I don’t exactly know why I was drawn to scary books as a kid. Maybe I liked the rush of adrenaline that comes from reading a scary scene, followed by the calming realization that I’m safe at home and not in any real danger. Maybe it was a way of testing myself in the face of fear – it can feel like an accomplishment to make it through a scary story without turning away. Or maybe it was because of my curiosity about the dark side of human nature. Either way, if you’re like me, the Halloween season can be the perfect time to catch up on the latest and greatest in scary and creepy books. Here’s a selection of some of the best that the library has to offer for grade-school readers: Continue reading “Scary Books for Older Kids”
During these trying times, parents and educators are looking to the space nature provides as a resource for learning. There are many positive benefits to outdoor learning spaces, and getting a breath of fresh air can do wonders for mental clarity for both you and your kids.
Below, I have put together a list of great books the library has to offer on outdoor learning. Enjoy!
This book is filled with stories and colorful photographs that illustrate how the outdoors supports children’s early learning. Each story is connected to an early learning standard such as:
This summer, the library made take-home craft kits for kids of all ages to create. We made doodle bots, Pokémon cross stitch patterns, dragons and more! These kits were such a big hit! To celebrate all our crafters out there and the beginning of the school year, we wanted to do a little something for our students!
Introducing the unicorn cake pillow giveaway! This kit has everything you need to create the pillow displayed on the box.
As a crafter myself, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to test out this kit. While I can barely sew on a button, the pillow was fairly easy to create. (Though, because of mess-ups and losing things, I ended up using my own needle and some of my extra thread.)
To enter this giveaway, click on the link below. Any child in Boone or Callaway County ages 10 and older are encouraged to enter. For an extra entry, attach a picture if you created a library craft we posted about this summer.
One of the easiest crafts to make at home is a paper bag puppet. All you need is a paper bag and a writing utensil! Take care that the mouth of the puppet is where the folded bag meets the side. Your puppet can be simple, with only a face, or you can decorate it with materials from around the house.
If you make more than one, your puppets can get into all sorts of fun together!
Some of our young patrons made these puppets. So cute!
Celebrate narwhals, the unicorns of the sea, with your own beautiful painting! If you missed our virtual guided painting class, here are some instructions so you can still paint along at home.
This is what you’ll need to get started:
Canvas. I used a 10 inch x 10 inch canvas.
Acrylic paint. I used the following colors and mixed them to make other colors:
White
Black
Blue
Red
Yellow
Brushes. I used a 1 inch foam brush for the background and the narwhal and a 1 cementer flat brush for the details.
Cup of water and towel. You will want to rinse and squeeze your brushes between each color.
Paper plate. I used a paper plate to mix my colors.
September 15 to October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. Authorized in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson as a week-long recognition of the contributions of Americans “who can trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South American and the Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean,” the observance was expanded to a month under President Ronald Reagan in 1968. The month of September was chosen because it is significant in many Spanish-speaking countries. September 15 “marks the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.” Additionally, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence on September 16 and September 18, respectively.
I love being a grandparent. I engage in science experiments, create crafts, read and cook with my grandchildren. These are activities I enjoy and love to share. Authors Charles and Ann Morse said “A child needs a grandparent, anybody’s grandparent, to grow a little more securely into an unfamiliar world.” Older people, such as grandparents, can share so much with children—stories, life experiences, hobbies and more.
I hope everyone is adjusting well and feeling good as we transition into fall. I know it’s still almost two weeks away, but I can’t wait! If you and your little one are finding the changes difficult this year, why not escape into a good book? Reading won’t solve the world’s problems, but it can offer you a little pocket of peace in the midst of chaos. (If you need a grown-up book for yourself, take a look at our blog for adults for inspiration!)
The first day of school looks very different this year. Littles that were confident last year may be more anxious about how school will go this year. This book is a great choice to open up a discussion about anxieties. Different animals are all nervous about starting school—Sloth worries he won’t get there on time, while Snake is concerned his backpack won’t stay on. Even their armadillo teacher is nervous! As the animals learn to support each other, they’re able to move into the school year with more confidence. In addition to the great message, the cartoon-like illustrations look absolutely adorable! Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: September Favorites 2020”
Bears, cats and a bird who learned a bad word, oh my!
Jacob Grant is a writer and an illustrator who brings fun animals to life that often resemble the little people in our lives. His characters learn about boundaries, personal space, making compromises for a friend and more! Check out these titles for beautifully illustrated books with real-life lessons.
Bear and his stuffed teddy, Ursa, keep their house in tip-top shape. One day, while cleaning, Bear discovers spiderwebs all over the house. Panicked by the idea of a dirty spider, Bear wrecks the house trying to find the spider. In looking for the spider, Bear hurts Ursa on the corner of his bed. Bear is very upset as Ursa was his very special friend. As he rushes through his messy house to look for something to fix Ursa, the friendly spider in the house uses web to patch Ursa up. Bear thanks his new spider friend and decides that maybe spiders are okay. Continue reading “Authors We Love: Jacob Grant”
I feel like every child goes through a “vehicle” phase, in one way or another. Mine consisted of building pillow mountains that “avalanched” onto my toy train set. Kids love emergency vehicles, construction site vehicles, school buses and more!
Why not do some vehicle-watching with these fun library-approved iPad apps?
Vroom Vroom!
”Trucks HD” by Duck Duck Moose Intended Age Range: 4+
“Trucks HD” includes 5 mini games that the user is in control of. There are traffic lights where the user can choose for the cars to go, slow down or stop. There is another where a sharp object puts a hole in a tire and the user must help replace it. Definitely a life simulation game with some small quirks to keep children entertained. Users can play and explore with all kinds of trucks and other vehicles in the town! Continue reading “Beep Beep! Transportation iPad Apps”
I don’t exactly know why I was drawn to scary books as a kid. Maybe I liked the rush of adrenaline that comes from reading a scary scene, followed by the calming realization that I’m safe at home and not in any real danger. Maybe it was a way of testing myself in the face of fear – it can feel like an accomplishment to make it through a scary story without turning away. Or maybe it was because of my curiosity about the dark side of human nature. Either way, if you’re like me, the Halloween season can be the perfect time to catch up on the latest and 
greatest in scary and creepy books. Here’s a selection of some of the best that the library has to offer for grade-school readers: Continue reading “Scary Books for Older Kids”
Introducing the unicorn cake pillow giveaway! This kit has everything you need to create the pillow displayed on the box.
September 15 to October 15 is 
