Posted on Monday, July 24, 2017 by Amy
We’re excited to share a new reading list we have put together, titled “Becoming a Big Brother or Sister.” This is a staff-picked list of children’s picture books about new siblings. With over 30 books on the list, you are sure to find some great reading options to share with your soon-to-be big brother or sister.
Stop by your library for a printed copy, use this PDF or view the list within our catalog.
Happy Reading!
Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 by Molly
Warm days and cool nights make summer the perfect time to play outside, but not just for us! Take bugs, for instance. They love summer too. For this reason, you will see them everywhere this time of year.
But what is a “bug?” Merriam Webster defines a bug as “an insect or other creeping or crawling small invertebrate.” ASU (Arizona State University) School of Life Sciences expands this definition a bit further: bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs. “The key difference between true bugs and other insects is their mouth parts. True bugs suck. That’s right, the true bugs have specialized mouth parts used to suck juices. Mostly they suck fluids from plants, but there are some true bugs, like bed bugs, that feed on animals.” Continue reading “Bugs Love Summer, Too!”
Posted on Monday, July 3, 2017 by Josh
The Fourth of July is nearly upon us! In the U.S.A, July 4 is when we celebrate our Independence Day, but did you know that another big country celebrates its independence in July as well? On July 14, France celebrates La Fête Nationale, also known as Bastille Day. Be careful though, the French actually never call it Bastille Day!
The United States chose their independence day because it was the very day that the Declaration of Independence was adopted, essentially ending the American Revolution. France’s holiday, however, symbolizes the beginning of their revolution, rather than the end. July 14, 1789 was the day of the Storming of the Bastille, the battle that ignited the French Revolution that would ultimately end in their independence from the French Monarchy and feudalism. Continue reading “International Holidays: Bastille Day”
Posted on Thursday, June 29, 2017 by Kristy
We had a blast yesterday working with kids to create doodle-bots in our Wiggle-Bots program. Everyone was so creative, and the kids who participated came up with bots that were both quirky and ingenious. Browse the images below to see what these talented kids came up with.
Want to watch these bots in action? Watch video 1 and video 2.
Posted on Monday, June 26, 2017 by Amy
You can now check out tablets for children, called Launchpads, at our library branches and bookmobiles! These educational, pre-loaded tablets playfully cover topics such as reading, science, math and much more. Launchpads check out for one week, and they’re the perfect way to keep your kids entertained while traveling this summer.
Each tablet has 10 pre-loaded learning apps chosen around a theme and a range of ages. Choose from four different themes per age group. You may check out one Launchpad per library card.
Ages 3-5, Pre-K to K
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2017 by Erin
One of my favorite aspects of DBRL’s Summer Reading program is that kids are asked to do special activities as well as reading. These activities are tied to the Summer Reading theme. With this year’s theme, “Build a Better World,” one of the suggested activities is to read a book about a different culture. Not only does this open kids up to books they might not otherwise read, but it also opens up an opportunity for discussion.
If you don’t know where to start, check out my book list for picture books and for chapter books about different cultures.
If you haven’t signed up for Summer Reading, don’t worry! Sign-up continues until July 22. Just stop by one of our branches or bookmobiles.
Posted on Thursday, June 8, 2017 by Katie
I love sharing my favorite books with others, especially when they make me laugh! I found a great one last week, and not only did I make my co-workers read it right then and there, but I also just had to write a blog about it!
The book is “The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors” by Drew Daywalt and Adam Rex. The story opens in “The Kingdom of Backyard,” where the great warrior Rock is unsatisfied with his conquests; there are no opponents who present enough of a challenge for him. In other distant lands (“Empire of Mom’s Home Office” and “Ream of Kitchen”) Scissors and Paper are facing similar problems. All three venture to “The Great Cavern of Two-Car Garage” in search of worthy challengers. When they meet, an epic three-way battle begins, one that is still going on today. (Don’t worry, no one gets hurt.) The text is laugh-out-loud funny, and the illustrations are mesmerizing. Continue reading “Laughing in the Library”
Posted on Monday, June 5, 2017 by Kristy
This summer, we challenge readers of all ages to “Build a Better World.” Our Summer Reading theme motivates us to build, tinker and engineer, and it encourages us to help both our community and our environment. To celebrate this theme, DBRL staff has carefully compiled book lists to inspire you and your family to construct better reading skills and demolish the summer brain drain!
Want even more book recommendations for your summer? Check out the Association for Library Service to Children’s book lists for more great reads.
Posted on Monday, May 22, 2017 by Amy
Have you ever heard of a cool library resource called Tumble Books Library? This resource provides hundreds of TumbleBooks, which are animated, talking picture books that teach kids the joy of reading in a format they’ll love. TumbleBooks are created by taking existing picture books and adding animation, sound, music and narration to produce an electronic picture book that you can read (or have read to you). Tumble Book Library also includes National Geographic videos and games.
Now here is even better news!
A new Tumblebook Library Deluxe App has just been released. Hooray! Now you can take all of the goodness mentioned above with you on the go. The app is available for both Apple iOS and Android devices.
Check out this wonderful YouTube video that provides demos on how to get started.
If you have any questions, we will be happy to help you out with your device. Simply stop by your closest library branch for assistance.
Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2017 by DBRL Kids
This summer we challenge readers of all ages to “Build a Better World.” Our Summer Reading theme motivates us to build, tinker and engineer, and it encourages us to help our community and our environment. To celebrate this theme, I’ve compiled a list of books to inspire you and your family to construct better reading skills and demolish the summer brain drain!
Registration for Summer Reading begins on June 1.
For Ages 0-5
Construction is hard work! After a long day of building and play, it’s time for the vehicles in Sherri Duskey Rinker’s “Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site” to tuck in for the night. Have fun rhyming while helping Crane Truck, Cement Mixer, Bulldozer and the other construction companions finish their work and settle into sleep.
Have you ever messed up when creating a work of art? Don’t despair! “Beautiful Oops!” by Barney Saltzberg will teach your how to turn your “oops!” into a “whoopee!” Did you rip your paper? Turn the tear into alligator chompers! Did you spill your paint? Make the blot a silly animal! Every mistake, if looked at positively, can create a beautiful new work of art. Continue reading “Literary Links: Build a Better World”