Category: Kids

Are you looking for reading recommendations for kids? We can help! Visit us in person or online to get ideas for great reads for kids. For one-on-one help call or ask a Library staff member at any of our locations. You can also call, text, or email ask-a- librarian!

This collection of book lists created by our staff can assist students with homework, help them find more books by their favorite authors, and aid parents in finding books for the youngest readers, among other things! We add new lists each month so returning readers can continue to find their next read! Find more reading recommendations for kids in our blog or enjoy storytime online.

You can also get reading recommendations online from No veList K-8 Plus or Book Connections. Read book reviews, see “read alike” lists, browse starred reviews, and more.

Whooo Loves Owls!?!

Do you enjoy owls? Here are some great stories featuring owls!

Los Libros Favoritos de Señora Flo

Señora Flo hace hora de cuentos, y estos son sus libros favoritos para leer a los niños.

Title - Cómo dicen te quiero los dinosaurios?

X Marks the Spot! Books of Maps, Treasure, and Adventure

Ahoy, mateys! Set sail on a reading adventure this Talk Like a Pirate Day with stories full of treasure maps, secret clues, daring journeys, and plenty of pirate spirit. Whether your little buccaneers are searching for hidden gold, following a magical map, or solving mysteries, these books will spark imagination and excitement on the high seas of storytelling.

Mindfulness and Meditation Picture Books and Juvenile Nonfiction

Mindfulness and meditation can be a great part of improving and maintaining healthy mental and emotional well-being. Here you will find picture books and some juvenile nonfiction that display and teach the principles of being mindful and meditating.

Picture Books and Juvenile Nonfiction About Mental Health and Illness

Each year has a Mental Health Awareness Month and a Suicide Prevention Month, but mental health is important all year long! If your young one or someone close to your family is struggling with their mental health, then some of these titles may help them understand themselves or others better.

As many of the forewords and afterwards within these titles share, please reach out to a professional if needed. These books are meant to help, not treat on their own.

BIG FEELINGS

A part of mental and emotional health is understanding what you’re feeling, so here are some Social-Emotional Learning picture books about feelings and emotions. First, we have some books that deal with a variety of emotions, and then there are titles that relate to one emotion. Because fears are such a part of growing up (at least for some of us), the last few titles are about facing fears (stage fright, swimming, the dark, etc.).

Indigenous Picture Books

Indigenous picture books offer a wonderful way to introduce children to the diverse cultures, stories, and perspectives of Indigenous peoples. Many picture books feature Indigenous characters and themes, often highlighting traditions, family connections, and the importance of the natural world. Many of the books highlighted below are award-winners.

Staff Picks 2024 – Best of Picture Books

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Our staff share some of their favorite picture books from 2024 that they have seen – from beautiful to funny, we hope there is something for you and your littlest readers to enjoy.

Staff Picks 2024 – Best of Fiction for Kids

Some of our favorite new fiction titles published for kids. At the very bottom of the list, enjoy older bonus material: staff were also asked if they read an older title/not published in 2024 that they might also recommend.

Title - Amari And The Despicable Wonders

Staff Picks 2024 – Best of Beginning and Early Readers for Kids

Staff sent in some of their favorite 2024 books that fall into our JZ and JE category. JZ are the books for young readers that are beginning to read on their own and typically these books have very controlled vocabulary and still a lot of pictures. (Think Piggie and Elephant; Bob books; Yasmin). JEs are books that introduce a longer narrative and sometimes chapters or vignettes; contain more content; characters that have depth and experiences. (Think Magic Treehouse or Bad Guy series)

Join Us for Storytime!

Event: Storytime at Garfield Park
Date & Time: Saturday, September 06, 10:30am
Location: Garfield Park Branch
Description: Babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and their parents/caregivers are invited for stories, songs, and movement activities.
No Registration Required.

Event: Bilingual Storytime at College Avenue – American Sign Language (ASL)
Date & Time: Saturday, September 06, 10:30am
Location: College Avenue Branch
Description: Join us for a storytime with a Deaf presenter and American Sign Language interpreter! This program is fully accessible and enjoyable to both Deaf and hearing individuals.
No Registration Required.

Event: Storytime at Nora – Move and Groove
Date & Time: Saturday, September 06, 10:30am
Location: Nora Branch
Description: A story time that incorporates songs and dance, and will help start a great day. Encourages language development and physical activity. For toddlers and preschoolers, and their caregivers
No Registration Required.

Event: Paws to Read at Michigan Road
Date & Time: Saturday, September 06, 2:00pm
Location: Michigan Road Branch
Description: Beginning or reluctant readers are invited to read to a registered therapy dog who loves to listen to stories. Its a great way to improve a child’s reading skills and self-confidence. Participants may sign up for a 15 minute reading session by registering online or calling 317-275-4370 ext. 4.
Register Here

Event: Storytime at Eagle – Baby & Toddler
Date & Time: Monday, September 08, 10:30am
Location: Eagle Branch
Description: Children ages 0-2 and a caregiver are invited for a story, songs, rhymes, and activities designed with our littlest future readers in mind!
No Registration Required.

Tags What We're Reading

Fairy tale classics like The Princess and the Pea change when set in new locations or told from unique perspectives. La Princesa and the Pea retells this classic tale in Peru. Here, a princess proves her authenticity by sensing a single pea hidden beneath a pile of mattresses.

