Children’s Services – Heights Libraries

Classroom Visits

Attention elementary teachers! Schedule a classroom (grades PreK-5) visit to one our Heights Library branches! Guest readers and library visits are just a click away. Simply fill out the request form below and a staff member will be in touch. We hope to see you soon!

Click here to fill out a request.

Our Collection

Picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, books on CD, Playaway Views, magazines, and a large non-fiction collection ensure that there is something for every reading level.

Visit our branches and talk to a librarian, check out recommendations on our blog, or browse our catalog.

Programs

From storytimes for babies and toddlers to special programs for the school-age set, our children’s programs make learning fun.

Online Resources

Our Youth Librarians have selected a wide variety of digital resources for teachers, parents/guardians, and other caregivers.

Children’s Blog Recent Posts

Indigenous Heritage Books for Youth

November is National Native American History Month. We’re fortunate that the last several years have seen an increase in the number of books reflecting the diverse, vibrant indigenous cultures of this land. These new opportunities to learn about and celebrate these people, histories, and traditions can only enrich our experience of this place we call home. I’ll share some of my favorites with you here and encourage you to seek out books and stories by indigenous authors. There’s something for everyone in this growing collection of written knowledge. We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorrell and Frane Lessac A beautiful picture book about the modern day lives and traditions of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, featuring Tsalagi (Cherokee) vocabulary, and information about the Tsalagi syllabary. Traci Sorrell’s other books are all highly recommended! When We Were Alone by David A. Robinson and Julie Flett A Cree child’s curiosity brings out a grandmother’s stories about life in a residential school, including the ways she and the other children resisted by continuing their cultural practices in secret. Now, the child’s elders always do what was not allowed at the school. Just Like Grandma by Kim Rogers and Julie Flett Becca wants to be just like her grandma, and so learns from her grandma how to do everything from dancing to painting. But her grandma also wants to be just like Becca. This is a lovely story about family ties and passing knowledge between generations, in all directions. We All Play/Kimetawanaw by Julie Flett This book, both written and illustrated by Julie Flett (of whom I am clearly fond; Flett is one of my favorite illustrators) is a joyful little meditation for toddlers about how little humans and other little animals play. This title includes Cree vocabulary. My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom and Steph Littlebird A gorgeously illustrated new entry into the pantheon of books about the cultural importance of hair, this book focuses on one child’s journey with growing and cutting her hair and embracing all the power and tradition it holds. Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis and Traci Sorrell In 1953, the United States Congress passed a resolution disbanding indigenous tribes, selling their land, and relocating them to other parts of the country. This middle grade novel brings these events, often called “The Termination Era,” to life, following an Umpqua family who is relocated to Los Angeles from their tribal lands in Oregon. The back matter includes more historical information about this period, as well as photographs. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants for Young Adults by Robin Wall Kimmerer, adapted by Monique Gray Smith and Nicole Neidhardt I have recommended the original version of Braiding Sweetgrass on this blog before and I am thrilled to have a young readers’ edition to recommend as well. This edition of the book is simplified, beautifully illustrated, and intentionally designed to be accessible for all types of learners and readers. We’re so lucky to have a new entry point for all of this juicy wisdom. An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, adapted by Jean Mendoza and Debbie Reese This book is a factual retelling of this continent’s history from the indigenous perspective. I will not lie, even in this more simplified, accessible edition designed for young adults, this is often difficult reading. But the things I learned in reading this book about the struggles and resistance of indigenous peoples have shifted how I think about the world in a way that few other books have. I highly recommend either edition!
Doggedly Delightful Middle Grade Fiction

Have you noticed all of the Heights Libraries’ dog-friendly programs in the latest Check Us Out? From the K-6th grade read-to-a-therapy dog program, Sit! Stay Read! (Lee Road), to dog safety and Reading & Rescue collaboration with City Dogs (UH), Heights Libraries is ready for some tail wagging fun! With that in mind, here are some middle grade fiction titles that feature delightful dog tales (and tails). Dogtown by Katherine Applegate imagines a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose owners have outgrown them. When Chance and Metal Head embark on an adventure to find their forever homes, there is danger, cheese sandwiches, a charging station, and some unexpected kindnesses. No Place Like Home by James Bird Opin, his brother Emjay, and their mother are trying to get to Los Angeles, where they hope a new life is waiting. When Opin finds a stray dog who needs him as much as he needs her, his longing for a stable home intensifies in this emotionally compelling story of family, history, and hope. Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac is a powerful story of a girl who learns more about her Penacook heritage while sheltering in place with her grandparents during the coronavirus pandemic. Both Can Be True by Jules Machias explores identity, gender fluidity, and the power of friendship and acceptance in this dual-narrative story. Daniel and Ash are two kids who join forces to save a dog and wind up saving each other. Code Name: Serendipity by Amber Smith Eleven-year-old Sadie’s school year is off to an awful start, but when she comes across a stray dog, she discovers something wonderful and magical–she and the dog, Dewey, are able to communicate telepathically. When Dewey is captured and sent to a shelter, Sadie takes action in this reaffirming, magical, and uplifting story of friendship, family, and believing in yourself. I, Cosmo by Carlie Sorosiak A golden retriever narrates a hilarious, heart-tugging tale of a dog and his humans as he tries to keep his family together while everything around them falls apart. The Dog Knight by Jeremy Whitley This first in series graphic novel follows a nonbinary middle schooler who saves a dog from bullies and is offered the chance to become the Dog Knight, protector of a magical pact between humans and dogs. From realistic fiction on emotional topics to imagined tales and adventures, these heartwarming and fast paced stories are likely to hold the interest of dog-lovers of . Don’t worry, readers… the dogs are okay in these stories.
Butterflies at the Library

