Archives for Homepage Kids

Twilight Zone Day

Twilight Zone Day

Celebrated each year on May 11, Twilight Zone Day is a fun way to enter a dimension where dolls protect those they love, aliens can be deceiving, and a man who loves to read never has any time to do so. The Twilight Zone was created, written, and narrated by Rod Sterling. The show premiered on October 1, 1959, and ended its run in 1964. Watching a marathon of The Twilight Zone has become a New Year’s Eve tradition for many fans; however, this wacky, and wonderful show can be viewed and enjoyed at any time of the year. The
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May 11, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, STEAM at home, STEAM projects, STEM, and The Twilight Zone.

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. Reading these fun pictures books about Vikings lead to my daughter becoming interested in learning more about Vikings and Norse Mythology. The Three Vikings by Adam Auerbach Library Catalog A red Viking, a blue Viking, and a wee green Viking set off on adventures seeking entry to the fabled Valhalla. Red is super strong, Blue is very brave, but
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May 6, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, norse mythology, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, staff recommendations, and vikings.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo and Mexican-American Heritage!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo and Mexican-American Heritage!

Cinco de Mayo marks the unlikely defeat of a large, well-trained French invading force by an undermanned Mexican army in the Battle of Puébla on May 5,1862. The victory against the French forces prevented Emperor Napoleon III from helping the Confederacy win the American Civil War. Dave Roos, on the History Channel’s webpage, “How Cinco de Mayo Helped Prevent a Confederate Victory in the Civil War,” writes,“Napoleon figured if he could get his hands on Mexico, it could become the first colony in a new French stronghold in North America. Abraham Lincoln was busy fighting the Civil War, so the
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May 5, 2021 10:10 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Cinco de Mayo, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

May the Fourth Be with You!

May the Fourth Be with You!

Happy Star Wars Day! For additional reads and activities to celebrate, check out our previous May the Fourth Be With You blog posts! Below find some newer Star Wars books, along with some fun activities. Stars Wars Books for Younger Readers Star Wars Galactic Storybook by Calliope Glass, illustrated by Katie Cook eBook / Library Catalog A fun retelling of Skywalker Saga for younger readers with exceedingly cute illustrations. A Jedi You Will Be by Preeti Chhibber, illustrated by Mike Deas eBook / Library Catalog Experience training with Luke Skywalker on Dagobah and receive Jedi wisdom from Master Yoda in
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May 4, 2021 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: eBooks, May the 4th Be With You, May the Fourth Be With You, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, Star Wars, and STEAM.

Hoopla Bonus Borrows for May

Hoopla Bonus Borrows for May

Hoopla Bonus Borrows are back from May 1 – 31! Choose from hundreds of titles in Hoopla's Bonus Borrows collection. Find some staff highlights below or see the full list here. Adult Materials Books Heiress for Hire (Part 1 of the Duke's Heiress series) by Madeline Hunter eBook Minerva Hepplewhite has learned the hard way how to take care of herself. When an intruder breaks into her home, she doesn't swoon or simper. Instead she wallops the rogue over the head and ties him up-only to realize he is Chase Radnor, the man who nearly got her convicted of her
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May 3, 2021 10:14 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books, children's books, hoopla, hoopla Bonus Borrows, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Turtle Dance Music: Swing into Spring!

Turtle Dance Music: Swing into Spring!

Turtle Dance Music presents: Swing into Spring! A Virtual Music, Bubble and Comedy Show! Thursday, May 20, 11:00 a.m. Children, families, all ages welcome! Access the program here. Note: a free registered Zoom account is required to access the Library’s youth programs. Get a Zoom account here. “It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!” The Music, Bubble and Comedy Show: Swing Into Spring! engages children with comedy, swing music, jazz music, songs, poems, bubbles, music technology and children's stories which foster literacy, storytelling and a lifelong love of your local library! The show is crafted to
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April 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Autism, Autism Acceptance Month, children's events, dance, kids events, trove events, and Turtle Dance Music.

