Archives for Observances and Celebrations

The Year of the Tiger: Craft & Books

The Year of the Tiger: Craft & Books

Tigers are the third of the Chinese zodiacs. According to legend, Tiger was confident that no one could compete with its speed and vigor for the celestial race that would decide the order of the zodiacs. However, when Tiger climbed out of the river, thinking it was first, it was informed that Rat placed first for its cunning and Ox placed second for its diligence. This left the king of the jungle having to settle for third place. Tigers are courageous and active people who love a good challenge and adventure in life. Like their eponymous zodiac animal, people born
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January 24, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, Chinese New Year, lunar new year, and Observances and Celebrations.

Holocaust Remembrance Author Event

Holocaust Remembrance Author Event

The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau—as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this annual day of commemoration, the UN urges every member state to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism and to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides. To find out more, click here. Find our OverDrive/Libby reading list here. Holocaust Remembrance Day Virtual Author Visit Thursday, January 27th 4:30–5:30 p.m. Click here for the Zoom link. Join us for a visit from author Michelle Bisson to discuss her book, Hedy's
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January 14, 2022 10:01 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: Holocaust Remembrance, Holocaust Remembrance Day, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and Observances and Celebrations.

Children’s Nonfiction Titles to Celebrate Black History Part 1

Children’s Nonfiction Titles to Celebrate Black History Part 1

The banning of children’s books on Black history (And children’s books on the LGBTQIA+ experience) has greatly risen recently throughout the United States. Students and teachers are fighting back. One student and teacher victory (for now) led to the rescinding of a book ban instituted by the Central York Pennsylvania School District board. Alyssa Shotwell wrote in her article in the Mary Sue, “Last year, heated school debates resulted in the York, Pennsylvania schools banning (and, in some cases, holding ongoing ‘reviews’ of) a four-page list of materials. In the list sent to teachers across the Central York District, books
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January 12, 2022 10:46 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Black History, black history month, Dive into Diversity, Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Observances and Celebrations.

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 the monarchs in these three books each may have outlawed certain activities, by royal decree I do hereby declare “You should read these books!” The Hair Scare by Jeffrey Fisher Library Catalog Much like Al the gnome in Go Big or Go Gnome (featured in Peculiar Picks for NoShave November last year), Radbert is blessed with the ability
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November 17, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, children's literature, No Shave November, Observances and Celebrations, Peculiar Picks, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Dive into Diversity: Happy Winter Birthdays!

Dive into Diversity: Happy Winter Birthdays!

There are so many talented and diverse children’s authors and illustrators to recommend! To highlight them, I have continued with my series of celebrating their birthdays on a seasonal basis. I started with summer, I covered Autumn birthdays, and here we are now at Winter birthdays! I hope you enjoy the great titles below. A great resource to find even more diverse notable titles for kids is the Colours of Us website, The Colours of Us: All About Multicultural Children's Books. Happy Winter birthdays! Author and Illustrator Jason Chin, Birthday: December 5th Redwoods (Preschool – 2nd Grade) OverDrive hoopla Library
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November 16, 2021 2:33 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books for children, children's books, Dive into Diversity, Observances and Celebrations, and winter.

Winter Holiday Grab & Go Kits

Winter Holiday Grab & Go Kits

The Trove will be celebrating the Winter holidays this year by creating Grab & Go kits for children ages preschool-2nd grade filled with activity sheets and a craft for Hanukkah, Shabe Yalda, Christmas, Navidad/Día de Reyes, and Kwanzaa. Kits will be available in the Library’s lobby on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last. Hanukkah is a Jewish festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem by the Maccabees from King Antiochus Ephiphanes and the subsequent rededication of the Second Temple in the 2nd century BCE. It is also known as the Festival of Lights, and is celebrated with family and such
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November 15, 2021 3:18 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Christmas, dia de reyes, Grab & Go kits, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Navidad, Observances and Celebrations, Shabe Yalda, and winter holidays.

Native American Stories

Native American Stories

In November we honor the peoples who have lived here before European colonization. Their presence continues to be felt and seen everywhere. From teaching the pilgrims how to survive those first bitter Northeastern winters, to the underappreciated part they played on the Underground Railroad, to the Code Talkers who helped us win World War II, there is a lot about them we still do not know. As we continue to know their stories, to share their wisdom, and learn from each other, we can take a moment to enjoy the titles below. You can also visit the Smithsonian National Museum
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November 10, 2021 10:34 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, National Native American Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, November, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, and The Trove.

Diwali Virtual Exhibit

Diwali Virtual Exhibit

Diwali, or Dipawali, is India‘s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects us from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians. Over the centuries, Diwali has become a national festival that's also enjoyed by non-Hindu communities. For instance, in Jainism, Diwali marks the nirvana, or spiritual awakening, of Lord Mahavira on October 15, 527 B.C.; in Sikhism, it honors the day that Guru Hargobind
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November 9, 2021 2:55 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: diwali, Observances and Celebrations, The Trove, and virtual exhibit.

Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Virtual Exhibit

Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Virtual Exhibit

The Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is based on ancient Aztec traditions. Originally celebrated at the beginning of August, this tradition was later adopted by the Catholic Church and became el Día de los Muertos. The Day of the Dead is primarily celebrated in Mexico, Central America, and in the South West of the United States. Ever more frequently, it is celebrated in cities of the United States that have large Mexican and Central American populations. The Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. These days are also known as Día de
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November 4, 2021 7:34 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Day of the Dead, Day of the Dead Virtual Exhibit, Dia de los Muertos, and Observances and Celebrations.

Dive into Diversity: National Diabetes Awareness Month

Dive into Diversity: National Diabetes Awareness Month

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Diagnosed cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are surging among youth in the United States. From 2001 to 2017, the number of people under age 20 living with type 1 diabetes increased by 45%, and the number living with type 2 diabetes grew by 95%.” According to the article, “New Research Uncovers Concerning Increases in Youth Living with Diabetes in the U.S.,” “The greatest increases in type 2 diabetes prevalence were seen in youth who are Black or Hispanic, and the
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October 21, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, National Diabetes Awareness Month, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Tiny Tales: Big Pumpkin

Tiny Tales: Big Pumpkin

Welcome to our new series of Tiny Tales videos! Tiny Tales are short “bite-sized” song and story videos. Watch one for a short early literacy break, or a few for a whole storytime! You can find all of our Tiny Tales videos, including the thirty six videos in the previous series, right here! Today’s video features Trove librarian Ms. Raquel presenting “Big Pumpkin.” Tiny Tales are made possible with support from the White Plains Library Foundation.
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October 5, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: halloween, library storytime recording, library storytime video, Observances and Celebrations, October, online library storytime, Spooktober, storytime, The Trove, Tiny Tales, video, videos, virtual library storytime, westchester libraries, westchester library storytime, white plains library, and white plains new york.

Books to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Books to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Check out these staff selected titles to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month this year: Children: Sonia Sotomayor: a judge grows in the Bronx = la juez que creció en el Bronx By Winter Jonah Library Collection OverDrive & Libby Before Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor took her seat in our nation's highest court, she was just a little girl in the South Bronx. Justice Sotomayor didn't have a lot growing up, but she had what she needed — her mother's love, a will to learn, and her own determination. With bravery she became the person she wanted to be. With hard
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October 4, 2021 2:45 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: hispanic authors, Hispanic Heritage Month, latino authors, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Spooktober Book & Movie Pairings

Spooktober Book & Movie Pairings

Are you looking for something scary to read or watch this Spooktober? Adult Services Librarian Kristen compiled a list of books and movies that compliment each other's plot and/or themes. Some of these are sure to scare your socks off, so readers/viewers beware! If you're a fan of haunted houses… Read: Home Before Dark by Riley Sager Library Collection: Print / Large Print OverDrive/Libby: eBook / Audiobook Bells that ring themselves. Record players that turn on an play music to empty rooms. Ghosts that can climb out of wardrobes… Maggie Holt doesn't believe in these things, even though they are
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September 30, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: halloween, Halloween Books, horror, horror films, horror novels, Observances and Celebrations, October, Spooktober, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Great SPOOKY Podcasts

Great SPOOKY Podcasts

Here are some great spooky podcasts to get your kids and teens (and you!) in the Halloween mood. 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 great podcast recommendations, leave them in the comments below! For additional (non-spooky) podcast recommendations, click here! FOR KIDS & FAMILIES The Creeping Hour If your kids like Goosebumps, then The Creeping Hour horror anthology series from NPR is going to be a hit. Recommended for ages 8-12 and families, these are some
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September 29, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Great Podcasts, halloween, Halloween Books, Observances and Celebrations, October, podcasts, Spooktober, spooky podcasts, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Diwali: A Celebration of Light

Diwali: A Celebration of Light

Diwali, or Dipawali, is India‘s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects us from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians. Over the centuries, Diwali has become a national festival that's also enjoyed by non-Hindu communities. For instance, in Jainism, Diwali marks the nirvana, or spiritual awakening, of Lord Mahavira on October 15, 527 B.C.; in Sikhism, it honors the day that Guru Hargobind
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September 28, 2021 9:13 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, children's literature, diwali, Diwali celebration in Westchester, diwali celebration in White Plains, Grab & Go kits, and Observances and Celebrations.

Dive Into Diversity: Spooky Stories

Dive Into Diversity: Spooky Stories

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. School has begun again and the weather will turn chillier as we head into fall and the spooky season! When I was a kid, I was a big fan of watching Are You Afraid of the Dark? and reading the Goosebumps
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September 24, 2021 3:33 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books for children, books for kids, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, halloween, Halloween Books, Observances and Celebrations, October, Spooktober, spooky stories for kids, and stories to read in october.

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, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Grab & Go kits, International Dinosaur Day, Observances and Celebrations, and staff picks.

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, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: LGBTQIA+, Observances and Celebrations, Pride Month, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

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: Library News.
Tags: Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, STEAM at home, STEAM projects, STEM, and The Twilight Zone.

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 and Library News.
Tags: Cinco de Mayo, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.