Kids & Parents

Library News for Kids

March 25, 2025

Hoopla Service Update

Starting April 1, the library is reducing the maximum number of monthly hoopla checkouts. Please read the announcement for more info and why this decision was made.

Upcoming Events

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group.

Babies and Books

9:30am - 10:00am
Children, Babies & Toddlers
Library Branch: Fondulac District Library
Room: Story & Craft Room
Age Group: Children, Babies & Toddlers
Program Type: Storytimes
Event Details:

Babies and their grown-ups are invited to a storytime just for them! We’ll read a short book, sing songs together, and have some sensory playtime too.

Disclaimer(s)

Accompanying Adults

This program is designed for children and accompanying adults. Please plan to attend and be engaged with your child for this program. 

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group.

Toddler Time

10:00am - 11:00am
Children, Babies & Toddlers
Library Branch: Fondulac District Library
Room: Story & Craft Room
Age Group: Children, Babies & Toddlers
Program Type: Storytimes
Event Details:

Toddlers up to 3 years old are invited to read, dance, and sing with us at storytime with tickles and giggles galore! This program will make sure everyone is ready for preschool. Every storytime will have some fun playtime afterwards!

Disclaimer(s)

Accompanying Adults

This program is designed for children and accompanying adults. Please plan to attend and be engaged with your child for this program. 

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Preschoolers" group.

Favorite Character Storytime

10:00am - 10:45am
Children, Preschoolers
Library Branch: Fondulac District Library
Room: Story & Craft Room
Age Group: Children, Preschoolers
Program Type: Storytimes
Event Details:

Join us for storytime, an interactive gathering with stories featuring our favorite characters, songs, rhymes, and movement. Snacks and social time for young children and their grown-ups.

Jan 9: Curious George

Jan 16: Bluey

Disclaimer(s)

Accompanying Adults

This program is designed for children and accompanying adults. Please plan to attend and be engaged with your child for this program. 

Open Food Present as Part of Program

Patrons will be handling open food as part of this program. The library intends to keep this event as safe as possible but cannot guarantee that food handled at this program has no allergens and has not come into contact with allergens. Please contact the library with any questions concerning potential allergens.

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "School-aged Children" group.

Cultured Donuts

3:30pm - 4:30pm
Children, School-aged Children
Waitlist
Registration
Library Branch: Fondulac District Library
Room: Story & Craft Room
Age Group: Children, School-aged Children
Program Type: Arts & Crafts
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 0
Event Details:

Who knew art history would be so delicious? We'll take a page out of Chloe Tyler's book "Cultured Donuts: Take a Bite Out of Art History" to re-imagine our own donuts.

Disclaimer(s)

Open Food Present as Part of Program

Patrons will be handling open food as part of this program. The library intends to keep this event as safe as possible but cannot guarantee that food handled at this program has no allergens and has not come into contact with allergens. Please contact the library with any questions concerning potential allergens.

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "School-aged Children" group.

Kids Game Night

5:00pm - 7:00pm
Children, School-aged Children
Library Branch: Fondulac District Library
Room: Story & Craft Room
Age Group: Children, School-aged Children
Program Type: Gaming, Technology, Computers, & Science
Event Details:

Stop by the library and play our Nintendo Switch, board games, or even VR with your friends and family! We will be playing Beat Saber on our Meta Quest 3. All kids under 10-years-old must be accompanied by an adult.

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group.
This event is in the "Preschoolers" group.
This event is in the "School-aged Children" group.

Loud N' Proud Storytime

12:00pm - 12:45pm
Children, Babies & Toddlers, Preschoolers, School-aged Children
Library Branch: Fondulac District Library
Room: Story & Craft Room
Age Group: Children, Babies & Toddlers, Preschoolers, School-aged Children
Program Type: Storytimes

A great storytime for all the energetic kids out there! We will dance, sing, let the kids shout, and of course find some time for a couple stories! Every storytime will have a fun theme that is always accompanied by a game or activity at the end!

Disclaimer(s)

Accompanying Adults

This program is designed for children and accompanying adults. Please plan to attend and be engaged with your child for this program. 

