Come explore real-life ghost stories and other paranormal mysteries at the library…if you dare! They’re shelved together at the very start of the non-fiction section – look for the 001s and 133s or ask a staff member to point the way.

Ghosts: a nonfiction companion to A good night for ghosts / by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce; illustrated by Sal Murdocca

Are you afraid yet?: the science behind scary stuff / written by Stephen James O'Meara; illustrated by Jeremy Kaposy

Haunted histories: creepy castles, dark dungeons, and powerful palaces / J. H. Everett and Marilyn Scott-Waters

Beastly tales: Yeti, Bigfoot, and the Loch Ness Monster / written by Malcolm Yorke

The mystery of the Bermuda Triangle / Chris Oxlade

Are you psychic?: the official guide for kids / Helaine Becker; Claudia Dávila, illustrator

The mystery of UFOs / by Judith Herbst; illustrated by Greg Clarke

Encyclopedia horrifica: the terrifying truth! about vampires, ghosts, monsters, and more / Joshua Gee

Want to discover a library secret? Go ahead and take a trip to the 782 section of the children’s nonfiction shelves and you’ll discover something amazing. Hidden treasures! Picture books that are meant to be SUNG! Some are traditional, others are silly – but all are crowdpleasing. Here are a few recommendations to warm up your singing voice:

Baby Beluga / Raffi; illustrations by Ashley Wolff

Down by the Station / Jennifer Riggs Vetter; illustrations by Frank Remkiewicz

Hush, Little Baby / adapted and illustrated by Brian Pinkney

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! / Karen Beaumont; illustrated by David Catrow

I Love You! A Bushel & a Peck / Frank Loesser; pictures by Rosemary Wells

Let's Play in the Forest While the Wolf is not Around / Claudia Rueda

Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy / Jan Thomas

Pete the Cat: I Love my White Shoes / Eric Litwin; art by James Dean

The Seals on the Bus / Lenny Hort; illustrated by G. Brian Karas

It’s not always easy finding the right books to place in the hands of brand new readers. Letting kiddos choose their own books is a surefire strategy for creating excitement about reading – you can use the five finger rule to decide if a book is too hard for a child. If you want some tried and true favorites, take a look at the Geisel Award winners and mosey on over to your library to find these awesome early readers!:

I spy Fly Guy! / Tedd Arnold

Rabbit & Robot: the sleepover / Cece Bell

Are you my mother? / P. D. Eastman

Penny and her song / Kevin Henkes

Zelda and Ivy: keeping secrets / Laura McGee Kvasnosky

Ling & Ting: not exactly the same! / Grace Lin

Frog and Toad are friends / Arnold Lobel

There is a bird on your head! / Mo Willems

Can you believe that the first Harry Potter book is now celebrating its 15th anniversary of publication in the U.S.? Go ahead and celebrate by reading the whole groundbreaking series! Or, if you're craving something similarly awesome, check out the first book in another excellent fantasy series:

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

Half Magic by Edward Eager

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

Magyk by Angie Sage

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Leguin

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

When kids have questions, the books of David Macaulay are a solid place to start seeking answers. Macaulay’s nonfiction explores the art, design, and mechanics of buildings, technology, the human body, and more. His books are heavily illustrated and visually engaging, with clear writing that respects the interests and abilities of children. Come to the library to browse his fascinating work for yourself!

Classic Macaulay

Building Big // Castle // Cathedral // Mosque // Pyramid

The new way things work

The way we work : getting to know the amazing human body

New and exciting -- for early readers!

Castle: How it Works

Jet Plane: How it Works

Can’t get enough? Look for David Macaulay’s award-winning picture books on our shelves, and check out this awesome TED talk for a glimpse of his creative process:

 

Play has a direct link to early literacy experience. Play and stories work together to encourage creativity, imagination, and dexterity: all skills that help your child learn.  

If you have DUPLOS at home, try some of the acitivities in the the Read! Build! Play! at Home Toolkit developed by LEGO in partnership with The Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC).  

We also have DUPLOS and LEGOS for your child to play with  at many library locations. Bring your child of any age in to one of our monthly LEGO Mania! clubs, where they can play and build with others. 

LEGO Mania! Monthly Lego Clubs

First Tuesdays at 4pm at the Eastmont Library

First Fridays at 3:30pm at the Dimond Library

Second Thursdays at 3pm at the Main Library Children's Room

Second Fridays at 3pm at the Lakeview Library 

Third Fridays at 3pm at the West Oakland Library

Ask your Librarian for other ways for your child to play at the library!

Malik Pedraza-Palomino is ready to fly with his LEGO creation at the 81st Avenue Library.  

Woohoo, April Fools' Day! Did your kiddos celebrate with a prank or two? Keep that funny bone tickled with these joke, riddle, and wordplay books for young tricksters:

Ha! ha! ha!: 1,000+ jokes, riddles, facts, and more by Lyn Thomas

Jokelopedia: the biggest, best, silliest, dumbest, joke book ever! by Ilana Weitzman, Eva Blank, and Rosanne Green

Knock, knock! by Saxton Freymann et al.

Palindromania! by Jon Agee

Riddle me this!: riddles and stories to challenge your mind by Hugh Lupton

Six sick sheep: 101 tongue twisters by Joanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson

Why did the chicken cross the road? by Marla Frazee et al.

You must be joking!: lots of cool jokes by Paul Brewer

So far, Jeff Kinney has released seven volumes of his phenomenally popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid books – a series that I have seen 2^nd to 7^th grade students enthusiastically devour. Want more illustrated chapter books? Try handing these to young readers hooked by Greg Heffley’s comic missteps:

Angleberger, Tom. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda series.

Morse, Scott. Magic Pickle series.

Moss, Marissa. Amelia’s Notebook series.

Peirce, Lincoln. Big Nate series.

Russell, Rachel. Dork Diaries series.

Scieszka, Jon. Spaceheadz series.

Vernon, Ursula. Dragonbreath series.

Do you have recommendations too? Post ‘em in the comments!