Archives for staff picks

Harriet Tubman Reading & Resources

From April 1st through June 30th, the Harriet Tubman – Journey to Freedom sculpture by Wesley Wofford will be on display in Renaissance Plaza in downtown White Plains. In conjunction with the historic visit by the sculpture, the Library and many other community partners are organizing events related to Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and more. You can find all of the Library’s related programs and events here, with a full listing of the community-wide programs and events here. To learn more about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, check out some of the materials below from the Library! To
Read More

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

Books to Celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility

International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event that occurs on March 31st. The day is dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and contributions of transgender and gender nonconforming people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people in the United States and worldwide. Sadly, injustices continue – Texas families are now fighting against recent efforts to harm transgender children and tear apart their families by Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton. For further information, you can read NPR’s website article, A Texas Judge Blocks the State from Investigating Parents of Transgender Youth. In support of those
Read More

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

Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Ashley will recommend great books for children in this age group! Katie the Catsitter by Colleen A.F. Venable and illustrated by Stephanie Yue Libby Library Catalog I’m a big fan of graphic novels but I’d never heard of this delightful tale until it was selected as one of the books that the 4th-7th grade team will be reading for the Westchester Library System Battle of the Books Summer League! Battle of the Books is a book-based trivia tournament
Read More

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

New in the Edge: March 2022

One of the best parts of my job is ordering new books for the Edge–reading the reviews, seeing what popular authors come up with next, or finding out about an upcoming sequel to an old favorite. Read on to find out about some of the new YA fiction titles coming to our shelves this month. Sunny G’s Series of Rash Decisions by Navdeep Singh Dhillon Grades 9 and up Library Catalog / Libby “Dhillon’s debut centers on high-schooler and Sikh Sunny G, who is determined to make the most of his life after his brother, who battled alcoholism, passes away.
Read More

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

Outdoors with Kids

As spring approaches, we are all getting ready to reemerge into the great outdoors and hopefully get our children excited to be away from those screens we tend to rely on in colder weather. Below, find some great reads to help you in that endeavor. First and foremost, for those of us that are hesitant to let our children explore outside, check out Dirt Is Good: The Advantage of Germs for Your Child’s Developing Immune System, by Jack Gilbert and Rob Knight (Library Catalog). These scientists explain in a surprisingly straightforward and accessible way the advantages of exposing children to
Read More

Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, 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. Who doesn’t love penguins? Here’s four Peculiar Penguin Picks. Vampenguin by Lucy Ruth Cummins Library Catalog I’d heard the term “penguin suit” for a tuxedo or black dinner jacket before, but had never once thought of a vampire, such as Dracula, as wearing a penguin suit, but once you do, as Lucy Ruth Cummins must have, the potential for
Read More

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

March 2022 LibraryReads

Here are the books published this month that librarians across the country love. Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto Library Collection: Print “The Chan family is back! Meddy Chan is getting married, and the wedding planners are perfect–until Meddy overhears the wedding photographer talking about murdering someone at the reception. Her aunties spring into action, setting into motion a series of madcap misadventures intended to save Meddy's special day. A charming combo of close-knit family, humor, and light mystery; great for fans of Mia P. Manansala and Jade Chang.”—Nanette Donohue, Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL A Brush
Read More

Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.

Irish Lore and Folklore

In March, we celebrate Ireland – the Emerald Isle – famous for its luscious green landscapes and friendly people, an island full of enchantment and mystery, inhabited by Leprechauns, Fairies, Pookas, and Banshees. You could attend a Saint Patrick’s Day parade and later find yourself in a room full of shamrocks and friends telling stories of Finn McCool, Jamie O’Rourke, or even a Goat King! However you decide to celebrate Ireland & Irish heritage – FÁILTE! (Welcome!) Leprechauns & Irish Lore Grab & Go Kits will be available on March 7th, while supplies last. Shamrocks, harps, and shillelaghs: the story
Read More

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

Women in STEAM

For Women’s History Month, I will highlight some wonderful books that fall under a STEAM category: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. In celebrating Women’s History Month we will review a mixture of books, including biographies of an aviator, a mathematician and a Cherokee aerospace engineer. These books can be found in our print collection at The Trove and on Libby. At the end of the post, you'll also find some fun and educational websites for kids. Suggested Reads: Libby Loves Science by Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes Library Catalog / Libby Libby is a precocious child who loves
Read More

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

Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Ashley will recommend great books for children in this age group! The Sea in Winter by Christine Day Libby hoopla Library Catalog This is author Christine Day’s second middle grade novel but it’s the first story of hers that I’ve read. I now definitely want to read her first book, I Can Make This Promise, as well as Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids, the anthology that she contributed to! I really loved The Sea in Winter and
Read More

