Archives for Kids

African Folktales

African Folktales

The African continent is home to many peoples and cultures. This sample covers only 6 diverse peoples from Africa, leaving many more to explore. Whet your appetite with these stories and visit the Trove to find many more. Enjoy! Mrs. Chicken and the Hungry Crocodile, by Won-Ldy Paye “A clever chicken outwits a hungry crocodile by convincing the reptile that she is her sister. This trickster tale is smart and funny. It comes from the Dan people of Liberia and this illustrated version is perfect for a younger audience.”—School Library Journal Beautiful Blackbird, by Ashley Bryan “Because they don't have
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February 28, 2020 2:06 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

African American Tradition

African American Tradition

The African American tradition of storytelling helps bring together collective experiences and wisdom through well-known characters and stories as in the ones selected here. Enjoy these stories of hope, humor, kindness, cleverness, and more. Jump! The Adventures of Brer Rabbit, by Joel Chandler Harris “The folktales collected by Harris from former slaves at the end-of-the-century constitute a valuable contribution to African American folklore. The illustrations, full-page portraits of the character and their antics, are in pen-and-ink and watercolors. They match the text in humor and vigor.”—School Library Journal The Headless Haunt and Other African-American Ghost Stories, by James Haskins “A
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February 27, 2020 4:24 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: african american tradition, black history month, children's books, folk tales, ghost stories, Observances and Celebrations, and storytelling.

Girl Power in Picture Books

Girl Power in Picture 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. Raquel's portion is aimed at readers up to Grade 3. A good web resource for book ideas to celebrate Women’s History Month is the A Mighty Girl website, which “features over 3,000 girl-empowering books.” Here are a few of the great picture books for young readers to celebrate Women’s History
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February 27, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: picture books and womens history month.

Peculiar Picks: Narwhal and Jellyfish Series

Peculiar Picks: Narwhal and Jellyfish Series

Peculiar picks are a selection of odd, funny, interesting, curious, moving, irreverent, and otherwise wonderfully awesome, but perhaps not well known, reads. Picture books for younger readers and their grown-ups, handpicked by the Library's Youth Services Manager, Joshua Carlson. Many of the books in this column are ones that my wife and I have read with our daughter. Our experiences of trying to find books to keep up with her insatiable love of books, while also keeping us interested in reading them, lead to a lot of the choices in this column. The Narwhal and Jellyfish books by Ben Clanton
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February 27, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Ben Clanton, book recommendations, Peculiar Picks, and picture books.

Pointers 4 Parents: The Breaking News

Pointers 4 Parents: The Breaking News

Lauren's “Pointers 4 Parents” column features tips, tricks, and resources for caregivers with a specific focus on children with special needs. In light of all the terrible news that we see daily, be it on the news, social media, or in real life, here are some resources to help you talk to your children. Caroline Knorr of Common Sense Media suggests tips for talking to kids about violence, crime, and war at different ages. Common Sense Media is an amazing online resource for parents in general, not just for this topic. It gives parents information about nearly everything media related
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February 27, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations and pointers 4 parents.

Women in STEM

Women in STEM

All of the remaining programs are canceled this month. Take part in programs celebrating Women in STEM to celebrate Women's History Month throughout March. Women in STEM Film series: Thursday, March 5 at 6:00 p.m.: Gravity (PG-13, 91 mins.) Tuesday, March 10 at 6:00 p.m.: Hidden Figures (PG, 127 mins.) Thursday, March 12 at 6:00 p.m.: Contact (PG-13, 153 mins.) Tuesday, March 12 at 6:00 p.m.: Amelia (PG, 111 mins.) Tuesday, March 24 at 6:00 p.m.: Temple Grandin (PG, 110 mins.) Thursday, March 26 at 6:00 p.m.: Arrival (PG-13, 116 mins.) Tuesday, March 31 at 6:00 p.m.: Gorillas in the
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February 24, 2020 2:52 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Events, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: film series and STEM.

Writing Tips for Young Writers: Writing Blocks

Writing Tips for Young Writers: Writing Blocks

Caroline's “Writing Tips for Young Writers” column will feature fun writing prompts/props to motivate students in grades 3-6 to pursue creative writing. This month's column is “Writing Blocks: Find a Writing Buddy!” Do you find yourself hitting a writing block—a feeling of not being able to write—even if you have to work on an assignment? Do you love to write for fun but feel as if you are climbing Mount Everest with each blank page? As someone who loves to read and has been published, I still feel intimidated by the blank pages that await me. However, I’ve learned that
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February 7, 2020 11:22 am | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: creative writing and writing tips.

