Archives for Featured

Will Parker Concert

Will Parker Concert

Tails, Tales & Tunes Children, families, all ages welcome! Wednesday, 2:00 p.m. – August 18th Kids musician Will Parker will perform a fantastic, interactive concert outside on the Library Plaza. Social distancing is requested and unvaccinated individuals ages two and up should wear masks at outdoor programs. In case of inclement weather, the concert will be virtual on Zoom. Access the Zoom program, if necessary, here. Note: Youth-focused virtual programs require a registered Zoom account. Creating an account is free and easy at http://zoom.us/signup. Check out some more of Will Parker’s music. This program is supported by the White Plains
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July 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: library events, music, performance, The Trove, and Will Parker.

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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July 27, 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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July 27, 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.

August Poetry Slam

August Poetry Slam

Our next Virtual 10 SLAM* is scheduled for August! Join Zork and Kristen on the usual First Wednesday, August 4th, from 7:00–9:00 p.m. Pre-registration is required to try and accommodate as many poets as possible. To register to perform or attend, click here. If you plan to perform, after registering, please send your name (how you'd like to be introduced), email address, and a short 60-word bio as a reply to kthornton@whiteplainslibrary.org. If you know the title of the poem you'll be performing ahead of time, you can also include that in your email. All are welcome! *For those of
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July 27, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: poem, poetry, Poetry Open Mic, poetry slam, White Plains Library SLAM, and Zork.

What You Need to Know About: Monster, now on Netflix

What You Need to Know About: Monster, now on Netflix

Gone are the days when every middle school and high school summer reading list was full of titles by Walter Dean Myers. While at one time, Myers was the go-to author for diverse characters, because he was one of the only authors of diverse characters, we are now fortunate that the publishing industry has begun embracing diverse authors.  WIth this shift in the publishing industry, and public desire for diverse works, there is an increasing body of wonderful and important works by newer writers such as Jason Reynolds and Angie Thomas. But this doesn’t mean that Myers' books are no longer poignant
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July 27, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: teen movies, teens, What You Need to Know About, and YA literature.

Dive Into Diversity: Happy Summer Birthdays!

Dive Into Diversity: Happy Summer Birthdays!

There are so many talented and diverse children’s authors and illustrators being published! To celebrate them, I have decided to celebrate their birthdays on a seasonal basis starting with summer, and hopefully continuing throughout the year 2021-22. I was greatly inspired by Eric VanRaepenbusch’s website, Happy Birthday Author, and highly recommend it! VanRaepenbusch’s website focuses on creating “memorable reading experiences by celebrating author and Illustrator birthdays.” He has engagingly documented the authors and illustrators he as a homeschooling parent has studied with his children, and the STEAM activities they have done together to create an incredible resource for other parents
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July 26, 2021 11:31 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Teen Book Review: Follow Your Arrow

Teen Book Review: Follow Your Arrow

Title: Follow Your Arrow Author: Jessica Verdi Publisher: Scholastic Library Catalog / OverDrive & Libby A girl named Cece Ross is a social media influencer. Things are great until she and her girlfriend break-up. Soon after she meets a boy who isn’t on social media at all and keeps her internet fame a secret. But social media catches up quickly and now Cece faces a scandal. I really enjoyed this book, it was quick and easy and deals with topics like identity, the LGBTQ+ community and social media. I definitely recommend this book as we see Cece grow to put
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July 26, 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, Jessica Verdi, reading, teen book review, and teen volunteers.

Summer STEAM: Beaded Bubble Wand

Summer STEAM: Beaded Bubble Wand

After the Summer Solstice on Sunday, June 20th, summer is officially underway! We’re celebrating with a summer-themed Grab & Go STEAM kit, available to pick up on July 26th. The kits will contain beads and a pipe cleaner. This is a fun and easy craft that can be done indoors or outdoors. You can make the design above or use these instructions to create your own unique craft. Whether you love to blow bubbles, want to work on a creative craft or just want to unplug, this is a fun activity for the entire family. For an enriched STEAM activity
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July 26, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Grab & Go kits, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEAM kits, and STEM.

Explore Japanese Culture: Sushi

Explore Japanese Culture: Sushi

Food Series Wednesday, August 11th 7:00–8:00 p.m. Click here for the zoom link. Did you know there are many kinds of sushi in Japan? Do you know why wasabi and ginger are served on the side? From its origins to how it has become a celebratory dish of choice, to its evolution in Japan, we will show you sushi in all its forms. We will also show how you can prepare some forms of sushi easily at home. That’s right, you can be a sushi chef right at home! Come join us to learn all you need to know about
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July 26, 2021 8:44 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: cooking, cuisine, events, Explore Japanese culture, food, and sushi.

Shadow Puppetry Performances and Workshop

Shadow Puppetry Performances and Workshop

Firelight Shadow Theater presents two pre-recorded performances available for viewing from July 11 – July 30. Me and My Shadow is for PreK and family audiences, while Spin Me a Shadow, Tell Me a Tale is for Grades K-5 audiences. Then, on August 11, kids in Grades 2-5 are invited to take part in a shadow puppetry workshop. As Daniel Barash of Firelight Shadow Theater says, “See you in the land of shadows!” Me and My Shadow PreK, families Pre-recorded show accessible July 11 – July 30 Access the video here starting July 11. After first introducing youngsters to the
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July 23, 2021 10:33 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's events, Firelight Shadow Theater, shadow puppetry, shadow puppets, The Trove, and trove events.

