These fun literary calendars include not only the most important dates and events, but also a reading challenge for each week, a fun fact, and a bookish quote.
Some book lovers sometimes need a little reminder to reach for a favorite book or go to a library.
A literary calendar is a wonderful way to keep track of important events to celebrate and share with students or other book lovers.
The idea to design the calendars was inspired by fantastic literary calendars created by Emily Temple for Flavorwire, back in 2013.
I also used the Literary Birthday Calendar from Writers Write, and Literary Hub’s Fictional Dates in Literature (Emily Temple, again!).
For quotes and fun facts, I used our own lists, including most interesting facts about books and libraries.
Would you like to get the calendars in a quality that’s high enough to print them out in the US letter or A4 paper size? High-resolution calendar pdf files are available for download at our sister blog, Reader updated.
If you’d like to hang the calendars on a wall, I have made the designs to my Redbubble, Society6, and Zazzle shop. They are available in different sizes and finish options. Enjoy!
12 monthly literary calendars
January
January 1 – International Public Domain Day
The first day when copyrights expire and works enter into the public domain.
January 2 – Science Fiction Day
Unofficially celebrated by sci-fi fans to correspond with the birthdate of a prolific science-fiction author, Isaac Asimov.
January 3 – J.R.R. Tolkien’s birthday, 1892
An English writer John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is best known for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
January 12 – Haruki Murakami is born, 1949
An Acclaimed Japanese essayist, short-story writer, and novelist. The author of Norwegian Wood and Kafka on the Shore.
January 18 – National Thesaurus Day
Celebrating the birthday of the creator of the first English-language thesaurus, Peter Mark Roget.
January 19 – Edgar Allan Poe is born, 1809
An American poet and writer best known for his macabre works. The author of The Raven and The Masque of the Red Death.
January 27 – Lewis Carroll’s birthday, 1832
An inventor, photographer, and the master of word play. The author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
January 28 – Pride and Prejudice is published, 1813
The novel was originally published anonymously, as were all of Jane Austen’s novels.
Reading Challenge
Week 1: A sci-fi book by a debut author
Week 2: A book set in a Victorian era
Week 3: A book recommended by Tolkien fans
Week 4: A book about travelling to a mysterious land
Did you know?
Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt houses the oldest continually operating library in the world, established AD 565.
Quote
If a book is well written, I always find it too short. – Jane Austen
February – Library Lover’s Month
February 3 – Johannes Gutenberg’s death, 1468
A German goldsmith who invented a movable-type printing press, starting the Printing Revolution.
February 6 – Brontë sisters send their poems to a publisher, 1846
Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë published the book using the male pseudonyms: Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell.
February 7 – Charles Dickens is born, 1812
Regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian Era. The author of A Tale of Two Cities and Oliver Twist.
February 9 – Alice Walker’s birthday, 1944
The author of The Color Purple is the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize.
February 9 – Read in the Bathtub Day
Reading a book while relaxing is the greatest enjoyment in life!
February 14 – International Book Giving Day
A worldwide volunteer initiative aimed at encouraging people to give a book to a child.
February 18 – Toni Morrison’s birthday, 1931
An American novelist and Nobel Prize laureate in Literature. The author of Beloved and Song of Solomon.
February 22 – The first commercial audiobook is recorded, 1952
The record included five poems by Dylan Thomas and his holiday story A Child’s Christmas in Wales.
February 28 – Lemony Snicket is born, 1970
Daniel Handler (pen name: Lemony Snicket) is best known for his children’s books A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Reading Challenge
Week 1: An anthology of poems
Week 2: A contemporary Dickensian novel
Week 3: A full-cast audiobook
Week 4: A book by a foreign author
Did you know?
BiblioTech, the first ebook-only library, opened in Texas in 2013, with 10,000 titles, 45 iPads, and 40 laptops.
Quote
We may sit in our library and yet be in all quarters of the earth. – John Lubbock
March
March 2 – Dr. Seuss is born, 1904
Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was the author of children’s classics, including The Cat in the Hat.
March 4 – Sherlock Holmes gets his first case, 1881
As recorded by Dr. Watson in a first Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet.
March 14 – The first mass-market ebook is published, 2000
Over 400,000 copies of Stephen King’s Riding the Bullet novella were downloaded in the first 24 hours.
March 19 – International Read to Me Day
Reading books aloud to children stimulates their imagination and expands their understanding of the world.
March 21 – World Poetry Day
UNESCO’s initiative to promote the reading, writing, publishing, and teaching of poetry.
March 25 – Tolkien Reading Day
The date is inspired by The Lord of the Rings. On this day, the Ring was destroyed, and Sauron was defeated.
