View the 10 most checked-out titles in Children’s Picture Books this month — click on the link to the KDL Top Ten List!

What about you — what are some of your favorite picture books?

There is a heap of information and activities for young children to be found on the KDL website. The PLAY-GROW-READ! section of the KDL website can be found under the “Parents & Kids” tab.  There you will find a goldmine of “Printable Activities.”

From sequencing cards to puzzles to a rhyming game, there are many fun educational activities for young minds to explore. There are also some printable cutting pages that are great for developing fine motor skills. So the next time you are stuck inside on a rainy day, make sure to explore this great supply of early literacy activities created by KDL Youth Librarians!

Printable Rhyming Cards

This article originally appeared in our Early Lit Bits eNewsletter. Read the most recent issue online or sign up to receive this monthly update highlighting early literacy tips and resources for parents and caregivers.

Good news for eAudiobook lovers — HarperAudio titles are now available in MP3 format! This means that these eAudiobooks can now be downloaded directly to a much wider variety of devices, including Mac, iPhone and Android.

Popular HarperAudio authors include:

• Mary Kay Andrews
• Rob Bell
• Ray Bradbury
• Agatha Christie
• Beverly Cleary
• Neil Gaiman
• Eloisa James
• J.A. Jance
• Dennis Lehane
• C. S. Lewis
• Patricia MacLachlan (Sarah, Plain and Tall)
• Peggy Parish (Amelia Bedelia)
• Anne Patchett
• Katherine Paterson
• James Rollins
• Lynsay Sands
• L. J. Smith
• Kerrelyn Sparks
• Rebecca Wells

Visit http://ebooks.kdl.org and download one today!

The Kent County Board of Commissioners has appointed Scott Ellison to the Kent District Library Board of Trustees. Scott represents the City of Grandville and Byron Township. His term runs through December 31, 2016.

“I have always appreciated our community’s excellent library system, and have been curious to see how it will adapt to the new eReader generation, which I am part of,” said Scott.  “I believe I will be able to help guide KDL with my financial background, past Board experience and my interest as an avid eBook reader.”

Scott has 27 years of commercial banking experience and is currently a Commercial Loan Officer for Chemical Bank. He has held volunteer roles at several organizations including the Byron Chamber of Commerce and the Byron Township Downtown Development Authority. Scott earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Central Michigan University.

Please join us in welcoming Scott Ellison to the KDL Board of Trustees!

The finalists in this year’s Kent County Teen Film Festival tackled themes that include revenge, dwarven adventure, finding home. . . and, of course, chocolate! See below for a complete list of this year’s finalists.

Join us for a screening of all 13 short films at Celebration! Cinema North on Saturday, February 2 beginning at 10:30 AM. Come support these teen Fellinis, these junior Jarmusches, these co-ed Campions – and vote for your favorite film. This is a free event!

• Actually…  (Directed by Leah Bishop)
• BO B-Gone (Directed by Bjorn Hjelms and Joey Miller)
• Cherry Coke Cupcakes (Directed by Ally Faulkner and Madison Helms)
• Conflicted (Directed by Anna Dood and Jordan Shiparski)
• Danny Rade (Directed by Danny Anderson, Zach Bingel, Nolan Darby and Mike Robert)
• Disturbed (Directed by Sarah Dion and Eva Ramos)
• Finding Paradise (Directed by Emily Livermore)
• How to Be Fancy (Directed by Keith Langworthy, Max Scroggs and Trevor Williams)
• How to Braid (Directed by Gerty Venckus)
• How to Train a Paws with a Cause Dog (Directed by Andrew Berry, Blake Grzybawski, Casey Nostrant and Brenden Smith)
• Mancakes (Directed byAvery Erickson and Max Haunch)
• The Mission (Directed by Jagienka Timek and Corrah VanWigen)
• Whip Liner (Directed by Rachel Crudan)

January and February are turning out to be great months for series lovers! Shades of Earth by Beth Revis was just released. This is the third book of the science fiction series Across the Universe, featuring Amy & Elder on their journey to New Earth.

The Blue Bloods series completes with the just released seventh book, Gates of Paradise by Melissa de la Cruz. This vampire love story features Schuyler Van Alen, who is currently separated from her love, Jack.

Coming out today is Boundless by Cynthia Hand, the last book in the Unearthly series. Clara is half angel and only recently discovered her powers. But she is still being followed by the dark angel who almost took her life.

Next week brings the release of Prodigy by Marie Lu. This is the second book in the dystopian Legend series. After being thrown together by chance, June & Day face a difficult task in order to free Day’s brother.

February brings Sever by Lauren Destefano, the conclusion to the dystopian Chemical Garden series and Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter, the third in the Heist Society series.

Fun for guys big and small. Try out unique European board games, bring your Pokémon cards to trade and battle with friends and enjoy other great activities at 2:00 PM on Sunday, January 27 at the Cascade Township branch.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Cascade Library.

Andrew Drew and Drew by Barney Saltzberg

This article originally appeared in our Early Lit Bits eNewsletter. Read the most recent issue online or sign up to receive this monthly update highlighting early literacy tips and resources for parents and caregivers.

Plan a book club or get-together in honor of a classic author!  February 7 was the birth date of Laura Ingalls Wilder (she was born in 1867).  Re-read Little House on the Prairie, and then swap frontier stories as you munch on a tasty tidbit from the Little House Cookbook (Fried Parsnips and Succotash, anyone?).  To add some hilarity to the event—and for an updated take on an old classic—read The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie.  Just try to hold back your laughter as you experience author Wendy McClure’s offbeat quest to rediscover the wonder of the novels by visiting the locations immortalized in the classic series.

“As you read my stories of long ago I hope you will remember that the things that are truly worthwhile and that will give you happiness are the same now as they were then. Courage and kindness, loyalty, truth, and helpfulness are always the same and always needed.”  ― Laura Ingalls Wilder

All Kent District Library branches will be closed Monday, January 21 for an All Staff professional development day. We’re taking a day to make sure we’re the best library system we can be for all of our customers. Please pardon our absence, and we’ll all be back on Tuesday, January 22!