Upcoming Events
Join us for our noncompetitive, slow-paced bingo night. This program is geared towards patrons 18 years and older with sensory issues, those on the autism spectrum or those who have other specific needs.
Meet with our local group to share ideas and get feedback on your latest writing efforts.
Disclaimer(s)
No registration required.
Explore your senses through stories and songs, then continue the fun with hands-on art projects and sensory activities. Dress to make a mess.
Disclaimer(s)
This program is designed for children and accompanying adults. Drop offs will not be permitted.
Nursery Rhyme Time
Enjoy a traditional time of nursery rhymes and songs for baby.
Disclaimer(s)
This program is designed for children and accompanying adults. Drop offs will not be permitted.
New & Upcoming
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Make New Friends
An empathetic and reassuring picture book about the loaded question that every "new kid" or socially anxious child dreads: "Did you make any new friends today?"
A New York Times Best Children's Books of the Year!
Tomasso doesn't know anyone at his new school and has no one to play with at recess. So, knowing his dad will ask, he resolves to make a few new friends.
Each day his crew grows; there's Roland (a foam ball), Coco (a milk carton), and Karen (a very pink eraser). But when his dad insists on having his friends over for pizza, Tomasso knows that soon his secret will be out. Will his dad welcome his new friends, even if they're not who he expects?
Written for any child who struggles with making friends or social anxiety, and featuring warm, witty illustrations, Make New Friends is both silly and sincere, inviting kids to trust the unconditional love and acceptance of a parent.
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Baa Baa Shop
Join Sheep in a woolly adventure to the Baa Baa Shop for a first haircut with a story that eases common fears with fun, whimsical artwork.
Sheep is way overdue for his first haircut-his wool flops in his eyes and it's too fluffy on top. But like many kids who need a haircut, Sheep is apprehensive. Grandpa insists he tags along to the Baa Baa Shop where he discovers cool new styles, from an undercut to a woolly fade to free form twists. Still, Sheep isn't so sure. He relaxes a little when his head is shampooed. Then it's time for the shave brushes, the combs, the picks, and the sheers. Finally, Grandpa and Sheep look in the mirror and discover their BAAA-EWE-TIFUL new styles.
The afternoon at the Baa Baa Shop shows how bravery, an adventure with a grandparent, and a new haircut can help any child feel strong and confident. The fun, whimsical illustrations by Pei Pei bring the story to life with creative hairstyles. As a bonus, readers can mark their own milestone with a First Haircut Certificate! -
Menudo Sunday
Paletero Man meets Besos for Baby in this Spanish-English counting picture book that’s bursting with all the love, laughter, and chaos found at a large family gathering.
Sundays are the best: that’s when a little girl and her mamá, abuelitos, tías and primos all gather together to eat yummy menudo, a traditional Mexican soup. But when playtime with the cousins and family dogs gets out of hand and Abuelito Esteban’s special bowl of menudo breaks, everyone has to pitch in to make a new batch! Through all the menudo mishaps and sneaky snacks for perritos with wagging tails, young readers will giggle as they learn to count from 1-15 in Spanish and English. Bonus materials at the back of the book include a glossary of Spanish words, a note from the author, and tips for hosting your very own Menudo Sunday!
A Chicago Public Library and School Library Journal Best Book of the Year -
The Monster in the Lake
Four ducks are tired of their small pond and set out for an adventure in the big lake.
Walking at the back, Eric isn't sure. He’s heard there’s a monster in the lake, but his friends don’t believe a word of that old story! Eric reluctantly tags along, only to make a startling discovery and find himself in a wonderful underwater adventure.
This large-format picture book features a detailed, fold-out, underwater world of mechanical marvels and sea creatures. The story of a nervous duck who finds courage and the overconfidence of groups will resonate with anyone who’s nervously dipped a toe in unknown waters.
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Bored
Utter boredom leads one imaginative girl to inspiration in this clever story from much-loved creator Felicita Sala.
Rita is bored. So, so, so bored.
She's tried stretching her body across her bedroom, side-eyeing herself in the mirror, stomping her feet and swinging her arms. Time drags on, and there she remains: catatonic with boredom.
