Archives for Authors & Books

Dive into Diversity: Happy Winter Birthdays!

Dive into Diversity: Happy Winter Birthdays!

There are so many talented and diverse children’s authors and illustrators to recommend! To highlight them, I have continued with my series of celebrating their birthdays on a seasonal basis. I started with summer, I covered Autumn birthdays, and here we are now at Winter birthdays! I hope you enjoy the great titles below. A great resource to find even more diverse notable titles for kids is the Colours of Us website, The Colours of Us: All About Multicultural Children's Books. Happy Winter birthdays! Author and Illustrator Jason Chin, Birthday: December 5th Redwoods (Preschool – 2nd Grade) OverDrive hoopla Library
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November 16, 2021 2:33 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books for children, children's books, Dive into Diversity, Observances and Celebrations, and winter.

Dive into Diversity: YA Humor

Dive into Diversity: YA Humor

In 2021, my Dive into Diversity posts about young adult books will focus on a different genre each month. I’ll highlight books with characters that represent a range of experiences and identities. I’ll also feature authors who share an aspect of their characters’ identity as much as possible. This month I've collected humorous YA books, from romantic comedy to dark humor. YA is not typically known for its comedies, so this was a bit of a challenge. While not all of the books below will be entirely positive or uplifting, all contain an aspect of humor. This month I read
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November 15, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, staff picks, staff recommendations, teen books, teen literature, and YA humor.

Native American Stories

Native American Stories

In November we honor the peoples who have lived here before European colonization. Their presence continues to be felt and seen everywhere. From teaching the pilgrims how to survive those first bitter Northeastern winters, to the underappreciated part they played on the Underground Railroad, to the Code Talkers who helped us win World War II, there is a lot about them we still do not know. As we continue to know their stories, to share their wisdom, and learn from each other, we can take a moment to enjoy the titles below. You can also visit the Smithsonian National Museum
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November 10, 2021 10:34 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, National Native American Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, November, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, and The Trove.

Introducing Our New and Improved Parenting Collection

Introducing Our New and Improved Parenting Collection

As parents, one of our most difficult responsibilities is talking to our children about certain challenging topics. Books are a fantastic way to stimulate these types of discussions and help teach our children valuable life lessons. We've recently reorganized and refreshed our parenting collection. Now, these books are even easier to find! Our parenting collection is now located near our non-fiction collection, behind our reference desk. It is divided into two sections: one with books meant for you to read as parents, and one with books for children and parents to read together. Books for parents are shelved as they
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November 9, 2021 3:39 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books for parents, caregivers, library collection, parenting, parenting collection, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

#BookTok Faves

#BookTok Faves

Whether you're on TikTok or not, #BookTok has undeniably influenced reading trends, especially for young adults. Between boosting sales of books by popular authors like Colleen Hoover, to increasing interest in Dark Academia, TikTok content creators have inspired many to expand both their reading tastes and TBR piles. Get a taste of what's trending on TikTok with this curated list by Marketing Librarian Kristen, and find our #BookTok Faves collection on here on OverDrive. The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake Libby & OverDrive: eBook / Audiobook A self-published TikTok sensation, Blake's The Atlas Six combines elements of classics like Donna
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November 1, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations, books popular on TikTok, BookTok, staff picks, staff recommendations, and TikTok.

Project LIT Book Clubs for Kids and Teens

Project LIT Book Clubs for Kids and Teens

Project LIT is a global initiative to help kids, tweens, and teens engage with the real events shaking our country and the world at large. As a chapter in the Project LIT Community, the Trove and Edge staff organizes discussions revolving around recommended titles, highlighting and celebrating books that affirm and value all students. Our Project LIT Book Club for Kids & Tweens is for grades 4-8 and our Project LIT Book Club for Teens is for grades 7-12. We have been repeatedly blown away by our discussion participants, who have been smart, insightful, and continue to make connections between
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October 27, 2021 10:28 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book club, book discussion, kids book club, Project Lit, Project Lit Community, and teen book club.

