Cool Books & Award Winning Reads

Check out lists of recommended children's books and works that have won prestigious awards by clicking on the links below.  All of the items on the lists will be linked to the library's online catalog [5], making it easy to see if the books are available at LPL or from another library.

Recommended Reads for Kids

• Children's Chapter Books [6]
• Children's Picture Books [7]

Award Winners

• Boston Globe - Horn Book Awards [8]
• Caldecott Medal [9]
• Cooperative Children's Book Center [10]
• Coretta Scott King Award [11]
• The Giverny Award [12]
• Golden Kite Award Fiction [13]
• Golden Kite Award Non-Fiction [14]
• Golden Kite Award Picture Book Text [15]
• Golden Kite Award Picture Book Illustration [16]
• Mildred L. Batchelder Award [17]
• NCTE Award for Poetry for Children [18]
• Newbery Medal [19]
• Orbis Pictus Award [20]
• Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal [21]
• Schneider Family Book Award [22]
• Scott O'Dell Award [23]
   

Homework Help

The library can connect you to resources that will help you with that next school assignment or project.  If you need a little assistance finding books on a particular topic or if you just don't know where to start, you have a few options. 

1. Contact the library's Reference [24] or Children's Department [25] by phone or e-mail or visit the library and get some help in person.
    
2. Use the library's Know It Now service [26] (available 24x7) where you can chat with a librarian online in real time and get your questions answered without leaving your computer.
    
3. Browse through the selection of homework help websites below or visit our Research page [27] for even more helpful resources.

• AR BookFinder [28] - Looking for an accelerated reader?
   
• Internet Public Library for Kids [29] - There's so much stuff on this site - encyclopedias, dictionaries, math and science info, and so much more!
   
• Kids Search [30] - This is a research tool for middle school and elementary age students.  See this 4-min. Flash video [31] for a basic introduction.
  *You will need a library card to use this site.
   
• Learning Express Library [32] - Comprehensive, interactive online learning platform of practice tests and tutorial courses designed to help students and adult learners succeed on the academic and licensing tests. Create your own personalized and private account to track your progress. See this 2-min. Flash slideshow [33] for help with finding tests and courses.
   
• Searchasaurus [34] - This is a research tool for elementary age students.  See this 4-min. Flash video [35] for a basic introduction.
  *You will need a library card to use this site.
   
• Student Research Center [36] - This is a research tool for grades 6-12.  See this 5-min. Flash video [37] for a basic introduction.
  *You will need a library card to use this site.
   
• World Book Kids [38] - Thousands of colorful illustrations, diagrams, and maps enrich thousands of articles selected for appeal and curricular standards.
  *You will need a library card to use this site.
   

Programs for Kids

There are a variety of programs that are offered throughout the year that are just for kids and their parents/caregivers.  Some are for fun.  Some are educational.  All are exciting opportunities to get to the library and to experience something new.

Below is a listing of the children's programs that the library offers on a regular basis.  Other programs, such as after hours hide-n-seek and the like, are offered more infrequently.  Regardless of the program, all dates and times for library events can be viewed on the Event Calendar [39].  Please contact Debbie Knoll [40] (knollde@loudonvillelibrary.org [2]) or Kristy Spreng [41] (sprengkr@loudonvillelibrary.org [4]) with any questions.

• Accelerated Reader Book Club [42]
• Baby & Me [43]
• Home Schooling Group [44]
• Make It / Take It Crafts [45]
• Movie Events [46]
• Play Days [47]
• Read to Bucky the Dog [48]
• Story Times [49]
• Summer Reading Program [50]
• Teacher Collections [51]

Resources for Parents & Caregivers

The Children's Department is focused on providing parents and caregivers with tools and resources that they can use to help their children develop literacy skills and a lifelong love of reading.  Please explore the sites below for information on how parents and caregivers can foster a literacy rich environment at home and play an active role in preparing their children for school and future success. 

• AR BookFinder [28] - Looking for an Accelerated Reader?
   
• The Best Children's Books [52] - Created and maintained by a team of teachers who love children's books and have created this site of the best children's books to help you quickly and easily find the ideal book for any topic and reading level.
   
• Born Learning [53] - Born Learning is a public engagement campaign that helps parents, grandparents, and caregivers explore ways to turn everyday moments into fun learning opportunities.

• Every Child Ready to Read [54] - A joint project between the Public Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children, ECRR aims to make public libraries centers for early literacy development through resources, workshops, and education. 
   
• Family Guide to Understanding Early Reading Skills [55] - Developed by the Ohio Department of Education and the Center for Students, Families, and Communities, this guide offers parents/caregivers tips for preparing their children for kindergarten, helpful online and print resources, and information on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment - Literacy (KRA-L) test.
   
• Help Me Grow [56] - Site full of information on everything from health and wellness to school readiness with an additional listing of resources for children and families broken down by county. 
   
• Helping Books Connection [57] - Helping Books Connection is a resource center compiled to assist families and caring adults with finding and using quality children’s literature as a tool for individual and group discussion activities.
   
• iParenting Preschooler & Child [58] - A partner with DisneyFamily.com, iParenting provides a wide variety of worksheets in the areas of motor, social, and academic skills as well as personal information. Worksheets are available in Word ’97 and Portable Document Format (PDF).
   
• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Education Place [59] - Pre-K through 6th grade resources for teachers, students, and families to support instruction in the classroom and at home.
   
• KidsHealth [60] - KidsHealth is the #1 most-visited website for children's health and development.
   
• Ohio Ready to Read [61] - The State Library of Ohio [62] and the Ohio Library Council [63] have created Ohio Ready To Read to help address the early literacy needs of Ohio's youngest citizens. Ohio Ready To Read is a major ongoing statewide initiative to disseminate early literacy information to public library staff and trustees, early child care providers, educators, children's advocates, parents, and political decision makers.
   
• PBS Kids [64] - Provides a selection of games and videos based on PBS characters like Clifford the Big Red Dog and Sid the Science Kid.
   
• Reading for Beginners [65] - Look for ideas from experts to make reading part of everyday life.  Find tips on recognizing the common stages in learning to read, and what to do if an obstacle gets in the way.
   
• Six Early Literacy Skills [66] - Explanation of the six skills that every child needs to develop in order to be ready to read.
   
• Starfall [67] - Literacy-based games and activities for children pre-K through 2nd grade.