- Picture Books
- Kids' Books
- Middle Grade Books
- Children's and YA Books from Black Authors
- Young Adult/Teen Books
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Read in the New Year!
Happy New Year, everyone! There’s no better way to ring in the new year than with some great books. Here's a few different lists from the web for readers of all ages:
Sunday, June 28, 2020
4000 Comics & Graphic Novels Available to all Massachusetts Residents!
Bibliolabs Launches Virtual Library Comic Convention (VLCC) Making over 4000 Comics & Graphic Novels Available to all Massachusetts Residents!
This project is a collaboration with 9 other states and is intended to provide easy access to digital resources while also supporting statewide summer reading programs for all ages during the COVID-19 period. More eBooks will be released throughout the summer from additional children’s, comic book, and science fiction publishers.
Access the collection here!
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Book Recommendations Focused on Racism and Social Justice
As the state of the world is changing day to day, one thing remains - knowledge and facts are necessary to even begin to understand the ideas of racism and the psychological, as well as physical, effects of it all. There have many book lists put out that focus on race, racism, protests, and challenges for many individuals in today's society. Librarians have been finding posts all over social media for booklists that help kids, teens, and adults understand the issues surrounding racism and we have compiled our list here:
Common Sense Media put out a fantastic list of books on racism and social justice where folks can filter by age. The list is prefaced with this: "When your kids see demonstrations in the street or on the news as a response to racially charged incidents, you can help them understand what's going on by giving them some historical context. Sometimes such actions reflect a healthy democracy. Sometimes they lead to changing laws. Some movements are peaceful, others turn violent. These books tell stories of people's experiences of racism and of those who put their bodies on the line for the cause of equality under the law and social justice."
Epic! - Available through QPS (ask your child's teacher for their login), Epic! is an American kids subscription-based reading and learning platform. It offers access to books and videos for children ages 12 and under. If you search "racism" or "social justice," you will find a number of books in an easier format for younger students. (The National Geographic Kids book about Martin Luther King Jr. sparked some decent conversations between me and my 1st grader.)
Embracerace.org also has a great list of 31 children's books. As stated in the article, "Research from Harvard University suggests that children as young as three years old, when exposed to racism and prejudice, tend to embrace and accept it, even though they might not understand the feelings. By age 5, white children are strongly biased towards whiteness. To counter this bias, experts recommend acknowledging and naming race and racism with children as early and as often as possible. Children’s books are one of the most effective and practical tools for initiating these critical conversations; and they can also be used to model what it means to resist and dismantle oppression."
While Bookshop.org is mainly a site for folks to buy books, Brian Lair Books has put together a large list within the site. There is no article but the books they have listed are fantastic for kids of many ages as well as adults.
1000 Black Girl Books Resource Guide is another great resource. From the site: "This resource guide was created in direct response to the multiple requests made by educators, parents and students. Like Marley Dias, so many of you have asked for books with black girls as the main characters. And because of you, we have received thousands of books. Here we are sharing with you the first 1000 titles."
Here's a blog that lists books that centers on Native stories: American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL)
Here's a list by a school librarian and published children's author. It contains books for all ages.
This list of picture books featuring powerful Black characters was found on Facebook and is from a fellow librarian.
Some of our favorites are listed below:
Brown Girl Dreaming
Something Happened in Our Town - Read aloud on YouTube (picture book)
The 57 Bus
All American Boys
The Hate U Give
I'm Not Dying with You Tonight
As always, make sure you get your e-card (if you don't have it already) to gain free access to eBooks at at Thomas Crane Public Library or Boston Public Library!
Common Sense Media put out a fantastic list of books on racism and social justice where folks can filter by age. The list is prefaced with this: "When your kids see demonstrations in the street or on the news as a response to racially charged incidents, you can help them understand what's going on by giving them some historical context. Sometimes such actions reflect a healthy democracy. Sometimes they lead to changing laws. Some movements are peaceful, others turn violent. These books tell stories of people's experiences of racism and of those who put their bodies on the line for the cause of equality under the law and social justice."
Epic! - Available through QPS (ask your child's teacher for their login), Epic! is an American kids subscription-based reading and learning platform. It offers access to books and videos for children ages 12 and under. If you search "racism" or "social justice," you will find a number of books in an easier format for younger students. (The National Geographic Kids book about Martin Luther King Jr. sparked some decent conversations between me and my 1st grader.)
Embracerace.org also has a great list of 31 children's books. As stated in the article, "Research from Harvard University suggests that children as young as three years old, when exposed to racism and prejudice, tend to embrace and accept it, even though they might not understand the feelings. By age 5, white children are strongly biased towards whiteness. To counter this bias, experts recommend acknowledging and naming race and racism with children as early and as often as possible. Children’s books are one of the most effective and practical tools for initiating these critical conversations; and they can also be used to model what it means to resist and dismantle oppression."
