Themed Bookshelves

Animals appear in many fairy tales, and since magic is a common fairy tale element, many of those animals can talk. Talking animals often help an author more effectively communicate his story through metaphor. Would the tale of Little Red Riding Hood have the same impact if, instead of saying, “The better to eat you with, my dear,” the wolf just snarled? Read More

By the 18th Century, printed Valentine’s Day cards were available for purchase, but we still love handmade cards the best. The books, below, explore some clever ways to help make your Valentine’s Day extra special. Read More

Celebrate Black History Month 2023 by reading and sharing some of these stories about Black experiences in America and beyond. Read More

For some of his most iconic paintings, including celebrity portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, Andy Warhol used photographs to create silkscreen “stencils,” pushing ink through the silkscreens and layering it on top of images he had already traced and painted by hand. For his Campbell’s Soup Cans, he used a slightly different technique, tracing the images using a projector and filling in the outlines using paint and brushes. To celebrate Inspire Your Heart With Art Day 2023, check out the books below to learn how Warhol and other artists created works of art that inspire our hearts. Read More

Jazzy is a Miniature Australian Shepherd, which is actually an American breed of dog. Jazzy lives in California, and her favorite activities include going on walks, playing “catch” with her red frisbee, and having her tummy rubbed. To celebrate National Walk Your Dog Month in 2023, check out these books featuring lots of fun facts and great stories about dogs: Read More

Hats have been worn for thousands of years. In fact, Egyptian artwork from 3200 BC depicts a man wearing a straw hat! Hats can be practical – keeping people comfortable in the sun or rain. They can also be purely decorative, like the tiny “doll hats” worn atop huge wigs in the 18th century, and the fascinators still worn for special occasions today. To celebrate National Hat Day in 2023, check out even more great books featuring hats: Read More

Friends help us celebrate when things go well, support us when times are tough, improve our self-confidence, increase our sense of belonging, and reduce our stress. Is it any wonder that having friends is good for our health and well-being? Celebrate National Thank You Month in 2023 by discovering some of these great books about friendship! Read More

According to Guinness World Records, the world’s tallest snowman was built in 2008 in Bethel, Maine. Named Olympia, she was constructed out of 13 million pounds of snow. Her hat was 48 feet wide, her lips were crafted out of five car tires, and eight pairs of skis were used to create her eyelashes. Celebrate the first day of winter on December 21, 2022, with some of these lovely books about snow: Read More

The term ‘cupcake’ originally referred to how cupcakes were baked -- in a teacup! Not to confuse matters, but “cupcake” also once referred to a cake made with ingredients measured by the cupful (for example, 1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, and 4 eggs). However, this second type of cupcake was usually baked in a pan, not a cup. Today, cupcakes are typically baked in muffin tins. Does that mean cupcakes are muffins in disguise? Definitely not! Not only are the ingredients and mixing methods different for cupcakes and muffins, but cupcakes also have frosting (and frosting makes ALL the difference)! To celebrate National Cupcake Day on December 15, 2022, learn how to bake your own cupcakes and other sweet treats (including muffins!) with these fun baking cookbooks: Read More

Mahatma Gandhi was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times between 1937 and 1948. Nobel Prizes are rarely given posthumously, and upon his death in 1948 Gandhi was no longer considered eligible to receive the Prize.  Over the past 120 years many remarkable people have been nominated for a Nobel Prize but never recognized as Nobel Laureates. Others have been forgotten or excluded when their partners received recognition. Celebrate Nobel Prize Day 2022 by reading about some of these outstanding individuals who didn’t receive a Nobel Prize (but perhaps should have). Read More