Resources for Our Littlest Learners
The first 5 years of a child’s life lay the foundation for all future learning. Singing, talking, reading, writing, and playing together will help your child develop important early literacy skills. We have compiled these resources to support you in your role as your child's first and most influential teacher!
Upcoming Events
Join us for a high-energy storytime focused on music and movement.
Welcome to Sensory Play Space!
Disclaimer(s)
The library makes every effort to ensure our programs can be enjoyed by all. If you have any concerns about accessibility or need to request specific accommodations, please contact the library.
We often take photographs during library events. Please let our photographer know if you do not want us to publish photos of your child.
Join Ms. Gabby for preschool storytime where we read, dance, and learn. Once a month we will also have an art project to go along with the stories and songs!
Storytime is geared toward ages 2 to 5, but all are welcome.
Disclaimer(s)
We cannot guarantee that food served at this program has not come into contact with tree nuts, soy, or other allergens.
We often take photographs during library events. Please let our photographer know if you do not want us to publish photos of your child.
Join us for a storytime followed by an art project.
Time to get your wiggle on as we sing, dance, and laugh to fun songs and stories. We will move our bodies and use our voices to discover rhythms, pitch, dynamics, volume, and tempo. Join us for a storytime focused on music, singing, and dancing!
Disclaimer(s)
The library makes every effort to ensure our programs can be enjoyed by all. If you have any concerns about accessibility or need to request specific accommodations, please contact the library.
We often take photographs during library events. Please let our photographer know if you do not want us to publish photos of your child.
Cardboard Construction
Have you heard of the Global Cardboard Challenge? Cardboard everywhere: cardboard houses, rivers, animals, food, armor, cars!This challenge fosters creativity and community.
Disclaimer(s)
We cannot guarantee that food served at this program has not come into contact with tree nuts, soy, or other allergens.
We often take photographs during library events. Please let our photographer know if you do not want us to publish photos of your child.
P is for Pets
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Chinchillas
"In Chinchillas, early readers will learn all about the responsibilities of having a chinchilla and find out how they can keep their pet healthy and happy. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage emergent readers as they discover what it takes to be a pet owner.A labeled diagram helps readers understand what a chinchilla needs, while a picture glossary reinforces new vocabulary. Children can learn more about pet chinchillas online using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Chinchillas also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, and an index.Chinchillas is part of Jump!'s My First Pet series."
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Rita's Rhino
When Rita's mum refuses to get her a pet, Rita goes to the zoo and soon returns with a rhinoceros in tow. But keeping a pet rhino a secret in a small apartment and taking care of him, prove to be much trickier than she ever imagined! This is a hilarious take on the responsibility of pet ownership.
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COME OUT, COME OUT, CHAMELEON!
A hilarious picture book about an old man and his colour-changing pet that’ll have kids laughing and shouting ‘COME OUT, COME OUT, CHAMELEON!’
I have a pet chameleon. The only thing is... I’ve never actually seen him.
A charming old man is searching everywhere for his pet chameleon. His dog tries to help... but the man just can’t see his colourful pet! The clever chameleon camouflages himself as a flower, a banana, a sock, and much more. When the man finds some pet care instructions stuck to the bottom of his slippers, he realizes that all he needs to do is shout ‘COME OUT, COME OUT, CHAMELEON!’ to make the chameleon appear... but the visual twist on the final spread will have children squealing and laughing out loud.
A brilliantly funny, creative, and engaging picture book from the bestselling author of Big Boys Cry and The Animal Song. Howley's vivid artwork style will appeal to adults and children alike. Young readers will love feeling clever as they spot the disguised chameleon on every page, and of course join in with their loudest voice: ‘COME OUT, COME OUT, CHAMELEON!’. -
Let's Take Care of Our New Frog
Titles in the Let's Take Care of ... color-illustrated series introduce younger boys and girls to the fun and responsibility of pet ownership. Each book tells the story of a boy and girl who get a pet and learn how to care for it. These charming books emphasize that acquiring a pet is an exciting adventure for children, and it often makes little difference whether the new pet is as tiny as a frog or as large as a hound. Kids who read these books will share the excitement of the stories' children as an introduction to getting a pet of their own. A Guidelines section supplements each story with advice and information on pet care that is geared to children's capabilities. Parents and kids will want to read that section together.
