Musical Trailblazers

Posted on Thursday, January 2, 2020 by Adam

In a few weeks, the 62nd annual Grammy Awards will recognize some of the biggest names in the music industry and give out awards to people you’ve probably heard of and whose songs you’ve probably heard in any number of places. But what about the artists who never won a Grammy and who never became household names, but, nevertheless, were influential pioneers who helped shape the history of music?

Here are a few children’s books that highlight lesser-known musical trailblazers:

Before There Was Mozart: The Story of Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-George,” written by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome

Joseph Boulogne was born in the West Indies in 1739, the son of a wealthy French plantation owner and his slave, Nanon. He began playing violin at an early age and eventually moved to Paris, where he rose through the ranks of the music world as an esteemed player, composer and conductor. Racial prejudice made it impossible for Joseph, the son of a Black woman, to fit comfortably into his father’s world of wealth and privilege, but he could turn his feelings of alienation into music that moved and inspired. One of his young admirers was none other than Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and, for a while, the two of them played to packed houses on alternating nights in the same theater!

Born to Swing,” written by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Michele Wood

Growing up in Memphis, and then Chicago, in the early 1900s, Lil (short for Lillian) Hardin was exposed to the sounds of the blues and jazz as a little girl and began to play organ and piano any chance she could. In her 20s, at a time when women were only taken seriously as vocalists, she became the first female piano player for The New Orleans Creole Jazz Band. She eventually begin writing and arranging on her own music with her husband, Louis Armstrong, who became a world-famous jazz trumpeter. Lil’s songs have been performed by Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Ringo Starr and many others. Continue reading “Musical Trailblazers”

Organize Your New Year With Bullet Journaling

Posted on Monday, December 30, 2019 by Erin

Happy (Almost) New Year!

Child drawing in journal

This is a popular time of year for people of all ages to make goals concerning habits or lifestyle choices. If you and your child want to make goals for the new year, a great way to keep track and check progress is by creating a bullet journal!

The Bullet Journal Method, created by Ryder Carroll, is a simple way to tailor a journal that fits you! No two bullet journals are alike because each person who uses one is different.

Want to create your own bullet journal? Start with these steps.

  1. Start by choosing a notebook. It can be any notebook that your child picks. Number the pages.*
  2. Make the first two pages an index.
  3. Start creating! If your child is using this as a calendar to keep track of events, go ahead and a create a future log and monthly log. If this is being used as a habit tracker or journal, you can start with a daily log. My suggestion is go look at some examples of simple habit trackers on Pinterest or Instagram. Make sure you type in “simple” otherwise you will be sifting through a lot of very intricate trackers!

*Page numbers are essential for the index. For example:
Page 2-4: Future Log
Page 5-6: January
Page 7: Morning routines
Page 8: Mood Tracker

Here are some tips for success.

  • Keep it simple. From personal experience, I have found that the more complicated I make my journal, the less I want to interact with it.
  • Decorate. Most things in life are more fun when stickers, washi tape and markers are involved. Encouraging your child to decorate their journal will give them a sense of ownership.
  • Invest the Time. Make a routine to sit down with your child every day to log their information. Depending on goals or habits you are tracking, this can take as little as a couple minutes.
  • Be original. Have the kids choose what they want in their journal and allow your kiddo to take ownership of the journal. While you should certainly guide them if needed, make sure that your child gives their approval so they feel that this journal belongs to them.
  • Review. When starting a new month, go back through the previous month and see if there are any items that are not completed. Decide with your child if that item is important to bring over to the next month or if it can be crossed out. Not everything is worth your time.

This is a super quick summary of bullet journaling. If you’re interested, I encourage you to look at other people’s spreads to get ideas.

There is no right or wrong way to create a journal.

Comment below if you have any questions or ideas! There are not a whole lot of ideas specifically tailored for children’s bullet journals, and I would love to know what spreads different parents are using for habit trackers.

Upcoming Children’s Books in 2020

Posted on Monday, December 23, 2019 by Tess

Get here soon 2020, we’ve got some reading to do! It’s time for us to share some of the exciting new books coming out in 2020. Librarians everywhere are filling their shopping carts with these up-and-coming reads, so feel free to add them to your holds list!

