Notes from Storytime

No Screens Before Bedtime

Digital literacy is the ability to understand, evaluate, and use information when it is presented by a computer, tablet, or other digital media. With so much technology present in our daily lives, we want to provide information to help navigate the world of technology with your child.  Screens should be turned off at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Exposure to the bright light of a screen can increase alertness. Bright light at night can also disrupt the body’s naturally occurring circadian (or daily) rhythms by suppressing the release of the hormone melatonin, which is important for maintaining and regulating our sleep-wake cycle.

Staff Picks 4 Kids

Five-Minute True Stories: Animal BFFs by Aubre Andrus

You don’t usually see a 500-pound lion and an 11-pound dachshund playing together, cuddling, or licking each other’s faces. In Animal BFFs, readers are introduced to Bonedigger the lion and Milo the wiener dog, as well as eleven other unlikely animal friendships. Each story is meant to be read in about five minutes, and there are large photographs on nearly every page. There is even a pair from Chicago: Riff Ratt the rat and Osiris the dog. They are such good friends that sometimes Riff Ratt crawls into Osiris’ mouth! Some of the other BFFs include Gerald the giraffe and Eddie the goat; a lion-tiger-bear trio named Leo, Shere Khan, and Baloo; Miwa-chan the Japanese monkey and Uribo the wild piglet; and a cat named Morris and his best horse friend Champy. The stories tell readers how the animals became best friends, what they like to do together, and why their friendship is so rare. At the heart of each story is the fact that friends can come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors—which is true for animals and people!

Book reviewed by Dana F., Assistant Head of Youth Services