March 31 – Alice for the iPad is released, 2010
One of the first books for iPad and a breathtaking interactive version of the classic tale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
March 31 – The first part of The Pickwick Papers is published, 1836
Charles Dickens’ first novel was published in 19 installments, highly contributing to the success of serialized fiction.
Reading Challenge
Week 1: One of the Sherlock Holmes stories
Week 2: A collection of poems
Week 3: A book set in the near future
Week 4: A book recommended by a friend
Did you know?
John Steinbeck’s dog named Toby ate the original manuscript for Of Mice and Men. The dog, quite literally, chewed up half of the only manuscript of the classic.
Quote
Reading makes a full man. – Francis Bacon
April
April 1 – The beginning of Hay-on-Wye book town, 1977
Richard Booth proclaimed the town an “independent kingdom,” which sparked a surge in interest in local bookshops.
April 2 – International Children’s Book Day
The day is observed on the birthdate of Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish author best known for his fairy tales.
April 4 – The day George Orwell’s 1984 starts
On this day, the main character of Orwell’s classic novel started a secret diary by writing a sentence “Down with Big Brother.”
April 6 – The Little Prince is published, 1943
A novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry became one of the most influential books of the 20th century.
April 23 – William Shakespeare is born, 1564
The greatest writer in the English language created almost 40 plays, including Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth.
April 23 – World Book and Copyright Day
An annual event by UNESCO to discuss publishing and copyright, as well as promote the enjoyment of reading.
April 24 – The Library of Congress is founded, 1800
The largest library in the world. Its collection is growing at about two million items per year.
April 28 – Harper Lee’s birthday, 1926
An American novelist best known for her 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird.
Reading Challenge
Week 1: Your favorite childhood book
Week 2: A book with a number in its title
Week 3: A book about a prince or princess
Week 4: A book set in medieval England
Did you know?
A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading for just 6 minutes can help reduce stress by up to 68%.
Quote
If you wish to renew your mind, read. – Lailah Gifty Akita
May – Get Caught Reading Month
May 1 – Joseph Heller’s birthday, 1923
An American author of novels, short stories, and plays, best known for Catch-22 anti-war satire.
May 2 – International Harry Potter Day
On this day, the Battle of Hogwarts was fought.
May 3 – World Press Day
Celebrating the freedom of expression and raising awareness of the importance of the free press.
May 12 – The Internet Archive is founded, 1996
It’s the largest digital library, providing free access to well over 30 million books, as well as millions of video, audio, and image files.
May 17 – The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is published, 1900
Written by L. Frank Baum, this children’s novel is one of the best known stories in American literature.
May 22 – Arthur Conan Doyle is born, 1859
A British writer and the creator of the Sherlock Holmes stories, regarded as milestones in crime fiction.
May 26 – World Dracula Day
Lovers of literature and vampires celebrate the publication of Bram Stoker’s Dracula on this day, in 1897.
May 30 – The word “audiobook” becomes official, 1997
The Audio Publishers Association officially adopted the word ”audiobook” to describe all non-music recordings.
Reading Challenge
Week 1: A humorous or absurdist novel
Week 2: A detective story
Week 3: A book with a castle shown on its cover
Week 4: A steampunk book
Did you know?
The first ever spoken-word sound recording took place in 1877. Thomas Edison recorded “Mary Had a Little Lamb” nursery rhyme on his newly invented phonograph. The machine played his words back!
Quote
I can’t imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once. – C.S. Lewis
June
June 9 – The premiere of Jurassic Park movie, 1993
Based on a novel by Michael Crichton, and directed by Steven Spielberg, it’s one of the most successful movie adaptations of books.
June 9 – Dickens House Museum opens, 1925
Charles Dickens lived at 48 Doughty Street, London, with his wife and three of their ten children.
June 11 – Dickens completes writing Great Expectations, 1861
The novel was then published in three volumes that reflected the stages of expectations of the main character, a young Pip.
June 13 – A day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, 1923
The best guess when all the action of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway takes place.
June 16 – An idea for Frankenstein is born, 1816
Mary Shelley came up with the idea for the novel in a waking dream during a ghastly summer on Lake Geneva.
June 21 – Andrzej Sapkowski is born, 1948
Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy books from The Witcher series were adapted into popular video games, graphic novels, and TV series.
June 26 – The first Harry Potter book is published, 1997
J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has been translated to more than 70 languages.
June 30 – The first issue of Action Comics magazine, 1938
The anthology, featuring the first appearance of Superman, begun The Golden Age of comic books.
