Posts by Joshua, Manager of Youth Services

June Events for Younger Kids

June Events for Younger Kids

Some great regular events for younger children take place all month long. See below for times and access. Note: All youth-focused virtual programs require a registered Zoom account. Creating an account is free and easy at http://zoom.us/signup. Summer Reading at White Plains Public Library Summer Reading at the Library kicks off Monday, June 28th. Logging Summer Reading will be done online using the READSquared platform again this year and will feature programs for three age groups PreK, Grades K-6, and Grades 7-12. More information is coming soon! Grab & Go: Kits Grab&Go: Kits are fun and educational activities to do
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May 27, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's events, dance, June 2021, kids, live music, music, performances, programs, storytime, summer reading, The Trove, trove, and trove events.

Great Podcasts for Kids: Part 1

Great Podcasts for Kids: Part 1

With the long Memorial Day Weekend coming up, and summer vacation on the horizon, perhaps you’re going to be taking a long car trip. Podcasts are great for that time, or any time! Here’s a selection of excellent podcasts for kids and families selected by Josh Carlson, Manager of Youth Services. All of these should be available on any service you use to listen to podcasts, such as Apple Podcasts, Apple Music, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, etc. If you have some additional great podcast recommendations, leave them in the comments below! Podcast Potpourri Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl Forget the annoying,
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May 26, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Great Podcasts, Great Podcasts for Kids, podcasts, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Peculiar Picks

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. Robots may be machines, but these stories about robots teach us a lot about being human. Here are some robot books filled with humor, joy, kindness, empathy, and heart. Ultrabot’s First Playdate by Josh Schneider Library Catalog A young girl and the giant robot next door is the basic premise of this awesomely illustrated book. Ultrabot is worried and
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May 20, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, Peculiar Picks, robots, science, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Grown Up Comic Series on hoopla

Grown Up Comic Series on hoopla

I’ve enjoyed comics for a long time, but I admittedly do not like the process of waiting for new issues, new collections, and the length of time to find out what happens!?!?! These fantastic series, most definitely intended for grown-ups, are all available currently on hoopla and completely finished – just waiting for you to binge read them! Fatale by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips A lushly illustrated pulp noir thriller mashed up with Lovecraftian horror? It’s as amazing as it sounds, from one of the greatest writers in comics today. I have long wanted the cover of Volume 1:
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May 18, 2021 10:00 am | by | 3 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

Peculiar Picks

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. Reading these fun pictures books about Vikings lead to my daughter becoming interested in learning more about Vikings and Norse Mythology. The Three Vikings by Adam Auerbach Library Catalog A red Viking, a blue Viking, and a wee green Viking set off on adventures seeking entry to the fabled Valhalla. Red is super strong, Blue is very brave, but
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May 6, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, norse mythology, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, staff recommendations, and vikings.

May the Fourth Be with You!

May the Fourth Be with You!

Happy Star Wars Day! For additional reads and activities to celebrate, check out our previous May the Fourth Be With You blog posts! Below find some newer Star Wars books, along with some fun activities. Stars Wars Books for Younger Readers Star Wars Galactic Storybook by Calliope Glass, illustrated by Katie Cook eBook / Library Catalog A fun retelling of Skywalker Saga for younger readers with exceedingly cute illustrations. A Jedi You Will Be by Preeti Chhibber, illustrated by Mike Deas eBook / Library Catalog Experience training with Luke Skywalker on Dagobah and receive Jedi wisdom from Master Yoda in
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May 4, 2021 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: eBooks, May the 4th Be With You, May the Fourth Be With You, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, Star Wars, and STEAM.

Turtle Dance Music: Swing into Spring!

Turtle Dance Music: Swing into Spring!

Turtle Dance Music presents: Swing into Spring! A Virtual Music, Bubble and Comedy Show! Thursday, May 20, 11:00 a.m. Children, families, all ages welcome! Access the program here. Note: a free registered Zoom account is required to access the Library’s youth programs. Get a Zoom account here. “It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!” The Music, Bubble and Comedy Show: Swing Into Spring! engages children with comedy, swing music, jazz music, songs, poems, bubbles, music technology and children's stories which foster literacy, storytelling and a lifelong love of your local library! The show is crafted to
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April 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: Autism, Autism Acceptance Month, children's events, dance, kids events, trove events, and Turtle Dance Music.

