Posts by Erica Roberts

June Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Eli Over Easy by Phil Stamper All available formats here After a move to New York City and the sudden death of his mother, Eli has been left reeling. His father has become anxious and overprotective, but refuses to talk about his – or Eli’s – grief, instead working long hours. But then he discovers that his mom left behind recipe videos, and the cute boy next
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

June is…Joyful June!

Each month a variety of observances and celebrations take place, from well-known holidays to much lesser known fun (and downright funny or strange!) observances. Celebrated in June ____ is… June 7th:  National Donut Day! The Case of the Missing Doughnut by Alison McGhee All available formats The sheriff and his deputy dog have been charged with a mission: to bring a dozen donuts home safely. All seems to be going well until the young sheriff peeks inside the box to check on the tasty treats. They're practically calling his name, and in the blink of an eye (and with just
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

May Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Wishing Upon the Same Stars by Jacquetta Nammar Feldman All available formats here When Yasmeen Khoury moves to Texas, she feels isolated in a way she never did in Detroit – at least until she begins to make friends, including with Ayelet Cohen, an Israeli-American girl in her grade. But as she and Ayelet learn more about the destruction each others’ countries have wreaked on their families,
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

April Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow All available formats here Simon is probably the only tween in existence to be actually sort of excited to be moving into a town where technology and Internet access is limited – but then again, he and his family are hoping for a fresh start. Simon relaxes into making friends out of the shadows of his past and figuring out
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

March Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson All available formats here Ellie Engel is completely fine existing in the shadow of her amazing best friend Abigail; she has her comics, she has Abigail, she has her fish and her mom – that’s all she needs. Everything starts to change when she and Abigail begin middle school, but everything *really* changes when she wakes up with superpowers. Her
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

February Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! All You Knead is Love by Tanya Guerrero All available formats here Alba feels abandoned when her mother ships her off to live with her Abuela Lola in Barcelona, but it doesn’t take long for her to find all the good in her new life – a new hobby, new friends, and the unconditional love from her abuela that she’s never felt from either of her parents.
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Celebrate Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year – also known as Chinese New Year – is held in late winter or early spring, based on the lunar calendar. This year it falls on February 10th, and this year will be the Year of the Dragon! Grab & Go: Lunar New Year Starting at 10am on Friday February 2nd, there will be Grab & Go kits available for kids ages 2-6 and in grades 1-2 to pick up and take home. Since 2024 is the Year of the Dragon, the kit will be dragon-themed – don’t miss out! Family Storytime: Lunar New Year At 11am
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Categories: Library News.

One-Time Adventures

Join Erica and Erika to explore one-shot, one-page role-playing games! No prior experience is necessary – the game rules are simple enough to all fit on one page – and there aren’t any long campaign commitments either, since one-shots take place in one session. Character creation, dice-rolling and gameplay can all be done in an hour – are you ready to play? This month the games will be Library Cats and Honey Heist – see below for more details! Library Cats February 7th @ 5PM in Galaxy Hall You are a team of magical house cats tasked with keeping a
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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

Holocaust Remembrance Day Author Visit

Holocaust Remembrance Day Author Visit: The Brave Cyclist with Amalia Hoffman Saturday, January 27th 2:00–3:00 p.m. Location: Galaxy Hall This program is aimed at youth ages 8 and up as well as their families. We invite you to join librarian Erica Roberts and award-winning author Amalia Hoffman in discussion of her Junior Library Guild and Gold Selection book, The Brave Cyclist: A True Story of a Holocaust Hero. Gino Bartali’s life provides an inspiring story that merges sports and acts of heroism. Ms. Hoffman will share her personal journey and inspiration in writing her book and talk about how Gino
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Categories: Library News.

Middle Grade Pick of the Month: Terry’s Crew

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Terry’s Crew by Terry Crews and Cory Thomas All available formats here Terry Crews is a kid with vision – he knows exactly what he’s going to be, and he has plans for getting there! First step is attending the elite Rock City Academy, which will help him learn the skills and make the connections he needs. But middle school can be hard, especially with determined bullies
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

December Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! The Trouble with Robots by Michelle Mohrweis All available formats here Evelyn is determined to do whatever it takes to lead her middle school robotics team to victory – no matter who she runs roughshod over. Allie is new at school and already gotten into fights – too many fights, according to the principal. Successfully working with the robotics team will be her last chance to prove
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

November Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Hazel's Theory of Evolution by Lisa Jenn Bigelow All available formats Hazel likes her life just the way it is – her family, her hobbies, her chores at the family farm, and her best friend Becca. But when her mom is pregnant (for the third time, after two miscarriages) and redistricting means starting at a new school without her best friend, Hazel’s worry over the upheaval in
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

K-2 Hour on Thursday Afternoons

Thursdays afternoons in the Trove are K-2 Hour! A variety of different programs for kids in kindergarten through 2nd grade will be hosted at the library. Each month will have a different combination of the programs described below.   K-2 Tales will be a storytime: reading engaging books, singing and a fun craft. Each month will have a different theme. K-2 VR Storytime Experience will be reading both fiction and nonfiction books and discussing what we know before and learn during the storytime. At the end there will be a take-home fact sheet, coloring page, and activity. K-2 Stories &
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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

October Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Hanging with Vampires: A Totally Factual Field Guide to the Supernatural by Insha Fitzpatrick All available formats This fangtastic nonfiction guide to vampires digs into the lore, history and pop culture appearances of vampires, arming all its readers with information and food for thought (even literally, with a garlic bread recipe!). Knowledge is power, after all, and this first entry in a series of guides into the
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Pick a Treat

The Trove put together a fun Halloween display: mystery books for kids to choose (there's a summary and intended age range on the package) and unwrap at home, for multiple ages and all decorated with cats, bats, spiders and/or mice. So stop by The Trove this month and pick out a treat!
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

September Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King All available formats Mac is a kid who believes in the importance of asking questions – *especially* the hard ones teachers don’t always want to answer. So when he and his friends find out that their sixth-grade teacher has given them books with censor bars over certain words – specifically hiding references to a young girl’s breasts –
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

August Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Dungeons and Dragons Honor Among Thieves: The Deluxe Junior Novelization adapted by David Lewman Library Catalog: Print Edgin Darvis and Holga have made their way back to their daughter Kira, but in doing so they find out that yesterday’s friends have become today’s enemies! Can they find new allies and overcome all the obstacles in their way to defeat evil and save the day? Lewman has written
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

July Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! My Aunt is a Monster by Reimena Yee All available formats Safia was raised on tales of adventure, and when she is taken in by her aunt Whimsy, the (retired) greatest adventurer to have ever lived, Safia is determined that she will finally get to have her own adventure. But Aunt Whimsy and Safia’s friend Hebe have secrets; what will happen when they finally get out? This
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

June Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith Library Catalog: Print Libby: eBook and eAudiobook In a world where girls have magic and boys become knights, nonbinary Callie has always been determined that their gender will not be able to stop them from becoming a proud knight of the realm. When their father is summoned to the capital Helston, Callie leaps at the chance to
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

May Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao Library Catalog: Print Libby: eBook and eAudiobook Zachary Ying has been struggling to fit in at school – hard to do when you’re one of the only non-white kids. But any worries about that are immediately overwhelmed when Zachary’s mother’s soul is stolen – and he gets possessed by the spirit of the first emperor of China!
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.