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Youth Services Newsletter

Westwood Public Library | November 2022

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Steam Team, Wednesday Nov. 9

Programs for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers

Alphabits @ the Branch (Registration Required)

Mondays @ 10:30am, Islington Branch Library, Nov. 7- Dec. 12

Preschoolers are invited to join Miss Caitlyn for a fun storytime at the Branch, accompanied by a take-home craft!

Move and Groove (Registration Required)

Tuesdays @ 10:30am, Main Library, Nov. 8 - Dec. 13

This half hour program with Miss Caitlyn is full of music, movement, and more!

Wondrous Wednesday (Registration Required)

Wednesdays @ 10:30am, Main Library, Nov. 9 - Dec. 14

Join Miss Kristy for stories, songs and dancing! 

Baby Rhyme Time (Registration Required)

Thursdays @ 10:30am, Main Library, Nov. 10 - Dec. 15

Join Miss Kristy for songs, bounces and stories just for babies 0-18 months, followed by a playtime.

View Our Calendar of Events

Programs for Kids and Teens 

Creative Kids  (Registration Required)

Thursdays @ 4pm, Main Library 

Nov. 3- Dec. 15

Read a story and then act it out! Kids in Kindergarten and First Grade are invited to register for this unique, fun program with Miss Karen! Each week, kids will have the opportunity to bring a story to life with costumes and creative play. At the end of the class, each child will leave with a related take home craft.

Lego Builders 

Drop in, no registration 

Half Wednesday, 2-4, Main Library

Nov. 2 and 16; Dec. 7


Kids in grades PreK-5 are invited to drop in for some STEM-inspired engineering fun. Each week, we will put out our collection of Legos, Keva planks and other building toys.

Read to a Dog (Registration Required) 

Select Saturdays @ 11-12pm,

Main Library

Nov. 12, Dec. 10

 

Kids in grades K-5 can sign up for a one on one appointment with a therapy dog to practice their reading. Call or stop by the library to sign up. 

*YAB (Youth Advisory Board)

2nd Wednesday of the month @ 6:30 pm, Main Library  

Nov. 9, Dec. 14


Interested in volunteering at the library and participating in our Youth Advisory Board? Join us on the second Wednesday of the month to hear about how to help with programs and share your thoughts, gain some leadership skills, and earn volunteer hours. For grades 6-12.

Gamer Lounge with One Up Games

Wednesdays from 2-4 pm, 

Main Library

Nov. 2, Nov. 16, and Dec. 7


Middle Schoolers can come to the library on Early Release Wednesdays for two hours of open game play with One Up Games featuring SuperSmash Bro., Fortnite, MarioKart, and more! For grades 6 - 8.

Fri-Yay!

Fridays after school @ 3pm, Community Room, Main Library


Come hang out with your friends and relax. Play video or board games, ping pong or just color.

Open to grades 6 - 8.

Sign up on the Website
Cookies Cocoa and Crafts! Friday November 25 at 1 pm

Read Next Re-Visited

Images of stacks of books that says, "Read Next Re-Visited".

Read Next is back! This new and improved version of Read Next allows for many more kids to participate: simply come into the Children's Room and check out the endcap full of recommendations for all ages. 

Images of stacks of books that says, "Book Bundles".

Don't have time to stop and browse? Request a Book Bundle online! Simply fill out the form online to tell us about your child's reading habits and a Librarian will hand-select books for them. Click the button below to request one today!

Request a Book Bundle

Book Clubs: Monthly 

Image of the book cover for Sophie Mouse: The Maple Festival by Poppy Green

Book Explorers for 2nd and 3rd graders (Registration Required)

Friday, November 18 @ 4pm


Join Caitlyn and Pat for a lively discussion, followed by fun games and a craft. 

Sign up Here

MCBA Book Club for 4th-6th graders (Registration Required)

Tuesday, November 15 @ 4pm

Join us one Tuesday per month for this in person book club dedicated to this year's Massachusetts Children's Book Award nominees. Each month we will discuss a book from the list and play games. 

Sign up Here 

Cover to Cover Book Club for 7th - 12th graders (Registration Required)

Wednesday, November 16 @ 1:45pm



Join Felicia the 2nd Early Release Wednesday of the month at the library for snacks and discussion of the book of the month! 

Sign up Here

ReadNext : Staff Book Recommendations

Looking for what to read next and overwhelmed by too many choices? Here's what we've been loving lately!

The book cover for "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga.

Caitlyn's Recommendation: A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga

This heartfelt sci-fi pick brings a rover to life. Resilience, also known as Res, was developed in a lab by "Hazmats" (what he calls humans). He starts to develop emotions and feelings as the Hazmats put him through tests. Res feels particularly close to Rania and Xander, two scientists who spend long hours in the lab handling most of his coding and tests. A student, Sophie, writes letters to Res to tell him about the love/hate relationship that she has towards him and gives a window into her life, which reveals that she is Rania's daughter. When Res is sent off to Mars and put to the test, his feelings get the better of him and he starts to fear for his survival and return to earth. I cared more about Res than I ever thought I could care about a robot. This book is good for grades 4 and up.


Kristy's Recommendation: The Tryout by Christina Soontornvat

This graphic memoir focuses on 7th grader Christina’s tryout for the cheerleading squad in her Texas town. But it is also about so much more— she touches on friendships evolving, that old middle school identity crisis, her experience as a Thai-American in a place where she didn’t always feel welcome or understood, and her relationship with her family. It’s funny and engaging and will really resonate with kids. Give to fans of Shannon Hale’s graphic memoir series “Real Friends” and Raina Telgemeier's books. Great for grades 4 and up.



Felicia's Recommendation: The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

11 year old Tien still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents. It's some of the only instances where he does not struggle trying to communicate with his parents. Not only is that tough as a kid, but it's even harder when his parents are having their own struggles with learning English. The artwork is absolutely beautiful in this graphic novel, which weaves Vietnamese fairytales throughout Tien's own story. Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

All library programs are free and open to the public thanks to generous support from the Friends of the Westwood Library.

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