Kids

It's back!  The HUGE after-hours Summer Reading Kick-Off event you've always loved is returning after a two-year pandemic hiatus.  That's right folks, the last one was our Star Wars Episode Fun event in 2019!  Since it's been such a long time, and since we have so many folks new to the area and our library, here's a breakdown of what you can expect at Dive In! on Friday, June 3, 2022 at 7 p.m.

Kid Zone = Disney Underwater
Swim your way through Nemo's Fishtank Escape obstacle course.
Make a Dory hat.
Meet Ariel at Ursula's tentacle-y ring toss.
Construct Luca's Pasta Vespa.
Strut your stuff at Tomotoa's Shiny Treasure Dance Party.

Teens = Pineapple Under the Sea
Let our Krusty Krab workers help you make a paper bag SpongeBob SquarePants.
Blow the perfect bubble . . . SpongeBob style.

Home is where the heart is.  And my heart belongs to books.  Do you know how many of our new books are about home?  A lot.  A LOT, A LOT!

It's May 25th, which means it's Geek Pride Day!  So what if folks call you a geek?  A geek is an enthusiast or expert in a technological field or activity, including sci-fi fandom.  Think of it as a term of respect.  And remain enthusiastic, my friend!  Don't lose your fire for whatever it is you are passionate about.  Including reading!

School is winding down, and Summer Reading is around the corner.  No one wants to think about the return of school in the fall . . . unless they are going to start Kindergarten!  If you have a soon-to-be-school-aged kid eager to learn more about what school is all about, read this new book from Derrick Barnes and Vanessa Brantley-Newton.  And stay tuned for more info about our Kick Off Kindergarten event in July!

The Queen of Kindergarten (05/24/22)
MJ is more than ready for her first day of kindergarten! With her hair freshly braided and her mom’s special tiara on her head, she knows she’s going to rock kindergarten. But the tiara isn’t just for show—it also reminds her of all the good things she brings to the classroom, stuff like her kindness, friendliness, and impressive soccer skills, too! Like The King of Kindergarten, this is the perfect book to reinforce back-to-school excitement and build confidence in the newest students.

Today is May 20th, which means it's World Bee Day!  Are YOU aware of the importance of pollinators?  Do YOU know about the threats they face?  If not, find out with one of these new bee nonfiction books.  If you are already in the know, share this list of titles with others.

May 18, 2022 is Visit Your Relatives Day!  If you have folks nearby, take some time to get together.  If all of your family is pretty far away (like mine), reach out with a phone call, text message, or email.  Another good way to celebrate?  Read one of these books!  (Do you notice that each was written by an Angela and published in the same month?  Crazy!)

When My Cousins Come to Town by Angela Shanté (May 2021)
Every summer a young girl eagerly waits for her cousins to come visit and celebrate her birthday. All her cousins are unique in their own ways and have earned cool nicknames for themselves… except for the girl. But this year things are going to be different. This year before summer ends, she’s determined to earn her own nickname!

The Questioneers is a chapter book series by Andrea Beaty, based on a picture book series also by Andrea Beaty, which has launched a Netflix show.  Yep, they are EVERYWHERE!  And now there is a fifth book!

Ada Twist and the Disappearing Dogs (05/17/22)
Blue River Creek has a problem: There's a pet thief on the loose! Or at least, Sofia and Iggy are convinced that there is, once their pets go missing. But as a scientist, Ada knows it's important not to jump to conclusions and to follow the facts. How will they find out what really happened to the town's pets? By using the Scientific Method of course! Through making a hypothesis, collecting data, and experimentation, the Questioneers must find the missing animals before even more pets disappear!

Do you love all the Elephant & Piggie books?  Have you discovered their spin-off series Elephant & Piggie Love Reading?  Did you know there's a new title out this week?  Well . . . now you know.

It's a Sign! by Jarrett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey (05/10/22)
One, Two, Kat, and Four are starting a club, and every member is good at something! Except naming clubs. If only there were some kind of sign about what their club should be called!

Do you love to cook?  Or maybe you just love to watch cooking shows?  Feast your eyes on these new chef biographies!

Alice Waters Cooks Up a Food Revolution by Diane Stanley (Jan 2022)
Whenever young Alice Waters tasted something delicious, like the sun-warmed berries from her family’s garden or a crisp, ripe apple picked straight from the tree, she would remember it for the rest of her life. Later, as she tasted many more wonderful foods, she realized what made them so good—they were fresh and ripe, grown or made the old-fashioned way.  When Alice grew up, she opened a restaurant called Chez Panisse. As part of her quest to make delicious food, Alice sought out small, local farmers to provide the meat, dairy, and produce. The restaurant made her famous, but it did much more than that—it started a food revolution. Today, home cooks and chefs alike are all discovering the simple secret to the Best! Food! Ever! 

Jacqueline Woodson and Leo Espinosa have teamed up for what is sure to be the perfect picture book to get you in the summer spirit!  

The World Belonged to Us (05/10/22)
It's getting hot outside, hot enough to turn on the hydrants and run through the water--and that means it's finally summer in the city! Released from school and reveling in their freedom, the kids on one Brooklyn block take advantage of everything summertime has to offer. Freedom from morning till night to go out to meet their friends and make the streets their playground--jumping double Dutch, playing tag and hide-and-seek, building forts, chasing ice cream trucks, and best of all, believing anything is possible. That is, till their moms call them home for dinner. But not to worry--they know there is always tomorrow to do it all over again--because the block belongs to them and they rule their world.