Women in Science for Young Readers
Read about women in science and their many accomplishments this Women's History Month!
O Canada Week: Uncover the Rich Tapestry of Canadian History and Culture
Ah, spring. When a young person's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of... Canada.
O Canada Week: Canadians We Love
Check out these great books on our favorite Canadians as we celebrate O Canada Week!
Books About Ramadan and Eid
Ramadan is observed around the world by millions of Muslims. Read about Ramadan and Eid a-fitr with these children's books for all ages!
International Mother Language Day: Honoring the Languages That Shape Us
Celebrate International Mother Language Day with these books about languages and cultures!
Black History Picture Books
Experience Black History through illustrated picture books. Here are 15 titles highlighting historical events as well as people and their accomplishments.
The Fight for Civil Rights: 20 Books to Learn About the Civil Rights Movement
In January, we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This list compiles historical fiction which brings to life stories about fighting for civil rights and nonfiction books that help educate about civil rights.
Beyond Bedtime: Picture Books That Speak to Adults
Storytime shouldn't just be for the kiddos! Here are my favorite picture books for grown-ups to enjoy.
New Year, New Beginnings
Ring in the New Year with children’s picture books that celebrate New Year’s Eve traditions, fresh beginnings, and joyful customs from around the world.
In the Bleak Midwinter: Chilling Tales for Frosty Nights
So many cultures have darker versions of holiday visitors, going back to when midwinter was a time for scary stories. Here is a selection of spooky yule ghoul stories to even out the sugar rush of the holidays.
10 Titles about the Winter Solstice
The Winter Solstice is on Dec. 21 and is the first day of winter.
It Happened in December
Though they occurred during a span of almost 200 years, the month of December marks the anniversary of many important moments in history.
Thankful Thanksgiving: 10 Books About Gratitude
Celebrate the season of gratitude with a curated selection of picture books that help young readers explore thankfulness, kindness, and the joy of giving.
Celebrating National Native American Heritage Month
Start your Native American Heritage Month strong by expanding your knowledge of Native American cultures and history with these books!
World-On-Fire Art As Therapy: Healing Handicraft for Everyone
Stop the doom-scrolling, it's arts-and-crafts time. Here are some fun ways to ease you through these times of turmoil, keeping that last nerve intact.
Book Recs Based on Your Halloween Costume – Kiddo Edition
Here's a great list of books based on Halloween costume ideas. Take a look and see if you can guess the costume that would go with each one.
Embracing the Flop: The Allure of B Movies and Box-Office Poison
Some filmmakers are exquisitely talented artists gifting the world with enduring masterpieces. These books aren't about them.
Children’s Books that Celebrate All Things Autumn
Curl up in the crisp air with a cozy sweater and some hot apple cider. It’s time to read about all things fall!
National Library Card Sign-Up Month
September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month. Check out these books for youth about the excitement and importance of having a library card!
Heartwarming Human-Animal Bonding Memoirs You Don’t Want to Miss
Stories of human-animal bonds are a real balm in this era of endless anger and resentment everywhere. Here are some of the best memoirs featuring our animal friends and teachers.
10 Books to Get Your Child Excited for Kindergarten
Discover the best children’s books to make back-to-school season exciting and learn about free resources to support early reading success.
Middle Grade Horror
Dive into the delightfully dreadful with these spine-tingling reads for 3rd-6th grade.
Counting the Days to School!
Practice counting with your little one in preparation for school. Try reading and listening to the story first, then discuss the math topics.
Salad Days: Best Ideas for Cool and Healthy Summer Eating
Cookbooks featuring salads and no-cooking recipes that are perfect for summertime meal ideas!
10 Queer Novels with Disability Representation
Looking for some powerful queer stories that celebrate disability representation—check out this collection of must-read novels today!
Stars, Stripes, and Storytime
Celebrate the Fourth of July with this handpicked list of children’s books that brings the spirit of independence to life.
Best Books on Crafts You Didn’t Know Existed
Bored with traditional crafting possibilities? Have we got the books for you! Check out these great books on unusual (yet still delightful!) ways to be creative and find your next favorite hobby.
20 Books to Inspire You to Get Outside More Often
Power down the screens, get outside, and enjoy the wonders of nature in our own backyards. Here are some great ways to do just that.
10 Picture Books to Celebrate Easter
Ten picture books for children and families to celebrate the religious aspects of Easter and Lent.
Youth Poetry and Books in Verse
April is National Poetry Month. Check out one of these children's poetry and books in verse titles!
Best Novels Retold from a Different Character’s Point of View
Retelling a classic story from a new point of view can be a wonderful way to revisit old favorites. Here are some of the best different point-of-view novels to try.
Children’s Books to Read for Eid al-Fitr
Check out these books about Eid al-Fitr, whether you're celebrating or want to learn about the holiday!
Strange and Wonderful Creatures
United Nations World Wildlife Day is recognized every year on March 3. Celebrate by reading these books about interesting wild animals and plants.
