May We Suggest? This post contains recommendations from a CPL librarian. To get your own customized recommendation, just fill out the May We Suggest form — you can expect results within 10 days. All suggestions can be found on the May We Suggest blog or by liking May We Suggest on facebook.

Celebrate National Tell a Story Day on April 27th

Here at the library we love stories. It's kind of our thing! On April 27th we can all access our storytelling muscles as we celebrate National Tell a Story Day. We have so many to share with you, and of course, you could always make up your own--as silly, scary, or magical as you like. Have a great day!

Can you come out and play?

If you woke up tomorrow in Egypt with a yen for a good game of tag, you could find it. Then you could hop on your magic carpet and fly to Thailand to play Go Fish with some new friends. Later, you could seesaw until the cows come home in Ireland. Everyone loves to play and the universal appeal of games and goofing around is joyfully evident in COME OUT AND PLAY.

Brilliant, full-color photographs portray exuberant, playful kids from over 35 countries engaging in games of all kinds.

 

After being denied a seat on a New York City streetcar, Elizabeth Jennings begins the fight for equality by telling her story in churches, to newspapers, and finally in the courtroom.

The three billy goats buenos by 1955- Susan Middleton Elya

A rhyming twist on the classic tale in which the goats help fix what is making the troll so grumpy in order to cross the bridge. Incorporates Spanish words and includes a glossary.

Wait, rest, pause : dormancy in nature by Marcie Flinchum Atkins

If you were dormant / waiting out the cold, the dry, the heat / you would pause.

Captivating photos of animals accompany simple, engaging text to explain dormancy in nature. This highly curricular book teaches young readers about different kinds of dormancy and which animals do what. Featuring creatures like ladybugs, chickadees, squirrels, and even alligators, this book won't put curious kids to sleep!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T : Aretha Franklin, the queen of soul by 1956- Carole Boston Weatherford

Aretha Franklin was born to sing. The daughter of a pastor and a gospel singer, her musical talent was clear from her earliest days in her father's Detroit church. Aretha sang with a soaring voice that spanned more than three octaves. Her incredible talent and string of hit songs earned her the title "the Queen of Soul." This Queen was a multi-Grammy winner and the first female inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And there was even more to Aretha than being a singer, songwriter, and pianist: she was an activist, too. Her song "Respect" was an anthem for people fighting for civil rights and women's rights. With words that sing and art that shines, this vibrant portrait of Aretha Franklin pays her the R-E-S-P-E-C-T this Queen of Soul deserves.

Avocado asks by Momoko Abe

An avocado faces an identity crisis when it doesn't know if it's a fruit or a vegetable.

Oona by Kelly DiPucchio

Oona and her best friend Otto love to search for treasure but often find messy, tricky, and even shark-related trouble, instead.

Doug prefers not to be hugged, but there are a variety of other ways his loved ones can show him affection.

Yasmin the recycler by Saadia Faruqi

Yasmin is thrilled about her school's new recycling program, but getting her friends to pitch in is no easy task.

Breathing, thinking ahead, and calming down--mindfulness includes all this and more. Sesame Street characters present big emotions readers have likely faced alongside simple solutions like belly breathing to help kids cope with what they're feeling.