Dive Into Diversity: Let’s Go on a Trip

Dive Into Diversity: Let’s Go on a Trip

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. It’s summer break and perhaps your family is traveling! If that isn’t the case, here are a few recommendations of great diverse stories about going on a journey that you can stay home and enjoy! Fly on the Wall by Remy
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July 23, 2021 9:50 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, juvenile fiction, staff picks, staff recommendations, and travel.

On-Demand TaleWise July Show

On-Demand TaleWise July Show

Did you miss the STEAM-azing show, Unicorns: Break the Cage, presented by TaleWise on July 20, 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 Unicorns: Break the Cage Create a new, free, TaleWise account or sign in with Google, Facebook or an existing TaleWise account. TaleWise respects your privacy and will not share your information or send
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July 22, 2021 1:39 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children, children's events, performances, programs, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEM, STEM learning, Talewise, Talewise On-Demand, and The Trove.

Dive into Diversity: YA Retellings

Dive into Diversity: YA Retellings

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. I was somehow able to wait until July before writing about one of my favorite types of fiction: retellings of fairy tales and classic stories. This month I read A Blade So Black by L. L. McKinley, a retelling of Alice in Wonderland. In this version, Alice stumbles into an awareness of Wonderland when
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July 22, 2021 10:56 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, fairy tales, staff picks, staff recommendations, and YA Fiction.

Grab & Go Craft Kits: Wire Photo Holder

Grab & Go Craft Kits: Wire Photo Holder

Teens in grades 7-12 can pick up a kit with project supplies at the Library, then follow along with the instructional video below to make the project. Or, you can find the materials around your home and follow the video to make the project. Kits are first come, first served, and will become available on Monday, July 19th in the Library lobby. For this month’s project, we’re making a decorative photo holder using a rock and some wire. The kit includes a smooth, flat rock, two feet of wire, some paint, a foam brush, and a couple of popsicle sticks.
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July 19, 2021 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: crafts for teens and Grab & Go kits.

Author Visit with Nathaniel Rich

Author Visit with Nathaniel Rich

Please join us for a virtual author visit with Nathaniel Rich on Tuesday, August 10th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. He’ll discuss his recent book Second Nature: Scenes from a World Remade (Library Catalog / OverDrive). Today, scientists race to reanimate extinct beasts, our most essential ecosystems require monumental engineering projects to survive, and chicken breasts grow in test tubes. No rock, leaf, or cubic foot of air on Earth has escaped humanity's clumsy signature. The distinctions we grew up with—between natural and artificial, dystopia and utopia, science fiction and science fact—have blurred, losing all meaning. In Second Nature, we meet ordinary people
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July 16, 2021 11:16 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Events, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Foundation, Library Foundation, and Library News.
Tags: author visit, book discussion, climate change, environmental science, meet the author, and Nathaniel Rich.

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. Here’s Part 3 of Peculiar Picks of books based on songs, uplifting and positive. Here are Part 1 and Part 2. Note: I recommend caregivers listen to the music for themselves before sharing with their child to determine if they feel it is appropriate for their child. Let’s Dance adapted from lyrics by David Bowie, illustrated by Hannah Marks
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July 15, 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.

Great Podcasts for Kids 2

Great Podcasts for Kids 2

Summer’s not over yet and that may mean you have some car trips coming up. Or, perhaps, you just want to give your kids some screen-free learning opportunities? Here are some excellent podcasts, on a variety of topics and themes, to enjoy, selected by Josh Carlson, Manager of Youth Services. Also, be sure to check out Part 1 in this series of podcast recommendations as well as recommendations for Great Podcasts for Parents and Caregivers. All of these podcasts should be available on any service you use to listen to podcasts, such as Apple Podcasts, Apple Music, Spotify, Stitcher, Google
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July 14, 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.

July 2021 LibraryReads

July 2021 LibraryReads

Here are the books published this month that librarians across the country love. Find out more here. Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda Library Catalog: Print “The tight-knit neighborhood of Hollow's Edge is supposed to be a safe, private place where the neighbors all know each other. But secrets lie behind every door. Miranda creates a vivid setting where the characters develop quickly, and the twisty plot will keep readers guessing until the end. For fans of psychological thrillers like The Other Mrs., Into the Water, and Every Secret Thing.”—Leslie Hagel, Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield, CT All The Little
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July 7, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: books, Library Reads, LibraryReads, reading list, and recommendations.

creativebug

creativebug

Creativebug offers thousands of art and craft classes by well-respected designers and instructors who bring years of practice, tried-and-true teaching methods, and the ability to demonstrate every step clearly.
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July 2, 2021 3:08 pm | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Fashion, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Family CV, Homepage Research and Learning, Kids, Library News, Research, Resources, and Teen.
Tags: crafting, crafts, creativbug, crocheting, resources, and sewing.

Magazines on Libby & OverDrive

Magazines on Libby & OverDrive

Library patrons now have access to over 3,000 magazines titles digitally through OverDrive or the Libby App. All you need is a library card from the Westchester Library System to access them. For information on getting a library card, click here. We've also curated some lists to help you get started, including Popular titles, Cooking, Crafts, Design, Fashion, Music, Sports, and more. You can read the magazines on a smartphone, iPad, or computer. When you see an article you want to read, click on it and you'll be prompted to Read the Article. This opens up the article, making for
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July 2, 2021 10:00 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: libby, magazines, and OverDrive.