Picture books

No More Naps” written by Chris Grabenstein, illustrated by Leo Espinsoa (Publication date: February)

It’s time for a nap, but, just like stubborn toddlers everywhere, Annalise Devin McFleece won’t have anything to do with bedtime. Dad tries to encourage sleepiness by pushing her around the park in her stroller. Along the way, they pass a man sitting on a bench, dog walkers, a boy on a skateboard, kids playing ball, a girl practicing her juggling and others. Each of them thinks that taking a nap is a great idea, and if Annalise Devin McFleece doesn’t want hers, they’ll happily take it. And one by one, everyone falls asleep…except Annalise Devin McFleece. But when she’s finally ready for her nap, all the naps are taken! Is there anyone who has an extra nap to spare? With every turn of the page, the busy city scene becomes more and more quiet…except for Annalise Devin McFleece. Will she ever take a nap?

 

Just Like Me” by Vanessa Brantley-Newton (Publication date: January)

From the author of “Grandma’s Purse,” comes a collection of poetry filled with engaging mini-stories about girls of all kinds: girls who feel happy, sad, scared, powerful; girls who love their bodies and girls who don’t; country girls, city girls; girls who love their mother and girls who wish they had a father. With bright portraits in Vanessa’s signature style of vibrant colors and unique patterns and fabrics, this book invites readers to find themselves and each other within its pages.

 

Bedtime for Sweet Creatures” written by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon (Publication Date: January)

Mommy needs to wrangle her sweet creature into bed so that the whole family can sleep. From tigers to squirrels to snakes, the little boy dodges around his bedtime, until he is tired enough to finally sleep. His imaginative animal friends weave their way through the illustrations, eventually joining him in curling up for the night. 

Continue reading “Upcoming Children’s Books in 2020”

Best Children’s Books of 2019

Posted on Thursday, December 19, 2019 by Kristy

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 2019!

I Will Be Fierce book cover

I Will Be Fierce” written by Bea Birdsong, illustrated by Nidhi Chanani
Our young narrator takes us through her day faced with many challenges, such as standing up to a table full of bullies and feeling confident in her work. Throughout the day, she encourages herself to be confident, reach further, be kinder and stand tall by saying to herself, “Today, I will be fierce!”
~Jessica

Be a Maker book cover

Be A Maker” written by Katey Howes, illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic
The detailed illustrations in this book about creating kept my toddler and I talking night after night for over a month!
~Hilary

B is for Baby book cover

B Is for Baby” written by Atinuke, illustrated by Angela Brooksbank
I love how many rare “B” words this book introduces. My toddler loves that she can retell the story all by herself.
~Hilary

Here and There book cover

Here and There by Tamara Ellis Smith, illustrated by Evelyn Daviddi
This story is told from the point of view of young Ivan, who is learning to accept the changes that occurred when his parents separated. I especially like the way the bright, hip illustrations complement and add to the narrative. Ivan learns that the things he loves are all around him and not only in one location.
~Aimee

Continue reading “Best Children’s Books of 2019”

Dyslexie Font for Struggling Readers

Posted on Monday, December 16, 2019 by Molly

Henry Winkler
Actor Henry Winkler

Actor Henry Winkler starred in such memorable TV shows as Happy Days, Arrested Development and Barry. Yet, when he was younger, Winkler struggled in school. He opened up about his frustration in a recent NPR interview. “I thought I was stupid…There is an emotional component, I think, that comes along with learning challenges, where I had no sense of self.” To make matters worse, Winkler said his parents blamed his underachievement on laziness, adding “I was grounded 97 percent of my high school career.” Though Winkler found his calling in acting and learned to compensate for his reading shortcoming, it wasn’t easy. “I would memorize as quickly as I could because I couldn’t read the page and act at the same time.”

