Wednesday, December 29, 2021

2022 The International Year of Glass




My friend at Kinderbookswitheverything alerted me to The International Year of Glass for 2022.  She has begun a collection of books from her K-2 library to set up a display ready for Term One when the children return in February. 

Glass - what books can you think of?

Cinderella wears glass slippers



Sometimes characters wear magical eye glasses


Castles and palaces can be made of glass



Mirrors are often important in stories







Children can read about glass as a material and the way it is manufactured. Check your library at the Dewey number 666


Windows often feature in picture books



Snow globes are made from glass


Glass can be recycled



Perhaps you put your tooth in a glass for the tooth fairy



I wish milk bottles were still made from glass but at least we still have glass jars and sometimes lucky people even find a message in a bottle















Lighthouses rely on glass 



People grow beautiful plants in a glasshouse



I love my glass button jar. The buttons in these two books are in tins but I thought I would share them anyway.




In this book the girl herself is made from glass



You might have glass ornaments in your home or a torch. You might look through a microscope or a magnifying glass. Your television, computer screen and phone are all made from glass. You could visit a church to enjoy the stained glass windows which often tell stories. There are hundreds of way we use glass in the world. Here are some other things to think about - Glasses; genie in a bottle; Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator; Alice through the Looking Glass; and a ship in a bottle.

Here are a few resources about glass

Kiddle Glass Facts for kids

Britannica for Kids - Glass

History of Glass Video  (7 minutes)

How is Glass Made? Method & Process - Science for Kids by Mocomi (1.5minutes)

How was it made? Stained glass window | V&A (4 minutes)


Image Source: Live Enhanced

Why dedicate a year to glass?

  • Because it is the material that, since the dawn of human civilisation, has accompanied us in art and work, becoming a work of art, an instrument, a jewel.
  • Because it is an eco-sustainable material that, if well disposed of (and we have been able to do so for a long time), can be recycled practically indefinitely, truly being “friendly” towards the planet’s resources.
  • Because it is an invaluable material for its conservation properties and for the protection from any contamination it offers. Plus it looks amazing!
This Christmas my friend gifted me some drinking glasses with images by Max Velthuijs. 


Take a look around your home. I am sure you will discover you have many treasures made from glass and perhaps you have some books that feature glass too. It will be great to see the display in my friend's school library and see all the different books she has collected - I will share a few more here over the coming months. 


No comments: