2026 Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award: Week 2 -- 11/10/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Broken by X. Fang
Let's Be Bees by Shawn Harris

Books:
E-I-UFO by Zach von Zonk
Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan
Go, Go, Dodo! by Huw Lewis Jones
I Hate Everything! by Sophy Henn
The Man Who Didn't Like Animals by Deborah Underwood
Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme by Betsy Bird
Rory the Remarkable Dragon by Kathryn Rammell
Shmoof by Heidi  McKinnon

Craft: Bee
- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper
- Cut out pieces (body, wings)
- Color pieces
- Fold body in half along dotted line
- Fold wings along dotted lines
- Glue short folded section of wings to body along white lines



Extension Activities:
- After reading Broken, cut a completed coloring sheet into pieces.  Have your child reassemble the pieces and glue onto another piece of paper to fix it.
- Play a game of Let's Pretend with your child.  Name off more animals, items, etc and emulate them in sound and actions.


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2026 Missouri Building Block Award Nominees: Week 1 -- 11/3/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

I Hate Everything! by Sophy Henn
E-I-UFO by Zach von Zonk

Books:
Broken by X. Fang
Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan
Go, Go, Dodo! by Huw Lewis Jones
Let's Be Bees by Shawn Harris
The Man Who Didn't Like Animals by Deborah Underwood
Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme by Betsy Bird
Rory the Remarkable Dragon by Kathryn Rammell
Shmoof by Heidi  McKinnon

Craft: UFO
- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (body, head)

- Color pieces

- Fold alien in half along dotted line.

- Glue head to folded edge of body.

- Fold outward along the bottom dotted lines and glue to CD.

- Optional: Glue sparkles to CD for additional decoration.

Extension Activities:

- Make a simple ghost out of a coffee filter.  Color the coffee filter with markers before spraying it lightly with water to make the colors bleed.  Place a battery tea light in a small votive candle holder.  Then drape the coffee filter over the candle holder.

- Play alien themed versions of party games (ex - Pin the Spaceship in Outer Space, Shooting Star Toss, Alien Bowling, Star Hopscotch, etc.).

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Virtual Story Time: Gather Grateful -- November 2026

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.)

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Gather Grateful by Meg Litwin

Books:

Finding Grateful by Dianne White

How to Say Thank You by Jean Reagan

Simple Thanks by Deborah Wiles

Thank You: Saying Thanks to . . . Everything by Jarvis

Thankful by Eileen Spinelli

Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes

We Give Thanks by Cynthia Rylant

Extension Activities:

- Make a Grateful Wreath.  Cut out construction paper leaves.  Write things you are grateful for on the leaves.  Glue the leaves around a paper plate with the center cut out.

- Write thank you cards.  Direct your child(ren) to write a thank you letter to someone that did something for them or gave them something.  If they are unable to write yet have them draw a thankful picture.

- Go on a Gratitude Search.  Have your child(ren) point on out things that make them happy and talk about why they appreciate them.

Halloween -- 10/27/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Ten Orange Pumpkins: A Counting Book by Stephen Savage
Pumpkin Trouble by Jan Thomas

Books:
Here a Creak, There a Shriek! by Kelly Conroy
I Love You, Boo! by J.D. Forester
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! by Lucille Colandro
Wee Witches' Halloween by Jerry Smath
We're Off to Find the Witch's House by Mr. Krieb
What the Dinosaurs Did on Halloween by Refe Tuma

Craft: Halloween Garland

- Print template

- Cut out pieces (cat, ghost, Frankenstein, vampire, jack-o-lantern)

- Color pieces

- Glue pieces into cylinders

- Cut out strips of colored paper

- Connect Halloween pieces by sliding colored strips between two characters and gluing colored strips into loops to make a garland

Extension Activities:

- A popular "trick" for trick-or-treating in St. Louis is to tell a joke for your treat.  Practice telling different jokes with your child.  There are several joke books for kids available for checkout at the library.

- If you make a jack-o-lantern, bake the pumpkin seeds for a snack.

