Check out our Bee & Butterfly Basecamp when you visit the library! Drop-in crafts, activities, and a seek'n'find game! Available all month long in the Children's Room! And don't forget to walk the Storywalk outside!
Toys, coloring, and fun for ages 0-5. No registration.
Come hear fairytales, fantasy, legends and folklore from around the world!
Music and movement live with Robert the Guitar Guy! Robert is an award-winning children's performer, and he creates an exciting interactive experience. No registration.
Imagination Playground is an innovative play system that transforms any space into a play space that encourages learning, social development, movement, and of course, fun! Children's Room, 2nd Floor
Disclaimer(s)
Children under 8
No person shall leave young children (ages eight and under) unattended anywhere on library premises. Parents or guardians are expected to look after their children while visiting the library with them.
Parents must stay
Parents/Guardians must stay - this is not a drop-off program.
After school homework help with Angelica Campoverde, a qualified tutor for grades K-7. Mondays, 3:30-6 pm, Wednesdays, 3:30-5:30 pm Fridays, 3-5 pm.
Children's Room, 2nd Floor *When Yonkers Public Schools are in session.
News & Notes
No Missing Pieces: Autism Awareness Month at Yonkers Public Library
At Yonkers Public Library, we know that everyone has varying needs, in public spaces and in their private lives.
National Library Week: Things are Afoot
For this year's National Library Week, enjoy our first installment of: resources you might not have realized your library has!
Recommended Books For Kids
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Ojiichan’s Gift
A heartwarming story about the relationship between a girl and her grandfather. When Mayumi was born, her grandfather built her a garden. It had no flowers or vegetables in it. Instead, Ojiichan made it out of stones: “big ones, little ones and ones in-between.” Every summer, Mayumi visits her grandfather in Japan, and they tend the garden together. Raking the gravel is her favorite part. But then one summer, everything changes. Ojiichan has grown too old to care for his home and the garden. He has to move. Can Mayumi find a way to keep the memory of their garden alive? Children will be moved by Mayumi’s devotion and ingenuity.
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The Trumpet of the Swan
Swan Song
Like the rest of his family, Louis is a trumpeter swan. But unlike his four brothers and sisters, Louis can't trumpet joyfully. In fact, he can't even make a sound. And since he can't trumpet his love, the beautiful swan Serena pays absolutely no attention to him.
Louis tries everything he can think of to win Serena's affection -- he even goes to school to learn to read and write. But nothing seems to work. Then his father steals him a real brass trumpet. Is a musical instrument the key to winning Louis his love?
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Charlotte's Web Read-Aloud Edition
In his classic and beloved novel, E. B. White tells the memorable story of Wilbur, a little pig who becomes famous with the help of his clever friend Charlotte and their chatty animal neighbors. As the runt of the litter, Wilbur struggles to survive from the very beginning. Fern fights her father, Mr. Arable, to raise Wilbur and nurse him to health. Fern succeeds and Wilbur moves to the Zuckerman farm, where he learns the true meaning of friendship from the wise grey spider Charlotte. When it becomes apparent that Wilbur is being well fed for a reason, Charlotte and Wilbur are determined to foil Mr. Zuckerman's plans. With the help of Charlotte and her "terrific" webs, Templeton the rat, and other colorful barnyard friends, Wilbur becomes the prizewinning pig of the County Fair and the most famous pig ever.
Lessons of friendship, loyalty, and truth bind this story together and show readers that friends come in all shapes and sizes.
Illustrations by the artist Garth Williams bring to life these lovable characters. He is also the illustrator of E. B. White's Stuart Little.
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Stuart Little 60th Anniversary Edition
A hardcover edition of this treasured story, for which Garth Williams's original black-and-white line drawings for the jacket of Stuart Little have been colorized by the celebrated illustrator Rosemary Wells.
Stuart Little is no ordinary mouse. Born to a family of humans, he lives in New York City with his parents, his older brother George, and Snowbell the cat. Though he's shy and thoughtful, he's also a true lover of adventure.
Stuart's greatest adventure comes when his best friend, a beautiful little bird named Margalo, disappears from her nest. Determined to track her down, Stuart ventures away from home for the very first time in his life. He finds adventure aplenty. But will he find his friend?
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I Survived the American Revolution, 1776
British soldiers were everywhere. There was no escape.
Nathaniel Fox never imagined he'd find himself in the middle of a blood-soaked battlefield, fighting for his life. He was only eleven years old! He'd barely paid attention to the troubles between America and England. How could he, while being worked to the bone by his cruel uncle, Uriah Storch?