There are lots of stories like The Princess and the Pea that kids can rattle off without even thinking very much. The Three Little Pigs, The Three Bears, and Cinderella are so widely known that children everywhere recognize them. When told in different locations, these stories take on unique variations that reflect the local land and culture.

Juana Martinez-Neal, the illustrator of La Princesa and the Pea, won the 2018 Pura Belpré Award for her exceptional portrayal of cultural identity through illustration. This award recognizes the best work depicting Latino cultural experiences. In La Princesa and the Pea, Martinez-Neal’s illustrations feature authentic Peruvian weaving, similar to the artifacts at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.

As you read the story, examine the illustrations to discover the weaving process. Meanwhile, the tale of the princess unfolds alongside the depiction of a Peruvian setting and the experiences of a young lady there. In addition, classic tales told in this manner offer a chance to see your own culture reflected or explore a different culture. Check out more from the list below!

Use your Library Card to check out fairy tale classics at any of our locations, or check out e-books and e-audiobooks from home right to your device. Need help? Call or ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or text a librarian at 317 333-6877.

Here are some favorite classic tales and traditional stories told with details and cultural traditions of the American Southwest, Mexico, Central or South America.

Title - The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred

Tags Hispanic/Latino, Holidays & Seasons

Cuando estás de vacaciones, haciendo mandados, o fuera de casa, leer historias convierte las horas de espera en momentos de diversión. ¡Es la hora del cuento en línea! Nuestra biblioteca de cuentos está disponible las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana. Disfruta de tus historias favoritas en cualquier momento. Haz clic en la portada de un libro para leer o escuchar cuentos en español. Sumérgete en la magia de la lectura.

Para fomentar el gusto de los niños por las historias, explora más recursos. Consulta la International Children’s Literature Database: Los Libros en Español. Este recurso ofrece una rica colección de literatura infantil en español. Además, Uniteforliteracy: Los Libros en Español proporciona una selección de libros con narración en español, ideales para que los niños disfruten mientras desarrollan sus habilidades de escucha. También puedes visitar Plaza Sésamo en Español. Presenta cuentos y actividades educativas en un formato atractivo. Estos recursos mantienen a los niños entretenidos y comprometidos con la lectura.

No te pierdas la Hora del Cuento Bilingüe – Español. Únete a la Señora Laura para una sesión de cuentacuentos en inglés y español. Los preescolares disfrutarán de libros, canciones y juegos que fomentan el amor por la lectura y el aprendizaje de nuevos idiomas. Esta experiencia bilingüe es una oportunidad para que los niños se sumerjan en historias cautivadoras y desarrollen habilidades en ambos idiomas. ¡No te lo pierdas!

¿Necesitas ayuda? Llame o pregunte a un miembro del personal de la biblioteca en cualquiera de nuestras ubicaciones o envíe un mensaje de texto a un bibliotecario al 317 333-6877.

title - Jorge el Curioso monta en bicicleta

title - Martí's Song for Freedom/ Martí Y Sus Versos Por La Libertad

title - Mike Mulligan y su maquina maravillosa

title - Silvestre y la piedrecita magica

Historias en Español – Hora de Cuentos Bilingüe

Event: Bilingual Storytime at College Avenue – American Sign Language (ASL)
Date & Time: Saturday, September 06, 10:30am
Location: College Avenue Branch
Description: Join us for a storytime with a Deaf presenter and American Sign Language interpreter! This program is fully accessible and enjoyable to both Deaf and hearing individuals.
No Registration Required.

Event: Bilingual Storytime at Wayne – Baby and Toddler
Date & Time: Tuesday, September 09, 10:30am
Location: Wayne Branch
Description: Babies and toddlers up to age 2 with an adult are invited for an active class featuring stories, songs, and rhymes followed by socialization and playtime with age appropriate toys.
No Registration Required.

Event: Bilingual Storytime at Pike – Spanish / Hora del cuento bilingüe – en español
Date & Time: Wednesday, September 10, 10:30am
Location: Pike Branch
Description: Young children will enjoy books, songs, and games in this bilingual storytime in English and Spanish! / ¡Los niños pequeños disfrutarán de libros, canciones y juegos en esta hora de cuentos bilingüe en inglés y español!
No Registration Required.

Event: Bilingual Storytime at Eagle – Spanish / Hora del cuento bilingüe – en español
Date & Time: Thursday, September 11, 11:00am
Location: Eagle Branch
Description: Young children will enjoy books, songs, and games in this bilingual storytime in English and Spanish! / ¡Los niños pequeños disfrutarán de libros, canciones y juegos en esta hora de cuentos bilingüe en inglés y español!
No Registration Required.

Event: Bilingual Storytime at East Washington – Spanish / Hora del cuento bilingüe – en español
Date & Time: Monday, September 15, 11:00am
Location: East Washington Branch
Description: Young children will enjoy books, songs, and games in this bilingual storytime in English and Spanish! / ¡Los niños pequeños disfrutarán de libros, canciones y juegos en esta hora de cuentos bilingüe en inglés y español!
No Registration Required.

Tags Hispanic/Latino

In How to Make Ice Cream in a Bag follow step-by-step directions at home for making your own ice cream. Find out the science behind how this works. Smart as well as delicious! Watch a demonstration of how this works in the video below. With a few simple ingredients you can be eating a DIY slushie cold treat in no time! Even on a very hot day!

