October is my favorite time of year to go out and search for spiders! After feeding on pesky bugs all summer long, spiders are at their biggest and easiest to spot in late fall before the season changes. Spiders are arachnids and are found in virtually every type of environment. You can find them in and around your house in rarely disturbed places, in trees, in fields and some even burrow in the ground! Missouri is home to more than 300 types of spiders, so you’re sure to find a variety.
When going on a spider hunt, it’s best to go in the early morning or the late evening. As the sun is nearing the horizon, the rays slant at just the right angle to see the twinkling of a spider’s delicate silk web.
Educating your children at home during the pandemic? Or, maybe you have been homeschooling for a while. Either way, it’s no secret that kids get bored, especially when it comes to learning and understanding math concepts. At the same time, many children experience math anxiety. Feeling incapable of doing or understanding math can undermine confidence, which can lead to the assumption that failure is inevitable, so why try?
Yet, a solid mathematics foundation is essential, for we use math every day: from managing money to preparing meals, from playing sports to playing music, and so on. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, “Math is part of children’s everyday lives. Taking advantage of each of these math moments develops math learning. When parents and teachers get excited about math, then children get excited about math.”
There are some great books coming out this fall! Let’s not waste any time on small talk—we’ll go straight to the good stuff.
Picture Books
“I Am Darn Tough” written by Licia Morelli and illustrated by Maine Diaz
This gorgeous book is about a girl running in a cross-country race. The watercolor illustrations and poetic first-person narration place the reader alongside the protagonist. The girl persists through weariness, self-doubt and a painful skinned knee, to cross the finish line with a realization that, “I am darn tough.” I spent about five years in martial arts as a kid, so this book really calls to me. It’s wonderful to see determination, discipline and perseverance celebrated like this. Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: October Favorites 2020”
There’s nothing I love more than to watch little ones dance. Babies doing the bottom bounce and preschoolers dancing with abandon brings me so much joy! And, of course, little ones love it too. The best thing about impromptu dance parties is that they can be done anywhere — in your house, in the car, in your backyard or at the park. As long as you’ve got some jams, you’re set.
If you want to make your dance party even more exciting, I have some simple ideas below that your little ones will love.
I love taking walks with my grandkids. We might see a squirrel or a rabbit. We might hear a bird. Trees provide shade; flowers provide color and smell.
Studies have shown it is good for kids and adults to connect with nature. According to The Child Mind Institute, spending time in nature reduces stress and fatigue. (Something we all need right now.) It promotes creativity and imagination. It allows one to use different senses—not just sight, but also sound, smell and touch. It gets kids moving. It makes them think. It teaches responsibility and builds confidence.
Looking for some LGBT+ chapter books for your young reader?
Finding LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and more!) chapter books for young readers can be difficult. Representation does not always come with labels on the books, so to help, I created this LGBT+ chapter books list for easy access to titles available through our catalog.
Rick is struggling with his identity. He’s never liked a girl, but he’s never liked a boy either. He’s never felt any way about anyone, ever. As confusion arises, Rick must also process the relationship with his friend, Jeff, who is outwardly aggressive towards individuals on the LGBT+ spectrum. As Rick learns more about this new community, he must learn to stand up for others, and, potentially, himself. Continue reading “LGBT+ Chapter Books”
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!
There are some great books coming out this fall! Let’s not waste any time on small talk—we’ll go straight to the good stuff.
There’s nothing I love more than to watch little ones dance. Babies doing the bottom bounce and preschoolers dancing with abandon brings me so much joy! And, of course, little ones love it too. The best thing about impromptu dance parties is that they can be done anywhere — in your house, in the car, in your backyard or at the park. As long as you’ve got some jams, you’re set.
I love taking walks with my grandkids. We might see a squirrel or a rabbit. We might hear a bird. Trees provide shade; flowers provide color and smell.
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 
Introducing the unicorn cake pillow giveaway! This kit has everything you need to create the pillow displayed on the box.