Win it Wednesday: The Ghost in Apartment 2R

 Every Wednesday we will give away a new book. For a chance to win, just fill out the form at the bottom of the page and you'll be entered into a drawing. The drawing will run from Wednesday through 11:59 PM Friday and winners will be announced on Mondays. (Note: you must be a Fresno County resident to be eligible for Win it Wednesdays.)

The Ghost in Apartment 2R by Dennis Markell

It stinks that Danny's older brother moved out and went to college. But you know what's worse? He left behind an angry ghost in his room!

With the help of his friends Nat and Gus, Danny interviews everyone his Brooklyn neighborhood to find out about spirits. Is it an Arabian ghoul? A Korean gwishin? A Polish haunting? Maybe the answer lies with Danny's own bubbe and her tales of a dybbuk, a Jewish mythological ghost. Regardless of its origins, what does the spirit truly want? And can Danny manage to bring the phantom to rest?

Fill out this form for a chance to win our next Win it Wednesday!

Librarians Talk Children's Books: Children’s Books to Read as a Family

“A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.”- C.S. Lewis

While it is very important to read to your child in the first five years it is also important to continue to build those literacy skills as a family even when your child starts reading independently. When your child sees you reading that lets them know that you value reading. As adults we need to let children know that reading is a life-long learning skill. This is why reading together as a family can be a positive influence and a fun activity for your child and if pick the right books fun for you too! Click here to watch the video.

Ashlee’s Picks:
Matilda by Roald Dahl (Kate Winslet audio version)
Midnight Gang by David Walliams
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series by Maryrose Wood

Annika’s Picks:
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
The Great Good Thing by Roderick Townley

Alyssa’s Picks:
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Tale of Despereaux by Katie DiCamillo
Love Sugar Magic: A Dash of Trouble by Anna Meriano

Eric’s Picks:
The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead

Here is a list of books selected for E.B. White Read Aloud Award:
https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/65-e-b-white-read-aloud-award

This award is given by ’The Association of Booksellers for Children’ to books that embody the read aloud standards set by children’s author E.B. White known for Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little.

Librarians Talk Children's Books: Funny and Silly Picture Books

Nothing gets children excited about reading like a book that tickles the funny bone or is just pure silly! In this video, we are discussing some of our favorite silly books.  One of the six skills of pre-literacy is “print motivation” which simply is the love of reading. Parents/caregivers need to let their children know that reading is fun. Working on the other pre-literacy skills and then literacy skills is much easier when a child is motivated to be engaged in reading. Here are some fun and very silly book titles to read-out loud to your child. Most of these titles are ideally age-appropriate for ages 4-8. 

Click on book titles to be taken to library catalog to request item.

Ashlee’s Picks:
 Need a New Butt - Dawn McMillan
Piranha's Don't Eat Bananas - Aaron Blabey
I'd Really Like to Eat a Child - Sylviane Donnio
The Magic Word - Mac Barnett and Elise Parsley
Monster's New Undies - Samantha Berger

Eric’s Picks:
Guess Again! by Mac Barnett and Adam Rex
Moo! by David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka
Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She was Extinct by Mo Willems
Who Wet My Pants? By Bob Shea and Zachariah OHora
The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone

Win it Wednesday: Hey Grandude!

 Every Wednesday we will give away a new book. For a chance to win, just fill out the form at the bottom of the page and you'll be entered into a drawing. The drawing will run from Wednesday through 11:59 PM Friday and winners will be announced on Mondays. (Note: you must be a Fresno County resident to be eligible for Win it Wednesdays.)

Hey Grandude! by Paul McCartney

See the compass needle spin, let the magic fun begin!

Meet Grandude--a super-cool grandfather who is an intrepid explorer with some amazing tricks up his sleeve. Grandude is a one-of-a-kind traveler! With his magic compass, he whisks his four grandkids off on whirlwind adventures, taking them all around the globe. Join them as they ride flying fish, dodge stampedes, and escape avalanches! Brought to life with gloriously colorful illustrations from talented artist Kathryn Durst, Hey Grandude is the perfect bedtime story for little explorers and an ideal gift for Father’s Day.

Congratulations Keyln D., you are our latest Win it Wednesday winner!

Win it Wednesday: The Season of Styx Malone

Every Wednesday we will give away a new book. For a chance to win, just fill out the form at the bottom of the page and you'll be entered into a drawing. The drawing will run from Wednesday through 11:59 PM Friday and winners will be announced on Mondays. (Note: you must be a Fresno County resident to be eligible for Win it Wednesdays.)

The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon

Meet Caleb and Bobby Gene, two brothers embarking on a madcap, heartwarming, one-thing-leads-to-another adventure in which friendships are forged, loyalties are tested . . . and miracles just might happen.

Caleb Franklin and his big brother Bobby Gene are excited to have adventures in the woods behind their house. But Caleb dreams of venturing beyond their ordinary small town.

Then Caleb and Bobby Gene meet new neighbor Styx Malone. Styx is sixteen and oozes cool. Styx promises the brothers that together, the three of them can pull off the Great Escalator Trade--exchanging one small thing for something better until they achieve their wildest dream. But as the trades get bigger, the brothers soon find themselves in over their heads. Styx has secrets--secrets so big they could ruin everything.

Congratulations Madeline S., you are our latest Win it Wednesday winner!