Parents and Teachers

Finding Fall Picture Books: Good Reads for the Holidays & Every Day

Posted on October 11, 2023 at 6:00 am

Autumn is a beautiful time. Deciduous trees make their colorful transformations. Cooler temperatures prevail. People revel in steaming beverages and cuddly sweaters. Autumn is also the time when seasonal children’s books are especially popular for check out. Even with over 100 picture book titles that come up in our catalog for searches for autu […]

Still Golden: Little Golden Books Are 81 Years Old & Going Strong

Posted on August 29, 2023 at 6:00 am

Do you remember your first Little Golden Book? The Little Golden Book series is a uniquely American success story. Launched at a time when the nation had barely emerged from the Great Depression and was deeply embroiled in World War II, the philosophy behind the 25¢ books was to give working-class parents an affordable way to have engaging books a […]

Inclusivity, Awareness & Literacy: Sensory Storytime & Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Posted on March 2, 2023 at 4:30 am

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and prompts us to consider our level of awareness, what is and isn’t in place in our community for inclusion of all people of all abilities, and what we can do as individuals and as a community to be open to and inclusive of everyone. In this guest blog, learn about Sensory Storytime and browse […]

When Kids Say the Darndest Things & Surprise Us at the Library…

Posted on January 11, 2023 at 6:00 am

One of the best parts of working in a public library is interacting with children. Their wonder challenges adult cynicism. Their questions often make us think about the world in a new way. I asked my colleagues to share some of their favorite interactions children in the library. Here are some of those stories that we love. Kids can be tough custom […]

1 in 5 Are Affected by Dyslexia: Get More Information, Early Intervention & Helpful Resources

Posted on September 14, 2022 at 6:00 am

Dyslexia is one of the most common specific learning disabilities (SLD) in the world. According to the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity, it affects up to 20 percent of the population. However, despite the high prevalence of this learning difference, it is often misunderstood by the general public, educators, and parents. As a result, dyslexia […]

How to Connect with Community Organizations That Help Students with Back-to-School Needs

Posted on August 10, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Crystal Miller August is National Back to School Month. Starting a new year of school can require new clothes and school supplies, among other things. Some families may need some extra help to provide these things for their students. If you are able to help, there are many ways you can donate to help […]

Raising a Reader: Benefits & Useful Resources for Parents & Caregivers

Posted on March 1, 2022 at 6:00 am

Raising a child as a reader can start at any time, even now. Whether you have a baby, a preschooler, or even a 12-year-old, it is never too early or too late to see the many benefits of reading to children. The library has books and resources to help you raise a readers. Have you tried Book Butler? Or signed up for... […]

Healthy Eating & Active Living Program for Families: Recipes & Success Stories

Posted on February 2, 2022 at 6:00 am

EFNEP Educator Brenda McGuire leads seven interactive lessons starting in March to strengthen your knowledge of healthy foods, discover fun recipes, and find new ways to be active with your family. See how you can participate. […]

School Is In: Helpful Digital Resources for Research, Studying & Homework

Posted on November 19, 2021 at 6:00 am

Now that school is in full swing, homework assignments for many students have started in earnest. Whatever the age of the student, and whether it’s you or someone in your household, we have some great digital resources to help get you through the school year. […]

Hard Topics to Talk About with Kids: Get Help with These New Book Bags

Posted on July 7, 2021 at 6:00 am

Whether the conversation is about divorce, death, bullying, or some other challenging situation, parents and caregivers can wonder where to even start and how much to say. To help parents and caregivers with these tough conversations, the Early Learning Team at the library has launched “Let’s Talk About” book bags. […]

Project ELLO: Everyday Language & Learning Opportunities

Posted on December 15, 2020 at 6:00 am

Guest blog by Dr. Allison Wilson Community spaces and familiar routines offer rich opportunities for meaningful interactions and learning with young children. Everyday Language and Learning Opportunities (Project ELLO) focuses on increasing the number of quality, language-rich interactions between caregivers and young children. ELLO resources encou […]

Exploring memoir writing with children

Posted on December 10, 2020 at 6:00 am

BY CAITLIN WHEELER MEMOIR, A MOMENT IN A LIFE Unlike biography, which is the story of a life, memoir is a story within a life—a moment or a thread of moments that shed light on a larger truth. Everyone has stories like these: little moments in our lives that illustrate something bigger about how we […]

