Blog Entries

From Hats to Boots Storytime!

Are you ready to read this week? It’s cold outside so we’re getting all bundled up from our hats to our boots!

Before you get dress and head out for some winter fun, here’s a reminder to join our Winter Reading Challenge. You have until January 31st to read, log, and win! Learn more at HandleyRegional.org/youthwinterreading. 

So, let’s get dressed up for some cold weather play. You can find some books with a warm winter theme when you type into the search bar: #warmandcozy. The tag will show you some warm and cozy books like these: 

Under my...

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Winter Tracks Storytime

Are you ready to read this week? With the snow falling, you may just see some interesting tracks in the snow. Who made them?

We’re starting our new year off by cuddling up with some books during our Winter Reading Challenge. Our theme this year is “Books Like Us” and you can learn how to join by going to handleyregional.org/youthwinterreading.

This week we have some great books on some winter animals so type into the search bar above, #woodlandanimals to find some great books, such as:

Baby Bear by Kadir Nelson - As Baby Bear tries to find his way home thr...

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Gingerbread Jamboree Storytime!

Last week we baked some cookies, but left a special kind of cookie for a storytime of its own: Gingerbread!

Look up this week's tag: #gingerbreadjam for some great gingerbread stories. If you’re looking for some holiday jamboree to cover some of the great family traditions in our reading program, search #holidayjamboree. If you haven't signed up yet, there's still time!

This week we’ll highlight a few must read gingerbread books, including:

The Gingerbread Man, retold by Jim Aylesworth: In this irresistible retelling, the Gingerbread Man taunts a crowd o...

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Baking Cookies Storytime!

We’re looking forward to some seasonal baking and our favorite is baking cookies! We have some great suggestions for some cookie baking books, whether you like to bake, decorate, or just eat cookies! 

When you search the tag: #cookiesforeveryone you’ll see some great story options such as:

The Doorbell Rang by Pat Huchins:  Ma makes a batch of a dozen chocolate chip cookies for her children Victoria and Sam. Each child has six cookies. But when the doorbell rings and friends drop by, the cookies must be shared. The doorbell rings again, and again, and again.....

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Turkey Trouble Storytime

Are you Ready to Read this week? We’re having some Thanksgiving fun with some books highlighting some turkey trouble.

As you connect with family this Thanksgiving week, consider taking a moment to join our Family Traditions Reading Challenge. Head over to our Family Traditions page where you’ll find information on how to sign up through Beanstack. Then over the holidays, you can read, log, and win!

We have so many wonderful books on turkeys and their place in the Thanksgiving holiday. You can see a few of our favorites when you go to our #turkeytrouble tag. Yo...

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Teddy Bears Storytime

The days are getting shorter, and the cold winds are beginning to blow, making it the perfect time to cuddle up tight and read along with a child and their favorite teddy bear. So what is the perfect book to read with a teddy bear? We have some great suggestions for you with our tag: #myteddybear.

Here are some favorite titles:

One Ted Falls Out of Bed by Julia Donaldson. After dark, the only place a teddy bear wants to be is tucked in bed with his child. But this poor ted has fallen out of bed. He’s not very good at climbing, and his child won’t wake u...

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Falling Leaves Storytime

The weather is cooling and the leaves are turning beautiful colors and falling from the trees. Type into the search bar above the tag: #jumpinleaves for some great books!

Speaking of great fall reads, while you’re on our website, learn about our fall reading challenge where you’ll find some wonderful opportunities to explore the season together as a family. Learn more at handleyregional.org/youthfallreading and sign up today! 

You can read, log, and win with the help of books such as:

Fall Is Here! I Love It! by Elaine W. Good - "The gard...

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Birds Fly South Storytime

It’s fall and our feathered friends are heading south. After all, it’s their Family Tradition! Speaking of family traditions, have you joined our reading challenge? We have lots of great opportunities to explore the season together as a family. Head over to http://handleyregional.org/fallreadingchallenge to learn more and sign up today!

