Today one of America’s favorite monuments celebrates its 134th birthday! The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886 by President Cleveland.   Here are some of my favorite fun facts about the statue:  -The statue looks like its creator, Frederic-Auguste Batholdi’s, mother.  -The statue used to be copper colored, but overtime weathered to the green color we see today.  To celebrate Lady Liberty’s birthday, check out these books for more facts!     The Statue of Liberty   written by Marion Dane Bauer and illustrated by John Wallace Suggested for ages 5-6  Her Right Foot     by Dave Eggers with art by Shawn Harris  Suggested for ages 5-8  What is the Statue of Liberty?   Written by Joan Holub and illustrated by John Hinderliter   Suggested for ages 9 - 11 Emma's Poem : The Voice of the Statue of Liberty  written by Linda Glaser with paintings by Claire A. Nivola Suggested for ages 6-7  The...

  Brightwood by Tania Unsworth Like tendrils of vines enclosing a castle in the woods, the suspense and slow-building chills of Tania Unsworth’s Brightwood will weave a spell around you. If you’ve ever spent any time in a large, old house with its creaks, cracked walls, and dust covered everything you will get a sense of how it feels to live inside Brightwood Hall. Daisy, a strong, curious eleven year old girl who loves to climb the tall storage units inside and the sprawling fields outside, lives in Brightwood Hall with her mum and she has never ever left its grounds. When we first meet Daisy she has just woken up to the sounds of a car engine starting from her driveway. Daisy didn’t know that her mum was leaving the house especially because it wasn’t her usual day to go shopping. Daisy isn’t worried though because her mum always comes back home by 11am on the dot.  More and more time passes and mum still does not appear so when Daisy suddenly hears a car outside she is hea...

Kate and the Beanstalk written by Mary Pope Osborne (of Magic Treehouse fame) and illustrated by Giselle Potter When Kate trades her family’s one and only cow for some magic beans she begins an adventure of a lifetime. Kate’s bravery and cleverness will inspire readers in this retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk Jack and the Beanstalk retold by Ann Keay Beneduce and illustrated by Gennady Spirin This version of Jack and the Beanstalk from 1999 is more similar to the original story.  First Fire: A Cherokee Folktale written by Nancy Kelly Allen and illustrated by Sherry Rogers Using rich poetic language and vivid illustrations we learn that animals such as ravens and owls were once transformed by fire and why they look the way they do today.  Michael Foreman’s Playtime Rhymes A compilation of 70 action-filled songs and rhymes including: The Wheels on the Bus, Ten in the Bed, and Five Little Speckled Frogs by the author Michael Foreman who also wrote Michael Foreman’s Mother ...

Rezarta Recommends is a Worcester Public Library Youth Services Facebook Live feature. Woo Wee Blog will highlight all of the different titles that are discussed on each episode! Check out last week's episode here: Rezarta Recommends with Katherine and read on for more about the titles The folktales collection in the children’s department of the Worcester Public Library has versions and retellings of classic tales from all over the world. Check out our list below of popular tales with a twist. If you have a favorite folktale that we don’t own, let us know! We would be happy to add it to our growing collection.  The Irish Cinderlad written by Shirley Climo and illustrated by Loretta Krupinski A twist on Cinderella- we have Cinder-lad or Becan, from Ireland, a lad instead of a lass.  The Golden Sandal : A Middle Eastern Cinderella Story written by Rebecca Hickox and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand In this version a fish plays the role of the fairy godmother. Yeh-Shen : A Cind...

Check out this video Take and Make Craft Kits or read below to learn more about this program: Take and Make craft kits are available monthly at all branches of the Worcester Public Library. Each month will feature a different craft to create! Craft along with us by watching the fun, interactive video posted on our website, or complete yours on your own. Craft kits are available first come, first served in limited quantities and are best for ages 5 through 11. Share pictures of your creations on our social media—we’d love to see what you make! Questions? Call 508-799-1671. In celebration of this delightful monthly program we've rounded up some books that are chock-full of arts and crafts for the whole family! All of these titles are available at the Worcester Public Library! Art Sparks : Draw, Paint, Make, and Get Creative by Marion Abrams and Hilary Emerson Lay Some of the projects that don't require a lot of extra materials are: -Doodle-Monsters -Aluminum Foil Relief -Pineco...

Would you like to discover a list of books chosen by kids just like you? Look no further than the winners of the Massachusetts Book Award . These twenty titles are for kids ages 9-12 (but anyone is welcome to read them of course!) and are all written by authors from the state of Massachusetts or include content pertaining to Massachusetts. Check out some of the selections below and you just might find a new favorite! Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott Want to hang out with some new friends?  Want to meet a witch? Want to figure out how to rescue a bunch of baby dragons after they escape out of your bag? Also available in  eBook , and eAudio I Survived The Great Molasses Flood, 1919 by Lauren Tarshis Do you know the sticky syrup that you might put on a tower of pancakes? Could you imagine what would happen if a type of syrup (molasses) that was stored in a big tank gushed out and flooded the streets of Boston? How would you survive a wild and scary experience like that!? ...

Want to begin having conversations with your child about voting, laws, and elections? Make voter knowledge a family affair this season with these accessible titles, including picture books, nonfiction text, and comics! Vote for Our Future! By: Margaret McNamara PreK-grade 3 Picture Book   Pedro for President By: Fran Manushkin K-2 Early chapter book   Also available in Spanish Thank You for Voting Young Readers’ Edition: The Past Present and Future of Voting By: Erin Geiger Smith  Grades 3-8 Nonfiction chapter book * The Constitution Decoded : A Guide to the Document That Shapes Our Nation By: Katie Kennedy and illustrated by Ben Kirchner Grades 3-8 Highly illustrated nonfiction *Available in Central Massachusetts libraries (contact us to order it for you or request it online) -Allison