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Northeast Regional Library Blog

Youth Media Award Winners 2025

PHOENIX — The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books, digital media, video and audio books for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience held January 24-27 in Phoenix. A list of all the 2025 award winners and honor selections follows: John Newbery Medal John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature: “The First Read more…

By Library Staff, ago

Suggested Family Activity ☃️ Snow Man Story

Try out these fun writing prompts today: Young children can draw a picture of a snowman and then make up a story about it.  Did they make the snowman during a Snow Day from school?  Does it talk or walk around?  Older kids and adults can try out a different prompt: What if you were being followed down the street by a snowman that came to life?  Would people believe you?  What would happen?  

By Library Staff, ago

Suggested Family Activity ⭐💫✨ Stargazing

Stargazing, or looking up at the stars and constellations, is a fun family activity at any time, even during the winter.  It is worth the trouble of bundling up in coats, hats, scarves, and mittens to experience the crisp and clear view of the night sky while it is not obstructed by the haziness caused by summer humidity.  Plus, because the Earth has rotated, different planets are visible now than during the summer.  NASA’s Night Read more…

By Library Staff, ago

Suggested Family Activity 📕📗📘 Library Shelfie Day

Today is Library Shelfie Day!  What is Library Shelfie Day, you ask?  It is a day set aside in January each year to give book lovers and book collectors a chance to share their personal libraries.  Whether you collect first editions or equally love and treasure every dog-eared book you have ever owned, we would love to see pictures of your libraries!  But if you don’t have many books at home, no problem!  Visit one Read more…

By Library Staff, ago

Suggested Family Activity ☕Crafty Cup of Hot Chocolate

To turn popsicle sticks into a crafty cup of hot chocolate:  First, glue about eight craft sticks together into a square shape.  You can use the colored variety or color plain popsicle sticks with crayons or markers. Next, cut an oval out of brown paper and glue the oval to the top of the square to represent the hot chocolate.  Decorate the brown oval with small white circles to mimic marshmallows.  Next, cut out a Read more…

By Library Staff, ago

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is a dystopian novel that imagines a future where society is perfectly controlled through technology, conditioning, and the elimination of emotional depth. People are not born but grown in laboratories, assigned to castes, and trained from birth to accept their roles without question. Everyone is kept happy with constant entertainment, casual sex, and a drug called soma that removes any real feelings of pain or dissatisfaction. At first glance, Read more…

By Library Staff, ago

Suggested Family Activity 🐦 Pinecone Bird Feeder Craft

Winter weather is tough on area wildlife, particularly birds.  To give them a nice treat during this dreary weather, make a Pinecone Bird Feeder.  All you need is a pinecone, peanut butter, and twine, yarn, or string.  To begin, tie your string around the top of the pinecone.  Next, pour out birdseed in a bowl that is deep enough for the pinecone to fit.  Spread peanut butter all over the pinecone and roll it in Read more…

By Library Staff, ago

Suggested Family Activity • Save Energy

Celebrate National Cut Your Energy Costs Day this month by doing a few simple things around your house to help lower your energy bills.  You can get the whole family involved – young children can be taught to do simple things like turning off lights when they leave a room.  Even if they cannot reach the light switch, they can give older family members gentle reminders to turn off the lights. Other simple things that Read more…

By Library Staff, ago

The Nintendo Switch 2 Revealed

More Details Coming on April 2 The Switch 2 is real, and it looks just like the leaks said it would. Nintendo has finally unveiled the much-anticipated successor to its popular Switch handheld console—the Nintendo Switch 2—set to launch later this year. Fans can look forward to more details being revealed on April 2. In the meantime, the first trailer has dropped, featuring an exciting new Mario Kart installment and showcasing a design reminiscent of Read more…

By Library Staff, ago

Suggested Family Activity 📦 Organization

Start the new year by becoming more organized.  Some great places to start include: Organize your pantry or kitchen shelves to make mealtime preparation go faster. Have each family member organize their clothes so that getting dressed in the morning and getting ready for bed at night go more smoothly. Encourage everyone to lay out the things they will need for the following day.  Think about things like backpacks, bags, lunches, clothes, shoes, etc.

By Library Staff, ago