TaleWise presents: Dragons: Return of the Ice Sorceress

TaleWise presents: Dragons: Return of the Ice Sorceress

TaleWise presents: Dragons: Return of the Ice Sorceress Tuesday, May 18, 3:30 p.m. Grades K-8 Access the program here. Note: a free registered Zoom account is required to access the Library’s youth programs. Get a Zoom account here. A long time ago, in a faraway world, two brave villagers go on a daring journey to save the kingdom from the evil Ice Sorceress. When things don’t go as planned, however, they need to look to themselves (and to science!) for the answer. Don’t miss this fun fantasy adventure exploring the science of dry ice! Check out a trailer for the
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April 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: children, children's events, performances, programs, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEM, STEM learning, and Talewise.

Peculiar Picks

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. While putting together last week’s Peculiar Picks for Earth Day, I noticed I had several tree-centric books. It only made sense, then, with Arbor Day on April 30, to compile an Arbor Day list. On the last Friday each April, National Arbor Day celebrates planting trees and what that tree will provide into the future: “clean air and water,
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April 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Arbor Day, children's books, music, Observances and Celebrations, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

May Events for Younger Kids

May Events for Younger Kids

Some great regular events for younger children take place all month long. See below for times and access. Note: All youth-focused virtual programs require a registered Zoom account. Creating an account is free and easy at http://zoom.us/signup. Grab & Go: Kits Grab&Go: Kits are fun and educational activities to do at home. Kits are available in a variety of age ranges throughout the month, including AtoZ and special themed PreK level Kits. Dates that new Kits are available for pickup can be found on our online calendar. Trove Storytimes Ages 2-6, families Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. – May 4, May 11,
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April 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's events, dance, kids, live music, May 2021, music, performances, programs, storytime, The Trove, trove, and trove events.

On-Demand TaleWise April Show

On-Demand TaleWise April Show

Did you miss the STEAM-azing show, Earth Day: Revenge of the Toxic Robot, presented by TaleWise on April 22, or perhaps you want to watch it again? You can view the show, for free, on-demand, through August 31, 2021! In addition to the stream of the show, you will have access to educational resources, experiments and STEAM activities related to the program! Here’s how to access the on-demand show: Visit Earth Day: Revenge of the Toxic Robot. Create a new, free, TaleWise account or sign in with Google, Facebook or an existing TaleWise account. TaleWise respects your privacy and will
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April 23, 2021 9:25 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: children, children's events, Observances and Celebrations, performances, programs, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEM, STEM learning, Talewise, Talewise On-Demand, and The Trove.

Peculiar Picks

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. Earth Day is celebrated annually in April. Here are some Peculiar Picks to celebrate, as well as to reflect on the importance of our planet and to perhaps begin making a difference for the betterment of the Earth. We truly live in a wonderful world, let’s keep it that way. Click here for more Earth Day recommended reading and
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April 22, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, Earth Day, music, Observances and Celebrations, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

TaleWise: Revenge of the Toxic Robot

TaleWise: Revenge of the Toxic Robot

Talewise presents: Earth Day: Revenge of the Toxic Robot Thursday, April 22, 3:30 p.m. Grades K-8 Access the program here. Note: a free registered Zoom account is required to access the Library’s youth programs. Get a Zoom account here. When the town’s park is suddenly gated and locked, a group of friends decides to investigate. Their adventure leads them deep into the woods, where they are chased away by an eccentric robot powered by toxic sludge! Join the gang on their quest to clean up the act of a despicable polluter and save their park from being destroyed. Along the
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April 20, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: children, children's events, Observances and Celebrations, performances, programs, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEM, STEM learning, Talewise, and The Trove.