Dive Into Diversity: Black History Month for Grades 4-6

Dive Into Diversity: Black History Month for Grades 4-6

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. Author and educator Zetta Elliott put together this incredible list of middle grade and young adult books published in 2019 by black authors. Below are a bunch of them that I’m especially looking forward to reading! New Kid by Jerry Craft
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February 5, 2020 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, and Kids.
Tags: black history month, children's books, Dive into Diversity, juvenile fiction, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Board Book Bonanza: Celebrating Black History Month

Board Book Bonanza: Celebrating Black History Month

“Board Book Bonanza” will highlight the wealth of excellent board books being published for babies and young preschoolers for parents and caregivers to share with their little-ones. It's never too early to have fun and learn about science, art, history and so much more! The following is a list of positive and loving board books for babies available in the Trove to celebrate Black History Month: Be Boy Buzz by Bell Hooks & Christopher Raschka “Brown-skinned boys with long, curving arms and curly hair lope and leap across sienna-colored pages; bright squiggles of scribbled design add a geometric counterpoint to
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February 4, 2020 3:54 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Kids.
Tags: Baby Says, Be Boy Buzz, black history month, board books, book recommendations, children's books, children's literature, I Love Me, I love My Hair, and Observances and Celebrations.

Dive into Diversity: Celebrating Black History Month with Picture Books

Dive into Diversity: Celebrating Black History Month with Picture 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. Raquel's portion is aimed at readers up to Grade 3. A great resource for parents and educators looking for the newest, excellent titles for children by African-American writers and illustrators is The Brown Bookshelf’s 28 Days Later: A Black History Month Celebration of Children’s Literature at 28 Days Later. Highlighted
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February 1, 2020 10:37 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: black history month, children's books, Dive into Diversity, diverse reads, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Pointers 4 Parents

Pointers 4 Parents

Lauren's “Pointers 4 Parents” column features tips, tricks, and resources for caregivers with a specific focus on children with special needs. As an introduction to this column, let’s start with some tips for reading to or with your child(ren). An Ohio State University study suggests that children who have five books a day read to them enter kindergarten having heard about 1.4 million more words than children who aren't read to. Listen, I understand that life happens. There are days for every parent when there’s just no time for anything you want to do. Some days you may not get
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January 30, 2020 12:24 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Evergreen, Kids, and Library News.

Black History Month

Black History Month

Take part in programs celebrating Black History Month throughout February. Black History Month Film series: Feb. 2, 2:00pm: Remember the Titans (PG, 114min) Feb. 4, 6:30pm: To Kill a Mockingbird (NR, 129 min) Feb. 5, 6:30pm: Dreamgirls (PG13, 129min) Feb. 6, 6:30pm: 42 (PG13, 128min) Feb. 8, 2:30pm: Queen of Katwe (PG, 124min) Feb. 9, 2:00pm: The Wiz (G, 133 min) Feb. 11, 6:30pm: Hidden Figures (PG, 127min) Feb. 13, 6:30pm: Selma (PG13, 128min) Feb. 16, 2:00pm: Ruby Bridges (NR, 120min) Feb. 18, 6:30pm: Red Tails (PG13, 124min) Feb. 19, 6:30pm: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse (PG, 117min) Feb. 20, 2:00pm:
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January 30, 2020 9:40 am | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Events, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: black history month, children's events, film screenings, Observances and Celebrations, programs, storytime, and teen programs.

2020 American Library Association Youth Media Award Winners

2020 American Library Association Youth Media Award Winners

Below find a selection of this year’s ALA Youth Media Award winners which represent the year’s best works for children and teens. The full list of this year’s winners, as well as video of the award ceremony, can be found here. John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature: New Kid written and illustrated by Jerry Craft. Newbery Honor Books: The Undefeated written by Kwame Alexander and, illustrated by Kadir Nelson Scary Stories for Young Foxes written by Christian McKay Heidicker and illustrated by Junyi Wu Other Words for Home written by Jasmine Warga Genesis Begins Again
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January 29, 2020 3:10 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Evergreen, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: ALA Youth Media Awards.

