Archives for Authors & Books

Dive Into Diversity: Spooky Stories

Dive Into Diversity: Spooky Stories

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. School has begun again and the weather will turn chillier as we head into fall and the spooky season! When I was a kid, I was a big fan of watching Are You Afraid of the Dark? and reading the Goosebumps
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September 24, 2021 3:33 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books for children, books for kids, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, halloween, Halloween Books, Observances and Celebrations, October, Spooktober, spooky stories for kids, and stories to read in october.

Dive into Diversity: Italian-American Heritage Month!

Dive into Diversity: Italian-American Heritage Month!

October is Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month. The month-long celebration recognizes the many contributions and achievements of Italian-Americans in the U.S. According to National Today, “Over 26 million Americans of Italian descent currently reside in the U.S. — making up America's seventh largest ethnic group.” New York Public Library’s, 5 Picture Books to Celebrate Italian-American Heritage Month lists some great books to share with young children, and below you will find several noteworthy and fun titles for kindergartners to sixth-graders to celebrate Italian heritage and culture – buon divertimento! Paolo, Emperor of Rome by Mac Barnett & Claire Keane (Grades
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September 24, 2021 1:26 pm | by | 1 Comment
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, Dive into Diversity, Italian-American History, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Dive into Diversity: Witches!

Dive into Diversity: Witches!

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. In honor of Halloween, this month's post is a roundup of YA fiction starring… witches! This month I read a popular graphic novel, The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner. It's about 13-year-old Moth Hush, who lives in Founder's Bluff, Massachusetts, and loves all things witchy. While working on a school play about
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September 23, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, halloween, Halloween Books, October, Spooktober, staff picks, staff recommendations, witches, YA Fiction, and YA literature.

Future is Female Book Discussion

Future is Female Book Discussion

Another one of our popular book groups is the Future is Female, a mix of memoirs, short stories, novels, and poetry by and about interesting, talented, and inspiring women in history, the arts, sports, and everyday life. Led by Ellen O’Connell, a White Plains resident and retired English teacher. The group will meet on the first Monday of every month, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. Click on the date(s) you'd like to attend for the Zoom link. To place one of the readings on hold, simply click on your preferred format. November 1: The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles Library Collection:
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September 22, 2021 1:21 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: book discussion, book group in westchester, book group in white plains, books by women, and feminist books.

October Book Bunch & Author Visit

October Book Bunch & Author Visit

Does your child enjoy funny books? Do they geek out about mythology? Are they really into graphic novels? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then your kid would be totally interested in our upcoming virtual book discussion! On Wednesday, October 6th at 4:30 p.m., join librarians Ashley and Caroline to chat about the first book in the Nico Bravo series called Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades by Mike Cavallaro. We’re thrilled to announce that author and illustrator Mike Cavallaro will be joining us for a Q&A session after the discussion! This program is open to
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September 20, 2021 10:02 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book bunch, Book discussion for kids, book discussion for middle grade students, book discussion for teens, books for children, juvenile fiction, Mike Cavallaro, Nico Bravo, and Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades.

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’ve been taking a break over the summer from our Project LIT Book Clubs but we’re happy to announce that they
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September 20, 2021 10:01 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book discussions, kids book club, Project Lit, Project Lit Community, and teen book club.

Teen Book Review: The Martian Chronicles

Teen Book Review: The Martian Chronicles

Title: The Martian Chronicles Author: Ray Bradbury Publisher: Harper Collins Library Catalog / Hoopla / OverDrive & Libby The first book to interest me in the science fiction genre, and a compelling read, The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury is set in a fictional world where humans colonize Mars. The book is a collection of several short interconnected short stories, with time jumps between each. Starting with perspective of the first mission of humans to reach Mars, and ending with the last few people left on Mars, this story is full of masterful twists, leaving you question what is real,
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September 20, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book review, books, for teens by teens, Ray Bradbury, reading, teen book review, and teen volunteers.