But when his uncle's rage forces him to flee the only home he knows, Nate is suddenly propelled toward a thrilling and dangerous journey into the heart of the Revolutionary War. He finds himself in New York City on the brink of what will be the biggest battle yet. -
Dara Palmer's Major Drama
"Dara's larger-than-life personality and true-to-life middle grade issues command center stage until the curtain falls."--School Library Journal, STARRED Review
Dara Palmer is destined to be a star, and she's writing herself the role of a lifetime. In this book, Emma Shevah tells a heartwarming story of one girl's experience with transracial adoption and the drama of middle school.
Dara longs for stardom--but when she isn't cast in her middle school's production of The Sound of Music, she gets suspicious. It can't be because she's not the best. She was born to be a famous movie star. It must be because she's adopted from Cambodia and doesn't look like a typical fraulein. (That's German for girl.)
So irrepressible Dara comes up with a genius plan to shake up the school: write a play about her own life. Then she'll have to be the star.
Age Level: 8 and up Grade Level: 3 to 7
Great for parents and educators looking for:
- A story told with doodles and illustrations, perfect for readers that love graphic novels and reluctant readers
- A great conversation starter for parents to talk to their kids about being unique and growing up with differences from their fellow classmates or community
- A story about a girl who takes the initiative and isn't afraid to forge her own path.
- Books for kids about transracial adoption
Praise for Emma Shevah's Dream On, Amber:
A Booklist 2015 Top 10 First Novels for Youth
A Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2015
"[This] novel is a charmer...While its humor and illustrations lend it Wimpy Kid appeal, its emotional depth makes it stand out from the pack."--Booklist STARRED review
"A gutsy girl in a laugh-out-loud book that navigates tough issues with finesse."--Kirkus STARRED review
"Amber's effervescent and opinionated narration captivates from the start."--Publishers Weekly STARRED review
"By turns playful and poignant, in both style and substance, this coming-of-age novel will hook readers from the first page to the last."--School Library Journal STARRED review
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Bolivar
What would you do if your neighbor was a dinosaur?
Going extinct isn't for everyone.
Sybil knows that there is something off about her next door neighbor, but she can't seem to get anyone to believe her. Everyone is so busy going about their days in the busy streets of New York City that they don't notice Bolivar. They don't notice his odd height, his tiny arms, or his long tail. No one but Sybil sees that Bolivar is a dinosaur.
When an unlikely parking ticket pulls Bolivar into an adventure from City Hall to New York’s Natural History Museum, he must finally make a choice: continue to live unnoticed, or let the city see who he really is.
School Library Journal says...
"Bolivar the dinosaur speaks to the introvert in all of us. That part deep down inside that encourages us to hide away from the world, keep to ourselves, and avoid any and all connections for fear of getting hurt. Dinosaurs may not be around anymore but Bolivars abound. Even little Bolivars who will pick up this book and instantly connect with someone just like them. So for the Bolivars and the Manhattan-lovers, the graphic novel enthusiasts and the parents just looking for a good bedtime story, Bolivar the book is the place to go. Dino-mite stuff." -
Sootface
A spellbinding Native American version of the well-loved Cinderella story, this title is by the award-winning author and illustrator team of many popular books for young readers, including The Legend of Scarface and Song of Sedna, also based on Native American folklore.
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Juana and Lucas
Winner of the 2017 Pura Belpré Author Award
Fans of Judy Moody and Clarice Bean will love Juana, the spunky young Colombian girl who stars in this playful, abundantly illustrated new series.
Juana loves many things — drawing, eating Brussels sprouts, living in Bogotá, Colombia, and especially her dog, Lucas, the best amigo ever. She does not love wearing her itchy school uniform, solving math problems, or going to dance class. And she especially does not love learning the English. Why is it so important to learn a language that makes so little sense? But when Juana’s abuelos tell her about a special trip they are planning—one that Juana will need to speak English to go on—Juana begins to wonder whether learning the English might be a good use of her time after all. Hilarious, energetic, and utterly relatable, Juana will win over los corazones — the hearts — of readers everywhere in her first adventure, presented by namesake Juana Medina. -
Vera Vance: Comics Star
Third grader Vera Vance has signed up for the comics camp after-school program, but her mother would much rather she focus on academics, athletics, music. . . anything but comics! Now in paperback.