While Bookshop.org is mainly a site for folks to buy books, Brian Lair Books has put together a large list within the site. There is no article but the books they have listed are fantastic for kids of many ages as well as adults.
1000 Black Girl Books Resource Guide is another great resource. From the site: "This resource guide was created in direct response to the multiple requests made by educators, parents and students. Like Marley Dias, so many of you have asked for books with black girls as the main characters. And because of you, we have received thousands of books. Here we are sharing with you the first 1000 titles."
Here's a blog that lists books that centers on Native stories: American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL)
Here's a list by a school librarian and published children's author. It contains books for all ages.
This list of picture books featuring powerful Black characters was found on Facebook and is from a fellow librarian.
Some of our favorites are listed below:
Brown Girl Dreaming
Something Happened in Our Town - Read aloud on YouTube (picture book)
The 57 Bus
All American Boys
The Hate U Give
I'm Not Dying with You Tonight
As always, make sure you get your e-card (if you don't have it already) to gain free access to eBooks at at Thomas Crane Public Library or Boston Public Library!
Monday, May 25, 2020
Geneaology!
At the high school level, I (Ms. Coady) had students research their family tree by using the last available census from 1940. I explained the reason why the census exists:
According to the census site, "Census results help determine how billions of dollars in federal funding flow into states and communities each year...The results determine how many seats in Congress each state gets...It's mandated by the U.S. Constitution in Article 1, Section 2: The U.S. has counted its population every 10 years since 1790."
Students then went to the TCPL database site and found the genealogy databases. Most of them have to be used on site but HeritageQuest Online does not. If you're looking for a fun project to do with your family, check it out! Students whose families didn't come to the US until much later got to research famous figures so if that is the case with your family, check out this page. Have fun exploring!
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Dungeons & Dragons with Thomas Crane Library
Dungeons & Dragons
with
Thomas Crane Library Online!
Are you looking for some after school fun? Join the the Dungeons & Dragons game on Thursdays: May 28th, June 4th and June 11th! Students ages 10-15 can participate!
Saturday, May 16, 2020
Explore Nature LIVE!
If you are like me, you are tired of surfing the web. Well, look no further! Explore.org is an entire website full of LIVE webcams in nature. So many awesome live feeds all with sound. Here is just a sample list: African wildlife, bears, cat rescues, ocean wildlife, alligators, gorillas, and wildlife sanctuaries. Looking to "explore" further, the site has educational films and lesson plans.
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| Gorilla enjoying his snack at GRACE Wildlife Center |
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
ESCAPE THE ROOM while staying at home!
Thomas Crane Public Library is hosting an event online tomorrow, May 13th at 3:30! Solve online puzzles in thirty minutes to escape the room and stay alive!
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
The Boston Public Library has created an extensive list of Asian/Pacific American books for children, teens, and adults. You can find it all by clicking here!
The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants. Click here to explore the rich heritage that helped shape the United States.
Sunday, May 3, 2020
Library Crossing: All the Horizons
I love libraries. I always have. Even as a kid, the public library was something of a magical place for me: if I could imagine it, the library would be where I found it--or found out more about it. Unsurprisingly, that magic sent me into librarianship as an adult, where I can spread the magic to others.
But right now, the magic is--well, it's harder to access. Libraries are closed to the public for the time being, so we can't browse, or suggest titles to nearby readers, or even just interact with other information- or recreation-seekers. And what is a librarian without her library?
Animal Crossing players can visit the BPJI island using the library’s Nintendo Switch friend code, 0912-2261-5044
But right now, the magic is--well, it's harder to access. Libraries are closed to the public for the time being, so we can't browse, or suggest titles to nearby readers, or even just interact with other information- or recreation-seekers. And what is a librarian without her library?
Tina Chenoweth didn't want to answer that question. She's the Young Adult Services Manager at the Baxter-Patrick James Island branch of Charleston County Public Library in South Carolina, but she's also the librarian of their virtual branch--set up in the latest release of Nintendo's popular Animal Crossing franchise.
For the uninitiated, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a game in which your character moves to a tropical island, and .... that's it. You catch bugs and fish and pick fruit and trade those things in for items like furniture, wallpaper, and other goods to decorate your pretend home and island. It's a quiet, peaceful, somewhat meditative game--a perfect setting for a library.