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Let's Take Care of Our New Leopard Gecko
Titles in the Let's Take Care of ... color-illustrated series introduce younger boys and girls to the fun and responsibility of pet ownership. Each book tells the story of a boy and girl who get a pet and learn how to care for it. These charming books emphasize that acquiring a pet is an exciting adventure for children, and it often makes little difference whether the new pet is as tiny as a frog or as large as a hound. Kids who read these books will share the excitement of the stories' children as an introduction to getting a pet of their own. A Guidelines section supplements each story with advice and information on pet care that is geared to children's capabilities. Parents and kids will want to read that section together.
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My First Book of House Pets
My First Book of House Pets is a beautiful introduction to the world of furry, fluffy, and all-around adorable pets for babies and toddlers.
Like other titles in the earth-friendly series Terra Babies at Home, this book helps tots develop a connection with the natural world and is made with FSC materials and nontoxic inks.
Simple and quirky text pairs with charming art by Åsa Gilland in this book where animal lovers will learn about house pets in a friendly and easy way while being introduced to basic concepts of animal care and the environment.
"Cats purr to communicate. They purr when they are happy," we read. "Dogs love to play, and you can teach them tricks." Readers will learn to make a fish face, that hamsters are lively friends, and that lizards have cool names. And that's not all: The book shows readers how to pick a pet from a local shelter and the importance of keeping a pet healthy and giving it tons of love!
Also available:
Terra Babies at Home: My First Book of Houseplants
Terra Babies at Home: My First Book of Growing Food
Terra Babies at Home: My First Book of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
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Some Pets
The duo that brought you the “bright” and “breezy” (Booklist) Some Bugs is back with a vibrant companion book that’s packed with your favorite pets.
Some pets sit.
Some pets stay.
Some pets fetch,
And some pets play.
Come one, come all, to the pet show! With dogs and cats, horses and chickens, hamsters and chinchillas—and many, many more!—this book celebrates animal companions of all shapes and sizes. Who will take home the coveted Best in Show ribbon? Join the fun to find out! -
My Crocodile Does Not Bite
Ernest's crocodile does not bite! It's very well trained. But when Ernest brings the crocodile to the school's pet show, his rival Cindy Lou gets very rude.
Cindy Lou is sure her poodle Fifi will win best in show. She doesn't think Ernest's croc should be allowed to compete. But Ernest and his friend have some tricks prepared. They're going to prove that when a crocodile's not busy biting, it can really put on a show! -
Puppy, Puppy, Puppy
Featuring the adorable duo of Baby and Puppy, here is a perfect picture book for the youngest of children.
Baby and Puppy are inseparable. From the moment they wake up in the morning to when they go to bed at night, the two do everything together—from sharing breakfast to making a mess of the garden. Even nap time cannot keep the two apart for long, as Puppy finds a way to stay near Baby. Julie Sternberg’s sweet, spare text is fun to read aloud and complements Fred Koehler’s humorous and heartwarming illustrations.
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Fish Swim
"A sure toddler's delight."--Kirkus Reviews
Don't miss the delights of Puppies Chase,Kittens Pounce, and Bunnies Hop!
"Where are you?" one playful fish asks. Pet fish play peek-a-boo, wiggle, race, eat, and swim all around.
Combining charming photos of active fish with repeated sound effects and short sentences, this board book is a perfect recipe for inspiring little ones to read, play, and move. The simple photographs give even non-readers plenty to look at on their own, and caregivers and older siblings will enjoy sharing these with babies and toddlers.
Part of the Amicus Ink Board Books collection featuring pets, farm animals, vehicles, and wild animals.
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A Garden of Creatures
A tender and deeply moving picture book about loss and the big questions it leaves behind from New York Times bestselling author Sheila Heti and acclaimed illustrator Esmé Shapiro.