If you visit our Coventry Village Branch, you’ll get more than your standard library services at this time of year. Our reference desks are staffed by not just friendly library workers, but also some remarkable visitors: monarch butterflies. Here at Coventry, we participate in two citizen science programs: Monarch Watch and Journey North. Through our participation, professional scientists get more data on monarch migrations, and our patrons get to watch the monarch life cycle unfold. Some are lucky enough to witness the most amazing stage: Last week, towards the end of a busy day, it seemed as though the whole world stopped to watch a monarch butterfly emerge from its chrysalis. An awe-inspired hush fell over us, colleagues and patrons, adults and children alike, as we took in this miracle of nature. And then came our curiosity: How on Earth does this even work? We have opportunities coming up to satisfy that curiosity. On Wednesday, September 6 at 4 p.m., we’ll be partnering with the National Park Service for Monarch Butterflies: A Season of Migration. Registration begins today! On Thursday, October 5 at 4 p.m., our youth services librarians will be offering a child-focused Milkweed and Monarchs program in our collaborative garden! We’ll be participating in Journey North’s Symbolic Monarch Migration again this year. And every day, we offer many excellent books about monarchs and other butterflies. Here are just a few: Traveling Butterflies by Susumu Shingu is a beautiful work of art and one of my personal favorites. Monarch Butterfly by Gail Gibbons, master of nonfiction, is an extremely informative picture book. Monarch and Milkweed by Helen Frost & Leonid Gore strikes a balance between beautiful illustrations and information. Finally, Waiting for Wings, in Lois Ehlert’s signature cut paper illustrations, shows the life cycle of several butterfly species and highlights the plants that pollinators love. As of today, we’re working alongside about a dozen chrysalises, as well as several caterpillars of all sizes. Visit us soon to learn more about these amazing creatures!
Tech Tales

Children of all ages are facing a whole new world of technology. If you’re looking for stories that feature contemplative, humorous, or critical approaches to technology’s increasing influence on daily life, you won’t have to look too far. For questions and concerns about everything from screen time, cyberbullying, internet fame, AI, and virtual worlds, these notable titles may lead to some insightful conversations with the young readers in your life. Friend Me by Sheila M. Averbuch A new girl at school finds herself stuck between an online bully and an online friend in this middle grade thriller. (age 9-12) Bad Kitty Gets a Phone by Nick Bruel The infamous star of the hilarious series has her heart set on a cell phone… what could go wrong? (age 7+) Me Myselfie, & I: A Cautionary Tale by Jamie Lee Curtis In a world obsessed with self-documentation comes a tale that shows us with humor and love that the best things happen while the smartphone is turned off. (age 4-8) Maya and the Robot by Eve Ewing A forgotten homemade robot who comes to life just when aspiring fifth-grade scientist Maya needs a friend. (age 8-12) Katie Friedman Gives Up Texting! (And Lives to Tell About It) by Tom GreenwaldA text goes wrong and Katie learns that sometimes you need to disconnect to connect. (age 9-12) The Couch Potato by Jory John When the electricity goes out a spud learns that balancing screen time and playtime is the root to true happiness. (age 4-8) Jinxed by Amy McCulloch A coding star enters an elite technology academy and discovers a world of competition, intrigue, and family secrets. (age 9-12) Gamer Army by Trent Reedy Five gamers are recruited into a tech giant’s secret program and have a growing suspicion that the game may not be what it seems. (age 9-12) Click’d by Tamara Ireland Stone A girl at CodeGirls summer camp develops a fun new app, but she realizes after it gains popularity that it risks everyone’s privacy. (age 8-12) My Life as a Coder by Janet Tashjian A boy received an exciting new gift with a catch: the laptop has no Wi-Fi so he can’t use it for gaming. If he wants to play computer games, he’ll have to learn how to code them himself. (age 9-12)

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