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 2021 wraps up, I thought I’d focus on some of my favorite peculiar picture books of the year that haven’t been featured in other Peculiar Picks posts. The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess by Tom Gauld Library Catalog / eBook Selected as a New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Book of the Year, I
Read More
Archives for staff picks
2021 Staff Favorites
The White Plains Library Staff have assembled their picks for the year, featuring cookbooks, DVDs, music, audiobooks, and plenty of plain old books. It's a wonderfully wide-ranging list, full of lots of surprises, and should help with your holiday shopping or just some entertainment for yourself. Enjoy! Below you'll find a list with links to the catalog or resource where they're available as well as a blurb on why staff enjoyed it. Books (Adults) Losing Mum and Pup: A Memoir by Christopher Buckley OverDrive & Libby: eBook / Audiobook An funny and touching account of the year writer Christopher Buckley
Read More
staff favorites, staff picks, and staff recommendations.
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
Read More
Dive Into Diversity: Let’s Laugh
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. National Comedy Day is held on November 7th. To celebrate, here are some humorous diverse book selections that may make you laugh! Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez For children in grades 4-8. Library Collection: Print Hoopla: eBook
Read More
Dive into Diversity: YA Humor
In 2021, my Dive into Diversity posts about young adult books will focus on a different genre each month. I’ll highlight books with characters that represent a range of experiences and identities. I’ll also feature authors who share an aspect of their characters’ identity as much as possible. This month I've collected humorous YA books, from romantic comedy to dark humor. YA is not typically known for its comedies, so this was a bit of a challenge. While not all of the books below will be entirely positive or uplifting, all contain an aspect of humor. This month I read
Read More
Introducing Our New and Improved Parenting Collection
As parents, one of our most difficult responsibilities is talking to our children about certain challenging topics. Books are a fantastic way to stimulate these types of discussions and help teach our children valuable life lessons. We've recently reorganized and refreshed our parenting collection. Now, these books are even easier to find! Our parenting collection is now located near our non-fiction collection, behind our reference desk. It is divided into two sections: one with books meant for you to read as parents, and one with books for children and parents to read together. Books for parents are shelved as they
Read More
New Movies Streaming in November
Maybe you're already familiar with our streaming services hoopla and Kanopy, but did you know that they add new content each month? Find a list below of some exciting new titles available on each platform this month. hoopla Soldiers: Six Stories Six Wars (2021 documentary) Directed by Tony Villani. Based on original interviews with a diverse cast of veterans of many conflicts from World War Two to Afghanistan bridged by that with a civilian who lived through the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, Soldiers engenders an awareness of what war is to those who fight it or are caught in
Read More
#BookTok Faves
Whether you're on TikTok or not, #BookTok has undeniably influenced reading trends, especially for young adults. Between boosting sales of books by popular authors like Colleen Hoover, to increasing interest in Dark Academia, TikTok content creators have inspired many to expand both their reading tastes and TBR piles. Get a taste of what's trending on TikTok with this curated list by Marketing Librarian Kristen, and find our #BookTok Faves collection on here on OverDrive. The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake Libby & OverDrive: eBook / Audiobook A self-published TikTok sensation, Blake's The Atlas Six combines elements of classics like Donna
Read More
Dive into Diversity: YA Fantasy
In 2021, my Dive into Diversity posts about young adult books will focus on a different genre each month. I’ll highlight books with characters that represent a range of experiences and identities. I’ll also feature authors who share an aspect of their characters’ identity as much as possible. This month we have the last genre theme for the year: my favorite, YA fantasy. This month I read Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko, which had been on my list for quite a while–so long, in fact, that its sequel was recently published. I had high hopes, and Raybearer exceeded them. The story
Read More
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
Read More
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. My last Peculiar Picks featured two girls who befriended dragons, but that was just scratching the surface of the many wonderful picture books with dragons. In this Peculiar Picks, find some fantastic draconic reads, that all share a similar quality: absolutely amazing artwork. If you like dragons, perhaps you’d like to check out some other Monster-rific Reads – there’s
Read More
Great Podcasts for Kids 5
Here are some more Great Podcasts for Kids on a variety of topics and themes 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. Be sure to also check out earlier entries in the series and if you have some great podcast recommendations of your own, leave them in the comments below! Podcast Potpourri Greeking Out From National Geographic Kids, Greeking Out is all about Greek mythology, told in a very funny, kid-friendly, style. My
Read More
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
Read More
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
Read More
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
Read More
What You Need To Know About… Ragnarok
Netflix has a fairly new TV series called Ragnarok (seasons 1 & 2 are available to watch). Don’t be confused by the title, this has nothing to do with Thor: Ragnarok from the MCU. No, this is actually based on Norse mythology, not just the popularized versions of Thor, Loki, Odin, and Freya from the Marvel movies. The show was filmed in Norway with an all Norwegian cast. It is a modern telling of Ragnarok, the end of the world, which will happen in the small coastal town of Edda. The Giants (the enemies of the Aesir (Norse Gods)) are
Read More
Dive into Diversity: Italian-American Heritage Month!
October is Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month. The month-long celebration recognizes the many contributions and achievements of Italian-Americans in the U.S. According to National Today, “Over 26 million Americans of Italian descent currently reside in the U.S. — making up America's seventh largest ethnic group.” New York Public Library’s, 5 Picture Books to Celebrate Italian-American Heritage Month lists some great books to share with young children, and below you will find several noteworthy and fun titles for kindergartners to sixth-graders to celebrate Italian heritage and culture – buon divertimento! Paolo, Emperor of Rome by Mac Barnett & Claire Keane (Grades
Read More
Dive into Diversity: Witches!
In 2021, my Dive into Diversity posts about young adult books will focus on a different genre each month. I’ll highlight books with characters that represent a range of experiences and identities. I’ll also feature authors who share an aspect of their characters’ identity as much as possible. In honor of Halloween, this month's post is a roundup of YA fiction starring… witches! This month I read a popular graphic novel, The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner. It's about 13-year-old Moth Hush, who lives in Founder's Bluff, Massachusetts, and loves all things witchy. While working on a school play about
Read More
Great Podcasts for Teens 2
Continuing our new series on Great Podcasts, here are some recommendations of Great Podcasts for Teens from YS Librarian, Erik! Most 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. All of our Great Podcasts recommendations, including those for Kids, Teens, and Parents and Caregivers, can be found here. If you have some great podcast recommendations, leave them in the comments below! Science: RadioLab RadioLab makes science fun. The team of Jad Abumrad, Lulu Miller, and Latif Nasser take a light hearted approach to
Read More
Great Podcasts for Kids 4
Here are some more Great Podcasts for Kids on a variety of topics and themes 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. All of our Great Podcasts recommendations, including those for Kids, Teens, and Parents and Caregivers, can be found here. Podcast Potpourri Ear Snacks The creators, Andrew and Polly (a duo of award-winning children’s music makers), call the Parents’ Choice Foundation Gold Award winning podcast Ear Snacks a “musical podcast” and music
Read More