Literacy and Learning

Headshot of Ashley Bryan. He is an older African American man with white hair and a mustache,

During a career spanning over six decades, Ashley Bryan (1923-3022) illustrated more than 70 children's picture books in a variety of media and in several genres. 

Listing for W.T. Berry & Co. in 1859

Bookstores tend to be a popular shopping spot during the holidays, especially some of our local businesses such as Parnassus and Elder's Bookstore. But has that ever made you curious about the history of Nashville's local bookstores? Archives' Intern Sapphire is here to fill you in on a little literary history. 

Book cover of My First Day

The first day of elementary school is a big event in a child’s life. Some children mark the day with new outfits and a bevy of pictures. Others, meanwhile, begin the first of many intrepid commutes to school. This delightful picture book details one such adventure to get to school. 

Can you believe it?! The downtown library has called Church Street home for 20 years now! Let's take a look back at the history of the downtown library, and how it came to call 615 Church Street home. 

With the changing times and means to educate while schools are closed, it can be difficult for parents-now-turned-teachers to homeschool on such short notice, and possibly without a lot of resources. That's where Metro Archives and the Library come in handy. And who says educating can't be fun? So here's a word search I created with words and names pertaining to the founding of the city of Nashville. 

Parent and caregivers, we know it's challenging to have your children at home during this pandemic. Here is a roundup of online resources that can help kids stay engaged in learning—preventing their brains from "turning to mush" while they are not in school.

In honor of African American History Month, and to highlight a few individuals in Metro Archives' new display on Nashville women, this blog post is dedicated to a few notable women of Music City.

December and January present a rich opportunity to explore how different cultural traditions celebrate the winter holidays. Branch out from snowmen, reindeer, and candy canes by learning about Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Three Kings Day.

Books can serve as both windows and mirrors. All children should have access to both. We provide curated lists featuring diverse children from varying backgrounds and experiences.

It’s no secret that libraries love reading! But last year, when Nashville Public Library launched Read to Rise, we wanted the entire city of Nashville to know how critical reading to children from birth is to a child’s success in school. Over the past year, we’ve spread the word to nearly 1,000 children who’ve registered for Read to Rise.  All told, those kids, parents, and caregivers have read together for more than 12,000 days!

For some, it seems like a no-brainer to bring their child to story time at the library. For others, the thought never even occurs that the library is a safe space to foster their child’s development.

Do you have a picky young eater at home? You are not alone! Bread and Jam for Frances is the story of a winsome little badger who decides that only bread and jam will satisfy her appetite.  

Writer Pat Mora is a poet, an educator, an activist, and a storyteller who often borrows from her Chicana background to tell stories of family, heritage, and the joy that reading can bring.

Did you know that babies are born with the ability to learn any language? They are universal listeners. And, from birth to age three, a child’s brain produces more than a million neural connections a second. That’s a lot of learning opportunities!

Born in rural Kenya and educated in the United States, Wangari Maathai was the first woman in East Africa to earn a doctoral degree, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and is the founder of the Green Belt Movement. Her incredible story is the subject of several picture book biographies for children.

The 28 days of February will never be enough to highlight the full depth and breadth of black history in the United States and around the world. Picture books are an ideal (and beautiful) way, however, to address the gaps in our knowledge of the contributions of African Americans to History writ large.

The announcement of the Caldecott, Newbery, and other recipients of the American Library Association (ALA) Youth Media Awards is a cause for celebration! Did your favorites win? Or what books will now be on your reading list? Check out our round-up (with links to our collection) below

Using stories as the basis for coding games encourages children to explore early computer programming principles in a fun and interactive way.

Dear Parent,

Yes, you there. Reading this blog post on the library’s website. You are your child’s best teacher, and you’re doing a great job! Go ahead; give yourself a pat on the back or a self-five.

By

2018 was definitely a wonderful year for picture books! Some books were thoughtful, while others were hilarious. Altogether, they made for a good year.

Did you know that you can check out e-books­ from the library, with your library card? Our OverDrive E-Book collection has thousands of titles to choose from, all of which can be downloaded to your favorite e-reader. Many of those e-book titles are for children, including both fiction and nonfiction. Let us help you navigate the wide world of e-books for children available at the library!

