We invite you to check out this month’s PPL Youth Services recommendations for activities, resources and new books in the library collection for children up to five years old and their families.
Books for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with your little one by sharing books from our staff-curated list featuring and honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander American authors, illustrators, characters, culture and heritage.
Screen-Free Week is an annual invitation to play, explore, and rediscover the joys of life beyond ad-supported screens. During the first week of May, thousands of families, schools, and communities around the world will put down their entertainment screens for seven days of fun, connection, and discovery. Celebrate with self-directed activities and challenges in the Youth Services department on the third floor of the library every afternoon from 3 – 5 p.m. beginning Tuesday, May 2 through Friday, May 5. The library is a great place to find screen-free spaces to dream and explore.
Nature programs with Mercer County Community Park Commission
Mercer County Park Commission is hosting several free and family-friendly nature programs at park locations throughout Mercer County this May. Programs that are especially fun for the preschool crowd include Family Sundays: Feed the Animals on May 14; Nature Under the Microscope on May 21; and Fish Printing on May 28. All three events are happening at the Tulpehaking Nature Center in nearby Hamilton and are free with no registration required. And don’t miss the Naturally Friends: Barn Swallow Celebration at Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell Township on Saturday, May 13, for a celebration of the annual return of barn swallows with family activities, a walk to their feeding and nesting spots, and a bird’s eye view of the farm.
Twenty Questions by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Christian Robinson
From the award-winning picture book creators, Mac Barnett and Christian Robinson, comes a new collaboration that asks twenty open-ended and thought-provoking questions full of whimsy. There are lots of early literacy connections with opportunities for talking, playing, imagining and storytelling.
Animals In Pants by Suzy Levinson and Kristen & Kevin Howdeshell
Chickens in disco pants? Manatees in dungarees? Cheetahs in leopard-print leggings? This new book of silly poems and illustrations featuring animals in pants is sure to produce lots of giggles. It might even inspire making up your own poems about animals wearing pants!