By Summer Gurdak
Monroe Public Library
As 2018 comes to a close and we ring in a new year, the Youth Services Department at the Monroe Public Library is busy gearing up for another exciting year of service to our patrons.
During the next couple of weeks, while we take a break from our usual programming, we still will have plenty of entertaining options available for all. Instead of offering our much-anticipated hand stamps when the READ Poster is located within the department, over the next two weeks when a child finds the poster, they will be awarded a prize. It’s just our way of saying thank you for making sure that a stop at the library is on your winter break to-do list.
Besides reading, what better way is there to spend cold winter nights than grabbing a bundle of great movies already picked out for you? Another exciting addition that you might have noticed in the Children’s Room is our movie Binge Bundles! We’ve taken the guesswork out of finding the perfect movie and offer you a few, grouped into categories such as “Pixar” which includes choices like “Ratatouille,” “Inside Out,” and “The Good Dinosaur.” There’s also “Classic Disney” which includes favorites such as “Cinderella,” “Peter Pan,” “The Rescuers” and “Snow White.” With other Binge Bundle categories like “Movie Musicals” and “Disney Live Action,” there is certain to be something for everyone looking for a movie marathon.
Two new faces have been added to the Youth Services Department. We hope that you will stop by and give a hearty welcome to Carrie Field, who will serve as a Youth Services Specialist and at Circulation, and Dan Salay, who is our new Teen Services Specialist. Both are very happy to be a part of our team and look forward to dedicating themselves to enriching our community and providing the excellent service you expect from the Monroe Public Library.
Once programming resumes in January, our Letter of the Week will resume, and branch out to include Numbers of the Week! Keep an eye on the bulletin board behind the Children’s Desk to see what craft awaits you there to help practice numbers now as well as letters.
There is no better time than winter to cozy up with a good book, and of course, the Children’s Department has many new additions for your reading pleasure. Some of our newest picture books include “Doll-E 1.0,” written and illustrated by Shanda McCloskey, which is a STEM-friendly tale of a girl and the doll she upgrades to be her new friend. Charlotte is always tinkering, coding, clicking and downloading, but when she receives a doll, at first she’s not quite sure what to do with it! This is an endearing, modern tribute to the creative spirit of play sure to delight any young reader, especially those who enjoyed “Rosie Revere, Engineer.”
From award-winning author Jory John and illustrator Lane Smith, who brought you “Penguin Problems,” comes the hilarious follow-up “Giraffe Problems.” In this sweet tale, Edward the giraffe laments about the ridiculousness of his enormous neck. He’s tried everything he can to hide it, and just when he’s about to give up, along comes Cyrus the turtle who helps him understand that his neck has a purpose, and looks excellent in a bow tie, by the way. Anyone searching for a tender story about how friends bring out the best in us and how important self-acceptance is will enjoy this book.
As far as new titles in non-fiction, we have a great new cookbook for any children that want to test out their culinary skills. From the Kid Chef folks comes “Kid Chef: The Foodie Kids Cookbook” by Melina Hammer with a foreword by Bryant Terry. With recipes like spiced-orange French toast and mighty meatballs, “Kid Chef” gets children cooking nutritious meals that engage their skills and instill confidence in the kitchen without simplifying the recipes too much like other kids’ cookbooks might. This is sure to be an outstanding cookbook for introducing children to the joys of cooking!
All LEGO enthusiasts will want to check out the newest edition of “The LEGO Book” written by Daniel Lipkowitz. Two hundred seventy-five pages of wonderful LEGO creations await you and will not disappoint. This special edition of “The LEGO Book” has been fully updated and expanded with the latest LEGO sets and fascinating facts to commemorate the anniversary of the LEGO brick and of the minifigure. This book is sure to be a treasure for LEGO fans of any age.
Parents can take comfort in knowing we’re adding some new titles to the Parents’ Place resources we have. We now have the book “Parenting Children with Mental Health Challenges” by Deborah Vlock. Readers are offered guidance, solidarity and hope about the heartbreak of loving a child with multiple mental-health disorders. Drawing on her own personal experiences, Vlock’s aim is to make parents feel stronger and better, while actively seeking positive outcomes for their children and families.
Our new Kid-ol-o-gy brochures are ready and waiting for you to take home to explore what amazing programs we have coming up next! From a Harry Potter tournament to an escape room to a glow-in-the-dark party, we are really pulling out all the stops in these upcoming months to bring you plenty of family fun and excitement! We hope you will visit us soon on the second floor of the library! Seasons Readings to all!
— Cover to Cover is provided by the Monroe Public Library and is usually published the fourth Wednesday of the month.
