World Rat Day: Poems About Real Holidays You’ve Never Heard Of

Lest readers forget to observe (actual) holidays like Worm Day (March 15) or Yell ‘Fudge!’ at the Cobras in North America Day (June 2), Lewis offers a lyrical reminder, with several of the special occasions crashed by a squadron of rats. In honor of Pink Flamingo Day (May 29), Lewis fashions a concrete poem: “A Flamingo is a long cooooooooool drink of something pink,” and for International Cephalopod Awareness Day, a scuba-diving rat with a toilet plunger greets a doe-eyed octopus: “I wish I was an octopus/ In inky-dinky weather./ Then you and I could octopush/ Our suction cups together.” Raff’s loose washes with ink details exude personality and humor (a skunk’s photo shoot has her posing next to a bottle of “Eau de Eeeew!”) in this gleefully silly crowd-pleaser. Ages 5–8. (Mar.)