Children's Book Week Begins Monday

The annual celebration of books for children is from May 13-19. Learn how you can celebrate here in Burke.

Get your library card ready: May 13 marks the beginning of Children's Book Week, an annual celebration of books and reading for young people. According to Book Week Online, the Children’s Book Council, a national non-profit trade association for children's book publishers, established Children’s Book Week in 1919 with the intention to spread awareness about the importance of children's and young adult literature. The week is celebrated every year across the country in libraries, museums, bookstores, schools and more with readings, author appearances and other events. How to Celebrate Children's Book Week in Burke You can celebrate Children's Book Week by visiting one of the three Fairfax County Public Library branches here in Burke: Burke …

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Burke Area and Northern Virginia Parents Publish Parenting Book

The book offers tips and ideas for parents looking to plan trips and activities in Northern Virginia for children of all ages.

Patch recently chatted with local Northern Virginia authors Claudine Kurp, Amy Suski and Micaela Williamson about their new book, "Kid Trips Northern Virginia Edition: Your Family's Guide To Local Fun", which was published this month. The book is intended to serve as a resource for parents looking to plan trips and activities in Northern Virginia for children of all ages. Read on to learn more about the authors and the inspiration for the book. 1. What did you all do in your "former lives" before launching blogs, Web sites and books geared to parenting and kids? Claudine worked in corporate America, particularly Exxon Mobil and jokes that "although there are similarities, executives are far easier to deal with than toddlers." Amy was a …

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The 12 Best Children's Books of 2012

A list of the best children's books of 2012, from James Patterson's ReadKiddoRead Foundation.

Courtesy of the ReadKiddoRead Foundation Maurice Sendak once said that one of the best things about being a maker of children’s books was that his audience kept being born. It’s true, of course: The great books from years past are brand new to today’s children and teens. But let’s take a moment at year’s end to recognize the books being published now for our young people. Here’s a quick roundup of a dozen highlights of 2012. (For more, visit ReadKiddoRead.com and check out our reviews.) Great Illustrated Books (Ages 2-5) • Llama Llama Time to Share By Anna Dewdney For ages 2-5 When the doorbell rings, Mama Llama welcomes the neighbors – the Gnus. While Mama and Nelly have tea, their two toddlers are left with a boxful of toys to play with …

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Local Author Recounts Search for Father

"Who's Your Daddy, Baby" is a fictionalized account of the author's search for her father.

A Fairfax Station woman has written “Who’s Your Daddy, Baby,” a fictionalized account of her search for her biological father. “I really wrote it to try and help other people going through a similar situation,” said Lisa Pell, who recently discussed the book at Kings Park Library. “It’s a fun novel, but it’s not fluff. It’s medical history and family history." Pell started writing as a journalist for the student newspaper at George Mason University 35 years ago. She has also worked at regional publications, television stations and radio stations. She didn’t start writing for fun, however, until the early 2000s. She began writing a trilogy, but that was soon set aside when another idea for a novel came up. She began undergoing in-vitro …

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Hatfields & McCoys: A Feud Story for the Record Books

Feud story with ties to Civil War breaks cable TV viewing records and there's more to come this weekend.

The History Channel's three-night saga "Hatfields and McCoys" ended Wednesday night and has been the topic around water coolers ever since.  The finale of the historic TV miniseries was the most-watched of the three nights, with just over 14 million viewers tuning in. According to MSN Money, that makes it the No. 1 non-sports and non-news program to air on ad-supported cable. Given the Civil War interest in the area, the show was a hit with history buffs as the feud had it's origins connected to the Civil War. Largely historically accurate, it is still only a six-hour drama (with the assumed dramatic license) starring actors Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton (and with some details omitted or suspect).  If you want a more historically accurate …

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All Fairfax Reads 'The Submission'

Fairfax County Library announces the title for the ninth annual community-wide adult reading program.

Fairfax County Public Library has chosen "The Submission" by Amy Waldman as the book for the ninth annual All Fairfax Reads.  Waldman is a former New York Times journalist.  In this, her first novel, she chronicles the debate around a fictional 9/11 memorial. “Moving . . . Eloquent . . . A coherent, timely and fascinating examination of a grieving America’s relationship with itself," said Chris Cleave in The Washington Post. Waldman will discuss the book on Thursday, Sept. 27, as part of the Fall for the Book festival. During this "one book, one community" project, all Fairfax County adults are encouraged to read and discuss the same book. Discussion questions are available for book groups and others who are interested. Previous All …

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Spring Comes No Matter What the Groundhog Does

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning. So what does that mean, and why?

Folklore has it that winter will continue for six more weeks if a groundhog sees his shadow on February 2. To many, that seems counterintuitive. If the sun is out to cast a shadow, shouldn't that mean warmer weather is near? But the tradition means that the groundhog is frightened by his shadow and retreats into his den to hibernate another six weeks. Groundhog Day originated in Europe centuries ago, and is based on the ancient belief that the emergence of a hibernating creature forecast the imminent arrival of spring. When Germans settled in Pennsylvania in the 18th century, they brought the custom with them. In Europe different animals were used, including badgers and bears. Groundhogs were plentiful in Pennsylvania, so that’s the animal…

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Top Books of 2011: Lists Compared

Best book lists abound, but are they comparing apples to oranges?

Many top ten (or whatever number) book lists are a collaboration between several people, says Lev Grossman in Time. Often the lists are comparing apples and oranges.  "There are apples-to-oranges problems: how do you compare the moody, seedy greatness of a Kate Atkinson novel with a cerebral wreck like David Foster Wallace’s posthumous The Pale King (which so far, to my surprise, I’ve seen on exactly zero top 10 lists)," said Grossman. In the end, these book lists at least give an idea of what's being read, and provide choices of what I might want to read.  In that vein, Burke Patch presents a comparison of three 'top book' lists for 2011. The books listed by Fairfax County Public Library are based on the number of times the titels were …

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Susan Larson

8:40 am on Sunday, January 1, 2012

Julie on Facebook said, "Room, Hunger Games series, The Help, and War Horse were my favorites this year."   more ›

Kids' Books Weekly

Honoring Native Americans in Literature

Well chosen children's literature is an effective way to counter deeply held stereotypes and teach cultural respect.

"There are plenty of "good" books -- well-written, exciting, from respected authors, much-loved by their readers, with well-developed characters -- that are inaccurate, stereotypical, fanciful, or just plain dehumanizing in their depiction of the Native characters," write Naomi Caldwell, Gabriella Kaye and Lisa Mitten in I is for Inclusion.  Yet curriculum writers Guy Jones and Sally Moomaw say, "... with the possible exception of classroom visits by American Indian people, excellent children's literature is the most effective way to counter deeply held stereotypes and help children focus on similarities among peoples as well as cultural differences." How can parents, teachers and caregivers know which books to choose?  In honor of Native …

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Kids' Books Weekly

Hispanic Heritage: Read All About It!

Titles for kids, teens and adults in tribute of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Celebrated annually from September 15 – October 15, Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the culture and traditions of those Americans who trace their ancestry to Spain, Mexico, and the Spanish speaking countries of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.  In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, here's a list of  titles. Books for Preschoolers  Diez Deditos: Ten Little Fingers and Other Play Rhymes and Action Songs from Latin America by Jose-Luis Orozco   -  In English and Spanish, Orozco provides songs, rhymes and finger-plays with the actions explained for caregivers. Dona Flor by Pat Mora - This is a tall tale about a giant woman with a big heart. Frida by Jonah Winter - A whimsical introduction to the life of painter Frida Kahlo…

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