Now Read This!
OCTOBER 2025
 
Our Now Read This! newsletters offer suggestions for your next favorite read, from hidden gems to the latest hot pick. In this issue, you will find a literacy tip of the month, a special event worth checking out, a curated selection of newly acquired and upcoming titles for children, and booklists for further reading. Whether you prefer picture books or middle grade fiction, your friendly BPL Youth Services Librarians have recommendations for every reader.
 
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Literacy Tip of the Month

Did You Know?
 
When you clap your hands or bounce your child to the beat of a song, this helps them learn how to break down the different parts of a word. This is an important skill they'll need when they learn how to read. So don't be shy when you're bouncing and clapping away to your favorite tunes— you're strengthening your child's early literacy skills!
Event Spotlights
Fall Puppet Playtime & Craft with Nicola McEldowney
Tuesday, October 28, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm at the Chinatown Branch
 
Join puppeteer and storyteller Nicola McEldowney for a fall Puppet Playtime. Nicola's puppet friends will sing songs and read autumn-themed stories. Afterwards, we'll have a finger puppet-making craft where you can make your own puppet. No registration required. 
 
Storytime with Laura Macias
Thursday, October 30, 10:30 am - 11:15 am at the Faneuil Branch
 
Join Laura Macias for a Bilingual Story Time in Spanish/English for children ages 0-5 years old. Stories and folk tales from around the world will be told in English and Spanish. Includes puppets, songs, and movements.  
 
Fall Celebration
Thursday, November 6, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm at the Hyde Park Branch
 
Enjoy arts and crafts, snacks and treats, a photo backdrop, and more. Families are welcome to come anytime between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm to enjoy this fall celebration.  
 
Boston Book Festival Presents Just Kids
Saturday, November 8, 10:30 am - 2:30 pm at the Hyde Park Branch
 
Join us for a day of giggly fun storytimes for kids, ages 3-8. For more information and a schedule for the day's authors and events, click here!
 
Winter Hibernation (with Hands On Nature)
Monday, December 15, 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm at the Chinatown Branch
 
How do your favorite animals spend the winter? We'll learn about hibernation, migration, and the amazing adaptations animals have for surviving our harshest temperatures. Bring a stuffed animal and create a cozy little hibernation den to take home! For ages 3 and up. No registration is required.
New and Upcoming Titles
 
  I'm not small by Nina Crews
   All the Hulk feels by Dan Santat
  Brave by Weshoyot Alvitre
I'm Not Small
Nina Crews
 
Introducing young children to the concepts of size and comparison, this engaging board book follows a young boy, who feels small in a world made up of big things, as he takes a closer look, discovering he's big, too!
 
All the Hulk Feels
Dan Santat
 
 Usually, Hulk is ready to use his anger to smash supervillains, but when everyday moments begin triggering Bruce's transformations, Hulk grows frustrated. Will their differences get the better of them?
Brave
Weshoyot Alvitre
 
A Native American boy proudly grows out his hair, his dad braiding it each morning, and even though he is teased for the braid at school, he remembers stories of how his father and grandpa were forced to cut their hair.
    Snap! Crunch! Munch? by Diana Castillo
    Sweet magic by Kara LaReau
    Bite by bite : American history through feasts, foods, and side dishes by Marc Aronson
Snap! Crunch! Munch?
Diana Castillo
 
A little boy comes down for family dinner, but soon his imagination is filled with wild animals slurping, crunching, and munching on a delicious dinner. The simple text and story matches everyone's favorite foods with animals, featuring fun onomatopoeia that kids will want to shout out-loud.
Sweet Magic
Kara LaReau
 
Blue helps their mother's magical bakery by delivering baked goods all over town while helping her neighbors solve different kinds of problems.
 
Bite By Bite
Marc Aronson
 
In a series of meals that take readers from pre-1492 through today, this book explores the country's identity and history through the lens of food, highlighting how cultures and histories mix to create the rich tapestry of America.
     Scarlet Morning, Book 1: Scarlet Morning by N. D. Stevenson
      Ms. Pennypickle's puzzle quest by Chris Grabenstein
    A song for you & I by Kay O'Neill 
 Scarlet Morning
ND Stevenson
 
 A breathtaking illustrated novel following two orphans who leave the only home they've ever known to sail with an eccentric crew of pirates.
 Ms. Pennypickle's Puzzle Quest
Chris Grabenstein 
 
Twelve-year-old Ben and his polar opposite, eighteen-year-old brother Ethan, embark on a road trip race across Route 66 for a chance to win a million-dollar prize as they solve puzzles and bond with each other.
A Song for You and I
K. O'Neill
 
Rowan knows what they want: to be a ranger, protecting their village alongside their flying horse Kes. When Kes is injured, Rowan is paired with lackadaisical sheep herder Leone, whose own struggles and endless support brings new possibilities.
Looking for More Recommendations?
A Harvest of Holidays: Picture Books for Autumn Celebrations
There are so many things to celebrate in the fall! Take a look at these picture books that share why fall holidays and celebrations are so important to us.
 
For More Suggestions...
Books for Transgender Awareness Week for Kids and Tweens
BPL Children's Library: Celebrating Native American Heritage and Indigenous Voices 
 
 
 
   

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