A little bit simpler science recipe you can try is making a DIY slushie from your favorite drink. The same science principles apply! Your favorite drink is pretty good with ice floating in it. When your drink has ice cubes in it, the ice cubes make the drink colder, but the ice cubes don’t make the drink itself freeze. The ice cubes IN the drink melt because they are colder then the drink itself. The drink melts the ice cubes by lowering their temperature. If you want a slushie you need to put ice AROUND your drink instead of IN it.

Melting point is the temperature at which a solid will melt. For ice this temperature is 32 degrees. If you put a drink in the freezer, where the temperature is 32 degrees or colder, the drink itself will freeze. Solid. You won’t be able to drink it!

To make your DIY slushie you want the temperature around your favorite drink to be lower than 32 degrees so the drink itself will get really cold. Keep an eye on it and stir it a lot so it doesn’t freeze solid. Make an easy slushie using ice cubes and salt. Note: the salt does NOT go IN your drink!

Salt lowers the melting point of water. Adding salt to ice cubes makes them stay frozen longer. If ice with salt added to it is packed around a liquid, like your drink, the salted ice will make your drink so cold that it will turn into a slushie!\

What You Need:

Your Favorite Drink (Soda, orange juice, lemonade, etc.)
Quart-size zip-lock bag
Gallon-size zip-lock bag
2 cups ice
1/4 cup salt
Bowl

Fill the quart size bag with your favorite drink and zip it closed. HINT: Make sure the bag is zipped really good or your slushie will taste bad when some of the salt leaks into your bag. Put the quart size bag inside the gallon bag. Add the ice and salt to the gallon bag. Next, zip the gallon size bag closed. Finally, shake the bag a lot – even play catch with it…gently. In about 15 minutes you will feel the ingredients in the quart size bag starting to firm up. What started out as a liquid is changing to a solid. When it feels done take the quart size bag out of the gallon size bag. Rinse it off good in clean water. Then open the bag, squeeze the slushie into a glass and enjoy!

When you add salt to the ice cubes you lower the melting point of the ice cubes by several degrees. The ice cubes stay colder, longer – long enough to turn your drink slushie. The secret is the catalyst – the salt. A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a reaction.

Science Experiment Idea

Make 3 different quart size bags each filled with the exact same amount of your favorite drink. Fill each of three gallon size bag with the exact same number of ice cubes. Add 1/8 cup of salt to the first gallon size bag and label it with a sharpie, “1/8”. Then add 1/4 cup of salt to the second gallon size bag and label it “1/4”. Finally, add 1/3 cup of salt to the third gallon size bag and label it “1/3”. Have a couple friends help you shake and smoosh the bags to make the slushies. Time how long it takes each of the bags to turn into a slushie. Which amount of salt makes a DIY slushie the fastest?

Websites, Activities & Printables:

You can also ask a math and science expert for homework help by calling the Ask Rose Homework Hotline. They provide FREE math and science homework help to Indiana students in grades 6-12.

e-Books & Audiobooks

Use your Library Card to check out kitchen science books at any of our locations, or check out kitchen science e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use e-books and alearn how to use audiobooks.

Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Ice Cream and Other Edible Science for Kids

Let your kitchen become a science lab and bake, melt, freeze, or boil an experiment you can eat!

Title - The Ultimate Science Cookbook for Kids

Title - Super Fun Kitchen Science Experiments for Kids

Title - 10-minute Kitchen Science Projects

Title - The Complete Cookbook for Young Scientists

Title - Hack Your Kitchen : Discover A World of Food Fun With Science Buddies

Tags Homework Help, Science Experiments

Two children looking at a tablet while hiding in a tent fort.

Picture book read along stories play like a movie and are great for listening practice as well as really fun! You can stream picture book videos free with your IndyPL library card. Illustrations move as you watch the narrated stories. Video picture books are especially convenient for car trips. You can check out several at a time and play them multiple times while you have them checked out. They are perfect for “read it again!”

To stream these videos for kids you will need a Hoopla account. Hoopla is the service the Library uses to deliver these videos to you.

Get Started Streaming Picture Book Videos on Hoopla

You can access Hoopla to stream picture book videos from any device, including iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast.
Visit Hoopla to sign up with your Library card.
Once you borrow a movie, you have 3 days to view it as many times as you like.
Your total borrows reset on the 1st of the month.
Once you have reached your 10 items a month borrowing limit, you will not be able to borrow any Hoopla content until the new month starts and your 10 borrows reset.
Need help? Watch a video tutorial.

Here are a few favorites to get you started, or see Hoopla’s complete list of picture book videos for kids.

Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Tags e-Books & Streaming, Storytime Online

Child dressed like little red riding hood reading to her stuffed animals while sitting on a blanket with a picnic basket in the woods.

There are lots of stories kids can rattle off without even thinking very much. The Three Little Pigs, The Three Bears, and Cinderella are examples of some commonly told stories children all over the world often know. Told in different places, the stories take on interesting differences that reflect a country’s environment or culture. Fairy tale variants like these can be great introductions to new places and new people!