Dive into Diversity: YA Fantasy

Dive into Diversity: YA Fantasy

In 2021, my Dive into Diversity posts about young adult books will focus on a different genre each month. I’ll highlight books with characters that represent a range of experiences and identities. I’ll also feature authors who share an aspect of their characters’ identity as much as possible. This month we have the last genre theme for the year: my favorite, YA fantasy. This month I read Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko, which had been on my list for quite a while–so long, in fact, that its sequel was recently published. I had high hopes, and Raybearer exceeded them. The story
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October 22, 2021 9:56 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, Fantasy, staff picks, staff recommendations, YA Fiction, and YA literature.

Dive Into Diversity: Food, Family, Friends

Dive Into Diversity: Food, Family, Friends

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. As we delve deeper into the fall and the weather gets chillier, I usually find myself reconnecting with friends and spending time with family around the holidays. I hope you enjoy reading these diverse recommendations that combine all three – food,
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October 21, 2021 2:03 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books for children, books for kids, children's literature, and Dive into Diversity.

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

The Library is excited to join the free nationwide program, 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. This program is designed to help caregivers connect and prepare their children for kindergarten by reading together.  Research has demonstrated that reading to children at a young age has a direct positive impact on their cognitive development and later academic success. For a quick, easy-to-read summary of the benefits of reading to babies, see here. Who is it for? Any child may participate from birth until he/she enters kindergarten. You may start the program at any time. The goal of 1,000 books seems daunting, but in
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October 21, 2021 10:00 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: 1000 books before kindergarten and early literacy.

Dive into Diversity: National Diabetes Awareness Month

Dive into Diversity: National Diabetes Awareness Month

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Diagnosed cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are surging among youth in the United States. From 2001 to 2017, the number of people under age 20 living with type 1 diabetes increased by 45%, and the number living with type 2 diabetes grew by 95%.” According to the article, “New Research Uncovers Concerning Increases in Youth Living with Diabetes in the U.S.,” “The greatest increases in type 2 diabetes prevalence were seen in youth who are Black or Hispanic, and the
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October 21, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, National Diabetes Awareness Month, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

October 2021 LibraryReads

October 2021 LibraryReads

Here are the books published this month that librarians across the country love. All The Feels by Olivia Dade Library Catalog: Print “Alex is an actor on a Game of Thrones-type TV show entering its final season. Lauren’s job is to keep him out of trouble. Their relationship develops over forced proximity, a road trip, and tons of fanfic tropes (only one bed!). This steamy romance, with flawed, genuine characters and sensitive treatment of mental health and body issues, is a delight from start to finish. For fans of Spoiler Alert, Girl Gone Viral, and One To Watch.” —Lauren Mitchell,
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October 19, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: librarian recommendations, Library Reads, library staff picks, LibraryReads, October LibraryReads, 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. My last Peculiar Picks featured two girls who befriended dragons, but that was just scratching the surface of the many wonderful picture books with dragons. In this Peculiar Picks, find some fantastic draconic reads, that all share a similar quality: absolutely amazing artwork. If you like dragons, perhaps you’d like to check out some other Monster-rific Reads – there’s
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October 14, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, dragons, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

SF/Fantasy and Horror on Audio

SF/Fantasy and Horror on Audio

This content is taken from the October issue of Booklist Reader. You can find the full issue here. Magic, mayhem, and menace are some of the building blocks of these enchanting sf, fantasy, and horror novels for adults. Masterful narrations, both from individual narrators and cohesive full casts, are another. Read more about each of these superb audiobooks below. For more spooky reads, see our “Witch, Please!” and “Horror Stories” collections on OverDrive. Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre. By Max Brooks. Read by a full cast. 2020. 10hr. Books on Tape. OverDrive & Libby: Audiobook A
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October 6, 2021 9:55 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: Booklist reader, fantasy audiobooks, halloween, Halloween Books, horror audiobooks, October, science fiction audiobooks, Spooktober, and staff recommendations.

