Kids & Families

  • October Takeover: Halloween History

    ~posted by Meranda T. Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. My earliest movie memories have to do with Halloween. Such as Ray Bradbury’s Halloween Tree. Which is both a movie and a book. While I didn’t read the book until recently, the movie truly influenced me. It’s a fun Halloween movie that explores… Continue reading

  • Banned! Books in Drag is BACK

    ~by Misha  Banned! Books in Drag is coming right up at Neighbours Nightclub on Saturday, September 26th from 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. This free, 21+ event will feature an amazing array of local talent including Aleksa Manila, La Saveona Hunt, Charlie Menace, Robbie Turner, Atasha Manila and more. David Schmader will be the MC for the… Continue reading

  • Going Bananas!

    ~ posted by Ann G. In order to celebrate tonight’s food fest at the Central Library, with exhibitors and speakers to encourage us learn about and appreciate our food even more than we already do, let’s consider one of the most ubiquitous foods around: the banana. According to Chiquita Bananas, the average American eats 27… Continue reading

  • Amazing and Disgusting Creatures @ Your Library

    ~posted by Kristin E. and Claire S.  Zombie insects, farting snakes, and predators that swallow their prey whole — this summer, why not explore some of the world’s most fascinating (and disgusting) creatures with your kids? “Eww” and “ahh” with these children’s nonfiction books that appeal to fact finders and reluctant readers alike! Zombie Makers:… Continue reading

  • Summer Novels for Kids Full of Hope and Glory

    ~posted by Diane There is a memorable last scene in the movie Hope and Glory when the school blows up, thanks to German bombs in WWII. The moment of jubilation and absolute glee when the little boy knows there is no school to go to is not unlike that second when the last bell rings, dismissing kids for summer vacation.… Continue reading

  • Have You Seen These Yeti?

    ~posted by Amy Yeti has become the creature to feature in both picture books and children’s fiction. The trend started slowly in 2013 with the picture book The Boy who Cried, Bigfoot!, followed by Yeti, Turn Out the Light! and the chapter book The Abominables. 2014 brought several chapter book series featuring our large, hairy friends including: Alien Encounter… Continue reading

  • Fantasy Checklist Challenge: Children’s Books

    ~posted by Selby G. All ages love the possibilities bound in the pages of a fantastical book and children are no different. Some of the most creative and entertaining fantasy books I have read were written for kids. So don’t let the age vector deter you. The books in this post may be geared towards… Continue reading

  • Science Fiction Checklist Challenge: Kids

    ~posted by Jenny C. We’re coming to a close on the Science Fiction Checklist Challenge shortly, but I wanted to make sure there were a few more offerings for the child sci-fi reader out there. Oddly, while children’s fiction is crammed to the gills with fantasy and magic, there’s not much SF on the shelf,… Continue reading

  • Nightstand Reads: Seattle author Bridget Foley shares some favorites

    We are thrilled to have Seattle novelist and screenwriter Bridget Foley, author of Hugo & Rose, here today to share a few favorites from her nightstand pile. Eleven years ago when I moved in with my husband I insisted that we keep no bookshelves in our bedroom. Since we are both writers, we are drowning in… Continue reading

  • Girls on the Run

    Last year I took part in a program called Girls on the Run. I volunteered to be a Running Buddy for Highland Park Elementary School, located a block from where I grew up. As a Running Buddy you get partnered with a girl to run a practice 5K, then run the Girls on the Run… Continue reading

  • Radical Reading for February

    ~posted by Diane I’ve always been proud to have been a college student in the 1970’s when the campuses were hotbeds of protest, hippies, and monumental societal change. Those turbulent and triumphant times written about in recent children’s books allow us to relive those moments with awe. Sometimes children’s books are really best appreciated by… Continue reading

  • Seattle Public Library’s Favorite Picture Books of 2014

    Posted by Erin M. Can we all take a moment to celebrate the magic of a picture book? I am constantly amazed by the artistic and literary talent brought out in what is perhaps my favorite book format. The interplay between illustrations and prose found in a great picture book creates a special impact found… Continue reading

  • ebooks galore

    This fall, Simon & Schuster became the last of the “Big 5” publishers (joining Penguin/Random House, Macmillan, HarperCollins and Hachette) to make ebooks available to libraries. The Seattle Public Library added nearly 3,000 titles from Simon & Schuster and are now available for checkout in OverDrive. Here are the best of the best that Simon and Schuster… Continue reading

  • As the Lava Flows

    By Diane C. Volcanoes are spectacularly in the news now.  We’ve recently learned of a dramatic, unexpected eruption in Japan, and of ongoing lava flows in Peru, Iceland, and East Java Indonesia.  The one that most concerns me is the creeping leg of an offshoot originating from Kilauea Crater on the Big Island of Hawaii,… Continue reading

  • The Mystery Challenge Begins

    By Selby G. Now that fall is here, the icy fingers of winter will soon be sliding down our necks and forcing us inside to stay warm and dry. This time of year makes me want to curl up with a good mystery. So with that thought in mind, I am issuing another reading challenge.… Continue reading

  • The Power of Truth: Easy Biographies for Kids

    Sometimes a book that tells a true story of a fantastic adventure or a monumental idea that changed the world can overshadow any picture book or work of fiction, simply because the story is true. There is something very powerful about telling a child, this story actually happened. Done well, children’s books can bring events… Continue reading

  • Emotional Picture Books: Picture Books about Feelings

    Posted by Erin M. Children experience a range of emotions every day. They can go from happy to frustrated to angry in mere moments, and every child experiences and expresses their emotions differently. Helping children understand and communicate those emotions is a big task, but sharing picture books with children may be one way to start.… Continue reading

  • Find the Zoo at the Library!

    A visit to the zoo is a great family outing during the summer months, and sharing a book or two with your kids before, during, or after your visit can be a great way to infuse literacy and learning into a fun filled day with the animals. There are so many great books about the… Continue reading