Where The Child Things Are

Summer is for Singing!

Posted: July 16, 2019

By: Heather McCammond-Watts, Youth Department Director

“Summertime…and the living is easy.” “Here comes the sun!” “Sunshine, on my shoulders, makes me happy.” There are so many wonderful songs celebrating the glories of summertime. Music is the universal language, and children naturally respond to a tune. Ask any child over the age of five, “What letter comes after J?” and they will

Explore

Posted: July 9, 2019

By: Amy Waters, School Liaison

Summer is a great time for exploring the world around you. Whether you take a trip out of state or go to a park right in your own neighborhood, there are many new things to be discovered. This year, I was invited to visit friends on an island that is part of Massachusetts called Martha’s

Happy 4th of July!

Posted: July 2, 2019

By: Katy Almendinger, Early Literacy Librarian

The 4th of July is almost here! What do you think of when you think about July 4th? My parents love to tell the story of how they promised me ice cream because the fireworks were rained out—but all the ice cream stores in the nearby tiny towns were closed. Which meant no ice cream

Wizards Unite!

Posted: June 25, 2019

By: Christina Keasler, Youth Department Assistant Director and Youth Technology Librarian

It’s finally here! I got the buzz alert. Wizards Unite is available! In 2016, Pokémon GO was a huge deal. It opened the door for augmented reality (AR) to be commonly used and also brought AR into mainstream vocabulary. Augmented reality is similar to virtual reality (VR), but with one main difference. VR puts you

International Sushi Day

Posted: June 18, 2019

By: Cathy Mori, Youth Librarian

Today is International Sushi Day. Who even knew there was a day to celebrate sushi, a Japanese food that has become popular worldwide? And it is so easy to celebrate: just eat some sushi. A completely unofficial celebration, International Sushi Day first appeared on Facebook in 2009. First, let’s clear up some misconceptions: sushi does

Check the Library for American Girl Dolls

Posted: June 11, 2019

By: Kate Easley, Youth Librarian

Did you know that the library has American Girl dolls? I know! I was excited, too. I love the American Girl books and am thrilled about the dolls being available for checkout, as well. I recently borrowed the Samantha playpack for my 4-year-old daughter. To say she was excited is an understatement. She had so

Storytime Faves

Posted: June 4, 2019

By: Alexa Moffat, Youth Associate

We love storytime at the library! Our summer series will kick off on June 17 (click here to check the calendar). Until then, here are some of our favorite storytime books and songs to hold you over. Books: Rhyming Dust Bunnies: A silly tale of oblivious dust bunnies who love to rhyme. The Very Hungry

Game On! Summer Challenge

Posted: May 28, 2019

By: Cristina Bueno, Youth Associate

GEPL’s summer program is no longer just about reading. You can also play games and complete activities to earn points in this year’s challenge! As a kid, and especially as an avid reader, I loved participating in my library’s summer program. Even though I’m not a kid anymore, I still get to do the adult

Read Like a Champion

Posted: May 21, 2019

By: Amy Waters, School Liaison

Are you a Jeopardy! fan? If so, and maybe even if you aren’t, it’s been hard to miss news of the current champion’s incredible winning streak. As of May 21, James Holzhauer, a Naperville native now living in Las Vegas, has won $1.78 million and is still going. All this winning has been great news

Take an Audiobook Adventure!

Posted: May 14, 2019

By: Heather McCammond-Watts, Youth Department Director

Planning a family vacation this summer? Bring along some exciting audiobooks, and watch the miles fly by. Listening to stories in the car or on an airplane helps reduce stressful travel conditions and provides entertaining content for kids of all ages. The key to a successful audiobook experience is to select a really good narrator