Sometimes storytellers like to have fun with a traditional story too. Cinderella plays in a hockey game instead of going to a ball. The Big Bad Wolf tells HIS side of the story. The story happens in a new or unique place. Try one of these for a unique twist on classic tales!

Have fun with fairy tale variants – unique spins on these classics!

The Three Ninja Pigs – IndyPL_CarrieW
The Three Armadillies Tuff – IndyPL_CarrieW
Cactus Soup – IndyPL_CarrieW
The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas – IndyPL_CarrieW
The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza – IndyPL_CarrieW
Jacqueline and the Beanstalk – IndyPL_CarrieW
Hank (Hansel) and Gertie (Gretel) – IndyPL_CarrieW
Moldilocks and the Three Scares – IndyPL_CarrieW
The Ninjabread Man – IndyPL_CarrieW
Cinderella Stories Around the World – IndyPL_CarrieW
Cinderelephant: Unique Spins on a Classic Favorite – IndyPL_CarrieW

Hispanic Retellings of Classic Tales

Here are some favorite classic tales and traditional stories told with details and cultural traditions of the American Southwest, Mexico, Central or South America.

Need help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

In the month of May in Indianapolis attention is focused at The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, or less formally, “The Brickyard,” or as we simply call it here at home, “the track.” It is time for the Indy 500!

If you sit outside in Indianapolis on a spring day in May and the wind is just right in relation to where you are, you can hear the distant high-pitched hum of cars practicing, careening around the track. On race day you can see other signs that something big is happening. If you look up you can see the Goodyear blimp floating above the city giving the world a birds-eye view, or at start time, watch the fighter jets fly in formation over the city, both traditions leading up to “Drivers, start your engines!”

While you wait for this year’s race, have fun learning about the history, physics and amazing records of the greatest spectacle in racing – the Indianapolis 500! The Spectacle is a complete history of the Indianapolis 500. It includes a hundred year’s worth of memories from legendary drivers and details about memorable races. It’s like you were in the pits yourself watching the drama unfold. Listed below are online activities and books about the Indy 500 you can check out with your IndyPL library card. You can even learn how to draw or build a race car of your own!

Websites, Printables & Activities

Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indy 500 Photo Gallery
Motorsports Hall of Fame
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis: Indy 500 Artifacts
Art for Kids Hub Video: How to Draw a Porsche Race Car
DrawinGeek: How to Draw a Race Car Step-by-Step
Printable: Rahal Coloring Sheets
Printable: Crayola Formula One Race Car

e-Books & Audiobooks

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about car racing at any of our locations, or check out car racing e-books and a udiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use it for both e-books and audiobooks.

Books for Kids Crazy about Indy Cars

Title - Draw 50 Cars, Trucks, and Motorcycles

Tags Local History, Sports & Fitness

Have you seen one of the Library’s Bookmobiles driving around Indianapolis? We have two that visit neighborhoods and schools all over the city delivering books to people who don’t have a Library branch nearby. Kids love trucks, books, and cozy little spaces – our Bookmobiles are all three! Watch this video to meet one of our book cruising teams, ride on the bookmobile with Emilie and Bruce! Our Bookmobiles are filled with both great books and great people!

Bookmobile History

A librarian in Maryland in the early 1900s is credited with coming up with the idea of the first bookmobile. That first one was a horse-drawn wagon. No one had ever seen one of those before! Soon book wagons were appearing in other parts of the country, and by 1922, the book wagon idea was very popular. The bookmobile was born!

Bookmobiles: Then and Now – A Fascinating timeline of the evolution of bookmobiles, including the features, technology, and vehicles responsible for bringing library services to the public. Note: green entries on the timeline are bookmobile history in general. Purple entries in the timeline are Indianapolis Bookmobile history.
50 Vintage Photos of Libraries on Wheels
Indianapolis Public Library Digital Collections: Bookmobiles

We’ve picked our favorite photos from our Digital Collection for this bookmobile photo gallery. It’s fun to see how our bookmobiles have changed over the years!

To learn even more about bookmobiles check out one of the books below. Each one tells the story of a bookmobile. Ride on the bookmobile with Emily and Bruce, or see some places where it makes sense to deliver books by boat, burro, or camel!

Bookmobiles: On the Road for Reading All Over the World

Book lovers and librarians have loaded up books and taken them on the road for decades. What people use to transport the books depends on where the books need delivered. Bookmobiles can be trucks, boats, bikes, or pack animals! Which animal is chosen depends on where in the world the books are being delivered. Horses, burros and camels are all excellent at book transportation. Here are some of our favorite stories about how mobile libraries get books to people who don’t have a library building nearby.

Kids of all ages can learn about more than a dozen trailblazing women in science, art, law, politics, and sports by listening to these video storytimes. Our featured story is called Equality’s Call, by Deborah Diesen, illustrated by Magdalena Mora. It is the story of the history of voting rights in the United States from our nation’s founding until today. The story is read by National Women’s History Museum Ambassador, actress Logan Browning.

To hear even more stories about amazing women, just click on a book cover to listen to another one!

e-Books & Audiobooks

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about trailblazing women at any of our locations, or check out books about trailblazing women e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, learn how to use OverDrive for e-books and learn how to use OverDrive for audiobooks.

Browse biographies of Women for Kids on OverDrive

Find more FREE online reading at Free Video Read Alouds or try storytime at home!