TaleWise presents: Dragons: Return of the Ice Sorceress

TaleWise presents: Dragons: Return of the Ice Sorceress

TaleWise presents: Dragons: Return of the Ice Sorceress Tuesday, May 18, 3:30 p.m. Grades K-8 Access the program here. Note: a free registered Zoom account is required to access the Library’s youth programs. Get a Zoom account here. A long time ago, in a faraway world, two brave villagers go on a daring journey to save the kingdom from the evil Ice Sorceress. When things don’t go as planned, however, they need to look to themselves (and to science!) for the answer. Don’t miss this fun fantasy adventure exploring the science of dry ice! Check out a trailer for the
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April 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children, children's events, performances, programs, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEM, STEM learning, and Talewise.

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. While putting together last week’s Peculiar Picks for Earth Day, I noticed I had several tree-centric books. It only made sense, then, with Arbor Day on April 30, to compile an Arbor Day list. On the last Friday each April, National Arbor Day celebrates planting trees and what that tree will provide into the future: “clean air and water,
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April 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Arbor Day, children's books, music, Observances and Celebrations, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Hands-on Crafts for All Ages

Hands-on Crafts for All Ages

This spring, we’re offering hands-on craft programs for all ages! Learn a beautiful and fun origami technique from Talo Kawasaki, who has decades of experience as an origami artist and teacher. For Instagram examples of his work, see @talo.kawasaki. Later in the month, YA Librarian Kat will be teaching hand-sewing basics with a small decorative sewing project. Adults, stay tuned–we're working on adding a crochet class for the June installment of our monthly Quick n Easy craft series, regularly scheduled on the first Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Join us to enjoy some mindful crafting this spring. Origami
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April 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Classes, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library Foundation, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: arts and crafts, crafts, Origami, Quick n Easy, and sewing.

Space Travel Grab & Go Kits

Space Travel Grab & Go Kits

In celebration of Star Wars Day, May 4th, I have dedicated this month's STEAM Grab & Go Kits for middle graders and teens to space travel, because one day isn’t enough to celebrate the Star Wars franchise, it deserves an entire month. The kit for grades 4-8 includes paper strips and straws to make an airplane (pictured left) shaped like the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. This will test if that oddly shaped spacecraft could actually fly. The kit for teenagers is a mini-paper air rocket (pictured top left) designed by NASA. This includes instructions and a straw that teens
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April 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: everyday STEAM, Grab & Go, Grab & Go kits, Star Wars, STEAM, STEAM learning, and STEM.

May Events for Younger Kids

May Events for Younger Kids

Some great regular events for younger children take place all month long. See below for times and access. Note: All youth-focused virtual programs require a registered Zoom account. Creating an account is free and easy at http://zoom.us/signup. Grab & Go: Kits Grab&Go: Kits are fun and educational activities to do at home. Kits are available in a variety of age ranges throughout the month, including AtoZ and special themed PreK level Kits. Dates that new Kits are available for pickup can be found on our online calendar. Trove Storytimes Ages 2-6, families Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. – May 4, May 11,
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April 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's events, dance, kids, live music, May 2021, music, performances, programs, storytime, The Trove, trove, and trove events.

Library Reopening April 29th

Library Reopening April 29th

To read this text in Spanish, click here / Para español, haga clic aquí. We are very pleased that the Library will be reopening on Thursday, April 29th. A huge thanks goes to all of our patrons for their patience as we navigated this past year. Some facts about our reopening: We will reopen with the exact same level of service we offered over the summer: Patrons will be welcome to browse the first floor collections and check out material. The Trove will be open for 45-minute appointments, one family (no more than four people) at a time. Call (914)
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April 27, 2021 3:38 pm | by | 13 Comments
Categories: COVID-19, Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: covid-19, COVID-19 update, COVID19, library hours, library reopening, and library services.

Celebrate Moms & Grandmas Around the World!

Celebrate Moms & Grandmas Around the World!