In her tragic and weakened state, her mind drifts to the beginning of a daydream. What if all the bored people in the world gathered together and got onto a bus? What if the boredom filled them up like balloons, with tiny heads and arms sticking out? What if they floated into the sky, bobbing along until they each spied something exciting enough to make them toot the boredom out?
By the time Rita's mother calls her for dinner, she's very, very busy.
Anyone who's ever been bored will find catharsis in Rita's plight. As all creative people eventually learn, boredom can be the best launchpad to great ideas. Felicita Sala's expressive, inviting illustrations and sly storytelling are a guaranteed antidote to the doldrums.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection -
Ducks Overboard!: A True Story of Plastic in Our Oceans
Eco facts come to light as a plastic duck narrates this beautifully illustrated true story of thousands of bath toys that were lost at sea and swept to the four corners of the Pacific.
If a shipping container filled with 28,000 plastic ducks spilled into the Pacific Ocean, where would all those ducks go? Inspired by a real incident, this captivating and innovative look at the pollution crisis in our oceans follows one of the ducks as it is washed away on ocean currents, encountering plastic-endangered whales and sea turtles and passing through the giant floating island of marine debris known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. From the author-illustrator of the acclaimed Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover comes a highly accessible and graphically stylish picture book with an ultimately hopeful message about environmental issues and the state of our oceans. An end map documents the widely scattered journey of the real-life plastic ducks, showing where they have been found, as well as facts about the ways plastic is affecting various parts of the world. -
Farting Fish
I’m sure you’ve heard of the Nobel Prize, but have you heard of the Ig Nobel Prize? Every year, this prize celebrates unusual areas of research that first make people laugh, and then make them think. The founder of the awards says: “The prizes are intended to celebrate the unusual, honour the imaginative, and spur people’s interest in science, medicine and technology”. In this brilliantly funny, fully illustrated non-fiction book, we celebrate 50 of the funniest, silliest and most interesting winners of the Ig Nobel Prize, including:
• the discovery that herrings communicate by farting (and why that almost caused a world war!)
• research into the chemical compounds responsible for smelly feet
• a rigorous analysis of soggy breakfast cereal
• an automatic dog-to-human language translation device
• the invention of fart-proof underwear
• a method of collecting whale snot using remote-control helicopters.
Each entry includes a Top Trumps-style card with ratings such as “silliness factor”, “usefulness”, “gross factor”, and more. Kids and grown-ups alike will love sharing the amazing facts they’ve discovered. -
Game Changers
★ "Profiles 13 inspirational athletes...Written and illustrated by two hijabi, these uplifting profiles set off by cheerful illustrations are sure to spark interest. Great for readers passionate about athletics and hijabi representation."--Booklist, starred review
Meet 13 inspiring hijabi athletes who are changing the rules.
Many of these women were the first in their sport to compete while wearing the hijab. Some were up against cultural traditions that didn't allow girls to play sports. And some fought to have institutional anti-hijab rules changed so that they, and Muslim girls after them, would be able to compete.
Discover the stories of Egyptian beach volleyball player Doaa Elghobashy, UAE hockey player Fatima Al Ali, Afghani soccer player Hajar Abulfazl and Syrian-American runner Rahaf Khatib, among many others. Game Changers shows the next generation of Muslim girls that they don't have to choose between following their religion and following their dreams.
The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
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Sidney Crosby vs. Wayne Gretzky
Hockey fans around the world know that Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky are two of the greatest players ever to lace up their skates. NHL legend Gretzky's nickname was "The Great One". When Crosby joined the NHL in 2005, his nickname was "The Next One". But which center would you rather have on your team? Learn about their biggest goals and championship moments to pick a winner.
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Matisse: Magician of Color
From New York Times-bestelling illustrator, Derek Desierto, here is nn inspiring, exquisitely illustrated picture book biography of Henri Matisse, who overcame hardship to create masterpieces.
"A lovely homage."
Henri Matisse loved color. He dreamed of being an artist. Even after his father pushed him to study for a “serious” job, Henri followed his heart and went to art school. Color was all around him!
After a grueling illness, Henri had to reinvent the way he made art. And what he created became even more magical. His story is brought to life by bestselling artist Derek Desierto, who continues to be inspired by Matisse’s work, and now shares that magic with young readers.