Archives for Observances and Celebrations

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 | Comments Off on Spooktober Book & Movie Pairings
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 | Comments Off on Great SPOOKY Podcasts
Categories: Authors & Books, 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 | Comments Off on Diwali: A Celebration of Light
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, 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 | Comments Off on Dive Into Diversity: Spooky Stories
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, 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 | Comments Off on National Dinosaur Day
Categories: Authors & Books, 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 | Comments Off on Celebrate Pride 2021 with Children’s & YA Books!
Categories: Authors & Books, 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 | Comments Off on Twilight Zone Day
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 | Comments Off on Celebrate Cinco de Mayo and Mexican-American Heritage!
Categories: Authors & Books 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 | Comments Off on May the Fourth Be with You!
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
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.

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 | Comments Off on Peculiar Picks
Categories: Authors & Books, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Arbor Day, children's books, music, Observances and Celebrations, Peculiar Picks, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

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 | Comments Off on Celebrate Moms & Grandmas Around the World!
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.

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 | Comments Off on Asian Pacific American Stories for Children
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.

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 Toxic 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 | Comments Off on On-Demand TaleWise April Show
Categories: Library News.
Tags: children, children's events, Observances and Celebrations, performances, programs, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEM, STEM learning, Talewise, Talewise On-Demand, 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 | Comments Off on Peculiar Picks
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.

TaleWise: Revenge of the Toxic Robot

TaleWise: Revenge of the Toxic Robot

Talewise presents: Earth Day: Revenge of the Toxic Robot Thursday, April 22, 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. When the town’s park is suddenly gated and locked, a group of friends decides to investigate. Their adventure leads them deep into the woods, where they are chased away by an eccentric robot powered by toxic sludge! Join the gang on their quest to clean up the act of a despicable polluter and save their park from being destroyed. Along the
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April 20, 2021 10:00 am | by | Comments Off on TaleWise: Revenge of the Toxic Robot
Categories: Library News.
Tags: children, children's events, Observances and Celebrations, performances, programs, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEM, STEM learning, Talewise, and The Trove.

Grab & Go Craft Kits: Earth Day

Grab & Go Craft Kits: Earth Day

As part of our Earth Day celebration, we’ve put together a special kit to help you grow a few seeds. Kits are first come, first served, and will become available on Monday, April 19th. When you arrive at the Library to pick up a kit, just call 914-422-1490 and ask for the Grab & Go Earth Day kit. The kits include newspaper, potting soil, and a few each of basil and purple coneflower seeds. You’ll need to provide scissors, tape, a shallow plastic container, and a cylinder (an empty toilet paper tube or small can will work.) Both plants are
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April 15, 2021 11:27 am | by | Comments Off on Grab & Go Craft Kits: Earth Day
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: Earth Day, gardening, Grab & Go kits, Observances and Celebrations, and sustainability.

World Art Day Storytime & Author Visit

World Art Day Storytime & Author Visit

World Art Day Storytime & Author Visit Ages 2-6, families Thursday, April 15, 11:00 a.m. (access the program here) Note: a free registered Zoom account is required to access the Library’s youth programs. Get a Zoom account here. Celebrate World Art Day with award-winning author Amalia Hoffman’s storytime featuring her art-filled book, My Monsterpiece: “A humorous celebration of imagination and creativity that invites kids to create their own monster masterpieces with everyday materials.” You can find some of Ms. Hoffman’s fantastic books in the Library Catalog and as eBooks. Learn more about author Amalia Hoffman and her works on her
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April 8, 2021 10:00 am | by | Comments Off on World Art Day Storytime & Author Visit
Categories: Library News.
Tags: arts and crafts, children's events, Grab & Go kits, Grab and Go Kits, Grab&Go Kits, Observances and Celebrations, program, storytime, The Trove, and World Art Day.

Earth Day

Earth Day

Celebrated each year on April 22, Earth Day is a time to think more mindfully about caring for our planet. Earth Day brings awareness to the environmental issues that can be hazardous to the planet as well as our livelihood and health. Learning about Earth Day and caring about our environment allows us to take small actions. Recycling, reusing shopping bags, composting, and carpooling are small ways that we can protect our planet and ourselves. By raising awareness we can begin to see the interconnectedness of all living things and work together within our own communities, and globally. To celebrate
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March 29, 2021 4:41 pm | by | Comments Off on Earth Day
Categories: Library News.
Tags: children's programs, Earth Day, Grab & Go kits, Observances and Celebrations, programs, staff picks, staff recommendations, and sustainability.

Autism Acceptance Month

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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March 24, 2021 10:00 am | by | Comments Off on Autism Acceptance Month
Categories: Authors & Books, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Autism, Autism Acceptance Month, book recommendations, children's books, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, staff picks, staff recommendations, and YA books.

National Poetry Month

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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March 24, 2021 10:00 am | by | Comments Off on National Poetry Month
Categories: Authors & Books, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, national poetry month, Observances and Celebrations, Poetry Month, staff picks, and staff recommendations.