Websites, Activities & Printables

National Geographic Kids: Women’s History Month
She Can STEM: Stories They build robots, find new sources of energy, study animals, play with slime, and invent apps.
DK Find Out! National Women’s History Month
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Trailblazing Women in Art

Women’s History for Kids

Fun books to help kids learn about women’s history and get inspired to make a difference!

Women and Girls Make Amazing Music!

These compelling documentaries shed light on the lives and careers of women and girls working in a range of genres and musical settings.

Game Changers: 25 Books About Female Athletes Who Took the Lead

Listed here are more stories about trailblazing female athletes. “Stories, both real and imagined, show what girls can do. The stories of women’s lives, and the choices they made, encourage girls to think larger and bolder, and give boys and men a fuller understanding of the female experience.” ~National Women’s History Project

Women Make Amazing Art!

Invite the budding young artists in your life to explore art by women from around the planet!

Title - The Life and Art of Ningiukulu Teevee

Sheroes and Girl Power: Books for Kids

Newer biographies that celebrate the efforts and genius of women. Success in different fields and talents and the long reach and effort to continually push towards “justice” for all are just the tip of the list here.

Tags History, Homework Help, Storytime Online, Women's History

Listed below is a Black history timeline of important events of the civil rights movement. These events led to the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965. The fiction and non-fiction books listed bring the events and people to life. Take a book walk through history to learn about these determined, brave people who stood together so no one stood alone.

Ruby Bridges

At the age of six Ruby Bridges became the first Black child to integrate an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. This Is Your Time is a new book for kids written by Ruby herself and is a great introduction to one of the key moments in the Black history timeline. It is a letter she has written to children today, more than 60 years after her historic first, to share her story and share her thoughts on what children can do to effect change. As Ruby says, “what can inspire tomorrow often lies in our past.”

This Is Your Time includes many historical photos, some from Ruby’s private collection. I especially enjoyed learning about Ruby’s first grade teacher that year and the photo of Ruby and her teacher at school, as well as the recent picture of the two of them together.

The image on the book’s cover is “The Problem We All Live With,” a 1964 painting by Norman Rockwell that shows Ruby being escorted to school by four US Marshals. In 2011 President Barack Obama arranged to borrow the painting from the Norman Rockwell museum. He had it hung outside the Oval Office and invited Ruby to come see it. Watch this video carefully to hear President Obama say something important:

“I think it’s fair to say that if it hadn’t been for you guys, I might not be here and we wouldn’t be looking at this together.”

Ruby Bridges visits with the President and her portrait

He said something very similar during his campaign for the presidency in 2007.

“I’m here because somebody marched. I’m here because you all sacrificed for me. I stand on the shoulders of giants.” ~Speech, Selma Voting Rights March Commemoration in Selma, Alabama, March 4, 2007

Black History Timeline

The books suggested in the Black history timeline below make great selections every day, but are especially meaningful on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January, and on January 18th, the National Day of Racial Healing. On these days we turn our attention to specifically remember history and re-commit to the goal of racial justice.

1954

Brown v. Board of Education was a very important United States Supreme Court case. The Court decided state laws that separated Black students from white students in public schools were unconstitutional. In other words, the Court said this separation of students was not legal. The decision by the Court was unanimous (9–0). Unanimous means all of the supreme court justices agreed.

title - Brown V. Board of Education : A Day That Changed America

1954

The Murder of Emmett Till – Accused of offending a white woman at a grocery store, Emmett was a 14-year-old Black boy lynched in Mississippi in 1955. The brutality of his murder and the fact that his killers were acquitted highlighted the long history of violent persecution of African Americans. Like Ruby Bridges, Emmett became an icon of the civil rights movement.

1955-1956

The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a protest against segregated seats on the public buses in Montgomery, Alabama. Back then Black people had to ride in the seats at the back of the bus, and if the seats were all full and a white person got on the bus, a Black rider would have to give their seat to the white person. A boycott a tactic people use to point out something they think is not right. They stop buying something or stop using something to draw attention to the problem. In this case, people boycotted the buses; they stopped paying to ride them.

title - Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott

1957

The Little Rock Nine was a group of Black students who signed up to go to Little Rock Central High School. Even though the U.S. Supreme Court had already said it was not legal to separate Black students from white students in public schools, officials blocked these Black students from entering the school. President Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne and the Arkansas National Guard to escort the students to school.

title - The Little Rock Nine Challenge Segregation

title - Daisy Bates and the Little Rock Nine

1960

The Greensboro Sit-ins were nonviolent protests against segregated seating in restaurants. The sit-ins began in Greensboro, North Carolina when four Black men sat down in the white section of a restaurant. No one would take their order because they were not sitting in the “right” seats. They sat quietly until the restaurant closed. Because they were sitting in the seats, white people could not sit in the seats and make an order. The next day more people came and did the same thing, filling up the seats. More people joined each day at more restaurants and in more cities. The restaurants did not make any money. Eventually, the restaurants changed their segregation rules so that they could do business again.

1960

Ruby Bridges was the first Black student to attend an all-white elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana. Four federal marshals escorted Ruby and her mother for the entire school year.

