Due to mechanical issues, Spokane Valley Library will be closed Friday–Sunday, June 2–4.
Spokane Valley Library will close on Monday, June 5, and reopen at 22 N Herald Rd on Saturday, June 17, at 10am. Learn about the grand opening.

TAG: young learners

Fractured fairy tales: re-inventing imagined worlds

Posted in Explore and Discover on February 14, 2017 at 6:00 am

By Rachel Edmondson It’s that time of year again when thoughts turn to true love and finding happily-ever-after. Most of the time, life is not a fairy tale. Unless, of course, you’re reading the original fairy tales, which are darker and more gruesome than the Disneyesque versions. Sometimes real life feels a bit too similar […]

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It’s the bee’s knees: learning about urban beekeeping

Posted in Explore and Discover on January 31, 2017 at 6:00 am

By David Wyatt “The keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.” ― Henry David Thoreau In the midst of February is probably not when most of us would be thinking of bees. However, it is an excellent time to plan for spring and think happy thoughts of the warmer seasons ahead. As part […]

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Engage: our new library event magazine

Posted in News on December 22, 2016 at 6:00 am

  Spokane County Library District introduces Engage, the new magazine packed with information about events, workshops, and programs at the library. You can pick up Engage at any of our 10 libraries or view it online. Just like all of our events and programs, the magazine is free. When you open the pages of Engage, […]

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Gift guide: kids books perfect for giving (and reading)

Posted in Explore and Discover on November 22, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Sheri Boggs In looking over the thousands of books published in 2016, I have found that there’s no shortage of great gift ideas for the children and teens on your holiday list. A few high profile releases come out before or around Thanksgiving: Diary of a Wimpy Kid #11: Double Down and the newest […]

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Talking about preschool STEM

Posted in Parents and Teachers 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 […]

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Bringing family together: picture books for older kids

Posted in Explore and Discover, kids on October 11, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Melanie Boerner Picture books are known for their 40 pages (or less) of illustrations and text that tell a story for young children. And most kids leave picture books behind when they enter higher elementary grades. But wait, don’t disregard picture book reads entirely for these grades! Authors and illustrators are penning picture books […]

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Irena’s Children: Q&A with Mary Cronk Farrell

Posted in Explore and Discover on September 22, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Sheri Boggs Local author Mary Cronk Farrell writes about the kinds of people whose stories aren’t widely told, but ought to be. In Pure Grit: How American World War II Nurses Survived Battle and Prison Camp in the Pacific, she tells the story of nearly 100 army and navy nurses who struggled to not […]

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Back to Homeschool Resources

Posted in News on September 14, 2016 at 6:00 am

  The Library District has free resources that help homeschooling parents develop lessons that match their children’s unique interests, abilities, and learning styles. In this homeschooling resource discussion, we will review helpful online resources, share library information and digital apps, and answer questions and help parents fin […]

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Prime Time Family Reading: discovering ideas together

Posted in Explore and Discover, kids, Parents and Teachers on August 16, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Gwendolyn Haley Something magical happens when families read books together and then talk about the big ideas they encounter. Reading is always fun, but talking about books and ideas helps us learn about the world and one another in a whole new way. Prime Time Family Reading from Humanities Washington taps into that magic […]

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Serious fun for K-3 readers

Posted in Explore and Discover, kids, Parents and Teachers on May 26, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Sheri Boggs If you’re a parent or teacher of a grade schooler, you’ve probably heard the term “summer slide,” sometimes also called “summer learning loss.” Summer slide refers to what happens to student brains when they are inactive over the three months of summer vacation. Although kids are getting a much needed break, they […]

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