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Penny’s Picks! | A Booklist For Kids & Teens

Miss Penny from the Youth Services Department has hand-picked a selection of her current favorite books — and there’s something for a range of ages!

All of the books featured here are books that we have in our collection. To see if an item is available to check out or place on hold, click the cover image or button to the right of the description.

Penny Recommends...

A Phoenix First Must Burn: Sixteen Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope

by Patrice Caldwell

Sixteen stories by best selling and award winning authors, that explore the Black experience through fantasy, science fiction, and magic. Stories of love, betrayal, strength and resistance with true to life characters. It is amazing to be able to read different writing styles and diverse characters. Don’t miss this rare treasure of stories.

AGES: Young adults

Only Mostly Devastated

by Sophie Gonzales

This novel has been named one of the most exciting books of the year. On the list of Cosmopolitan Best 17 LGBT books. The story is inspired by Grease, complete with a group of Pink Ladies this realistic fiction book has wonderful characters that everyone can relate to. The voice of Ollie, is one of humor and introspection. Entertaining heartfelt dialogue with authentic, believable teen angst.

AGES: Young adults

Alice by Heart

by Steven Sater

This is a beautiful adaptation of the off-Broadway musical Spring Awakenings encourages readers to celebrate their imaginations. This is a journey through the mind of Alice, as she takes refuge in a London Tube station during WW II. Alice experiences grief, loss and first love with the help of her favorite book Alice in Wonderland .This is a great read for anyone who loves poetry, a good story, and love.

AGES: Young adults

Don't Read the Comments

by Eric Smith

Get ready to get your geek on! At first look this book is about a boy and a girl who find each other in the online gaming community.But its more than that, it’s an examination of the challenges teens face in the today’s world. This book examines a lot: racism, sexism, assault, income inequality, toxic online culture and more. Perfect book for anyone who loves gaming and relationships.

AGES: Young adults

What Kind of Girl

by Alyssa Sheinmel

These novel explores the topics of domestic violence and mental health in teens. The author does a great job of getting inside the victims minds and showing all their emotions and doubts that they are having. The book explores what constitutes abuse, do intentions matter? What authority figures ate the best to report to? Will anyone believe me? This novel is very emotional and sometimes hard to read, it is an important read for the #MeToo era.

AGES: Young adults

A Little Courage

by Taltal Levi

A sweet story of courage, imagination and friendship. A little creature loves to explore around the house during the day. The reader might be reminded of the Borrowers or Thumbelina. The illustrations while simple are very detailed. This little story inspires a sense of adventure, confidence and fun.

AGES: Preschool to second grade

One of These Is Not Like the Others

by Barney Saltzberg

This book points out and celebrates our differences. A book that begs to be read aloud. Readers are encouraged to notice both the similarities and differences between the characters. So clever, you will laugh out loud!

AGES: 2 to 5 years old

“Be Yourself” Booklist | For Kids

By bcplweb Booklists, Booklists

Miss Diane from the Youth Services Department has hand-picked her favorite picture books encouraging kids to “be yourself”!

All of the books featured here are books that we have in our collection. To see if an item is available to check out or place on hold, click the cover image or button to the right of the description.

Miss D's "Be Yourself" Picks

Giraffes Can't Dance

by Giles Andreae

Gerald the giraffe wants nothing more then to dance but all the animals laugh at him…that is until he learns to dance to his own tune.

AGES: 4 to 8 years old

The Story of Ferdinand

by Munro Leaf

Ferdinand isn’t like the other bulls. He just wants to sit and smell the flowers. So, what do you think happen when he’s picked for the bullfights in Madrid?

AGES: 4 to 8 years old

The Little White Owl

by Tracey Corderoy

The little white owl meets some colorful owls and wants to share his happy stories, and his toast, with them. They’re not interested in a plain white owl and that’s when the magic begins!

AGES: 3 to 7 years old

Elmer

by David McKee

All the other elephants are grey, but Elmer is a patchwork of colors and he hates it! Find out what happens when he sets off one day to make a change.

AGES: 4 to 8 years old

More favorites... Click the cover to view in our online catalog!

Perfectly Norman

by Tom Percival

Norman is perfectly normal, until one day when he grows wings! He loves his wings but will everyone else? See what he does to hide who he really is.

AGES: 3 to 7 years old

Tacky the Penguin

by Helen Lester

Tacky is pretty odd compared to the other pretty penguins. But, when hunters show up, being different can save the day!

