You know I always have fun looking for accidental themes in my blogs. I think this month my theme is appreciating each moment of time, whether that’s spent pursuing your passions or connecting with a friend. As always, enjoy!
Picture Books
“The Skeleton and the Cat” written and illustrated by Brandon James Scott
The Skeleton loves to garden and enjoys a cozy mug of tea with a good book. Her life is comfortable and predictable, so when the Cat arrives at her doorstep, she’s reluctant to let him in. But with cheerful persistence on the part of the Cat, the two quickly become friends. We watch their friendship unfold over a series of five short stories as the two spend the day together. From sandwich lessons (the Skeleton is terribly confused about how to eat a sandwich) to dancing through the garden, to reading and stargazing together, they have a beautiful start to their friendship. Though a skeleton and black cat may seem spooky, the illustrations are cheerful and bursting with color and light. Perfect for fans of cozy friendship stories, especially new readers who are ready to tackle a slightly longer book. Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: July Favorites 2026”
With Summer Reading in full swing, we hope you’ve made a recent trip to your library to pick up Summer Reading trackers, check out books on the Summer Reading booklists or join us for one of our summer programs! If you’ve visited the Columbia Public Library, you might’ve noticed some of our staff sporting these dino-tastic hats.
One of our lovely Youth Services Librarians, Megan, crafted these dinosaur hats to celebrate this year’s Summer Reading theme: “Unearth a Story.”™ If you’ve thought to yourself, “A dinosaur hat is exactly what I’m missing in this life,” then you’ve come to the right place! These hats would make the perfect gift for both littles and grown-ups! This craft is also a perfect opportunity for little ones to practice using scissors.
Materials:
All you need to make your own dinosaur hat is:
- A hat of your choice
- White and green felt (White for the teeth and felt for the spikes in whatever color you choose! I’ll be using green.)
- Scissors
- Marker
- Glue gun
- Googly eyes (Or you could use extra felt, buttons or anything else you might have in your junk drawer!)
Creating the spikes:
Cut your green felt into a strip about 3 inches wide. Using your marker, draw 4 triangles of equal size on the strip, and you or your child can cut them out!
Using your glue gun, carefully attach the spikes along the top of the hat.
Creating the teeth:
Cut your white felt into a 1.5-inch strip. Cut down the middle of the strip in a zig-zag pattern to create the teeth.
Next, flip your hat upside down and lay the teeth under the brim to see where it fits best, allowing the teeth to stick out. Sometimes it helps if you cut the teeth in sections. Next, use your glue gun to carefully apply the glue onto the felt teeth and attach them along the bottom of the brim.
Attach the eyes:
If you’re using googly eyes, use your glue gun to attach the eyes wherever you think is best.
And now you have your very own dino hat to celebrate summer reading! You could keep personalizing your hat with felt spots or glitter glue.
Happy crafting!
Welcome to summer! I have no theme this month, since summer is a time to read whatever you want. Just remember to join Summer Reading and log it! Not only will you receive a free book when you finish, but you can also enter the drawing for other fabulous prizes. As someone who gets to help pick the prizes, they’re pretty great this year, just saying.
Picture Books
“The Fluffy Futon,” written and illustrated by Yuichi Kasano
This book is literally a warm nap in the sun. Grandma lays her freshly washed futon out to dry in the sun, and a kitty decides it looks like the perfect spot for a nap. With a yawn, Grandma agrees and settles in too. They’re soon joined by chickens, a little boy, a dog, a goat and a family of pigs…all on a futon made for one! Little ones will enjoy the gentle humor of the crowded sleeping arrangements, as well as the cozy predictability of the text. Cumulative stories are so fun for young readers, and with the different animals, there’s plenty to talk about. Try taking it a step further and reading on a blanket outside! Maybe your child would like to reenact the story with their stuffies or pets.
Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: June Favorites 2026”
With school winding down and summer ramping up, there are a lot of opportunities for mindfulness amongst the chaos this change of season brings. One of the easiest ways (in theory) to welcome more moments of mindfulness into this time of year is by making a conscious effort to notice all the shifts happening around us. Fragrant flowers bloom, green grass grows tall, trees full of leaves wave in the wind, the weather heats up and the sun sets later. Making an effort to observe the ebb and flow of this season on your own will help when showing little ones how to practice the art of noticing. Continue reading “Mindfulness for Children (and Everyone Else): Noticing”
Are you ready for an adventure? I could make this a longer intro, but why not just dive in and see what I mean?
