ask the students to join in, sing it, do actions etc and then go back to the book. The library has many stories that spoof nursery rhymes eg.

8th November Diwali

Diwali, or Dipawali, is India's biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolise the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians.

DIWALI IS CELEBRATED OVER FIVE DAYS.

• DAY ONE: People clean their homes and shop for gold or kitchen utensils to help bring good fortune.
• DAY TWO: People decorate their homes with clay lamps and create design patterns called rangoli on the floor using colored powders or sand.
• DAY THREE: On the main day of the festival, families gather together for Lakshmi puja, a prayer to Goddess Lakshmi, followed by mouth-watering feasts and firework festivities.
• DAY FOUR: This is the first day of the new year, when friends and relatives visit with gifts and best wishes for the season.
• DAY FIVE: Brothers visit their married sisters, who welcome them with love and a lavish meal.

I have written about Diwali several times with suggested picture books to read.

The students at school love making patterns called rangoli on the floor using coloured chalks or sand. This was originally inspired by this book.

but there are other books, including two new ones.

8th November International Day of Radiology, World Radiography Day

The International Day of Radiology will take place on 8th November for the fifteenth time, with the aim of building greater awareness of the value that radiology contributes to safe patient care and improving public understanding of the vital role radiologists and radiographers play in the healthcare continuum.

The day commemorates the discovery of X-rays by German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen on November 8, 1895. Röntgen's discovery was accidental. He  was investigating the behaviour of cathode rays—streams of electrons generated inside a vacuum tube known as a Hittorf-Crookes tube. To focus on the rays themselves, he wrapped the glass tube tightly in heavy black cardboard to block all visible light.

After darkening the room and applying a high-voltage electrical current to the tube, he noticed a faint, green shimmering light a few feet away. The glow was coming from a paper screen coated with barium platinocyanide. Because the tube was completely shielded by thick black paper, Röntgen realized that some unknown, invisible ray was passing right through the cardboard and causing the screen to fluoresce. Because its nature was a complete mystery, he temporarily dubbed it the "X-ray" (using the mathematical symbol 'X' for an unknown variable).

Within months, physicians worldwide were building their own unpatented X-ray setups to locate bullets, diagnose bone fractures, and track disease.In 1901, Röntgen was awarded the very first Nobel Prize in Physics for his monumental discovery.

Röntgen firmly believed that his discoveries belonged to humanity. He refused to patent the technology, declined a title of nobility, and famously donated his Nobel Prize prize money to his employer, the University of Wurzburg. 

The students I teach are fascinated by bones and X-rays and I never seem to have enough books to satisfy their needs. We do have:

and we need to get