Two bunnies and a cat live happily together in a beautiful garden. But when the big bunny passes away, the little bunny is unsure how to fill the void she left behind. A strange dream prompts her to begin asking questions: Why do the creatures we love have to die, and where do we go when we die? How come life works this way? With the wisdom of the cat to guide her, the little bunny learns that missing someone is a way of keeping them close. And together they discover that the big bunny is a part of everything around them -- the grass, the air, the leaves -- for the world is a garden of creatures.
With its meditative text, endearing illustrations and life-affirming message, A Garden of Creatures reveals how the interconnectedness of nature and the sweetness of friendship can be a warm embrace even in the darkest times. -
Hello, World! Pets
Learn from home and explore the world with these fun and easy board books!Toddlers can learn all about different pet types and how to be a great animal companion with the popular Hello, World! board book series, with easy-to-understand facts about cats, dogs, rabbits, and even less fuzzy pets, such as fish, frogs, and lizards.
Hello, World! is a series designed to introduce first nonfiction concepts to babies and toddlers. Told in clear and easy terms ("Fish have lived on Earth since before the dinosaurs!") and featuring bright, cheerful illustrations, Hello, World! makes learning fun for young children. And each page offers helpful prompts for engaging with your child. It's a perfect way to bring science and nature into the busy world of a toddler, where learning never stops.
Look for all the books in the Hello, World! series:
• Solar System
• Weather
• Backyard Bugs
• Birds
• Dinosaurs
• My Body
• How Do Apples Grow?
• Ocean Life
• Moon Landing
• Pets
• Arctic Animals
• Construction Site
• Rainforest Animals
• Planet Earth
• Reptiles
• Cars and Trucks
• Music
• Baby Animals
• On the Farm
• Garden Time
• Planes and Other Flying Machines
• Rocks and Minerals
• Snow
• Let's Go Camping
• School Day -
Pets
Celebrate pets with this fun seek-and-find title! Hundreds of objects are hidden inside full-color photo puzzles featuring your favorite animal friends and more. Each to-find list includes pictographs and word labels to engage pre-readers and early readers alike.
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Pumpkin and Me
When Pumpkin, my dog, died, everyone at home was sad. The next day, a dark cloud began to follow me around and it felt like I had soap in my eyes and an octopus wrapped tightly around my heart...
Written by the renowned child author and psychologist, Alicia Acosta, this uplifting, beautifully illustrated story explores themes of loss and grief and the power of memories.También disponible en español. (Also available in Spanish.)
Summer Sunshine Reads for Children
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Look What I Found at the Beach
Open your senses to a world of wonder by taking a walk along the beach!
Set off on an adventure and find natural treasures, from spiraled seashells to discarded mermaid's purses. Then learn more about the marine plants and creatures in this fact-filled guide to the outdoors. -
Vampirina at the Beach
When the summer moon is full, a beach trip is an epic way to spend the night. With her signature poise, Vampirina and her clan gear up for a festive time at the beach. Keeping her ballet lessons in mind, Vampirina demi-pliés on a surfboard, leaps for a volleyball, and finishes each competition with style, even if she doesn't always come out on top. Readers will shout "Brava!" for this third gracefully ghoulish picturebook by duo Anne Marie Pace and LeUyen Pham. Praise for Vampirina Ballerina
*"Pham (All the Things I Love About You) and Pace are entirely in sync in this sweetly goth 'how to' for vampirettes under the spell of something more powerful than anything the dark forces can muster: ballet."
-Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Readers will applaud this elegantly designed, well-told story. Brava, indeed."
-Kirkus Reviews
"Pace's funny, matter-of-fact advice ("always get a good day's sleep") works in harmony with Pham's expressive watercolor pen-and-ink artwork, which depicts the adorable minivampire leaping and pliéing enthusiastically across the pages."
-Booklist
"The sweet and spooky watercolor and pen-and-ink pictures are filled with motion and portray Vampirina's 'road to ballerinadom' with humor and insight."
