Children’s Books

  • Learning to Be Thankful

    Parents often come into the library looking for books that will help their children learn to share, make friends, use better manners, get involved in community service, etc. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, there are lots of opportunities to share values and demonstrate kindness through actions, giving children living examples of thoughtful behaviors that… Continue reading

  • Veteran’s Day: What it Means for Children Today

    Veteran’s Day has become a very tangible holiday. Not so long ago, most children did not have a close, personal connection to a veteran. Veterans of war were people who were older, grandparents or distant relatives who had served in wars that children could not remember or identify with. It was a fuzzy concept; a day off from school… Continue reading

  • Get Lost, (Part 4)

    (Fourth in a series) Low ebb, high tide…                       The lowest ebb and highest tide…       I guess we took us for a ride… I guess it’s just a gesture…              At the end of the continent…                                       At the edge of the continent… Get Lost enters California: First stop Eureka and Fort Bragg:… Continue reading

  • Snuggle Up and Sleep Like a Bear

    Is fall weather starting to get to you? Are the kids feeling the effects of too many windy, rainy days? How about snuggling up in a blanket cave with your cubs and hibernating for an afternoon of reading, sleeping and bonding?  Here are a few books that will help to get you settled in and… Continue reading

  • Re-reading Challenge: That childhood favorite

    We heard from a lot of people at the library who liked David W’s  Resolutions for Readers . Now that there are only two calendar pages left in the year, we’d like to challenge you to take on a few of these resolutions, starting with the first on the list: I will re-read a book… Continue reading

  • Halloween Reads to Share with Children

    In just a few days, there will be goblins, ghosts, superheroes, villains, and flying broomsticks knocking at your door and demanding your attention with shouts of “Trick-or-Treat!”  Stretch out the excitement and rev up the anticipation with nightly bedtime stories featuring the highlights of fall routines, cool weather changes, and a little spookiness, just for fun!  Here are several new titles… Continue reading

  • ¡Celebre el Día de los Muertos! Celebrate Day of the Dead!

    So, what is Día de los muertos and why would anyone want to celebrate death? México and other Latin American countries have an intimate and playful attitude towards the life/death relationship. Unlike the sober Memorial Day celebrated in the United States, the dead are invited to return and enjoy costumed parades and personalized altars festooned… Continue reading

  • More Staff Favorites for Children: Chapter Books II

    George’s Secret Key to the Universe, by Lucy and Stephen Hawking J HAWKING George’s parents do not approve of computers – or any other technological amenities.  So, when George stumbles into the lives of his neighbors, he discovers a brave new world.  Annie and her scientist father, Eric, have a computer which produces a portal… Continue reading

  • More Fall Staff Favorites for Children: Chapter Books

    1,001 Cranes, by Naomi Hirahara J HIRAHAR Folding 1,001 origami cranes was not Angie’s idea.  Her parents, on the verge of divorce, have sent her to her grandparents outside of L.A., where displays of good luck cranes are part of their floral business.  Angie is not a happy camper.  At first, she is all thumbs… Continue reading

  • More Fall Staff Favorites for Children: Picture Books II

    Egg Drop, by Mini Grey E GREY Ever wonder what really happened to Humpty Dumpty? Well, in this modern day tale, an egg dreams of flying, finds a tall, tall tower, and WHEEEEE!,… he jumps!….SPLAT!!  In Humpty Dumpty fashion, his friends rush to put him back together, but, alas, to no avail. Read this book… Continue reading

  • ¡Viva! Celebrate Latin America’s Independence Days and National Hispanic Heritage Month with Children’s Books!

    September 15th through October 15th is designated as National Hispanic Heritage Month.  It is a time to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures of Latin America and the struggle for independence.    Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua celebrate their Independence Days on September 15th, Mexico on September 16th, and Chile on September 18th.… Continue reading

  • Fall Staff Favorites for Children: Picture Books

    Augustus and His Smile, by Catherine Rayner E RAYNER              Stunningly bold illustrations and simple text are artfully paired to tell the tale of a tiger who sets off to find his lost smile.  Augustus searches the jungles, mountains, deserts, and oceans of the world without success.  In the end, he discovers that his smile comes… Continue reading

  • School Days for the Grade School Crowd

    Though summer is still upon us, it is time to begin preparing our children for the start of yet another school year – both mentally and physically.  Some kids are raring to go, eager to go school shopping, looking forward to the return of structured days and the busy classroom social scene, while others are… Continue reading

  • Going to School for the First Time

    With summer winding down and September right around the corner, many children – and parents – are about to embark on a yearly ritual for the first time:  THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!  Starting school can be an exciting time, but it can also be cause for anxiety.  There are so many questions that need… Continue reading

  • Even More Summer Staff Favorites for Children

    Gully’s Travels, by Tor Seidler J SEIDLER Gully lives a happy life of luxury, residing in Manhattan and travelling to Paris with his professor. Everything changes when his master rejects him and he is forced to live a simpler life-style with a happy-go-lucky family. Gully tries to solve the riddle of why he was abandoned… Continue reading

  • More Summer Staff Favorites for Children: Historical Fiction

    The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had, by Kristin Levine J LEVINE Prepare to fall in love with the narrator of this story! Dit tells the tale of a memorable year in tiny Moundville, Alabama, during World War I, the year he meets and befriends Emma.  Dit provokes a blatantly racist sheriff to shoot at… Continue reading

  • More Summer Staff Favorites for Children: Fantasy Chapter Books

    Elsie Piddock Skips in Her Sleep by Eleanor Farjeon J FARJEON Elsie Piddock was a born skipper from the age of three and, by the time she was seven, the fairies had heard of her.  They taught her the most fantastical skips anyone ever saw.  As Elsie grows older, her skipping is almost forgotten, becoming… Continue reading

  • More Summer Staff Favorites for Children: Picture Books

    Beware of the Frog by William Bee  E BEE Mrs. Collywobbles lives all alone on the edge of a dark, scary forest, with no one to protect her except for her pet . . . frog?  Yes, but this is no ordinary frog, as the Greedy Goblin, Smelly Troll, and Giant Hungry Ogre all discover,… Continue reading