Archives for Authors & Books

Celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month

Celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month

National Arab American Heritage Month takes place in April; and it celebrates Arab American heritage & culture and pays tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans and Arabic-speaking Americans. In April 2021, President Biden and the U.S.Department of State recognized April as National Arab American Heritage Month. The President wrote in his letter commemorating the event, “The Arab American community exemplifies so much of what our country stands for: hard work, resilience, compassion, and generosity… Diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and it is essential that we continue celebrating, promoting, and educating others about the myriad ways that the
Read More

April 10, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Arab-American Heritage Month, children's books, Observances and Celebrations, Observances and Holidays, picture books, staff picks, staff recommendations, and YA Fiction.

Book Clubs for Teens

Book Clubs for Teens

Join us for a series of book club events for teens! We have a range of options for tweens and teens from grades four through twelve. We hope to see you there! From Page to Picture The Edge Grades 7-12 Each month we'll pick a YA book/movie pairing. Read the book before the event, then join us to watch the movie and debate the relative merits of each medium. Sunday April 30 at 1:15 p.m. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon Library Catalog / Libby Friday May 26 at 3:30 p.m. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams Library
Read More

April 10, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book clubs, book clubs for teens, The Edge, and YA Fiction.

April is National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month

The Library will be celebrating National Poetry Month with a few programs that are educational and fun for the whole family. Events: Magnetic Poetry Daily during library hours in April The Trove All Ages One of the ways the Library will engage children with poetry is to give them the opportunity to write their own poetry with poetry magnets throughout the entire month in the Trove. There will be a magnet board on display so that children will be able to play and arrange words to make a magnetic poem. Poetry Month Grab & Go Kits Available beginning April 3
Read More

April 9, 2023 10:00 am | by | 1 Comment
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: creative writing, events for children, events for children in westchester, events for children in white plains, national poetry month, Observances and Celebrations, poetry, The Trove, and writing.

Author Visits in April

Author Visits in April

We have three author visits scheduled this April. Join us to hear these authors read their stories, and discuss with the authors in person! Dental Health Storytime and Author Visit Thursday April 6 at 11:00 a.m. Galaxy Hall Ages 2-6 Meet Joanne Roos, RDH from Main Street Pediatric Dentistry and author of Who Visits Me from A to Z. She will do a short reading of her book, a short demonstration on dental health, and a movie. All participants will receive a goody bag with a toothbrush, toothpaste and an activity sheet. Author Visit Storytime: My Dad and the Dragon
Read More

March 28, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: author visits, storytime, storytime for children, storytime for kids, and The Trove.

April Programs for Younger Kids

April Programs for Younger Kids

Great programs for younger children take place all month long, every month, at the Library. See our online calendar or stop in the Trove for location information. Storytime! Ages 2-6, Families Saturday, 2:00 p.m. – April 1 Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. – April 11, 25 Thursday, 11:00 a.m. – April 20 Stories, songs and fun with a Trove Librarian. Following Storytime on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the children and caregivers are invited to Toy Time in the Story Trove – a time to play and socialize! FIESTA! Concert with Flor Bromley Children, Families Tuesday, 11:00 a.m. – April 4 FIESTA! is a
Read More

March 27, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Activities for children in Westchester, activities for children in White Plains, April 2023, children's events, dance, kids, live music, music, performances, programs, storytime, The Trove, trove, and trove events.

April Book Bunch

April Book Bunch

Thursday, April 20th at 4:30 p.m. Click here to register for our Book Bunch Join Caroline and Donna for a book discussion and trivia game for 4th through 8th graders! We will be reading They Call me Guero by David Bowles. This is a perfect book to read to celebrate National Poetry Month. Guero is a bilingual boy who also identifies as a border kid. He receives the nickname “Guero” because of his freckles and distinct red hair. However, Guero is a Mexican boy who loves music, video games, and reading. Guero also runs around with a group of misfit
Read More

March 25, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: book bunch, book discussion, Book discussion for kids, book discussion for middle grade students, and The Trove.

New Books in the Edge: March

New Books in the Edge: March

One of the best parts of my job is ordering new books for the Edge–reading the reviews, seeing what popular authors come up with next, or finding out about an upcoming sequel to an old favorite. Read on to find out about some of the new YA fiction titles coming to our shelves this month. Stateless by Elizabeth Wein Grades 6 and up Library Catalog / Libby “Intrigue and danger in the air and on the ground make for an exciting read that is steeped in interwar history. In late August 1937, Stella North, 17, is representing Britain by flying
Read More

March 21, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: new books, new in the Edge, staff picks, staff recommendations, The Edge, and YA Fiction.