This year, Mother’s Day is celebrated on Sunday, May 9th. Moms and grandmas are special the world-over! Scholastic has put together a nice article on Mother’s Day traditions around the world which I thought would be worthwhile sharing here: “Mother's Day Traditions Around the World”. I also recommend taking a look at Charnaie’s diverse and inclusive booklist on her Here Wee Read blog, “I'll Always Love My Mama – 25 Picture Books to Celebrate Mom on Mother's Day or Any Day”. Celebrating the moms and grandmas in your life this year may be challenging, but hopefully this booklist of picture
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April 27, 2021 12:18 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, Dive into Diversity, Mother's Day, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Dive Into Diversity: Classic Reimaginings

Dive Into Diversity: Classic Reimaginings

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. Classic literature can be great but their protagonists are more often than not usually white. I’m really impressed with the writers of the following diverse classic reimagining books and excited to read the ones I haven’t yet since they all sound
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April 27, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Asian Pacific American Stories for Children

Asian Pacific American Stories for Children

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The Library of Congress offers more context about this celebration here. Below, Trove Librarian Tata has curated a list of books that honor the experiences and contributions of Asian/Pacific Islander Americans. These stories highlight Asian/Pacific Islander American cultures, traditions, experiences and more–allowing us to share in our common humanity. The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf Library Catalog OverDrive Lizard’s Tale by Weng Wei Chan Library Catalog OverDrive The Ocean Calls: A Haenyo Mermaid Story by Tina Cho Library Catalog OverDrive
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April 26, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, children's books, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

April and May Book Discussions for Kids and Teens

April and May Book Discussions for Kids and Teens

Calling all readers! Join our Youth Services librarians in reading and discussing some truly awesome books. Each month, we host two Project LIT book discussions: one for kids, and one for teens. Note: you must have a Zoom account to attend these programs; sign up for a free account here. Project LIT Book Club for Kids and Tweens In April, our Project LIT Kids Book Discussion group will be meeting on Wednesday, April 14th at 4:30 p.m. We will be reading The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez! Children in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade are invited to
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April 23, 2021 9:27 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book club, book discussion, kids book club, Project Lit, and teen book club.

On-Demand TaleWise April Show

On-Demand TaleWise April Show

Did you miss the STEAM-azing show, Earth Day: Revenge of the Toxic Robot, presented by TaleWise on April 22, 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 Earth Day: Revenge of the Toxice Robot. Create a new, free, TaleWise account or sign in with Google, Facebook or an existing TaleWise account. TaleWise respects your privacy and will
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April 23, 2021 9:25 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children, children's events, Earth Day, Observances and Celebrations, performances, programs, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEM, STEM learning, Talewise, and The Trove.

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. Earth Day is celebrated annually in April. Here are some Peculiar Picks to celebrate, as well as to reflect on the importance of our planet and to perhaps begin making a difference for the betterment of the Earth. We truly live in a wonderful world, let’s keep it that way. Click here for more Earth Day recommended reading and
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April 22, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, Earth Day, music, Observances and Celebrations, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

STEAM at Home: Phases of the Moon

STEAM at Home: Phases of the Moon

Join us on May 25th, at 4:00 p.m. for this Phases of the Moon event. After we read Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed, we will work together to create a “phases of the moon” STEAM craft. Supplies are limited, so  please register here. Please be sure to include an EMAIL ADDRESS or PHONE NUMBER in your registration in order to be contacted to pick up your Kit for participation in the program. Our Grab & Go kits will include a paper plate, a template of the phases of the moon, and black and white construction paper. If you
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April 20, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Grab & Go kits, space, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, and STEM.

Reads Revisited: The Princess and the Pea

Reads Revisited: The Princess and the Pea

One of the clearest memories I have of my childhood is being in bed while my mother read to me. My mother read about the lives of saints and martyrs, about Greek & Roman mythology. She even read poems from Federico García Lorca. Nevertheless, the story I loved the most was The Princess and the Pea, by Hans Christian Andersen (Library Collection: 1, 2, 3, 4 / OverDrive & Libby: eBook 1, eBook 2, eBook 3, eBook 4). I loved all Andersen’s stories, and reacted to them very honestly as my mother went through the entire collection. I laughed at
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April 20, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, fairy tales, Reads Revisited, staff picks, and staff recommendations.