Best Friend Day falls on June 8, 2017. Though the day is still unofficial and not extensively celebrated everywhere, it serves as a suitable opportunity for us to share our favourite stories about having a best friend. We can make a best friend early on in life and sometimes, quite... Continue reading

You may have seen or at least heard about Donald Trump's now infamous tweet. If you haven't, here it is, in all its glory: Inspired by the U.S. President’s use of a nonsense word, I’d like to share my favourite children’s books that employ the same strategy. In these books,... Continue reading

It is my turn to share ten of my favourite picture books written by Canadian authors. Of the chosen titles, you will recognize a few notable classics. These have stood the test of time, and I am young enough to remember my parents, teachers, and librarians reading them to me... Continue reading

The wide theatrical release of The BFG movie is set for July 1, 2016. Based on the popular children’s book written by Roald Dahl, The BFG tells the story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. Standing 24-feet tall,... Continue reading

All children can benefit from an increased understanding of concepts from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, commonly referred to as STEM. Schools are preparing children for an increasingly STEM-driven workforce. Additionally, STEM is everywhere; its core concepts run through all of our everyday lives. As a parent or educator of... Continue reading

Andrew Luck, the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, has launched an online book club. Among his teammates and the media, Andrew is recognized for his passion for reading. He is often referred to as the “NFL’s unofficial librarian”. The mission of the new book club is simple: to share... Continue reading

It’s important to show young readers that reading can be a lot of fun. Children will show more interest in reading when they see that books are fun. When interest in reading grows, reading skills will improve through increased exposure and practice. Is there anything sillier and more fun to... Continue reading

As a student, I did research in the field of reading development. One of my favourite studies involved an examination of narrative skills (the ability to describe events and tell stories) in young children. In order to measure differences in narrative ability, we asked children to tell us a story... Continue reading

Like many kids, I spent a good deal of my childhood playing sports in my backyard. When it was too cold, I settled for the basement. When I wasn’t accidently knocking down the fruit on the backyard trees or shooting tennis balls against the basement furnace – much to my... Continue reading

I’m not embarrassed to admit this: I can’t carry a tune. I generally avoid singing whenever possible, but when it comes to reading with kids, I’ll make an exception. Children have a natural love for music and singing and whenever I sing – no matter how poorly – I usually... Continue reading

On Friday August 14, 2015, staff at the Main Street Branch found this note pinned to an Asterix book in the book drop: Staff were touched with the gesture and found the note adorable. The next day, on a whim, I decided to send the note to our social media... Continue reading

Convincing pre-readers to sit for a story can oftentimes be a tough sell. You may find that with toddlers, energy levels are high, interest in stories is low, or, as I sometimes find when reading to a new group of kids, they just aren’t comfortable enough with me to sit... Continue reading

It’s amazing how vivid our memory can be for experiences we had in our youth. I remember being in fourth grade and reading Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet. I thought it was fantastic; I couldn’t put it down, and I even remember waking up early on a Saturday morning (which was completely... Continue reading

With the school year winding down, it’s a great time to think about coming to the library for some of our wonderful programs. Here is a list of the programs we will be offering for children and tweens in July and August. Pyjama Time: Stories, songs, rhymes and activities for... Continue reading

As a children’s librarian, I live in a world of picture books. The glossy pages, great illustrations, and simple text found in picture books are great for young readers, and even better for parents to read to children at bedtime. But how about after your child has gone to bed?... Continue reading

Did you know...? ...that this Tuesday, March 20, 2012 is Very Hungry Caterpillar Day! Written by Eric Carle, the book follows a caterpillar as it eats through a variety of food items on its way to becoming a butterfly. The book has won numerous children's literature awards and has sold... Continue reading

He’s Hip! He’s Hoppin’! He’s Happenin’ at the York Woods branch on Friday January 27, 2012. Join us as former Treehouse TV star Lenny Graf brings his music to our theatre from 1:00 to 1:45 p.m. for Family Literacy Day. This fun-filled, energetic performance will have you singing along to... Continue reading

Feeling bored over the Holidays? Itching to get out of the house? Come join us for free movies at the York Woods Theatre! On Wednesday December 28, we are showing Disney's "A Christmas Carol", an animated retelling of Charles Dickens' classic novel about a Victorian-era miser taken on a journey... Continue reading

With the NBA season all set to kick off on Christmas Day, it is a fitting time to present some of the Toronto Public Library's best bets for basketball (click on the book covers for direct access to our library catalogue): Shaq Uncut: My Story In this candid new autobiography,... Continue reading

The York Woods Branch is pleased to announce a variety of programs for children over the holidays. Family Movies: Join us in the York Woods Theatre for a FREE screening of these movies: Please pick up tickets 30 minutes before the show at 12:30 p.m. at the box office. For... Continue reading