Diwali (Festival of Lights) is a special holiday celebrated by many cultures around the world. Families gather together and light candles and clay lamps (diyas) and this year it is on October 24th. Learn more about Diwali with these kids books: Diwali by Nancy Dickmann Diwali  written by Hannah Eliot and illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan Shubh Diwali!  written by Chitra Soundar and illustrated by Charlene Chua Happy Diwali! written and illustrated by Sanyukta Mathur and Courtney Pippin-Mathur Archie Celebrates Diwali written by Mitali Banerjee Ruths and illustrated by Parwinder Singh Let's Celebrate! : Festival Poems from Around the World  edited by Debjani Chatterjee and Brian D'arcy, and illustrated by Shirin Adl -Kat

The Worcester Public Library will host entomologist (a person who studies insects) Professor Bugman on Friday, October 28 at 4:00 PM at the Main Library in the Pappas Children’s Center. View and learn about insects and bones up-close from animals native to New England. You will also have the opportunity to handle insects such as the Madagascar hissing cockroach and the armored darkling beetle…if you dare!  The program is for ages 3-11 and you may register here :  In the meantime, if you want to read some factual or just plain fun books about bones and insects I recommend checking out these!  Little Kids First Nature Guide Bugs by Alli Brydon Recommended ages 4-8  Bone by Bone : Comparing Animal Skeletons  written by Sara Levine and illustrated by T.S. Spookytooth Recommended ages 5-10 Time to Shine Celebrating the World’s Iridescent Animals written by Karen Jameson and illustrated by Dave Murray Recommended ages 3-6 A Good Place by Lucy Cousins Recommend...

  Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! (September 15-October 15) "Reading is all about windows and mirrors! Just as it is so important to see ourselves in the stories we read, books allow us to get glimpses of life through windows into the way others live.  Exploring cultures, religions, and ways of life that differ from our own is a phenomenal and important way to foster empathy and combat bias" Lauren Bercuson ( Happily Ever Elephants ). Alma and How She Got Her Name By Juana Martinez-Neal Also available in Spanish , Alma y cómo obtuvo su nombre,  Wonderbook , and eBook   The Cot in the Living Room By Hilda Eunice Burgos and illustrated by Gaby D’Alessandro My Papi Has a Motorcycle By Isabel Quniero and illustrated by Zeke Peña Also available in Spanish ,  Mi papi tiene una moto , DVD , and eBook The Little House of Hope By Terry Catasús Jennings and illustrated by Raúl Colón Mi Casa is My Home By Laurenne Sala and illustrated by Zara González Hoang My Two Borde...