Picture Books
“Find the Sun” written and illustrated by Andy Harkness
Eddie hates Mondays. And this Monday sweeps in with a raging thunderstorm, which is enough to drive Eddie back to bed. Clutching his yellow bunny stuffie, and with his eyes closed tight, Eddie wishes the day could just pass him by. When he opens his eyes, his bedroom has fallen away, and he’s alone in a stormy landscape. Well, almost alone. Rabbit has come too, and invites him on an adventure to “find the sun.” Together the two sail on clouds, race down a river and through a cave, finding and appreciating light along the way. Rabbit is a comforting guide as Eddie faces his fears, offering wisdom and reassurance until Eddie is ready to face the day. The story and message are wonderful, but the illustrations are what truly make this one stand out. Digitally sculpted in a Claymation style, the pictures are unique and immersive, using deep blues and buttery yellows to great effect. The perfect choice for any anxious littles needing some encouragement. Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: May Favorites 2026”
Summer is just around the corner, which means we’re gearing up for another season of Books by Snail! Even if you don’t live close to a library, the Books by Snail team is here to make sure you reach your summer reading goals.
Students entering kindergarten* through 12th grade who attend school (or are homeschooled) in one of the school districts below are eligible to participate:
- Auxvasse
- Hallsville
- Harrisburg
- Hatton
- Kingdom City
- Mokane
- New Bloomfield
- Sturgeon
- Williamsburg
* Participants must turn five before August 1, 2026, to be eligible. Continue reading “Books by Snail 2026”
What is the attitude of gratitude? Why is gratitude important? How can I teach gratitude? These are all important questions to address when raising children. Ingraining the concept of gratitude into young minds is something that can be worked on a little every day; through your own actions, those of others, as well as through stories. When it comes to teaching children, it is often best to start by modeling the behavior you’d like them to adopt. By narrating your grateful thoughts, you can plant the seeds of gratitude in their minds and keep tending to them.
One of my favorite mind shifts that adopting a gratitude practice has given me is to think about how I “get” to do something instead of I “have” to do something. I get to go to the gym and take care of my body to help it stretch and get stronger. I get to load the dishwasher after a yummy meal shared with my loved ones. The shift in mindset helps reframe my thoughts to those of gratefulness and leads me to reminisce on other things that made my day easier or more enjoyable.
Now, how does one go about starting a gratitude practice on their mindfulness journey? By following the Four A’s of Gratitude, of course! Continue reading “Mindfulness for Children (and Everyone Else): Gratitude”
You may remember that I love an accidental theme for these blogs. Instead of leaning into spring (though obviously I’m delighted at its arrival), my books this month are all about family. So whether you’re outside in the sunshine or inside listening to the rain, check one out and enjoy with the whole family! I’m a firm believer that kids are never too old to enjoy a family read-aloud.
Picture Books
“While We’re Here” written by Anne Wynter and illustrated by Micha Archer
A mother and daughter, dressed in their best party clothes and clutching a wrapped gift, rush to get out the door. They race through the city, down the subway steps, and across the park. “Hurry hurry…we have somewhere to be!” But when they arrive, there’s only a lone leftover balloon, and they realize Mama got the date wrong. Instead of succumbing to disappointment, they discover what a gift it is to have nowhere to be. The two linger in the park, enjoying all the things they had to rush past before. The vibrant collage illustrations are wonderfully immersive, and the pacing of the text transitions beautifully from frenzied rushing to relaxation. Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: April Favorites 2026”
Time for the Earth Day edition of “Brianna’s Books”! Whether it’s busy beavers or pun-loving forest friends, I’ve gathered some of my favorite new reads to show you how nature—and a few dedicated kids—can change the world one page at a time!
Picture Books
“When Beavers Move In” written by Alison Pearce Stevens and illustrated by Natasha Donovan
When beavers move in, they can change their entire environment. The busy animals topple trees and build dams, which can lead to problematic flooding when they’re too close to where humans live. So when beavers move in next to humans in Puget Sound, folks call for help from the Tulalip Tribes. The Tribes sponsor a beaver removal program and safely transport the beavers to an area where their skills are needed. The beavers immediately get to work building their lodge, which results in a pool of stored fresh water. This creates a habitat for fish to spawn and invites all kinds of flora and fauna back to the area, as well as providing protection from droughts and wildfires. This is a great nonfiction book to share with younger kids, as it provides fascinating information without becoming too dense and features bright comic-style illustrations. Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: March Favorites 2026”