Books to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Books to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Check out these staff selected titles to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month this year: Children: Sonia Sotomayor: a judge grows in the Bronx = la juez que creció en el Bronx By Winter Jonah Library Collection OverDrive & Libby Before Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor took her seat in our nation's highest court, she was just a little girl in the South Bronx. Justice Sotomayor didn't have a lot growing up, but she had what she needed — her mother's love, a will to learn, and her own determination. With bravery she became the person she wanted to be. With hard
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October 4, 2021 2:45 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: hispanic authors, Hispanic Heritage Month, latino authors, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Spooktober Book & Movie Pairings

Spooktober Book & Movie Pairings

Are you looking for something scary to read or watch this Spooktober? Adult Services Librarian Kristen compiled a list of books and movies that compliment each other's plot and/or themes. Some of these are sure to scare your socks off, so readers/viewers beware! If you're a fan of haunted houses… Read: Home Before Dark by Riley Sager Library Collection: Print / Large Print OverDrive/Libby: eBook / Audiobook Bells that ring themselves. Record players that turn on an play music to empty rooms. Ghosts that can climb out of wardrobes… Maggie Holt doesn't believe in these things, even though they are
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September 30, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: halloween, Halloween Books, horror, horror films, horror novels, Observances and Celebrations, October, Spooktober, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Great SPOOKY Podcasts

Great SPOOKY Podcasts

Here are some great spooky podcasts to get your kids and teens (and you!) in the Halloween mood. 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 great podcast recommendations, leave them in the comments below! For additional (non-spooky) podcast recommendations, click here! FOR KIDS & FAMILIES The Creeping Hour If your kids like Goosebumps, then The Creeping Hour horror anthology series from NPR is going to be a hit. Recommended for ages 8-12 and families, these are some
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September 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Great Podcasts, halloween, Halloween Books, Observances and Celebrations, October, podcasts, Spooktober, spooky podcasts, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

What You Need To Know About… Ragnarok

What You Need To Know About… Ragnarok

Netflix has a fairly new TV series called Ragnarok (seasons 1 & 2 are available to watch). Don’t be confused by the title, this has nothing to do with Thor: Ragnarok from the MCU. No, this is actually based on Norse mythology, not just the popularized versions of Thor, Loki, Odin, and Freya from the Marvel movies. The show was filmed in Norway with an all Norwegian cast. It is a modern telling of Ragnarok, the end of the world, which will happen in the small coastal town of Edda. The Giants (the enemies of the Aesir (Norse Gods)) are
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September 28, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: netflix, Ragnarok, staff picks, staff recommendations, The Edge, tv shows, and What You Need to Know About.

Halloween STEAM

Halloween STEAM

Halloween is a wonderful time to learn about ghoulish goblins, bob for apples, visit Sleepy Hollow, and go trick-or-treating. However, if some of these activities aren’t an option, there are still plenty of fun things to do virtually to satisfy your need for creepy crawlies and menacing mummies! The Library will be hosting two fun and spooky STEAM projects: one for grades 1-6 and one for grades 4-8. Twelve kits will be available for each age group and patrons can register online through the library calendar to pick up their kits. Both kits will include items needed for the program,
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September 28, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: halloween, Halloween Books, Halloween STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, and STEM.

Diwali: A Celebration of Light

Diwali: A Celebration of Light

Diwali, or Dipawali, is India‘s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects us from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians. Over the centuries, Diwali has become a national festival that's also enjoyed by non-Hindu communities. For instance, in Jainism, Diwali marks the nirvana, or spiritual awakening, of Lord Mahavira on October 15, 527 B.C.; in Sikhism, it honors the day that Guru Hargobind
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September 28, 2021 9:13 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, children's literature, diwali, Diwali celebration in Westchester, diwali celebration in White Plains, Grab & Go kits, and Observances and Celebrations.

Teen Book Review: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

Teen Book Review: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before Author: Jenny Han Publisher: Simon and Schuster Library Catalog / Hoopla / OverDrive & Libby You've probably heard of the movie To All the Boys I've Loved Before, but little do most know it is based on the book by Jenny Han. In this page-turning book, the protagonist Lara Jean suffers the consequences when her younger sister sends off her most private possessions. Lara Jean wrote letters to every boy she'd ever loved describing intimate details and things she never wanted them to actually know. So, when one of the boys reaches
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September 27, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book review, books, for teens by teens, Jenny Han, reading, teen book review, and teen volunteers.