Child Development

Book cover of When Dad Was Away by Liz Weir. Cover includes redheaded girl reading a book with a green cover against a yellow background.

December is a time of holiday celebrations for many families. For families with a parent currently incarcerated, however, the reality is very different. Picture books about incarceration can help children and parents talk about a complex topic that affects millions of children and families in the United States.

Children's books provide a wonderful opportunity to spark discussions about race and antiracism with children. By learning about one another, listening, and practicing non-violent communication, we can teach our kids the importance of cultivating empathy.

Holidays bring opportunities for making memories.  One long-ago Halloween was especially memorable.

Book Cover of Sharing a Smile by Nicki Kramar

Picture books can help children (and their parents) process big emotions around major life events, such as the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Children's book creators have risen to the occasion and produced books that children and adults can both enjoy. 

As children begin to understand that they are growing and will one day grow up they think about what they want to become--what kind of work they want to do.  Books help them learn about the possibilities.

Book cover of My First Day

The first day of elementary school is a big event in a child’s life. Some children mark the day with new outfits and a bevy of pictures. Others, meanwhile, begin the first of many intrepid commutes to school. This delightful picture book details one such adventure to get to school. 

Book Cover of Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued

There are not many picture books about the Holocaust. Published earlier this year, Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued tells two intertwined stories. 

whoever you are

Looking for new favorites that support early reading skills like rhyme, repetition, colors, and numbers? Here is a list of books with diverse representation and inclusive themes for a young audience. 

Book Cover of Luci Soars by Lulu Delacre

 Luci Soars is the newest book by prolific author and illustrator Lulu Delacre. When you're different, it can seem like the whole world is against you. How can you rise above it? 

Parent and caregivers, we know it's challenging to have your children at home during this pandemic. Here is a roundup of online resources that can help kids stay engaged in learning—preventing their brains from "turning to mush" while they are not in school.

Books can serve as both windows and mirrors. All children should have access to both. We provide curated lists featuring diverse children from varying backgrounds and experiences.

It’s no secret that libraries love reading! But last year, when Nashville Public Library launched Read to Rise, we wanted the entire city of Nashville to know how critical reading to children from birth is to a child’s success in school. Over the past year, we’ve spread the word to nearly 1,000 children who’ve registered for Read to Rise.  All told, those kids, parents, and caregivers have read together for more than 12,000 days!

This blog post is part of a series examining classic children’s literature titles that have been deemed racist. Whether or not you choose to share classic books such as these with the children in your life, we encourage you to have open conversations with them on the topic of race.

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This blog post is part of a series examining classic children’s literature titles that have been deemed racist. Whether or not you choose to share classic books such as these with the children in your life, we encourage you to have open conversations with them on the topic of race.

For some, it seems like a no-brainer to bring their child to story time at the library. For others, the thought never even occurs that the library is a safe space to foster their child’s development.

Do you have a picky young eater at home? You are not alone! Bread and Jam for Frances is the story of a winsome little badger who decides that only bread and jam will satisfy her appetite.  

When we think of raising children to be the best that they can be, we think of teaching them every single thing we can stretch into our time. Oftentimes, when we talk about teaching them the things they need to know, we think of popular mainstream subjects such as math, reading, science, and history. But, we also need to be encouraging them to be what they want to be, growing up and finding what makes them happy too.

Writer Pat Mora is a poet, an educator, an activist, and a storyteller who often borrows from her Chicana background to tell stories of family, heritage, and the joy that reading can bring.

Using stories as the basis for coding games encourages children to explore early computer programming principles in a fun and interactive way.

Did you know that you can check out e-books­ from the library, with your library card? Our OverDrive E-Book collection has thousands of titles to choose from, all of which can be downloaded to your favorite e-reader. Many of those e-book titles are for children, including both fiction and nonfiction. Let us help you navigate the wide world of e-books for children available at the library!

