With summer reading over, the first day of school, and the eclipse behind us, my coworker and I were puzzling over themes for our main displays. Since it’s still too early for Hispanic Heritage Month and the fall season, we eventually settled on books for Library Card Sign Up Month. However, we also have a smaller display near our desk, which we usually use to highlight readers, novels, and nonfiction for older readers. Luckily, I stumbled upon National Dog Day, and knew I had a winner! Dog books attract both reluctant readers and avid readers, so we definitely have something for everybody. If you want a fast-moving display, consider a National Dog Day (August 26) display: Image: National Geographic National Geographic Kids publishes a wide array of high-interest nonfiction for young readers; naturally, animals and nature are a big part of their catalog (they also have outstanding science…
Category: Blogger Jennifer Schultz
Back to School: Books for a New School Year
With the new school year starting very soon, books about hot summer days will soon give way to stories about the fun and importance of school. If you’re looking to add unique titles to your “back to school” displays or bibliographies, these books will definitely give readers a new perspective on daily school life! (image: James Runford) Rain School was inspired by James Runford’s experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kélo, Chad, where teachers and students rebuild their school and desks after each rainy season. I recently read this to a daycare group consisting of children ages 6-12, and they were spellbound! (image: Lee and Low) The School The Aztec Eagles Built is a fascinating and little-known World War II event; before the Aztec Eagles, Mexico’s 201st Air Force Squadron left Mexico to fight in the Second World War, President Camacho asked the men for any last requests. Sgt….
Fun in the Sun: Books for Summer Time Reading
Seasonal books are hugely popular at our library (and I suspect yours as well). If you need an easy display or book list that will move books, a summer display is the way to go!
Countdown to Summer Reading: Books for Building Summer Fun
If you’re participating in either the Reading by Design or Build a Better World summer reading themes, you’ve probably been ordering, reading, or rereading books that tie into your theme. There are many ways to develop these themes, but including books about building/construction are great ways to extend your theme: (image taken from Sleeping Bear Press site) If you’re familiar with Sleeping Bear Press’s informational picture books, you know that the main text is usually written in rhyme, accompanied with sidebars that include further information. “A Book of Bridges” is not only an instructive overview of bridges, but it also includes a reminder that bridges bring people and communities together. (image taken from Jonathan Bean site) “Building Our House” will undoubtedly be the highlight of any preschool or school age read aloud session (one-on-one time spent with the book will reveal hidden gems scattered throughout the illustrations, such as…
April is Month of the Military Child
As April is the Month of the Military Child, I thought it would be a great time to highlight children’s books about military life, and to hopefully learn about other outstanding titles! According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, there are approximately 2 million children living in military families; 1.3 of them are school-aged. Whether or not you live in a community with many military families, these books will both entertain and inspire children in military and civilian families: (image taken from Daphne Benedis-Grab’s website) I’ve not yet read Army Brats, but its enthusiastically positive reviews have moved it to the top of my list. Not only does this feature a military family living on base, but it also includes an enlisted mother and a child adopted from China. A mystery about a rumored haunted house will definitely entice mystery and detective stories fans! Brave Like Me…
We Can Do It: Books for Women’s History Month
March is wrapping up, but there’s still plenty of time to create displays and booklists about Women’s History Month! If you’re looking for books that are immediate attention-grabbers, here are some awesome women’s history titles that have very popular at our libraries: This was a recent patron request, and I can’t wait for my turn to read it! DK books are super popular with our patrons, and probably yours as well; they are filled with fascinating information and graphics that are tailor-made for young readers who crave fun informational reads. Divided into sections such as “Political Pioneers,” “Screen Stars,” “Internet Impacts,” and more, each women’s tribute features notable women who made contributions in the same field before and after her lifespan. While working on this post at the reference desk, a young patron asked for National Geographic books; like DK, National Geographic Kids books have bright graphics and gobsmacking…
Celebrate Creativity! March is National Craft Month
Want to add some color and creativity to your displays and story times? Consider a crafts theme! Crafts include everything from sewing to woodworking, so there’s plenty of terrific books to choose from: (image taken from Abrams Books website) Abrams Books is known for their emphasis on arts and graphic design, so it’s no surprise that “I Had A Favorite Hat” is teeming with fun and ingenuity! A young girl’s mother wants to put away her beach hat the at the end of the summer, but this young lady has other plans for her hat! She artfully redecorates it each season, which makes this a great addition to any seasonal program. (image taken from Simms Taback website) Simms Taback’s 2000 Caldecott Medal story (“Joseph Had a Little Overcoat”) about a ingenious tailor (based on an Eastern European folk song) is a longtime favorite read aloud. Careful observers…
Who Will I Be? Books About Careers
It’s inevitable that we discover a section that needs updating (to our chagrin). Last year, I stumbled upon our career books, which didn’t need weeding as much as it needed updating for current and future careers. If your collection is in need of branching out from your average career books, check out these series that will make reading about careers fun and informative at the same time: