Pregnancy is an amazing journey filled with excitement, wonder, and the anticipation of meeting your little one for the first time. Even before birth, it’s a time when parents typically start thinking about how they can provide the best possible environment for their baby’s overall well-being and development. Did you know… continue reading

By Kimberly G.    November 6, 2023   

Join the Central Children’s Department  on Thursday, October 26 from 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. (rain date: Friday, October 27) for our yearly Costume Parade! Bookmark the event on the Free Library's website event page or on Facebook . The Central Children's Costume Parade is an annual Fall event started… continue reading

By Liz G.    October 18, 2023   

Reading Promise Week is October 7–15, 2023! Philly’s fourth annual family reading festival is back and bigger than ever. Over 70 free family events are giving away 16,000 children’s books citywide!  If you haven’t heard, Reading Promise Week is a festival on a mission. Each year, community leaders raise… continue reading

By Administrator    October 4, 2023   

Is your family excited to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with the Free Library? We are too! The mid-month heritage celebration is set from September 15–October 15  in order to include the Independence Days of Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. But of course, the… continue reading

By Emily S.    September 15, 2023   

Read, Baby, Read at the Free Library knows that early childhood matters! We also know that from day one, you want to set the stage for your baby’s lifelong learning, happiness, and success. We are delighted to kick off this blog series that will introduce (or re-introduce!) you to the Read, Baby, Read program while offering… continue reading

By Kimberly G.    September 12, 2023   

August is Get Ready for Kindergarten Month. It's a big step for little ones and an important milestone for both kids and parents. Some kids are very excited to go, while others need a little time adjusting to a new routine and environment. Even younger siblings can have feelings about not being able yet to join… continue reading

By Monica C.    August 14, 2023   

July is Disability Pride Month, celebrating the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in July 1990. It was a landmark legislation that changed the way people with disabilities were viewed and treated. Thanks to the efforts and determination of those taking pride in being who they are, the legislation was… continue reading

By Monica C.    July 20, 2023   

It's July, it is hot outside, and what could be better than a trip to the beach? Imagine yourself spending a day in the sun, dipping into the ocean, playing in the sand, and having an all-around fun time. Beach days can be loud and boisterous, or they can be quiet and relaxing — it's all good. Sometimes we… continue reading

By Monica C.    July 11, 2023   

One thing I’ve enjoyed lately in my reading is getting to savor the explosion of LGBTQ+ characters who get to be out and themselves on the published page. It gives me great joy to offer these books featuring trans and nonbinary children with supportive adults in their lives! This is far from a complete listing, I limited myself… continue reading

By Naomi S.    June 26, 2023    3

In recent years, Dungeons & Dragons (or D&D ) has transformed from a nerdy niche into a pop culture staple, recognizable in popular shows like the Netflix original series Stranger Things , or the Amazon animated series Vox Machina (based on and starring voice actors from the actual-play D&D podcast, Critical Role ).… continue reading

By Yona Y.    June 26, 2023    2

A perfect ten of terrific titles to accompany your celebrations during this Pride Month, this set of middle-grade tales tells us stories of discovery, decisions, determination, coping, and caring. Wednesday Wilson Gets Down to Business by Bree Galbraith There are many things Wednesday Wilson would like you to know about herself; most… continue reading

By Jeff B.    June 22, 2023   

Get ready to party! We are celebrating 50 years since hip hop entered the music scene and changed everything. Learn how it all began and see for yourself how the music, the beat and the rhythm can make storytelling even more fun!   What is Hip-Hop? by Eric Morse ; illustrated by Anny Yi This is a playful guided tour of one… continue reading

By Monica C.    June 20, 2023   

All holidays have a story, a history, and a message. Juneteenth is no different. The name comes from combining "June" and "nineteenth" and is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas… continue reading

By Jeff B.    June 14, 2023   

We have some new books about Juneteenth to recommend! Last year our similar  blog post suggested new titles that had been published and added to our collection. Here are some more to add to your reading list! A Flag for Juneteenth by Kim Taylor This book depicts a close-knit community of enslaved African Americans on a… continue reading

By Monica C.    June 12, 2023   

In 1973, author Lloyd Alexander (1924-2007) wrote The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man , a comical fantasy novel about a housecat who is magically transformed by his wizard-owner into a human. The story is everything you'd expect from Lloyd Alexander: it's funny, sweet, a little cheeky, and features a cat. Lloyd… continue reading

By Chris B.    May 31, 2023   

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month — a perfect time to highlight some recent books written and/or illustrated by Asian creators. We've done it in the past, and you can find more inspiring reads here and here . These books are for year-round reading fun!   Lizzy and The Cloud  by The Fan Brothers… continue reading

By Monica C.    May 8, 2023   

The Free Library of Philadelphia has some wonderful resources for people researching the history of children's literature in America. With just a library card , several databases are available to help you learn more about the creators of your favorite children's books.  Something About the Author is a biographical… continue reading

By Chris B.    April 25, 2023   

Planet Earth is our only home, and it belongs to more than human beings; it is home to all animals and plants, all life forms above and below water. It is such a magic, glorious, and fragile world. And we can all help to protect it, because every small act counts. Does Earth Feel? by Marc Majewski This… continue reading

By Monica C.    April 20, 2023    1

Stories are powerful forces in the lives of young people; they help us connect, learn, heal, dream, and transform. Stories help us become who we most fully are when we see ourselves and our experiences reflected in them. For children and teens on the autism spectrum, the number and variety of books with autistic characters… continue reading

By Erin H.    April 18, 2023   

April is National Poetry Month. It is fitting for it to be so, at the start of spring, at the start of renewal and new life. Everyone can be a poet and see poems in the world, in everyday life. Stop and take a moment to look around — poetry is for all ages. It can be simple or complex, short or long, a way to… continue reading

By Monica C.    April 12, 2023