We receive wonderful questions from kids at our "Ask Questions Here" desk, and in our programs. But we also get a lot of terrific statements. One of my favorites is: "I know that book!" or "I know that story!" This statement is typically shared as an excited, gleeful shout. It feels good to know something. It's empowering.
Think Library: Blog
Our Summer Reading Program has taken off like a rocket! Our theme this year is Dream Big: Read! -- a fun theme with many interpretations. Sometimes, you might want to read simply to escape into a dream world for a while. And, of course, your librarians will tell you that the ability to read gives you the ability to achieve your dreams, for learning to read enables you to read to learn. We are unabashed advocates of the notion that knowledge is power. Learning about something, learning how to do something can inspire and empower you to act, to do, to become!
Some of us are cat people and some of us are dog people. I am a cat person. I am not a dog person. That's not to say I don't like dogs. I do. Really. Long ago, I even shared a home with a sweet beagle for a time. It's just that after that experience, I prefer to enjoy other people's dogs in their homes or parks or even at the library where we have some wonderful dogs come in and visit. But even though I am not a dog person, I still appreciate a good dog story, and recently have enjoyed some delightful stories about dogs.
Five words on the cover of a new children's book caught my attention, and I knew I had to read it. One was Mystery (I really like mysteries), one was Cake (I adore cake!), and the other three were Alexander McCall Smith- a favorite author of mine! McCall Smith explains in an afterword that he felt compelled to explore the childhood of Precious Ramotswe, the heroine of the No
So B. It is a very special novel by Sarah Weeks. Heidi, a twelve year old girl lives in Reno, Nevada with her mentally disabled mother and a quirky neighbor. Homeschooled by her neighbor, Bernadette, Heidi lives a very unconventional life. Her mother has a vocabulary of only 23 words, Bernadette is afraid to leave her apartment, and Heidi's one friend, Zander, is overweight, loves junk food, and lives in a world of made up stories.
The mysteries of how Heidi and her mother arrived at the apartment, who pays for their apartment, and what her mother's strange word "soof" means, haunt the reader as well as Heidi. When Heidi finds a roll of film and has the photos developed they reveal her mother at a Christmas party held at Hilltop Home in Liberty, New York. Heidi simply cannot rest until she pieces together Mama's past. She decides she must travel there alone in order to discover who her mother is, and, in the journey she discovers a great deal about herself. This book is about identity, asking questions, and living both with and without the answers. A memorable and unusual story, So B. It would be great for ages 9 and up.
*Selected as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
There are so many everyday opportunities to talk with your young child about letters and numbers and other early literacy concepts -- things your child knows about reading and writing before they can actually read and write. You can point out letters on street signs and store names, or note the numbers on speed limit signs and addresses on buildings. We are reinforcing this idea that developing a child's knowledge of letters, numbers, colors, shapes, sizes, etc. can happen in small ways every day, by creating "Early Literacy Spot" activities throughout the children's area of the Main Library.
Enter a thrilling world of suspense with some of our favorite mystery stories for school-age children.
Here are some of our favorite stories about kids in real-life situations, learning about themselves, family, friends, and life! Recommended for school-age children.
We librarian types tend to pay a lot of attention to award-winning books, although we can't deny we're often a little disappointed when our personal favorites don't win. The Mildred L. Batchelder award is given each year by the ALA's Association for Library Service to Children "...to the most outstanding children's book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States."
With a wry wit honed as an Emmy Award winning writer and animator for Sesame Street, author and illustrator Mo Willems broke into the world of Children's Literature in a big way in 2003 with a bus obsessed pigeon.
Sometimes the simplest of stories convey complex ideas most beautifully. More by I.C. Springman has just a few words on each page, but the illustrations vividly depict the hazards of collecting too much "stuff." The story features a magpie - a crow-like bird that folklore recognizes for its attraction to shiny objects -- and which commonly describes someone who collects odds and ends of little value. (I do believe I am parent to a couple of magpies!)
Whether your family is starting the journey of adopting a child and need to prepare a sibling, adopting a child and wanting them to know they belong and are loved right where they are, or if you want your child to see different world views and experiences --These stories and informational books will help children understand adoption!
Death is a difficult topic for everyone, but especially for children. With this booklist, you can feel prepared to talk about the emotions surrounding the end of life and answer questions to help ease the grief of children.
Winston Churchill wrote: "Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Find stories that travel back in time to see what life and trials were like before you were born with some of our favorite historical fiction for school-age children.