Check out these books to improve your coding skills. Many use Scratch, the free coding program you can find here... For more online coding activities click here...

Coding Projects in Scratch by Jon Woodcock
Make a Dino Dance Party or create your own electronic birthday cards. Build games, simulations, and mind-bending graphics as you discover the awesome things computer programmers can do with Scratch 3.0.

Rosie Revere's Big Project Book For Bold Engineers by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts
Do you like to make things? Dream up gadgets to improve your life and the lives of others? Then you are ready to join Rosie Revere and become a great engineer! Engineering is persevering, and this book is the perfect place for trying out, crossing out, and trying again.

Learn To Code and Change the World by Reshma Saujani
Bursting with dynamic artwork, down-to-earth explanations of coding principles, and real-life stories of girls and women working at places like Pixar and NASA, this graphically animated book shows what a huge role computer science plays in our lives and how much fun it can be. No matter your interest—sports, the arts, baking, student government, social justice—coding can help you do what you love and make your dreams come true.

Star Wars Coding Projects by Jon Woodcock
step-by-step visual guide to coding fun projects in Scratch and shows you everything you need to know to create cool computer projects, animations, and games. Create your own sprites and use them in your projects.

Some ideas for books that may be comforting to read...

Books to bring comfort, calm stress and encourage kids that they are capable in these trying times...


All of these titles can be checked out with a library card via our emedia site. Just click the title to find it. Don't have a library card? No problem. Get a digital card here.


Picture Books:

I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld A book of endless good wishes sharing words of encouragement, or observing the wonder of everyday moments, this sweet and uplifting book is perfect for wishers of every age.


Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin A fun and musical guide to taking life's little problems in stride.


Nobody Hugs a Cactus by Carter Goodrich Hank is a prickly cactus who thinks he doesn't need a hug, but when he discovers he's lonely, Hank sets out to get a hug from a friend.



The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld When something sad happens, all Taylor's animal friends try to fix it, but the rabbit knows just what Taylor needs.


Meditate with Me by Mariam Gates Meditation does a body good, and can even help kids as young as four or five. This practical guide is gentle, clear, and a pleasure to use.


Drawn Together by Minh Le Two very different generations find a way to connect through art.


Malala's Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai Malala saw a world that needed fixing, and set out to change it. This beautifully illustrated volume tells Malala's story for a younger audience and shows them the worldview that allowed Malala to hold on to hope even in the most difficult of times.



A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood by Fred Rogers and Luke Flowers 75 beloved songs from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and The Children's Corner are collected in this charmingly illustrated treasury, sure to be cherished by generations of children as well as the millions of adults who grew up with Mister Rogers.


Pete the Cat's Groovy Guide to Kindness by James Dean Pete the Cat shares some groovy words on kindness in this fun collection of his favorite famous quotes about sharing, lending a helping hand, and having compassion for others.

For older kids who may be feeling overwhelmed or out of control, here are a few stories of capable kids overcoming problems...


Chapter Books:


The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket



Nim's Island by Wendy Orr A girl. An iguana. An island. And e-mail. Meet Nim–a modern-day Robinson Crusoe! She can chop down bananas with a machete, climb tall palm trees, and start a fire with a piece of glass.


Coraline by Neil Gaiman In Coraline's family's new flat there's a locked door. On the other side is a brick wall—until Coraline unlocks the door and finds a passage to another flat in another house just like her own. Only different.

Do you see a sign of spring,

A sign of spring, a sign of spring?

Do you see a sign of spring?

Tell us what you see.

~ Author Unknown ~

Here in the children's department, the seed library is one of the first signs that spring is on its way. Seeds are available now, and will be here until June. Seedlings are also coming along. These were planted just last week, and more will be planted at the elementary school next week.

And just one week later...

Our tomato plants are popping up and raring to go. What are your signs of spring?


Come check out your seeds today, or see how our seedlings are growing.