Turtle Dance Music

Turtle Dance Music

Turtle Dance Music presents: Autism Acceptance Month! A Virtual Music, Bubble and Comedy Show! Thursday, April 22, 11:00 a.m. Children, families, all ages welcome! Access the program here. Note: a free registered Zoom account is required to access the Library’s youth programs. Get a Zoom account here. “Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars!” Turtle Dance Music provides a special inclusive, neurodiverse event for children and teens of all abilities for Autism Awareness Month. Families will dance, sing along, and hear stories and songs about autism advocates who have had incredible success in their lives
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April 20, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: Autism, Autism Acceptance Month, children's events, dance, kids events, trove events, and Turtle Dance Music.

YTI Performing Arts Video Classes

YTI Performing Arts Video Classes

Courtesy of Youth Theater Interactions (YTI) in Yonkers, below is a selection of free performing arts video lessons in the categories of Acting, African Dance, African Drumming, Ballet, Keyboard, Music Theory, Tap and Vocals. These are video series of previous YTI virtual semesters. YTI has provided these video lessons to the Library free of charge to encourage the White Plains community to “Take a chance and learn a new form of artistic expression on your own schedule, and from the safety of your own home.” Acting Spring 2020 Virtual Class Series Fall 2020 Virtual Class Series African Dance Spring 2020
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April 14, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Classes, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: acting, ballet, dance, music, performing arts, theater, and Youth Theater Interactions.

Peculiar Picks

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. My daughter and I love music. Jazzy mornings playing; sing-alongs in the car; country, classic rock, reggae, 80s and 90s cookouts and backyard fun; headbanging rock and punk after dinner dance parties; a 70s soul-funk-R&B soundtrack for baking and cooking… Music is a constant in our lives. Here are some picture books filled with positivity based on classic songs
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April 8, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, music, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

World Art Day Storytime & Author Visit

World Art Day Storytime & Author Visit

World Art Day Storytime & Author Visit Ages 2-6, families Thursday, April 15, 11:00 a.m. (access the program here) Note: a free registered Zoom account is required to access the Library’s youth programs. Get a Zoom account here. Celebrate World Art Day with award-winning author Amalia Hoffman’s storytime featuring her art-filled book, My Monsterpiece: “A humorous celebration of imagination and creativity that invites kids to create their own monster masterpieces with everyday materials.” You can find some of Ms. Hoffman’s fantastic books in the Library Catalog and as eBooks. Learn more about author Amalia Hoffman and her works on her
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April 8, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: arts and crafts, children's events, Grab & Go kits, Grab and Go Kits, Grab&Go Kits, Observances and Celebrations, program, storytime, The Trove, and World Art Day.

April Events for Younger Kids

April Events for Younger Kids

Some great regular events for younger children take place all month long. See below for times and access. Note: All youth-focused virtual programs require a registered Zoom account. Creating an account is free and easy at http://zoom.us/signup. Grab & Go: Kits Grab&Go: Kits are fun and educational activities to do at home. Kits are available in a variety of age ranges throughout the month, including AtoZ and special themed PreK level Kits. Dates that new Kits are available for pickup can be found on our online calendar. Trove Storytimes Ages 2-6, families Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. – April 6, April 13,
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March 24, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, and Library News.
Tags: April 2021, children's events, dance, kids, live music, music, performances, programs, storytime, The Trove, trove, and trove events.

Peculiar Picks

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. What is it about The Gingerbread Man? Why does this story appeal so much? There are so many aspects of the original tale that are just odd, strange and dark, once you stop to think about them (why, really, were the Old Man and Old Woman baking the Gingerbread Man?). Ultimately, it’s a cautionary tale about not trusting strangers,
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March 24, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, fairy tales, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

March-April Break Week

March-April Break Week

The Library has some awesome events planned during Spring Break Week, March 29th – April 1st! Note: for events taking place within Zoom, a free registered Zoom account is required to access the Library’s youth programs. Get a Zoom account here. I Will Dance – Storytime & Author Visit with author Nancy Bo Flood Monday, March 29, 11:00 a.m. Ages 2-6 Access the program here. Award-winning author Nancy Bo Flood virtually visits the library to read from her book, I Will Dance. More information here. 3D Design & Printing Monday, March 29 – Thursday, April 1, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00
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March 18, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: author visit, children, children's events, edge events, Spring Break, teen events, teens, and trove events.