1961

Freedom Riders were people who rode on buses to protest segregated seating. The United States Supreme Court had already ruled that it was illegal to separate Black people from white people on public buses. The authorities did not enforce the law. To protest this, groups of people, both Black and white, rode the buses together to challenge the rules. The riders drew attention to the states that were not following federal law.

title - The Story of the Civil Rights Freedom Rides in Photographs

1963

The Birmingham Children’s March was a march by hundreds of school children in Birmingham, Alabama. The children left school and walked downtown to talk to the mayor about segregation. Authorities used fire hoses and police dogs to try to stop the march. Many children were arrested. This event inspired President Kennedy to publicly support federal civil rights legislation and the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

1963

The March on Washington took place in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963. At the march, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic “I Have a Dream” speech. The march helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

1963

The 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sunday, September 15, 1963 killed four little girls and injured 22 other people. Three Klansmen were thought by the FBI to be responsible and were eventually prosecuted for the crime, but not until 1977, 2001 and 2002. A fourth man died before he could be prosecuted. The bombing contributed to support for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

1964

The Civil Rights Act enacted on July 2, 1964. It is a landmark law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

title - All the Days Past, All the Days to Come

1965

The Selma to Montgomery Voting Marches were three protest marches along a 54-mile highway from Selma, Alabama, to the Alabama state capital of Montgomery. Black citizens who were being prevented from exercising their constitutional right to vote organized the marches. The marches contributed to the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

title - Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom

1968

Dr. Martin Luther King assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. While his death silenced his own voice, it did not end the civil rights movement. The movement continues to this day as people work to ensure and preserve opportunities for racial equity, inclusion, justice, and peace.

To learn even more about fascinating and inspiring black history makers, visit the Center for Black Literature & Culture at Central Library. The Center is dedicated to celebrating the vibrant and resilient heritage and triumphs of those born of African roots.

Tags Black History, Homework Help

This photo from the Library of Congress shows the delivery of two turkeys to President Herbert Hoover in 1929. According to White House History, the tradition of sending a Thanksgiving turkey to US Presidents goes back many years. John F. Kennedy was the first President to pardon a turkey. A pardon means showing leniency, in other words, he didn’t eat it! Pardoning the turkey eventually became an annual event for United States Presidents. You might wonder what happened to all those pardoned turkeys? I found out they have gone to several different places including George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Disney World!

There have been many United States Presidents, more than 40, so there are a lot of oddball traditions and just plain funny stories about their quirky habits. There are even more stories about their pet projects and special accomplishments. Check out some of these books to find out behind-the-scenes stories that probably won’t make it on your social studies test!

Would you like to learn about how presidents get elected? Take a look at Elections for Kids to see books, databases, websites, and artifacts that will help learn more or do research to answer homework questions about elections.

You can start by looking at this voting machine that is an Artifact from The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. It was used by voters in Indianapolis from the 1930s through the 1980 election. Look at more elections artifacts from the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis’ Collection.

Websites, Activities & Printables:

PBS: The Race is On! – includes an FAQ to answer questions like, what do donkeys and elephants have to do with it?
The Library of Congress: Elections…the American Way
PBS Kids: The Democracy Project
Zoom: Elections 101
National Archives: US Electoral College
IndyPL Kids’ Blog: Unique Stories of the U.S. Presidents

NoveList K-8: Stories about Elections is a database you can use in any IndyPL Library Branch or at home to learn about elections for kids. Login using your library card number. Novelist will show you fiction chapter books and picture books you can read about elections. Click on “Check the Library Catalog” to see if IndyPL has the book.

Unique Stories About U.S. Presidents

Unique often equals funny! All the astonishing accomplishments and silly details fit to print about which President sang with his pet parrot, which one took dancing lessons, which one got a speeding ticket on a horse, and which one ran down Pennsylvania Avenue (the street in front of the White House) chasing after a goat! Hint: the goat one is the President from Indiana!

Tags History, Homework Help

I’m sure you’ve heard people say that dogs are man’s best friend. When you read some of these books, you’ll discover that there are a lot of animals that have been man’s best friend as well as best friends to each other! Who would have thought that a deer and a dog or a dog and a duck could be friends? Some of these animals just have the best life stories. Some are famous, like Koko the gorilla who learned American Sign Language. Or the 21 elephants that walked across the Brooklyn Bridge when it was built, just to prove it was safe! Or Eclipse, the dog that learned how to catch the bus to the dog park all by himself! Theses are true animal stores and they are amazing!

Can We Be Friends: Unexpected Animal Friendships from Around the World tells the stories of five unlikely animal friendships:

a hippo and a tortoise
an elephant and a sheep
a gorilla and kittens
a cheetah and a dog
a dog and dolphin

Check out even more books that tell the true animal stories of some special members of the animal kingdom!

Amazing and True Animals Stories for Kids

Read about the 21 elephants that walked across the Brooklyn Bridge when it was built, just to prove it was safe, or about Eclipse, the dog that learned how to catch the bus to the dog park all by himself! Check out some of these books for amazing stories about some special members of the animal kingdom.

Title - Twenty-one Elephants and Still Standing

Man’s Best Friends – Dogs, Horses, Cows, Bears, Pigeons and More – IndyPL_CarrieW
Unlikely BFFs – True Stories of Amazing Animal Friendships – IndyPL_CarrieW

Need help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. Additionally, the Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Tags Animals

The books, databases, websites and artifacts on this page will help you do research and answer homework questions about elections. Explore Unique Stories of the U.S. Presidents as well as The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Election Artifacts Collection.

