Dancer in Brazil by Diego Rosa on Unsplash.jpg

 

 

Looking for inspiration to start your next dance party? Maybe you just need a rest from an endless succession of dance breaks?

Try some of the dance-themed reads listed below. Those intended for older audiences are further down. Those at the beginning might be appreciated by all ages.

And of course, there are always more dance books to be found in our library catalog. Use the search options to browse our collections, you can use keywords and subject headings to find different lists of items to browse. You can also ask a librarian for assistance.

Flora and the peacocks by Molly Schaar Idle
Also available in: e-book

In this wordless book with interactive flaps, a little girl named Flora forms a friendship with two peacocks as the three learn to dance together. You can find Flora in many other books if you can't get enough. She's also on Hoopla.

 

Can't get enough stories about literature and people who create and distribute it? Explore the following titles that touch on topics like the importance of books and libraries, the hidden lives of authors and librarians, and more.

How to read a book by Kwame Alexander
Also available in: e-audiobook

A poetic and beautiful journey about the experience of reading. Begins with planting oneself beneath a tree and leads to a book party one hopes will never end.

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
Also available in: e-book | audiobook | e-audiobook | video | e-video

A celebration of making your home with the things you always carry: your resilience, your dreams, your hopes and history. It's the story of finding your way in a new place, where one beacon of hope and support is the local library.

A sparkler in Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by Jamie Street from Unsplash

 

Complete one READ square by doing one thing to renew your interest in reading or to spice up your reading life.

 

Readers of all ages, interests, and skill levels sometimes have trouble generating enthusiasm to pick up a book. Maybe you are a young reader trying to gain skills, maybe you are a reader who hasn't found a book you truly enjoy yet, or maybe you are normally an avid reader who has lost the ability to concentrate on a story.

 

Regardless of what has caused your reading rut, try a few of these tips to get your reading spark firing again. Even if your reading pace has not flagged, use these tips to bring a fun twist to your reading life.

 

  • Return to a book you love. Familiar stories can be revisited without the same level of energy required to start something new. An old favorite can also bring comfort during a stressful time.

 

  • Explore a different format. Regardless of age or interest, there are picture books and graphic novels available for every level; a visual story might be more engaging. Or dive into an audio book and just embrace the sound of words. 

 

  • Grab a book of poems. Ranging from silly to serious, poems or novels in verse use a more minimalist approach to language that might be appealing.

 

 

 

  • Pair a book with a movie. Read and then watch, and then discuss with a friend or family member. Which did you like better?

 

  • Focus on writing. Try keeping a journal, writing a poem, or writing letters to people you love and miss seeing. Get your brain thinking about words.
Bend in the path through a forest near Marl Lake, Michigan
Child at bottom of stairs by Jukan Tateisi on Unsplash

 

Complete one READ square by setting a challenge. 

A traditional summer reading challenge takes the form of reading a set number of books, or a set number of pages, or even a set number of minutes. Recently, reading challenges have expanded in scope and offer many ways to broaden your reading horizons. You can choose any reading challenge that fits your needs, and here are a few suggestions.

 

Just the Data

  • Use our 62 Days of Summer tracking sheets to keep track of basic numbers. Write down titles as you read them, or color in time units. Choose the best method for you. 
  • Try Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza Tracker to track your reading streaks and unlock book donations.
  • If you’re focusing on numbers this summer, you might find that committing to a Goodreads challenge helps you keep track of your efforts and you can maintain it over time.

 

Gentle Guidance

One of the most basic reading challenges is Gene Luen Yang’s Read Without Walls Challenge. Only three books long, you read one book about a character who’s unlike you, one book about a topic you know nothing about, and one book in a format you don’t usually read.

 

Looking for Extras

  • Barnes and Noble has a Summer Reading journal for grades 1-6. Print and fill out the journal, and then it becomes a coupon for a free book.
  • Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor has a Summer Reading Club for grades K-8 in which participants can read to earn a series of $6 coupons.
  • Join SYNC, a free audiobook summer program for teens and gain access to select free audiobooks through July.

 

Laser Focus

Are you keen on a theme? Love westerns, or want to only read mysteries this summer? Penguin Random House has compiled a series of 20-book challenges all centered on different themes. There are even themes designed for readers who want to expand their horizons, including one made up of debut novels and one with many different genres.