Reading Challenge
Week 1: A book that inspired a movie
Week 2: A book with a female as a main character
Week 3: A book about a monster
Week 4: A comic book
Did you know?
Thanks to a clever binding, a German religious book from the 16th century can be read in six different ways and contains six different texts.
Quote
The book you don’t read won’t help. – Jim Rohn
July
July 1 – The British Library is founded, 1973
The UK’s national library was created from several organizations, including the British Museum.
July 3 – Franz Kafka’s birthday, 1883
The author of The Trial and The Castle is regarded as one of the most important writers of the 20th century.
July 4 – The world’s #1 ebook is created, 1971
Michael Stern Hart transcribed the text of the U.S. Declaration of Independence into Xerox Sigma V computer.
July 11 – The first Reading Rainbow episode, 1983
The iconic show hosted by LeVar Burton was designed to encourage the love of books among children.
July 16 – The Catcher in the Rye is published, 1951
The main character of this iconic novel by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield, became an icon for teenage rebellion.
July 21 – Ernest Hemingway is born, 1899
An American novelist and the author of The Sun Also Rises.
July 30 – First Penguin paperback books, 1935
These inexpensive books revolutionized publishing. The “Original 10” batch included books by Agatha Christie and Ernest Hemingway.
July 31 – Harry Potter is born, 1980
Harry Potter shares the birthdate with his creator, J.K. Rowling, who was born in 1965.
Reading Challenge
Week 1: One of this year’s beach reads
Week 2: A book with a teenage as a main character
Week 3: A classic Penguin title
Week 4: A book with a title consisting of one word
Did you know?
In 1972, a literary magazine in communist Poland published a short story titled “Harry Potter.” The author, Jan Rostworowski, was a Polish writer and poet who spent twenty-eight years in Great Britain.
Quote
There is no friend as loyal as a book. – Ernest Hemingway
August
August 1 – Peter Pan’s first appearance, 1902
A famous literary character created by J.M. Barrie appeared in The Little White Bird novel, serialized in Scribner’s Magazine.
August 1 – Herman Melville is born, 1819
An American novelist, short story writer, and poet. The author of Moby-Dick.
August 9 – Book Lovers Day
An unofficial holiday observed to encourage bibliophiles to celebrate reading and literature.
August 10 – The Digital Bookmobile starts operating, 2008
The world’s first bookmobile dedicated to ebooks and audiobooks was launched in Central Park, NY.
August 10 – Suzanne Collins is born, 1962
She began her career as a writer for children’s television shows, but she’s best known for The Hunger Games series.
August 14 – Shakespeare and Co. opens in Paris, 1951
The world’s most iconic bookshop was founded by George Whitman. It was first called “Le Mistral.”
August 17 – Lois Lane’s birthday
A popular character from DC Comics publications is a Pulitzer Prize journalist who writes for the Daily Planet.
August 20 – H.P. Lovecraft is born, 1890
A popular science-fiction and horror writer best known for The Call of Cthulhu short story.
Reading Challenge
Week 1: A book you can read in one sitting
Week 2: A recently released mystery novel
Week 3: A book set in France
Week 4: A book about a dangerous contest
Did you know?
The first bookmobile in the world was launched in 1857 in Great Britain. It was a horse-drawn wagon with bookshelves mounted on the outside.
Quote
I read for pleasure and that is the moment I learn the most. – Margaret Atwood
September – Library Card Sign-up Month
September 6 – Read a Book Day
An annual event to celebrate the joy of reading and get young people interested in books.
September 8 – International Literacy Day
Events are held across the world to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals and communities.
September 9 – Leo Tolstoy’s birthday, 1828
A master of realistic fiction, and one of the world’s greatest novelists. The author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina.
September 13 – Roald Dahl is born, 1916
A British novelist and poet. The author of popular children’s books: Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
September 15 – Agatha Christie’s birthday, 1890
An English novelist and playwright, best known for her works starring Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple detectives.
September 17 – Oprah’s Book Club starts, 1996
The first book selected for The Oprah Winfrey Show was Jacquelyn Mitchard’s The Deep End of the Ocean.
September 20 – George R.R. Martin is born, 1948
An American novelist best known for his epic Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series, including A Game of Thrones.
September 25 – Comic Book Day
Fans, collectors, readers, and artists come together to celebrate the joy of reading comic books.
September 30 – International Translation Day
The date of the feast of St. Jerome, the patron saint of translators, is an opportunity to pay tribute to language professionals.
Reading Challenge
Week 1: A book you can finish in one day
Week 2: A book with a librarian as one of the characters
Week 3: A fantasy novel
Week 4: A book recommended by online book clubs
Did you know?