April Graphic Novel Book Club

April Graphic Novel Book Club

Monday, April 3, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. in the Castle (in the Trove). Grades 3-6 The second book for the GNBC has been chosen: InvestiGATORS by John Patrick Green Library Catalog, ebook Registration required. Register here. Copies of the book are on hold at the Compass desk (the Trove) to check out. With their very exciting spy technology and their tried-and-true, toilet-based travel techniques, the InvestiGators are undercover and on the case! And on their first mission together, they have not one but two mysteries to solve! Can Mango and Brash uncover the clues, crack their cases, and corral the
Read More

March 20, 2023 9:23 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: book clubs for kids, Graphic Novel Book Club, graphic novels, and The Trove.

March Middle Grade Pick of the Month

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! The Civil War of Amos Abernathy by Michael Leali Library Catalog: Print Libby: eBook Amos Abernathy is a gay middle schooler who’s been volunteering as a historical reenactor for most of his life – his mom runs the entire park. When Amos learns about the LGBTQ+ history in his backyard, he wants to share it with audiences through the park – but he gets passed over to
Read More

March 15, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: middle grade, middle grade fiction, Middle Grade Pick of the Month, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility

Celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility

International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event that occurs on March 31st. The day is dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and contributions of transgender and gender nonconforming people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people in the United States and worldwide. Attacks on the rights of transgender individuals have risen alarmingly in 2023. According to Tim Walker in his article, “Bill aims to establish Minnesota as a ‘Trans Refuge’ state” for the Minnesota Legislature, “Nearly 250 bills in 32 states are under consideration that would single out trans people for discriminatory treatment of their privacy, their
Read More

March 13, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books for kids, children's books, International Transgender Day of Visibility, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, Transgender Day of Visibility, and transgender rights.

March Programs for Younger Kids

March Programs for Younger Kids

Great programs for younger children take place all month long, every month, at the Library. See our online calendar or stop in the Trove for location information. Author Visit Storytime: Purim Goodies Ages 2-6, Families Thursday, 11:00 a.m. – March 2 Award-winning local author and illustrator Amalia Hoffman performs her delicious tale, seasoned with funny Yiddish words. Make music with an egg beater and pots and dance to Klezmer tunes and sing-along. A unique and fun-filled event for children and families that will whet your appetite!  Toy Time in the Story Trove – a time to play and socialize –
Read More

March 12, 2023 11:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Activities for children in Westchester, activities for children in White Plains, children's events, dance, kids, live music, March 2023, music, performances, programs, storytime, The Trove, trove, and trove events.

Beautiful Bilingual Books, Part 7

Beautiful Bilingual Books, Part 7

BEAUTIFUL BILINGUAL BOOKS, Part 7 LINDOS LIBROS BILINGÜES, Parte 7 The Library has a lovely collection of bilingual Spanish/English books. To celebrate reading in two languages, we will be featuring our beautiful new books in a blog – so enjoy practicing your Spanish and English skills with these books. La Biblioteca tiene una colección hermosa de libros bilingües en inglés/español. Para celebrar leyendo en dos idiomas, le estaremos presentando nuestros lindos libros aquí. Así puede disfrutar practicando sus destrezas en ambos idiomas con estos libros. Viento, Vientito/Wind, Little Wind by Jorge Tetl Argueta & Felipe Ugalde Alcántara Library Catalog Describes–in
Read More

March 9, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Español, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Bilingual, Bilingual books, books for children, picture books, spanish books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Women’s History Month Books & Films

Women’s History Month Books & Films

Celebrate Women's History Month with one of our staff selected books and films. See our staff curated Libby list here. Books She Came to to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman by Erica Armstrong Dunbar Library Catalog: Print / CD Audiobook Libby: eBook / Audiobook National Book Award nominee Erica Armstrong Dunbar presents a fresh take on this American icon blending traditional biography, illustrations, photos, and engaging sidebars that illuminate the life of Tubman as never before. Not only did Tubman help liberate hundreds of slaves, she was the first woman to lead an armed expedition during the
Read More

March 1, 2023 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, Women's History, and womens history month.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

On St. Patrick’s Day…we all have a little Irish in us! Go raibh míle maith agat! An Irish blessing is used in its original Gaelic often in Ireland – one of the few expressions that almost everybody knows. The meaning is – ‘Many thanks' – literally ‘That you may have a thousand good things' and is pronounced  Guh rev mee-lah maw og-ut. St. Patrick’s Day Grab & Go Kit Available in the Library Lobby starting Friday, March 10th at 10:00 a.m. while supplies last. St. Patrick’s Day-themed Grab & Go kits for children in Kindergarten through 3rd grade. Stories &
Read More

February 23, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books for children, children's events in White Plains, Observances and Celebrations, and St. Patrick's Day.

