Become a World Traveler

Posted on Thursday, August 4, 2022 by Adam

As we enter the last full month of summer, many families are using these last few weeks before school starts to take a vacation or to plan next summer’s getaway. If you’re not sure where you want to go, the library has a boatload of books that can take you all over the world from the comfort of your own home. Here are just a few of the many books on world travel that we have to peruse:

"National Parks of the U.S.A. by Kate SiberWe’ll start in America with “Destination: Rocky Mountains,” where you can join author Jonathan Grupper on a thrilling climb in the Rocky Mountains, exploring this magnificent ecosystem by raft, by four-wheel drive and on foot, equipped with ice ax. And in “National Parks of the U.S.A.,” by Kate Siber, you can take a tour of America’s great outdoors and discover the beauty and diversity of its most iconic and majestic national parks. Continue reading “Become a World Traveler”

Brianna’s Books: July Favorites 2022

Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2022 by Brianna

Brianna's Books Banner

How’s your Summer Reading going? My nine month old son finished his pretty quick, but I still need to catch up. If you need some exciting new books to round out your summer, take a look at these!

Picture Books

Brush! Brush! Brush!” written by Douglas Florian and illustrated by Christiane Engel

I don’t usually highlight board books, but I wanted to bring this one to your attention! This book is perfect for toddlers that are learning how to brush their teeth. The illustrations are bright and exciting but simple enough that it’s easy to follow what’s happening. The text has a wonderful bouncy rhythm, repeating the end of each line. “Toothpaste on the / brush! brush! brush! / Take your time. / Don’t rush! rush! rush!” There’s excellent tooth-brushing advice for every step of the process, delivered with charm and verve. My little boy doesn’t have teeth yet, but we’ll definitely be checking this book out when the time comes! Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: July Favorites 2022”

Make a Merperson Necklace

Posted on Monday, July 11, 2022 by Laura

Merperson Necklace

This year’s summer reading theme “Oceans of Possibilities” has us dreaming of undersea adventures. Who among us hasn’t wished for gills and a tail after a long day of water play? Support creativity and imaginative summer play with this easy and endlessly customizable merperson necklace. Magical seashells are certainly hard to come by in landlocked central Missouri, so recycling an egg carton will save you a trip to the beach — and help keep some trash out of our waterways while you’re at it! Continue reading “Make a Merperson Necklace”

Summertime Stargazing 🌠

Posted on Tuesday, July 5, 2022 by Grae

Born at the end of July, I’ve always held a soft spot in my heart for the blistering “dog days” of summer, whether I’m eating a homemade popsicle, hanging out at the pool with friends or going on a fun outdoor adventure like hiking or berry-picking. But sometimes it’s just 🔥too hot🔥 and even unsafe to enjoy those daytime activities, so I turn my attention instead to a both exciting and relaxing activity that is best experienced in the low-light hours when the blazing sun is gone or almost-gone from the horizon: stargazing.

You may have heard of some of the more common constellations and asterisms, or star patterns and star shapes, that we can see in the summer here in the Northern Hemisphere. To the north, there are: Ursa Major, the Great Bear; the Big Dipper, which is a part of Ursa Major; Ursa Minor, also called the Little Dipper; Draco, the Dragon; and Cassiopeia, the Queen.

Sky-map featuring the constellations Ursa Major, outlined in yellow, and Draco and Cassiopeia outlined in orange; and the asterisms the Big Dipper and Little Dipper, outlined in orange.
This sky-map indicates the constellations and asterisms that will be visible from Columbia, Missouri, on the evening of July 5th. I’ve outlined some of the constellations/asterisms you can see when facing North, including Ursa Major in yellow; the Big Dipper in orange; Ursa Minor/the Little Dipper in orange; Draco in orange; and Cassiopeia in orange. You can visit skyandtelescope.org and put in a custom date and location to create your own interactive reference guide!

Continue reading “Summertime Stargazing 🌠”

Books We Love: Blue

Posted on Monday, June 20, 2022 by Megan

Book cover for Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky

If you’re like me, you don’t really think about the color blue that much (unless you are eating a grocery store cupcake and your mouth is dyed blue for hours). However, I just read a book that will make me never look at it the same way again. “Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky” by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond and illustrated by Daniel Minter is about the complicated and sometimes brutal history of this color. The illustrations and words flow beautifully, walking readers through how the various hues came to be. Continue reading “Books We Love: Blue”

Newspaper Swords

Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2022 by Katie

Ahoy, hearties! Do your kiddos love playing pirates as much as we do? (You’re never too old!) If they do, this is the perfect craft to get your enemies to walk the plank — a newspaper sword!

You can create your own sword at home with a few supplies you might already have on hand.

Continue reading “Newspaper Swords”

Ocean Tales From Around the World

Posted on Monday, June 13, 2022 by Laura

A group of children face each other in a circle and splash in the ocean water, their arms raised.

How inappropriate to call this planet Earth, when clearly it is Ocean.” – science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke

We may be landlocked here in Missouri, but did you know that over one-third of the world’s entire population lives near a coastline? As we dive into our summer reading program Oceans of Possibilities, I wanted to explore the the shores and seas so many people around the world call home. In compiling this list, I looked for picture books with a strong sense of place which showcase a variety of distinct cultures of those who live by the sea. From South Korea to Canada, let’s set sail! Continue reading “Ocean Tales From Around the World”