Open Book Chocolates

Handmade, Bean-to-Bar, Fair Trade Chocolate Bars | Literary-Inspired Flavors

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Literary Holidays | May 2025

G. E. Gallas

Celebrate this month’s literary holidays with Open Book Chocolates!

Jewish American Heritage Month

“Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) is an annual recognition and celebration of Jewish American’s achievements and contributions to the United States of America during the month of May.”

Here’s a selection of books written by Jewish-American authors:

Joseph Heller’s Birthday | May 1st, 1923

“Major Major had been born too late and too mediorcre. Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. With Major Major it had been all three.” —Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Purchase Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (an additional title for Jewish American Heritage Month) while supporting independent bookstores.

J. M. Barrie’s Birthday | May 9th, 1860

“I'm youth, I'm joy, I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg.” —Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie

Purchase Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie while supporting independent bookstores.

L. Frank Baum’s Birthday | May 15th, 1856

“It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as gray as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose.“ —The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Purchase The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum while supporting independent bookstores.

Honoré de Balzac’s Birthday | May 20th, 1799

“Unfortunately her portrait will cure no one of the addiction to loving sweetly smiling angels with dreamy looks, innocent faces, and a strong-box for a heart.“ —Cousin Bette by Honoré de Balzac

Purchase Cousin Bette by Honoré de Balzac while supporting independent bookstores.

Arthur Conan Doyle’s Birthday | May 22nd, 1859

Sherlock Holmes Day | May 22nd

“His ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he appeared to know nothing. Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he inquired in the naivest way who he might be and what he had done. My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar System. That any civilized being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth traveled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.” —A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle

Purchase The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection by Arthur Conan Doyle while supporting independent bookstores.

World Dracula Day | May 26th

“He seemed so confident that I, remembering my own confidence two nights before and with the baneful result, felt awe and vague terror. It must have been my weakness that made me hesitate to tell it to my friend, but I felt it all the more, like unshed tears.‘“ —Dracula by Bram Stoker

Purchase Dracula by Bram Stoker while supporting independent bookstores.

Check out Open Book Chocolates’s profile on Bookshop.org!

Literary Holidays | April 2025

G. E. Gallas

Celebrate this month’s literary holidays with Open Book Chocolates!

Celebrate Diversity Month

Celebrate Diversity Month “…was initiated in 2004 to recognize and honor the diversity of the world around us. It is a time to recognize and understand our differences, be it gender, race, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation, and other factors, while honoring the common essence of humanity. By appreciating our similarities and differences, the month aims to get people to foster a deeper understanding of others, regardless of who they are, what they are, or how they live.”

National Arab American Heritage Month

“During the month of April, the Arab America Foundation formally recognizes the achievements of Arab Americans through the celebration of National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM). Across the country, cultural institutions, school districts, municipalities, state legislatures, public servants, and non-profit organizations issue proclamations and engage in special events that celebrate our community’s rich heritage and numerous contributions to society.”

Here’s a selection of books written by Arab-American authors:

National Library Week | April 6th through 12th

“National Library Week is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.”

How to Celebrate National Library Week:

  • Explore your local library.

  • Attend story time, and/or participate in a library program or workshop.

  • Attend an author visit or book signing.

  • Host a family reading night.

  • Volunteer at the library.

  • Write a thank-you note to your favorite librarian.

  • Leave positive reviews for your library on Google, Yelp, and/or Facebook.

  • READ READ READ!

The Great Gatsby Publication Day | April 10th, 1925

“I wanted to get out and walk eastward toward the park through the soft twilight, but each time I tried to go I became entangled in some wild, strident argument which pulled me back, as if with ropes, into my chair. Yet high over the city our line of yellow windows must have contributed their share of human secrecy to the casual watcher in the darkening streets, and I was him too, looking up and wondering. I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” —The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Open Book Chocolates is celebrating the publication day of The Great Gatsby with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel and our matching chocolate bar.