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Fall Leaves -- 10/20/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Fall Leaves Fall by Zoe Hall
Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley

Books:

The Last Leaf by Ali Pye

Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber
Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert

Leaves by David Ezra Stein
The Secret of Fall by John Coy

A Very Big Fall by Emmy Kastner


Craft: Leaf Necklace

- Cut out leaf shapes from cardstock or contruction paper

- Color leaves if needed

- Punch a hole into ends of leaves

- Cut a piece of curling ribbon

- String leaves onto curling ribbon

- Optional: Add pony beads to necklace between leaves

Extension Activities:

- Go on a leaf hunt.  How many different types of leaves can you find?  What color of leaves can you collect?  Sort the leaves by color, shape, size, etc.

- Practice scissor skills by having your child cut leaves.

Animals in Autumn -- 10/13/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Every Autumn Comes the Bear by Jim Arnosky
The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri

Books:

Hedge Hog! by Ashlyn Anstee

Hedgehog and the Log by Pam Fong

Hide and Seek, Nuts to Eat by Tracy C. Gold

Molly, Olive, & Dexter: Who's Afraid of the Dark by Catherine Rayner
Where's Baby? by Anne Hunter
Whooo Is Still Awake? by Brigette Barrager

Craft: Owl Headband

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (owl, strip)

- Color pieces

- Glue pieces together to make a headband

Extension Activities:

- Go on a nature walk to see which animals you can spot.

- Help feed the birds and animals this winter by putting out birdseed or other animal friendly food for them to eat.

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Autumn -- 10/6/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

It's Fall! by Renee Kurilla
When Autumn Falls by Kelli Nidey

Books:
Count Down to Fall by Fran Hawk
Fall Parade by Camelia Kay
I Know It's Autumn by Eileen Spinelli
In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes
The Secret of Fall by John Coy

Craft: Apple
- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (apple, worm)

- Color pieces

- Fold apples in half and glue along open ends so stands

- Glue worm onto apple side and bend slightly so sticks out

Extension Activities:

- Enjoy some of the tastes of fall by eating different types of apples.  Which type is your favorite?  Do you prefer them whole or sliced?  Are they better with caramel or chocolate dip?
- Visit a fall farm for some fall themed activities including a corn maze, pumpkin patch, apple picking, etc.

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Virtual Story Time: The Scariest Campfire Story You've Ever Heard! -- October 2026

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.)

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

The Scariest Campfire Story You've Ever Heard! by Ron Keres

Books:
Are You a Monster? by Guilherme Karsten

Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas
Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds
The Fun Book of Scary Stuff by Emily Jenkins

The Scariest Kitten in the World by Kate Messner

The Skeleton in the Closet by Alice Schertle

Extension Activities:

- Make a scary monster.  Use recycled materials to create a monster.

- Have fun with shadows.  Use a flashlight to make scary, silly, etc shadows on the wall.

- Sometimes the scariest things are unknown noises.  Have fun making scary sounds using things found around the house.

Tigers -- 9/29/226

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Beware of Tigers by Dave Horowitz
Tiny Little Fly by Michael Rosen

Books:
Cats Are Cats by Valeri Gorbachev
Fear the Bunny by Richard T. Morris
I Am a Tiger by Karl Newson
It's a Tiger! by David LaRochelle
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
The Tiptoeing Tiger by Philippa Leathers

Craft: Tiger Puppet

- Print template

- Cut out pieces (head, paws)

- Color pieces and bag

- Glue head to bottom of bag

- Glue paws to bag

Extension Activities:

- Learn more about tigers by watching the San Diego Zoo's Tiger Cam -- https://sdzsafaripark.org/cams/tiger-cam.

- Sculpt a tiger out of orange and black playdough.  Use black yarn or pipecleaner to add features.

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Elephants -- 9/22/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Little Nelly's Big Book by Pippa Goodhart
How to Catch an Elephant by Amy Schwartz

Books:
Elmer by David McKee
Have You Seen Elephant? by David Barrow
How to Find an Elephant by Kate Banks
A Parade of Elephants by Kevin Henkes
The Right Number of Elephants by Jeff Sheppard
What to Do If an Elephant Stands on Your Foot by Michelle Robinson

Craft: Standing Elephant
- Print template onto cardstock or trace onto cardboard

- Cut out pieces (body, legs, ear)

- Cut slits into each piece

- Color pieces

- Slide legs into small slits at bottom of elephant and ear into large slit at top of elephent

Extension Activities:
- Elephants use their trunks almost as another arm.  Cover your child's arm in a sock and have them try to do different activities such as pick up peanuts, paint, etc.
- Elephants are known to have good memories.  Play a memory matching game.