New Books in the Edge: February 2023

New Books in the Edge: February 2023

One of the best parts of my job is ordering new books for the Edge–reading the reviews, seeing what popular authors come up with next, or finding out about an upcoming sequel to an old favorite. Read on to find out about some of the new YA fiction titles coming to our shelves this month. Going Dark by Melissa de la Cruz Grades 9 and up Library Catalog / hoopla / Libby “Josh Rueter and his influencer girlfriend, Amelia Ashley, travel to Rome for vacation, but when only Josh returns home and Amelia's busy social media goes dark, he is
Read More

February 21, 2023 1:15 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: new books, new in the Edge, staff picks, staff recommendations, YA Fiction, and YA literature.

Celebrate Pi Day with Us!

Celebrate Pi Day with Us!

Pi Day Family Storytime Wednesday, March 15th at 7 pm For: Children & Families Location: Galaxy Hall Don’t miss our Pi Day Family Storytime on March 15th at 7pm! Play some games, listen to a story and make a craft. It will be fun for the entire family! March 14 is Pi Day. It is a day to celebrate the mathematical constant pi (π), and to eat lots of pie! It is celebrated in countries that follow the month/day (m/dd) date format, because the digits in the date, March 14th or 3/14, are the first three digits of π (3.14).
Read More

February 21, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Observances and Celebrations, Pi day, Pi Day Storytime, storytime, storytime in white plains, storytimes, The Trove, and trove events.

Graphic Novel Book Club News

Graphic Novel Book Club News

Our next meeting will be Monday, March 13th at 5:00 p.m. in the Castle (in the Trove) The first book for the GNBC has been chosen: Babysitters Club #1 – Kristy’s Great Idea (Library Catalog) Check out these Graphic Novels: Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier Library Collection Libby: eBook Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick Library Collection Libby: eBook InvestiGATORS by John Patrick Green Library Collection Libby: eBook Long Distance by Whitney Gardner Library Collection The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner Library Collection Libby: eBook Stargazing by Jen Wang Library Collection Libby: eBook
Read More

February 18, 2023 11:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: book clubs for kids, Graphic Novel Book Club, graphic novels, and The Trove.

Author Storytime: Purim Goodies

Author Storytime: Purim Goodies

Author Visit Storytime: Purim Goodies Ages 2-6, Families Thursday, 11:00 a.m. – March 2 Award-winning local author and illustrator Amalia Hoffman performs her delicious tale, seasoned with funny Yiddish words. Make music with an egg beater and pots and dance to Klezmer tunes and sing-along. A unique and fun-filled event for children and families that will whet your appetite!
Read More

February 17, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Amalia Hoffman, author storytime, author visit, Observances and Celebrations, Purim, and storytime.

February Middle Grade Pick of the Month

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! Children of the Quicksands by Efua Traoré Library Catalog: Print Simi is distraught to be plucked from her comfortable city life in Lagos and sent to visit her estranged grandmother in the rural village of Ajao. Soon, however, Simi learns of a battle between the villagers and the local gods – a battle that tore her family apart, and one that she has to resolve before it’s
Read More

February 16, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: middle grade, middle grade fiction, Middle Grade Pick of the Month, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

February Programs for Younger Kids

February Programs for Younger Kids

Great programs for younger children take place all month long, every month, at the Library. See our online calendar or stop in the Trove for location information. Black History Month StoryWalk February is Black History Month.  Come view the Library’s StoryWalk featuring Molly, By Golly!: The Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter by Dianne Ochiltree, illustrated by Kathleen Kemly.  In addition to the StoryWalk, there will be some photos related to the history of firefighting in White Plains on display.  The StoryWalk will be available for viewing in the Library’s Gallery through February 28. Winter StoryWalk Come enjoy
Read More

February 15, 2023 11:54 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Activities for children in Westchester, activities for children in White Plains, children's events, dance, February 2023, kids, live music, music, performances, programs, storytime, The Trove, trove, and trove events.