New Baby Booklist

Parents often ask for books to help explain and prepare children for changes in their lives. One of the biggest changes in a young child's life can be adding a new sibling to the family. There are lots of great books about this topic to help calm fears, answer questions, and build excitement. Here are a few of our favorites:

A Baby Sister for Frances by Russell Hoban
Frances learns to cope with all the changes in her home after the arrival of her new sibling.

Julius: The Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes
Lilly is distraught when her new baby brother gets all the attention from her new parents - she just doesn't see what's so great about him until her cousin garland challenges her to stand up for her new baby brother.

One Special Day by Lola Schaefer
Spencer can be wild as a tiger and strong as a bear. One special day he learns how to be a big brother.

I'm a Big Sister and I'm a Big Brother by Joanna Cole
A brightly illustrated book celebrating the addition of a new sibling to a family from the perspective of the older child.



The New Small Person by Lauren Child
Lauren Child's humorous style shines in this story of Elmore's family as they welcome a new baby sister.

What to Expect When the New Baby Comes Home by Heidi Eisenberg Murkoff
A guide for young children that will answer their questions about having a new baby at home.

Will You Still Love Me? by Carol Roth
A sweet tale to calm fears of a new big sibling.

Many favorite characters have tales of becoming a big sibling.
Angelina's Baby Sister by Katharine Holabird
Arthur's New Baby by Marc Brown
The Berenstain Bears' New Baby by Stan Berenstain
Big Brother Daniel (Daniel Tiger) by Angela Santomero
Biscuit and the Baby by Alyssa Capucilli
Cornelius R. Mud, Are You Ready For Baby? by Barney Saltzberg
Franklin's Baby Sister by Paulette Bourgeois
Froggy's Baby Sister by Jonathan London
The New Baby (Little Critter) by Mercer Mayer
Spot's Baby Sister by Eric Hill

Young Love

Our Young Adult collection is full of great stories - adventure, horror, magic, coming of age, and so much more. This week we're highlighting some of the great love stories that can be found in the YA collection.

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
This 2017 Printz Honor Book tells the story of Daniel and Natasha, who meet by chance on the street in New York City on very important days for both of them. Natasha, an undocumented immigrant, is hours away from being deported, and Daniel is on his way to an important college interview that seems like the first step of the rest of his life. Fans will also enjoy Yoon's debut novel Everything, Everything.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Eleanor and Park don't fit in. One school year they find each other in this touching story of first love. Fans of of this will also enjoy Rowell's other books Fangirl and Carry On.

When the Moon was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore
A girl named Honey and a boy named Moon find themselves and love and in this magical story. Longlisted for the 2016 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Anna is reluctantly spending her senior year at a boarding school in France, instead of at home with her friends in Atlanta. Anna falls in love with the city with the help of her new beau. Etienne St. Clair. This is the first in the series.

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
The latest installment from Laura Jean, the main character in To All the Boys I've Loved Before. Laura is still writing love letters, but this time her heart is torn between two love interests.

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall
Two students meet in a creative writing class. Their love story is told through the eyes of everyone around them, their teacher, the barista at Starbucks, and more.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
Sarah Dessen is well known for her love stories like The Moon and More and Lock and Key. Saint Anything tells the story of Sydney whose is dealing with the aftermath of her brother's drunk driving accident. She discovers forgiveness, friendship, and love. Look for her newest book Once and For All, out this summer!

No YA romance list would be complete without John Green. His love stories like The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns have been made into hit movies. Read his first novel, Looking for Alaska. before it hits the big screen!

And if you're not a fan of happy endings try Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler to witness the heartbreaking unraveling of a relationship.

Youth Media Awards

A couple of weeks ago at the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Atlanta the awards for the best books, videos, and audiobooks for children and teens were announced.

Here are a few of the 2017 winners. Check out the complete list of awards and winners here.

Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children winner: Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat illustrated and written by Javaka Steptoe

Four Caldecott Honor Books were also named this year:

• Leave Me Alone! illustrated and written by Vera Brosgol
• Freedom in Congo Square illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, written by Carole Boston Weatherford 
• Du Iz Tak? illustrated and written by Carson Elli
• They All Saw a Cat illustrated and written by Brendan Wenzel

John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature winner: The Girl Who Drank the Moon written by Kelly Barnhill

Three Newbery Honor Books were also named:

• Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan written and illustrated by Ashley Bryan 
• The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog written by Adam Gidwitz, illustrated by Hatem Aly
• Wolf Hollow written by Lauren Wolk 

The Michael L. Printz Award  for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature winner: March By John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell

Four Printz Honor Books were also named this year:

• Asking for It written by Louise O’Neill 
• The Passion of Dolssa written by Julie Berry
• Scythe written by Neal Shusterman
• The Sun is Also a Star written by Nicola Yoon

Parent Makers

The maker movement has exploded into our culture in the past few years. Maker culture is an extension of do-it-yourself (DIY) culture with an emphasis on technologies such as robotics, 3D printing, electronics as well as traditional crafts like woodworking, textiles, and more. There are many resources available in print and online for projects ideas and guides.

On Saturday, February 4th we are hosted a maker workshop for adults specifically targeted at making with and for young children. With this group we aim to share ideas about projects, tips and tricks, and make a few things to take home. You can find out more about the workshop on our website: http://als.lib.wi.us/EFPL/events.html.

In the meantime, here is a list of wonderfully inspiring book focused on art, creativity, and making with children.

