This month (and every third Monday in January) on Monday, January 16th, we honor Martin Luther King Jr., an incredibly influential and inspiring African American who helped to lead the fight against prejudice and racism in order to create a better world for all people.  "In our hearts we know that we can treat ALL people with fairness and respect. We can carry on the work of Martin Luther King"  Lets Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day   written by Barbara deRubertis and illustrated by Gershom Griffith A leveled reader for beginners that describes the life of Martin Luther King Jr.  Here are some books celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.'s amazing life and how we can carry forth his legacy today and everyday:  Public Profiles: Martin Luther King Jr.   by New York Times Education Publishing Profiles and new stories of MLK Jr. published in the New York Times throughout his life.  For Every One  by Jason Reynolds A poem read during the unveili...

The eight-day Festival of Lights, Hanukkah has started (December 18th-26th). Read these books to get in the festive mood and have a wonderful holiday as you light candles, spin dreidels, open gifts, cook latkes, and gather with friends and family.   The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s 8 Nights of Chanukah by Eric Carle A board book for our littlest readers. Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins written by Eric A. Kimmel and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman Also available in DVD format. Yitzi and the Giant Menorah by Richard Ungar This title is available to request from libraries outside of Worcester. The Parakeet Named Dreidel written by Isaac Bashevis Singer and illustrated by Suzanne Raphael Berkson This title is available to request from libraries outside of Worcester. Little Red Ruthie: A Hanukkah Tale by Gloria Koster and Sue Eastland Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas written by Pamela Ehrenberg and illustrated by Anjan Sarkar Chanukah Lights Everywhere written by Michael Rosen and il...

November 28th is Red Planet Day!  Let’s celebrate our most explored and fourth planet in our solar system, Mars. NASA currently has two rovers, one helicopter, and one lander exploring it. Maybe someday astronauts (and perhaps even you!) will visit Mars. Visit NASA’s website on Mars   and Deep Space exploration from the Moon to Mars here  for more information from real astronauts.  Check out these great books and take your own special trip to the Red Planet:   Mars! Earthlings Welcome  written by Stacy McAnulty and illustrated by Steve Lewis Also available in Wonderbook format (illustrated by Matt Godfrey and Findaway World, LLC. Curiosity :  la historia de un robot explorador de Marte written and illustrated by Markus Motum and translated by Carlos Mayor The Story of a Mars Rover   the English title is also available to request from libraries outside of Worcester.  Exploring Space : From Galileo to the Mars Rover and Beyond  written...

If you are in Worcester there is probably a walking trail near you. Did you know one even has a very small waterfall? Click  here   for a list of Worcester's urban hiking locations and enjoy the fall leaves and beautiful scenery all around you.  Here are some great titles to get you ready to enjoy the great outdoors: Finding Wild written by Megan Wagner Lloyd and illustrated by Abigail Halpin This title is available to request from libraries outside of Worcester. This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers The Spanish title Este alce es mío is also available. The Not-So-Great Outdoors by Madeline Kloepper This title is available to request from libraries outside of Worcester. Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer  The Hike by Alison Farrell  -Rebecca

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...