And what a library it is! In this article published a few weeks back, she explains that most of the decor--book-themed wallpaper, bookcases, study equipment--was donated by patrons "visiting" the island using a special friend code. While the library started small (a main room and a smaller children's room off the back) has expanded to include a staff break room, a study room, makerspace, and more. In true resource-sharing library fashion, outside the building there are areas for visitors to donate spare crafting "recipes" and found fossils and pick up ones they don't already have. On one of my visits, they were even running a library program--finding certain objects around the island and reporting back for an in-game prize.
For the uninitiated, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a game in which your character moves to a tropical island, and .... that's it. You catch bugs and fish and pick fruit and trade those things in for items like furniture, wallpaper, and other goods to decorate your pretend home and island. It's a quiet, peaceful, somewhat meditative game--a perfect setting for a library.
The Animal Crossing version of the BPJI Library is staffed by two librarians, who are both happy to answer questions, give suggestions, and otherwise interact with whoever comes to their island. And if we can't go to a real library, I'm glad there's a welcoming place for me to pretend.
Animal Crossing players can visit the BPJI island using the library’s Nintendo Switch friend code, 0912-2261-5044
Monday, April 27, 2020
Get Creative and Draw!
Draw Everyday with Jarrett J. Krosoczka. Krosoczka is the author & illustrator of the fantastic graphic novel "Hey Kiddo" as well as Punk Farm, Lunch Lady, and Jedi Academy. Check out his YouTube page and learn to draw something new every day- from a pro!
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
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Shonen JumpFREE Manga for All with VIZ
Are you, like me, getting so tired of watching TV? Why not check out VIZ? Just create an account and you can read or watch some of the best Anime and Manga published. Amazing titles like: Shonen Jump, Boruto, Naruto, Sailor Moon, Pokemon and Demon Slayer.
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Monday, April 20, 2020
Bringing the library to you
The libraries are closed. The bookstores are closed. What's a reader supposed to do? The good news: we have technology! When you've gotten bored reading the entire internet, the Thomas Crane Library has a huge selection of ebooks, audiobooks, and movies you can download from home. Hoopla and Libby are two of my favorite apps on my phone--I'm never caught without a book to read, even when we're locked down in global pandemic!
If you're looking for something a little different, check out the options on Project Gutenberg. This site offers tons of books that are in the public domain (that is, they're no longer under copyright protection). These are mostly older titles and classics, but a lot of them are still great and worth a read! Little Women (and the rest of Alcott's books), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Anne of Green Gables, the entire Wizard of Oz series, and a TON more. You prefer audio? Check librivox.org for a similar selection--public-domain books read aloud by volunteers.
Find your new favorite stories while staying socially distant, and let your new book-friends help you through your isolation!
If you're looking for something a little different, check out the options on Project Gutenberg. This site offers tons of books that are in the public domain (that is, they're no longer under copyright protection). These are mostly older titles and classics, but a lot of them are still great and worth a read! Little Women (and the rest of Alcott's books), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Anne of Green Gables, the entire Wizard of Oz series, and a TON more. You prefer audio? Check librivox.org for a similar selection--public-domain books read aloud by volunteers.
Find your new favorite stories while staying socially distant, and let your new book-friends help you through your isolation!
Friday, April 17, 2020
Thomas Crane Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board is hosting a virtual movie night: Jumanji: The Next Level
Join them here!
Join them here!
Podcasts are another great way to combat boredom, be entertained and maybe even learn something! Below are a few suggestions:
TUMBLE
Age Range: Best for ages 6-12, appropriate for any age
Tumble is a science podcast that shares the stories behind science discovery. It explores how science actually works as a process. With stories ranging from reaching the deepest part of the ocean to hunting for black holes in distant galaxies, Tumble is co-hosted by a science journalist and a teacher
BOOKCLUB FOR KIDS
Age Range: Best for ages 9-14, appropriate for any age
In every episode of this podcast, a different group of kids discusses a young adult book. Each episode also features a celebrity reader and an interview with the book’s author
Book Club for Kids - podcasthttp://bookclubforkids.orgThe Show About Science | Free Listening on SoundCloudhttp://soundcloud.com/the-show-about-scienceThe Show About Science | Free Listening on SoundCloudhttp://soundcloud.com/the-show-about-science
SHORT & CURLY
Age Range: Best for ages 7-12, appropriate for any age
Short & Curly is an ethics podcast from Australia. The hosts investigate dilemmas relevant to kids, like whether you have to love your sibling or whether Pokemon Go is actually playing you.
THE SHOW ABOUT SCIENCE
Age Range: Best for ages 3-9, but fun for curious minds of any age!
This science interview show is hosted by 6-year-old Nate, and while it has some serious science chops, it’s also just plain adorable. Nate talks to scientists about everything from alligators to radiation to vultures, in his distinctly original interviewing style.
SHABAM!
