Oh no, still need some gifts, eh?  Christmas is just around the corner, your kids'  banks, real or virtual, are depleted. What to do? You could look at Pinterest and of course there is Martha Stewart...but the advantage of browsing through a kids' craft book over googling for an idea, is that you can be fairly sure the result will be what is promised in the picture. This helps avoid a disappointing meltdown when that nifty idea for gluing macaroni to a can proves stickier than expected. All these titles can be found through the library and they will show each step of the process for each …

I was the baby of my family. By the time I came around, there were plenty of readers in the house to feed my voracious appetite for stories. I have many fond, but hazy, memories of the books we shared again, again, and again. (Thank you for your patience Mom, Dad, Carri, and Chad). One book, however, is imprinted on my brain in bold from cover to cover: There’s a Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone. Published in 1971, this classic picture book broke the fourth wall with wild abandon. Grover is frightened to hear that there is a monster at the end of the book. He begs the reader not …

Fall is a big transition time for many young families. That continues to be true even as the kids grow up and begin to leave the nest. In my house this week alone…my husband heads back to work as a teacher, my middle son flies to Montana to start college, and my youngest son starts high school!  I remember enjoying books about going to school with my kids when they were in preschool and kindergarten, and although books can’t solve all problems, they can certainly help. These books use sensitivity and humor to help soothe young kids’ anxieties about heading to school for the first time or …

Do you believe in magic? Probably not, but fortunately for us there are authors who write stories about magical people and places with such conviction that we are drawn into these worlds.  For a little while we are removed from humdrum reality and believe that anything is possible. Try these books. Your kids will enjoy them and you might too! What do blue moons, crab gumbo and mermaids have in common? They are all ingredients in Kathi Appelt’s book Keeper, set in rural Texas on the Gulf Coast.  Ten year old Keeper doesn’t remember her mother very well but she is certain that her mother is a …

Summer… school’s over. The kids are home. Hopefully, they’re reading, either through their library’s summer reading program or on their own.  But even when they’re not… Try turning your plasma screen into a learning machine! It’s easy to do with the right DVDs.  Dogs, atoms, bugs, kitchen math and families around the world are just a few of the topics featured in new DVD releases! Check it out. May I Pet Your Dog?  Intended for children from 4 to 8, this 14-minute-long DVD shows how to approach dogs safely and respectfully. Think of it as “doggie dos and dont's” – both for kids who already …

Some of my happiest memories are associated with the pets that have been part of my life, but this was not always the case. When I was a little girl I was scared of all animals, especially cats and dogs.  My parents intervened and brought a kitten into our home.  I was terrified at first but then I became curious about this small furry creature and we were soon best friends.  Perhaps your child is scared of animals.  What better way to help him deal with his fear than to bring a pet into his life?  You don’t have to choose a cat or a dog if you don’t have the space for such a large animal.  …

You’re waiting in line at the grocery store, or in the doctor’s office, and your kids are getting impatient. Maybe your child is asking for one more story, but it’s getting really late. Perhaps your child has gotten up on the wrong side of the bed, and the world is looking bleak. These are perfect times to share poetry. Besides sheer enjoyment, sharing poetry with children has many advantages. Most poems are short, so you don’t need a long attention span. Poetry can be about anything, so whether your child’s passions are dinosaurs or stars, you can find lots of poems to match those interests…

I’ve heard it said, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”  That may be true for grown-ups, but kids are a little different. If you ask me, the way to a kids’ heart is through his (or her) funny bone.   If I’ve learned anything from the children who come to storytime at Niles Public Library week after week, it’s that kids love to laugh.  If you show kids how funny books can be, you’ll start a love affair with the written the word that can last a lifetime.  Here are some of the books that will have readers rolling in the aisles and begging for more:   I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by…

Planning a road trip anytime soon?  Hope to have more of a shared experience than stopping for a gas station break and drive-through meal?  Do you lose your riders to their iPods or personal DVD players?  Instead, capture the entire family in an underwater playground, hook them on a hair-raising mystery, or enlighten them with a story from lands far away.  An audio book is the perfect shared experience with options for all ages and tastes.  Getting hooked on a great series can be the gateway to a child's tackling a chapter book on his or her own, once they are familiar with the cast of …

It's been a long, busy day. You've eaten your supper, the sun is setting, and it's time to get your little ones ready for be—NO! NO! NO! For some families, the mere mention of bedtime is enough to ignite a second wind in even the most drowsy-eyed child. If you're a parent trying to quell a bedtime rebellion, perhaps the promise of a special storytime will convince your kids to slip into a cozy set of pajamas and cuddle up with you. Sharing a pile of bedtime stories is a wonderful way for families to wind down together. But save a special sleepy story for last. A "sleep story" is a very …

            Popularity doesn't guarantee quality in children's books any more than it does in television shows or movies. Fortunately, though, sometimes authors become popular because they're just so good. Currently, author Mo Willems is at the top of that list.             Willems burst on the publishing scene in 2003 with Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! featuring the unforgettable Pigeon, who is now almost as recognizable to kids as that cat with his hat. In 2004 came Knuffle Bunny, telling about Trixie and her dad's trip to the Laundromat where beloved stuffed animal Knuffle Bunny is…