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Monkeys -- 9/15/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Warning: Do Not Open This Book! by Adam Lehrhaupt
Maybe . . . by Chris Haughton

Books:
Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett
Curious George by H.A. Rey
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang
Monkey Truck by Michael Slack
So Say the Little Monkeys by Nancy Van Laan

Craft: Monkey

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (head, body)

- Cut out four thin long strips of paper for legs

- Cut out one thin extra long strip for tail

- Color all pieces

- Glue pieces to make monkey

- Curl tail if you like

Extension Activities:

- Act out the story of Five Little Monkeys.  Make simple monkey masks for the children to wear as they "jump on the bed" and "fall off".

- Play a classic game -- Barrel of Monkeys.  See how many monkeys you can chain together before the chain breaks.

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Safari Animals -- 9/8/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Five Hiding Ostriches by Barbara Barbieri McGrath
What Does an Anteater Eat? by Ross Collins

Books:
King Lion by Emma Yarlett
Lion Lessons by Jon Agee
Lion Lullaby by Kate Banks
Sloth Slept On by Frann Preston-Gannon
Slow Loris by Alexis Deacon

Craft: Scissor Practice Lion
- Draw a lion's face in center of piece of paper and with lines drawn from face to edges of paper for mane
- Color lion's face and mane
- Cut along lines of mane 
- Curl cut pieces if like




Extension Activities:
- Play a game of Cheetah Run, Turtle Fast.  While lively music plays have kids run and dance.  When the music pauses they freeze and rest like turtles. 
- Go on a Safari Hunt.  Hide pictures of different safari animals for kids to find.

Shapes -- 9/1/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Bear in a Square by Stella Blackstone
Kitty & Cat: Bent Out of Shape by Mirka Hokkanen

Books:
Circle Dogs by Kevin Henkes
A Circle in the Sky by Zachary Wilson
Go, Shapes, Go! by Denise Fleming
Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Shape by Shape by Suse MacDonald
Tangled by Anne Miranda

Craft: Shapes Collage

- Cut various shapes (triangles, circles, diamonds, etc) from colored paper

- Glue onto a sheet of paper to make a picture

Extension Activities:

- Have some shapes fun with food.  Fold a soft tortilla in half then cut shapes into it.  To make it into a fun snack to eat brush it with butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon before baking.

- Go on a shapes scavenger hunt.  Find items that are different shapes.

Virtual Story Time: Jungle -- September 2026

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.)

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

So Say the Little Monkeys by Nancy Van Laan

Books:
Here Comes Doctor Hippo by Jonathan London

Monkey Truck by Michael Slack

Roar by Katerina Kerouli

Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Jane Cabrera

Run by Guilherme Karsten
Sleepy Happy Capy Cuddles by Mike Allegra
Snuggle Up, Sleepy Ones by Claire Freedman

What to Do If an Elephant Stands on Your Foot by Michelle Robinson

Wild Baby by Cori Doerrfeld

Extension Activities:

- Make some Jungle Trail Mix to snack on.  Include ingredients such as animal crackers, goldfish crackers, banana chips, dried fruit, gummy worms, etc.

- Get up and move by acting like different jungle animals such as elephants, snakes, monkeys, etc.

- Watch one of the many versions of the movie The Jungle Book.

Opposites -- 8/25/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Black? White! Day? Night! by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Short Dog, Long Dog by Anna Hrachovec

Books:
Big Bear, Small Mouse by Karma Wilson
Dogs by Emily Gravett
Good News, Bad News by Jeff Mack
Opposites Attract by Mo Willems
You and Me: We're Opposites by Harriet Ziefert

Craft: Short/Long Dog

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (front and back of dog)

- Color pieces

- Cut squares out of colored paper

- Glue squares in strip between dog's front and back ends to make either a short or long dog

- Optional: Once squares glued into place, accordian fold the squares so dog can be both long and short

Extension Activities:

- Designate an "Opposites Day" in which yes means no and no means yes.  You have to do the opposite of everything you are directed to do.  Can't last the whole day?  Designate a morning or afternoon.

