Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith Library Catalog: Print Libby: eBook and eAudiobook In a world where girls have magic and boys become knights, nonbinary Callie has always been determined that their gender will not be able to stop them from becoming a proud knight of the realm. When their father is summoned to the capital Helston, Callie leaps at the chance to
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Archives for staff picks
June Graphic Novel Pick of the Month
In this blog, Donna will highlight graphic novels that are great reads! Graphic Novels are intended for readers ages 8 and up. graph·ic nov·el a novel in comic-strip format Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega, Art by Rose Bousamra (ages 8-12) Library catalog Winner of the Pura Belpré Award Marlene is a middle-schooler that is well aware of what “good hair” is and that she does not have it. Every Sunday her mother drags her to the salon to get her curly hair straightened so she looks presentable. Middle school can be tough, but when you have classmates that tease you
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Beautiful Bilingual Books, Part 10
LINDOS LIBROS BILINGÜES, Parte 10 The Library has a lovely collection of bilingual Spanish/English books. To celebrate reading in two languages, we will be featuring our beautiful new books in a blog – so enjoy practicing your Spanish and English skills with these books. La Biblioteca tiene una colección hermosa de libros bilingües en inglés/español. Para celebrar leyendo en dos idiomas, le estaremos presentando nuestros lindos libros aquí. Así puede disfrutar practicando sus destrezas en ambos idiomas con estos libros. I Am a Big Brother! / ¡Soy un hermano mayor!, by Caroline Jayne Church. Library Catalog A little boy describes
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New Books in the Edge: June
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. Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi Grades 8 and up Library Catalog: All Available Formats “Nigeria Jones is the warrior princess of her father’s Black nationalist movement, and she has never questioned her place in that world before. Her father's movement is based in Philadelphia, and
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June Picture Book of the Month
Picture Books are for all children! In this blog, Donna will highlight great picture books old and new. all the beating hearts by julie fogliano (ages 4-8) Library catalog “Each beat / a reminder / that we are here / and alive / together but apart / the same, but exactly different.” A wonderful quote from this beautiful picture book that is so expressive in text and illustrations. This picture book, told in verse, might seem very simplistic, but carries a very important message about what happens in our lives on a daily basis. There will be good days and there
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Staff Summer Reads
Looking for an exciting book to read on a plane or train, listen to on a car trip, or just enjoy at home? Checkout one of our staff recommendations below. We've got something for everyone – mysteries, memoir, graphic novels, fantasy, cookbooks, and more! Do you have a summer reading you'd like to share? Leave us a comment below. Adult Fiction Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li Library Catalog A blockbuster action heist adventure that's also an examination of the pressures faced by the children of immigrants, Chinese American identity, the fears and questions that college students face
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Afrobeats Dance Workshop
Afrobeats Dance Workshop Wednesday, June 28th, at 6:30–8:00 p.m. For: Adults and teens Location: Auditorium Afrobeats Dance is a combination of modern day African movement paired with Afrobeats music. The movement is full body & high energy. Focusing on hip releasing, footwork, arm coordination and rhythm. It's a fun form of dance because it allows the body to move naturally and with the percussion of the music. Past Juneteenth Events: Grab & Go Kits: Juneteenth! Monday, June 12th at 10:00 a.m. For: Grades K-3 Location: Lobby Pick up a new Grab & Go Kit at the Library, while supplies last,
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Celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride
Join us this June in celebrating Pride Month! We’ve got a variety of events planned this month and some exciting book recommendations below for all ages. In addition to our events, we’ll be attending Westchester Pride on June 4th, so make sure to stop by our table for Grab & Go Kits and more at the corner of Main Street and Court Street! Events: Grab & Go Kits: Pride Month! Thursday, June 1st at 10:00 a.m. For grades K-3 Location: Lobby Pick up a new Grab & Go Kit at the Library, while supplies last, starting today. Kits will be
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Five Strong Female Characters in YA Fiction
This month we're celebrating strong heroines in our young adult (YA) fiction collection. Read on for YA Librarian Lilian's recommendations for books that feature capable and inspiring female protagonists. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn Grade 8 and up Library Catalog: All available formats “Sixteen-year-old Black whiz kid Bree Matthews battles grief and demonic forces on her college campus. After her mother dies in an accident, Bree begins a residential program for enterprising teens at her mother’s alma mater and, soon after her arrival, witnesses a magical attack that triggers hidden memories about the evening her mother was killed. Haunted by the
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May 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, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao Library Catalog: Print Libby: eBook and eAudiobook Zachary Ying has been struggling to fit in at school – hard to do when you’re one of the only non-white kids. But any worries about that are immediately overwhelmed when Zachary’s mother’s soul is stolen – and he gets possessed by the spirit of the first emperor of China!