Aviation

Image for "Fly Girls Young Readers' Edition"

Fly Girls Young Readers' Edition

From NPR correspondent Keith O’ Brien comes this thrilling Young Readers' edition of the untold story about pioneering women, including Amelia Earhart, who fought to compete against men in the high-stakes national air races of the 1920s and 1930s—and won.

In the years between World War I and World War II, airplane racing was one of the most popular sports in America. Thousands of fans flocked to multiday events, and the pilots who competed in these races were hailed as heroes. Well, the male pilots were hailed. Women who flew planes were often ridiculed by the press, and initially they weren’t invited to race. Yet a group of women were determined to take to the sky—no matter what. With guts and grit, they overcame incredible odds both on the ground and in the air to pursue their dreams of flying and racing planes.

Fly Girls follows the stories of five remarkable women: Florence Klingensmith, a high-school dropout from North Dakota; Ruth Elder, an Alabama housewife; Amelia Earhart, the most famous, but not necessarily the most skilled; Ruth Nichols, a daughter of Wall Street wealth who longed to live a life of her own; and Louise Thaden, who got her start selling coal in Wichita. Together, they fought for the chance to race against the men—and in 1936 one of them would triumph in the toughest race of all.
 
Complete with photographs and a glossary, Fly Girls celebrates a little-known slice of history wherein tenacious, trail-blazing women braved all obstacles to achieve greatness.  

Image for "Unlawful Orders: A Portrait of Dr. James B. Williams, Tuskegee Airman, Surgeon, and Activist (Scholastic Focus)"

Unlawful Orders: A Portrait of Dr. James B. Williams, Tuskegee Airman, Surgeon, and Activist (Scholastic Focus)

Barbara Binns presents the inspiring story of one man in his struggle for racial equality in the field of battle and the field of medicine.

 

Scholastic Focus is the premier home of thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and thoughtfully designed works of narrative nonfiction aimed at middle-grade and young adult readers. These books help readers learn about the world in which they live and develop their critical thinking skills so that they may become dynamic citizens who are able to analyze and understand our past, participate in essential discussions about our present, and work to grow and build our future.

The Tuskegee Airmen heroically fought for the right to be officers of the US military so that they might participate in World War II by flying overseas to help defeat fascism. However, after winning that battle, they faced their next great challenge at Freeman Field, Iowa, where racist white officers barred them from entering the prestigious Officers' Club that their rank promised them. The Freeman Field Mutiny, as it became known, would eventually lead to the desegregation of the US armed forces, forever changing the course of American history and race relations.

One Black officer who refused to give in to the bigotry at Freeman Field was James Buchanan "JB" Williams. JB grew up the son of sharecroppers, but his loving family and insuppressible intellect drove him to push boundaries placed on Black Americans in the early twentieth century. JB's devotion to the betterment of others took him from the classroom where he learned to be a doctor, to serving as a medic in the US military and eventually joining the elite Tuskegee Airmen, where he fought to change the minds of all who believed Black men couldn't make good soldiers. But JB's greatest contribution came in his role as doctor and Civil Rights activist after the war, where he continued to push past injustices placed on Black Americans.

Critically acclaimed author Barbara Binns tells the story of one man's remarkable life, and in doing so, explores the trials of the brave Black freedom fighters who defended the world against racism and bigotry, both on the front lines and at home.

Image for "The Littlest Airplane"

The Littlest Airplane

A rhyming picture book about how sometimes it’s not the biggest, strongest, or the fastest, but the littlest who can get the job done!

"Charming, entertaining, and original, The Littlest Airplane is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for children ages 4-7."
Midwest Book Review

"This is a really cute story about a plane that is smaller than all the others. He feels inferior because he can’t do what the big planes can. But when people get stuck in a storm and call for help, the big planes are too big to land to rescue the people, the little plane can reach them and he saves them. The illustrations were cute; I love the expressiveness of the planes. . . 4 stars."
Youth Services Book Review

"The text clearly stands out against Joseph's wonderful illustrations, which work in tandem with the text to convey exactly what's happening in the story. These scenes are big and colorful, making it easy to see all aspects of the picture, even from a distance—perfect for story hours. . . Altogether, Hartman has created another wonderful ride of a story. A great rhyming read aloud for little learners to introduce different types of planes and spot light the oft-forgotten bush plane."
School Library Journal

"The story told in lilting rhyming text is brought to life in colorful illustrations featuring personified airplanes with expressive faces and beautiful Alaskan scenery. Facts about bush planes and a labeled diagram of a plane appear in the back pages. Young children identify with being small and wanting to be important. They will recognize this story as a good companion to The Little Engine That Could."
Children's Literature Comprehensive Database

“Alaska Northwest Books wings into spring with... The Littlest Airplane by Brooke Hartman, illus. by John Joseph, in which a storm necessitates calling a mighty little bush plane to rescue people stuck on a mountain in the snow.”
Publishers Weekly, Spring 2022 Children’s Sneak Previews

At a landing strip in the far north, a little bush plane watches quietly as bigger, stronger, faster planes take off for adventure. But when a storm hits and hikers are stranded on the mountain, who will come to the rescue?

Told in rhyming verse with bright illustrations, The Littlest Airplane soars high with heart and excitement.

Image for "The Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont"

The Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont

While the Wright Brothers were gliding over Kitty Hawk, the charming Brazilian Alberto Santos-Dumont was making his own mark on the history of flight.

Alberto loved floating over Paris in his personal flying machine called a dirigible. He would tie it to a post, climb down, and spend the day shopping or meeting friends for coffee. But he wanted to make his invention even better. By 1906, Alberto had transformed his balloon into a box with wings! But now there was competition. Another inventor challenged Alberto to see who would be the first in flight. Alberto's hard work paid off, and his airplane successfully soared into the air, making him the first pilot to lift off and land a completely self-propelled plane.

The book includes an author's note about Santos-Dumont, a bibliography, an index, and photographs of his flying machines.

Praise for Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont
"At the turn of the last century, all sorts of ambitious and eccentric men were competing furiously to get the first airplane into the sky. One of the most famous of these was a dashing Brazilian who lived in Paris and, to wide admiration, did his errands by airship. Victoria Griffith tells his story...which is illustrated with panache in rich, smudgy oils and pastels by Italian artist Eva Montanari." -Wall Street Journal

"An excellent read-aloud, this picture book is a must when studying the history of flight and can be used as a resource for research, a book for all your reading needs!" -Library Media Connection

"Montanari's chalky illustrations are distinguished by a strong sense of motion, and the story's suspense (rival pilots! harrowing landings!) and surprise cameos (Louis Cartier!) make this an elegant tribute to a hero of early aviation." -Publishers Weekly

"Strong vertical trim and layout, which one would expect to exploit sweeping skyscapes, are instead cleverly deployed to put viewers among the earthbound spectators, most often glimpsing the aviator in the distance. A bibliography and brief index round out the title, which will be a first choice for aviation enthusiasts." -The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A generous spirit and penchant for grand gestures make him [Santos-Dumont] all the more worth knowing--particularly for American audiences unaware that there is any question about who was the first to fly. -Kirkus Reviews

"Montanari captures the look, dress, and formality of the era in her splendid, impressionistic pastel, chalk, and oil paintings. The endnotes add details and facts about the life of this charismatic, adventurous man and mark his place in aviation history." -School Library Journal

 

"Even if you've never heard of Santos-Dumont, you'll be delighted to meet this real-life historical figure in Victoria Griffith's vivid debut picture book. This fine picture book resurrects his story in lively prose and large-scale illustrations rendered in pastels, chalks, oil pastels and oil paint, perfectly capturing the drama of the events. The fuzzy lines lend a feeling of history to the illustrations, and gestures and humorous touches, such as a dog holding the dirigible's tether or Alberto racing horse-drawn carriages, make Alberto Santos-Dumont and his times come alive." -BookPage

 

Challenges

100 Club Reading Challenge

brightly colored books on a teal background
100 Club is a fun way for kids to build their reading habits year-round while earning prizes!
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1000 Books Before Kindergarten

baby reading a book
1KB4K encourages reading to babies, infants, and toddlers with the goal of having 1,000 books read before they start Kindergarten.
Register Online More Details