AGES: 3 to 7 years old

How to Be a Lion

by Ed Vere

Leonard the lion and Marianne the duck are best friends. But the other bully lions say a lion a duck can’t be friends, ducks are for eating! How many ways exactly are there to be a lion?

AGES: 3 to 7 years old

Spoon

by Amy Krouse Rosethal

Spoon was always a happy utensil, until one day when he decides fork, knife and chopsticks are much cooler. But wait until you read what they think about that!

AGES: 3 to 6 years old

A Father’s Day Booklist | For Kids

By bcplweb Booklists, Booklists

Father’s Day is Sunday, June 21! Our Youth Services staff handpicked a bunch of their favorite books all about dads! All of the books featured here are books that we have in our collection. To see if an item is available to check out or place on hold, click the cover image or button to the right of the description.

Our Favorite Father's Day Picks

Father's Day

by Anne Rockwell

What’s the perfect gift for Dad? In Mrs. Madoff’s class, it’s a book made just for him. First the kids think about their special moments with their fathers. Sam’s dad is so strong, he can carry Sam on his shoulders. Eveline’s dad sings to her when Maman has to work at night. Jessica writes about her father in Texas and her stepfather at home. And when it’s time to celebrate at school, both of her fathers give Jessica the best surprise of all.

The Night Before Father's Day

by Natasha Wing

In rhyming text based on “The Night Before Christmas”, Mom and the kids have a plan to surprise Dad with a special gift. When Dad goes for a bike ride, everyone gets to work. Dad wakes up the next day to find his garage newly organized and his car sparkly clean. So, of course, he celebrates by taking everyone for a spin!

I Love Dad with the Very Hungry Caterpillar

by Eric Carle

Celebrate Dad’s special day by saying “I Love You” — with a little help from The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This bright and colorful book is the ideal way to tell the person you call “Dad” how much you love them.

A Brave Bear

by Sean Taylor

After suggesting he and his father go to the river to cool down, a little bear tries to impress his father along the way.

For very young children just beginning to dare to do new things and their supportive and loving parents, this gentle read-aloud just might be the best thing in the world.

More favorites... Click the cover to view in our online catalog!

I Am Perfectly Designed

by Karamo Brown

I Am Perfectly Designed is an exuberant celebration of loving who you are, exactly as you are, from Karamo Brown, the Culture Expert of Netflix’s hit series Queer Eye, and Jason Brown―featuring illustrations by Anoosha Syed.

In this empowering ode to modern families, a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other.

Daddies are Awesome

by Meredith Costain

Loving and thoughtful, playful and daring, cuddly and caring–daddies are awesome. This gentle rhyming text celebrates the special bond between father and child. Adorable doggy daddy and pup illustrations make this perfect for sharing!

Daddies are Awesome

by Meredith Costain

So you want to surprise your dad? You’re in luck! The pages of this book are full of tips on how to become a super dad surpriser, including tips for things you can make, do, or find—just for your dad.

Two siblings provide instructions for how to surprise one’s dad, including surprises you can make, do, or find — and how to plan a Special Day surprise party for him.

My Two Dads and Me

by Michael Joosten

Celebrate Pride every day with this adorable board book for the babies and toddlers of gay fathers, featuring a variety of diverse, loving families with two dads. Families with same-sex parents are celebrated in this board book that follows busy dads and their kids throughout their day — eating breakfast, getting dressed, heading out to the park, and settling back in at night with a bubble bath and a good-night lullaby.

More favorites... Click the cover to view in our online catalog!

It's Great Being a Dad

by Dan Bar-El

A gang of mythical creatures is roaming around a magical land having a great time, until Bigfoot gets his foot stuck in a tree trunk and Unicorn gets her horn impaled on a table and Robot’s saw-arm gets rusted into position. But no fear! Dad is there to fix things – even when a Sneaky Flying Alligator Pirate steals the Fairy Queen Ballerina Doctor’s wand.

When a Dad Says I Love You

by Douglas Wood

How do you like to hear “I love you”? This cozy picture book shows all the ways dads can say it best.

Dads know how to do everything. They can help with homework and carry you on their shoulders. They can make pancakes and teach you how to sing songs. These loving actions are just some of the ways dads show how much they care—and no matter how he says it, “I love you” is wonderful to hear!

Free Comic Book Day — Online!