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May Graphic Novel Pick of the Month
In this blog, Donna will highlight graphic novels that are great reads! Graphic Novels are intended for readers ages 8 and up. graph·ic nov·el a novel in comic-strip format A first time for everything by Dan Santat Bestselling author and Caldecott Medalist (ages 10-14) Library catalog: Print Libby: ebook A school trip to Europe in the summer? Most kids would be excited, but not Dan. This graphic novel is a memoir of Dan Santat’s middle school years. Dan is seen as a pretty good kid. He stays out of trouble, listens to his teachers and parents, and tries to fly
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Books By Dads For, and About, Dads
Below please find lists curated by the Youth Services Librarians of White Plains Public Library of Nonfiction, Memoirs & Parenting Books; Picture Books, Juvenile Fiction; and Young Adult Fiction written by fathers that are for fathers and about fatherhood. Nonfiction, Memoirs, & Parenting Books Dad’s Book of Awesome Projects by Mike Adamich Library Catalog Dad’s Book of Awesome Science Projects by Mike Adamich Library Catalog Fatherhood by Papa B: a Game-changing Guide for Parents, Father Figures and Fathers-to-be by Bode Aboderin Library Catalog – Libby Made With Dad: From Wizards’ Wands to Japanese Dolls, Craft Projects to Build, Make and
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Picture Book Pick of the Month
Picture Books are for all children! In this blog, Donna will highlight great picture books old and new. Noor and Bobby by Praline Gay-Para, Illustrations by Lauranne Quentric (ages 4-7) Translated from French by Alyson Waters Library catalog: Print Libby: ebook What immediately grabbed my attention was the sweet illustration of a boy holding a dog on the cover. This illustration is simplistic in nature, but the story it tells is multi-layered. There are certain subjects that are hard to discuss with younger children and that is exactly why we need books like Noor and Bobby. The author never uses
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Beautiful Bilingual Books, Part 9
LINDOS LIBROS BILINGÜES, Parte 9 The Library has a lovely collection of bilingual Spanish/English books. To celebrate reading in two languages, we will be featuring our beautiful new books in a blog – so enjoy practicing your Spanish and English skills with these books. La Biblioteca tiene una colección hermosa de libros bilingües en inglés/español. Para celebrar leyendo en dos idiomas, le estaremos presentando nuestros lindos libros aquí. Así puede disfrutar practicando sus destrezas en ambos idiomas con estos libros. Bedtime for Baby Shark / A la cama Bebé Tiburón, by John John Bajet. Library Catalog An adaptation of the
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May is Family Wellness Month!
The month of May is a great time to educate, encourage, and enact a healthy lifestyle for your family! Eating healthy, exercising, and unwinding at the end of the day are important ways for keeping everyone happy and healthy. There are lots of simple activities you can do to keep your mind & body fit…and think about ways to improve your daily habits, such as going to bed at a reasonable time! Books for the whole family to check out: Taking Care of Me by Mari C. Schuh Library catalog, ebook Yoga for little kids: simple poses to encourage
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Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month
On April 20th, 2006, President Bush issued the first proclamation designating May 2006 as Jewish American Heritage Month. Since then, the month of May is dedicated to celebrating the many contributions of Jewish Americans in the last 369 years and encourages everyone to learn more about the history, culture, accomplishments, and diversity of the American Jewish community. A great wealth of resources for families to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month are the programs and exhibits of the Jewish Museum on 5th Avenue at 92nd Street in NYC. Check out their family events here. To celebrate the month, I have gathered
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May is Latino Books Month
Latino Books Month was launched by Rhode Island Latino Arts (founded in 1988 & today is Rhode Island’s leading nonprofit organization exclusively dedicated to the promotion, advancement, development and cultivation of Latino arts) and has been sponsored by the Association of American Publishers (AAP). Latino Books Month began in 2004 and has been celebrated ever since. It is dedicated to all Latino authors, illustrators and books, including fiction, poetry, drama, autobiography and art. It is meant to inspire literacy amongst the Latino community, promoting English and Spanish reading and highlighting Latino countries and cultures. Latino Books Month encourages librarians, teachers,
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New Books in the Edge: April
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. Star Splitter by Matthew J. Kirby Grades 7 and up Library Catalog / Libby “In a far future with quantum communication and teleportation, something goes terribly wrong. After 6 years apart, it’s time for 17-year-old Jessica to be reunited with her parents—but at the cost
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April 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, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! Catching a Storyfish by Janice N. Harrington Library Catalog: Print Libby: eBook This novel in verse tells the story of a young girl whose move to a new state causes her normal stream of words to almost entirely dry up when her classmates make fun of her accent. The only place she feels safe enough to talk is fishing with her grandfather – but what is she
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Celebrate Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Month
Celebrate Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Month With Great Picture Books! Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month began in 1977 as a ten-day celebration of Asian Pacific American contributions to the United States. In 1992, President George H.W. Bush signed a law expanding the celebration to the entire month of May. The observance started by commemorating two events: The arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843 and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, largely built by Chinese immigrants, on May 10, 1869. The month-long celebration of Asians and Pacific
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