Archives for Homepage Kids

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. Robots may be machines, but these stories about robots teach us a lot about being human. Here are some robot books filled with humor, joy, kindness, empathy, and heart. Ultrabot’s First Playdate by Josh Schneider Library Catalog A young girl and the giant robot next door is the basic premise of this awesomely illustrated book. Ultrabot is worried and
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, and Library News.

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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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

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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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Library Reopening April 29th

To read this text in Spanish, click here / Para español, haga clic aquí. We are very pleased that the Library reopened 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 service updates: We reopened with the exact same level of service we offered over the summer: Patrons are welcome to browse the first floor collections and check out material. Appointments are no longer required to visit the Trove. We will still be mindful of the number of people using the space at
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Categories: COVID-19, Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

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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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

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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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

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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Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

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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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

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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Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

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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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

YTI Performing Arts Video Classes

Courtesy of Youth Theater Interactions (YTI) in Yonkers, below is a selection of free performing arts video lessons in the categories of Acting, African Dance, African Drumming, Ballet, Keyboard, Music Theory, Tap and Vocals. These are video series of previous YTI virtual semesters. YTI has provided these video lessons to the Library free of charge to encourage the White Plains community to “Take a chance and learn a new form of artistic expression on your own schedule, and from the safety of your own home.” Acting Spring 2020 Virtual Class Series Fall 2020 Virtual Class Series African Dance Spring 2020
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Categories: Classes, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

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 daughter and I love music. Jazzy mornings playing; sing-alongs in the car; country, classic rock, reggae, 80s and 90s cookouts and backyard fun; headbanging rock and punk after dinner dance parties; a 70s soul-funk-R&B soundtrack for baking and cooking… Music is a constant in our lives. Here are some picture books filled with positivity based on classic songs
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

The Importance of Wordless Books

“Wordless picture books are often quickly dismissed as being too easy. But they are a powerful tool in developing literacy skills. Understanding books without words involves interpreting the illustrations as there is no text to rely on. This promotes comprehension, vocabulary, and listening skills and an understanding of story structure and character development.”–Children's Library Lady Return, by Aaaron Becker Library Catalog A father and daughter duo embark on a great adventure. Spot the Cat, by Henry Cole Library Catalog An open window is Spot’s opportunity to experience a day full of adventures. Unspoken: a Story From the Underground Railroad, by
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Financial Literacy for Middle Graders

Tuesdays: April 6, 13, 20, & 27, from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Local student, Varun Bansal, will teach a four-part workshop on financial literacy for students in grades 4-8. Financial literacy is a passion of Varun’s and he is happy to share everything he has learned with younger students to get them on the path to financial wellness. He will be covering basic concepts of earning, spending, and saving, how to develop better money habits, basics of investing, banking, credit, and debit cards – how to open bank accounts, the difference between checking and savings accounts, card options, interestrates, borrowing, etc., and
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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

April 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. – April 6, April 13,
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Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, and Library News.

Autism Acceptance Month

April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day, and the month of April has been deemed Autism Acceptance Month. Let’s Light it Up Blue and support acceptance and inclusion of people with autism! Unfortunately, despite its prevalence in today’s society, many people still don’t understand this spectrum disorder. So what is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? It is a range of conditions typically characterized by challenges with social skills and communication difficulties. It affects 1 in 54 children in the United States today. Since it is a spectrum, people with autism can range anywhere from needing significant support in everyday life to
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

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. What is it about The Gingerbread Man? Why does this story appeal so much? There are so many aspects of the original tale that are just odd, strange and dark, once you stop to think about them (why, really, were the Old Man and Old Woman baking the Gingerbread Man?). Ultimately, it’s a cautionary tale about not trusting strangers,
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

National Poetry Month

To celebrate National Poetry Month, I will highlight some wonderful poetry books that are colorful, educational, and delightful. These books portray poetry as a fun way to play with words. Among them, you’ll find a little boy who notices that poetry is in nature and everyone, a poem about a bug show, and a celebration of the joy and imagination of childhood. These books are a magnificent treat if you love to read! Poetry is also a wonderful way to learn about stanzas, form, imagery, and word play. If your child is interested in exploring creative writing, join librarians Kat
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Dive Into Diversity: The Power of Music

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. Music is powerful and can connect us to others. These days, I find myself listening to old favorite bands and remembering the times when we all could see live shows. Until that happens again, here are some suggestions of books about
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Dive into Diversity: Environmental Activism in Children’s Picture Books

The protection of our planet and its resources is a global concern, and activists worldwide have been and continue to work on saving the planet from environmental destruction – including our younger generations. An interesting site for kids and educators about kid environmental activists and activism that is worth exploring is Young Voices For the Planet, founded by author and illustrator Lynne Cherry who is well-known for her rain forest classic, The Great Kapok Tree. Gathered here are noteworthy picture books (both stories and nonfiction) that are about environmental activists who have helped and are helping to save our world.
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.