Celebrating Children’s Book Week at the library

Spring just seems like the right time of the year to acknowledge our love of literature and reading.

National Poetry Month and National Library Week both take place in April. And during the first week of May, children’s literature takes center stage with “Children’s Book Week.” Children’s Book Week is a yearly celebration that began in 1919, making it the longest running national literacy initiative in the country.

We can all remember that one book from our youth that opened our eyes and changed our world. Children’s books are our first introduction into the world of reading and literacy, and so we should celebrate them.

There are hundreds of children’s book throughout the Manatee County Public Library System that can be found in the children’s department at each location. Feel free to ask the youth services librarians for great book suggestions. Here are just a few recommendations:

An iconic picture book that is very popular for bedtime is Margaret Wise Brown’s “Goodnight, Moon” about a child saying goodnight to their room before bed. Madeleine L’Engle’s 1963 Newbery Award winning chapter book, “A Wrinkle in Time,” is a science-fantasy classic and is in production as a Walt Disney film with a scheduled release date of April 2018.

Another classic children’s series is C.S. Lewis’ “Chronicles of Narnia” about four British children entering a magical world though an enchanted wardrobe and the journey they embark on. “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” is the first (and best known) title in this series.

You may also want to give “Novelist Plus K-8” a try. This library database, found on the library’s home page (www.mymanatee.org/library) assists parents and teachers in locating appropriate reading material for children by matching their reading abilities and interests up to middle school reading level. You can also find NextReads newsletters for kids here, too. Click on the “Kids” link on the library’s website for both.

The library system also offers various programs celebrating children’s books and reading.

The Braden River library hosts two weekly story times, Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. and Thursdays at noon. The Rocky Bluff library also hosts two story times, Tuesdays at 10:15 a.m. and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. The Island library hosts its story times on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. The South Manatee library has its story time on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. The Palmetto library offers a Spanish-speaking musical motion program on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. The Central library offers Early Literacy Kits (“ELK”s) that are available for checkout. These kits are geared to specific age groups (up through age 9) and contain books, puzzles, and other items on various subjects (everything from pizza to electronics) all with the aim of developing important learning skills and to encourage a love of reading. All libraries will be celebrating Free Comic Book Day on May 6 throughout the day.

Ask your local youth services librarians for information about upcoming summer reading programs, too. Happy reading.

This story was originally published April 28, 2017 at 5:02 PM with the headline "Celebrating Children’s Book Week at the library."