For Kids - Fondulac District Library | East Peoria, IL

Wordless Picture Books For All Ages!

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

Julie Nutt2023-12-01T16:00:48-06:00December 1st, 2023|

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

Julie Nutt2023-11-15T13:58:08-06:00November 15th, 2023|

FDL Reads: Super Pancake

Super Pancake by Megan Wagner Lloyd

Reviewed By: Alice Mitchell, Youth Services Manager

Genre: Superhero fantasy (graphic novel)

Suggested Age: Kids (Ages 7-12)

What is This Book About? Peggy Pancake’s parents think she’s completely irresponsible and unreliable. She can’t wake up with her alarm, misses the bus, gets detention, and is so late after school that her parents have to keep rescheduling their family pictures. At Career Day, the Bacon Bullies put a mysterious serum from Dr. Egglentine Egg in Peggy’s lunch that gives her superpowers! Unfortunately, this gets the attention of the evil Dr. Breakfast Sandwich and his henchtoasts.

My Review: Peggy is a character that is easy to sympathize with, from being constantly compared to her brother, getting in trouble at school, and wanting to make friends. The art in this book is really cute! I loved the syrup used to style Peggy’s hair. The world of Breakfast Town is delightful, from the waffle-shaped Winifred Waffle Elementary School to the Bacon Bullies that need to rhyme all of their sentences. I had a fun time reading this book and watching Peggy grow as a person, getting brave enough to stand up for herself and her new friend.

Three Words that Describe this Book: breakfast, self-confidence, friendship

Give This A Try if You Like… Captain Underpants and Dog Man by Dav Pilkey, Investigators by John Green, Donut Feed the Squirrels by Mika Song

Rating: 4/5

Find it at the library!

FDL Reads

Susie Rivera2023-11-14T10:35:09-06:00November 15th, 2023|

World Nursery Rhyme Week!

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

Julie Nutt2023-11-13T14:47:11-06:00November 13th, 2023|

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

Julie Nutt2023-10-22T14:23:05-05:00October 22nd, 2023|

FDL Reads: The Spider and the Fly

The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt, illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi

Reviewed by Julie Nutt, Communications Specialist

Genre: Poetry, horror

Suggested age: Ages 8 and up

What is this book about? “ ‘Will you walk into my parlor?’ said the Spider to the Fly.” Probably one of most-well known opening lines in the history of poetry, “The Spider and the Fly,” is a cautionary tale written by poet Mary Howitt in 1829. The Spider lures the unsuspecting Fly into his home with charming compliments and offers of the finer things in life. But Spider’s promises are actually part of his fiendish plan to trap and eat the Fly! Fly is suspicious throughout, but can she avoid the spider’s fiendish ulterior motives?

Mary Howitt wrote this story as a cautionary tale to her own children, “about those who use sweet words to hide their not-so-sweet intentions” (from the book jacket). This New York Times Bestselling adaptation of the story has been hailed by critics and illustrators alike.

My review: Sadly, to this day, the message is all to relevant. Author William Bennett said of the story, “Unfortunately, as long as there’s dishonesty in the world, there will be people ready to lay traps for us…” It is a harsh lesson in stranger-danger for children, but also a warning to adults to beware of the danger of false promises. Mary Howitt’s prose perfectly depicts the Spider’s dark intentions, as well as the Fly’s naivete.

Illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi takes the poem to a whole new level of macabre with his ghostly pencil and gouache illustrations that are reminiscent of silent movies and 19^th century fairy tales. (I personally find old fairy tales, well…pretty creepy.) DiTerlizzi takes no liberties with the text, but adds subtle clues in his illustrations as to what will ultimately happen to the Fly.

A quick, deliciously dreadful read for parents and kids…or just parents! Warning: read it with the lights on!

Three words that describe this book: creepy, captivating, cautionary

Give this a try if you like: books by Alvin Schwarz, Edward Gorey, and Shel Silverstein

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

*available in print and Hoopla ebook

Susie Rivera2023-10-19T17:43:12-05:00October 19th, 2023|

STEAM to-go Kits Help Kids Learn New Skills!

Kids learn quickly, so starting them off young will help them build a strong foundation of financial knowledge. With that base of knowledge, children will develop money habits that will help them mature and develop with confidence. Good money behaviors develop into good habits. The earlier that they are taught, the faster they catch on, and with practice, the routine will become a habit. By gaining basic financial knowledge early, later decisions such as buying insurance, paying bills, saving for major purchases, won’t be so daunting.

A STEAM kit that we have recently added to our collection at FDL is the Money, Math, and Economics Kit.

The Money, Math, and Economics Kit introduces the concept of money recognition, money management and math skills using play money in a hands-on play environment. The kit encourages interactive play to help children buy, sell and learn the value of money and teach basic financial literacy concepts.

This kit includes:

A fun game, Buy it Right. This game gives players the opportunity to make purchases based on what is needed and how much the item costs. Hint: It took me a few minutes to read the directions and get the game board set up. You might want to do all of that first, then call the kids to play.