-School Library Journal
"[T]he message that passion, dedication, and patience have beautiful results is inspirational for any reader."
-Horn Book
Praise for Vampirina Ballerina Hosts a Sleepover
"Pace's droll advice contrasts delightfully with Pham's spooky-comical watercolors, . . . and it should prove heartening for readers who feel that their families are a bit different."
-Publishers Weekly
"[F]illed with humorous details."
-School Library Journal
"Any gathering at Vampirina's is sure to be a scream."
-Horn Book -
Billie and Bean at the Beach
★"Open, clear, inviting...A pitch-perfect portrayal of a summer day."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Celebrating the supportive relationship between a child and her dog, this story shows how we can all be brave and achieve things in our own time.
Billie prefers playing quietly, but the beach is a noisy place. Her energetic dog, Bean, is happy to explore the sand and water. When Billie does try going for a swim, she has a painful surprise and heads back to shore. But Bean digs up something that can help Billie get back in the water where she soon discovers a whole world of quiet solitude and spectacular color beneath the surface.
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At the Beach
Take a stroll along the beach. What do you see? Young readers will learn all about the beach and the animals that call it home in this fun pre-reader. Through text features such as the vocabulary tree and the wrap-up activity, kids will be introduced to new words and concepts -- helping them expand their understanding of the world.
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Ty's Travels: Beach Day!
A Geisel Honor-winning series * Author Kelly Starling Lyons selected as the 2021 Piedmont Laureate * A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year 2022
Join Ty on his imaginative adventures in Ty's Travels: Beach Day!, a My First I Can Read book by acclaimed author and illustrator team Kelly Starling Lyons and Niña Mata. Friendship and imagination and play are highlighted in this fun story, perfect for sharing with children 3 to 6.
Ty turns an ordinary day in the sandbox into a fun beach day. He wiggles his toes in the sand, finds seashells, builds a castle, and splashes in the ocean. Splish, splash! When his neighbor's beach ball flies into his backyard, Ty learns that a beach day is even better with a friend.
With simple, rhythmic text and joyful, bright art, this My First series and Guided Reading Level I is perfect for shared reading with a child. Books at this level feature basic language, word repetition, and whimsical illustrations, ideal for sharing with emergent readers. The active, engaging stories have appealing plots and lovable characters, encouraging children to continue their reading journey.
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Beach Feet
The story of a boy's visit to the beach, Beach Feet opens with a small boy feeling the heat of the sand and then running towards the ocean. Free and independent despite his young age and the tube around his waist, the boy gives himself over to the ocean and the pleasures to be had at water's edge. Throughout, the boy's connection to the beach through his feet--the feel of sand, shells, water--is never lost. Unusual perspectives and a pitch-perfect voice make this a standout.
Kiyomi Konagaya was born in 1936 in Shizuoka, Japan. At university, he studied English literature and published his poetry in literary magazines. After graduation, he took a job at an advertising agency. In 1977 he won the prestigious Mr. H Award (for new poets) for Little Voyage 26. He also won the twenty-first Takami Jun Prize in 1991, and the twenty-fifth Contemporary Poetry Award in 2007.
Masamitsu Saito was born in 1958 in a seaside town along Kujyukuri Beach in Chiba, so he grew up to the sound of waves. He studied graphic design at Tama Art University. His work can be found in magazines and books, as well as on chocolate packages.
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Beach Day!
Summer sun and fun in this Step 1 reader featuring the family from Pumpkin Day!, Apple Picking Day!, Garden Day, and Snow Day!
Family time means it's time to pack up the car and head to the beach! The brother and sister from Pumpkin Day! and its many companion books return for a fabulous day at the shore. Collecting seashells, building a sand castle, visiting the seaside attractions--enjoy all the indelible memories of childhood summers! Easy-to-follow rhyme ensures a successful reading experience, while bright, lively art brings the story to life.
Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words. Rhymes and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story. For children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. -
Beach Baby
A gentle, poetic lullaby for baby, filled with memories from a perfect day playing on the beach.
