Kids

Whoo's Awake in the Night? Presented by the Virginia Wildlife Center

Can You Dig It? Comedy, juggling, magic show coming in July

Dig Into Reading: Kids' Summer Reading Club

Book Buzz: Our Latest Picks for Kids

Shake, Rattle & Turn That Noise Down! by Mark Alan Stamaty

The Dark by Lemony Snicket and illustrated by Jon Klassen

Kids Blog

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin

Cats, Colors, LibraryPoint Blog, Picture Books, shoes, Singing, Wini Ashooh, Shelf Life Blog, Book Buzz Blog, Kids Blog, Picture Books

01/27/2011 - 8:31am

Pete the cat loves his white shoes. He loves them so very much that he sings about them. One day while he is walking and singing he steps in some strawberries and his shoes turn red. But instead of becoming angry, he sings about how much he loves his red shoes. When he steps in mud and his shoes turn brown, instead of becoming angry, he sings about how much he loves his brown shoes. The book Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin and illustrated by James Dean is a great picture book about a cat that "goes with the flow."

Pete's philosophy is summed up at the end by his statement that "no matter what you step in just keep walking along and singing your song."

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One Librarian's Favorite 2010 Books for Ages 7-10

Bridget Harvey, Capitol Choices, Children's Book Columns, LibraryPoint Blog, Rebecca Purdy, Kids Blog

01/26/2011 - 2:48pm

Since March, Capitol Choices, a group of public and school librarians, booksellers and children’s literature specialists have been attending meetings monthly to find the one hundred best books of 2010 for young people. Members take their charge seriously, committing to read everything nominated in a specific age group.

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2012: Enter the Year of the Dragon

Chinese folktales, Chinese New Year, Dragons -- fiction, Holidays, LibraryPoint Blog, Virginia Johnson, Kids Blog, Teen Blog, Holidays

12/22/2011 - 3:38pm

January 23, 2012, marks the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Dragon. In Chinese astrology, people born in the Year of the Dragon are believed to be passionate, intelligent, brave, and self-confident. Years featuring the dragon are supposed to be strong ones for business and finances.

In folklore and fantasy books, dragons steal the show with their power and intelligence. In Western stories, there are wicked dragons, such as Smaug in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. There is the rather famous Reluctant Dragon, by Kenneth Grahame, who is a little too kind and civilized to be slain and turned into the latest trophy on Saint George's castle wall. In Chinese legend, dragons are known for their power and ancient wisdom. Their somewhat human children might be warriors or handsome royals or simply wise and witty in the way that dragons are. Real humans who go up against them had better have their wits about them.

To read more about legendary Chinese dragons and how they are remembered in today's celebrations, check out our book list, Year of the Dragon.

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