Happy Reading From Your Youth Services Team The Youth Services Team loves sharing books, audiobooks, and movies that we've enjoyed and we think kids and their parents will enjoy too. Here's what we've been loving this month! Ami, Becky, Cheryl, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Esli, Miss Steph, Mrs. Liz, Mrs. Murphy, Sally, Stephanie G., and Stephanie S. |  Recommended by Cheryl | Opposites with Frank Lloyd Wright Best for Babies and up.
An absolutely gorgeous book that nicely explains concepts like open and closed, bright and dark, and others, while utilizing examples of Frank Lloyd Wright's work rendered in brightly colored illustrations. It’s also interactive, with a soft fabric to touch on the chair and pages that open to show a tall and wide building. At the end it lists what house/work each of the images comes from, and there's a short bio of Wright at the end (with pictures of him both young and old). A really delightful board book to share and introduce some new vocabulary to baby. |  Recommended by Miss Esli | Karen’s Worst Day by Katy Farina Best for Grade 2 and up.
Perfect introduction to The Babysitters Club for a younger audience and a simpler read for fans of the series. Karen is having a very bad day! She fell out of bed after a bad dream and then could not find her new sparkly jeans. But things just keep getting worse! No matter what she does, nothing gets better. This book teaches children to look at things differently and to always keep a positive attitude even on bad days. |  Recommended by Miss Elizabeth | Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s SUPER-SOAKING Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton, Illustrated by Don Tate Best for Grade 2 and up.
While you might not know Lonnie Johnson’s name, you have probably walked by his best-known invention in the toy aisle a few times. He was tinkering by the bathroom sink with another idea when he came up with the initial plans for the Super Soaker! Though getting it off the ground took a while, he never gave up. This picture book biography is a fun read that tells the story of someone that was encouraged by their family to follow their curiosity. This book is full of lessons big and small, and shows that the spark of great ideas can be found in communities all over the world. |  Recommended by Mrs. Liz | The Big, Fun Kids Cookbook by the Food Network Magazine Best for Grade 3 and up.
Chances are your household has watched (or heard of) a kid food show from this channel! With no pressures of the camera and this accessible cookbook, your kid will want to make it all at home! The classic recipes span from easy to more substantial with each page full of pictures, interesting facts, and tips. Each section has remixes and design your own recipes on favorites like ants on a log, fries, pasta, granola bars, baked pockets, chicken salad, chips and more! These are perfect to encourage the adventurous kids out there to experiment and enjoy their creations. At our house, we can't wait to try the "fake-out Cakes" for the 6 birthdays we celebrate- I called dibs on the Cereal Bowl Cake! Full of fun with coloring sheets, food IQ games, and quizzes! It's a breath of wonderful aroma! |  Recommended by Stephanie G. | Ruby on the Outside by Nora Raleigh Baskin Best for Grade 4 and up.
Eleven-year-old Ruby Danes has a real best friend for the first time ever, but agonizes over whether or not to tell her a secret she has never shared with anyone--that her mother has been in prison since Ruby was five--and over whether to express her anger to her mother. Through Ruby’s eyes the reader experiences the loss she feels each time she visits her mother in prison and how her perception changes at different times in her life. I love watching Ruby grow by learning to see beyond the of good and bad into a world of unconditional love. |  Recommended by Mrs. Murphy | Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park Best for Grade 5 and up.
An award-winning book by a notable author. Prairie Lotus is timely book, even though it is historical fiction. Half-Chinese Hanna and her white father face prejudice as they try to make a home for themselves in Dakota Territory in the 1880s. Linda Sue Park includes a thoughtful author's note reflecting on her complicated relationship with the Laura Ingalls Wilders Little House books. Readalike: The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich |  Recommended by Becky | Hercules "Taken from the gods as a newborn and adopted on Earth, Hercules is just an awkward pillar of strength trying to fit in. What he wants most is to impress his father Zeus. When Hercules discovers Hades' sinister plot to take over Mount Olympus, he goes from zero to hero and, with the help of his pals Pegasus and Phil, discovers that real strength comes from the heart" This often-overlooked Disney film is an oldie (1997) but a goodie. There are a lot of laughs and catchy songs. You will find the characters a bit predictable but loveable and may even recognize some of the voice actors. It’s a fun family movie that I can get a third grader, middle-schooler, and high schooler to agree on. |  Recommended by Ami | The Powerpuff Girls Sugar. Spice. And Everything Nice. These were the ingredients chosen to create the perfect little girls...But Professor Utonium accidentally added an extra ingredient to the concoction-- Chemical X. (BOOM!) Thus, the Powerpuff Girls were born! Using their ultra-super powers, Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup have dedicated their lives to fighting crime and the forces. Of. EVIL! (cue theme music) Join this adorable, crime-fighting trio as they save the city of Townsville and the WORLD countless times from evildoers like the Gangreen Gang, Princess, Him, and my personal favorite, Mojo Jojo. The classic Powerpuff Girls is enjoyable for all ages and despite the title, all genders. It blends comedy, action, and drama perfectly and because it’s not heavily-90s influenced, the show is timeless and holds up well to this day. | | We love hearing what kids have been reading or listening to! |  Eric's favorite is Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth | Eric, Grade 3, loves Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick. "I love the book Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth. I like that Hilo crashed to Earth in his silver underpants. ” |  Ian thinks you should read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | Ian, Grade 3, loves Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling. “I love the book because it has adventures. I like fantasy stories. I recommend this for you. " | Does your child have a favorite book that they want to tell everyone about? Rocky would love to share them in future newsletters! Have them tell you what book they want to share and why, or what they loved about it. It should be a book we own in the Youth Services department. Please include a picture. It can be of the book, they can draw a picture related to the story, maybe build something out of LEGOs--be creative! Your child can be included or not. Send your email to Rocky and we hope to share their recommendation in a future Rocky's Recs. Email Rocky at rocky@dppl.org. |  A peek inside one of our Bag o' Board Books | Check out our.... Bag o' Board Books! Have a little one at home? Stop by the library to pick up a Bag o' Board Books. These bags contain a selection of board books. Take them home, discover some titles you may not have seen on the shelves--you can even keep the bag if you'd like. Makes it easy to quickly get new books for your baby or toddler. | We're busy putting the final touches on our Summer Reading program! As part of that, Youth Services makes a video to promote the program to schools-and usually it's very silly. So why are we Zooming, and why do we look so funny? Your kids will find out first when they watch our video at school. Next month we'll fill you in on the fun things we have planned! | |
