Coming up in just a week, the Delaware County District Library is happy to be participating in the 12th annual Take Your Child to the Library Day. This year, it officially takes place on Saturday, Feb. 4, though libraries may celebrate throughout the entire month of February.
Take Your Child to the Library Day (TYCLD) is an international celebration that encourages families everywhere to take their children to their local library. Launched in 2011 in Connecticut by librarians Nadine Lipman and Caitlin Augusta with artist Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, TYCLD raises community awareness about the importance of the library in the life of a child and promotes library services and programs for children and families.
Since 2011, more than 1,400 libraries have participated, serving a population area of 48.7 million people, and drawing attention to the importance of the library in the lives of children.
At each of the Delaware County District Library branches, we have something special planned for grown-ups who plan to bring their children to the library. The Delaware Main Library will have a station set up for kids to Write a Letter to a Friend (which also coincides with National Write A Letter to a Friend Day on Feb. 7).
The Orange Branch Library has created a pop-up display that features an interactive pretend play library. Kids who visit can check out books like a member of the circulation staff, shelves books like a page, and even present their own mock storytime like a children’s librarian.
The Powell and Ostrander branch libraries will have a scavenger hunt that will weave families throughout all areas of the library. Those who complete the hunt will get a small prize.
While you’re at any of the branches, see if you can find a display for the free Dolly Parton Imagination Library. As always, your littles will enjoy our puzzles, toys, computers, and, of course, books!
P.S. It’s also a great time to sign your child up for their very own library card!
See if you can find some of these new picture books on our shelves.
• “Fire Chief Fran” by Linda Ashman; illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. From training to school tours, fire chief Fran and her crew stay busy at the station. But when the alarm goes CLANG!, they don their gear and dash off to deal with first aid, brush fires, fallen trees, and more. The concluding “Fast Facts About Firefighters” provide answers to common questions at the end.
• “Too Early” by Nora Ericson; illustrated by Elly MacKay. Wake up! Being careful not to wake the baby, a curly-haired, pajama-clad child rouses Mama and Daddy in the wee hours. Though Daddy grumbles that it’s too early, he joins the child on the porch for a quiet sunrise snuggle. The text is packed with sensory details, plus dimensional cut-paper illustrations that capture an early morning blend of light and shadow.
• “Polar Bear” by Candace Fleming; illustrated by Eric Rohmann. Endure a year in the life of a mother polar bear and her two cubs as they journey across the frozen landscape hunting for food, dodging wolves, and coping with rapidly melting ice floes. Lush, finely detailed paintings give kids an up-close glimpse of polar bear life while offering sweeping views of their Arctic habitat. (Don’t miss the striking fold-out scene!)
• “I Don’t Care” by Julie Fogliano; illustrated by Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal. On opposing pages, two feuding friends describe all the ways they “really don’t care.” They can’t stay mad long, however, and by the end they’ve realized what’s important: “I care that you’re you and I’m me, and I care that we’re us and I care that we’re we.” The rhythmic text in this thoughtful story is just right for reading aloud, and the expressive illustrations (by a pair of real-life friends) provide visual cues to underscore the emotions.
• “My Fade Is Fresh” by Shauntay Grant; illustrated by Kitt Thomas. Chrissy’s barbershop is a place where everyone has an opinion on one little girl’s next hairstyle. Onlookers suggest waves, twists, spikes, and cornrows, but this kid knows what she wants: “THE FRESHEST FADE UP ON THE BLOCK!” Kids will enjoy the playful rhymes and vibrant illustrations, and the heroine’s choices are affirmed and respected.
