Parents today are understandably concerned with raising children who care about the planet. There are many ways to teach them to protect their immediate surroundings, and more importantly, planet Earth! A great approach is through books. Countless children’s books at the Thunder Bay Public Library offer meaningful information about saving the planet by exploring topics... Continue Reading →
New Picture Book Choices
Despite all the challenges children are facing in today’s world, one thing is still a constant: Thunder Bay Public Library continues to add some fabulous new picture books to our collection, and this is a great opportunity to showcase some new favourites! I Am Brown is a gorgeous new picture book written by Ashok Banker... Continue Reading →
Interview with Constance O’Connor
A scientist who has studied animal behaviour extensively, Constance O’Connor is fascinated by the complexity of animal families, and enjoys talking to children about nature. She lives in Thunder Bay, Canada, with her husband and kids. Constance and her co-writer, Natalia Rojas, will be visiting the Waverley Community Hub on Saturday, February 29th to read... Continue Reading →
Interview with Clementia Kiele
Clementia Kiele was born on a small island in Papua New Guinea known as the Admiralty Islands, which is two degrees off the equator. Though she didn’t grow up with her parents reading bedtime stories, her parents instead told bedtime stories. She migrated from Papua New Guinea to Canada 19 years ago. After obtaining her... Continue Reading →
Starting Kindergarten
It feels like it can’t be possible but walk into any store and you’ll see the shelves beginning to fill up with shiny new school supplies. Some children (and let’s face it, some adults) look forward to a new school year with anticipation and excitement. There are always the others, however, that face September with... Continue Reading →
Fractured Fairy Tales
Working with children you read, re-read, and re-re-read stories all the time. Though we all have a favourite, even the best fairy tale (shout out to Strega Nona) can make you want to skip a few pages when you’ve read it too much. Enter stage right: fractured fairy tales – Hilarious renditions of classic tales... Continue Reading →
The Books Without Words
Reading a story with your child can be pure magic. Creating the voices of the characters, infusing them with emotion, observing your young ones recognizing letters and words on the pages, are all parts of the experience. Given all that, why would anyone choose a picture book without words? Wordless picture books offer a fabulous... Continue Reading →
Five Reasons for Kids to Read Non-Fiction and Five Non-Fiction Books to Inspire and Enjoy
What a whirlwind it has been at the Thunder Bay Public Library this past week of March Break! Besides seeing the children enjoying wonderful programs, we have seen books figuratively “flying off the shelves.” Often, the first picks for recreational reading were picture books for the young and paperback fiction for the older children. No... Continue Reading →
Celebrating Our Differences in Picture Books
Children adore picture books for a huge variety of reasons, as do their caregivers. Some prefer books that amuse, some go for bold, bright illustrations, and others like to see their own lives represented in the story. When it comes to celebrating our differences, there are a multitude of picture books available. What’s My Superpower?... Continue Reading →
Future Favourite Picture Books
When it comes to reading, many children lock on to one or two favourite picture books, insisting that they be read over, and over, and over. While there is recognized value in repetition (letter and word recognition, rhythm, and development of vocabulary are just a few examples), sometimes you just want to try something new!... Continue Reading →