Book Bites Titles Discussed:

Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Review by Justine
Raina knocks out her teeth. The doctors use braces, retainers, dentures and many more so Raina can have normal teeth. Raina's "friends" bully her. Raina ends up doing something about it and gets new nice friends. This book is awesome. I would recommend it because it's very funny/annoying/cool/interesting/awesome.

Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
Review by Lauryn
First the book starts with two girls, Ivy and Bean. They each thought the other was weird. Then they met and they became friends. They hide from Nancy, Bean's sister, then they made an oath and they became BFF's. My favorite part was when Bean hid in a bush and attached a dollar to a string to trick Nancy. The lesson is not to judge a book by it's cover. I laughed a little but not much. I would recommend this book to anyone so read it.

The Bad Butterfly by Sally Rippin
Review by Alivia
Billie B. Brown has two messy pigtails, two pink ballet slippers and one new tutu. She is going to be a famous ballerina. My favorite part is the part when Billie is jealous of the other girl, Lola, because she is perfect. She always does something right or does something wrong. Lola wears a lot of sparkles on her clothes. I really recommend this book.

Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
Review by Syxx
My story is about when a family loses their dog and another family finds it. They give Ribsy a bath and take care of him. Then Ribsy runs away. Ms. Frawley finds him and takes him into her apartment. I love this book and I want everyone to read it.

Public School Superhero by James Patterson
Review by Carmelo
Kenny Wright is going to sixth grade and he is a super hero under cover. In his class the teacher tells them to keep reading until the bell rings. he goes to lunch and gets free food but the line is a mile long. he gets into a fight and gets detention. He tries not to get in trouble by Grandma. I liked this book because Kenny finds out how to stand up for himself. I recommend this book because it talks about superheroes.

Silver Days by Sonia Levitin
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul by Jeff Kinney
Frozen: Junior Novelization by Sarah Nathan
Hilo by Judd Winnick
Journey to America by Sonia Levitin

Book Bites Reviews

The Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
Review by Tori
Amelia Peabody, after her father passes away, sets out on a journey through Egypt where her fate is change  by a seeming random chance meeting. My favorite character is Amelia Peabody, for her wit, intelligence and carefree manners. I really like this book because it incorporates history and Egyptology into a suspenseful mystery. I would recommend this book for readers interested in mysteries and Egypt.

The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey
Review by Paige
Evan Walker is thought to be dead, but is he really? He promised Cassiopeia that he would come back, so they stay in an abandoned hotel and wait. But the hotel came under attack. My favorite character is Cass because she is strong willed and thinks before she acts. I liked this book. It made me laugh at some parts and cry at others. Rick Yancey writes this novel very well, throwing readers through and emotional ride. I recommend this book to reader s who like suspenseful books.

Book Bites Reviews:

The Round House by Louise Erdrich
Review by Tori
This book is about a boy whose mom gets attacked at the round house on an Indian Reservation in North Dakota. Round House is a coming of age novel about the injustices of law. I liked this book because of its honest descriptions of people's lives in a world that is not altogether charming and cheerful. I enjoyed the author's style of omitting quotation marks because the dialogue between characters was very fluid and easy to read. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy a story about the relationships between people. Round House is a moving emotional novel with many interesting themes intertwined throughout the story.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexi
Review by Paige
Junior, a boy who lives on an Indian Reservation is trying to find hope in a school where he is the only Indian. Now he is an outcast in the reservation and shunned by his best friend Rowdy. He has a very difficult time fitting in, but then everything changes. I like this book because it was hilarious. The author has a very good sense of humor. You should read this book because it is a page turner, and a funny book.