Age Range: Best for ages 8-18, but entertaining for older ages as well
This fast-paced, quirky podcast uses fictional stories to teach listeners about science. It’s hosted by an emergency medicine physician, a science journalist, and a filmmaker. Season 1 tells the story of three kids who are separated from their parents during a zombie apocalypse.
BRAINS ON!
Age Range: Best for ages 6-12, but interesting to all curious minds
Each episode of this science podcast is co-hosted by a different kid, tackling their questions with interviews, fun segments, and the occasional musical number. Episodes cover a wide range of topics like carnivorous plants, interpreting dog and cat sounds, and life on other planets.
Brains on! A podcast for kids & curious adultshttp://brainson.orgClassics For Kidshttp://classicsforkids.com
BUT WHY
Age Range: Best for ages 5-10, but interesting to all curious minds
Produced by Vermont Public Radio, each episode of this podcast starts with an audio recording of a child asking a question (listeners are invited to send in their own), such as why people have different religions, why the sea is salty, and whether bumblebees have hearts. The rest of the episode goes on to answer that question by inviting experts to share their knowledge on the topic in simple language kids can understand.
CLASSICS FOR KIDS
Age Range: Materials available for grades K-5, but content would be interesting to anyone wanting to learn about composers
The short episodes of this classical music podcast introduce listeners to different composers, often taking several episodes to study specific pieces or aspects of a composer’s work. The site also offers lesson plans, games, and other activities to supplement the show.
Thank you to Jennifer Gonzalez at Cult of Pedagogy for these resources
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Quick reminder...
My suggestions? Check out The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu, it's her first historical fiction and I've loved everything else she's written.
"Born with a gift for music, Nannerl Mozart has just one wish: to be remembered forever. She delights audiences with her masterful playing, but has little hope she'll ever become the acclaimed composer she longs to be. She is a young woman in 18th century Europe, and that means composing is forbidden to her. She will perform only until she reaches a marriageable age-- her tyrannical father has made that much clear. Meanwhile the talents of her beloved younger brother, Wolfgang, shine brighter. His brilliance begins to eclipse her own, until one day a mysterious stranger from a magical land appears with an irresistible offer. He has the power to make her wish come true-- but his help may cost her everything."
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas is an incredibly fast-paced emotional story, I recommend listening to the audiobook so you can hear the rap battles.
Insightful, unflinching, and full of heart, On the Come Up is an ode to hip hop from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; and about how, especially for young black people, freedom of speech isn't always free.
The Librarian series are super cheesy, have terrible graphics, and delight me. They help me take my mind off being stuck in the house. These can be found on Hoopla after you sign up for an e-card.
Saturday, April 11, 2020
Harry Potter Extravaganza - Reading Harry Potter Online!
In addition to all those celebrities reading books online, the members of Quincy's very own Harry Potter Extravaganza are also reading books online as well!
They have created a Facebook/Youtube (COVID-19 Book Readers Club channel) for folks to check out members of the faculty and staff reading a chapter a night from the beloved story by J.K. Rowling: "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." The chapters will be read/posted at 7 pm on the Annual Harry Potter Halloween Event Facebook page beginning Friday 4/10/20 through Sunday 4/26/20.
Grab your copy of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and read along. Fun for all ages! Feel free to share this event with anyone who may be interested.
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Celebrities Reading Children's Books Online
Since we've all been quarantined in our homes, a few of us are going stir crazy. As a mom of an elementary school child, seeing friends (or "TV friends") reading books online has been entertaining for both him and me. Here's a few articles that show celebrities reading books to children. Enjoy!
4/6 - LA List - Coronavirus Storytime: Here's Where To Find Celebrities Reading Children's Books Online
4/1 - Variety - Jennifer Garner, Amy Adams on ‘Save With Stories,’ Helping Children During Coronavirus Quarantine
3/31 - NPR - Dolly Parton Will Read Bedtime Stories To Kids Online Every Week
3/23 - USA Today - Jimmy Fallon, Betty White and more celebs read books to kids with online story time
4/6 - LA List - Coronavirus Storytime: Here's Where To Find Celebrities Reading Children's Books Online
4/1 - Variety - Jennifer Garner, Amy Adams on ‘Save With Stories,’ Helping Children During Coronavirus Quarantine
3/31 - NPR - Dolly Parton Will Read Bedtime Stories To Kids Online Every Week
3/23 - USA Today - Jimmy Fallon, Betty White and more celebs read books to kids with online story time
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Welcome to the Quincy Public Schools Library/Media Blog! All of your friendly librarians will be posting here so keep an eye out. We will update this page with resources for you and your families to stay connected throughout the school year. Please let us know of any questions, comments, or concerns you may have with anything we post here.
Be well!
Be well!
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