Stand Out Board Books

Board books are sturdy books that are great for babies and toddlers. Their thicker pages make it easier for little hands to turn them and make them more durable. They've been around for a long time, and there are many old favorites out there! This list highlights some more recent board books from the past couple of years that knock it out of the park! Check out one of these to enjoy with the littlest readers in your life.

Molly Magnuson's trio of board books showcasing wonderful photos of real babies. Babies love looking at pictures of other babies and all three of the titles by Magnuson (Making Faces: A First Book of Emotions, Baby Loves: A First Book of Favorites, and Baby Up, Baby Down: A First Book of Opposites) are real gems!

Go, Grandma, Go and Go, Grandpa, Go by Lynn Plourde
The illustrations in these two books are bright and cheery, featuring all sorts of different grandparents playing with their grandkids.

Whose Is It series by Katrine Crow (Bellies, Wings, Scales, Butts, Coats, etc.- These are all about animals with good photos.)

Lin Grace's Storytelling Math Series includes 4 board books that introduce mathematical concepts in engaging stories with diverse characters. In Circle! Sphere! kids explore shapes while blowing bubbles, in The Last Marshmallow two children solve the problem of sharing marshmallows equally, Up to My Knees! encourages informal measurement as a young girl watches a sunflower grow and grow, and in What Will Fit? readers will play with spatial reasoning while looking for fruits and veggies that are just the right size to fit in a basket.

Who is Making a Mess? by Maria D'Haene

A big and boisterous  family is busy making messes while fixing cars, painting, and baking pies. Little ones will love the repeated refrain of "who is making a mess".

Baby's Day series includes Baby Dream, Baby Play, Baby Food, and Baby Talk by various authors

Another great series featuring photographs of diverse babies and families doing everyday things. The text is sweet and lyrical. 

Little Truck by Taro Gomi
One of a series with Little Plane and Little Boat. These vehicles are out to explore with their caring parents right behind.

Maisy's Construction Site by Lucy Cousins 

Maisy has been a popular character for years and this newer board book featuring Maisy and her friends has great interactive elements with things to push, pull, and slide. Plus, construction sites are always popular!

My Hair is Beautiful by Shauntay Grant

A celebration of natural hair and self love with great photographs showing different hairstyles and happy kids.

Pride Colors by Robin Stevenson

With rhyming text, each color is introduced while sharing a message of parent's unconditional love for their children.

Kiss By Kiss and May We Have Enough to Share by Richard Van Camp

Sweet books with lots of warm fuzzies for readers to enjoy. 

Tummy Time Friends by Pat Brisson

An ode to tummy time! Cheerful photographs of babies lifting their heads in tummy time will bring a smile to any reader's face.

If You Liked This, Read That - Kids Graphic Novels Edition

Lots of kids are avid graphic novel readers. It's such a great format to enjoy and build reading comprehension skills. So, if you're looking for a new graphic novel to love, check out one of these!

If you like Drama by Raina Telgemeier, try the Berrybrook Middle School series by Svetlana Chmakova. 

Both authors capture the trials and tribulations of middle school friendships, budding romances, and growing up. 

If you liked New Kid by Jerry Craft, read the follow up Class Act also by Jerry Craft

Class Act is a companion book to the Newberry Medal winner New Kid. It picks up in a new school year and focuses on best friends Drew and Liam.

If you liked Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley, read Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte

Both books follow food loving kids trying to fit in their new communities.

If you like The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels try Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson. 

Both are heartwarming and showcase strong, female characters.

If you liked Coraline by Neil Gaiman, read The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkeller

These mysterious tales share supernatural elements and keep readers on the edge of their seats.

If you liked White Bird: A Wonder Story by R.J. Palacio, read When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

Both novels feature young people caught in the dangers and heartbreak of war and show how kindness and  perseverance can change lives.

Pandemic Picture Books

One year ago tomorrow, on March 16, 2020 we closed our doors to shelter at home in the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic. As we pass the one year mark of this on-going crisis many of us have been reflecting on all that has happened and all that's been lost in this past year. Thankfully, we have writers and poets and illustrators to help soothe some sorrows and bring hopeful smiles to our faces.

Here is a list of some of the stand out picture books featuring the new world we found ourselves thrown into last March. I recommend sharing these with the children in your life, but also if you are an adult who appreciates the kind of "warm hug" only a book can give you, don't hesitate to check one of these out!

Thankfully, our doors are open again and we can fill your trunks with library goodies during curbside pick ups each week. So, put one of these (or all of these!) on hold to pickup next time you visit the library. 

There is a Rainbow by Theresa Trinder

"A story has a beginning and an end. There is a here. There is a there. And there is something in between." A great book for young children - I mean, what kid doesn't love rainbows?! The metaphor of the rainbow after the storm is used to help children navigate through the messy times in between and look towards a brighter tomorrow. A nice choice for children starting school again.

