Top Menu FAQ Membershipts etc

Search the catalog above.

HPL Kids

The Kidzone has programs galore as well as books, movies, and other cool stuff. Read our blog below for more information and check out our upcoming events to get an idea of what's happening at the Kidzone! Our main phone number is 205.444.7830.

Recent Book Reviews

Horten's Incredible Illusions: Magic, Mystery & Another Very Strange Adventure
Lula Bell on Geekdom, Freakdom & the Challenges of Bad Hair
A Mutiny in Time
Starry River of the Sky
Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School
Iron Hearted Violet
Jake and Lily
Paris Pan Takes the Dare
Me and the Pumpkin Queen
Read All About It!
The Boy on Cinnamon Street
Nerd Camp
The Classroom
Smells Like Dog
Mission Unstoppable
On the Road to Mr. Mineo's
The Mark of Athena
A Whole Lot of Lucky
Alien on a Rampage
One for the Murphys

More of our favorite books on GoodReads »

Kidzone Blog

April Weekends

April is zooming along at a mind-blowing pace.  Mark your calendars so you don't miss these opportunities for fun and service.

Storytime Allstars: Eggcellent Adventures
Saturday, April 20, 2019 at 10:30 a.m.
Join Miss Traci for silly songs and stories about eggs.  There will also be a short movie with a snack.  No need to register.  Simply follow the stars to the Youth Program Room.

International Tabletop Day
Saturday, April 27, 2019     10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
We'll have games set up throughout the library.  Play the day away with your family and friends.  You'll also get a chance to meet new game enthusiasts.  This celebration is for all ages: kids, teens and adults.

Service Saturday
Saturday, April 27, 2019     11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Teens in grades 8-12 can earn community service hours by helping the Kid Zone get ready for summer reading.

Target Age: 
Preschool
Kids
Tweens
Teens
Katiem's picture
Author: 
Katiem
Post date: 
Wed, 04/17/2019 - 10:02am

The Roots of Rap

April is National Poetry Month, and this is my third poetic post of the month.  It features one of my absolute favorite books that has come out in 2019.  Did you catch that?  Not just a favorite poetry book, but a favorite book PERIOD.  Watch the book trailer to get in the groove, then discover the power of spoken word.

"A generation voicing 
stories, hopes, and fears
founds a hip-hop nation.
Say holler if you hear."

The Roots of Rap by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison (January 8, 2019)
J  782.4216  WEA
The roots of rap and the history of hip-hop have origins that precede DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash. Kids will learn about how it evolved from folktales, spirituals, and poetry, to the showmanship of James Brown, to the culture of graffiti art and break dancing that formed around the art form and gave birth to the musical artists we know today. Written in lyrical rhythm by award-winning author and poet Carole Boston Weatherford and complete with flowing, vibrant illustrations by Frank Morrison, this book beautifully illustrates how hip-hop is a language spoken the whole world 'round.

Target Age: 
Preschool
Kids
Tweens
Katiem's picture
Author: 
Katiem
Post date: 
Tue, 04/16/2019 - 10:06am

Running on Sunshine

Earth Day is April 22, 2019.  That is just two weeks away!  Time to brush up your knowledge on what YOU can do to help our planet.  This book shines a light on solar energy.

Running on Sunshine: How Does Solar Energy Work? by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano
E  621.47  DEC
DeCristofano’s engaging, conversational text compares how solar panels work to plant photosynthesis, though it never uses that scientific term. Nor does it name climate change, though it identifies pollution caused by generators at energy plants as a main culprit behind negative “changes to weather patterns” and suggests solar energy as a clean alternative. The text excels at clearly describing how solar energy is gathered, stored, and used, and it also highlights current innovations and anticipates new developments to make solar energy use more widespread and effective. The hopeful, aspirational tone is downright sunny and is well-matched with Medeiros’ clear, graphic illustrations, which she created digitally. While neither pictures nor expository text follow specific characters, the artwork depicts diverse people of varied skin tones, genders, and abilities interacting with solar-powered devices and working with solar technology, including two spreads with women of color wearing the hijab in different settings. The text also examines current difficulties and limitations of solar technology. [from Kirkus Reviews]

The Truth About Animals

I love Maxwell Eaton III, and that's the truth!  He has penned a series of books that present seriously funny facts about some of our world's most amazing animals.  There are four so far with another on the way in May.  Take a peek at one of them to see if I'm telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

The Truth About Bears
E  599.78  EAT
Did you know that polar bears smell seals through the ice and snow in order to find and eat them? Did you know that when a bear is born, it weighs less than a picture book? Did you know that bears sleep all winter and don't go to the bathroom while they hibernate?

The Truth About Hippos
E  599.635  EAT
Did you know that there are two types of hippo: the common hippo and the pygmy hippo (which is like a common hippo but smaller)? Did you know that all hippos live in Africa? Did you know that hippos can't actually swim?

The Truth About Elephants
E  599.67  EAT
Did you know that an elephant's tusks never stop growing?  And that they use six sets of teeth throughout their lives?  Did you know that elephants can sometimes purr like giant cats?

The Truth About Dolphins
ON ORDER
Did you know that baby dolphins are usually born tail-first? Did you know that each dolphin has a unique whistle (like a human's fingerprints) that makes them instantly recognizable to their friends? Did you know that killer whales are actually a kind of dolphin?

The Truth About Crocodiles (coming May 7, 2019)
ON ORDER
 

Ebenezer Has a Word for Everything

I am known for my way with words.  Even as a young child, I liked to pepper my conversations with interesting vocabulary words I had learned.  Most of them came from reading books with my family.  Plus I have a mother who likes to talk.  If you are a child who loves words, or if you're an adult who wants to encourage your child's love of words, here is a picture book I think you'll cherish.

Ebenezer Has a Word for Everything by Chelsea H. Rowe
E  ROW  NEW BOOK
Ebenezer loves words so much that he writes them in his journal. He adds to his collection every day and tries to sell them at a modified lemonade stand. When he meets Fitzgerald, an idea collector who asks him questions, they are able to entertain their classmates and families with the stories they create together. Because Ebenezer has a hobby that is uncommon, the story touches on the moments he feels lonely and disappointed, but the digital illustrations never show him giving up. He remains a collector of words whether he's at a grocery store (linguine), at home at his sister's birthday party (exhausting), or at the library (habitat). [from School Library Journal]

Access fun activity sheets from Peachtree Publishers. 

Pages