Teen Book Review: A Very Large Expanse of Sea

Teen Book Review: A Very Large Expanse of Sea

Title: A Very Large Expanse of Sea Author: Tahereh Mafi Publisher: Harper Collins Library Catalog / Hoopla / OverDrive & Libby The romance novel A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi is about a high school sophomore named Shirin who‘s had a tough life growing up dealing with bullying. Shirin’s tired and annoyed of people stereotyping her; based on her religion, what she wears, and who she is. Since Shirin is used to receiving so much disrespect and physical violence, she builds up a strong personality. A strong personality where if someone makes a joke about her, she’ll
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September 13, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book review, books, for teens by teens, reading, Tahereh Mafi, teen book review, and teen volunteers.

Autumn is Here!

Autumn is Here!

Fall is right around the corner. What better time to leaf through a good book. You can have a hoot with any of these titles. Rake in a good read and get ready for some pumpkin spice and everything nice coming your way. From crisp air to light sweaters, from picking apples to carving pumpkins, this is the season of fun. Happy autumn! This is a Taco!, by Andrew Cangelose. Library Collection OverDrive / Libby How to Grow an Apple Pie, by Beth Charles. Library Collection OverDrive / Libby Pete the Cat Falling for Autumn, by James Dean. Library Collection
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September 9, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: autumn, autumn reading list for children, children's books about autumn, and children's literature.

Mindfulness Practice

Mindfulness Practice

Transitions can be tricky, and it takes some practice to adjust to circumstances that are beyond our control. Whether it’s watching your child graduate from kindergarten, starting a new job, or getting used to a post-pandemic world, transitions can be overwhelming for most people. During this phase, transitioning from one type of life to another, complex emotions often arise that make us feel overwhelmed, anxious, worried, or frustrated. I have been practicing mindfulness for over ten years now and still have a lot to learn. However, I can honestly state that the practice of Zen meditation, yoga and mindfulness has
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September 6, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: kids books, Meditation, mindfulness, staff picks, staff recommendations, and stress management.

Teen Book Review: Prisoner B-3087

Teen Book Review: Prisoner B-3087

Title: Prisoner B-3087 Author: Alan Gratz Publisher: Scholastic Library Catalog / Hoopla / OverDrive & Libby Alan Gratz's Prisoner B-3087 takes place in Poland during World War II when the Nazis invade. It's about a Jewish boy named Yanek who must struggle and survive while still grasping onto humanity and hope. Yanek faces many situations that are life-threatening, but it only makes him stronger and aware towards one goal; to survive. The novel is based on the true story of Jack Gruener, who survived the Holocaust. I highly recommend this book to someone who is interested in learning about history
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September 6, 2021 10:00 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Alan Gratz, book review, books, for teens by teens, reading, teen book review, and teen volunteers.

September 2021 LibraryReads

September 2021 LibraryReads

Here are the books published this month that librarians across the country love. Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune Library Catalog: Print OverDrive/Libby: eBook / audiobook “After dying of a heart attack, Wallace ends up in Charon’s Crossing Tea and Treats, a shop run by Hugo the ferryman, whose job is to help people come to terms with their death and cross over. Wallace learns and grows, becoming better in death than in life. For readers who enjoy character-driven, humorous, and heartrending stories and fans of A Man Called Ove, This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance, and Less.” —Andrea
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August 31, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: librarian recommendations, Library Reads, library staff picks, LibraryReads, September 2021 book releases, September LibraryReads, and staff recommendations.

What You Need to Know About… Marvel’s Eternals

What You Need to Know About… Marvel’s Eternals

Disney is adding the Eternals into the MCU this November, but who are they? At first glance the Eternals look like souped up X-People (that’s right, I said “people” to fight our patriarchal society, deal with it), who have been around a really long time. The Eternals were created by Jack Kirby in the 70’s. Jack Kirby gave us Captain America back in the 40’s, was one of the principal authors of Marvel’s silver age, and brought X-Men (fine, I said it but only because that is the title, hence the italics). The Eternals were then brought back by Neil
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August 31, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: comic books, graphic novels, Marvel, staff picks, staff recommendations, the Eternals, and What You Need to Know About.

