Archives for Kids

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. As mentioned in the first Peculiar Picks about Song Books, music is a constant in our household. All kinds of music. Here are some more books based on songs that are absolutely full of positive vibes, as well as some links to the music that inspired the books. Note: I recommend caregivers listen to the music for themselves before
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June 3, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, music, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

National Dinosaur Day

National Dinosaur Day

Dinosaurs roamed our planet sixty-five million years ago and children are fascinated by these ancient creatures. Whether it’s because of their size, movie lore, or epic extinction, dinosaurs have always been popular among children. To celebrate International Dinosaur Day on June 1, we put together some Grab & Go kits for a fun dino egg experiment. The project is geared toward children in kindergarten through third grade, but older kids might find it fun as well. The Experiment: The kit includes a plastic dinosaur, a balloon, and instructions for how to create and hatch your own dinosaur! Around the house,
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May 28, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Grab & Go kits, International Dinosaur Day, Observances and Celebrations, and staff picks.

TaleWise: The Mummy at Mystery Mansion

TaleWise: The Mummy at Mystery Mansion

TaleWise presents: The Mummy at Mystery Mansion Tuesday, June 15, 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. Frankie and Casey visit their uncle for his annual costume party, only to find out that a creepy mummy has been scaring everyone away! Some say the house is haunted, but Frankie and Casey have a different idea. Join them on their adventure to unravel the mystery of the mummy! Along the way, you’ll explore some spooky and exciting science concepts about blackouts,
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May 27, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Homepage Kids, and Kids.
Tags: children, children's events, performances, programs, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEM, STEM learning, and Talewise.

Turtle Dance Music: Tails & Tales

Turtle Dance Music: Tails & Tales

Turtle Dance Music presents: Tails & Tales! A Virtual Music, Bubble and Comedy Show! Thursday, June 17, 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. Flap your wings, jump up and down like five little monkeys jumping on the bed and roar like a polar bear! The Tails & Tales performance celebrates famous children's stories and songs about animals including a few written by adults on the autism spectrum! The show will also celebrate biodiversity – the more
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May 27, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's events, dance, kids events, trove events, and Turtle Dance Music.

June Events for Younger Kids

June 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. Summer Reading at White Plains Public Library Summer Reading at the Library kicks off Monday, June 28th. Logging Summer Reading will be done online using the READSquared platform again this year and will feature programs for three age groups PreK, Grades K-6, and Grades 7-12. More information is coming soon! Grab & Go: Kits Grab&Go: Kits are fun and educational activities to do
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May 27, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's events, dance, June 2021, kids, live music, music, performances, programs, storytime, summer reading, The Trove, trove, and trove events.

Great Podcasts for Kids: Part 1

Great Podcasts for Kids: Part 1

With the long Memorial Day Weekend coming up, and summer vacation on the horizon, perhaps you’re going to be taking a long car trip. Podcasts are great for that time, or any time! Here’s a selection of excellent podcasts for kids and families selected by Josh Carlson, Manager of Youth Services. All of these should be available on any service you use to listen to podcasts, such as Apple Podcasts, Apple Music, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, etc. If you have some additional great podcast recommendations, leave them in the comments below! Podcast Potpourri Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl Forget the annoying,
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May 26, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Great Podcasts, Great Podcasts for Kids, podcasts, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Celebrate Pride 2021 with Children’s & YA Books!

Celebrate Pride 2021 with Children’s & YA Books!

LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and all of the other sexualities, sexes, and genders that aren't included in these few letters) Pride Month is celebrated annually in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots, which took place in New York City. The Stonewall riots marked the beginning of a movement to abolish discriminatory laws and practices against LGBTQIA+ persons in the United States, which continues to our present day. Pride celebrates the achievements of LGBTQIA+ Americans, and it highlights the work that continues in order to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for those in the LGBTQIA+
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May 25, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: LGBTQIA+, Observances and Celebrations, Pride Month, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

The Fight for Voting Rights

The Fight for Voting Rights

The fight for the right to vote has been an ongoing struggle in the United States since this country's founding, and continues to this day. Right now, we are living in the midst of an important historical moment in our country’s fight for democracy, and I hope this blog can offer parents and students resources for understanding the past and our present history. I found The Georgia Public Broadcasting’s “Things Explained: The History of U.S. Voting Rights” video to be a helpful, condensed kid-friendly video that explains this country’s voting rights struggles (especially the struggles of our country’s Black citizens).
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May 25, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: staff picks, staff recommendations, voting, and voting rights.

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, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, norse mythology, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, staff recommendations, and vikings.

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, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Arbor Day, children's books, music, Observances and Celebrations, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

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, 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 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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April 27, 2021 3:38 pm | by | 17 Comments
Categories: COVID-19, Director's Corner, 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, 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, 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, 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.

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, 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: 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, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, fairy tales, Reads Revisited, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

YTI Performing Arts Video Classes

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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April 14, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Classes, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: acting, ballet, dance, music, performing arts, theater, and Youth Theater Interactions.