Kids & Families

  • Children’s novels: Summer adventures away from home

    Have you noticed that there’s something extra appealing when you get the parents out of the way in a children’s novel? I certainly don’t intend for that to sound disprespectful or malicious, but I find stories especially satisfying when the child is out on his or her own, often in unfamiliar situations. Summer settings are ideal for… Continue reading

  • Father’s Day Reads: Picture Books to Share

    Are you looking for the perfect Father’s Day present? Give the gift of a daddy-daughter/son moment by presenting the father in your household with a book that he can share with his favorite child. Here are a few new titles that will make for a memorable Daddy-and-me story time, celebrating the special relationship fathers have… Continue reading

  • Summer Reads for Tweens

    Are your kids counting down the days until school gets out, looking forward to a long summer stretch without homework? Put them in a summer mood and keep them reading into fall with these new titles: Crunch by Leslie Connor Dewey is feeling the crunch! When his parents get stranded miles away from home, it… Continue reading

  • Children’s Summer Reads: Picture Books

    Summer is almost here, along with Summer Reading programs, days at the beach, camping, and a much deserved respite from school. Now is the time for some fun, recreational reading. These new titles are sure to put kids in a summer state of mind: Dancing Feet, by Lindsey Craig; illustrated by Marc Brown Exuberant creatures… Continue reading

  • Children’s Summer Reads: Chapter Books

    Summer is almost here, along with Summer Reading programs, days at the beach, camping, and a much deserved respite from school. Now is the time for some fun, recreational reading. These new titles are sure to put kids in a summer state of mind: Animal Rescue Team: Gator on the Loose! , by Sue Stauffacher… Continue reading

  • Building (and Closing) Bridges

    The South Park Bridge has had a long and glorious life.  Built in 1931, it tenderly carries over 20,000 automobiles a day over the Duwamish River to and from the Boeing area and the South Park neighborhood . The South Park Bridge is a lifeline for South Park’s main business district, consisting of vibrant, friendly restaurants… Continue reading

  • Ship Ahoy!: Sail Into the Sunset with a Picture Book

    If you have lived any length of time in Western Washington, you have probably toyed with the idea of owning a boat. Boating is in our blood around here and both children and adults dream of chugging around Elliott Bay in a tugboat, riding a ferry to the San Juan Islands, sailing on Puget Sound… Continue reading

  • Can You Feel the Beat? Picture Books that Boogie!

    There are some books that just compel you tap your toes and snap your fingers. The rhythm of the words inspires you to get up and move, join in the story action, and fall into the musical beat of the rhyme. Pair that magic with dynamic illustrations and you are sure to have a book… Continue reading

  • Celebrate Mother’s Day

    Why not celebrate Mother’s Day with some books? Here are a few picture books celebrating mothers: Olympia papercut artist Nikki McClure just released a picture book called Mama, Is It Summer Yet? In her beautfully simplistic papercut style, each page depicts a mother and son as they have a conversation about looking in nature for signs… Continue reading

  • Readers Worth Reading

    Let’s face it… Learning to read is hard work! And early reading books can be, frankly, BORING! Reading requires practice in decoding symbols, understanding left-to-right page orientation, memorization, interpreting graphic clues, combining sounds and focusing your attention for long periods of time, to the point of losing all interest in the story, if there is… Continue reading

  • Potty Poetry

    Spring is here and summer is on the minds of many parents. This triggers a little-known phenomenon in the library… The absence of all potty training materials on our shelves! Warmer weather seems to motivate parents to start the process of teaching bathroom etiquette to their young. Parents all over Seattle suddenly descend upon the… Continue reading

  • Children’s Books that Bite!

    Though the words “children’s picture books” conjure up visions of sweet dreams, fluffy animals and happy endings, there are legions of readers who prefer stories that involve sharp teeth and a clever twist at the end – most likely the same children who enjoy Tim Burton movies. For all those children (and adults) who take… Continue reading

  • Allen Say’s Beautiful Children’s Books

    Allen Say was born in Yokohama, Japan in 1937. At age 16 he came to the United States. He first went to a military high school, and then to different colleges to study art. In 1989, he earned his fist Caldecott honor award for his illustrations for The Boy of Three-Year Nap written by Dianne… Continue reading

  • Shamrocks, Shillelaghs, and Shenanigans: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Children!

    It’s the time of year when we all wish to have a wee bit o’ the Irish heritage in our family tree.  Whether you hail from the Emerald Isles or just wish you did, get ready to dress in green, dance a jig and follow a rainbow to its end. Construct a leprechaun trap, share… Continue reading

  • Knitting Yarns for Kids

    What better way to spend a winter day than to read a book about making warm and cozy items out of yarn? Better yet, why not learn how to knit something out of yarn while you read a yarn? The following books are sure to inspire craftiness and provoke laughter on cold, wet, end-of-winter days:… Continue reading

  • Attention Aliens: You Are Not Alone!

    Have you ever thought that you might be from another planet? Most people, at some point in their lives, experience moments of feeling “different”, however, there are individuals who have such a unique interpretation of the world that it sets them apart. Imaginative, intelligent children learning to navigate the social galaxies around them – particularly… Continue reading

  • Wishing for Snow

    As I look out on the dreary grey that has become the standard color for this winter, I think back on last year’s winter white and wish for snow. Yes, I know it was a bit extreme and highly inconvenient – not to mention downright dangerous, at times – but being forced to stay home… Continue reading

  • Extreme Makeover: Picture Book Characters Edition

    While I am out and about on the bookmobile, visiting preschools and child care centers, I come across interesting changes that happen to children’s picture book characters. Sometimes there will be subtle differences when a new illustrator takes over an old series:                                                       Sometimes an existing book gets completely revised by a different illustrator, which… Continue reading