Blog
Richland Library Main

Dinner Table Talks: Missing Daddy and Dad Bakes

  • Heather M.
    Jocelyn T.
    Taelor J.
  • Tuesday, June 06

Dinner Table Talks create the opportunity for families to have important conversations centered around books. These discussions will build our capacity for talking about race and define our roles in fighting against both every day and systemic racism.

Soul Food Sunday
Food
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Tasty Treats

  • Heather M.
  • Monday, April 04
Check out these tasty treats that look good enough to eat--I mean, read.  Whether it's a delicious thick red stew shared with neighbors, a food truck rodeo or applesauce in your hair, these books offer a veritable buffet of cuisines and experiences to share together.  (Some of these books even offer recipes so you can make food with your friends and family!)
Anansi Does the Impossible!
Staff Picks

A Year of Black History

  • Helene F.
  • Thursday, February 10
A Year of Black History Continues   Folktales, comics and history ... here we are!  Also, Hoopla is allowing 15 checkouts for the month of February, as well as bonus borrows.  Hoopla offers many comic book/graphic novels to choose from!  Please, enter your email address and password associated with Hoopla.
I Am Brown
The Electric Slide and Kai
Staff Picks

#OwnVoices: The Black Joy in Picture Books

  • Taelor J.
  • Wednesday, February 09
"Black children lose teeth, learn to walk and talk, start Kindergarten, and tussle with siblings just as all children do, so books portraying them in these and all scenarios is not just appropriate, it should be the norm." - Kelly J. Baptist, author Below are Joyful books that reflect the everyday happenings in the lives of young black children.
Black Boy Joy
Rebound
Staff Picks

#OwnVoices: The Black Joy in Middle Grade Books

  • Taelor J.
  • Wednesday, February 09
The experiences of young black children is not all rooted in trauma. No child wants to constantly read about oppression, hardships and struggles. There is Joy in being black and it is important for children to not just seem themselves in books but see themselves in a positive light. The books below are simply about Black kids just living!
Black Boy Joy
Recognize!
Staff Picks

CSMCL's Best Multicultural Children's Novels and Nonfiction of 2021

  • Caitlin B.
  • Tuesday, February 01
The following novels and nonfiction books were all named in the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature's Best Multicultural Children's Books of 2021. Want to learn more about diverse books? Check out this blog post. Want more books?  Ask your librarian for their recommendations or call the Children's Room at Richland Library Main (803.929.3434).  We can send books to your closest Richland Library location!
We Shall Overcome
Soul Food Sunday
Staff Picks

CSMCL's Best Multicultural Picture Books of 2021

  • Caitlin B.
  • Tuesday, February 01
The following picture books were all named in the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature's Best Multicultural Children's Books of 2021. Want to learn more about diverse books? Check out this blog post. Want more books?  Ask your librarian for their recommendations or call the Children's Room at Richland Library Main (803.929.3434).  We can send books to your closest Richland Library location!  
We Shall Overcome
The Electric Slide and Kai
Staff Picks

#OwnVoices: Picture Books of 2021

  • Taelor J.
  • Saturday, January 08
Each year  #OwnVoices authors and illustrators work to close the gap and insure that the black and brown community is equally represented in the literary world. Below you can find a list of picture books published in 2021 written and/or illustrated by African Americans.
Blog
Richland Library North Main

2022

  • Zsuzsanna C.
  • Thursday, December 30
The Bad Seed
The Good Egg
Staff Picks

Top Checkouts 2021: Children's eBooks 📱

  • Richland Library
  • Wednesday, December 29
Curious as to what your friends' and neighbors' children were reading in 2021? Us too!  Long story, short. It was a good year to be a wimpy kid, a teen wizard, or Dog Man.  
A Wrinkle in Time
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Staff Picks

Top Checkouts 2021: Children's Audiobooks 🎧

  • Richland Library
  • Wednesday, December 29
Curious as to what your friends' and neighbors' children were listening to in 2021? Us too!  Long story, short. It was a good year to be a teen with magical powers. 
Blog
Richland Library Main

Top Checkouts of 2021

  • Richland Library
  • Thursday, December 30

2021 ushered in a year of stellar new releases from old favorites, a barrage of debut authors, and lots of titles that broadened our bookshelves (and minds) and filled up our streaming queues. Here's a look at the top 10 books, movies, and songs by age group and format. 