By bcplweb Booklists, Booklists

Even though we can’t celebrate Free Comic Book Day in person this year, Mr. Parish put together an awesome list of his must-read comics (available to check out or place on hold on Overdrive!), and some of his favorite free webcomics! Enjoy! To read more about the nationally-celebrated Free Comic Book Day and updates for 2020, click here.

Parish's Picks — Comics Found on Overdrive

New Kid

by Jerry Craft

Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.

Age: Middle School

Black Panther: The Young Prince

by Ronald L. Smith

Life is comfortable for twelve-year-old T’Challa in his home of Wakanda, an isolated, technologically advanced African nation. When he’s not learning how to rule a kingdom from his father-the reigning Black Panther-or testing out the latest tech, he’s off breaking rules with his best friend, M’Baku. But as conflict brews near Wakanda, T’Challa’s father makes a startling announcement: he’s sending T’Challa and M’Baku to school in America.

Age: Middle School

Chasma Knights

by Boya Sun

Beryl lives in a world full of toys. But these aren’t your ordinary toys―they’re mechanical marvels that almost seem alive! And at the slightest touch, these toys “catalyze,” that is, they merge with their owner and give them special abilities. But not Beryl. She’s a Neon Knight, and Neon Knights can’t catalyze.

All Ages

The Okay Witch

by Emma Steinkellner

Thirteen-year-old Moth Hush loves all things witchy. But she’s about to discover that witches aren’t just the stuff of movies, books, and spooky stories. When some eighth-grade bullies try to ruin her Halloween, something really strange happens. It turns out that Founder’s Bluff, Massachusetts, has a centuries-old history of witch drama. And, surprise: Moth’s family is at the center of it all!

Age: Middle School

Dog Man

by Dav Pilkey

George and Harold have created a new breed of justice. With the head of a dog and the body of a human, this heroic hound digs into deception, claws after crooks, rolls over robbers, and scampers after squirrels. Will he be able to resist the call of the wild to answer the call of duty?

All Ages

Cape (The League of Secret Heroes)

by Kate Hannigan

Josie O’Malley does a lot to help out Mam after her father goes off to fight the Nazis, but she wishes she could do more—like all those caped heroes who now seem to have disappeared. If Josie can’t fly and control weather like her idol, Zenobia, maybe she can put her math smarts to use cracking puzzles for the government.

Age: Middle School

Click here to browse more comics for kids on Overdrive!

Parish's Picks — FREE Webcomics Available Online

Lost Nightmare

by Julia K.

Lost Nightmare is a comic about a young nightmare named Ink who is next in line to be the new Bogeyman. However, Ink doesn’t want to be scary so he seeks the help of the Sandman.

All Ages

JL8

by Yale Stewart

JL8 follows the adventures of popular DC comic characters as kids in elementary school. This is an enjoyable read for any fans of DC Comics characters as well as people who enjoy the traditional syndicated comic strip.

All Ages

Kill Six Billion Demons

by Tom Parkinson-Morgan

Sorority sister Allison Ruth must travel to Throne, the ancient city at the center of the multiverse, in an epic bid to save her boyfriend from the clutches of the seven evil kings that rule creation.

Ages: Teens & Adults

Ghost Junk Sickness

by Kristen Lee

Trigger Elliot is a bounty hunter who travels around the galaxy with his not-so-fully-licensed-and-technically-illegal-hunting-partner Vahn Gavotte. They’re lousy at what they do and often resort to petty tactics just to get a bounty; this is their life. After an unsuccessful hijacking of another hunter’s game, the two find themselves in a lot more debt than they bargained for.

Ages: Teens

Parish's Picks — Webcomic Online Collections

Tapas: Bite-sized stories on the go

Tapas is home to a creator community that has published 77,000 stories to date. Creating an account is FREE, and you can read webcomics for free! You can also watch ads that give you Ink, which is used to pay the creator for upcoming pages. Tapas has something for everyone!

Shonen Jump (Viz Media)

Viz Media, or Shonen Jump, has the latest manga favorites from: My Hero Academia, One-Punch Man and Demon Slayer, just to name a few. Creating an account is FREE, however you can only read the latest pages. To read previous pages, you’ll have to subscribe for the membership, which costs $1.99 a month.

At-Home Learning Challenges

By bcplweb Family Programs, Youth Programs, Youth Services

Running out of things to do? We’ve put together some at-home challenges for you! Complete the fun and educational activity on each square. Bring in your completed challenge sheet and receive a special prize when we reopen. Have fun, and keep learning!

