Birthday Books for Young Children

This book list is inspired by When's My Birthday? by Julia Fogliano. This delightful picture book from 2017 features a young child wondering "when is my birthday?" The excitement surrounding a child's birthday is brought to life with beautiful illustrations and text that is both sweet and humorous. It's a great book to share with a little one who can't stop wondering when his or her birthday will be!

Some other great books that feature birthdays are listed below. Check one out today!

Board Books
Birthday Monsters by Sandra Boynton
Happy Birthday by Sarah Powell
Max's Birthday by Rosemary Wells
Touch and Feel Happy Birthday by Dawn Sirett
Where is Baby's Birthday Cake: A Lift the Flap Book by Karen Katz

Picture Books
Alfie by Thyra Heder
The Bake Shop Ghost by Jacqueline K. Ogburn
A Birthday for Frances by Russell Hoban
Cupcake by Charise Mericle Harper
Happy Birthday! by Suzuki Mamoru
Happy Birthday to You by Dr. Seuss
I Love Birthdays by Anna Walker
I Want Two Birthdays by Tony Ross

The Secret Birthday Message by Eric Carle

Author Spotlight: Maeve Binchy

In honor of St. Patrick's Day and celebrations of Irish culture this past weekend, we are highlighting one of Ireland's most popular and beloved modern writers: Maeve Binchy.

Maeve Binchy was born on May 28 1939 in the Dalkey suburb of Dublin, Ireland. She died in 2012. Throughout her life she wrote novels, plays, short stories, and newspaper columns. She is known for her well developed characters and descriptions of small town life in Ireland. Her writing is full of humorous touches and beautiful moments that will bring tears to your eyes. When reading her books you feel like you are there with her characters as they move through life's ups and downs.

For more information about Maeve Binchy, visit her website at http://maevebinchy.com/ or read her Maeve Binchy: The Biography by Piers Dudegon.

Many of Maeve Binchy's books are also available as eBooks or eAudio. Download the Libby app or browse on OverDrive to get started downloading to your device. Here is a list of her short stories and novels available at our library.


Short Stories Collections
Full House
London Transports
This Year Will Be Different and Other Stories
The Return Journey
A Few of the Girls


Novels
Light a Penny Candle
The Lilac Bus
Echoes
Firefly Summer
The Silver Wedding
Circle of Friends
The Copper Beech
The Glass Lake
Evening Class
Tara Road
Scarlet Feather
Quentins
Nights of Rain and Stars
Whitethorn Woods
Heart and Soul
Minding Frankie
A Week in Winter
Chestnut Street
Sister Caravaggio

STEAMpunks: Rainforest Book List

At today's STEAMpunks we are learning all about rainforests! This program for kids in grades K-5 centers on science, technology, engineering, art, and math topics (plus fun!).

For our rainforest STEAMpunks, we'll be visiting the amazing Evansville Community School District's Nature Center. Kids will explore lots of hands on activities to learn about this amazing environment! Here are some of the books we'll be sharing at today's STEAMpunks.

Lifesize Rainforest by Anita Ganeri & Stuart Jackson-Carter
A huge book filled with wonderful photographs featuring rainforest animals at their actual size.

Once Upon a Jungle by Laura Knowles and James Boast
An eye appealing book for young children.

The Umbrella by Jan Brett
A tropical story told in Jan Brett's classic style.

The Rainforest Grew All Around by Susan K. Mitchell
A rainforest theme version of this classic, cumulative song.

Disappearing Acts: A Search and Find Book of Endangered Animals by Isabella Bunnell
This gorgeously illustrated I spy style book features endangered animals from many parts of the world, including the rainforest.

How Monkeys Make Chocolate: Foods and Medicines from the Rainforests by Adrian Forsyth
This non-fiction book share information about the diversity of life in the Amazon rainforest.

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry
A beautiful story with a message about conservation and environmentalism.

A Hungry Lion or A Dwindling Assortment of Animals by Lucy Ruth Cummins
Okay, so this book doesn't really feature the rainforest. There is an assortment of animals, some that live in the rainforest, but we shared this book for its humorously take on the food chain.

Author Spotlight: Atinuke

Last month our Book Buddies group, a book club for kids in grades K-2, read Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke. We loved introducing Anna, a lively young girl growing up in "Africa, Amazing Africa!" as each book begins. 

Atinuke is the author of the Anna Hibiscus books and a traditional storyteller. She was born in Nigeria and later moved to the United Kingdom to attend boarding school when she was 10 years old. On her website she says about the Anna Hibiscus books: "I had been meaning to write those stories for years - ever since the homesickness of my boarding school days when I discovered how little children in the UK knew about Africa and even more so as a story teller when it was clear from children's questions how little they still knew about the Africa that I am from." You can find out more about her life and her storytelling on her website.

Anna Hibiscus Picture Books

Anna Hibiscus' Song

Anna is so happy she doesn't know what to do with herself! She asks her family members what they do when they are happy. Anna dances like her uncle Tunde, sits quietly like her mother, and finally finds her own way to enjoy her happiness through song.

Double Trouble for Anna Hibiscus

Anna's life changes completely when her mother gives birth to twin boys. This story shares Anna's struggles adjusting to becoming a big sister and tells the story of how her twin baby brothers got their names Double and Trouble.

Splash, Anna Hibiscus!

Anna heads to the beach with her family looking for fun.

Anna Hibiscus Chapter Books

Each book share several stories about Anna and her life in Africa, Amazing Africa! Anna lives with her mother who is from Canada, her father who is from Africa, her grandmother, grandfather, uncles, aunts, cousins, and twin baby brothers named Double and Trouble. These books are illustrated by Lauren Tobia.

Anna Hibiscus

Hooray for Anna Hibiscus!

Good Luck, Anna Hibiscus!

Have Fun, Anna Hibiscus!

Welcome Home, Anna Hibiscus!

Go Well, Anna Hibiscus!

Love from Anna Hibiscus

You're Amazing, Anna Hibiscus!

The No. 1 Car Spotter Series

Atinuke wrote this series for and with her sons. The books feature Oluwalase Babatunde Benson, a young boy living in Africa who is the number 1 car spotter in his village. He loves car spotting and solving problems in his village. These books are illustrated by Warwich Johnson Cadwell.

The No. 1 Car Spotter

The No. 1 Car Spotter and the Firebird

The No. 1 Car Spotter and the Car Thieves

The No. 1 Car Spotter Goes to School

The No. 1 Car Spotter and the Broken Road

The No. 1 Car Spotter Fights the Factory

Other Books by Atinuke

Baby Goes to Market

A beautiful picture book about a young baby and his mother visiting a busting marketplace in Nigeria.