At 31, Winkler was diagnosed with the learning disorder, dyslexia. Considered one of the most common language-based learning disabilities, dyslexia affects between 5-10 percent of the population, but this number could be as high as 17 percent. It is also the most common cause of reading, writing and spelling difficulties.

be happy to be you bookIn 2003, Winkler released “Niagara Falls, or Does It?” Loosely based on Winkler’s life, the children’s book follows the antics of middle schooler, Hank Zipzer, who has learning challenges. To date, Winkler has written over 20 books in the popular Hank Zipzer series.

More recently, Winkler’s Here’s Hank books have been released in a new font designed to help struggling readers achieve reading success. Dyslexie Font assists readers with dyslexia by weighting words in a way that prevents them from being turned, mirrored or swapped.

Here at DBRL, we are excited to announce that we have ordered over new 20 children’s book titles, printed in Dyslexie Font, which will be available for checkout soon! Until then, please use this link to place holds, and you will be notified when they are ready to borrow.

 

Photo Credit (Actor Henry Winkler): Elvis Kennedy Photo “Henry Winkler 7” via flickr (license).

Read-Along Books

Posted on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 by Brianna

Read-Along Books

I was always the type of kid that would be content reading quietly by myself, no matter where I was. At home, at school or out running errands with my parents, as long as I had a book, I was happy. (That’s still true, by the way!) Yet sometimes reading to yourself just isn’t enough when you want someone else to read to you!

Of course parents would love to read aloud as many books to their kids as requested, but some little book-lovers are insatiable. And parents have stuff to get done! So here’s a solution: your library now carries Read-Alongs! These wonderful books have an audio player attached, so that you can listen to the book and follow along as you go. The player has a speaker so everyone can hear or a headphone jack for private listening. No need to hunt for your practically ancient portable CD player or only listen to audiobooks in the car. Your kids can enjoy these books wherever they go! We have beloved classics like “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” and “Goodnight Moon,” as well as newer titles like “The Good Egg” and “I Am Enough.” We even have nonfiction titles like “Monster Trucks” and “Giant Pandas.” Stop by the library and pick one up today!

 

Funding for these books was provided in part by Jason Ludwig, attorney with Carson and Coil.

Happy Holiday Card Day!

Posted on Monday, December 9, 2019 by Amanda

If you haven’t sent out holiday cards yet, your family is just in time to celebrate Holiday Card Day on December 9th!

Feeling overwhelmed by the busy holiday season, Sir Henry Cole commissioned the first commercial Christmas card in 1843. Sending the cards to bring cheer to his own family proved so successful that Cole began selling prints of the first official Christmas card for a shilling. Since this historic holiday moment, the tradition of sending cards to friends and family has grown into a booming global industry. The first Hallmark holiday card was published in 1915, however, the most popular Christmas greeting of all time is their 1977 card, “Three Little Angels,” which has sold over 34 million prints! Learn more here.

Sending and receiving mail is a magical, whimsical form of love, especially when a little bit of TLC is involved. Sadly, holiday cards are often treated as a task to check off during this time of year. However, with Holiday Card Day here , it’s time to pause in the midst of the seasonal rush and send a little cheer! This day is the perfect opportunity to create a new tradition for your family and check something off your to-do list, all while spending quality time with the family. So, grab your kiddos and some sparkles, pens, glue, scrap paper and lace—it’s time to get crafty!

Christmas

Provide your child with a piece of paper and a couple of crayons or markers. Allow them to scribble to their heart’s content! Cut different ornaments from their artwork and glue to a folded 5”x7” piece of construction paper. With Elmer’s Glue, draw strings to create the ornament tops. Finish the card by sprinkling sparkles onto glue.

Hanukkah

Print out a small Star of David, cut it out and trace onto a folded 5”x7” piece of cardstock paper. With a X-Acto knife, carefully trace the outlined star until it pops out. Have your child color a piece of paper with various hues of blue or make a collage with blue paper and tissue. Layer their artwork behind the cut-out, and glue the edges down.

Kwanzaa

Fold a black piece of construction paper in half “burger style” and cut along the line. Fold each piece in half to make two regular sized cards. On the creased edge of one card, cut strips down, leaving a centimeter or so before the opposite, open edge. Cut strips of green and red construction paper. Help your child weave the strips into the card, alternating colors each line. Take the second black card from the beginning step and glue to the inside of the woven card, covering up the cuts and woven ends.