Woman reading under a tree by Start Digital on Unsplash
Single Person Having a Dance Break in their Home

 

Complete this square by hosting a home dance party or by choosing a dance activity of your choosing.

To host a home dance party you will need:

  • A Person or Persons interested in dancing (required)
  • Music (recommended)
  • Special Outfits (optional)
  • Disco Ball, Instruments, Scarves or other Accessories (optional)

 

Music Resources from the Library

  • Find dance music on Hoopla** or browse its Dance Your Way to Health video category.
  • Explore our Alexander Street American Music database,** which features an entire dance category. For other music and movement tastes, Alexander Street also has Jazz, and Classical Music options.
  • Check Out our Summer Jams playlists for more music ideas.

**Hoopla and Alexander Street databases are accessible with a Canton Public Library card.

 

ePrint and eAudio Highlights

How do you dance? by Thyra Heder
Also available in: e-book

People of all different shapes, sizes, and ages demonstrate how they like to dance, but one boy does not want to dance and wants to be left alone. A lovely tribute to dancers of all ages and styles.

Dog Reading a Book by Jamie Street on Unsplash.jpg

 

Complete a READ square by reading something, or by doing something to put yourself in a literary frame of mind. So whether you already have a book in mind, or you need a little help getting started, we have some ideas for you.

 

 

Head back to the 62 Days of Summer home page for more ways to participate in the summer program.

CPL Librarians Preparing to Sing Skinnamarink to Home Viewers

 

Complete one READ square by attending a virtual program or using our resources to DIY a library program at home. For our full program listings, please take a look at our Program Calendar. For programs that perfectly fit the READ square, and further suggestions, please read on.

 

Storytimes

  • Looking for stories, songs, rhymes, and fun? Try our Far and Away Storytime on Wednesdays.
  • Want to create your own storytime? Explore our Share a Story blogs that are full of story, song, and rhyme suggestions that you can use at home.

 

At-Home Literacy Ideas

Explore our Lit Lab handouts for early literacy activity suggestions that you can use at home. Visit our Kids page and scroll down to our list of Lit Lab handouts by theme.

 

Virtual Book Clubs

Click on the program titles below for descriptions and registration information.

Create your own virtual book club using Hoopla Book Club Hub, or stay tuned for new programs at OverDrive's Together We Read. Get suggestions for how to host online

 

Virtual Writing Group

Attend our Adult Writers Group and make writing a regular part of your literary life.

 

 

Return to the main READ blog post.

Head back to the 62 Days of Summer home page for more ways to participate in the summer program.

 

Parents and caregivers have many difficult jobs, but talking about hard things with kids can be one of the most challenging. These discussions do not happen once, but over and over again as children grow. Sometimes the hardest part is getting started. The following books and resources can help you begin. 

e-Picture Books

Also available in: print

Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything. 

Reaching for the Moon book cover

 

Katherine Johnson was a talented mathematician in a field dominated by white men.

After graduating high school at the age of 15 in the midst of the Great Depression, she earned a full scholarship to West Virginia State Institute's math department. Johnson briefly taught high school and then in 1940 was one of the first Black graduate students chosen to integrate West Virginia University.

In 1953 she began work as a research mathematician for what would become NASA. Katherine Johnson shattered barriers for all women, but particularly for Black women, earning the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.

To celebrate the inspirational life of Katherine Johnson, check out the resources below or explore NASA's website. Learn about her and other amazing barrier-breaking mathematicians and scientists.

This is Johnson's autobiography, but there are many books to introduce readers to her life in the Children's Biography collection.

 

Did you miss our Gray Storytime this week? Don't worry, here's what you missed, plus a few more suggestions so you can create your own colorful storytime at home, complete with songs and stories.

Don't need a full storytime? Borrow a rhyme when you need a short distraction, or check out these materials and spend a few minutes reading together.

From Storytime

A day so gray by Marie Lamba

A winter's day is transformed from bleak to beautiful by warm friendship and a new perspective in a gentle story that encourages the appreciation and celebration of cozy pleasures and quiet joys. Use as inspiration to notice the colors around you.

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