Even if the day holds no special meaning for you, the occurrence of February 29th every four years is a magical moment. I can think of no better way to mark the magical moments in my life than with a good book. Here are a few selections to peruse on this special day.
If you are looking for something to read aloud with your little ones, then you cannot beat the humor of leap day. I have never known a single child (whose birthday was on any other day) who was not amused by the idea of a birthday falling once every four years, finding many belly laughs in a 16 year old celebrating their fourth birthday. It has been the subject of a hilarious Modern Family episode, a Gilbert and Sullivan musical, and several children’s books. In It’s My Birthday Finally! a Leap Year Story by Michelle Whittake Winfrey, the party goers spend much time wondering if this is Miles’s eighth birthday, or his second?
For early grade readers, look no further than The Notebook of Doom. So far two out of my three readers have devoured this series. As a leap day baby, the main character Alexander Bopp has recently relocated to the town of Stermont, where he finds an old notebook containing top secret information about monsters. In each book he and his friends meet different monsters from the book, and learn more about the secrets of their town. This series is part of the early chapter book line from Scholastic—Branches—and is aimed at new readers. My kids have thoroughly enjoyed the layout of these books, and the easy-to-read text and plethora of illustrations certainly encouraged their love of reading.
For more advanced readers, you can try The Century Quartet by P. D. Baccalario. Every hundred years, four kids each born on February 29 in four different cities must save the world. That description alone has me hooked. I am loving all the reviews I am reading about this Italian YA series and cannot wait for my copies to arrive.
For a quick romance, Lucky Leap Day Ann Marie Walker follows screenwriter Cara Kennedy who gets caught up in the Irish tradition of women proposing on Leap Day. She wakes up with a ring on her finger and a flight home with her new husband and new dog!
Finally, while it may not make much sense, in 1988, TIME magazine announced that Superman was born on February 29, making the man of steel a leap year day baby. This is not the date on which the comic first came out, nor is this written into any storylines, but why not! Any excuse for a Henry Cavill fix.