An ATM machine that lets you deposit and withdraw money.

A book, Math at the Store. This book shows a family at the grocery store doing their shopping. It features the skills, counting, adding, subtracting, greater than/less than, and using money.

You can find a list of STEAM kits at FDL on the
Library of Things page.

– Kris, Youth Services Specialist

Julie Nutt2023-09-28T17:11:37-05:00September 28th, 2023|

FDL Reads: Why Humans Build Up

Why Humans Build Up: The Rise of Towers, Temples, and Skyscrapers by Gregor Craigie

Reviewed by: Chelsea Bunton, Youth Services Assistant

Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction

Suggested Age: Children (ages 8-12)

What is the book about? Author Gregor Craigie has been fascinated with tall buildings since childhood. He has decided to explore the world and history of building “up” in this eye-catching nonfiction book while also analyzing the apparently inherent need of humans to build in this way. Each chapter focuses on a reason for constructing vertically colossal structures – from security and utility to spirituality and beautification. Real world photographs are paired with bright, pop-art like illustrations and graphs by Kathleen Fu, adding to the quick glance appeal of a nonfiction children’s work. Like many works of informational children’s text, organizational aspects are utilized for readability. As each chapter is broken down into motivations for this type of construction, we see further break down of the information as focus is centered on particular structures: their basic facts, followed by anecdotal text and pictures. Craigie looks to answer his own questions about this deep-rooted need to build higher in humans, meanwhile addressing other possible questions like environmental impact and long term effects of towering construction in our world.

My Review: I don’t typically gravitate towards nonfiction. This is especially true of informational-based text like this (If I DO read nonfiction, I usually stick to biographies). So why did I pick this book up? Just look at the cover! I was immediately drawn to the bright colors and almost comic book-like illustrations. Reading this book was a fun journey. I enjoy information that leads me to look into things for myself. As I read, I found myself Googling more facts on mentioned buildings, as well as questions that came up. I don’t think that is indicative of bad writing, in fact I believe that is exactly what nonfiction SHOULD do: cause the reader to hunger for learning and go on their own research journey. Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the simple readability factor. This could almost be considered a “coffee table” book. It’s one of those that you can grab, flip to a random page, read for a bit, and then put it back down for later. I enjoy snippets of details rather than long, drawn-out prose and analyzation. That is exactly how this book is organized, which kept my interest and didn’t bog me down with “too much” all at once.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Appealing, Construction, Visual

Give This a Try if You Like…How it’s Made, What is…/Where is… series, books about construction/buildings

Rating: 3.5/5

Find it at the library!

FDL Reads

Susie Rivera2023-09-28T14:30:44-05:00September 28th, 2023|

National Pancake Day!

Did you know that September 26th is National Pancake Day? Celebrate the day with some books about pancakes (and other breakfast favorites!).

Books for Beginning Readers

Curious George Makes Maple Syrup

Hey, Pancakes!

If You Give a Pig a Pancake

Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast

Pancakes, Pancakes!

Set Sail for Pancakes!

Books for Advanced Readers

Blue, Barry, and Pancakes

The Donut Fix

Hoot

Max Meow: Donuts and Danger

Peanut Butter and Jelly

Super Pancake

Books for Advanced Readers

The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs

Cooking up a Storm

Fabulous Food

Marvelous Muffins, Breads, and Pancakes

Paula Deen’s My First Cookbook

The Star Wars Cookbook: Awaken to the Force of Breakfast and Brunch

-Post by Alyssa Young, Youth Services Specialist

Julie Nutt2023-09-26T13:33:12-05:00September 26th, 2023|

FDL Reads: The Cardboard Kingdom

The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell

Reviewed By: Alice Mitchell, Youth Services Manager

Genre: Realistic fiction/fantasy (graphic novel)

Suggested Age: Kids (7-12)

What is This Book About? What kid doesn’t play make believe? These neighbors take their adventures to a whole new level! Every kid on the block works hard to make their own, unique character and creates a costume to join in the fun. Jack embraces his wicked side as the Evil Sorceress, kid finds her voice as the Banshee, Seth protects his mom as the Gargoyle, and many more! Each chapter, more and more kids join in, challenged by bullies, big brothers, and dragons alike.

My Review: I fell in love with this book from the first chapter. Every kid has their own chapter for us to get introduced and uses their imagination to come up with fun characters and stories. Their adventures are tons of fun and are only dampened by the onset of the school year. While there are a lot of laughs, there are plenty of serious topics covered as well. Self-confidence and expressing yourself emerge in multiple stories, but there’s also questions of identity, divorce, and absent parents.

Three Words that Describe this Book: kids being kids

Give This A Try if You Like… The Witches of Brooklyn by Sophie Escabasse, The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag, Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

FDL Reads

Susie Rivera2023-08-31T16:20:28-05:00August 31st, 2023|