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Talk Like a Pirate Day: Swashbuckling Reads

Talk Like a Pirate Day: Swashbuckling Reads

Ahoy, me hearties! Avast! Get yar stern to a comfy couch or deserted isle, prop up yer peg leg and get to reading some of these thar piratical reads!  Before I make ye walk the plank! Saturday, September 19th is International Talk like a Pirate Day. When you're finished reading, try one of these Seafaring Activities or else you'll have to swab the deck ye scurvy dog! Picture Books The Pirate Princess by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen Some princesses may like tea and fancy parties, but Princess Bea would prefer sailing upon the briney deep in this tale of girl power on the
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September 17, 2020 12:10 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book recommendations, eBooks, fun, Observances and Celebrations, staff recommendations, and Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Talk Like a Pirate Day: Seafaring Activities

Talk Like a Pirate Day: Seafaring Activities

Ahoy, me hearties! Blimey! Saturday, September 19th is International Talk like a Pirate Day! Although pirates were once considered to be dangerous, today they are often parodied in books and films (just think of the Pirates of the Caribbean films). Did you know that many of the words we use today, such as chopsticks, posse, and barbecue were introduced by a pirate named William Damper? In addition to being a pirate, Damper was also an amateur historian and the first person to circumnavigate the world three times. When ye need a bit of a respite from these adventurous activities, take yar
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September 17, 2020 11:51 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: activities, arts & crafts, crafts, eBooks, fun, Observances and Celebrations, staff recommendations, STEAM activities, and Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Hispanic Heritage Month: Chapter Books

Hispanic Heritage Month: Chapter Books

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. Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres For children in grades 3-6. Hoopla: Audiobook OverDrive: Audiobook & eBook There’s a lot going on for seventh grader Stef Soto! She’d love for the kids at school to stop calling her Taco Queen
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September 16, 2020 10:59 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books, children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, Hispanic Heritage Month, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, The Trove, and virtual book display.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from September 15th to October 15th. The month-long celebration recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States.The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. The day of September 15th is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries – Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September
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September 15, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, Hispanic Heritage Month, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Hispanic Heritage Month: YA Fiction

Hispanic Heritage Month: YA Fiction

Hispanic Heritage Month is observed between September 15th and October 15th. To celebrate, I had fun putting together a list of books by Hispanic authors. This month, I read American Road Trip by Patrick Flores-Scott. Surprisingly, the road trip itself is a fairly minor part of the storyline, which contains so many layers that it’s difficult to write a spoiler-free summary, but here goes… Teodoro Avila puts no effort into academics, and his family life is tense due to the absence of his older brother Manny, stationed in Iraq. In preparation for Manny’s return, Teodoro and his sister, Xochitl, make
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September 15, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: books, Dive into Diversity, Hispanic Heritage Month, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, and teen books.

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. Now, I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with the books that came before these two titles, but in both cases my daughter absolutely loved the sequel, and was sort of meh about the first one in comparison. Sometimes, I think it is that perhaps the creators have a better sense of the characters and the best story
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September 10, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's literature, Peculiar Picks, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Autumn: Children’s Books

Autumn: Children’s Books

Autumn is the season of shorter days, frosty nights, delicious apples, pumpkins, cranberries and more. The sweaters come out, the animals prepare for hibernation and we watch the leaves falling to the ground. Families get cozy together to celebrate the bounty and togetherness. However you decide to enjoy the season, make sure you take advantage of everything autumn has to offer. eBooks in OverDrive: Over in the Forest, by Marianne Berkes. Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin, by Tad Hills. Apple Orchard Race, by Abby Klein. How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?, by Margaret McNamara. The Apple Orchard Riddle, by
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September 9, 2020 5:39 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: autumn, children's books, eBooks, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, staff picks, staff recommendations, and virtual book display.

