Dig into Reading at the library this summer! Our summer reading program for kids and teens starts June 3rd! A full schedule of events will be available soon.

Looking for something different to do with the kids? How about trying some cooking! The library has a great selection of cookbooks geared towards children and families. Some of them include easy recipes kids can follow all on their own (like Super Simple Dinners) while others are meant to get the whole family involved.

Want to broaden your culinary horizons while learning about other cultures? Try Passport on a Plate or The Kids Multicultural Cookbook. Other cookbooks offer a fun approach to learning history: books like Pioneer Farm Cooking teach kids what life was like during different times in American history. Facts about food preparation and family living in that era are presented alongside historical recipes that you can try out. Click here for a listing of a few of our featured children’s cookbooks.

 Nearly 20,000 preschoolers voted for the 2011 Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award, and "Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes" by Eric Litwin was the runaway winner with 8,297 votes. Rolling Hills children's services assistant Patti Swartz says the book will become an instant favorite with preschool age children. 

"Poor Pete is just an old blue cat who walks down the street in his new white shoes, singing a song and stepping in all kinds of colorful messes," Swartz says. "Children love to sing along, while answering the question 'Does Pete cry?' with a resounding 'Goodness no!' after he steps in strawberries, blueberries, mud and water. This is such a fun book that helps to teach colors and still delivers a moral along the way. Pete shows us that no matter what happens in life, 'It's all good', so just keep on walking and singing a song."

Check out our newest children's service: TumbleBooks-- Digital books for children! Listen to the books being read outloud, play interactive games and other activities to boost literacy skills.

There is no special software to download-- you and your child can read and listen to the book right on your computer. Hundreds of picture books and some chapter books are now available, with more being added regularly. Access the service by clicking on the link above, or by clicking on the Tumblebooks link on the left-hand side of the children's page.