May 6-12: No Rules, Just Read!
Children's Book Week, an initiative sponsored by the non profit Every Child A Reader, has been promoting and developing a love of children's books for 105 years. Can you believe it?? This year, the theme is "No Rules. Just Read." We often feel we have to read the "right way," but the truth is that any way you read is the right way to read!
It helps, too, that there's so many ways to read. Here, we've compiled a few ways readers of all ages can enjoy children's books, with the help of the many collections and resources found at the Alachua County Library District.
Check Out a Readalong Picture Book
The Alachua County Library District is proud to offer a rich variety of Vox Books, books with an MP3 player embedded in the front cover. These books read along with you, providing narration for the story inside. These are great options for newer readers who need help becoming familiar with how written words translate into spoken ones. We also offer more traditional books packaged with Readalong CDs, and also Readalong digital books (see below for more).
Read A Comic Book
Is a comic book really a book? It's right there in the title, silly! Children's comic books offer a lot for the would-be reader--beautiful images, exciting stories, and accessibility. Comic books can be read over and over, and can be easier for readers of all ages to follow and understand. Most importantly, they're fun--meaning they encourage children to read more, and more widely, than they might be inclined to otherwise. Check out our huge children's comic book collection at all of our branches, as well as comic books on Overdrive and Hoopla.
Place a Hold For Newly Ordered Books
Did you know that you can search our catalog for newly ordered books? It's true! You can find the newly-ordered lists for kids by going to our For Kids page on our website, or, on any search results page, looking at the additional filters at the end of the column on the left hand side.
These lists update weekly with freshly-ordered books, so you can place a hold for newly-ordered titles. Make sure you don't miss out on what's coming to the library by getting it first!
Get Your Facts with World Book Encyclopedia
Did you know? We have World Book Encyclopedia available for you to use online--for free! Check out our World Book landing page to learn more. Our favorite part is that there are different versions for different age groups, so you can be guaranteed to be using an age-appropriate resource.
eBooks, eAudiobooks, and Digital Readalongs, Oh My!
You can get just about every type of book under the sun from our eBook service, Overdrive! And if you use Overdrive's app, Libby , you can read just about anywhere on any smart device imaginable. Overdrive has eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital Readalong books, as well as comic books, nonfiction...if it's a book, they've got it. Check it out today!
Listen to a Book
Did you know that research shows that listening to a book is just as good as reading one? We've already mentioned our Readalong books, as well as our eAudiobooks, further up the page. But that's not even the end of the audiobook options! We also have audiobooks on CD and Playaways, ready-to-go MP3 devices with a book already loaded on them.
Hot Tip: Many parents in the community report using audiobooks for long drives, because the whole family can enjoy one book together!
Enjoy A Picture Book by Floyd Cooper
This year, May 6th is being celebrated as Floyd Cooper Day. Floyd Cooper, who passed in 2021, was a prolific picture book illustrator who made incredible books about Black children, as well as African-American History. 2024 will also mark the publication of Tasha's Voice, Cooper's final book. Check out Floyd Cooper's work here, and take the time in Children's Book Week to celebrate other black illustrators, like Christian Robinson, Dapo Adeola, and Ekua Holmes.