Presenting the winners of The Massachusetts Children's Book Award of 2021! 

Here are the stars of the show!

Winner:

Mia, a ten-year-old immigrant from China, loves being in charge of the front desk at the motel that her parents manage. There is so much to do! Mia has an incredibly warm personality and works hard to make sure the people who come to stay at the motel are happy. However, for Mia, it is not easy being only one of two Chinese kids in her whole school or seeing how her parents struggle with making enough money to stay in the United States. One thing is for sure though: Mia will not give up!

*Also available in Large Print, eAudio, and eBook formats.

Front Desk is the first in a series. Check out Three Keys also by Kelly Yang and continue Mia's story!

Honor books: 

Raina Telgemeier, the author of the beloved graphic novels Smile and Sisters is back with a brand new story based on her childhood. What do you do when the thing that stresses you out the most is an incredibly embarrassing fear? 

We know you have the guts to check this one out😉

*Also available in Spanish (Agallas) and eBook format.

Mason is the kid everyone laughs at. He's the kid bullies love to pick on like tricking him to eat dog treats and pelting him with lacrosse balls and sticks. Mason is also the kind of kid who will tell the truth no matter what. So why doesn't Lieutenent Baird believe him when he says he doesn't know how his best friend died that day in the orchard. Will anyone stick up for Mason and actually hear what he has to say? 

*Also available in eBook and eAudio formats.

Audiobook and Playaway (Digital MP3 player) formats also available in libraries outside of Worcester. 

Thirteen year-old-Ken's whole world changes when the Nazis start bombing the city of London where he lives. When he is chosen as one of a select group of kids to evacuate London and be safe he thinks the danger is behind him... he is wrong. 

Check out the real story of the London bombing in Torpedoed: The Story of the World War II Sinking of the "Children's Ship" by Deborah Heiligman.

*EAudio and eBook formats for Lifeboat 12 also available outside of Worcester.

Check back soon to see the Massachusetts Children's Book Award nominees for 2021-2022!

-Cara/Rezi

Early Readers series: written for kids who are just learning to read

Second-grader Yasmin lives with her baba (father), mama (mother), nana (grandfather), and nani (grandmother). She has a giant imagination and is always ready to put her ideas into action!  Also includes special features at the back of the book like questions to think and talk about, recipes, crafts, and learning about Pakistan and words in Urdu.

For readers who are comfortable reading longer passages or reading with a caregiver or older child. 

Also available in eBook.

Curl power! Come along on Princess Truly's wonderful adventures including: being a superhero, traveling, and building something cool. Includes questions to get kids thinking about their lives and even instructions on how to draw Princess Truly! 

One to 2 sentences per page with bright and colorful illustrations.

Pedro is a fun-loving friend of Katie Woo, a character who stars in her own series (also by Manushkin).

The Pedro series is similar to Meet Yasmin and the Katie Woo series in terms of the length of paragraphs and illustrations. The books also include: a glossary, jokes, and writing prompts.

*Pedro, candidato a presidente is available in Spanish.

Transitional series: (beginner chapter books) written for kids who are comfortable reading on their own and ready to try (or continue to read) short chapter books.

An illustrated, hilarious series about Weir Do, a boy who is learning how to fit in at his new school. The best part is that Weir Do's family is just as weird as he is (such as his mom who often falls in the trash can when she is collecting cans and his pet bird who barks instead of chirps!)

Dyamonde has always been super smart but she can't seem to figure out how to find a best friend. What's a new girl to do? 

This series has illustrations that are interspersed throughout such as at the beginning or end of a chapter, but the majority of the book is filled with text and a good deal of white space. Kids already comfortable with this type of format in more advanced early readers would most enjoy this series. Also includes questions to help kids think about how they relate to the story. 

*Available to request in audiobook format from libraries outside of Worcester.

Meet Lola, a spunky and energetic second-grader! She loves soccer, writing in her diario, and sharing her opinion about everything! Like Dyamonde Daniel, this series is sparse in illustrations but still has a lot of white space for kids still getting used to reading chapter books. 

*Also available in eBook format.

-Cara

Everyone deserves to live in a safe place. It’s important for EVERYONE to be treated with fairness, respect, and dignity when looking for a place to live. The New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center has written a book called The Fair Housing Five & The Haunted House. Be sure to check out their website to learn more about the book and to help answer any questions you or your family might have about receiving access to fair housing. 

For more information about fair housing, discrimination, disabilities, and poverty, check out the list of books below which are all available at WPL:

Sometimes we hear words in the news and it’s hard to understand what they mean and how they affect us. Using beautiful artwork and clear explanations, Poverty and Hunger answers our questions and offers reassurance for our concerns about these issues.

A compassionate look at homelessness and poverty.

Celebrate differences with the *MVP Kids as they learn to respect the uniqueness of others and build strong friendships.

*MVP Kids: a diverse group of children named after the MVP Kids Media Organization

The Worcester Public Library will host Magician Debbie O’Carroll for the virtual Zoom workshop Make Your Own Magic Tricks! on Tuesday, April 20th at 2:00 PM. Debbie has years of experience performing magic tricks in libraries, schools, and at festivals. During this hour-long workshop Debbie will teach kids how to perform five magic tricks!

The workshop is recommended for children ages 7-11. You can find more information on the workshop and register here.

If you want to get started early and learn some magic on your own, the WPL has some great books on magic tricks for both beginner and skilled magicians! There are also some cool books showing optical illusions and explaining how and why they trick our brains!

Hocus Pocus: Tricks for Amateur Magicians: 4D A Magical Augmented Experience by Norm Barnhart

Fooled Ya! How Your Brain Gets Tricked by Optical Illusions, Magicians, Hoaxes & More written by Jordan D. Brown and illustrated by Emily Bornoff

Fantastic Optical Illusions by D.K. Publishing

Everyday Magic for Kids: 30 Amazing Magic Tricks that You Can Do Anywhere by Justin Flom

Dazzling Card Tricks by Norm Barnhart

Did you know that Earth Day is now 51 years old, celebrated by over one billion people, and is observed in more than 190 countries worldwide?! This year, Earth Day is Thursday, April 22nd. Protecting our planet is a big deal and even kids like you can do their part. You can recycle plastics, plant a tree, try growing a vegetable, or pick up litter in your neighborhood. Of course, even though we focus on giving the Earth some extra love on Earth Day, it is important to take care of our planet every day of the year! 

Check out this month's special Earth Day Mosaic Disc craft in our Take and Make craft video and pick up your kit!

In celebration of the upcoming observance, here are some great books about Earth Day and looking after our planet. 

Peppa Pig and the Earth Day Adventure by Candlewick Press

Recommended for ages 2-5

Go Green for Earth Day written by Lisa Bullard and illustrated by Xiao Xin

Recommended for ages 5-8

(If you enjoy Go Green for Earth Day, check out the Go Green Early Bird Story series including: Go Green by Reusing (available in Worcester), and Go Green by Recycling which is available to request from libraries outside of Worcester).

Every Day is Earth Day by Jordan Brown 

Recommended for ages 5-7 

The New 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth by EarthWorks Group (including illustrator, John Javna), and Sophie Javna

Recommended for ages 8-12

It’s Earth Day, Cookie Monster! by Mary Lindeen 

Recommended for ages 4-8 

(This is just one book in the Go Green with Sesame Street series which introduces topics on environmental awareness. Other books include Save Energy, Bert and Ernie! and Fight Pollution, Big Bird! by Jennifer Boothroyd.)

One Earth written by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Rogério Coelho

Recommended for ages 3-8