Have you ever read a wordless picture book? A wordless picture book is a book that tells a story with only illustrations. They are especially fun to read, because in order to tell a story without words successfully, the pictures are usually extraordinary. No matter how many times you read a wordless book the story is always a little different! When children read these books, they use their imagination and creativity to build their confidence and love for reading. In addition to those important characteristics they also learn about plot and story sequencing, and develop their own storytelling skills! Here are some great newer titles I highly recommend that have been published within the last few years. Spencer’s New Pet by Jessie Sima Follow the story of a boy and his unusual pet, a red balloon animal. Imagine! By Raúl Colón    Delight and imagination soar when a young boy visits the Museum of Modern Art! Stormy : A Story about Finding a Forever Home by Guojing   ...

National Geographic Kids Encyclopedia of American Indian History and Culture : Stories, time lines, maps, and more by Cynthia O'Brien Provides an array of snapshots about the culture and history of the many different tribes throughout the United States. Full of incredibly detailed and colorful photographs and images.  Bonus: it has a pronunciation guide for the names of all of the different Native American nations.  C is for Chickasaw written by Wiley Barnes and illustrated by Aaron Long An alphabet book depicting all of the many aspects of Chickasaw culture. Some of the entries are: J is for Joy-(Ayokpa), and the importance of family, and Z is for Zigzag-(Foloto’wa), which is for the type of design found in the art of the Chickasaw culture. Two Roads by Joseph Bruchac Twelve year old Cal learns about his heritage and friendship during the 1930s in this book written by a member of the Nulhegan Abenaki nation in Vermont.  Creek Nation Race to the Sun   by Rebec...

This month’s Take and Make craft is celebrating fall colors. Come to any of our 7 branches after November 7th to get your Fall Tree Weaving kit while supplies last. Then go here to see our instructional video. Enjoy these additional ideas for more safe family fun this fall.    Geocaching is like a real life treasure hunt. Best of all it is free! Just download the free app, choose a location with some caches, and hunt. Make sure you have something to write with to sign the log in the cache. Click here to learn more about how to get started.   Read some books outside. Children need time outside and they need time to read and be read to so it is a win-win. Choose a favorite book or a new one and cozy up in a local park or even your backyard. To make it even more special for you and your family, plan a picnic for a crisp outdoor feast.  Play the tree matching game. Take a walk around your neighborhood or go on a hike and collect a variety of leaves you see. Have t...