Kids

The first Friday in May is dedicated to the extraordinary achievements, benefits, and opportunities in the exploration and use of space.  In 2022, National Space Day falls on May 6th.  And the Hoover Public Library is filled with new out of this world reads to help you celebrate!

PICTURE BOOKS
Astronaut Training by Aneta Cruz (2021)
XO, Exoplanet by Deborah Underwood (2021)

Cinco de Mayo literally translates to the 5th of May.  But it's more than that!  It is a celebration of Mexican heritage, culture, and pride.  So here are five new books that celebrate the same things.

Did you know that May 5 is African World Heritage Day?  I just discovered it myself, so I thought I'd spread the word.  And give you a few book recs, too.

My mother loves to be outside, tending to her flowers . . . even in the Alabama heat.  And does she have a green thumb?  The greenest!  Did I inherit her ability to make things grow?  My thumb has just a hint of green, limited to a few flower beds and pots in the front of my house.  I love plants, just not enough to spend some of every day tending to them.  But I am happy to spend some of every day reading about them!  And there are lots of great new gardening books to occupy my time.  Thought I'd share them with you on Garden Meditation Day!  Maybe you can grab a few to read while spending time in a garden.  Don't have a garden at your home?  Visit Aldridge Gardens in Hoover!

May 1-7, 2022 is Hurricane Preparedness Week!  Do you know everything there is to know about hurricanes?  These new books can help fill the gaps in your knowledge.

Arbor Day was yesterday, April 29, 2022.  And it was a REALLY big deal this year because it was the 50th anniversary! This blog was supposed to be available early, so you could actually read the tree books on Arbor Day.  Alas, the library (as well as all Jefferson County libraries) were without internet for two days.  Luckily, trees are worthy of celebrating every day of the year!  There have been a tremendous amount of tree books published in the last year or so.  Here are some of my favorites!

Are you ready for another perfect pair of books to read together?  This time I'm pairing a picture book story with a nonfiction book.

Zonia's Rain Forest by Juana Martinez-Neal (2021)
Enjoying days spent with animal friends near her home in the Amazon, young Zonia wonders what to do on a day when the rainforest calls out to her for help.  This title is also available in Spanish.

Anteaters, Bats & Boas: The Amazing Rainforest from Forest Floor to the Treetops by Roxie Munro (2021)
Bright, realistic illustrations of a busy Amazon rain forest depict a plethora of creatures – all drawn at life size! – going about their daily lives, from a family of three-toed sloths to a four-page, forty inch wide, foldout of an anteater.

World Immunization Week is April 24-30, 2022.  And, because of the pandemic, there are A LOT of new books you can read to learn more about viruses and vaccines.

We love both the Stick Dog and Stick Cat series here at Hoover Public Library, and we know you do, too!  So we're hosting a special event this Tuesday, April 26, 2022.  Beginning at 4 p.m., we'll have a series of activities based on the books:

Stick Cat on a Stick Craft
Stick Dog Ice Cream Craft
Donut Frisbee Game
Sort the Sushi Ingredients Game
Follow Your Nose Scavenger Hunt

We'll also be serving pizza in the Youth Program Room!  Then, at 5 p.m. we'll shift to the Library Plaza to talk to the author of these amazing books  -- Tom Watson!  You know you want to be there.  And you don't even have to tell us you're coming.  Just show up!  See you Tuesday!

Did you know that the popular book series by Aaron Blabey, The Bad Guys, has been turned into an animated movie adventure by Dreamworks?  Did you know that it debuts only in theaters this Friday, April 22, 2022?  Did you know that we are hosting The Bad Guys - Library Take Over in the Kid Zone this Saturday, April 23, 2022?  Stop by anytime 10 a.m.-5 p.m. to experience a taste of why "Good Is No Fun At All."  Fill out your personal Bad Guy Rap Sheet.  Make a Mr. Wolf paper plate mask craft.  Go on a scavenger hunt to rescue chickens and cure Professor Marmalade's Zittens (Yes, they are Zombie Kittens).  And don't forget to grab one of the books from the FIRST CHAPTER BOOK section.  Look for the light purple spine labels with the letters J  BLA.