Books

Bronx Museum book club hosts community-based conversations + free book

If you’ve been thinking about joining a book club in the new year, the Bronx Museum will be reading Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and its urgent lessons for our own. The first meetup is on January 7 where there will be introductions and free books available. One Book One Bronx hosts community-based conversations on a wide variety of books. The club is open to everyone, and free books are

Library Issues Special Limited-Edition Spider-Man Card

The New York Public Library and Marvel have teamed up to launch a special, limited-edition Spider-Man library card on October 11 to inspire new and existing patrons to explore a multitude of free books, resources, and programs at the Library, including Marvel graphic novels. The card will be available to new and current patrons free on a first-come, first-serve basis at all NYPL branches, located throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island.  This dynamic

Free Book Giveaway at Bronx Public Libraries

This summer, the New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 free books for kids and teens. Starting on June 9, families can stop by their nearest branch in Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island to grab free books to keep-forever! Young readers can also pick up a specially designed NYPL bookplate to stick in their new books. Children from birth to 18 can choose from an array of new paperback

Documentary highlights literary crisis in the Bronx

It’s hard to believe that in a borough of 1.5 million people, the Bronx only has a single brick and mortar bookstore. And at one moment, it had none. Once upon a time I would take my daughter for playdates at the Barnes & Noble in Bay Plaza- I’d grab a coffee with mom friends while we read books to our little ones on the floor of the children’s section.

Bronx Children's Museum Donates Sonia Manzano's "The Lowdown on the High Bridge" to all Bronx Library Branches

The Bronx Children’s Museum has donated copies of Sonia Manzano’s book The Lowdown on the High Bridge: The Story of How New York City Got Its Water to each of the more than 30 Bronx branches of the New York Public Library and the borough bookmobile. On Saturday, August 28, Ms. Manzano, best known for her portrayal of “Maria” on Sesame Street, will do a virtual read-aloud of the book as part

Free Book Giveaway for Bronx Children and Teens

Since October 2017, Boogie Down Books®, a bookstore-without-walls for kids, teens, families, and educators in the Bronx, has hosted Fall Into Reading, an annual celebration of youth and community literacy including the distribution of hundreds of free books to children and teens in the Bronx. After hosting a more intimate version of the event during the summer of 2020 amidst the pandemic, this year Boogie Down Books is partnering with

4 Ways to Reconnect with Your Teen During COVID-19

How can parents work to re-connect and build-up their relationships with tweens and teens struggling during COVID while promoting positive mental health? Award-winning Author, Parenting Skills Coach, and former educator of 20 years Deborah Ann Davis is sharing 4 tips on reconnecting with your teen during Covid-19.   Tip #1: Let it go Address the uncertainty of what this school year holds. Nothing you say or do can change that

20 Additional Library Locations Open for Grab & Go Service

On Tuesday, September 8, the New York Public Library is expanding their grab-and-go service to 50 library locations, following the initial reopening of 30 library locations. This service allows patrons to access a limited area of these branches to return materials and pick up holds. Reserve your items online or by phone and select the open branch you would like for pickup. You’ll receive an email when your items are

Free Book Drive in the Bronx

On Saturday, 8/22, Start Lighthouse is partnering with P.S. 5 – Port Morris to host its second book drive! This is a free event for parents and their children in Kindergarten to 8th grade. Attendees will receive a custom literacy kit, created by Start Lighthouse, and is available in English and Spanish. Start Lighthouse has created three different educational kits through a racial justice lens to help improve literacy for

Celebrating Juneteenth 2020 with The New York Public Library

In celebration of Juneteenth 2020, the New York Public Library is sharing the Schomburg Center’s Black Liberation List for Young Readers, and giving visitors the chance engage in online events for viewers of all ages, including an afternoon of music, conversation, and reflection, as well as special Juneteenth storytimes for young learners. Visitors can also explore online resources for historical research, racial equity resources for educators, and more. To join

25 Anti-Racist Books for Families

Boogie Down Books has a great list of anti-racist books for families, all of which can be purchased directly from the site. The books cover everything from anti-racism, the Black Lives Matter movement, civil rights, activism, allyship, to the history and culture of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in the United States. Check out the list here.

More Than A Book Club: Weekly Bronx Book Club Centers Around Social Issues

One Book Club in the Bronx is using their love of reading to highlight social issues faced in our borough. Aptly named One Book One Bronx, this book club is a community-centered book club that hosts weekly restorative conversations related to gentrification, social justice, women’s empowerment, and criminal justice. Launched in October 2018, reading selections reflect the racial, economic, and gender demographics of the Bronx and build bridges to engagement