Now, about those birds… In the search bar above, type in the tag: #snugglewithabird and you’ll see some of our favorite bird books, such as The Blue Songbird by Vern Kousky, Fly! by Mark Teague, Numenia and the Hurricane by Fi...

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Monster Mash Storytime

We’re doing the Monster Mash this week here at Handley Regional Library! You can join us with some great books about some (not so scary) monsters. Type in the tag: #monstermash in the search bar above to search for your monstrous pile of books for this week’s theme. 

Find some great books, such as Monster Mash by David Catrow, Hush Little Monster by Denis Markell, Monster Boogie by Laurie Berkner, Go Away, Big Green Monster! Ed Emberley, Monster Needs a Party by Paul Czajak, Ten Creepy Monsters by Carey Armstrong-Ellis, Brave Horace by Holly Keller, and The Very Worst Monst...

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Dig Those Dinosaurs Storytime

We’re digging dinosaurs this week for our storytime theme and we have some dinoriffic books to share! You’ll find them when you type in the tag: #dinosaurfun into the search bar above. Look for books such as Stomp, Stomp! A Dino Romp by Bob Kolar, Dinosaur vs. the Library by Bob Shea, Dinosaur Colors by Paul Stickland, Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug by Johnathan Stutzman, How Do Dinosaurs Learn to Read? By Jane Yolen, Dino-Football by Lisa Wheeler, We Are the Dinosaurs by Laurie Berkner, Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs Byron Barton, The Really, Really, Really Big Dinosaur by Richard Byrne. ...

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Fall Animal Friends Storytimes

We’re heading to the forest this week to find some fall animals friends. First stop, the library! 

Search our catalog for the tag: #woodlandanimals for great books to place on hold or come into the library and see all that we have to offer! You can check out books such as, Nuts to You! by Lois Ehlert, Let’s Play in the Forest While the Wolf is Not Around by Claudia Rueda, Forest Tracks by Dee-Dee Duffy, Over in the Forest by Marianne Berkes, and The Big Storm by Nancy Tafuri. Scroll down to the song activities to download a Raccoon Mask you can color and act out whi...

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Fire Prevention Week Storytimes

It’s National Fire Prevention week and we’re joining in on the call for safety with a shout out to firefighters and their amazing big trucks.  Go to the search bar above and type in the tag: #savetheday to find some thematic books to place on hold, such as, This is the Firefighter by Laura Goodwin, Firefighter Frank by Monica Wellington, I’m Brave by Kate McMullan, and Fire Engine no. 9 by Mike Austin. 

 

You can place any of these books on hold and head over to pick them up when they’re available. Be sure to check our online calendar as well for so...

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Moonlight Magic Storytime

As we head towards a full moon this week, type #moonlight magic into the search bar above to start your journey on a thematic week of moonlight magic! You’ll find many wonderful books to read by the light of the moon (and your lamp!) such as Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes, Bringing Down the Moon by Jonathan Emmett, I See the Moon by Jacqueline Mitton, By the Light of the Moon by Fran Preston-Gannon, and Moon River by Johnny Mercer.

Place the books on hold with your library card and pin number. We’ll let you know when they’ve arrived so you can head ov...

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Apple Picking Storytime Week

Fall is right around the corner and the orchards will soon be ready for some apple picking! Head over to HandleyRegional.org and type in the tag: #picksomeapples and there you’ll find some thematic books to place on hold, such as Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins, Apples for Little Fox by Ekaterina Trukhan, Out and About the Apple Orchard by Diane Mayr, From Apple Trees to Cider, Please by Felicia Sanzari Chernesky, and Apple Pie ABC by Alison Murray. 
You can place any of these books on hold and head over to pick them up when they’re available. 

Don’t forget to ch...

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Reading Level Search Tutorial

You can locate the perfect book for your reading ability in our library catalog. 

Download the correlation chart in English or in Spanish to get started. The video below will show you how to:

Use this correlation chart to find your age, grade and reading level. Make a note of your AR level or your Lexile measure. Enter a specialized search by reading level. Enter your AR or your Lexile measure. You can limit by title, author or subject. Success! You have found the perfect book for your reading level and comprehension. ... Read Full Post