Watership Down by Richard Adams
Review by Paige
Fiver has the ability to see the future, and when he has seen that the warren is going to be invaded by humans, he tells his brother, Hazel, that they need to leave. They go to the Threarah (the leader of the warren) and tell him that there will be a disaster in the warren if they did not find a different place to go. The Threarah does not listen to this "story" of theirs. Hazel and Fiver decide they are going to go without the warren when they are leaving, Bigwig (a guard to the warren) tells them he is going with them. Bigwig also has many other rabbits that are coming with Hazel and Fiver on their adventures. The problem is that they need to start a new warren in order to survive, but they do not have any doe's, so they do not have any kits to let the warren thrive. So they have to travel to another warren to find more rabbits. My favorite characters are Hazel, Dandelion, and Black berry because Hazel is a very responsible leader, but he can be reckless too. Dandelion is my favorite character because he is loyal, but also he is adventurous. Blackberry is my favorite because he is intelligent and an exceptional differ. I loved this book because the author does an amazing job writing from the perspective of rabbits.

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Unmapped Sea by Mary Rosewood
Review by Tori
The mystery continues when the Ashton family takes an unlikely visit to the beach in January, where Penelope and the three incorrigible children meet the crude and insufferable Babuhanovs. My favorite characters are the incorrigible children because they are funny and adventurous. I liked this book because it was an easy read and humorous.

Hilda: The Bird Parade by Luke Pearson
Review by Tori
The book is about a girl's adventures in a city, that at first seems strange and unappealing, but then as Hilda becomes acquainted with a bird who can't remember who he is the story begins to unravel in a quest to find Hilda's home. My favorite characters is the raven because he is funny and I liked how he is drawn in the graphic novel. I liked this book because I like how the author draws and it's a nice story to sit down and read through.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Review by Tori
This book is about a girl, Scout and her childhood in a seemingly peaceful Southern town where a court case decides the fate of their futures. My favorite character is Scout because I can relate to her in some ways and because her character is interesting. I mostly loved this book because it's themes are intriguing, the story is enjoyable to read, and it's very suspenseful at times (especially during the court case.)

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Review by Paige
This book is about Guy Montag, a fireman who burns books and the houses they are found in. He had not realized what he was doing until he met Clarisse. Clarisse made him question everything, made him notice what he hadn't noticed before. Finally. he knew what the flames were doing to society. I like this book because it gave a different perspective on knowledge. You should read this book because there were many questions that are asked, and it was very descriptive.

Other titles discussed:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul by Jeff Kinney
Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
Half Magic by Edward Eager
The Landry News by Andrew Clements

Book Bites Reviews

The Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce
Review by Paige
Alanna, after forgiving Johnathan, goes to find the jewel that will bring peace and luck to the palace. While she waits for the blizzards to subside, she meets Liam Ironarm, who is a Shang Warrior. Liam and Alanna eventually fall in love, but something happens when she goes to receive the jewel. My favorite character is Alanna because she was determined to become a knight. I liked this book because it was a nice little story.

Wind Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Review by Cleo
This book is about aviation and it is the story of the author. They are the adventures of the author during his life when he piloted a plane. It is a biographic story. My favorite character is Guillaumet, the best friend of the author. He is my favorite character because he is courageous. I liked this book because the author's accidents are very interesting, but I disliked that this book is a little messy.

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Review by Tori
A story about a boy and his relationship with his dogs and the struggles they face. My favorite character is Ann because she is smart. I both liked and disliked this book.

From the Earth To The Moon by Jules Verne
Review by Cleo
This book is about a first trip to the moon. Five people ask them about how to get to the moon and all the complications of the trip. My favorite character is Maston because he is childlike. He is faithful to his friend and he is an innocent person. I liked this book.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Review by Tori
A pilot crashes in the middle of the desert where he finds a little prince wandering. Through the book the pilot relays the prince's story of how he found his way from his very tiny planet to the deserts of Africa. My favorite character is the drunkard and the people from the six planets the little prince visits because he/they are ironic. I liked this book because it was interesting and I enjoyed the pictures.

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
Review by Paige
Penelope is a governess who has to raise three wolf children; Alexander, Cassiopeia, and Beowulf. She has to teach the children everything they need to know. My favorite character is Penelope because she is curious and doesn't take no for an answer. I liked this book because it was a nice little story and was entertaining.

Other Titles Discussed
Red Riding Hood, Superhero by Otis Frampton
Ribsy by Beverly Cleary