Kids

Buckle up for twists, turns, and emotional loop-de-loops in the most roller coaster-y Pigeon book ever! The Pigeon WILL be ready. Will YOU!?

The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster! by Mo Willems (09/06/22)
The Pigeon is on an emotional—and physical—roller coaster.  Since learning about the existence of roller coasters, he’s become giddy with excitement. The Pigeon prepares mentally: He’ll need a ticket and “exemplary patience” to wait in line. He envisions zooming up and down and careening through dizzying turns and loops. Then, he imagines his emotions afterward: exhilaration, post-ride blues, pride at having accomplished such a feat, and enthusiasm at the prospect of riding again. (He’ll also feel dizzy and nauseous.) All this before the Pigeon ever sets claw on an actual coaster. So…will he really try it?

For you adults who want to know more about the man behind The Pigeon.
https://ew.com/books/pop-culture-of-my-life-mo-willems/

Welcome to the start of a thrilling new series (from the author of the long-running Whatever After series) that will take readers across the country as a magical bracelet gets shipped to a different girl in each book. Make a wish. Pass it on!

Best Wishes by Sarah Mlynowski (09/06/22)
Becca Singer is having the Worst Day Ever. Her best friend, Harper, dumped her, and Becca is totally friendless and alone.  Then the box arrives in the mail.  Inside the box? One bracelet, plus a mysterious note telling Becca to make a wish. So Becca puts on the bracelet—why not, right?—and wishes to have friends. Lots of friends. So many friends.  And just like that, the magic works. Suddenly, EVERYONE wants to be Becca’s BFF, from all the kids at school to the teachers (!) to her own mom (!!). As things spin out of control, Becca starts to wonder: Is this wish a curse?

You love Bluey.  You know it; we know it.  That's why we are giving you . . . A Morning with Bluey!  Come to the Kid Zone on Saturday, September 10, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. for activities and crafts inspired by Bluey, Bingo, Mum, and Dad.  Turn yourself into a Blue Heeler dog by making a Heeler Headband (adults, too!).  Make your very own Bob Bilby, then show your friend Bob all of your favorite places and document your day together.  Keep the balloons from hitting the ground with a game of Keepy Uppy, and complete the Obstacle Training Course with Dad.  Enter Dance Mode in the Youth Program Room, and snap a family photo in the photo station (Grannie and Grandad included!).

Question: Where do I find Bluey stuff in the library?
Answer: Find picture books under E BLU.  Find the TV episodes under J BLU DVD.  Find the soundtrack under CD BLU NEW.

Are you ready for our first K-2nd grade program of the school year?  Of course you are!  Join Miss Grace for Mindfulness Paint by Number on Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 4 p.m.  She'll lead a discussion on "feeling" words and what they mean, then you'll take what you learned to do a paint-by-number art piece where you match emotion to color.  Registration is required,so sign up online or by phone (205-444-7830) today.

BOOK BONUS!
My Body Is a Rainbow: The Color of My Feelings by Mallika Chopra
My Heart Flies Open by Omileye Achikeobi-Lewis
The Proudest Color by Sheila Modir & Jeffrey Kashou

I know you're ready . . . and so are we!  Our regular storytime schedule resumes after Labor Day.  It's been awhile, plus we've tweaked a few things.  Here's a quick breakdown.

MONDAYS
Baby Playdate at 9:30 a.m.
Enjoy a brief storytime activity and open-ended play with Miss Emma.  Ages 0-18 months.  Must register each week.  The first one, Puppy Love!, will be September 12th.  Register online beginning 09/06/22.

Story Lab at 4 p.m.
One story prompts lots of hands-on S.T.E.A.M. activities designed for 3 to 8-year-olds.  No registration required to join Miss Katie Jane.  The first one, All Around Town, will be September 12th.

It's almost time for our first Homeschool Hub of the school year!  Join Miss Emma for LEGO Engineering on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at 1 p.m., where you'll use LEGO bricks to complete several different challenges.  This event is open to grades K-8 and requires registration.  Sign up online or by phone (205-444-7830) today.

Amari and the Night Brothers blew everyone away when it came out in January 2021.  It was even named the Overall Winner in the inaugural Barnes & Noble Children's & YA Book Awards.  Fans have been clamoring for the sequel, but it was delayed (like so many other things right now).  Well, the long wait is over!

Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston (08/30/22)
After finding her brother and saving the entire supernatural world, Amari Peters is convinced her first full summer as a Junior Agent will be a breeze.  But between the fearsome new Head Minister’s strict anti-magician agenda, fierce Junior Agent rivalries, and her brother Quinton’s curse steadily worsening, Amari’s plate is full. So when the secretive League of Magicians offers her a chance to stand up for magiciankind as its new leader, she declines. She’s got enough to worry about!

John David Anderson (one of my faves!) returns with the conclusion of his epic sci-fi duology that began in Stowaway, which Booklist called "The Mandalorian meets Guardians of the Galaxy" in a starred review.

Homebound (08/23/22)
Leo Fender is no stranger to catastrophe, whether it’s the intergalactic war that took his mother’s life or the ongoing fight for his own. He’s seen his planet plundered, his ship attacked, his father kidnapped, and his brother go missing—and found himself stranded on a ship with a bunch of mercenary space pirates.  Still, nothing could have prepared him for the moment he and the crew tried to save his father...and discovered a dark plot that could destroy hundreds of worlds in the blink of an eye.

Are you obsessed with Ancient Egypt?  When I was a kid, I read everything I could get my hands on!  I would definitely have been excited about this new nonfiction release.

Cleopatra Tells All! by Chris Naunton (08/23/22)
The politically savvy, multilingual, cosmopolitan ruler of Alexandria, Cleopatra reveals herself to be the world’s first influencer. Finally able to tell her own version of events, readers will reel at her amazing story, including how she created an army of mercenaries to counter her bullying brother and how she secured the support of two of the world’s most powerful men―Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Witty, contemporary, and full of sass, this is Cleopatra #nofilter. 

My last blog before construction was spooky, so it seems only natural that my first after construction is creepy.  Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown, the author and illustrator of Creepy Carrots! and Creepy Pair of Underwear!, now have a terrifying twist on a beloved school supply.

Creepy Crayon! (08/23/22)
Jasper Rabbit has a problem: he is NOT doing well in school. His spelling tests? Disasters. His math quizzes? Frightening to behold. But one day, he finds a crayon lying in the gutter. Purple. Pointy. Perfect. Somehow…it looked happy to see him. And it wants to help.