2018 Missouri Building Block Award Winner!

Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2019 by Kristy

https://www.dbrl.org/cat/i/684989018A record-breaking 22,000 preschoolers voted for their favorite picture book, selecting “Pug Meets Pig,” written by Sue Lowell Gallion and illustrated by Joyce Wan, as the winner of the 2018 Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award. Check out our previous blog about “Pug Meets Pig” to read a full review of this charming tale.

For more information about the Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award program, go to the website molib.org/awards/building-block-award. And, in case you were wondering, our 2019 nominee announcement is just around the corner. Keep an eye out for an announcement in February!

Snow Much Fun!

Posted on Monday, January 28, 2019 by Amy

child playing in sensory binJanuary has been quite snowy indeed! Older kids seem to love this time of year, with all the sledding, skating and snowball fighting. But what about the tiniest of tots in your family? When snow reaches well above your sweet baby’s head, try this simple indoor snow activity sure to produce lots of smiles.

Here is what you will need:

  • A big tub or container
  • A couple of towels for the floor
  • Some scoops, ladles or spoons
  • Toys–think dinosaurs, cars and trucks, sand or play toys. If your child is old enough, you can even add SPRINKLES. (See photo.)

Get a clean scoop of snow from outside, and place it in the tub or container. Add the toys or sprinkles to the snow, and let the fun begin!

Not only is this a fun activity, but it also encourages cognitive development when your little one’s senses are stimulated.

National Peanut Butter Day

Posted on Thursday, January 24, 2019 by Megan

Peanut butter sandwichOnce a year, I gather my friends to celebrate, give thanks and appreciate the world’s most perfect and delectable food. On this day, we consume this food for breakfast, lunch, dinner and many, many snacks. Even though I eat this food at least once a week, I especially appreciate it on January 24, and, of course, I’m talking about PEANUT BUTTER! **She says like she was giving away cars on a talk show.**  

You can pair it with noodles, cakes, icing, crackers, honey, marshmallows, chocolate and a true classic–jelly. Did you know that peanut butter dates all the way back to the Aztecs and the Mayans, and the first peanut butter making machine was patented in St. Louis, Missouri by Dr. Ambrose Straub in 1903?

To celebrate this most joyous of days, I will be making a giant peanut butter cup. However, if you are looking for a more kid-friendly and healthy recipe, you can try making some no bake energy bites.

No Bake Energy Bites (adapted from Mess for Less)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup Rice Krispies
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup nuts of your choice, chopped

Continue reading “National Peanut Butter Day”

International Animated Children’s Films

Posted on Monday, January 21, 2019 by Tess

“Peter Pan,” “Toy Story,” “Lion King,” “Lady and the Tramp”; just reading the titles of these iconic Disney and Pixar films brings back fond memories of childhood Friday nights, watching a film from Blockbuster. Blockbuster is no longer with us, RIP, but the library has stepped in to keep you and your family entertained when you can watch “Frozen” no more! In addition to all of your favorite classic American films, DBRL has a selection of international animated children’s films for families with kids of all ages! International films are a great way to start conversations about different cultures, help your children develop a broader worldview and enjoy a movie that’s new, even for you!

The films below are listed by country and are either available as a DVD at the library or on our streaming service, Kanopy. I’ve watched all of these films, so I’ve included a personal age recommendation for each movie.

French Films:

"A Cat in Paris"
“A Cat in Paris”

Continue reading “International Animated Children’s Films”

Celebrating Young Inventors!

Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2019 by Molly

light bulb on boardThe recipient of the 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge invented “a 3D printed device that harnesses carbon nanotubes and a mobile app to test water for lead contamination in as little as 10 seconds.” Gitanjali Rao’s invention is truly revolutionary. But perhaps even more amazing is the fact that Rao was only 12 years old when she won this award. Then again, Rao is just one on a long list of young people who have made their mark in the field of inventions. Louis Braille was a teenager when he created the Braille language, which is used universally today; five year old Robert Patch invented toy trucks and Frank Epperson was only 11 when he created the Popsicle.

We celebrate young inventors, such as these, on January 17th, also known as Benjamin Franklin Day. Franklin, who invented many items during his lifetime, (which include bifocal glasses, the lightning rod and the glass harmonica) actually created his first invention when he was only 11 years old. By utilizing two oval pieces of wood, Franklin created the first swimming fins!

Because this unofficial holiday also “aims to encourage children to be curious about the world around them and to be creative when solving problems,” here are a few of the books we offer at DBRL to encourage your budding inventor and get them off to a great start!

More than Reading: Interactive Books!

Posted on Monday, January 14, 2019 by Erin

Page from "Touch the Brightest Star"

Connecting kids with books at a young age is essential to creating a love of reading. What better way to spark that love than by interacting with the book? The interactive books below are books that require the reader or the listener to touch or speak to the book. Listed are a few of my favorites.

Get Out of My Bath!” by Britta Techentrup tells the story of Ellie the Elephant. Readers help Ellie slip and slide around the book during her bathtime by moving the book from side to side.

All of Hervé Tullet’s books are the embodiment of interactive. My favorites are “Press Here” and “Mix it Up!

Christie Matheson is also a great author to know. With titles such as “Touch the Brightest Star” and “Plant the Tiny Seed,” she brings an element of nature and enchantment to her books.

Let us know what your favorite interactive book is! To see our list of interactive books, click here.