Castles, sand dollars, seals peering out of the waves and the beat of the ocean become sweet reminders of all the magical things that await baby tomorrow. A lyrical celebration of natural beauty and a soft, reassuring reminder for little ones being tucked into bed that fun and adventure will return with a new day.
Elly MacKay's paper-theater worlds are a delight to behold and infuse the story with a sense of magic and wonder. Beautiful verse from Laurie Elmquist sets a calm and serene tone. A breathtaking board book that will be treasured and make a wonderful gift.
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Beach
Award-winning author Elisha Cooper uses his renowned soft yet lively watercolors to celebrate the cherished act of visiting the beach.
"Away to the beach! Away to sand and salt water, to rolling dunes and pounding waves." A day at the beach supplies any child with a lifetime of memories. In this new picture book by award-winning author Elisha Cooper, the simple magic of building sand castles, collecting seashells, and running from the waves is brought to life through poetic text and lively illustrations. Together, readers will be able to visit the beach year-round as they share this delightful book.
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Sea Sheep
Come along for a silly and sea-worthy adventure in this tale of swimming sheep. This Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read is perfect for beginning readers who like a side of silly with their stories!
In this sweet, silly, rhyming story, a group of sheep go for a swim! What will they see under the sea? Lots and lots of giggles are guaranteed! What is a sea sheep?
Sea sheep can swim.
Sea sheep can speak.
Most of them baa.
This one can squeak! -
These Little Piggies Go to the Beach
From New York Times bestselling illustrator Christine Davenier and bestselling author Amy E. Sklansky comes this utterly charming, silly, and irresistible read-aloud that sends the little piggies from everyone's favorite nursery rhyme off to the beach.
Following the rhythm and rhyme scheme of the original (This little piggy went to market..), young children get to follow along as the five piggies pack the car, arrive at the beach, build a sand castle, swim and explore, and play with a beach ball.
It's the perfect read-aloud for young children and their adults, providing lots to look at, loads of fun action, and a perfect ending to a perfect day at the beach.
"Together, Sklansky and Davenier have created a charming adaptation of a classic rhyme that will make readers want to wiggle their toes all the way to the beach...An excellent seasonal retelling of "This Little Piggy." --School Library Journal -
Day at the Beach
A day at the beach becomes a lesson in sibling bonding for Gideon in this magical picture book.
Every summer, Gideon and his younger sister Audrey build a sandcastle together. But this summer, everything changes. Gideon decides to build the most spectacular sandcastle anyone on the beach has ever seen. And he’s going to do it on his own—without any help from his sister.
But much to his surprise, Gideon discovers that building together is more fun and that everyone has their own unique talent when it comes to creativity and imagination, even Audrey. -
Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach
New York Times bestselling author and artist James Dean brings readers some fun in the sun! Pete the Cat is one groovy cat at finding shells and building sand castles at the beach. But when it gets too hot, there’s only one way to cool off—jump into the ocean! Except Pete might be a scaredy-cat when it comes to the water.
Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach is a My First I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for shared reading with a child.
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The Beach Bandit
Sara is excited for a beach day with her friends. But when her beach toys go missing, her excitement fades. Will the Dino Detectives be able to help her?
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Mermaid and Pirate
A mermaid and a pirate build a friendship through kindness, empathy, and shared adventure in this heartwarming picture book by New York Times bestselling author Tracey Baptiste, with bright, bold illustrations by Leisl Adams.
Glub glub…
Aargh...
Mermaid and Pirate cannot understand each other. They speak different languages and come from different worlds. But they’re quick to lend a hand, or a tail, when the sky grows stormy and waters get rough, and a friendship is born. Sometimes kindness and generosity speak louder than words.
Resources for Early Learning
Bright By Text
Idaho Public Television (IdahoPTV) has teamed up with Bright by Text to send free activities, games, and resources right to your cell phone. Messages are targeted to your child’s age and include information on child development, language and early literacy, health and safety, behavioral tips, and more.
Kanopy Kids
Libby, by OverDrive