Blog
Richland Library Main

Peppermint Catapults

  • Richland Library
  • Saturday, December 18

Launch yourself into the holiday spirit by learning how to create a peppermint catapult.

Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

Dinner Table Talks: Buffalo Bird Girl: A Hidatsa Story

  • Taelor J.
    Heather M.
    Jocelyn T.
  • Friday, November 04

Dinner Table Talks create the opportunity for families to have important conversations centered around books.  This conversation focuses on the nonfiction children's biography, Buffalo Bird Girl:  A Hidatsa Story by S.D. Nelson.  

Buffalo Bird Girl
Child of the Flower-song People
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Indigenous and Native Biographies & History for Younger Readers

  • Thursday, December 02
Discover the true stories and history of Indigenous and Native people of the Americas in these picture book titles.   Looking for even more good books?  Check out our personalized recommendations or call us at 803-799-9084. Find more resources on race, equity, and inclusion, here.
Blog
Richland Library Main

A-maize-ing Corn Husk Dolls

  • Richland Library
  • Monday, November 29

A perfect Fall activity to spice up your holiday; the art of corn husk doll making is steeped in tradition and fun for the whole family. 

I Am a Bird
They Call Me River
Staff Picks

StoryWalk®: I Am a Bird Read-Alikes

  • Richland Library
  • Friday, November 12
Visit Richland Library's I Am a Bird StoryWalk® at Doko Meadows Park or pick up the book from your neighborhood library and get your family soaring and gliding while enjoying a great story.  Next, check out some of these good books to continue the fun at home! 
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

Dinner Table Talks: Fry Bread

  • Taelor J.
    Heather M.
    Jocelyn T.
  • Thursday, June 23

Inspired by his family, author Kevin Noble Maillard writes about the love a family has for each other and how the food they make, in this case fry bread, brings them even closer together.

Blog
Richland Library Main

DIY Storytime: How Do You Wokka-Wokka?

  • Heather M.
  • Wednesday, October 27

Curated storytimes that families can share at home with an ebook (How Do You Wokka-Wokka?), songs and rhymes ( Peel Banana | Drama Warm Up, Banana Banana Meatball Song by Blazer Fresh and If All of The Raindrops by Old Town School of Folk Music) and activity (Learn 5 dance sequences choreographed by Barbara Howse-Diemer)

Black is Brown is Tan
Black is Brown is Tan.
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Multiracial Families in Picture Books

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Friday, October 01
Families across the world might look different from yours or have different customs, and they might even have different challenges that you might not know much about or fully understand. Some of these families might consist of people from different races, however, at the root of it all, is love. Below is a list of beautiful and thoughtful picture books about multiracial families that you and your family are sure to enjoy and learn from!
Blog
Richland Library Main

iRead: Selina Alko

  • Heather M.
  • Friday, September 24

iRead features the best ebooks, eaudiobooks and print books for children and teens curated by the Children's Room and Teen Center staff.  

Growing up in Vancouver, British Columbia with a Turkish Jewish father who spoke seven languages and taught painting, and a Jewish mother who worked in the family’s century-old metal recycling business, Selina Alko was surrounded by the melody of words and stories from different places and varied visual possibilities.

Blog
Richland Library Main

iRead: Sean Qualls

  • Heather M.
  • Friday, September 24

iRead features the best ebooks, eaudiobooks and print books for children and teens curated by the Children's Room and Teen Center staff.  

Artist and Children's book illustrator Sean Qualls finds inspiration everywhere.

Go Long!
Goal Line
Staff Picks

Take the Field! Football Novels for Children

  • Jenny D.
  • Wednesday, September 08
Who's ready for some football? If you just can't get enough gridiron action to satisfy your love of the game, take a look at these novels featuring plenty of pigskin!
Blog
Richland Library North Main

#OwnVoices: The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Thursday, June 23

To some, 1967 seems like it was so long ago, but that was only fifty-four years ago. Only fifty-four years ago, Richard and Mildred Loving were fighting the state of Virginia to recognize their marriage. Only fifty-four years ago, two people (who just happened to be different races) had to fight to legally show their love to the world. 