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

New Young Adult Fiction

Despite the supply chain chaos that seems to have followed us into 2022, we’re still frequently ordering and receiving new books for our collection. I love ordering new books for the Edge–reading the reviews, seeing what popular authors come up with next, or finding out about an upcoming sequel to an old favorite. Read on to find out about some of the new YA fiction titles coming to our shelves this month. At the End of Everything by Marieke Nijkamp Grades 9 and up Library Catalog “The young adults who inhabit private company–run Hope Juvenile Treatment Center in rural Arkansas
Read More

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

Girl Power Picture Books

Gathered together here to celebrate Women’s History Month are noteworthy picture books written by diverse authors of great girls celebrating themselves and others, sharing family traditions, and reveling in both small and large accomplishments. I recommend as a great resource for Women’s History Month the National Women's History Museum. The museum’s resources include interesting online exhibits, digital classroom resources, Brave Girl Virtual Storytimes, and more. Enjoy sharing these with your young feminists of all genders! K-3 Women's History Grab & Go Kits will be available Monday, March 7th while supplies last. Laxmi’s Mooch by Shelly Anand, Nabi H. Ali &
Read More

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

Children’s Titles to Celebrate Black History Part 2

Veronica Chambers writes in her New York Times article, How Negro History Week Became Black History Month and Why It Matters Now, ”Why does Black History Month in particular, and the study of Black history overall, still matter so much? ‘There’s no question that history is and continues to be a battleground. The origin stories that we tell matter a great deal for where we set the bar and how we set the bar going forward,’ noted Professor Jones, of Johns Hopkins. ‘So when you talk about people like Carter G. Woodson, these are men who knew that if you
Read More

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

Parenting Collection: Friendship

Given that February is commonly referred to as the month of love, it seems like a good time as parents to talk to our children about friendship, sharing, and empathy. In that vein, here are some great books from our Parenting collection that focus on these topics. A Little SPOT of Giving: A Story About Sharing and Generosity by Diane Alber Find me on the Library Catalog! Other books in this series can be found here. This book is part of a series called Inspire To Create A Better You! They are all great books to use with your children.
Read More

Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, 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. I’ve mentioned my enjoyment of the works of Dan Santat on several previous occasions. So here are four more works either illustrated by or written and illustrated by Dan Santat. These books were all huge hits with my six-year-old daughter, especially Little Fox and the Wild Imagination (which became a great read together as she read Little Fox’s parts
Read More

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

Essential Cookbooks

Librarians love to create lists, and at the end of each year we publish lists ranging from the best picture books for children to the best audiobooks. But one of my favorites is Essential Cookbooks, a selection of cookbooks for public libraries. This wonderful list highlights titles for both avid home chefs and those just learning the rewards of making a meal. The list also supports those who appreciate the many joys of reading cookbooks, even if they rarely venture into the kitchen! These books are sure to become reliable favorites and nourish readers, today and for years to come.
Read More

Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, and Library News.

February 2022 LibraryReads

Here are the books published this month that librarians across the country love. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley Library Collection: Print “Foley hits it out of the ballpark with this solid thriller set in a Paris apartment building. Jess goes looking for her brother, but finds only the smell of bleach and a broken St. Christopher medal lodged in the floorboards. Written in short chapters with multiple points of view and delicious secrets dropped along the way, this gripping, wild ride is impossible to put down. If you like Liane Moriarty or Ruth Ware, pick this one up.—Douglas Beatty,
Read More

Categories: Library News.

Announcing the Winter 2021 Project LIT Titles

Since becoming a Project LIT chapter, we’ve enjoyed reading and discussing Project LIT books with kids and teens. Last month, we were thrilled to see the announcements of new titles in the Winter 2021 Project LIT book list. We’re excited to share the list with you, and to highlight a couple titles that are of particular interest to our librarians. You can find the full Project LIT book lists for Middle Grade and Young Adult on the Reading Lists page of our website. Middle Grade: Ashley’s Picks Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim Libby Library Catalog This book has
Read More

Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, 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. While looking for dragon books for the October 14, 2021 Peculiar Picks, I discovered there are so many awesome dragon books, so, there will be more draconic Peculiar Picks, including this one, to come, some around certain recurring themes. This month, we look at dragons and their eating habits. What do you think dragons like to eat? The Yin
Read More

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

January 2022 LibraryReads

Here are the books published this month that librarians across the country love. The Maid by Nita Prose Library Collection: Print OverDrive & Libby: eBook / Audiobook “As a maid in a posh hotel, Molly is very proud of her work and the care she takes of the guests, even though she often has difficulty navigating social cues. When she finds a wealthy guest dead, she never imagines she has the keys to uncover a killer, and finds, after the death of her beloved Gran, there are many people willing to help her. For fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely
Read More

Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.