September top 5 for under 5 – 2020

We invite you to take advantage of this month’s Youth Services recommendations for activities and resources for children ages birth to five years old and their families. With the library’s print collection now available for check out again, as well as browsing of new books in the Community Room during express service hours, a few recently published picture book recommendations are also included.

Book Jam 2020 

Join us for Book Jam 2020, a virtual event presented by Princeton Children’s Book Festival. Things may be different this year, but young readers can still interact with favorite authors and illustrators on Saturday, Sept. 12 via Crowdcast. Created in collaboration with longtime Princeton Children’s Book Festival sponsor jaZams, Book Jam will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Featuring 10 sessions, book lovers of all ages can join throughout the day to ask questions and participate in lively discussions with panels of authors and illustrators. Of particular interest to families with preschoolers, two sessions  include opportunities for readers to offer prompts to illustrators who will draw in a “sketch-off.” Books, which will be sold by jaZams, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the library, will include bookplates signed by the author and/or illustrator.

Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices

It’s story time with Lupita Nyong’o, Common, Misty Copeland and more! Beginning Sept. 1, this brand new original series consists of shorts that provide families with a toolset to start conversations with even the youngest kids about difficult topics through short-form book-based content, and will be available for viewers of all ages to enjoy on Netflix and the Netflix Jr. YouTube channel.

“Sunny” by Celia Krampien

Just in time to start off a new school year that promises many new challenges outside of a normal year, comes a delightful picture book about seeing the sunny side of things. Meet Sunny, a child who likes to look on the bright side of any otherwise dismal situation. You can even enjoy listening to PPL Youth Services librarian, Katie Bruce, reading this book for the library’s Sept. 8 Storytime Shorts.

“We Will Rock Our Classmates” by Ryan T. Higgins

Here’s another fun read for the new school year, as well as a welcome companion book to the previously published book featuring the lovable dinosaur, Penelope T. Rex, “We Don’t Eat Our Classmates”. Join Penelope on her next school adventure: the talent show!

“Sloth Went” by Adam Lehraupt; illustrated by Benson Shum

“Sometimes a little poop can be a big adventure.” With encouragement from his mother and animal friends, a nervous young Sloth makes his first, dangerous climb down the tree to take care of important business. Includes facts about sloths and how they “poop.” This new picture book also makes a fun alternative to traditional potty training books.

Photo courtesy of the author.

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