Kids Blog

Building Readers from the Brain Out

Building Readers From the Brain OutThe Tulsa City-County Library is dedicated to supporting the 5 activities that early literacy researchers and advocates say help babies and young children grow into successful readers and students. Every storytime at the library focuses on at least one of the following "Build A Reader" activities:

Make Your Child a Millionaire...In Words

Make Your Child a Millionaire…In WordsOne misconception that many new parents have is that they shouldn't be concerned about talking with their babies and young children until they start talking back. While this seems intuitive, brain and reading research emphatically recommends a far more active approach to talking.Talking to babies and young children as much as you possibly can will not only enrich your bond with them, but it will also build their brains into elite language-learning machines. 

Welcome, New Friend!

Welcome, New Friend!"My Friend Julia" introduces character with autismMeet My Friend Julia by Jennifer Cook, a wonderful children's book inspired by Sesame Street's Julia! This book helps you enter the world of autism, understand its emotions, and learn how to connect with amazing kids on the spectrum. You'll also discover helpful tips on being a supportive friend to children with autism.

Learn About Real Lives! Winter is for Biographies

Learn About Real Lives!Dragons and magicians, flying carpets and talking animals - these imaginative elements all have a place in a child's reading diet. But sometimes kids just want to know about REAL people who used hard work and determination (not magical feathers) to achieve real-life accomplishments.When your children or students get the "Who was Thomas Edison?" or "What was J.K. Rowling like when she was my age?" bug, explore the library's Biography In Context database.

The Wonderful Thing About Wordless (Picture Books)

The Wonderful Thing About Wordless Picture BooksWordless books might seem like a strange choice for librarians to recommend (aren't we all about WORDS?!?), but they are wonderful for children's language development in several important ways.First, they give babies and young children steady visual stimuli to focus on, which is useful for growing brains that crave new views and information.

The Dinosaurs Are Listening

The Dinosaurs Are Listening!Imaginative - and empathetic - play is a beautiful thing!Recently, a young library friend at the Charles Page Library didn't want to start our Build A Reader Storytime until all of the dinosaurs are listening.He removed each one - from the stegosaurus to the tyrannosaurus rex - from the box and set them up so they could be part of Storytime, too! Dinosaurs are fun, but so is watching a child analyze objects, sort, make patterns and problem solve. We love being able to have interesting toys for your children to enjoy! 

Winter Brain Workout!

Winter Brain Workout!Creating Winter Semantic Maps for Better Reading Comprehension

Tis the Season...To Sing!

’Tis the Season…To Sing!One of my fondest memories is sitting under the Christmas tree with my dad singing carols and other winter songs. My sisters and I would snuggle next to him and join in with all of our kid hearts. Our favorites were the cheerful refrains (and happy ending) of "Frosty the Snowman" and the contemplative beauty of "Lord of the Dance."

Gift Books: "Practical” Literacy Meets Holiday Need

Gift Books: "Practical" Literacy Meets Holiday NeedIf you're looking for a way for your kids or students to get involved in holiday gift-giving - but don't want to break the bank - consider helping them conceive and create "gift books" for the special people in their lives.

Around The World with Holiday Reads!

Around The World with Holiday Reads!Looking for some titles to learn more about all of the different holidays celebrated at the end of the calendar year? Look no further! This list of children’s books takes you around the world and into the past at Christmastime.