STEAM at Home: Nature Bracelets

STEAM at Home: Nature Bracelets

Autumn is a time when we shift our eyes from the summer sun to watch the leaves change color. There are so many fun outdoor activities that kids can do safely. For example, children love jumping on a bed of leaves and hearing them crunch beneath their feet. One fun activity that you can do with your family is take a nature walk and create an autumn nature bracelet. You will need duct tape, scissors, possibly a ruler, and found objects from your nature walk. Please follow the CDC guidelines for walking in the park. Also, Liz Lee Heinecke advises
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September 9, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEAM learning, and STEM.

STEAM at Home: Styrofoam Glider

STEAM at Home: Styrofoam Glider

This week’s project was to take a piece of styrofoam and make it fly through the air. This is a fun and simple way to learn a little about aeronautics. Supplies: Styrofoam rectangle (you can use a meat tray) Playing card Tape Coins Ruler Marker Exacto Knife Instructions: Make a styrofoam rectangle. I used a meat tray from the supermarket; wash off all of the salmonella and cut off the rounded sides to create a flat piece. Center of Gravity: For an object to fly, the center of gravity (CG) needs to be 75% behind the balancing point. Right now
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September 7, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEAM learning, STEM, and videos.

She Writes: Graphic Novels

She Writes: Graphic Novels

This week we launch the first collection of titles for our “She Writes” series. First up, we're featuring graphic novels for a variety of ages, all written and illustrated by women. Below you'll find available formats, but we also have a curated list with additional titles in OverDrive that you can checkout here. For Children (and up) Phoebe and her Unicorn series by Dana Simpson Grade 4+ Library Collection OverDrive and Libby “A pink, bubble-gum bonbon of a tale spun of a likable, albeit self-centered, fourth-grader and her magical, self-obsessed, although sometimes-kind, unicorn.”–Kirkus Click series by Kayla Miller Grade 3-7
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August 27, 2020 6:35 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: books by women, comics, female authors, graphic novels, She Writes, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

medici.tv for Classical Lovers

medici.tv for Classical Lovers

If you love classical music, then you probably feel that the Library has been giving you short shrift. And you're right. As the circulation of our Classical CDs has continued to decline, we've invested less and less in that area. With the result that even fewer Classical CDs circulate. It's a vicious cycle. Fortunately, medici.tv–a streaming website–should go a long way to remedying this situation. Described as “the closest thing to a classical Netflix” by The New York Times, medici.tv offers a dazzling collection for classical music fans. Warning: it's hard not to get lost–for hours!–sampling medici.tv's holdings. There are
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August 27, 2020 4:05 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: classical music, medici.tv, and resources.

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. Today’s Peculiar Picks titles are from the Fox & Chick series written and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier: The Party and Other Stories and The Quiet Boat Ride and Other Stories. Fox & Chick are kind of like a modern Frog and Toad, with quirky humor and plenty of heart. As a “comic book” styled easy reader, these are great
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August 27, 2020 11:11 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, Library News, and Uncategorized.
Tags: children's literature, Peculiar Picks, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Going to School in the Time of COVID-19

Going to School in the Time of COVID-19

A new school year is here bringing with it new challenges. We have prepared a sample of titles dealing with going to school under difficult circumstances. If you are considering homeschooling as an option for your family, please check out Lauren's post which includes information and resources. Going to School: Mae’s First Day of School, by Kate Berube. (eBook on Freading) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School, by Davide Cali. (eBook and Read-Along on OverDrive) The Name Jar, by Yangsook Choi. (eBook on OverDrive) First Day Jitters, by Julie Dannenber. (Read-Along on Tumblebooks) Pete The Cat Too
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August 27, 2020 10:56 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: back to school, children's books, picture books, staff picks, staff recommendations, and virtual book display.