Portuguese library Biblioteca Joanina is home to a swarm of bats that feed on book-eating insects every night.
Quote
There is no problem that a library card can’t solve. – Eleanor Brown
October
October 1 – The first book-to-movie adaptation, 1899
A French film director, Georges Méliès, released Cinderella, a 6-minute movie based on Charles Perrault’s fairly tale.
October 6 – American Library Association is founded, 1876
ALA is the oldest and largest library association in the world. It promotes libraries and library education not only in the U.S. but also internationally.
October 12 – The New York Times Book Best Seller list #1, 1931
This superior list of book bestsellers started with five fiction and four non-fiction books for New York City only.
October 14 – Winnie-the-Pooh is published, 1926
The world’s favorite children’s book by author A.A. Milne and illustrator E. H. Shepard became an instant bestseller.
October 16 – Oscar Wilde’s birthday, 1854
A controversial Irish poet and playwright, best known for his epigrams, plays, and a novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.
October 19 – Fahrenheit 451 is released, 1953
Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel paints a future where books are outlawed and firemen burn any that are found.
October 28 – Gulliver’s Travels published, 1726
It’s the most famous work of Jonathan Swift, who is considered the foremost prose satirist in the English language.
October 30 – The War of the Worlds is aired, 1938
This legendary radio drama was based on a novel by H.G. Wells. Narrated by Orson Welles, it caused panic among its listeners.
Reading Challenge
Week 1: A book becoming a movie this year
Week 2: A book borrowed from a library
Week 3: A current book bestseller
Week 4: A book about an alien invasion
Did you know?
The longest-ever book title consists of over 3,700 words and 26,000 characters.
Quote
A good book is an empathy engine. – Chris Riddell
November – National Novel Writing Month
November 8 – The Book Thief in cinemas, 2013
The movie is based on a novel by Markus Zusak. It received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.
November 13 – Robert Louis Stevenson is born, 1850
A Scottish novelist and travel writer. The author of Treasure Island.
November 14 – Treasure Island is published, 1883
This highly popular adventure novel significantly influenced the way pirates are portrayed in popular culture.
November 14 – Astrid Lindgren’s birthday, 1907
A Swedish writer best known for Pippi Longstocking.
November 15-30 – The final voting in Goodreads Choice Awards
It’s the only major book award decided by readers. The final round of voting usually takes place in the second half of the month.
November 19 – The First Kindle is launched, 2007
Kindle 1 had an asymmetric shape, full-size keyboard, and 6-inch E-Ink display. It was sold out in 5.5 hours.
November 29 – C.S. Lewis is born, 1898
The author of The Chronicles of Narnia and a close friend of J.R.R. Tolkien.
November 30 – Mark Twain’s birthday, 1835
The real name of the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is Samuel Langhorne Clemens.
Reading Challenge
Week 1: A book about a treasure
Week 2: A Goodreads Choice Awards nominee
Week 3: A book you know nothing about
Week 4: A book from an author publishing under a pseudonym
Did you know?
The first electronic spell checker, Spelling Ace SA-88, was launched in 1986 by Franklin Computer.
Quote
There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island. – Walt Disney
December
December 2 – The First edition of Argosy pulp magazine, 1882
Inexpensive pulp magazines and books were one of the primary forms of entertainment.
December 10 – The Nobel Prize in Literature Ceremony Night
The Nobel Prize award ceremony is held on the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.
December 10 – Emily Dickinson is born, 1830
A prolific writer regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. During her lifetime, she wrote nearly 1,800 poems.
December 10 – The first Encyclopædia Britannica is published, 1768
With the first part of the first edition being published in 1768, it’s the longest running English-language encyclopaedia.
December 10 – Melvil Dewey’s birthday, 1851
An influential American educator and librarian. The inventor of the modern system of library classification.
December 16 – Jane Austen is born, 1775
One of the world’s most beloved writers. The author of Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma.
December 21 – The journey ends in Around the World in 80 Days, 1872
In Jules Verne’s famous adventure novel, the main character accepted a wager to circumnavigate the world in 80 days.
December 21 – Short Story Day
An annual event that celebrates short fiction takes place during the shortest day of the year.
Reading Challenge
Week 1: A book by a Nobel Prize winner
Week 2: A book about a long journey
Week 3: A collection of short stories
Week 4: A romance novel
Did you know?
Written in AD 123, Chariton’s “Chaereas & Callirhoë” is the oldest existing novel in the world.
Quote
An hour spent reading is one stolen from paradise. – Thomas Wharton
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