Resources for Helping Young People with Eating Disorders
It can be tough to know how to support a young person with an eating disorder. Here are some great resources that can help.
Uncommon Knowledge: The Funniest Weird Trivia Books You Didn’t Know You Needed
Pub trivia nights are all the rage these days. Here are some great, fun trivia books from which to pull some great content, or just to amuse and enlighten you!
Top 10 Books on the Creative Pulse of Street Fashion
Street fashion is the venue for the bravest among us to show their personal style and possibly start a whole new trend. Here are the best photography books capturing these amazing people in action.
Totally Tubular Books about Pop Culture Life in the 1980s
Living in the 1980s was truly the end of an innocent era when we could take the phone off the hook or just go outside and be completely unreachable by anyone. Seriously: people would dial our number (which they either had to already know or get from something called a phone book), get no answer or a "busy signal" (look it up) and they'd think, "Gosh, I'll just have to call back later." It was AWESOME. Here are some great books on other bizarro aspects of life during that amazing era.
Must-Read Holiday Cozy Mysteries
Is there a better way to get into a holiday mood than to dive into a cozy mystery novel? How about diving into two! Wear your comfy pants, sip a hot beverage, and boom! Holiday self-care accomplished.
Best Books on Fall Entertaining: Food, Fun, Friends and Family
Need some ideas for fall and Thanksgiving entertaining? Check out these great books!
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month. Check out these children's books to celebrate!
Sketchbook Secrets: How to Cultivate a Daily Drawing Habit
Keeping a sketch journal is a wonderful way to keep track of your life, spark creativity, and keep your brain sharp. Here are the best books we offer on this fun and inspiring endeavor.
Spooky Halloween Read-Alouds
Ten spooky Halloween picture books! Perfect to read to your children or students.
Best Travel Guides for Great Road Trips
Fall is a wonderful time to hit the road and see what's around us. Here are some great guides to plan anything from an afternoon drive to a long vacation on wheels.
Easy and Fun DIY Ideas for a Spook-tacular Halloween
There are so many fun crafty ideas for spooky holiday DIY fun - here are some great places to start.
5 Books to Grow Your Environmental Feminist Journey
Local environmental and spiritual leader, Rev. Aaron Baughman, continues our discussion of Feminism and the Environment that will continue at the Sylvania Branch on (Tu) August 20 at 6 p.m.
4 Titles to Continue Your Environmental Feminist Journey
Local environmental leader, Dana Reising, continues our discussion of Feminism and the Environment that will continue at the Sylvania Branch on (Tu) August 20 at 6 p.m.
Honk If You Love Safety
Actually, there's more to traffic safety and signage than just orange cones!
5 Titles to Start Your Environmental Feminist Journey
Local environmental activist, Angie Fitzpatrick, kicks off our discussion of Feminism and the Environment that will continue at the Sylvania Branch on (Tu) August 20 at 6 p.m. Local sustainability advocates will lead a discussion on their journeys to sustainability and what women in Lucas County can do to help.
Dive into the Olympics: Best Books to Get Ready for the Summer Games
The Olympics bring so many great things together - athletic excellence, international fellowship, and so many amazing stories of how the athletes got there at all. Here are some great books to get into the spirit of the games.
Small Business Partner Spotlight: The Arts Commission – Recognizing Talent, Fostering a Vibrant Community
"The Arts Commission’s emphasis is, as far as I can tell, on fostering Toledo as a healthy and vibrant art community, and the most important element of that community is its people. I appreciate the Arts Commission’s robust investment in people."
Small Business Partner Spotlight: Accelerate Your Creative Endeavors – Apply for Funding Via The Arts Commission
The Accelerator Grant is The Arts Commission’s competitive program offering financial support for local artists. Eligible categories of support include equipment and supply support, which attracted one local photographer to apply…
Discover the Best Short Reads: 20 Books Under 200 Pages
Looking for a quick read? It's the quality not the quantity that matters in these fantastic short books!
Be Transported by the Top 20 Titles for World UFO Day
June 24th AND July 2nd are both referred to as World UFO Day (it's complicated). Whichever one you celebrate, shine up your tin foil hat and Mork up your Nanoo, we have a lot of great books and documentaries on extraterrestrials and unidentified objects to share the wonder.
20 Best Cookbooks for Summer Outdoor Entertaining
International Picnic Day is June 18! We've got great books to inspire your al fresco feast. No ants or rain allowed!
Commemorating Juneteenth
Juneteenth celebrates the official date, June 19th 1865, when all slaves in Confederate states were officially freed. It has become America's second Independence Day holdiay, and we've gathered some great books to learn about this important day.
Embrace Enlightenment: A Beginner’s Guide to Mindfulness and Buddhism
The idea of Mindfulness is tossed around as the answer to every problem in the universe, but what exactly is it? Here are some great books to help us understand this life-changing concept and how to effectively practice it in daily life.
