A Day Full of Reading

Children’s book author, former Lab School parent and UD alum John Micklos, Jr. inspires a love of reading at the Lab School

As the weather turns cooler, what could be better than snuggling up with a good book? University of Delaware’s Lab School kicked off a season of cozy reading with a visit from John Micklos, Jr., a beloved children’s book author, in September 2026. Micklos visited each of the Lab School’s classrooms on the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD)’s Children’s Campus, sharing his books, talking with children and inspiring a love of reading.

“Books and stories are an important part of early literacy, providing opportunities for children to build their vocabulary, express their ideas, develop early writing skills and make connections between language, print and their own experiences,” said Dorit Radnai-Griffin, director of the Lab School. “It was such a joy to have John visit the Lab School and share his wonderful books with us.”

One of the books Micklos shared was Sad, Mad, Glad: A Day Full of Feelings, which explores the rollercoaster of big emotions that young children may experience—sometimes all in one day. With playful rhyming and colorful illustrations by Lilibeth M. Jimenez, the book reassures young children that “big feelings” are a normal part of life.

“I hope the book helps parents and children think about healthy ways to navigate those emotions and encourages parents to feel comfortable discussing feelings with their children,” Micklos said.

The Sound in the Basement, another picture book he read, focused on facing your fears, while One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me and Raindrops to Rainbow helped the Lab School’s youngest children learn their numbers and colors.

“Reading opens new worlds and I hope that the children enjoyed listening to these stories and look forward to reading books on their own,” Micklos said. “Reading habits are formed in childhood, and I hope my books help instill an early desire to read.”

Fostering an early love of reading and early literacy skills is an important part of the Lab School’s programming. Across all classrooms, children engage in shared reading with their teachers, literacy-rich activities—like journaling about the weather in the Lab School’s outdoor classroom—and community literacy events, like book fairs and guest readers.

“My children still have fond memories of their wonderful experiences at the Lab School,” said Micklos, a UD alum and resident of Delaware, whose adult children attended the Lab School. “Their Lab School years provided a solid foundation for their success throughout school, and I’m excited to share my books with the next generation of Lab School children!”

“Knowing that John’s own children once attended the Lab School made it especially meaningful to have him return and read to a new generation of children,” Radnai-Griffin said. “Experiences like this always show the lasting connections that make the Lab School community so special.”

To learn more about the Lab School and its programming, visit its website. To learn more about CEHD research in language and literacy, visit its research page.

Header image caption: John Micklos, Jr. reads Sad, Mad, Glad: A Day Full of Feelings with children in the Lab School’s outdoor classroom.

Article by Jessica Henderson. Photos courtesy of the Lab School.