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At Nashville Public Library, we’re in the business of unlocking potential.

We know success begins with access to quality education experiences.

Are you clever? Shrewd? Canny? Or just plain brainy? How can you learn to use a wide variety of words like these? The answer is to read, read, read! The more you read, the better your vocabulary becomes. The more words a child reads, the more words she or he will learn and eventually use and understand.

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As you and your child embark on this big life change, it’s important to start a conversation that not only allows you both to articulate your worries, but to also put an air of excitement around this next step! Books are a great way to do that.

 

By hearing about girls who face real life issues such as sadness, oppression, friend drama, and fear, we can perhaps investigate our own experiences and grow. Here’s a list of books to enjoy with your daughter that will certainly leave them feeling empowered!

Published on March 13, Junot Díaz´s long awaited first book for children is a love letter to the children-both young and old- who carry in themselves the memories of the places that have shaped them and their communities.

Active kids love to run and explore the world around them. But how can you read a story when your kid is always on the move? 

It's especially important  in our current cultural climate that children not only see themselves in the books they read, but also that they read about children different from them. Below are some examples of books in NPL's collection in which biracial and multiracial children take center stage.

Many parents would like their children to speak more than one language. It’s going to take a more than a few videos or (even!) books for your child to become bilingual, however. For children—or anyone—to acquire a second language, bilingualism must become a way of life.

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Just when you're sitting around wondering if you have an impact on children's literacy and educational development, this kind of wonderful thing happens.

Children’s Day/El día de los niños, also called Día (Diversity in Action), is an annual national event that is celebrated on or around April 30th that highlights the importance of literacy throughout all cultures and languages. Libraries and organizations around the country celebrate this day with a variety of events to showcase the beauty of diversity within their communities.

Reading aloud to your young child is a great way to promote early literacy skills. But, did you know that it’s also an amazing opportunity to expose your little one to numbers and counting? In this article, we’ll talk about how children developmentally prepare to become mathematicians, and how you as a parent and/or caregiver can help facilitate their learning. One, two, three, let’s begin!

Research shows that up to 80% of a child's brain development takes place before age three, making the earliest years the most essential in regards to creating a lifelong reader and learner. Here are some facts about your baby's brain development and some suggested shared reading. 

Reading stories before bed is a great way to engage with your child and ensure their lifelong love of books and stories. It is also a key opportunity to bond with your child and show them how much you enjoy reading and books too.

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We all know that reading to your child is an important part of their development. But did you know it can also be hilarious? There are lots of children's books out there that will have you and your child both laughing out loud!

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Books for babies? Really? All they do is chew on them! Right?

In honor of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, and as a show of support for the families and friends of those killed in the Orlando Massacre, I've put together a list of books about LGBT people, important historical events, and books written to provide information and support to anyone who is questioning their sexual or gender identity. 

Children’s Day/El Día de los Niños, which is commonly referred to as Día, is a nationally recognized celebration created to emphasize the importance of literacy in children from all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The Southeast Branch Library recently held a week-long 20th anniversary celebration for Día at the end of April.

Did you know that your baby was born with the ability to tell the difference between many sounds and languages? By about six months of age, babies can tell similar languages apart. This means, communicating with your baby, in the language most comfortable to you, is essential to their growth and development.

Like many parents, I experience pangs of guilt when I can’t tear my kids away from screens. Sometimes I ease that guilt by telling myself they might be learning something while watching inane Minecraft videos on the laptop or playing Angry Birds on my phone for the umpteenth time. But now that the library has Launchpads, parents can be confident that tablet time is indeed educational.

Poetry is a powerful early literacy tool. It fosters children’s social and emotional development and can help children talk about their feelings in a new way. What better way to introduce children to poetry than with poetry written for children by U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera.

August is National Inventor’s Month. Celebrate by creating a “tinkering” space for your young children. Young inventors need space, ideas, and inspiration. We've got tips to get you started.