Websites, Activities & Printables

PBS: The Race is On! – includes FAQ to answer questions like, what do donkeys and elephants have to do with it?
The Library of Congress: Elections…the American Way
PBS Kids: The Democracy Project
Ben’s Guide Election of the President including The What and Who of Elections, The History and Process of Voting, and How Elections H appen
ZOOM: Elections 101
National Archives: US Electoral College
IndyPL Blog: Unique Stories of the U.S. Presidents
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis: Election Artifacts

NoveList K-8: Stories about Elections is a database you can use in any IndyPL Library Branch or at home. Login using your library card number. Novelist will show you fiction chapter books and picture books you can read about elections. Click on “Check the Library Catalog” to see if IndyPL has the book.

e-Books & Audiobooks

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about elections at any of our locations, or check out election e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use OverDrive for e-books and learn how to use OverDrive for audiobooks.

Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. Additionally, the Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Elections and Voting – It’s a Big Deal!

Choose a book or two from this list to learn about the United States election process, who can vote, and the history of how each has developed over the last 200+ years. Find out the answers to some puzzling FAQs: What’s a ballot? What is a poll? What does suffrage mean? Why couldn’t Black people vote? Why couldn’t women vote? You can read a general history or focus on one issue, event, or person who made a difference. #indyplkids

Title - Presidential Elections and Other Cool Facts

Tags History, Homework Help

Kwanzaa is a celebration that honors African heritage. Observed from December 26th to January 1st, it includes a feast on December 31st called Karamu. Kwanzaa celebrations include singing, dancing, storytelling and African drums. To learn more about the holiday’s roots in ancient African customs and how it is celebrated, watch the PBS Learning Media video All About the Holidays: Kwanzaa and this Sesame Street video during which a family shares how they celebrate together.

Listen together as author Ibi Zoboi reads aloud, The People Remember, with illustrations by Loveis Wise. It uses the seven principles of Kwanzaa called Nguzo Saba, to share the history of African descendants in America from the time their ancestors arrived in America to the present day. The seven principles are:

1. Umoja (Unity)
2. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
3. Ujima (Responsibility)
4. Ujamaa (Cooperative economics)
5. Nia (Purpose)
6. Kuumba (Creativity)
7. Imani (Faith)

You can also listen to author Donna L Washington read Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa, a story that introduces the holiday and celebrates its true meaning – coming together to help others.

Did you like these? You can find more stories at Free Video Read Alouds and enjoy even more themed reading and activity fun at IndyPL’s DIY Online Storytimes at Home.

Books for Kids About Kwanzaa and Nguzo Saba

Use your library card to check out e-books, audiobooks, and other streaming content about Kwanzaa from home, right to your device. See our digital Kwanzaa collection from OverDrive Kids, or come visit us! Below is a selection of books for kids to help you get started!

Need Help?

Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Tags Black History, History

Beginning or reluctant readers ages 6 – 11 are often invited to read aloud to a registered therapy dog in our libraries – a dog who loves to listen to stories! Children register to read for a 15 minute paws to read session. Reading to a dog is a great way to improve a child’s reading skills and self-confidence. Children may read from any book they choose.

Event: Paws to Read at Wayne
Date & Time: Saturday, September 06, 10:30am
Location: Wayne Branch
Description: School-aged children who are beginning or reluctant readers are invited to read to a non-judgmental registered therapy dog who loves to listen to stories. It’s a great way to improve a child’s reading skills and self-confidence!
Register Here

Event: Paws to Read at Michigan Road
Date & Time: Saturday, September 06, 2:00pm
Location: Michigan Road Branch
Description: Beginning or reluctant readers are invited to read to a registered therapy dog who loves to listen to stories. Its a great way to improve a child’s reading skills and self-confidence. Participants may sign up for a 15 minute reading session by registering online or calling 317-275-4370 ext. 4.
Register Here

Event: Paws to Read at Glendale
Date & Time: Tuesday, September 09, 6:00pm
Location: Glendale Branch
Description: Beginning or reluctant readers ages 6 – 11 are invited to read to a registered therapy dog who loves to listen to stories. It’s a great way to improve a child’s reading skills and self-confidence. Register online or call the branch at 317-275-4410, ext. 4.
Register Here

If your child has never tried reading to a dog before and wants to learn a little about what that might be like to attend a paws to read session, listen below to the story, Madeline Finn and the Library Dog. Meet Madeline, who does not like to read. She doesn’t like to read books, magazines, or even the menu on the ice cream truck! Mrs. Dimple, the librarian, suggests Madeline read to a dog, and so Madeline meets Bonnie, who is beautiful, like a big snowy polar bear, and a very good listener! When Madeline can’t get the words right, Bonnie doesn’t mind. Madeline realizes it’s ok to go slow and keep trying.

Here are some more dog stories you can listen to, just click on a book jacket to hear the story!

Websites, Printables & Activities:

e-Books & Audiobooks:

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about dogs at any of our locations, or check out dog e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use e-books or learn how to use audiobooks.

Looking for even more books to read about dogs? Try these recommendations from IndyPL staff:

Need help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian.

