By Jessie Fish, Customer Service Assistant, Central Children's Department
Celebrate the anniversary of the postcard on October 1st, aka World Postcard Day! While the postcard as we know it today took years to develop, on October 1st, 1869, Dr. Emmanuel Hermman of Austria-Hungary is credited with the first true postcard! (Or Correspondenz-Karte, in German.) People liked sending postcards as an alternative to letters because they were sturdy, half the price of a typical letter, and didn't require envelopes. It made the process of sending mail much more efficient and affordable!
Before modern technology, people relied on postcards to update friends and family, usually when traveling. With texting, social media, and video calls, it's much easier to talk over long distances. But on days like World Postcard Day, we can remember why we have always enjoyed sending postcards. They are physical keepsakes that remind us of all the people in our lives that care for us. Taking the time to send handwritten mail can be a meaningful gesture in such a busy, tech-y world.
Here are some books to inspire kids to send postcards, write letters, and learn about the mail service! You can view the full list here!
- Biking With Grandma by Chris Santella - “Writing home in postcards, Sam shares his adventures with Grandma Rose as the pair travel around the world by bike, exploring national parks, villages, and sprawling cities.”
- How To Send A Hug by Hayley Rocco - “Despite living far away from her grandmother, a little girl finds a way to give her a special kind of hug with help from the Hug Delivery Specialist.”
- The Day The Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt - “One day, Duncan is happily coloring with his crayons when a stack of postcards arrives in the mail from his former crayons, each of which has run away or been left behind, and all of which want to come home.”
- The Little Green Envelope by Gillian Sze - “When Olive misses a friend who recently moved away, her grandfather suggests writing a letter, and a little green envelope who has been longing to travel hopes it will finally get a chance to see the world and bring joy to someone. Includes a diagram that shows how to make your own envelope.”
- Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings - “A dog looking for a home sends letters to prospective owners on Butternut Street, with surprising results.”
- Meet A Mail Carrier! by Becky Herrick - “This is a fun nonfiction book that introduces readers to the role of mail carriers in our community.”
(For more postcard related facts, timeline, and ways to celebrate WPD, check out https://worldpostcardday.com/)