We’re back!! Welcome to the Youth Services Department Blog. The purpose of this blog will be to inspire you to visit us at the library, inform you of some of our programming and activities, hopefully be an interesting resource for reading and learning ….and much more! From time to time, we will feature author’s birthdays, special holidays or seasons, staff picks, and available programs and activities we have planned for you.

Summer vacation is nearly over, and soon it’s back to school. It’s an exciting time but can also be a little stressful no matter what grade level you’re dealing with.

Here are several websites to offer ideas for a smooth transition from summer:

A Google or Pinterest search will also provide tons of ideas for organizing the routine of getting back in the groove. 

Some of my favorite tips from these articles to help with staying organized at home:

• Homework station caddy for school supplies –even an over the door shoe organizer would work to keep things in one spot
• An in-box or file holder for papers that need parent signatures or forms to be returned to school
• A library book basket or tub so those books aren’t lost under the sofa or intermingled with personal book collections to help with returning by the due date (Serves double-duty for us, too!)

The Today Show came up with this list of back-to-school books, some of which are here at NLPL! Sometimes a cute picture book will help lighten the mood at any age. https://www.today.com/parents/first-day-school-books-tackle-first-day-jitters-t157919

Perhaps you’re looking for something more factual, so these books may interest you:

Be sure to stop in to see what other books we may have to start off the new school year and check back soon to see what homework helps we have!

Search for fiction or non-fiction books on all grade levels from Kindergarten through 8th grade, or browse the suggested Read-Alikes. You can even tell it what kind of main character you like to read about or give it a book you liked to get Read-Alike suggestions. You can access Novelist K-8  here.

Find Just Right Books for Younger Readers

Have kids who love action/adventure? Kids who want to read books just like their favorite, Harry Potter? Students who have to find nonfiction books at their reading level? NoveList K-8 makes it easy to find just right books that match each reader’s interests and reading level.

Created by Book Experts

NoveList is lovingly created by librarians and book experts. We have over 25 librarians on staff, plus teachers, school media specialists, and children’s librarians from around the country who contribute their expertise. Our hand-crafted recommendations are created by professionals, so you can trust them to be high-quality. We tell you who wrote a recommendation and why the recommendation makes sense.

Resources for Teachers and Parents

If you teach with books, NoveList K-8 is the place to go for inspiration and education. Need lists of books by topic or unit of study? We have ready-to-go materials that are quick and easy to use. Need books for your lessons that meet Common Core State Standards? We have Curriculum Connections and other materials that will get you started.

A Single Place for Reviews

Tired of searching multiple places just to find out what people are saying about a book? NoveList includes reviews from professionals (Booklist, Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal), as well as from readers (Goodreads, Chilifresh). One stop shopping!

Award-Winners, All in One Place

There are A LOT of book awards out there – Caldecott Medal, ALA Notable Books, Newberry Medal, Parents Choice, and more. Wouldn’t it be great if there was one place to find lists of award-winning books? NoveList has that.

Another summer is winding down, as signaled by the start of the school year.  While some kids may outwardly grumble about it, deep down inside, they probably are looking forward to the daily socialization with friends again…and yes, maybe their teachers too!

If you are looking for a few pointers about getting back in the school groove, PBS.org  is a good resource. Whether you’re new to this with a Kindergarten student, or a seasoned veteran with middle-schoolers, there are tips dealing with topics from reluctant students to setting up an effective homework space at home.

Common Sense Media is another helpful website for parents with school-aged children. This article recommends apps to enhance math and reading skills. The website is also useful for family friendly reviews of books, videos, movies, apps, and more.

It’s important that kids continue to read for enjoyment, not just assignments. Follow these tips from the Scholastic.com blog:

• “Never fear! We have some helpful “back to school reading resolutions” to ensure families read every day at home once school begins.