Beautiful Picture Books

Posted on Thursday, January 10, 2019 by Brianna

Look, I love Pete the Cat and the Pigeon books as much as the next person, but sometimes you just want to read something exquisitely beautiful. I put together this list of beautiful picture books that I really enjoyed. Next time your kid is in a pensive mood, or maybe even after they go to sleep, try a book from this list. With breathtaking illustrations and moving stories, I think you’ll be glad you spent a little time with these books.

Teacup” by Rebecca Young
Illustrations cannot get much more beautiful than the exquisite oil paintings in this book. “Teacup” tells the story of a boy who had to leave home and sail across the ocean to find another. This surreal journey is full of wonders and uncertainty, and I never knew what was going to happen next. Like all good art and poetry, there are plenty of interpretations and it will leave you thinking long after you close the book.

The Whisper” by Pamela Zagarenski
I was completely enthralled by this book. From the very first look at the inside cover, the rich layers of color and texture in the illustrations captured my imagination. Not only are the pictures beautiful, the story is tantalizingly clever. When all the words fall out of her book, a little girl must learn to tell the stories herself…though we find she’s not the only one imagining new stories.

For more books, check out the full list here!

Bilingual Story Times

Posted on Monday, January 7, 2019 by Jessica S

The Very Hungry Caterpillar¡Hola mis amigos de la biblioteca! Hello my friends of the library!

Monday through Friday, our children’s team crew hosts events such as Family Story Time, Discovery Time and STEAM Story Time for a variety of audiences. Often we focus our range of entertainment from birth to 5 years of age. However, once in a while, we release the reins to some of our favorite guest story tellers: members of the MU Voz Latina and presenters of the Confucius Institute of the University of Missouri.

What’s so special about these guest presenters we host here at the library? Their performance is like our traditional story times—with dancing, songs, activities, and stories—but they perform both in English and in another language!

If you want to introduce your early learner to some new words in Spanish, we definitely recommend Spanish Story Time. For the MU Voz Latina members, they perform a variety of stories and songs in Spanish for young audiences at our Spanish Story Time/Hora de cuentos en familia. Feel free to pop in and sing in Spanish with us!

If you’re looking to explore Chinese with your child, then we definitely recommend Children’s Chinese with the Confucius Institute of the University of Missouri. Their group usually visits us on weekends, making this a fun weekend activity for your little learners! The age range for Children’s Chinese is also a little higher, from ages 4 to 7, so it may be an opportunity for an older sibling to come enjoy story time!

Upcoming Dates/Times:

Spanish Story Times (recommended age is 2 to 5)

  • Thursday, January 31 from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, February 14 from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m.

Children’s Chinese (recommended age is 4 to 7)

  • Sunday, January 27 from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, February 24 from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m.

Children’s Books Coming Out in 2019

Posted on Thursday, January 3, 2019 by Lyndsey

Welcome to the new year! There is a lot to look forward to in 2019, including exciting new book releases. While some of these books won’t be released for awhile, feel free to mark your calendars and begin the countdown to their arrival! 

Picture Books

“The Good Egg”- Jory John (Author) and Pete Oswald (Illustrator)Cover The Good Egg
It’s hard feeling like you have to be perfect all the time, especially when everyone else is rotten. Cover My Teacher is a RobotThe good egg must learn to take the pressure off himself and accept others, even when they’re not acting so egg-cellent. Publish date: February

“My Teacher is a Robot”- Jeffrey Brown
Fred thinks school is so boring because his teacher is a robot. Can his imagination get him through the day? Publish date: June

“I’m Trying to Love Math”- Bethany Barton Cover I'm Trying to Love Math
Math can sometimes be intimidating, but this humorous book answers the question, “When will I ever use this?” Discover amazing ways that math is used and learn how math isn’t so scary; it can actually be fun! Publish date: July

“My Big Bad Monster”- A.N. Kang
One girl becomes fed up with her monster of self-doubt. With a little help and determination, she learns how to make the monster vanish. Publish date: July Continue reading “Children’s Books Coming Out in 2019”

Staff Picks: Top Children’s Books of 2018

Posted on Monday, December 31, 2018 by Kristy

Authors and illustrators were on a roll with awesome children’s books in 2018. I asked the youth services staff at DBRL to brainstorm their top picks of 2018, and here’s a great list of favorites that they have put together just for you. So before you move ahead to books published in 2019, make sure to give these awesome books a read or two!

Ben and the Scaredy-DogBen and the Scaredy-dog” written by Sarah Ellis and illustrated by Kim LaFave
This book flips the narrative of “the child is afraid of the dog” and instead makes it “the dog is afraid of the child.” It’s cute, the dog is lovable and it shows kids that animals are much more afraid of them then they are of the animals. This book is a great read on perspective, and it can help give courage to children who are shy about animals.
~Jessica

The Big BedThe Big Bed” by Bunmi Laditan and illustrated by Tom Knight
Wonderful illustrations and sweet story about a child transitioning to their very own bed.
~Elf

The Breaking NewsThe Breaking News” by Sarah Lynne Reul
When bad things happen, look for the helpers. And we can all be helpers.
~Dana

The Call of the SwampThe Call of the Swamp” written by Davide Calì and illustrated by Marco Somà
This is a lovely story about what home really means and what makes it important. It can be an adoption story, but it’s more broad and equivocal than that. And the art is just fantastic.
~Dana Continue reading “Staff Picks: Top Children’s Books of 2018”