Ghost
Simon and Chester
Staff Picks

Ghost Stories for Young People

  • Caitlin B.
  • Tuesday, September 07
Ghost stories have been told for as long as storytelling has existed. There are ghosts and spirits of the dead in Homer's Odyssey, the Old Testament of the Bible, in One Thousand and One Nights, as well as in several of Shakespeare's plays. Children's literature is no exception. From picture books, folktales, and even graphic novels, ghosts are the subject of all sorts of stories. Below is a list of picture books, graphic novels, and novels that contain fascinating stories of ghosts.
This is the Rope
Alma and How She Got Her Name (read Along.
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Family History in Picture Books

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Friday, September 03
Learning about the people who came before you can be a fascinating, exciting, and emotional adventure. It helps you gain more knowledge about your family, as well as who you are. Below are wonderful picture books about different families and what makes them special and unique. 
Antiracist Baby
The Talk
Staff Picks

Let's Talk Race (as a Family...)

  • Heather M.
  • Friday, August 27
Having "The Talk" can feel daunting.  Whether it's sexuality, staying safe or race--it can be difficult to know where to begin. By talking about these important topics early and often, parents and caregivers can increase the whole family's comfort and skill in conversation, making these discussions part of their family culture.  
Detransition, Baby
Good Boy
Staff Picks

Fresh LGBT Titles for 2021

  • Amber J.
  • Thursday, August 19
Check out the newest LGBT titles!  Available for toddlers to adults.
Charlotte the Scientist Finds a Cure
Charlotte the Scientist is Squished
Staff Picks

Scientists Real and Imagined

  • Caitlin B.
  • Tuesday, August 17
Scientists have been learning about the world for hundreds of years. If you like to ask the questions “why?” and “how?” you’ll find the lives and stories of these scientists enthralling! Here are some great picture books and biographies of scientists--both real and imagined. Want more books?  Ask your librarian for their recommendations or call the Children's Room at Richland Library Main (803.929.3434).  We can send books to your closest Richland Library location. 
Blog
Richland Library Northeast

Buttermilk Pecan Ricotta Pancakes

  • Caroline B.
  • Thursday, September 02

Ricotta cheese and beaten egg whites create a light, fluffy batter that will make you crave breakfast anytime.

Our buttermilk pecan ricotta pancakes combines the flavors of vanilla, nutmeg and lemon to create a delicious breakfast that tastes as good as it looks.

How Do You Wokka-wokka?
Tap Tap Boom Boom
Staff Picks

StoryWalk®: How Do You Wokka-Wokka? Read-Alikes

  • Richland Library
  • Monday, August 16
Pick up a copy of How Do You Wokka-Wokka?, one of our StoryWalk® titles, at one of our Richland Library locations and get your family moving and grooving while enjoying a great story.  Next, check out some of these good books to continue the fun at home!  Looking for even more good books?  Check out our personalized recommendations or call us at 803-799-9084. 
Blog
Richland Library North Main

DIY: Viruses Science Activity

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Wednesday, March 23

In this experiment, you will follow directions and learn how important it is to protect yourself from viruses by washing your hands.

Best of Japan.
Seeing Kyoto
Staff Picks

Japan 2021 for Olympics 2020

  • Helene F.
  • Wednesday, July 14
We now get to see Japan, her culture and history after seeing China and Korea present their cultures in previous Olympic Games.  What do you want to learn about first, anime, manga, the language, the food, and the places they all come together in?  Looking for more, and in different formats? Check out our personalized recommendations here or call us at 799-9084.
Blog
Richland Library Northeast

The Grilled Peaches You Didn't Know You Needed

  • Caroline B.
  • Thursday, July 22

This grilled peach with strawberry goat cheese recipe combines the sweetness of peak season peaches with the tanginess of goat cheese blended with strawberries.  Topped with toasted walnuts and honey, this quick low-fat dessert is a great finish to a summer meal. 