Winter Solstice

Pick out various blue and purple markers for your child to color the front of a cardstock card. After the majority of the front is covered, help them gently sprinkle water onto the card. Wait a few seconds and carefully pat with a paper napkin. Cut out a few small snowflakes to layer on top of the background.

Las Posadas

Draw a star on a piece of cardstock paper, and cut it out. Let your child color the ends and middle with a variety of bright colored markers. Let them decorate the star with sprinkles, sequins and bunched up tissue paper. On the back of the star, tape strands of ribbon to each point. Once the star is fully decorated, glue to the front of a 5″x7″ card.

 

Whether you create your own design, follow a tutorial on Creativebug, let your little pick out foil printed cards or find inspiration here, I truly hope you enjoy celebrating Holiday Card Day with your family! You can also use this day as an extra special reason to send an “I’m thinking of you” card, a “Get well soon!” card or any other greeting that will make someone smile. Creating and writing together builds special memories and provides great opportunities to practice early literacy skills. Happy Holidays!

Christmas Movies We Love: Meet Me in St Louis

Posted on Thursday, December 5, 2019 by Adam

It’s 1903 in St Louis, Missouri, just months before the World’s Fair will turn this booming city into a Midwestern mecca, and the Smith family’s crowded household is bustling. Eighteen-year-old Rose is finishing high school and hoping for a proposal from her beau. Her brother Lon is heading off to college. Their sister, Esther (played by Judy Garland), is secretly pining for the boy next door. And their younger sisters, Agnes and Tootie, are wreaking havoc in the neighborhood. The 1944 movie musical, “Meet Me in St. Louis,” chronicles four seasons in the lives of the Smith family as they try to come to terms with the fact that father, Alonzo, has accepted a banking position in New York City that will soon take them away from their beloved home and city.

Apart from Judy Garland’s now-famous musical number, “The Trolley Song,” “Meet Me in St Louis” might best be known for introducing the Christmas standard, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” to the world, making it a perennial holiday favorite
for many families, including my own.  My favorite character as a child was Tootie, played by Margaret O’Brien (who won one of the first Juvenile Academy Awards for the role), the hilariously morbid and anarchic seven-year-old who has funerals for her dolls before burying them in the backyard and who is digging a tunnel into her neighbor’s yard so that she can reach up through the ground and grab her by the leg.

“Meet Me in St. Louis” is certainly one of the most beautiful films from Hollywood’s Golden Age of Technicolor musicals (which started in the 1930’s with films like Judy Garland’s breakthrough, the family classic, “The Wizard of Oz”), but it’s also a window into what life was like for many in turn-of-the-century St. Louis. For a more thorough guide to the happenings of the time, check out the book, “Meet Me in St. Louis,” by Robert Jackson, which is filled with plenty of historical context and photographs of the fair’s myriad attractions.

Here’s a list of just a few of the things that were introduced to the general public during the 1904 World’s Fair: an early version of a wireless phone; the “telautograph”—a precursor to the modern fax machine; the X-ray machine; the infant incubator; the personal automobile; the airplane; ice cream cones; hot dogs; Dr. Pepper; and cotton candy!

Girls Being Girls

Posted on Monday, December 2, 2019 by Jessica S

It’s not secret that I love making book lists. I love a good challenge, I love looking at different types of books and I love highlighting some of our lesser known titles so they can be loved and appreciated in the homes of others. That’s why, when I received this request, I knew it was going to be a fun one.

Child: “Do you have any girly books?”

At first glance, this seemed like an easy enough request. “Fancy Nancy” or “Junie B. Jones” are always crowd favorites when it comes to “girly” titles. However, this wasn’t what she wanted. It took some questions, some pondering and some trial-and-error to find out that the request was a bit more complex than expected. She wanted books for young girls, about girls—that are happy, supportive and productive (while also sometimes a little cute and adorable). That’s a lot to accomplish in just a few short pages of a picture book for young children. Therefore, we took the time to really compile and vet our options. I found some pretty awesome “girly” book in this process. Intrigued? Then check out the books below!