Keep Kids Learning: Free Online Resources

By bcplweb Youth Services

Looking to keep your kids engaged and learning? Take advantage of the wealth of free, online, educational resources available to you for free – from home! Explore this list we’ve compiled of our favorite lessons, games, science experiments, storytimes, live demonstrations, virtual tours, and more! Please note that we do not accept submissions for inclusion into our online resources collections.

Simple STEAM Activities to Do With Household Items

Check out this guide of fun STEAM activities to do at home! Use these activities as part of your home-schooling program or supplement whatever your child is already learning at school. From science and technology to math and engineering, it’s a great way to keep kids engaged and interested as they learn and develop new skills.

Breakout EDU: Fun @ Home!

Whether you have a child in kindergarten or high school, Breakout EDU has a slew of educational games that touch on subjects like science, math, and language arts. Students can click on any game and start playing! AGES: K-12

Crayola: Lessons Plans

Along with a ton of craft ideas for kids in elementary school and younger, Crayola has many lesson plans, covering language arts, math, and more. And they’re totally free! This collection grows continually and always inspires new learning excitement. AGES: Pre-K through 12

HippoCampus: Free Videos!

Children of middle school age and older can access more than 7,000 free videos across 13 subjects with HippoCampus. The best part? It’s always free. Explore multimedia content: videos, animations, and simulations on general education subjects.

GoNoodle

Along with movement exercises for little kids, elementary-age children can access GoNoodle’s free resources, like mindfulness videos, downloadable learning resources, and ideas for off-screen activities. ALL AGES

BiblioBoard Library: Free e-Content!

A robust collection of classic novels, educational content, interactive eBooks for kids — available to everyone in Illinois! No library card is required, and all materials are available for immediate access. Note: Click on “RAILS for Schools” or the “BiblioBoard Library of Illinois” to get started.

Sesame Street: Caring for Each Other

These are challenging times, and your friends at Sesame Street are here to help — videos, playful learning activities, and ways to help families stay physically and mentally healthy. New videos posted each week, like Singalong with Elmo or Snack Time with Cookie Monster!

Children’s Activity Calendar | DEMCO

Find themed ideas for kids — activities, crafts, books, celebrations, and more! A variety of calendars are available to help parents keep their little ones busy and learning with early literacy and general activities.

Free Arts and Crafts Resources for Home Learning | Coupon Follow

Did you know that students who study art are four times more likely to earn academic honors? Arts and crafts have been around for centuries, and there are many different ways that you can make art. From scrapbooking and sewing to painting, sculpting, and drawing, there are lots of different types of arts and crafts to enjoy, and you can explore many of them at home.

Bedtime Stories with Dolly Parton

“Goodnight With Dolly” features Dolly Parton reading a series of Imagination Library books all carefully chosen for their appropriate content. Dolly welcomes the viewers and introduces the title, author and illustrator, and shares stories that are just right for this moment in time.

KidLit: Explore the World of Children’s Literature

Enjoy fun read-aloud, crafts, lessons and fun interviews from authors. KidLit is a diverse group of parents, educators, librarians, and creators working together to create fun new ways to reinforce an appreciation of reading that children will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

PBS Kids

PBS Kids offers activities, games, videos, and podcasts to help kids play and learn at home. ALL AGES

Brookfield Zoo: Bring the Zoo to You!

Browse through a catalog of Brookfield Zoo’s “Bring The Zoo To You” videos featuring live animals at the zoo as well as plenty of educational, informative insight from one of our Animal Care Specialists. ALL AGES

Read Brightly: Reading Through It Together

Brightly has put together educational resources and engaging activities so there’s always something to keep your kids occupied. Whether you’re looking to keep them focused on learning, just need some peace and quiet, or a little of both, we’re here for you. AGES: 0 to 13+

Wonderopolis

Each day, Wonderopolis poses an intriguing question—the Wonder of the Day®—and explore it in a variety of ways. Wonderopolis was created by the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) in 2010, and it has become one of the most popular education sites today. ALL AGES

FunLab: by the California Science Center

Fight boredom and continue your child’s science learning with easy to follow activities. Designed for families to explore, investigate, and learn together without ever needing to leave the house. All activities use easy to find household supplies. ALL AGES

National Geographic Learn at Home

A curated collection for curious learners in grades K-3. With minimal supplies needed, these activities will keep young learners’ minds engaged in social studies, geography, science, and more. GRADES: Kindergarten to 3rd

Scholastic: Learn at Home

Even when schools are closed, you can keep the learning going with special cross-curricular journeys.