Rainbow Stew
Fry Bread
Staff Picks

StoryWalk®: Rainbow Stew Read-Alikes

  • Richland Library
  • Saturday, June 19
Visit Richland Library's Rainbow Stew StoryWalk® at Hyatt Park or pick up the book from your neighborhood library and get your family soaring and gliding while enjoying a great story.   Check out this list below for more inspiration to get you moving, growing and cooking together!  
A Story About Afiya
A Story About Afiya
Staff Picks

#OwnVoice Picture Books for Caribbean Heritage Month

  • Kenyanah B.
  • Monday, June 14
Caribbean Heritage Month celebrates and honors the achievements and contributions of Caribbean immigrants and their descendants living in the United States, particularly in government, sports, entertainment, and the arts. Caribbean Heritage Month was first  officially  observed on June 5th 2006. The following recommended titles are all from OnwVoice authors. 
Black is Brown is Tan
The Case for Loving
Staff Picks

Celebrate Loving Day for Families

  • Heather M.
  • Thursday, June 10
Celebrate Loving Day by sharing stories of families brought together by love. "The “Loving” in Loving Day is actually the last name of Mildred and Richard Loving. The Loving Day Story begins when they were arrested for being married in 1958 because they were an interracial couple living in Virginia.
The Boy Who Grew a Forest
The Proudest Blue
Staff Picks

SC Picture Book Award Nominees 2021-2022

  • Heather M.
  • Wednesday, June 09
"Since 1976 when sixteen schools participated, the South Carolina Book Award program created by the South Carolina Association of School Librarians has expanded to include almost 64,000 participating students.
Black Brother, Black Brother
Things You Can't Say
Staff Picks

SC Junior Book Award Nominees 2021-2022

  • Heather M.
  • Wednesday, June 09
"Since 1976 when sixteen schools participated, the South Carolina Book Award program created by the South Carolina Association of School Librarians has expanded to include almost 64,000 participating students.
Mañanaland
Once Upon an Eid /.
Staff Picks

SC Children's Book Award Nominees 2021-2022

  • Heather M.
  • Tuesday, June 08
"Since 1976 when sixteen schools participated, the South Carolina Book Award program created by the South Carolina Association of School Librarians has expanded to include almost 64,000 participating students.
When Sue Found Sue
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins.
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Dinosaurs & Fossils

  • Heather M.
  • Thursday, June 03
Dig into these books all about dinosaurs and fossils.  Discover how we learned about dinosaurs from their bones and what they left behind.  Find out about paleontologists like Mary Anning and Barnum Brown.   Looking for even more good books?  Check out our personalized recommendations or call us at 803-799-9084. 
Our Favorite Day of the Year
The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity
Staff Picks

CSMCL's Best Multicultural Children's Books of 2020

  • Caitlin B.
  • Tuesday, June 01
The following books were all named in the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature's Best Multicultural Children's Books of 2020 . This list offers a variety of picture books, novels, and nonfiction for children and teens. Want more books?  Ask your librarian for their recommendations or call the Children's Room at Richland Library Main (803.929.3434).  We can send books to your closest Richland Library location.   
Blog
Richland Library Main

Making Summer Count

  • Richland Library
  • Monday, June 12

Avoid the Summer Slide with a summer full of reading and learning thanks to expert book suggestions, the Summer Learning Challenge and, of course, school reading lists. 

Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

DIY Egg Carton Flower Bouquet

  • Taelor J.
  • Tuesday, May 11

Ready to plant the seeds of creativity in your kiddo? Grab these common household items and usher in a burst of color and creativity.

Maya Lin
Fred Korematsu Speaks Up
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Asian & Asian American Biographies for Children

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Friday, April 30
Celebrate the amazing accomplishments and stories of Asians and Asian Americans of yesterday and today, by reading the wonderful and powerful titles below.  Looking for even more good books?  Check out our personalized recommendations or call us at 803-799-9084. Find more resources on race, equity, and inclusion, here.
A Different Pond
The Best We Could Do
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Historical Asian & Asian American Titles for Children and Teens

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Friday, April 30
Read the historical fiction and nonfiction titles below to learn more about the Asian and Asian American Experience! Looking for even more good books?  Check out our personalized recommendations or call us at 803-799-9084. Find more resources on race, equity, and inclusion, here.
Blog
Richland Library Main

AiR Presents: Local Artist Directory!

  • Ashley Warthen
  • Friday, April 30

Let’s give our local artists as much of the spotlight we can! With the pandemic and other issues facing our community, I’m elated to share that One Columbia’s artist directory now lives here on Richland Library.com