Kids and families around the world will welcome the Year of the Monkey in 2016. Why, you may ask? It's Chinese New Year, and it's time to celebrate! Clean your house to make room for some good luck, then decorate it with red paper and wishes for wealth, happiness and a long life in the next year. Other traditions include…
Celebrate St. Nicholas Day
The stockings were hung By the chimney with care In the hopes that St. Nicholas Soon would be there. Chances are you know a certain jolly old elf from this famous line in Clement Moore's poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas," but did you know that St. Nicholas was a real person who spread kindness and goodwill nearly 2,000…
Silent and Skilled: Day of the Ninja
Quiet and mysterious, ninja warriors are known for their strength, skill and stealth. Turn your back for just a moment, and a ninja might catch you by surprise! What is it about ninjas that's so fascinating? Their clothing says "dark" and "dangerous." They move with lightning speed. And they have the mental and physical discipline…
Crosswords at 101: A Puzzling Celebration
cru•ci•ver•bal•ist, noun. A person skillful in solving or creating crossword puzzles. For over a century, crosswords have been challenging, vexing and delighting puzzlers of all ages. Who can resist the taunts of those scoundrels Across and Down, defying us to abandon our pens and walk away? If you've ever spent an afternoon determined to finish the New York…
The Red Thread: National Adoption Month
An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break. —Ancient Chinese proverb The Asian legend of the red thread is a perfect way to frame National Adoption Month, celebrated throughout November. It's lovely to think that adoptive family members are…
Happy Birthday, Bridget Jones!
Gaah! Guess who's having a birthday on November 9? Helen Fielding's plucky gal isn't telling how many candles are on the cake this year, but you can count on this: Bridget Jones is sure to be celebrating with a glass of Chardonnay and her closest friends. Believe it or not, it's been nearly 20 years since our self-deprecating Singleton stumbled…
Remember Me: Day of the Dead/Recuérdame: Día de los Muertos
Árboles (trees) ablaze with autumn colors, orange calabazas (pumpkins) carved with funny faces and falling temperatures just right for warm suéteres (sweaters) greet the annual celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). On November 2, families in México and Latin America, as well as Latinos in the United States, honor loved ones who've died with…
National Punctuation Day
Get ready to celebrate the semicolon, appreciate the apostrophe and congratulate the comma. Why, you ask? Because September 24 is National Punctuation Day! (Yes, it's really a thing.) Where would we be without those heroic little marks telling us when to pause, stop or get really excited while we're reading and writing? All our words would be…
¡Celebremos! Hispanic Heritage Month Reads for Kids
Are you ready for a fiesta of rich and delicious fun this fall? Just stop by the library during National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) for a celebration of books honoring the history, culture and achievements of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico and the Caribbean as well as Central and South America. Here's the best part: You…
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