1. Ask your kid’s new teacher at back-to-school night for a list of books to read for fun at home, as kids say their teacher is a top resource for book ideas.
2. Keep books in the home for independent reading time all year. Frequent readers have twice the amount of books in the home in comparison to infrequent readers.
3. Read aloud at home – and keep it going beyond ages 5 and 8, as 66% of kids ages 6–11 say that “reading together is fun” and 72% of kids say “it is a special time together.”
4. Talk to your local public librarian or school librarian for book suggestions. They are a year-round resource for great book ideas for families.
5. Look for children’s books that feature characters that are “smart, brave or strong” and who “face a challenge and overcome it.” Kids need to connect with stories and characters in order for them to associate reading as an enjoyable activity.

And don’t forget to let children choose their books to read for fun. 9 in 10 kids say their favorite book is the one they picked out themselves.”

Here are a few books to help get over those back-to-school jitters or to give you a good laugh!

    Back to School, Mallory by Laurie Friedman  J FRI

  Back to School is Cool by Jim Jinkins    ER JIN

  The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by    J MUR

  The School is Alive! by Jack Chabert  J CHA

School Days According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney  J BIR

Middle School: Get Me Out of Here! by James Patterson   J PAT

On the Scholastic.com list above, number 4 is why we are here: “Talk to your local public librarian or school librarian for book suggestions. They are a year-round resource for great book ideas for families.” We love helping you find books to read or listen to for the simple joy of reading. Be sure to visit us throughout the school year to help with your assignments or to find something you might just enjoy!  Have a good school year; we’ll be here waiting to see you!

As the year begins, thoughts and conversations revolve around making new resolutions or changing behaviors.  Mostly, these changes are about doing something differently or better, eating habits, or exercise…so this year, why not commit to exercise your mind? An easy way to do this would be to read a little more, and a fun way to read a little more would be to start a book club!  Adults do this, classrooms and schools might too-even libraries have programs (see Guys Read or Girls Rock here at NLPL), but kids can try it with friends, classmates, cousins, neighbors or family. To get started, you might need a little help from an adult (parent, teacher, librarian, etc.) or older sibling to get organized and maybe help with the first few meetings. Get a few friends, set some ground rules, put together a list of book suggestions, and you’re good to go!  The websites readwritethink.org and Scholastic.com have some helpful suggestions for kids and parents:

Pbs.org has information for a more parent-involved club, including ideas for a mother-daughter group and guidelines for getting started as well :

Reading becomes a social activity for kids in book clubs and promotes so many benefits: respecting others’ ideas and perspectives, building cooperation & collaboration skills, being accountable by being prepared and keeping track of books read, just to name a few …and teachers will be thrilled when comprehension improves! Creativity abounds when an art project relating to the book is part of the meeting.  Book clubs can also be a springboard for community involvement after a discussion- for example helping at a pet shelter, volunteering to help keep park areas clean, or recycling projects- or any other theme found in books.  Kids learn to listen to each other and make decisions together (respect and collaboration again) regarding how often to meet, where to meet, which books to add to the reading list, will there be snacks, and the list goes on….!  Of course, the Youth Services Staff will be happy to assist you in finding appropriate books.  A place you might start would be in our Staff Picks section at the front of the department:

or the Caudill, Bluestem, and Monarch State award nominees:

:           

So in 2017, exercise your mind, enjoy time with friends, and cozy up to a good book- you might enjoy the results! In my humble opinion though, the best result of a book club is fostering a love for reading!!

Happy New Year …again!!!  Happy Chinese New Year, that is! Following the Chinese zodiac, 2017 is the Year of the Rooster. The 12 zodiac symbols possess different character traits, and cycle every 12 years.  People born under the sign of the Rooster are believed to be very observant, hardworking, resourceful, courageous, talented, and have a lot of confidence! If you were born in any of these years, you’re a rooster: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017. The  websites below have some fun facts about the different Chinese New Year traditions, including the zodiac traits. Check out the year of your birth on one of the sites and see if your personality matches the characteristics!

