Monthly Archives July 2020

Peculiar Picks

Peculiar Picks are a selection of odd, funny, interesting, curious, moving, irreverent, and otherwise wonderfully awesome, but perhaps not well known, reads. Peculiar Picks are books for younger readers and their grown-ups, handpicked by the Library's Youth Services Manager, Joshua Carlson. Pearl by Molly Idle Click here to borrow Pearl by Molly Idle in eBook on Overdrive. Pearl by Molly Idle is many things. It is emotional and moving. a story of mothers and daughters. a quasi-creation myth. gorgeously illustrated. It is filled with mermaids, and krakens and a lush, fully-realized underwater world. about responsibility and finding one’s place and
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

STEAM at Home: Beach Activities

One of the great things about summer is spending time outdoors and getting some sun. This summer is different as we are restricted in our social interactions, traveling, and vacationing due to COVID-19. However, there are still a few fun activities that can be done safely. The beach is a wonderful place to relax, read a book, swim, and play in the sand. According to NBC news, “spending time by the ocean is pretty good for your wellbeing.” Also, did you know that “the smell of the ocean breeze contributes to your soothed state, which may have something to do
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Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

STEAM at Home: Cereal Box Maze

Today we are going to make a labyrinth or maze out of cereal boxes. “But I don’t eat cereal, Erik.” That’s ok, you can use any type of cardboard for this. Materials: 2 Cereal boxes (or any type of shallow cardboard box) equal in size Lots of straws Glue Tape Extra cardboard Toilet paper or paper towel rolls Something to punch holes with; an awl, drill bit Scissors and/or exacto knife Random stuff from around your home to use as obstacles Small marble or ball of some sort (nothing too light) Marker or colored pencils Decorations: stickers, colorful paper, wrapping
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Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

Summer Reading Highlights: Chapter Books

White Plains is a wonderfully diverse community! Parents, children and teens have expressed an interest in titles that reflect the diversity in the community, and Ashley, Kathlyn, and Raquel's “Dive Into Diversity” column will spotlight noteworthy children's and teen titles that are inclusive, diverse and multicultural to fulfill that interest. Ashley's portion is aimed at readers in grades 4-6. Stella Díaz Has Something to Say by Angela Dominguez For children in grades 3-5. OverDrive: eBook Stella Díaz is in third grade and has been feeling a little lonely since her best friend Jenny is in a different class this year.
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Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

2020 Summer Reading Game

The Library's 2020 Summer Reading Game kicks off Monday, July 6 and runs through Friday, August 14! With limited access to the library building this summer, we’re taking our Summer Reading Game completely online. Instead of visiting the Trove or the Edge, you’ll track your reading on the READsquared platform. Visit the READsquared website or download the app to create a free account and get started.  See below for more information on getting started with READsquared.  Note: You can register in READsquared now and sign up for the Summer Reading Game, however not all features will be live until July
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Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

White Plains Summer Reading Lists

Around this time of year, we’re usually busy buying and unpacking boxes of books to support the summer reading lists from the White Plains Public Schools. This year, we’re not sure when we’ll be able to order or receive those boxes of books. Instead, we’re offering digital versions of this year’s summer reading recommendations. We ask that everyone be mindful of an important difference between physical books and digital books. Paperbacks and eBooks check out the same way: a book can only be checked out to one person at a time. But eBooks are often four–or even six–times more expensive
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Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

Family Fun Fridays

Starting on Friday, July 10, the Library will be offering a great program for children and families every Friday morning at 11:00 a.m.! These programs will take place in Zoom, links below. July 10: The Turtle Dance Music Virtual Concert: A Music, Bubble and Comedy Show Wonderful classic and original children’s songs and tales. The show engages children with songs, comedy, bubbles, and music technology. It is designed to be a fun, unique way to meet new friends that you might not have met before. Join us for this novel 40-minute performance which will be accompanied by visual and sensory
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Categories: eNewsletter, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Summer Reading Highlights: YA Fiction

This summer, there is no single required title on the middle and high school reading lists. Instead, teachers and school librarians have collaborated to come up with several great book recommendations for each grade level. It’s clear that they prioritized titles written by a diverse group of authors and featuring a wide range of characters. With such a variety of titles, everyone will be able to find a book they’ll like. Below, I’ve highlighted my favorite book from the recommendations for each grade level. In addition to being available through the school system’s Sora app, these titles are also available
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.

