Emotions can be overwhelming for all people of all ages. Talking about our emotions helps us deal with them and express them in acceptable ways. But first we have to identify what we are feeling. Talking with your child about emotions will help them identify feelings in themselves and others and improve their ability to communicate. Here are some resources to help with the conversation.
Books
“Niko Draws a Feeling” written by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Simone Shin Niko loves to draw, but when he shows his art to others, they don’t understand his abstract pictures. Then he meets someone who understands the feelings that he was trying to capture with his art.Continue reading “Virtual Activity Bundle: Emotions (Part 2)”
Today begins our “Comforts of Winter” program, a program that is as chill as the air outside! One of the coolest features of this program is that everyone can join in. We will suggest ways to enjoy the winter months, along with cool reading recommendations on all of our blogs. Register here.
With this program, you can set a family goal or individual goals for each person. It can be a number of books to read or a certain amount of time spent reading. Whatever you choose, you’ll have six weeks to reach your personalized goal. Once you’ve met your goal, just complete the finishing form to let us know, and we’ll make a prize available for you at your library or bookmobile stop or via curbside pickup. Kids ages 0-12 will win a book and folks ages 13 and above will win a canvas tote.
To help get you started with your reading goals, here are a few books you can curl up with on a cold and blustery day.
When a young grocery store customer asks, “Is an avocado a fruit or a vegetable?”, Avocado doesn’t know the answer. The question so consumes Avocado that he goes on a journey through the store, trying to figure out where he belongs. Finally, confident Tomato assures Avocado that he is amazing, regardless of label. The illustrations in this one are super cute, and the themes of identity and self-confidence are welcome and well done. A delightful debut picture book! Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: January Favorites 2021”
Young children are often overwhelmed by their emotions. Being able to name what they are feeling is the first step in learning how to manage the emotion. By learning the words to describe a variety of feelings, a child is more likely to be able to identify that feeling in themselves and others. It will improve their ability to communicate and to express their emotions in acceptable ways. Here are some resources to help you identify and talk about emotions with your child.Continue reading “Virtual Activity Bundle: Emotions (Part 1)”
On August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I have a dream…” speech to hundreds of thousands of civil rights marchers and made history in the process. Now, almost sixty years later, we still celebrate his birthday as a national holiday every January. Dr. King had a dream of one day seeing equality under the law for all people, and of seeing a world where his “four little children…will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
Dr. King is part of a legacy of people who have tried to make the world a little more like what they envision in their dreams. Here are some books about other dreamers from disparate time periods and cultural backgrounds who ended up changing the world:
In “Before She Was Harriet,” author Lesa Cline-Ransome charts Harriet Tubman’s journey from a young girl reading “the woods and the stars at night,” through her years as a conductor of the Underground Railroad and suffragist pioneer.
Starting a new year is like opening a brand new box of crayons. There’s a freshness, an excitement, a promise of limitless possibilities. Maybe you have a vision or a plan. Or, you just want to doodle and see what happens. Either way, on day one you start to color in the pages. Chances are, as you continue and the days unfold, you’ll also discover new things about yourself.
A quote attributed to twentieth-century poet and pacifist, Edith Lovejoy Pierce, says it all. “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”
Every new year can be a time to start over, to make changes and adjustments to our lives. At the same time, this yearly milestone presents an opportunity to encourage our children to think about what, if any, changes they may want to adopt. Do they want to:
As 2020 comes to a close, we have the joy of looking ahead at new picture books that will make a debut in 2021. Below is a sneak peek at a handful of titles that I think are sure to become fan favorites.
“Oona” written by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Raissa Figueroa
This comical and heartfelt picture book is a winning celebration of invention, creativity and friendship. With gorgeous underwater scenes and a crowd-pleasing tale, this is one little mermaid who is here to make a splash! Publishes January 12, 2021
Yep, it’s that time of year again! The DBRL youth services staff have come up with a list of the best of the best children’s books that came out this year. Make sure to check out these awesome titles and comment below with your favorite books of 2020!
🌟This symbol means this is an incredibly popular book, because more than one staff member nominated it!
Tears and big emotions are everywhere this year. This book is a gentle guide through the storm, reminding us that all emotions are valuable and that when feelings come and go, they connect us to our knowing.
Zura loves her grandmother but is afraid grandma’s tribal facial markings will cause Zura’s classmates to treat Nana unkindly. This is a lovely story about a child and a grandparent who talk over a problem and find a solution. Continue reading “Best Children’s Books of 2020”
One of my favorite things as a parent was to delve into a subject my kids were interested in and experience learning new things with them. My favorite subjects they learned about were ancient history and archaeology. Before there were pyramids and mummies in ancient Egypt, there was another civilization, Sumer, in Mesopotamia.
The Sumerians ruled Sumer during the 3rd millennium BC, about 5000 years ago. One of their great cities was the city of Ur, located in the south of modern day Iraq. Ur was originally built on a harbor that connected it to the Euphrates river and from there to the Persian Gulf. It was a major trading center in its heyday. Continue reading “Ancient Family Games: The Royal Game of Ur”
Did you know that Missouri Building Block Nominees are “voted most popular by preschool children in Missouri’s public libraries”? Last month I told you about two of this year’s nominees, “Duck” and “I Can Only Draw Worms.” Here are two more of the delightful picture books chosen for this year!
Daddy lion loves a meticulously kept lawn. Sweetie lion loves her new best friend, Charlotte. What happens when these two passions collide? Chaos and silliness of course, which makes “Dandy” by Ame Dyckman a preschool favorite! Parents will appreciate the message about the importance of family relationships. Overall, “Dandy” is a feel good story that couldn’t come at a better time. Continue reading “Awesome Read-Alouds: “Dandy” and “Everybody Says Meow””
“Niko Draws a Feeling” written by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Simone Shin
Starting a new year is like opening a brand new box of crayons. There’s a freshness, an excitement, a promise of limitless possibilities. Maybe you have a vision or a plan. Or, you just want to doodle and see what happens. Either way, on day one you start to color in the pages. Chances are, as you continue and the days unfold, you’ll also discover new things about yourself.
Yep, it’s that time of year again! The DBRL youth services staff have come up with a list of the best of the best children’s books that came out this year. Make sure to check out these awesome titles and comment below with your favorite books of 2020!