From Midnight to Mourning: 25 Dark Books for Goths
World Goth Day is May 22nd, which means we're in for some super fun summer reading/viewing/listening! Re-dye your fading darks and unearth your bleakest makeup, dark times lie ahead.
Quack, Quack! 10 Books to Dive Into
It's been a wet spring! Check out 10 silly and fun books featuring some delightful quacking and waddling birds.
Transform Your Midwest Yard into a Breathtaking Oasis with Natural and Prairie Garden Techniques
Forget mowing! Plant a prairie garden to replace wasteful grass and benefit local wildlife.
Why Aren’t You Drawing a Bird Right Now? These Books Will Help
April 8th is Draw a Bird Day! Stock up on some of these great books to inspire your best avian art.
National Poetry Month for Little Ones
Celebrate National Poetry Month this April with your littlest ones! Poetry and rhyming help grow strong readers by developing phonemic awareness.
Pitch-Perfect Picks: Best Books on Baseball to Celebrate Opening Day
Just in time for Opening Day in Major League Baseball, here are some of the best books on the old (and new!) ballgame.
Get Your Irish On for St. Patrick’s Day
No matter where you're from, everyone is a little bit Irish. What better way to celebrate than by diving into a great book or film celebrating Irish culture?
5 Books to Read Before the Total Solar Eclipse
Toledo is lucky to be in the path of totality for the upcoming total solar eclipse.
All About Nothing in 10 Picture Books
Nothing like creativity and imagination!
10 Vocabulary Building Books for Rising Readers
One of the many ways we can improve reading comprehension is to strengthen children’s vocabulary and background knowledge. Try these tips from the Library's Ready to Read team to raise a confident reader.
5 Books to Develop Fluency in Young Readers
Fluency is the ability to read with the speed, accuracy, and inflection needed to approximate natural speech patterns. Try these resources as you help strengthen your growing reader's fluency.
10 Great Green Day Media to Celebrate 30 Years of Dookie
Three decades ago, Green Day released one of the biggest punk albums to ever break into the mainstream. Check out our 10 favorite albums, books, and movies from and about these East Bay pop punk icons.
World Nursery Rhyme Week
Help children learn to read by celebrating World Nursery Rhyme week singing or rhyming your favorite rhymes!
Exploring Birds All Year Round!
Take a look at these suggestions on birds and birding as a great way to explore outdoors in the colder months ahead!
5 Books to Read Before the Solar Eclipse
Toledo is lucky to be in the path of two solar eclipses in the next year! The first is October 14th, the second April 8th.
Dyslexia-Friendly Books for Juvenile Readers
Fact: Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disabilities to affect children. Here is a selection of juvenile fiction about dyslexia, some even written in dyslexia-friendly typeface.
10 Books to Help Your Child Be Socially and Emotionally Ready for Kindergarten
Enjoy these great picture books and activity suggestions to help your child become socially and emotionally ready for kindergarten.
10 Math Picture Books to Get Your Child Ready for Kindergarten
Before starting kindergarten this fall, check out a few tips and books to strengthen your child's understanding of mathematical concepts.
Elevating Immigrant Stories with Picture Books
June is Immigrant Heritage Month, enriching our collective national self through the stories we share.
Decodable Books for Young Readers
Learning to read takes a lot of practice. Let the Library's Ready to Read team help you discover a few decodable books to try with early readers at any stage.
History of Crayons
Crayons have been around for a long time! Here are some great titles featuring crayons and their history.
On International Museum Day, Visit One of the Toledo Area’s Fine Museums
Some of the world's finest museums are closer than you think!
Prehistoric Creatures (That Are Also Not Dinosaurs!)
Five wonderfully illustrated books about prehistoric animals that are definitely not dinosaurs. From trilobites to mammoths, many of these creatures once roamed Northwest Ohio.
5 Great Books for Fans of APM Reports “Sold a Story” Podcast
If Sold a Story piqued your curiosity, explore what cognitive science says about how reading works. Try these titles for a deeper dive into the science of reading.
10 Kids Books for the Write Stuff!
Writing and reading go together! Both are ways to represent spoken words and to communicate information. Learn to read while you write!
What Are You Drawing for Draw a Bird Day? These 10 Books Will Help You…Draw a Bird
It’s officially Draw a Bird Day. Celebrate by busting out a pencil and paper and doodling your favorite bird—artistic skill is optional!
10 Nursery Rhyme Books for Future Readers
If you need a nursery rhyme refresher for your young children, look at these 10 books. Nursery Rhymes are an important part of early literacy skills.
5 More Books for Teaching Children to Read
Helping our children learn to read can be daunting, but fear not; these books will help you navigate successfully!
10 Books to Help Teach Your Child to Read
Do you want to help your child learn to read? Check out one of these great books!
10 Picture Books About Immigration and Belonging to Celebrate Welcoming Week
These books are full of stories to help you understand the successes, struggles, and journeys of immigrants past, present, and future.
Explore Your Metroparks
Here are some books to help you get the most out of your favorite Toledo Metropark!