Summer Reading Highlights: Pre-K to 6th Grade

White Plains is a wonderfully diverse community! With that in mind, the Trove’s suggested Summer Reading Lists strive to reflect and recognize all the young patrons of the community by highlighting noteworthy diverse titles and series. An excellent resource to explore even more great titles for kids and teens as well is We Need Diverse Books.Org whose vision is to promote “a world in which all children see themselves in the pages of a book.” The following titles are just a few from the recommended Summer Reading List books that showcase the many different experiences of young people: Pre-K/Kindergarten: Julián
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Family Fun Friday – July 31: Stomp It Up Concert

Family Fun Fridays continues this coming Friday, July 31, with Darlene Graham’s Stomp It Up concert! This virtual program was created for young White Plains Library patrons ages 0-3, but all are welcome to have firsthand live musical exposure and all the benefits of music. Explore music with Darlene Graham and her upbeat, fun music show! Bring all your musical instruments from home and be ready to dance, jump and sing with Darlene! Darlene Graham is a children's musician that performs all over the East Coast with her band Darlene Graham and The Shades of Green Band. She has recorded
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Categories: Library News.

Documenting COVID-19: Uplifting Rocks

Photo and text submitted by Ro Munns on May 30, 2020. An anonymous White Plains resident painted “uplifting rocks” and sprinkled them around WP neighborhoods. When people were out walking they could see and enjoy them. I saw this one on Mamaroneck Ave not far from my home. It certainly helped to put things back into perspective! Submit your own experience.
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Categories: COVID-19, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

Parenting in a Pandemic: Mom Rage

Today’s column is one of the most real ones I will write. Why? Because I am writing out of extreme frustration. When my colleague sent me this New York Times article, before I even read it, I felt heard. Moms, read it! Share our mutual frustrations. So why the mom rage? Well, let’s see. So far, while I tried to work this morning, my son has made a mess eating in the family room that he knows is off limits for food. Fast forward another thirty minutes. In the middle of an online session with his special education teacher, he
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Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Great Graphic Novels for Kids: Part 2

What’s not to love when it comes to graphic novels? They’re a ton of fun and I’ve noticed that the majority of kids absolutely adore reading them! From Dog Man by Dav Pilkey to Smile by Raina Telgemeier, I am constantly being asked if we have some of the most popular graphic novels currently in the library. The kids get this look of pure joy when they find out that we do! Our graphic novel section is a well loved area and I enjoy recommending various books to eager readers. Without further ado, enjoy some of these great graphic novel
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Magician Leon Etienne to Perform Virtually

Abracadabra! On Wednesday, July 22, at 6:30 p.m., magician and illusionist Leon Etienne will give a White Plains Public Library performance via Zoom. “Most of it will be live, but I hope to open with highlights of my best stunts,” he says. Illusory stunts have been prerequisites for every magician since Houdini, but the Utica, N.Y.-based Etienne has more recent role models. “While growing up in the 1990s, I would watch NBC‘s The World's Greatest Magic every Thanksgiving eve, which featured Lance Burton and Penn & Teller. Further inspiration came from my grandparents giving me Mark Wilson's Complete Course in
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Categories: Library News.

STEAM at Home: Paper Bridge Challenge

This week’s STEAM At Home project is the paper bridge challenge. You can use only 1 piece of paper, (printer paper not card stock or construction paper) to build a bridge that will hold 100 pennies. Materials: 1 sheet of paper 100 pennies (or more) 2 objects equal in height (books, tissue boxes, pieces of wood), that are at least 2” high Instructions: Set your 2 objects about 9” apart, you don’t want them too close, that would be cheating. Make a bridge that covers the expanse and start adding pennies. See how many pennies you can add before the
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Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

Documenting COVID-19: Houses of Worship

Below is a compilation of submissions from local houses of worship. Bethel Baptist Church eLights of Hope newsletter (PDF), March–May 2020, Volume 1. Submitted June 3, 2020. St. Matthew's Lutheran Church Submitted by Leah Warncke, Administrative Assistant, on June 9, 2020: Attached you will find a brief paragraph about our church during this time of COVID 19 shutdown and pictures/videos of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in White Plains gathering for worship virtually. Blessings Rev. Jonathan J. Recabarren St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church has served the people in the city of White Plains for 125 years. As we gather as one body to enrich
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Categories: COVID-19 and Library News.

Peculiar Picks

Peculiar Picks are a selection of odd, funny, interesting, curious, moving, irreverent, and otherwise wonderfully awesome, but perhaps not well known, reads. Peculiar Picks are books for younger readers and their grown-ups, handpicked by the Library's Youth Services Manager, Joshua Carlson. It’s summer. It’s hot. The Sun is shining. But, what IS that big ball of gas and flame that makes the summer hot and bright? Having read both of the following books with my daughter, I can attest that they are hilarious, informative, and will hold both your child’s attention and yours, while you learn all about the Sun.
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Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.