Great Graphic Novels for Kids: Part 3

Great Graphic Novels for Kids: Part 3

What’s not to love when it comes to graphic novels? They’re a ton of fun and I’ve noticed that the majority of kids absolutely adore reading them! From Dog Man by Dav Pilkey to Smile by Raina Telgemeier, I am constantly being asked if we have some of the most popular graphic novels currently in the library. The kids get this look of pure joy when they find out that we do! Our graphic novel section is a well loved area and I enjoy recommending various books to eager readers. Without further ado, enjoy some of these great graphic novel
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August 27, 2020 10:49 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: graphic novels, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Homeschooling Reading List

Homeschooling Reading List

Many parents are choosing to homeschool their children this year given the current pandemic. To be clear, choosing to follow a full virtual model provided by your school district is NOT to be confused with homeschooling. Homeschooling is where you are completely responsible for both the curriculum and reporting your child’s progress to the state. Homeschooling is an involved process that must follow certain guidelines.  New homeschooling parents need resources to help them. We at the Library have many items available to make your journey easier.  In addition to physical titles in our Parenting section, we have many eBook and
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August 27, 2020 10:44 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, COVID-19, Featured, Homepage Family CV, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: at home learning, eBooks, Homeschool, homeschooling, parenting, parenting in a pandemic, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Announcing Project LIT Community Chapter

Announcing Project LIT Community Chapter

Great news! The Library has become a chapter in the Project LIT Community and is in the process of organizing both teen and middle grade Project LIT Book Clubs, contacting community organizations, schools, and authors, and connecting to students in White Plains. Our Project LIT goal will be to “read, discuss and celebrate books that affirm and value all students.” What is Project LIT Community? It is a national grassroots literacy movement that is dedicated to increasing access to culturally sustaining books and promoting a love of reading. Dr. Jarred Amato and his Maplewood High School (Nashville, TN) students founded
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August 27, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Antiracism, book discussion, book group, Ibram X. Kendi, Jason Reynolds, One Book One White Plains, Project Lit, Project Lit Chapter, and Project Lit Community.

STEAM at Home: Bubbles

STEAM at Home: Bubbles

Kids are fascinated by bubbles because blowing bubbles is a fun activity, especially in the summer. You can blow bubbles in a bathtub, outdoors, or when you are doing the dishes. Even adults love popping bubbles! One fun STEAM activity to do this summer is creating bubbles, and experimenting with different sizes, shapes, and number of bubbles. Materials: Four cups of warm water Half a cup of dish soap Half a cup of sugar Bowl Spoon For this project, we’ll follow the instructions from this video. First, pour half a cup of sugar into the bowl. Next, carefully mix in
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August 26, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, and STEM.

STEAM at Home: Balloon Rockets

STEAM at Home: Balloon Rockets

This week’s STEAMonday project introduces some basic concepts of rocket science by turning a balloon into a rocket. Supplies: Balloon Origami Paper First step is to take your balloon, blow it up, and release it. Watch it fly through the air with a random trajectory. What is a rocket? A rocket is simply a container full of fuel, with a nozzle that will slowly release the fuel, sending an object in the air. Is a balloon a rocket? Absolutely! It is a container, full of fuel (your hot air to be exact, or CO2 which is a gas), with a
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August 25, 2020 9:50 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEM, and videos.

Staff Picks: IndieFlix

Staff Picks: IndieFlix

White Plains Cardholders just gained access to another video streaming resource with the addition of IndieFlix. IndieFlix brings engaging stories to movie lovers around the world. It provides access to over 7,000 high-quality shorts, features, documentaries, classic TV shows and Web series from 85 countries. You can watch movies on any Internet-enabled computer, smartphone, or tablet with a Web browser! Also available on Roku, Xbox, and Apple TV. If you're unsure where to start, check out these recommendations from Adult Services Librarians Tim Baird, Kristy Bauman, and Sharon Rothman. Valdez Goes Extreme If you love extreme skiing movies a la
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August 18, 2020 3:10 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: IndieFlix, movies, rbdigital, short films, staff picks, staff recommendations, streaming, and video.

100 Years of Suffrage: Slide Show

100 Years of Suffrage: Slide Show

On August 18, 1920, a twenty-three year old representative in the Tennessee state legislature cast the deciding vote to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” Tennessee became the 25th state to ratify the amendment, giving it the three-fourths of the states needed to become the law of the land. This was the culmination of over 70 years of work by thousands of women in the U.S. to win
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August 18, 2020 1:55 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage, Library News, and Local History.
Tags: local history, slide show, video, and Women's Suffrage.