Spinner of Dreams by K.A. Reynolds Have you ever experienced the absolute joy of stumbling upon a book you didn’t know you needed? Perhaps the font made you think of something or maybe it was the title. It could be the images on or inside of the book or it could be the blurb in the jacket. Sometimes there doesn’t even need to be a reason for why a book speaks to you but you know deep inside that you were meant to find that book. The Spinner of Dreams by #ownvoices K.A. Reynolds was that kind of gem for me.  On the day of her birth eleven year old Annaliese was cursed by an evil enchantress. Even though she is kind and loving, all the people in her town loathe her and her parents because their crops won’t grow and wolves from the forest terrorize them at night. Because of her hard life Annaliese greatly suffers from fear and anxiety and she must learn to have the courage to live her life and believe in her dreams against all odds. You might love this book too if: -you want words o...

  Woke : A Young Poet's Call to Justice  written by Mahogany L. Browne and illustrated by Theodore Taylor III Woke is a new children's book that I think will be a winner somewhere this year. It's absolutely beautiful and speaks to our times, not to mention the art. Love it! Three contributors (including our girl, Elizabeth Acevedo), celebrate the joy and passion in the fight for social justice. Includes themes like activism, community, empathy, freedom fighters, gender, immigration, protest, stereotyping, volunteering, and WOKE!   "We all are part of someone else's journey   That's the way communities are built   Each root sprawling toward the edge of an infinite smile."   ~ Mahogany L. Browne -Iris

For 100 years, starting in 1847, Worcester was an important part of the Valentine's Day industry in the United States. Let’s celebrate that tradition by making Valentines for a friend or family member! Don’t forget to watch this month’s video of Ms. Rebecca, making her Valentine. Craft kits will be available to pick up starting February 6th from all seven of our Worcester Public Library locations. Check our website for the most up to date information about branch hours.   Here are some great Valentine’s Day books to read after you make your craft:  Snuggle Puppy!  (A Love Song) by Sandra Boynton   You are my Sweetheart by Joyce Wan   Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug  written by Jonathan Stutzman and illustrated by Jay Fleck  Love Is written by Diane Adams and illustrated by Claire Keane  Only available in libraries outside of Worcester. Please contact us if you need help requesting this. Here comes Valentine Cat written by Deborah Unde...

  Truck Full of Ducks by Ross Burach If you haven’t already discovered author and illustrator Ross Burach, you are in for oodles of fun! Ross Burach is a fantastic children’s picture book author whose stories and illustrations make me snort with joy! One of my favorite books of his is Truck Full of Ducks . Now, what do you think about when you see this title? Maybe some ducks just chillin’ in a truck right? Well these ducks in this truck are hilarious ducks! They work for a burly dog who makes duck deliveries because you know who wouldn’t want the help of a duck or two? What do ducks in a truck do exactly then? They drink lots and lots of “Bladder Buster”. Yes, you heard me right! These ducks who are all stuck on a truck each helped themselves to a shared Dunkin’ Donuts looking plastic cup full of “Bladder Buster” and wouldn’t you know-they all have to wee! Bumpy ride ensues. We learn that one of the ducks accidentally eats the delivery directions...so just who called for a truc...

Many of the mysteries that are highlighted here are a part of a series. Worcester doesn't own all of the titles listed in the series but we are more than happy to help you get them from another library! Precious and The Mystery of the Missing Lion : A Precious Ramotswe Mystery for Young Readers (Book #3) written by Alexander McCall Smith and illustrated by Iain McIntosh While filming a movie outside of her Aunt Bee’s house, a trained lion named Teddy escapes! Will Precious survive the African bush to track down Teddy and bring him back? Check out more Precious Ramotswe Mysteries here:  *Precious Ramotswe's First Cases series: Book 1: The Great Cake Mystery Book 2: Precious and the Mystery of Meerkat Hill Book 3: The Mystery of the Missing Lion (Also available in eBook and audiobook formats) Book 4: Precious and the Zebra Necklace (Books 2 and 4 are currently unavailable in Worcester) Fabio, The World’s Greatest Flamingo Detective: Mystery on the Ostrich Express (Book #2) ...

Have you checked out this month's escape room: The Case of the Missing Time Capsule! Find it here ! In honor of The Case of the Missing Time Capsule (and all its mysteriousness) we would love to highlight our favorite mysteries!  Look out for Mystery Books Part 2! The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter by Aaron Reynolds When Rex’s new pet chicken dies a little over an hour after getting him, he is suddenly able to see and understand the ghosts of dead animals. Although this mystery has a creepy plot, it is also quite funny much like some of Aaron Reynolds' other books! Julieta and the Diamond Enigma by Luisana Duarte Armendáriz A diamond has gone missing from the Louvre and it is up to nine-year-old Julieta to prove her father’s innocence and find the real thief. The Longest Night of Charlie Noon by Christopher Edge Johnny, Dizzy, and Charlie are lost in the woods at nightfall and must work together to find a way out! Midnight at the Barclay Hotel  written by Fleur Bradley ...

Grace Lin's The Last Marshmallow is a great early math book. Two girls come in from playing outside and decide to warm up with hot cocoa. There are two girls, the two cups of cocoa, and three marshmallows. The girls must problem solve what to do with the uneven number! They quickly decide to pull it in half. Both girls are happy. The simple story and basic introduction to fractions is just right for the preschooler in my life. There are a few other books in the "Storytelling Math" series (Check out our blog post "Storytelling Math" series for the other titles).   We've also been enjoying:  In the Half Room  written by Carson Ellis . This book is a bit of a strange one, matter-of-factly describing a house where everything is in half. The illustrations are lovely, as is the simple satisfaction of some things left half, and other things made whole. The Blue House  written by Phoebe Wahl shows the tranquil familiarity of a father and son who live in a very lov...