And The People Stayed Home by Kitty O'Meara

This book features a poem written by a Wisconsin native in the early days of the pandemic. The poem went viral online and is now accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Stefano Di Cristofaro and Paul Pereda. It's hopeful and sweet and seeks to emphasize healing through our shared experiences - alone, but together. A great read for all ages.

Windows by Patrick Guest

This book shows five children in different parts of the world as they stay home and look out to the world through their windows. The author's own experience of staying at home for months because of his son's Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is reflected through the book with love, hope, and humor. A lovely time capsule of our shared experiences in 2020.

Outside, Inside by LeUyen Pham

"Something strange happened on an unremarkable day just before the season changed. Everyone who was outside went inside. Outside was quieter, wilder, and different. Inside we laughed, we cried, and we grew. We remembered to protect the ones we love and love the ones who protect us. While the world changed outside, we became stronger on the inside and believed that someday soon spring would come again." What more can I say?! Everyone should read this book by this remarkable and Caldecott honor wining author.

While We Can't Hug by Eoin McLaughlin

A tear jerker for everyone mourning the loss of countless hugs over the past year. This book has great kid appeal, featuring a friendship between an adorable hedgehog and tortoise. While the reason they need to stay apart is never stated, the pair find many ways to stay close like painting the same picture so that everyone would know they were friends - something many children living through quarantines can relate to.

If You Loved WandaVision...

The internet has been buzzing about WandaVision for the past several weeks, and now that the series has wrapped you might be left wanting more! So, here are some books and movies for you to check out if you just can't get enough.

SPOILER ALERT: There are some very light spoilers ahead, mostly in GIF form, so beware if you haven't finished watching the series!

If you want to know about about the comic book stories of the characters in the show, you can dive into the Marvel Comic Book Universe. Try the Scarlet Witch graphic novel trilogy by James Robinson to learn more about the Scarlet Witch, her powers, and her history. Or check out the Marvel comics on Hoopla for digital editions of many comic books. Start with Avengers: Vision and the Scarlet Witch: A Year in the Life. This volume contains issues #1-12 and follows Wanda and Vision as they get married, settle into their New Jersey home, and welcome twins into their family.

If you loved the emotional plot exploring Wanda's grief, grab some tissues and crack open The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver. After the sudden death of her fiancé, Lydia is grief stricken and broken until she finds a backdoor into another world where she's given a second chance with the love of her life. Somehow, she impossibly lives two lives at once, but the emotional cost of living in two worlds catches up with her. 

If you loved everything about Kathryn Hahn's character (who didn't?!), get lost in this tale of witchcraft: These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling, a YA novel about a coven in modern day Salem, Massachusetts with love triangles, witch hunters, and fiery magic. 

If you loved watching Wanda use her powers to alter reality and fight for her family, check out the Broken Earth Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin. In the first book, The Fifth Season, readers meet Essun, a mother of two children living in a Sanze, a civilization on the brink of total collapse. Essun has secret powers that allow her to manipulate stone and earth by redirecting and absorbing heat and energy. When her son is murdered and her daughter is kidnapped, Essun embarks on a journey to do whatever it takes to save her daughter.

And if you want to better understand all of the classic TV references in the show or are just feeling nostalgic for sitcoms from the past after seeing them in the show, check out these TV series: 

• Episode One featured references to sitcoms from the 1950s like  I Love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver, and The Dick Van Dyke Show
• Episode Two moved into the 1960s and referenced show like Bewitched and I Dream of Jeanie.
• Episode Three moved into the 1970s with nods to shows like The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, and  The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
• In Episode Five the show references classic 1980s and 1990s shows like Family Ties, Full House, and Growing Pains. 
• Episode Six brought us into the early 2000s with heavy influences from Malcom in the Middle
• Episode Seven referenced shows from like 2010s like Modern Family, Happy Endings, and The Office.

Books for Young Bird Lovers

Our Storytime at Home kits this week are all about birds! Sign upfor your kit here.

Did you know that Evansville is officially a Bird City? 

Bird City Wisconsin provides highly visible public recognition to municipalities that understand that healthy communities are the sum of many parts, including birds. You can learn more about how our city has worked with Bird City Wisconsin to protect green space, education the community, and make our town friendlier for our feathered friends on their website.

Check out some of these great books for the youngest bird lovers in your life!

Birds by Kevin Henkes

This is the Nest the Robin Built by Denise Fleming

You Nest Here with Me by Jane Yolen

Hooray for Birds by Lucy Cousins

Every Day Birds by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater

Telephone by Mac Barnett

Look up!: Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette Cate

You can also check out our Bird City Discovery Kit for some hands on learning!