Dear Girl” by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

This book celebrates what it means to be a girl. Girls are girls because they are girls, not because of how others label them or by meeting certain criteria.

Princess Hair” by Sharee Miller

Not all hair is the same! This is a fun, upbeat book about hair acceptance and diversity. Princess hair comes in all different styles and all princesses wear their hair differently.

The Girls” by Lauren Ace

“The Girls” is a story about four friends growing up together. They meet, establishing their secret place while they build their relationships. Together, the girls grow and support one another through their victories and losses in life, some of them finding life partners, earning degrees, getting married, having kids, going on adventures—whatever each of them finds important. But no matter what happens, they all still support their friends.

Interstellar Cinderella” by Deborah Underwood

Cinderella wants to fix fancy rockets. When the Prince throws a Royal Space Parade, all Cinderella wants to do is go and see amazing spaceships. It’s not about finding Prince Charming or thwarting her evil stepfamily. The most important thing is Cinderella is following her dreams.

Cece Loves Science and Adventure” by Kimberly Derting

Cece and the other Adventure Girls go into the wilderness to earn their camping badges. However, on a hike, their GPS cannot locate them and a storm comes rolling in. It’s up to the Adventure Girls to use their STEM skills to get themselves back to camp.

Mary Wears What She Wants” by Keith Negley

This book is a fictional retelling of Dr. Mary Edwards Walker as a child. Dr. Walker was a famous doctor who served during the Civil War in the Union Army. In this retelling, it shows Dr. Walker as a child who saw that pants should be for everyone, not just men, and she decides to wear them. This causes quite a stir and people try to convince her to wear only dresses. It shows how hard it is to hold onto ideals, but it is important to do so to make great changes for everyone!

Planting Stories” by Anika Denise

Anika Denise brings Pura Belpré’s story to life in a beautifully illustrated book. Pura came to the United States to visit New York and to attend her sister’s wedding. However, Pura decides to stay. She works in a garment factory and then at the New York Public Library branch in Harlem. There, she tells stories from her home in Puerto Rico. The children love them and Pura sends them to a publisher. She continues to tell stories from Puerto Rico and perform her stories for the children in the community. This book shows Pura’s life, her appreciation for the culture she came from, and the cultural impact that her work had on the Harlem branch on 135th Street.

 

Love these books? Want to see more? Then check out my “Girls Being Girls” book list!

Children’s Books on Immigration and Refugees

Posted on Monday, November 25, 2019 by Rachel

Moving is hard for almost everyone, but it can be particularly hard for children. This is especially true if you’re moving from another country. The language, customs and even the weather can be so different from what your kids are used to. And what of their school and classmates? Will they fit in? These are hard questions, but for some children, there is an added complexity. For them, moving to a new country may mean they were forced to move due to war or a natural disaster. This topic can be difficult to explain to small and older children alike, but this selection of books about immigration and refugees should help. 

Cover of the Book, Alma and How She Got Her Name

Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal 

This sweet picture book is about a small girl named Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela. Alma doesn’t really like her name though because, “it’s so long and never fits.” When she tells this to her father, he gently sits her down and explains her name through the history of her family in Mexico before they came to America. 

  Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns by Hena Khan 

Hena Khan wrote this simple yet beautiful picture book explaining Muslim words and concepts through colors. At the back of the book is a brief glossary of terms used in the Muslim faith. This is a lovely book detailing concepts that children (and adults) may have questions about. 

Home of the Brave By Katherine Applegate

This book, written for older children, is about Kei, a young boy from Africa who finds himself in Minnesota. Having grown up in the Sudan, Kei has never experienced a cold Minnesota winter before. War tore his family apart with only he and his mother surviving, but now she’s missing. Follow Kei as he slowly makes friends in his foster home and adjusts while he waits for news of his mother. 

For more children’s books on immigration and refugees, check out this list here.

For teen books on this subject, check out this list here

For helpful resources on immigration and refugees, please check out our Immigration and Refugee Services Guide