1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program Fosters Early Literacy Skills

Posted on September 24, 2020 at 6:00 am

By Mary Ellen Braks We have an online reading challenge for parents and caregivers of young children. You can track the books you’re reading as your child grows! The 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program is designed to foster early literacy skills during the time period in a child’s development where the brain develops most rapidly. […]

Tags: books, reading

Kindergarten registration, plus games & activities to get ready

Posted on February 25, 2020 at 6:00 am

By Mary Ellen Braks It’s hard to believe that it is already time for parents to register their children for kindergarten. March 1 is the first day to register for most school districts in Spokane County. Even though school doesn’t start until September, this early registration allows for school districts to plan ahead to have […]

Let’s dance, let’s play: The genius of Jim Gill

Posted on August 2, 2018 at 6:00 am

By Erin Dodge If you’re a parent or caregiver of a young child, then you may already know the joyful, playful music and stories of Jim Gill. If you haven’t yet heard his music or attended an interactive performance, then you are in for a treat! Get ready to jump, dance, sing, clap, and even […]

Preschoolers get ready for school with STEM kits from the library

Posted on June 20, 2018 at 6:00 am

By Mary Ellen Braks Keep your preschoolers busy this summer with hands-on activities that encourage playful learning while exploring STEM concepts and reading. Preschoolers will find lots to discover with their parents and caregivers, using our new Ready for School with STEM kits. Spokane County Library District in partnership with the Inland North […]

Confession of a librarian mom: Reading and summer slide

Posted on June 5, 2018 at 6:00 am

By Gwendolyn Haley Last summer my family was busy with summer activities: camps, road trips, and camping vacations. We planned highly educational and enriching activities for our youngest daughter, but we did not make reading a high priority. When she started school in the fall, her teacher told me that she had definitely lost ground […]

Block play and kindergarten readiness

Posted on June 20, 2017 at 6:00 am

By Mary Ellen Braks This article is second in a 2-part series. The first article is 7 stages of block play: Building and early learning. As a librarian my go-to choice for baby gifts has always been books. The more books you have around your house and the more you read to children, the more likely it is […]

7 stages of block play: Building and early learning

Posted on June 16, 2017 at 6:00 am

By Mary Ellen Braks Blocks! Kids love them and parents love them. Most preschool classrooms and child care centers have blocks. Building programs seem to be everywhere. In fact, we’re having a week full of block and building activities at our storytimes this summer. You may be thinking, “Great! But why!?” My answer would be […]

Talking about preschool STEM

Posted on November 1, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Gwendolyn Haley STEM is a hot topic right now. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields are the fastest growing sector of the economy, and businesses in Washington state are among the leading employers in these fields. As a parent, I want to make sure that my daughters are aware of all the opportunities […]

My Library Journey (a guest post by Cindy Hval)

Posted on December 4, 2014 at 6:00 am

By Cindy Hval Guest Writer The purple plastic coin purse with the kitty face didn’t hold much, but then again six-year-olds travel light. It held two quarters, some pennies, a tissue, a cherry Chapstick and my first library card. Clutching the purse with one hand, I ran my fingers across the book spines standing sentinel […]

Life Lessons From Little Free Libraries

Posted on October 15, 2014 at 6:00 am

By Brian Vander Veen Last year, my partner Sheri and I started our own Little Free Library. If you’re not familiar with what Little Free Libraries are, they’re simply containers, usually near a sidewalk or similar publicly accessible space, where people can take and leave books for free. Little Free Libraries first began appearing in Wisco […]

A Conversation with Jennifer Pharr Davis

Posted on August 7, 2014 at 6:00 am

By Gwendolyn Haley After reading Called Again, I was really eager to have a conversation with the author, Jennifer Pharr Davis. I caught up with Jennifer by phone as she, her husband Brew, and 20-month-old daughter, travel all 50 states on a book tour, and hike whenever they can. You set off on your first […]

Why I Read YA

Posted on June 18, 2014 at 6:00 am

By Sheri Boggs I read YA. But Ruth Graham over at Slate says I shouldn’t. Or if I do, perhaps I should pin a large, scarlet “YA” of shame on my chest because—in spite of the fact that 55% of YA titles are bought by people older than 18, in spite of all the lists […]