Tags Animals

If you love airplanes, try out some of these paper creations in Building Vehicles That Fly. These paper engineering projects will help you learn the science behind how planes are designed and built. If you understand how the forces of aerodynamics work, you can make a paper airplane that flies really far! In several of the books listed below the directions are really clear with color photographs to help you make the folds correctly. Start out with a couple easy ones and then try something more challenging.

What You Need

Paper
Pencil
Ruler
Paper Clips

Do an experiment with three paper airplanes folding the exact same way with the exact same size of paper. Fly all three planes and measure how far they go. What happens if you add one paperclip to each? What happens of you add 2? Or 3? Record your results.

Websites, Printables & Activities

You can also ask a math and science expert for homework help by calling the Ask Rose Homework Hotline. They provide FREE math and science homework help to Indiana students in grades 6-12.

e-Books & Audiobooks

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about paper airplanes at any of our locations, or check out paper airplane e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use e-books and learn how to use audiobooks.

Paper Airplanes – Draw or Fold These Aerodynamic Marvels

If you love airplanes, try out some of these paper creations and engineering projects to learn the science behind how planes are designed and built.

Title - Star Fleet Paper Airplanes for Kids

Title - Out of This World Paper Airplanes Ebook

Title - Making A Paper Airplane and Other Paper Toys

Tags Homework Help, Science Experiments

Sometimes when atoms come together to form a molecule, one end of the molecule has a positive charge and one end of the molecule has a negative charge. When this happens the molecule is called a polar molecule. Molecules that do not have two different electrical poles are called non-polar molecules. For today’s demonstration you will make a lava bottle to observe polar and non-polar molecules.

This experiment will show you how polar molecules and non-polar molecules behave when added together. If two kinds of molecules are added together that are both polar molecules, they will mix. They are miscible. Miscible means that the two things can mix together. If two non-polar molecules are added together they will also mix and are miscible. However, if a non-polar molecule and a polar molecule are added together, they will NOT mix together. This is called imiscible. Imiscible means that the two kinds of molecules CANNOT mix together.

What You Need

Plastic Bottle
Water
Vegetable Oil
Food coloring
Measuring Cups
Alka Seltzer

Instructions to Make a Lava Bottle

Fill the bottle about 3/4 of the way up with vegetable oil. Fill the bottle the rest of the way up with water. Now add some drops of food coloring. Close the cap on the bottle and shake it up. What happens?

Break the alka seltzer tablet in half. Open the bottle and drop in one half. What happens? Once the bubbles settle down drop in the other half. What happens again?

Water is a polar molecule. Vegetable oil is a non-polar molecule. These two substances do not mix together, they are imiscible (they will not mix together). That’s why you see the blobs of water bobbing around in the oil. Food coloring is a polar molecule so it WILL mix with the water. The water and the food coloring are both polar molecules and will mix together. That’s why the water blobs turn the color of the food coloring and the oil does not.

The alka seltzer just makes the lava bottle more fun because it makes the colorful water blobs move without shaking the bottle. The alka seltzer tablets dissolve in the the water and make carbon dioxide gas (like we saw vinegar and baking soda do in the Exploding Ziploc Experiment. The carbon dioxide gas bubbles attach to the colorful water blobs and make them float to the top of the bottle. When the gas bubbles pop there is no gas bubble to hold up the water blob, so it slowly floats back down to the bottom of the bottle.

Websites, Activities & Printables

You can also ask a math and science expert for homework help by calling the Ask Rose Homework Hotline. They provide FREE math and science homework help to Indiana students in grades 6-12.

e-Books and Audiobooks

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about Science Experiments at any of our locations, or check out science experiment e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use e-books and learn how to use audiobooks.

Atoms, Molecules and the Elements in the Periodic Table for Kids

The photographs, diagrams and creative storytelling in these books make the building blocks of the universe understandable…and fun! Find out about the scientists and discoveries which helped us find out what makes up all the stuff of the universe.

Title - Inspecting Elements & the Periodic Table

Title - The Micro World of Atoms and Molecules

Title - The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Elements

Tags Homework Help, Science Experiments

Sir Isaac Newton, an English scientist born in 1642, discovered three important principles of physics that describe how things move. Consequently, the principles bear his name, Newton’s First, Second, and Third Laws of Motion. Today’s experiment demonstrates Newton’s Third Law of Motion. It says that for every action there is an equal and opposite re-action. Basically, if an object is pushed, that object will push back in the opposite direction, equally hard.

Websites, Activities & Printables

You can ask a math and science expert for homework help by calling the Ask Rose Homework Hotline. They provide FREE math and science homework help to Indiana students in grades 6-12.

e-Books and Audiobooks

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about Sir Isaac Newton at any of our locations, or check out Sir Isaac Newton e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use e-books and learn how to use audiobooks.

Newton’s Laws of Motion: The Science Behind How Things Move

Newton’s Laws of Motion explain force and motion, or why things move the way they do. They are great concepts to explore by doing a science experiment. These are especially good science project ideas for kids who like to move! The concepts can often be explained using sports equipment or by understanding how amusement park rides work. These books offer ideas for physics experiments that demonstrate force and motion and the laws that govern them. Some of them provide the background information needed for the report that is often required to go with projects for the science fair.

Title - Isaac Newton and the Laws of Motion

Title - Awesome Physics Experiments for Kids

Title - A Crash Course in Forces and Motion With Max Axiom, Super Scientist

Tags Homework Help, Science Experiments