Changes to Trove Time and Mother Goose

Changes to Trove Time and Mother Goose

Mother Goose Play Time, the Trove’s early literacy program for little ones up to 24 months with a caregiver, and Trove Time, our storytime and socialization/play program for ages 2-4 with their caregivers, are two of our most popular programs. The demand for the Mother Goose program has far exceeded its current once per week scheduling, so in February some changes will be taking place. Mother Goose Play Time is now Trove Time: Tiny Tots and will take place on both Monday and Friday mornings at 10:30 a.m. It will be the same early literacy rich program with songs, finger
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January 27, 2020 5:06 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Events, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Mother Goose, Trove Time, and Trove Time: Tiny Tots.

Talkin’ Tech: Microchips Ahoy!

Talkin’ Tech: Microchips Ahoy!

Let’s talk about technology. Since the invention of the wheel, tools have become more and more complex – and today it can be hard to keep up! In the “Talkin' Tech” column, we will discuss the ever-changing trends in the modern digital arena. From artificial intelligence to Zuckerberg, join Austin in examining all things tech from our vantage point in the 4th industrial revolution: the imagination age!     A computer can only understand two things: “on” and “off.” It’s called binary, and it is the basis for all things digital. As the Digital Media Specialist at the library, it
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January 27, 2020 12:24 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Evergreen, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: binary code, digital technology, STEAM, STEM, STEM learning, tech tuesdays, and technology.

Celebrate Chinese New Year

Celebrate Chinese New Year

This event has already taken place. To learn more about Chinese New Year, click here. Chinese mythology tells us the order of the animals on the Chinese Zodiac was decided according to the order of arrival on the Great Race, organized by the Jade Emperor a long time ago. The Rat won the race and earned first place on the zodiac. The Year of the Rat is then a year of beginnings and renewals. Join us as we welcome the Year of the Rat with a family storytime on Wednesday, January 29th at 7:00 p.m. For children 3+ and their
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January 26, 2020 10:26 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Chinese New Year and storytime.

Peculiar Picks: Peter McCarty

Peculiar Picks: Peter McCarty

Peculiar picks are a selection of odd, funny, interesting, curious, moving, irreverent, and otherwise wonderfully awesome, but perhaps not well known, reads. Picture books for younger readers and their grown-ups, handpicked by the Library's Youth Services Manager, Joshua Carlson. Jeremy Draws a Monster // The Monster Returns by Peter McCarty I’m starting off this series with “one” of my favorite books, the Jeremy and the Monster duology by Peter McCarty. McCarty is best known for Caldecott Honor Books, Hondo & Fabian, and New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year Henry in Love. But his Jeremy Draws a Monster
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January 24, 2020 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations, children's books, Peculiar Picks, Peter McCarty, picture books, and staff picks.

Fantastic Nonfiction for Fourth to Sixth Graders

Fantastic Nonfiction for Fourth to Sixth Graders

There are so many amazing books published for fourth to sixth graders. Each month in Ashley's column “So You Want Your Fourth to Sixth Grader to Read Fantastic Books,” recommendations of great stories will be given to caregivers that will have their kids begging to visit the library to check out more awesome books! If you'd like to place this book on hold, simply click on the title or cover. Freaking Fantastic Nonfiction: Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of “The Children's Ship” by Deborah Heiligman I’m surprised I picked a nonfiction book to start off
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January 23, 2020 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: book review, Deborah Heiligman, SS City of Benares, and staff book review.

Reading Around the World: Chinese New Year

Reading Around the World: Chinese New Year

With Tata's “Reading Around the World” book picks, younger patrons and their families will enjoy reading about the different cultural celebrations around the world. Easy holiday Picture Books and easy Folklore stories will introduce young readers to the world outside the U.S. This month you can learn about Chinese New Year. Simply click on a title or cover to place it on hold. Chinese New Year is celebrated according to the Lunar Calendar and falls on Saturday, January 25 this year. This begins the Year of the Rat. The Rat is considered the first animal of the Chinese Zodiac. Therefore,
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January 22, 2020 9:30 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Evergreen, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations, Chinese New Year, and Reading Around the World.

Groundhog Day Books for Younger Readers

Groundhog Day Books for Younger Readers

Groundhog Day is observed on February 2nd each year. This date marks the midpoint between the Winter Solstice in December and the Spring Equinox in March. According to the Farmers' Almanac, “If he [the Groundhog] sees his shadow, we will have six more weeks of winter; if he doesn't, it'll be six weeks till spring.” Below you'll find a variety of books for younger readers to help them understand the holiday and what groundhogs have to do with the changing of the seasons. Will Spring Be Early? Or Will Spring Be Late? by Crockett Johnson “Misled by an artificial flower,
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January 18, 2020 10:05 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, Groundhog Day, and young readers.