Events for Kids & Families
For Grades K-5. It’s back to school time! Start the school year right by setting goals, getting organized, and, of course, reading! Log your reading to earn badges throughout the challenge.
Help Smokey celebrate his 80th birthday by learning how to prevent wildfires and help the environment! Read 3 books on wildfire prevention or the environment and earn 4 activity badges to complete the challenge.
Coat Drive
We will be collecting gently used coats for children and adults in need.
Help Us, Help Them Collection
We are collecting new travel size hygiene products, easy open (pop-top cans only) non-perishable food items (tuna packets, pop top soup cans, granola bars, etc.) and socks and gloves for adults in need.
Sign and STEM: Self Care Edition
Join us as we learn all about Self Care! We will move our bodies through songs and activities including Sign Language!
A high energy combination of body movements such as jumping and dancing, parent modeled movements, musical instruments and more!
Who says you can’t play with your food? Make a delicious masterpiece with us as we “paint” rice krispie treats!
Kanopy Kids
Kanopy Kids has a diverse selection of educational and entertaining content that range across movies, TV series, animated storybooks, live action, and animated favorites.
Libby for Kids
Tumblebooks
Hoopla
Online Learning for Kids
ABC Mouse
ABCmouse is educational and fun and has more than 10,000 learning activities for ages 2-8+ (books, puzzles, educational games, science videos, art activities, songs) that encompass reading, math, science, social studies, art, and music—including more than 2,000 STEM and over 1,000 Spanish-language learning activities.
Brainfuse HelpNow
Britannica Escolar
Britannica School
CultureGrams
Gale in Context: Elementary
Universal Class
Universal Class is the place to continue your education online and fulfill all your lifelong learning goals. There are over 500 courses that are accessible 24/7 online. Universal Class is completely free with your library card. Courses include lessons, videos, exams, assignments and discussion boards. All courses are self-paced. You can also earn a certificate documenting your continuing education units (CEUs), contact hours and course completion.
Back to School
-
First Day Jitters
Head back to school with the bestselling picture book classic! The perennial classroom read-aloud favorite for students and teachers, reminding us we all get the jitters sometimes.
A perfect new school year pick for kindergarteners, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders who are feeling nervous or anxious about starting their first day.
Sarah Jane Hartwell has that sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach—she's nervous and doesn't want to start a new school year. She doesn't know anybody, and nobody knows her. It will be awful. She just knows it.
With a little convicing from Mr. Hartwell, Sarah Jane reluctantly heads to class. Shy at first, she's quickly befriended by Mrs. Burton and is reminded that everyone at school gets the jitters sometimes.
A beloved and bestselling back to school staple, Sarah Jane's relatable story and its surprise ending will delight seasoned students and new faces alike who are anxious about their first day.
• Includes a Certificate of Courage for First Day Completion and a First Day Memories Sheet! -
My Weird School Special: Back to School, Weird Kids Rule!
With more than 12 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading!
Summer is almost over, and you know what that means—time to head back to school! But when a tropical storm ends A.J.'s vacation earlier than expected, he and his family have to stay at Andrea's house. Ugh, disgusting!
Soon after, everyone in the house starts getting cabin fever, and even back-to-school shopping won't calm the kids down. So, Andrea and A.J. are sent to Camp Ockatollyquay. The catch? It's a camp to get kids ready for school! But not to worry—Andrea and A.J. rally their Ella Mentry School friends to end their summer on a note they'll never forget.
Join A.J. and the gang from My Weird School in this special series of after-school, holiday-themed chapter books featuring hilarious stories and thirty-two pages of games, puzzles, and more. This is one weird back-to-school special you won't want to miss!
-
We Don't Eat Our Classmates
It's the first day of school for Penelope Rex, and she can't wait to meet her classmates. But it's hard to make human friends when they're so darn delicious! That is, until Penelope gets a taste of her own medicine and finds she may not be at the top of the food chain after all. . . . Readers will gobble up this hilarious new story from award-winning author-illustrator Ryan T. Higgins.
-
The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!
Why does the Pigeon have to go to school? He already knows everything! And what if he doesn't like it? What if the teacher doesn't like him? What if he learns TOO MUCH!?!
Ask not for whom the school bell rings; it rings for the Pigeon! -
The King of Kindergarten
A New York Times bestseller!
A confident little boy takes pride in his first day of kindergarten, by the Newbery Honor-winning author of Crown.
The morning sun blares through your window like a million brass trumpets.It sits and shines behind your head--like a crown. Mommy says that today, you are going to be the King of Kindergarten!
Starting kindergarten is a big milestone--and the hero of this story is ready to make his mark! He's dressed himself, eaten a pile of pancakes, and can't wait to be part of a whole new kingdom of kids. The day will be jam-packed, but he's up to the challenge, taking new experiences in stride with his infectious enthusiasm! And afterward, he can't wait to tell his proud parents all about his achievements--and then wake up to start another day.
Newbery Honor-winning author Derrick Barnes's empowering story will give new kindergarteners a reassuring confidence boost, and Vanessa Brantley-Newton's illustrations exude joy. -
Back to School, Splat!
How can there be homework when it's only the first day of school? Splat must pick only "one" of all of his fun summer adventures to share with his classmates at show-and-tell. But in the end, Splat may find that the best part of his summer wasn't an adventure at all. . . .
-
The Crayons Go Back to School
The hilarious crayons from the #1 New York Times bestselling The Day The Crayons Quit are ready to go back to school!
The crayons are getting ready to go back to school, and each crayon has a subject they're looking forward to the most. They're also ready to meet new friends. . . and let loose during their very favorite time of day: art class. A humorous, small hardcover back-to-school story from everyone's favorite school supplies.
Summer Reads
-
Summer
Summer is a poetic, inspirational picture book about the power of kindness from two of China's most acclaimed creators—and children will discover a surprise as they turn the pages!
During a hot summer day in the grasslands, a group of animals race to claim the single spot of shade—under one tiny leaf that clings to a branch. The animals fight until they are inspired by an act of love to offer shade to one another.
Through lyrical text from Hans Christian Andersen Award winner Cao Wenxuan, the story comes alive with bright, delicate art from award-winning illustrator Yu Rong and provides a vivid introduction to animals. In the middle of the book, pages grow shorter and then longer to emphasize each selfless action and to remind children of the importance of sharing and being kind.
An Imprint Book
"An exquisitely calibrated fable." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Children will return often to enjoy the interactive opportunities." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review -
Sandy Feet! Whose Feet?
When a family spends a day at the beach, the children investigate various footprints to see what type of creatures live along the shoreline. Rhyming text turns a sandy beach into an outdoor classroom. The tracks and habits of local wildlife, including hopping sandpipers, scuttling crabs, and burrowing turtles, are identified and explained for young ecology detectives. Even Daddy's feet make an appearance! And at day's end, it's time for tired feet to make their way home. STEM-based back matter includes information on how clues like footprints can identify the type of wildlife inhabiting any given habitat.
-
Lighthouse and the Little Boat
A sweet, tender, and touching tale about a wise lighthouse guiding a young boat through the turbulent waters of life. This is a beautiful take on parenting and growing up, and a perfect pick for sharing and gifting.
Once, there was a lighthouse.
She stood proud and steady, strong and bright. In fair weather and in foul, she towered over the waters and guided ships to safe harbor.
A lighthouse stands by the sea and keeps everything in her sight safe and sound. When a little boat named Brightness appears in her harbor, Lighthouse offers to watch out for her. But, as Brightness becomes more confident, she goes out farther than Lighthouse can see. When a big storm hits, will Lighthouse be able to protect Brightness
Perfect for both young readers and adults, this gorgeous picture book by Katie Frawley and Ben Mantle shows that, even when there are storms, love will always guide children home.
-
Summer
From Kelsey Gross and New York Times bestselling artist Renata Liwska comes a companion to the stunningly beautiful and lyrical Winter telling the story of a group of animal friends who come together on the Solstice to celebrate the wonder of the summer.
The long summer days are here, and in the peace and stillness of the morning, the forest seems quiet and asleep. But there is always life everywhere if you know where—and when—to look. Solstice is here! On the longest day of the year, friends Squirrel, Raccoon, Bear, Sparrow, Rabbit, Woodpecker, and Deer gather to share the gifts of new light and life that summer brings. -
Turtle-Turtle and the Wide, Wide River
Whish! Whoosh! When the river rises, Turtle-Turtle needs his friends’ help reaching higher ground in this epic, but ultimately reassuring, ode to friendship and resilience.
The rain pelted down, down, down
And the wide, wide river rose up, up, up
All around, all around.
When a storm strikes, most of the animals know what to do: Skiddaddle! But Turtle-Turtle doesn’t realize he should swim away . . . until the water rises. Although he’s scared to weather it on his own, he learns that he doesn’t have to. Comforting companions Heron and Frog help Turtle-Turtle until—bit-by-bit, friend-by-friend—he finds the strength within himself to push onwards to safer shores.
Rich with rhythm and read-aloud potential, Turtle-Turtle and the Wide, Wide River is a perfect bedtime book that masterfully melds an epic adventure with a reassuring ending. Drawing on their years of shared experience teaching and creating picture books, Jane & Will Hillenbrand offer readers a celebration of friendship and a gentle reminder that, even when you’re stuck on the stormiest seas, your loved ones will help you to stay afloat. -
Mouse's First Summer
Mouse and Minka invite YOU to celebrate summer with a picnic in the park.
Roll down the hill on tickly green grass.
Fly kites fluttery high in the sky.
And don't forget juicy watermelon!
But before it's time to go home, a summer surprise sparkles in the sky.
CRACKLE, POP, BOOM!
What's making that sound?