Drop Everything and Read Day (D.E.A.R.) | April 12th

“D.E.A.R. stands for ‘Drop Everything and Read,’ a national celebration of reading designed to remind families to make reading a priority activity in their lives.“

“As the name suggests, this holiday is intended for everyone to dedicate a significant period during the day to reading. The date is a reference to the birthday of one of the most renowned American authors, Beverly Cleary, as she was the first to create the concept of D.E.A.R.”

Every month, I select my current reads and favorite books, and put together a book list on Bookshop.org. Check out my list for April!

Charlotte Brontë’s Birthday | April 21st, 1816

“‘If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends.’“ —Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Open Book Chocolates is celebrating Charlotte Brontë’s birthday with her novel Jane Eyre and our matching chocolate bar.

World Book Day | April 23rd

“World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day or International Day of the Book, is an annual event organized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright. The first World Book Day was celebrated on 23 April in 1995, and continues to be recognized on that day.“

How to Celebrate World Book Day:

  • Visit your local library and/or independent bookstore.

  • Find a Little Free Library in your neighborhood, or start one yourself.

  • Start or join a book club with friends and/or family.

  • Host a book exchange or book swap event with your friends and/or family.

  • Reorganize your bookshelf and donate any books you don’t want anymore.

  • Attend a literary event, either online or in-person (at a bookstore or library).

  • Organize a World-Book-Day-themed costume party, where guests dress as their favorite authors or characters.

  • Create a literary-inspired cocktail and share with friends.

  • READ READ READ!

William Shakespeare’s Birthday | April 23rd, 1564

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.“ —Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Purchase the works of William Shakespeare while supporting independent bookstores:

Independent Bookstore Day | April 26th

“Independent Bookstore Day is a one-day national party that takes place at indie bookstores across the country on the last Saturday in April. Every store is unique and independent, and every party is different. But in addition to authors, live music, cupcakes, scavenger hunts, kids events, art tables, readings, barbecues, contests, and other fun stuff, there are exclusive books and literary items that you can only get on that day.“

Find Open Book Chocolates in independent bookstores across the U.S.:

Find independent bookstores near you:

Check out Open Book Chocolates’s profile on Bookshop.org!

Literary Holidays | March 2025

G. E. Gallas

Celebrate this month’s literary holidays with Open Book Chocolates!

National Women’s History Month

“Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society and has been observed annually in the month of March in the United States since 1987.”

Here’s a selection of books written by women authors:

Greek American Heritage Month

“March marks the start of Greek American Heritage Month, an annual recognition of the significant contributions made by Americans with Greek ancestry. This month-long event is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the rich history, culture, and achievements of those who have enriched our lives with their presence in the United States.”

Here’s a selection of books written by Greek-American authors:

Read Across America Day | March 2nd

“Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading.”

“On Read Across America Day, our Nation recognizes the value of literacy to our democracy.  We celebrate the books that inspire our children to dream big, expand the limits of their understanding, and explore diverse perspectives and cultures through the eyes of others.  We also honor educators, parents, librarians, authors, mentors, and everyone who fosters the power of reading to open doors of opportunity and build greater awareness about the complex world around us.”

Bibliomania Day | March 20th

“The story behind Bibliomania Day started in the 1950s, then later made popular by Stephen Blumberg, also known as the ‘Book Bandit,’ from Iowa who hoarded thousands of books. He amassed over 23,600 books from 327 libraries and museums across 45 states, two provinces in Canada, and the District of Columbia. The combined worth of the books was estimated to be $5.3 million. On March 20, 1990, Blumberg was caught when his friend turned him over to the F.B.I.”

Here’s a selection of bibliomania-related books:

World Storytelling Day | March 20th

“World Storytelling Day is a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling… On World Storytelling Day, as many people as possible tell and listen to stories in as many languages and at as many places as possible, during the same day and night. Participants tell each other about their events in order to share stories and inspiration, to learn from each other and create international contacts.“

Here’s a selection of books about storytelling:

World Poetry Day | March 21st

“World Poetry Day is celebrated on 21 March, and was declared by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1999, ‘with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard’. Its purpose is to promote the reading, writing, publishing, and teaching of poetry throughout the world and, as the original UNESCO declaration says, to ‘give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional, and international poetry movements.’’

Here’s a selection of poetry collections:

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