Tinkerlab: A Hands-On Guide for Little Inventors by Rachelle Doorley
This book is full of great ideas to encourage creativity and invention in your home. There are a lot of ideas and practical advice for parents looking to inspire their little ones from how to foster a creative environment in your home to step by step project ideas.


Time to Create: Hands-On Explorations in Process Art for Young Children by Christie Burnett
Focused on process art, this book shares advice, project ideas, and more for families looking to create art together and individually.

The Artful Parent: Simple Ways to Fill Your Family's Life with Art and Creativity by Jean Van't Hull
Van't Hull shares dozens of project ideas, supply lists, and recipes that she has tested out with her family. The Artful Parent details her parenting philosophy and ideas for including art in home life. The Artful Year shares ideas for activities and projects organized by the four seasons and encourages families to explore and create inside and outdoors.


Maker Dad by Mark Frauenfelder
Mark Fraruenfelder has worked as the editor in chief of MAKE magazine. In this book he shares guides for fun, technology based projects for children and caregivers to build together. Many of the projects include computer programming, robotics, electronics, and other topics best suited for older children.

Loose Parts: Inspiring Play in Young Children  by Lisa Daly and Loose Parts 2: Inspiring Play with Infants and Toddlers by Miriam Beloglovsky
The idea of loose parts is to capture children's curiosity and to give them space to explore, create, and learn through play. The best part of these books are the beautiful, large photographs that will inspire you to find and play with loose parts with the young children in your life.



Pirates & Pompoms: How to Make Children's Toys and Costumes by Stella Bell
This guide is wonderful for adults looking to create handmade toys to encourage creative play in children. There are patterns for knitting projects, templates for toys and and many bright photographs to inspire readers.

BEAUTIFUL RUINS

Next month's book discussion will take place on Tuesday, February 21st.  We will be discussing Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.  Beautiful Ruins takes place in 1962 and follows Dee Moray, an American starlet who has just left the set of the movie Cleopatra.  She finds herself at Pasquale Tursi's hotel.  Then, move forward fifty years and meet Claire, the assistant to movie producer Michael Deane.  A screenwriter desperate to sell his script and an older Italian man both show up at Claire's office.  Jess Walter traces the lines between these characters to show just how catastrophic and wonderful life can be.

Jess Walter is the author of six novels, one book of short stories, and one nonfiction book.  His work has been translated into multiple languages.  A list of his work is below.

Jess Walter's Books:
Beautiful Ruins
The Financial Lives of the Poets
The Zero
Citizen Vince
Land of the Blind
Over Tumbled Graves
Every Knee Shall Bow
We Live in Water

If you liked Beautiful Ruins, you may like one of these too.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani
Movie Star by Lizzie Pepper by Hilary Liftin
Funny Girl by Nick Hornby
The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures by Emma Straub
One Day by David Nicholls
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Fowler
Acts of Love by Judith Michael

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SOUP MONTH

January is soup month!  When the dark, gloomy days of winter start getting to you, there is nothing better than a warm bowl of soup to lift your spirits.

Even though it is soup month, I am including cookbooks on soup, stews, and comfort food.  They all warm you up from the inside out and are perfect for winter meals.  Get cooking today!

The Soup Mix Gourmet by Diane Phillilps - These recipes use dry soup mix or canned condensed soup as a key flavor ingredient. 


The Soup Club Cookbook by Courtney Allison - Make some new soup recipes while learning how you can get a soup club going with your friends and family.
 
Carla's Comfort Food by Carla Hall - This books features recipes with variations on favorites to help you cover the world and try international flavors of comfort.


A Modern Way to Eat by Anna Jones - Try this one if you are looking for some vegetarian recipes.

The Everything Soup, Stew, and Chili Cookbook by Belinda Hulin - The title tells it all.  This book also includes cooking tips along with recipes.


Old-School Comfort Food by Alex Guarnaschelli - Written by a well known chef and daughter of a cookbook editor, this book is the result of Alex's lifelong love affair with food.
 
Soup Night by Maggie Stuckey - Soup nights are a quick and easy way to bring your friends together.  This cookbook and guide will help you start your own soup group.


Real Stew by Clifford A. Wright - Recipes for cassoulet, gumbo, chili, curry, minestrone, chowder, and more!

Comfort Food Fix by Ellie Krieger - Krieger has put together a book full of healthier takes on classic comfort foods.

The Big Book of Soups and Stews by Maryana Vollstedt - A cookbook full of recipes for soups, chowders, and stews along with some quick bread recipes, tips, and hints.


Back Home With the Neely's by Patrick Neely - This cookbook takes a look at the classic Southern recipes that have been passed down through generations.

The Complete Allergy Free Comfort Food Cookbook by Elizabeth Gordon - Need to worry about allergies when cooking?  This cookbook brings favorite foods and flavors into the lives of those with the most common food allergies and sensitivities.


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WITCHES AND WIZARADS

With the movie release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, witches and wizards are in the mainstream again. Harry Potter is not the only book or series that involves witches and wizards, and this blog entry provides you with some new books as well as some classics.  Witches practice witchcraft and have magical skills and abilities.  Wizards also practice magic and are often found in works of fantasy and role-playing games.


Whether you have always loved magic, witches, and wizards or are brand new to the club, there are plenty of choices out there for you to try.

Check out one of these books today!

Children's Fiction:
The Witches by Roald Dahl
Bed-Knob and Broomstick by Mary Norton

The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler

Young Adult Fiction:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Jinx by Meg Cabot
So You Want to be a Wizard by Diane Duane
Witch and Wizard by James Patterson
Sabriel by Garth Nix
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

Adult Fiction: 
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Wicked by Gregory Maguire
Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien



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