Outside of the Library, there are plenty of sources for audiobooks out there, but most have one thing in common: they cost money. While the Library is your best bet for free audio recordings of more recent titles, for audiobooks in the public domain—which usually those published before 1923—there's LibriVox. There, a diverse range of popular and unpopular (i.e. eclectic) authors are given voice, from Shakespeare to H.P. Lovecraft, Mark Twain to Dostoyevsky, Aphra Behn to Stendhal. Read more about Can't Find Audiobooks of the Classics Through the Library? Try LibriVox

Picture books are often children's first exposure to art. As galleries of artists' work—all within the pages of books—they reflect the vast variety of art mediums we find in museums. Some artists create with real-world materials like paint and pencils; others make collage or etchings. Some even work in virtual media like computer graphics, and, of course, some use a combination of tools and methods.

When my children were younger, I would check out piles of picture books to read with them—and for the pleasure of viewing the artwork. And even though my children have moved beyond picture books, I still enjoy opening these miniature exhibitions, browsing through old favorites or finding new artists.

In honor of National Picture Book Month this November, I recommend these resources: Read more about Picture Books: Extraordinary Art, Conveniently Portable