Story Tags

Lily and the Octopus cover: Large title text with a simple silhouette of a short haired dachshund

Good Pup

The cover series: part 2

People say you can't judge a book by its cover. We are about to embark on a cover series on OverDrive for e-audiobooks to discover why. Today's entry: dogs. Dogs appear in various artistic forms on covers spanning a wide number of genres. This is great for people who love reading about pups but could these rover reads have anything else in common? Who are these covers being marketed to? This sampling of random canine covered audio books will help us find out.

Postcards from the Past cover- postcards, two apples, two plums, a pear, and a vase of wildflowers on a windowsill

Fruit Salad

The cover series: part 1

People say you can't judge a book by its cover. We are about to embark on a cover series on OverDrive for audiobooks to discover why. Today's entry: fruit. Fruit on a cover is often fine art oriented, with renditions in oil paints and chiaroscuro accents. Who are these covers being marketed to? What do these books contents' have in common, if anything? This sampling of random fruit covered audio books will help us find out.

Beautiful Blue Death cover - Clear victorian style bottles with various liquid contents on a shelf

A Smattering of Mysteries

Welcome audio distractions for uncertain times

There's something about mysteries. Perhaps it's the process of puzzle solving that takes us out of our day-to-day. Perhaps it's the certainty that regardless of the circumstances, at the end of the book the mystery will have been solved. In any case, they are certainly a pleasure to listen to whether or not you want a book that you have to think about. Here are a few audio selections in DC Public Library's OverDrive collection to suit varied tastes.

What if cover - Face of a girl with purple hair

Grow your Creativity, Grow your World

Books to help spark new ideas

Everyone (even kids!) can feel stuck at times. Whether you're facing a tough homework problem, or a challenge that seems insurmountable, sometimes the answer requires taking a new perspective. That's where creativity enters the picture. Treating creativity as a practice allows new perspectives and options to enter the world. The books below can help stretch the mind and develop new insights. For children birth to 5

A Festival of Ghosts cover : A girl and boy in fall clothing stand in front of a gnarled and leafless tree.

More Children's Scary Stories

For a bone chilling read

Ok, ghost story loving kids. Get ready, because this year I have even more spooky books for you as we head into the long nights and the winds grow chillier.

Book cover with a gumball machine

Algebraic!

Math reads for you and the kids

School's here and it's time to embrace something that you tried to forget about all summer: math homework. Get yourself (and your child) ready for the mathemagical year to come with these exciting and fun math reads. For the Kids (K-6th Grade) Seeing Symmetry by Lauren Leedy

Ice Cream: A Global History cover

The Heat Wave is Gone, but Next Comes August

Cool reads for hot summer days

Summer in adulthood can be hard. Most jobs don't include a three month summer vacation, it's blazing hot, and being in public sprinkler parks when you're not a child generally leads to some serious side-eye. Get through the worst of it with a tall glass of ice water and these chilly reads.

Mission Save the Planet cover. A photo of earth in space with the title superimposed.

Let's Care for the Earth!

Books to build environmental stewardship in kids and tweens

With the Washington Post reporting that DC's climate is going to match that of Mississippi's 60 years from now, it can feel like building environmental stewardship in the next generation is critical and urgent. Fortunately, it can also be fun! Try these books for your budding environmentalist to encourage a sense of gratitude and responsibility for our planet.  Younger Children (birth to 2nd grade)

Lovely cover

Learning About Differences

Not just for adults any more!

In cities like Washington, D.C. there are so many people and they are all unique. This curated list contains a variety of protagonists and thoughts about differences. Let's celebrate the beautiful diversity of our city with diverse reads! Picture books for early readers Lovely by Jess Hong

The Parker Inheritance

You've Got a Friend in Me

Books about friendship for kids and teens

Younger kids (Pre-k through 2nd grade) Hooray for Hat by Brian Won Elephant is in a terrible mood, but surprising generosity from a mysterious benefactor cheers him up so much that he decides to help his friends get out of their gloominess. An excellent opportunity to discuss supporting friends and shaking off sadness.

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