TravelChinaguide.com

National Geographic for Kids

Topmarks.com

Here are a few of the animal personality traits from Infoplease.com:

• Rat: quick-witted, smart, charming, and persuasive
• Ox: patient, kind, stubborn, and conservative
• Tiger: authoritative, emotional, courageous, and intense
• Rabbit: popular, compassionate, and sincere
• Dragon: energetic, fearless, warm-hearted, and charismatic
• Snake: charming, gregarious, introverted, generous, and smart
• Horse: energetic, independent, impatient, and enjoy traveling
• Sheep: mild-mannered, shy, kind, and peace-loving
• Monkey: fun, energetic, and active
• Rooster: independent, practical, hard-working, and observant
• Dog: patient, diligent, generous, faithful, and kind
• Pig: loving, tolerant, honest, and appreciative of luxury

This year’s celebration began on January 28th and will last until February 11th. Most families begin the celebration with housecleaning before the New Year to sweep away and clean out the previous year’s bad luck.  Then, there is a family celebration dinner, which includes fish to bring good luck.  In fact, many customs and traditions relate to ensuring good luck for the year. Instead of wrapped presents, red envelopes with money are given as gifts for good fortune.  Firecrackers are lit to scare away bad luck and welcome the new year.  Even wearing red underwear is said to keep away bad luck!  The Lantern Festival closes out the celebration with the famous Dragon Dance in many places.  Lanterns are hung as decorations, carried in  parades, sent skyward, or set afloat in water. Watch the video below from History.com:

Of course, we have books for you to learn more about Chinese New Year and the culture of this area.  Here are a few:

  J 394.261 SIE

  J 394.26 SIM

 J 641.5951 LEE

  J 915.1 RIE

These are just a few of many books we have available if you are interested in exploring this culture.  And don’t forget to look around online at CultureGrams on our website.

It’s a great resource to learn about other countries and their customs.       Stop in to see us, tell us about your celebration, and Gōng hè Fat Choy!!

March is a month with many exciting happenings… we “spring” ahead with our clocks as we eagerly await the start of spring (even with a late season snowstorm), leprechaun sightings abound as we notice an abundance of green for St. Patrick’s Day, thoughts turn to basketball with a March Madness bracket, and everyone celebrates the birthday of a beloved children’s author….

March kicked off with all things Seuss by celebrating the birthday of Dr. Seuss, aka Theodor Seuss Geisel on March 2nd.  Schools across the country held fun reading activities for the day, week, and even the whole month. His wild and wacky characters, vivid illustrations, and catchy rhymes have delighted children and adults for over 70 years!  Here are a few facts about Dr. Seuss:

• Seuss is his mother’s maiden name, and actually rhymes with the word voice.  He gave up trying to have people pronounce it correctly.
• He is not really a doctor.  He added that to his name because his father had hoped he would earn a PhD.  He eventually did receive an honorary doctorate from Dartmouth and Princeton.
• His first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, was actually rejected by publishers 27 times!
• The Cat in the Hat was written to help young children read.  His books made children’s literature and learning fun. Green Eggs and Ham was written when a friend made a bet with him that he couldn’t write a book with 50 words or less.  (He won the bet.)
• His books have sold over 200 million copies. One of his more recent books, Oh The Places You’ll Go was originally written for  parents to read to their newborn babies, but is actually more popular as a graduation gift for students.

Seussville.com and pbskids.org are some awesome websites to explore and learn more about Dr. Seuss with games and information:

There are also many Pinterest and blog entries with STEM projects associated with Dr. Seuss books.  Read the book, then try your hand at a project to learn a little about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math:

We have over 100 types of materials available in the library, including biographies, stories, movies, and music cds for you to check out and enjoy!

So have fun with reading or STEM activities or exploring websites or even trying to write your own rhymes, and remember…..

It’s finally spring, and the signs are everywhere!  Later sunsets, green plants sprouting up, birds chirping, daffodils blooming, and animals waking up from a long winter’s nap. The Ranger Rick article below gives some information about animals coming out of hibernation:

Be on the lookout in your back yard or neighborhood for some signs of animal life, or new animal babies in the area.  A sure sign of spring I have noticed in my yard is the return of many birds.  Each morning is a new symphony!  A great resource in the area to learn more about our native wildlife is the Forest Preserve District of Will County.  They have many events scheduled dealing with our wildlife friends:

Baby Animal SOS- April 1st

Beekeeping- April 2

Spring Bird Hike- April 8th

Migratory Bird Hikes- April 8th and 29th

…plus many more exciting activities throughout the spring and summer months at the various forest preserves countywide.

Find more information at their website, or we have a few brochures available in the library for your convenience.

If you visit the New Lenox Library website, you can also access these databases that can give you more information about animals in general, or many science and social studies topics by going to the Research & Learning tab, then Homework Help:

The New Book of Popular Science

and TrueFlix

Here are just a few of the books we have available with information about hibernation, the upcoming season, and animals to observe:

  J 508.2 HER    Spring by Ann Herriges

   J 508.352 ART  Woods Walk by Henry W. Art

  J 598 BAT  Backyard Birds by Robert Bateman

  J 598 CAT  Look Up! by Annette LeBlanc Cate

    J 590.723 BUR    Citizen Scientists

E BER    Finding Spring by Carin Berger

E NA    Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit by Il Sung Na

  E MES    Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner

  E KIM    999 Frogs Wake Up by Ken Kimura

As you start to enjoy the warmer weather, keep an eye out for any signs of our wildlife friends also enjoying spring!

Here is a missing post from April you might enjoy, especially if you like poetry…

I’ll bet you thought this would be a post about weather or spring, but surprise….we’re celebrating poetry because it’s National Poetry Month!

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Try writing a poem,

See what you can do!

Okay, I know that’s a pretty simple effort, but April is National Poetry Month, so it’s a good time to familiarize yourself with the many different styles of poetry.  Poems do not always rhyme, nor do they have to be deep and meaningful. Since there are so many different styles, we have many books to help you learn about them, or to just enjoy.  As you enter the Youth Department, stop and look at the display with some books highlighted, or try your hand at our magnetic poetry generator:

The 811 section is where poetry is located and we will gladly direct you to that area.

These selections show different poetry styles:

Shape poems, or concrete poems, take on the shape of their subject, like this poem about a boa constrictor from the book Ode to a Commode by Brian Cleary.

Here are a few more examples of concrete poetry and line poetry, which Elmo thinks are very fun to read:   Verse novels are another style of poetry. Verse novels are a  blend of poetic form and fiction narrative. This is an easy style to start writing since you are telling a story by writing your random thoughts, and you don’t need to worry about sentence structure, punctuation, or capital letters!  Love that Dog by Sharon Creech (one of my very favorites), and The Crossover by Kwame Alexander are just a few choices we have available:

Giant Children by Brod Bagert, and Once I Ate a Pie by Patricia Maclachan are hilarious, and great books to “get your feet wet” in the poetry genre:

When you think about it, many songs are different styles of poetry set to music. They may or may not rhyme as well- just think about rap or hip-hop (is that really still a style??).  Take me out of the Bathtub, while not really a poetry book, is a collection of familiar song titles, but written with different words. That’s another easy way to start writing your own poetry. If you really want to learn about the many different styles, then you might need A Kick in the Head.  This book is a collection of twenty-nine different poetic forms.  You might be able to find a form or style that fits your personality just right:

Finally, my favorite, is haiku.  Haiku has a pattern of three lines, with the first line having five syllables, second line-seven syllables, and the last line-five syllables again.  These poems usually have a nature or season theme, but as you can see from Dogku and Guyku in the photo below, pretty much anything goes, as long as you’re creative!

I have barely scratched the surface of the many different types or styles or forms of poetry, so the best way for you to discover your personal preference, is to come in to see us and we’ll get you started….or help you find whatever else you might need. In closing, here is my attempt at a quick haiku about the library…and remember, if I can do it, so can you!!!!

Books are everywhere,

Movies, music, learn and play,

So much to explore!