- Play a game of Fast/Slow Freeze Dance.  Yell out fast or slow while the music is playing and freeze when the music stops.

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Colors -- 8/18/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

I Dream of an Elephant by Ami Rubinger
Vincent Paints His House by Tedd Arnold

Books:
Bear Sees Color by Karma Wilson
Magic Colors by Patrick George
Mix It Up by Herve Tullet
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin
The Rainbow Snail by Karin Akesson
Warthogs Paint: A Messy Color Book by Pamela Duncan Edwards


Craft: House
- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper
- Cut out pieces (house, door, windows, chimney)
- Color pieces
- Glue pieces together


Extension Activities
- Go on a Color Scavenger Hunt.  How many objects can you find for each color?
- Have fun with Bleeding Colors.  Set up two glasses or bowls of water with a couple drops of food coloring in each bowl (can use same or different colors).  Then place a ribbon of paper towels between the bowls making sure an end is in the water of each bowl.  Watch the color bleed across the paper towels to meet in the middle.


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Numbers & Counting -- 8/11/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Mister Kitty Is Lost! by Greg Pizzoli
One Sheep, Two Sheep by Tammi Sauer

Books:
Bear Counts by Karma Wilson
Counting Chickens by Harriet Ziefert
Counting Our Blessings by Emma Dodd
Let's Count Goats! by Mem Fox
Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh
My Little Sister Ate One Hare by Bill Grossman


Craft: Counting Sheep Sheet
- Print templates onto cardstock or heavy paper.
- Cut templates into half sheets.
- Color sheet.
- Add number of sticker dots to each sheep as indicated by its number.


Extension Activities:
- As you go through the day practice counting different things such as number of commercials during a watched television show, number of chips eaten during lunch, number of buttons on shirt, etc.
- Using Legos or blocks, makes stacks using a set number of bricks.


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Alphabet -- 8/4/6

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Animal ABC by Marcus Pfister
C is for Clown by Stan & Jan Berenstain

Books:
ABC Dream by Kim Krans

The Alphabet of Alphabets by Allan Sanders
B is for Bedtime Bananas by Carrie Tillotson

The Invisible Alphabet by Joshua David Stein
Owls Are Good at Keeping Secrets: An Unusual Alphabet by Sara O'Leary

Sign Language ABC by Lora Heller


Craft: Alphabet Dominoes

- Print template (below) onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Color dominoes

- Cut along lines to get domino cards

Extension Activities:

- Practice letter recognition by asking your child(ren) to point out all of a particular letter from the page you are reading.

- Play the Alphabet Game while in the car by asking your child to find the letters of the alphabet in order on license plates or road signs.

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Virtual Story Time: Learning Concepts -- August 2026

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.)

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Shout! Shout It Out! by Denise Fleming

Books:
Bear in a Square by Stella Blackstone
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin
Dog's Colorful Day by Emma Dodd
Magic Opposites by Patrick George
Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin





Extension Activities:
- Practice letter recognition by asking your child to find all of a particular letter on a book page.
- Play a game of I Spy looking for items of particular colors or shapes.
- Have fun with counting.  Count various things throughout the day such as number of chips eaten with your lunch, number of dogs or cats seen on a walk in the neighborhood, and number of trucks that pass by.

Dinosaurs (Go to School) -- 7/28/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Dinosaur vs. School by Bob Shea
We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

Books:
Can I Bring My Pteradactyl to School, Miss Johnson? by Lois Grambling
Dino-School by Lisa Wheeler
How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? by Jane Yolen
My Teacher Is a Dinosaur! by Bill Canterbury
Tiny T.Rex and the First Day Oopsies by Jonathan Stutzman
What the Dinosaurs Did at School by Refe Tuma

Craft: Pteradactyl

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (body, wings)

- Color pieces

- Fold wings at line and glue to either side of body

Extension Activities:

- Start preparing your child for the start of school.  Talk about the activities they will be doing as well as their expected behavior.  If possible, see if you can take a tour of the school they will be attending in the fall.

- We have been reading dinosaur books for two months.  See how many of the books they remember reading.  Which one was their favorite?  Which ones did they not care for?

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