Vera loves all things comic books, so she can't wait for the comics after-school class to start--even though her mother wonders whether it's educational enough. But Vera is determined to participate, and starts developing her own comic about Big Spoon and Little Spoon with the encouragement of her enthusiastic friend Nixie and instruction from teachers who are accomplished cartoonists themselves.
As the weels go by, the after-school teachers announce that for the final class, students will go on a field trip to a local comic-con--and they can even enter a page from their comics in a contest that will be judged there! Vera isn't surprised when her mother says she can't go. But maybe Big Spoon and Little Spoon can convince her mother to accept her passion.
Vera Vance: Comics Star follows Nixie Ness: Cooking Star in the After-School Superstars chapter book series. Perfect for fans of Judy Moody, Ivy and Bean, and Clementine, the series is illustrated in black and white and each book includes a bonus activity that corresponds to the book's plot. -
The Boxcar Children Fully Illustrated Edition
The classic story of four orphaned siblings, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny, who find an abandoned boxcar in the forest and decide to make it their home. Since its initial publication in 1942, The Boxcar Children has captivated many generations of readers. This fully illustrated edition commemorates the 75th anniversary of Gertrude Chandler Warner's timeless novel. Featuring all-new full-color artwork as well as an afterword about the author, the history of the book, and the Boxcar Children legacy, this volume will be treasured by first-time readers and longtime fans alike.
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It Ain't So Awful, Falafel
Zomorod (Cindy) Yousefzadeh is the new kid on the block...for the fourth time.
California's Newport Beach is her family's latest perch, and she's determined to shuck her brainy loner persona and start afresh with a new Brady Bunch name--Cindy.
It's the late 1970s, and fitting in becomes more difficult as Iran makes U.S. headlines with protests, revolution, and finally the taking of American hostages. Even puka shell necklaces, pool parties, and flying fish can't distract Cindy from the anti-Iran sentiments that creep way too close to home.
A poignant yet lighthearted middle grade debut from the author of the bestselling Funny in Farsi.
- California Library Association's John and Patricia Beatty Award WinnerFlorida Sunshine State Young Readers Award (Grades 6-8)New York Historical Society's New Americans Book Prize WinnerMiddle East Book Award for Youth Literature, Honorable MentionBooklist 50 Best Middle Grade Novels of the 21st Century
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Knuffle Bunny
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Doctor de Soto
A collection of eight large-format, charming picture books illustrated by award-winning artists such as David McKee, Maurice Sendak, and Rosemary Wells.The funny and witty stories, suitable for reading aloud and young readers, deal with theme such as self-steem, family life, and imagination. Includes an original counting book -Cuando los borregos no pueden dormir. Doctor De Soto is a mouse dentist who, with his wife, operates a clinic open to all except animals threatening to mice. What to do, then, when a weeping and wailing fox shows up for treatment? Great wit and good fun. "1983 Newbery Medal Honor.
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We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga
2019 Sibert Honor Book
2019 Orbis Pictus Honor Book
NPR's Guide To 2018’s Great Reads
2018 Book Launch Award (SCBWI)
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2018
School Library Journal Best Books of 2018
2018 JLG selection
2019 Reading the West Picture Book Award
The Cherokee community is grateful for blessings and challenges that each season brings. This is modern Native American life as told by an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation.
The word otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. Beginning in the fall with the new year and ending in summer, follow a full Cherokee year of celebrations and experiences. Written by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, this look at one group of Native Americans is appended with a glossary and the complete Cherokee syllabary, originally created by Sequoyah.
"A gracious, warm, and loving celebration of community and gratitude"—Kirkus Reviews STARRED REVIEW
"The book underscores the importance of traditions and carrying on a Cherokee way of life"—Horn Book STARRED REVIEW
"This informative and authentic introduction to a thriving ancestral and ceremonial way of life is perfect for holiday and family sharing"—School Library Journal STARRED REVIEW
"An elegant representation"—Shelf Awareness STARRED REVIEW
Digital Resources
Biblioteca Tumblebooks
Biblioteca Tumblebooks tiene libros animados, con ilustraciones que hablan, para enseñar a losniños los placeres de la lectura en un formato que les encantará.
Britannica School
Brtiannica School offers encyclopedias and related materials for all grades (Pre-K-12) and all reading abilities.
Comics Plus
Comics Plus offers online digital graphic novels and comics available for free with your library card.
Elementary (Gale in Context)
Family Search
Freading
eBooks available in ePub and/or PDF format. Currently, it can be used with PCs, iDevices, Androids, Nooks, Sony Readers, Kobo readers, and Kindle Fire. Freading specializes in romance and children’s books.