Every October, the Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word, turns our “it city” into “lit city.” With three days of thoughtful, exciting programming, this event has long been a fall-time favorite, appealing to more than just bookworms. I investigated the roots of this community-building festival using primary and secondary sources from NPL Special Collections.

One of the most marvelous writers and illustrators of children's literature today, Yuyi Morales mines her Mexican childhood for the magical words and riotous colors that inform her beautiful books. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the prestigious Pura Belpré Medal.

Are you clever? Shrewd? Canny? Or just plain brainy? How can you learn to use a wide variety of words like these? The answer is to read, read, read! The more you read, the better your vocabulary becomes. The more words a child reads, the more words she or he will learn and eventually use and understand.

Active kids love to run and explore the world around them. But how can you read a story when your kid is always on the move? 

Many parents would like their children to speak more than one language. It’s going to take a more than a few videos or (even!) books for your child to become bilingual, however. For children—or anyone—to acquire a second language, bilingualism must become a way of life.

Poetry can be just as beneficial as fiction/nonfiction books when it comes to learning how to read. Check out this series to start exploring poetry with your child!

Just when you're sitting around wondering if you have an impact on children's literacy and educational development, this kind of wonderful thing happens.

Reading over the summer is essential to preventing "summer slide," or the loss of valuable academic skills gained during the school year. Although it may seem unfair to make kids read and do assignments over the summer, it is in fact exceedingly important. The key to getting a child to read during summer vacation, however, is to let them read what they want to read.

Children’s Day/El día de los niños, also called Día (Diversity in Action), is an annual national event that is celebrated on or around April 30th that highlights the importance of literacy throughout all cultures and languages. Libraries and organizations around the country celebrate this day with a variety of events to showcase the beauty of diversity within their communities.

Reading to and with your child opens up a world of possibilities. In 1997, a small group at NEA (National Education Association) decided that reading should be celebrated, like a pep rally celebrates sports.  

Recent events have brought the world's attention to the presence of refugees in the United States. The children's picture books featured in this blog post share what it’s like to be a refugee from a child’s perspective, and are wonderful to share with children of all backgrounds.

Reading stories before bed is a great way to engage with your child and ensure their lifelong love of books and stories. It is also a key opportunity to bond with your child and show them how much you enjoy reading and books too.

Graphic novels appeal to many readers, but are not always appropriate for young children. Luckily, TOON Books are here! TOON books are high-quality comics for children ages 3 and up. They are especially leveled for developing readers in grades Kindergarten through third, and are fun to share at any age!

As Stephen King once said, “Books are uniquely portable magic.” Every time you crack open a book, you enter a new world filled with adventure and possibility. Imagine the sense of wonder a child feels each time they discover a new book they just cannot get enough of! 

26% of Nashville Public Library visitors do not have internet access at home. Close to 50% use the Library’s internet when they come to our buildings. Without basic internet service at home, people are unable to apply for jobs, complete online homework assignments, or look up needed services.*

While students may be breathlessly awaiting the end of the school year and the start of summer vacation, parents may feel a bit differently. Namely, they may wondering what are they going to do with those kids all day now that school’s out for summer.  Not to worry, Nashville Public Library is here to help! Summer is a busy time for us: we have stuff going on all summer long, for you and the kids. Read on to learn about some of the many things NPL has in store for the summer.

Children’s Day/El Día de los Niños, which is commonly referred to as Día, is a nationally recognized celebration created to emphasize the importance of literacy in children from all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The Southeast Branch Library recently held a week-long 20th anniversary celebration for Día at the end of April.

Did you know that your baby was born with the ability to tell the difference between many sounds and languages? By about six months of age, babies can tell similar languages apart. This means, communicating with your baby, in the language most comfortable to you, is essential to their growth and development.

Like many parents, I experience pangs of guilt when I can’t tear my kids away from screens. Sometimes I ease that guilt by telling myself they might be learning something while watching inane Minecraft videos on the laptop or playing Angry Birds on my phone for the umpteenth time. But now that the library has Launchpads, parents can be confident that tablet time is indeed educational.

Poetry is a powerful early literacy tool. It fosters children’s social and emotional development and can help children talk about their feelings in a new way. What better way to introduce children to poetry than with poetry written for children by U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera.