Youth Services Manager, Alice, read the junior graphic novel Allergic, by Megan Wagner Lloyd. Allergic was also the January selection for our Kids’ Comic Book Club! Here is what Alice had to say:

“This was an awesome book that had been on my TBR list for a long time (and definitely didn’t make me tear up at all). Maggie has a lot of change going on in her life, with a new school, new baby sibling on the way, and a new neighbor. She wanted something all her own, but her hopes for a pet dog and a career as a vet are quickly dashed when they realize she’s allergic to fur and feathers.

Maggie goes through a few disappointments and friendship struggles, and comes out on the other side with stronger relationships with her friends and family, as well as new passions for non-furry animals. The art will strongly appeal to fans of Karla Miller, Raina Telgemeier, and The Baby-Sitter’s Club. Great for upper elementary and junior high kids.”

Joins for Kids’ Comic Book Club in February when we read Drama, by Raina Telgemeier!

How do animals survive in winter?

Winter is here and it’s snowy and cold!!! You put on your hat, scarf, coat, and boots to keep warm outside. What do animals do in the winter? Do they hibernate, migrate or adapt? Are they active or inactive? Check out some of the books Fondulac District Library has on Animals in Winter!!!

Non-fiction

Animals in Winter

What Do Animals Do in Winter?: How Animals Survive the Cold

Hello, Winter!

Over and Under the Snow

Picture Books

Baby Bear Counts One

Under the Snow

Kitten’s Winter

In the Small, Small Pond

hoopla eBooks

Animals in Winter

Where Do Worms Go in Winter?

All About Animals in Winter

What Do Animals Do in Winter?

by Kris Tyler, Youth Services Specialist

December is Cat Lovers’ Month!

December is full of celebration. Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas are a few of the holidays we recognize this month, but did you know December is also National Cat Lovers’ Month?

During National Cat Lover’s Month, we honor the beauty, smarts and sass of our feline friends. Evidence suggests that cats were domesticated more than 9,500 years ago, and according to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, 25 percent of households are home to a cat. (source: americanhumane.org)

We have books that not only celebrate Christmas, but also celebrate our kitty companions!

Kids

Pete the Cat’s 12 Groovy Days of Christmas by Kimberly and James Dean

Pete the Cat Saves Christmas by Eric Litwin and James Dean

Where’s Santa Boo? By Salina Yoon

The Shy Little Kitten’s Christmas by Kristen Depken

The Cat Who Ate Christmas by Lil Chase

Sammy Claws the Christmas Cat by Lucy Rowland

Stowaway in a Sleigh by Roger C. Mader

Here Comes Santa Cat by Deborah Underwood

A Very Fuddles Christmas by Frans Vischer

Mouse’s Christmas Cookie by Patricia Thomas

Charlie and the Christmas Kitty by Diane De Groat

Dewey’s Christmas at the Library by Vicki Myron

Christmas Kitten, Home at Last by Robin Pulver

Merry Christmas, Splat by Rob Scotton

A Christmas Surprise (Magic Kitten Series #15) by Sue Bentley

Santa’s Snow Cat by Sue Stainton and Anne Mortimer

Adults

A Cat Café Christmas by Codi Gary

Snowball’s Christmas by Kristen McKanagh

Christmas at the Cat Café by Melissa Daley

The Christmas Cat by Melody Carson

The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts

Santa Clawed by Rita Mae Brown

The Cat Who Came Back for Christmas: How a Cat Brought a Family the Gift of Love by Julia Romp

The Cat Who Came for Christmas by Cleveland Amory

Wordless Picture Books – for All Ages!

Wordless picture books (literally stories told completely through the use of pictures), have gained popularity in the last decade. There are a few reasons for this. These books can be great as introductions to books and reading for little readers. They can begin working on comprehension skills and book etiquette, even if they cannot decode or recognize words yet. But wordless books have benefits beyond the surface level idea of using them with toddlers and preschoolers. I was a middle school teacher for several years, and I found these types of books to be so beneficial even at the higher level. They allow children to exercise so many different skills including creative writing, predicting, analysis, and reframing.

Here are some wordless picture books at our library to get you started on this creative journey with stories:

Chalk by Bill Thompson

Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole

Have You Seen My Duckling? by Nancy Tafuri

Journey by Aaron Becker

Sector 7 by David Wiesner

–Chelsea Bunton, Youth Services Assistant

Multicultural Holidays

It’s that time of year again, where we gather around the table, eat delicious home cooked meals, and celebrate the time honored family traditions we have passed down from generation to generation. For some families this is by celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. However, there are so many families that celebrate holidays around this time of year that you may not think of as well. Here is a list of some books that can help you appreciate not just these popular American holidays, but also the holidays that often go overlooked this time of year!

Diwali (Nov. 12, 2023)
Diwali by Lori Dittmer by Lori Dittmer
It’s Diwali! by Surishtha Sehgal
Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umrigar

Hanukkah (Dec. 7-15, 2023)
Hanukkah by Lori Dittmer by Lori Dittmer
Is it Hanukkah Yet? by Nancy E. Krulik Nancy E. Krulik
Light the Menorah! by Jacqueline Jules

Kwanzaa (Dec. 26, 2023-Jan. 1, 2024)
Kwanzaa by Betsy Rathburn by Betsy Rathburn
Kwanzaa by Lori Dittmerby Lori Dittmer
The People Remember by Ibi Aanu Zoboi

Lunar New Year (Feb. 10, 2024)
Lunar New Year by Susan Hamenby Susan Hamen
Chloe’s Lunar New Year by Lily LaMottey Lily LaMotte
D is for Dragon Dance by Ying Chang Compestine

– Jacob Roberts, Youth Services Speicalist

Nursery Rhyme Week!

November 13-17 is World Nursery Rhyme Week! According to internationally-acclaimed literacy expert Mem Fox, “If children know 8 nursery rhymes by heart by the time they are 4 years old, they are usually among the best readers and spellers in their class by the time they are 8”.
Click to learn more about World Nursery Rhyme Week.
And check out some of the books from our library’s catalog, in print, or digital formats on Hoopla!

Detective Blue by Tedd Arnold

The Farmer in the Dell by Pam Adams

Five Little Ducks by Denise Fleming

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes by Zita Newcome

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush by Annie Kubler

Humpty Dumpty and Other Rhymes by Rosemary Wells

The Lucy Cousins Book of Nursey Rhymes by Lucy Cousins

Mother Goose Picture Puzzles by Will Hillenbrand

Nursery Rhyme Comics by Chris Duffy

Old Mother Hubbard by Jane Cabrera

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Anna Grossnickle Hines

The Orchard Book of Nursery Rhymes by Zena Sutherland

‘Ohana Means Family by Ilima Loomis

Old Mother Hubbard and Her Wonderful Dog by Sarah Catherine Martin

Pete the Cat: Hickory Dickory Dock by James Dean

Playtime Rhymes for Little People by Clare Beaton

Rufus and Friends: Rhyme Time by Iza Trapani

Three Little Kittens by Jerry Pinkney

Truckery Rhymes by John Scieszka

These Books Are the Cat’s Pajamas!

Did you know that cats are the coolest pets ever? Well, Miss Alice thinks so anyway! And 46.5 million households across the country agree! These fantastic felines can make biscuits and purr their way into anyone’s hearts. Here’s a bunch of books featuring cats to delight readers of all ages with some mischievous antics and sweet kitties.

Picture books:

1. Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty

2. Stack the Cats by Susie Ghahremani

3. 10 Cats by Emily Gravett (also available in Spanish)

4. Cat’s Very Good Day by Kristen Tracy

5. This Little Kitty by Karen Obuhanych

Fiction:

1. Sparrow Being Sparrow by Gail Donovan

2. Don’t Trust the Cat by Kristen Tracy

3. Mia Mayhen and the Cat Burglar by Kara West

4. Katt Loves Dogg by James Patterson

5. Catalyst by Sarah Beth Durst

Graphic novels:

1. Sue and Tai-chan by Kanata Konami

2. The Evil Secret Society of Cats by Pandania

3. Sparks by Ian Boothby

4. The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza by Mac Barnett

5. Kitty Quest by Phil Corbett

Nonfiction:

1. Cats: Nature and Nurture by Andy Hirsch

2. Get Crafting For Your Cool Cat by Ruth Owen

3. Cats are Cats: Poems by Nancy Larrick

4. Cats & Kittens: Learn to Draw and Color 26 Different Kitties by Diana Fisher

5. Cats by Anna Milbourne

-Post by Alice Mitchell, Youth Services Manager