Resources for Keeping Kids Entertained at Home 3.0
OverDrive Kids ReadingRoom
Space News
- Daniel Radcliffe and other stars are recording a free reading of the first Harry Potter book
The first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is becoming even easier to access. Various celebrities, including Daniel Radcliffe, Stephen Fry, and Eddie Redmayne, are taking turns recording the book’s 17 chapters on video with a chapter being released each week. The videos will be available for free on harrypotterathome.com, which is part of Wizarding World, and the audio will be accessible exclusively on Spotify.
Book Related Activities
Virtual Places to Visit for Book Fans
- Coronavirus: A Book for Children
A diverse cast, a global stage, practical and expert advice, along with friendly, accessible illustrations by Scheffler make this free digital download a must-have in the home or collection of everyone on the planet. In an NHS-endorsed project, Jenner, Wilson, and Roberts start with what we know right now about this virus, why it matters, how it is spread, what children can do, and how they can help. - For Wizards in Confinement, “Harry Potter at Home” Offers Activities, a Free Ebook and AudiobookOn the digital hub, readers of all ages and their families can access Harry Potter-related activities and free downloads. Through April, users can get free audiobook and ebook versions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, through partnerships with Audible and OverDrive.
- Amazing Library Collections to Explore OnlineLibrarians are caretakers of some of the world’s greatest treasures—from historical documents and out-of-print books to archival photographs and illustrations. And thanks to the wonders of digitization, many library collections are available for everyone to explore online. Check these out during your next internet deep dive.
- Authors Everywhere!This is a Youtube Channel created and run by children's book writers and illustrators. With all this talk of potential quarantines and school closures, we wanted to do something to offer relief for parents and kids who might find themselves stuck at home. On this channel, you'll find workshops, readings, activities, art projects, writing games, writing advice, and more.
- Disney FamilyDisney's family website offers Recipes, Crafts, and More for both kids and parents to enjoy together!
- Pete the CatPete the Cat has created his own website, full of fun activities, books, songs, videos, and more! Come check it out!
- Sesame Street eBooks - Free!If your recent transition to working from home every day was made all the more challenging with a house full of kids not able to go to school, Big Bird and his Sesame Street gang are offering a little relief by making 110 ebooks for kids absolutely free on all the major online book platforms.
- Story Time from SpaceImagine astronauts on the Space Station reading stories to and conducting science experiments for the children of Earth as the world rotates below. Imagine no more…it’s Story Time from Space!
- Storyline OnlineThe 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. Readers include Viola Davis, Chris Pine, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, James Earl Jones, Betty White and dozens more.
Subject Guides
|
Check out our Harry Potter guide |
Check out our Star Wars guide |
Highlights
- Book NewslettersSign up for our e-newsletters and get great book suggestions by email. We'll deliver reading lists right to your inbox along with new gems, bestsellers, and related titles. You'll also be able to check immediately whether the items are available at your local Library or whether they've been checked out. Choose your favorite topics, enter your email address, and let us deliver recommended readings to your inbox.
- NoveList K-8 Plus This link opens in a new window
Need help finding good books to read? Use your favorite books and authors to find new adventures! If you can't think of a book, simply choose a topic of interest and explore lists of recommended books. Teachers will find thematic units and other resources for incorporating fiction into the classroom. - OverDrive This link opens in a new window
Our OverDrive Collection includes over 50,000 eBooks, over 27,000 eAudiobooks, and over 4,000 magazines. Download directly to your computer or use the Libby app with a variety of devices, including iPhones, iPads, Android devices, Nooks, Kindles, and more. - hoopla This link opens in a new window
Bringing you hundreds of thousands of music, eAudiobooks, eBooks, full-length movies, television episodes, and comics/graphic novels, hoopla is an all in one digital service made available to you through the Public Library. From Hollywood blockbusters to best selling artists and authors – simple to access and use, without the hassle of having to return the items you've borrowed, all you need is your library card, a web browser, smart phone or tablet to get started.
Music and Movies
Need some good free WiFi access? Click here for locations and passwords.
- Hoopla Movies, Music, eBooks and morehoopla is a groundbreaking digital media service offered by your local public library that allows you to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, or phone – and even your TV! With no waiting, titles can be streamed immediately, or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later. We have hundreds of thousands of titles to choose from, with more being added daily. hoopla is like having your public library at your fingertips. Anytime. Anywhere.
- Naxos Music Library This link opens in a new window
Naxos Music Library[NML] is the world´s largest online classical music library. Currently, it offers streaming access to more than 175,774 CDs with more than 2,740,187 tracks of both standard and rare repertoire. Over 600 new CDs are added to the library every month.
The library offers the complete Naxos and Marco Polo catalogues plus the complete catalogues or selected titles from over 800 record labels, with more labels joining every month. Along with classical music, jazz, world, and pop/rock are also represented.
NML can be accessed from any computer, anywhere, anytime. With the iPhone/iPod and Android mobile apps, subscribers can also access the service on the go, and the HTLM5 player can stream music though the standard internet connection of the most phones and tablets.