Teen Book Review: Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Teen Book Review: Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Title: Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie Author: Jordan Sonnenblick Publisher: Scholastic Library Catalog / OverDrive & Libby Jordan Sonnenblick’s realistic fiction novel Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie is about a thirteen year old boy named Steven and his five year old little brother Jeffrey. Jeffrey’s diagnosed with leukemia and Steven wants to keep that silent because he also needs to focus on school, tries to catch up with his extra activities, and has a crush on someone. While Jeffrey is not well, Steven can’t pay attention to his studies because he’s worried of his brother and doesn’t want anything worse
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August 30, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book review, books, for teens by teens, Jordan Sonnenblick, reading, teen book review, and teen volunteers.

Teen Book Review: Kindred

Teen Book Review: Kindred

Title: Kindred Author: Octavia Butler Publisher: Beacon Press Library Catalog / Hoopla / OverDrive & Libby In the book Kindred, Dana, an African American woman, is transported back in time to Maryland before the Civil War to save Rufus, a young white boy. In a series of journeys that defy time, Dana faces many life-threatening scenarios. This book is an excellent read for fans of history and suspense as Dana consistently puts her life on the line to help others. This book also contains mild violence to demonstrate the inhumane treatment of slaves during this period. Overall, this book is
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August 23, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book review, books, for teens by teens, Octavia Butler, reading, teen book review, and teen volunteers.

Dive into Diversity: Happy Autumn Birthdays!

Dive into Diversity: Happy Autumn 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, and I can’t believe it, but now it’s time to celebrate Autumn birthdays! I hope you enjoy the great titles below. A great resource to find even more diverse notable titles for kids is We Need Diverse Books’ website, Where Can You Find Diverse Books? Right Here! Happy Autumn birthdays! Writer Aisha Saeed, Birthday: September 2nd Bilal Cooks Daal, illustrated by Anoosha Syed (Grades K-2) OverDrive
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August 19, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: authors and illustrators, autumn, children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Dive into Diversity: YA Mysteries

Dive into Diversity: YA Mysteries

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 a list of YA mysteries. This month, I'm happy for another opportunity to talk about Slay by Brittney Morris. We discussed this exciting mystery at our last Project LIT book club for teens in the spring, and it was unanimously declared a favorite. The main character, Kiera Johnson,
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August 19, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, mysteries, staff picks, staff recommendations, teens, YA Fiction, ya mysteries, young adult books, and young adult fiction.

Dive into Diversity: School Stories

Dive into Diversity: School Stories

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 inevitably happens this time of year, summer break is unfortunately coming to an end! Get in the mindset for a new school year by reading one of these awesome diverse school stories! The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson For
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August 19, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: back to school, children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Summer Reading 2021

Summer Reading 2021

Summer Reading at the White Plains Public Library starts Monday, June 28 and will run through Friday, August 20! Due to the impact of COVID-19 on services, Summer Reading will be completely online this year via the READsquared platform, the READsquared website, or the READsquared app, available for iOS and Android. Find information on the great lineup of programs and events for kids, teens and families in July and August here. Get Started! Register and login to READsquared. Individual youth participants can register as themselves, or parents and caregivers can register all of their children at one time. This allows
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August 18, 2021 10:31 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: children, families, Read Squared, summer reading, summer reading game, teens, The Edge, and The Trove.

Summer Programs for Kids & Teens

Summer Programs for Kids & Teens

Summer Reading at White Plains Public Library: 6/28 – 8/20 Summer Reading at the Library kicks off Monday, June 28 and runs through Friday, August 20. Reading activity will be logged online with READSquared. More information on Summer Reading at White Plains Public Library can be found here. Programs for Younger Kids Information on the Library’s storytimes, guest performers and special events for younger children and families can be found here. Programs for Kids in Grades K-6 Information on programs, activities and special events for kids in Grades K-6 can be found here. Programs for Teens in Grades 7-12 Information
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August 18, 2021 10:30 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book discussion, children's programs, dance, music, performing arts, STEAM, STEM, STEM Camp, summer 2021, summer programs, summer reading, teen programs, The Edge, and The Trove.