GRADES: PreK to 9th

LUNCH DOODLES with Mo Willems!

People of all ages have joined Mo Willems in his studio for his LUNCH DOODLES. All 15 episodes and their downloadable activities are available for streaming. Let the doodling continue! Learners can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually. ALL AGES

Storyline Online

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s award-winning children’s literacy website, Storyline Online, streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations.

AGES: 0 to 8

NASA STEM

Launch rockets, build a Moon Habitat, solve spacey puzzles, and more! These science, technology, engineering, and math activities are fun for kids, adults, and the whole family. GRADES: Kindergarten to 12th

The Spanish Experiment

Online beginner Spanish lesson with audio, and well-known children’s stories translated into Spanish and spoken by a native Spanish speaker. Great for kids… and adults too! Read along in Spanish or English. ALL AGES

Indoor/Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Learning doesn’t just have to be about writing, math, or reading! Use these scavenger hunt ideas to get your kids active – both mentally and physically. ALL AGES

YMCA 360: Online Exercise Classes

Take group exercise classes right in your own home at no charge for a limited time! Explore sports classes and more for people of all ages and all interests.

ALL AGES

Hogwarts Digital Escape Room

Created by Peters Township Public Library, use your knowledge of Harry Potter and try to escape as a family or by yourself! AGES: 9+

Nickelodeon Parents

Find printables, recipes, crafts and more from your child’s favorite Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows.

AGES: 1 to 12

Write Your Name in Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Learn to write your name like ancient Egyptian royalty! The Royal Ontario Museum breaks down at-home activities into learning goals, background information, and also provides step-by-step instructions. AGES: 8 to 14+

San Diego Zoo: Watch & Learn

The Southern California animal park has a website just for kids, featuring animal profiles, fun facts, stories, videos, activities, games and conservation information. Craft activities include instructions for making sock puppets, animal figures, a pinata and more. ALL AGES

Shark Story Hour

Brought to you by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy! Browse through a catalog of their Shark Story Hour videos and other shark content. Hear great read-alouds and learn facts about your favorite underwater friends – SHARKS! AGES: geared towards K-5 grade, but good for all ages

Story Time From Space

Story Time from Space is a project of the Global Space Education Foundation that sends children’s books to the International Space Station. While in space, astronauts are videotaping themselves reading these books to the children of Earth. ALL AGES

Virtual Farm Tours: American Dairy Association

Tour a farm and learn more about how Farmers grow and raise what you eat.

AGES: 4-9 | AGES: 10-13 | AGES: High School

Watch Bensenville Library Storytimes: On Demand!

Take your favorite storytimes with you – wherever you are! Watch as your favorite Bensenville Community Public Library librarians, and other special guests, read a variety of stories to you.

Also watch for our videos on Instagram’s IGTV!

Virtual Field Trips

Virtual field trips are a great way to expose kids to new places all from home. Many museums, zoos, and aquariums have set up virtual tours and webcams of their facilities. It’s easier than ever to visit destinations around the world from the comfort of your couch. ALL AGES

ABC Mouse – Free 30 Day Trial!

Full online learn curriculum available for a free for 30 days. Content available in math, science, reading, and art & colors. AGES: 2 to 8

Free Coloring Pages

Find lots of fun and free pages to color for hours for fun.

ALL AGES

Explore More Illinois

By bcplweb Adult Services, Family Programs, Youth Services

Museum Adventure Pass

By bcplweb Youth Services

Visit the Library and check out a museum with the Museum Adventure Pass program! You can use your Bensenville Community Public Library card to check out a pass to great Chicago area museums!

Museums that participate in the program include:

Air Classic Inc Museum of Aviation
American Writers Museum
Aurora Regional Fire Museum
Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County
Bronzeville Children’s Museum
Brookfield Zoo (Chicago Zoological Society)
Cantigny Park
Cernan Earth and Space Center at Triton College
Chicago Botanic Garden
Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn
Elgin History Museum
Elgin Public Museum
Ellwood House Museum
Geneva Lake Museum
Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center
Illinois Railway Museum
KidsWork Children’s Museum
Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art
Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
Naper Settlement
Oriental Institute Museum
Pleasant Home Foundation
St. Charles Heritage Museum
Volo Museum

Stop by the Library and check out a museum pass today! For more information, visit the Museum Adventure Pass website.