Are you looking for reading recommendations for kids? We can help! Use these book lists created by our staff to find new and favorite books for kids of all ages covering a variety of topics and interests. Would you like to see more? Browse all of our staff recommendations for kids. Would you prefer one-on-one help? Call or ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email ask-a- librarian. For next step reading suggestions you can also browse What We’re Reading Teens.

Hooray for Birds!

Birds are so much a part of our every day lives that sometimes we forget to stop and appreciate them for how cool they are! These are some of my favorite picture books about birds. If you have a kid who likes birds, give these a try! Register to join us online for Reading Ready Time – Hello Birdy on March 6. Children 3-6 are invited to sing along, listen to a story, see new places, and meet amazing people!

Title - Hooray for Birds!Title - Mel FellTitle - Bird HouseTitle - I Spy in the Sky

Talking Hands with ASL

According to the American Society of Deaf Children (ASDC), “Research shows that reading and signing stories together helps promote essential literacy skills for ALL children: deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing.” Just click on a book cover to enjoy these video read alouds in American Sign Language. Also, register to join us online on March 20 for Reading Ready Time – Talking Hands with ASL Interpreter Hilari Vrgo.

Fruit Salad Story Time

Fruits are tasty and good for you! They make the best snacks! Here are some great books for a fruit-themed story time or display! Register to join us online for Reading Ready Time Fruit and Veggie Yoga. Children 3-6 are invited to sing along, listen to a story, see new places, and meet amazing people!

Title - Avocado AsksTitle - Big Book of Colorful FoodsTitle - Counting to BananasTitle - Eating the Alphabet

Celebrating Ramadan

Resources to help you learn about the season of Ramadan or to celebrate the holiday with the children in your home. Ramadan moves dates each year. Sometimes it’s a spring holiday, sometimes a fall holiday or it can be a summer or winter holiday. This makes it different from a lot of other holidays. No matter when Ramadan falls, how it is celebrated remains the same. This list features materials both about Ramadan and Muslim culture in general.

Title - A Moon for Moe & MoTitle - The Gift of RamadanTitle - Under the Ramadan MoonTitle - Hannah and the Ramadan Gift

B is for BUNNY!

What’s fluffy, cute, and hops all over? These fun picture books!

Title - How to Catch the Easter BunnyTitle - Big BunnyTitle - Bunny BusTitle - Bunny in the Middle

Harold and the Purple Crayon

The power of imagination and drawing play starring roles in these titles. Some are wordless, some are gorgeous, some are funny and hopefully some will become new favorites with your young reader. Is your child ready to create? We have several upcoming programs for children to enjoy! Register for: BabyArtsPlay, Paper Art Portraits, Art Deventures with Mr. Jeremy, and Creative Writing and Drawing with Professor Watermelon.

Title - JourneyTitle - The Carrot SeedTitle - The Red BookTitle - Arlo Draws An Octopus

Rhythm & Dance

Looking for picture books that make you want to move? These books will get your kids clapping, stomping, and dancing to the rhythm of words! Register to join us for Dance with Me and Wiggle and Bounce Storytime!

Title - Tanka Tanka Skunk!Title - Jazzmatazz!Title - I Got the RhythmTitle - Max Found Two Sticks

Sheroes and Girl Power: Books for Kids

Newer biographies that celebrate the efforts and genius of women. Success in different fields and talents and the long reach and effort to continually push towards “justice” for all are just the tip of the list here.

Title - Born ReadingTitle - Go Forth and TellTitle - The Oldest StudentTitle - Coretta

Stormy Books for Stormy Days

Boom! Crash! Whether your little one looks forward to storms lighting up the sky, or needs help handling big, scary emotions during big, scary storms, this list has the book for you.

Title - StormTitle - Storm WhaleTitle - The Legend of the Storm GooseTitle - The Longest Storm

How to Lose: Kids Books About Being a Good Sport

It never feels good to lose a game or come in last place. Learning to lose (and win) graciously can be a lifelong challenge for those of us who love to compete. Check out these titles to help kids process their feelings of disappointment and learn to have fun whether they win or lose.

Title - The Big CheeseTitle - Callie Cat, Ice SkaterTitle - Number One SamTitle - Evie

Kids of all ages can learn about more than a dozen trailblazing women in science, art, law, politics, and sports by listening to these video storytimes. Our featured story is called Equality’s Call, by Deborah Diesen, illustrated by Magdalena Mora. It is the story of the history of voting rights in the United States from our nation’s founding until today. The story is read by National Women’s History Museum Ambassador, actress Logan Browning.

To hear even more stories about amazing women, just click on a book cover to listen to another one!

title - Althea Gibsontitle - Drum Dream Girltitle - The House That Jane Builttitle - Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitostitle - Game Changerstitle - Hidden Figurestitle - Joan Procter, Dragon Doctortitle - Kamala and Maya's Big Ideatitle - Separate Is Never Equaltitle - Shaking Things uptitle - Turning Pagestitle - When Harriet Met Sojournertitle - The Youngest Marcher

e-Books & Audiobooks

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about trailblazing women at any of our locations, or check out books about trailblazing women e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use it for both e-books and audiobooks.

Find more FREE online reading at Free Video Read Alouds or try storytime at home!

Need help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Websites, Activities & Printables

Women’s History for Kids

Fun books to help kids learn about women’s history and get inspired to make a difference!

Title - NinaTitle - Red Bird SingsTitle - BaseballTitle - 2017 Women

Women and Girls Make Amazing Music!

These compelling documentaries shed light on the lives and careers of women and girls working in a range of genres and musical settings.

Title - Sisters With TransistorsTitle - Tokyo idolsTitle - FannyTitle - Joan Baez

Game Changers: 25 Books About Female Athletes Who Took the Lead

Listed here are more stories about trailblazing female athletes. “Stories, both real and imagined, show what girls can do. The stories of women’s lives, and the choices they made, encourage girls to think larger and bolder, and give boys and men a fuller understanding of the female experience.” ~National Women’s History Project

Title - Breaking ThroughTitle - I Am A PromiseTitle - Girl RunningTitle - Anybody

Women Make Amazing Art!

Invite the budding young artists in your life to explore art by women from around the planet!

Title - The Life and Art of Ningiukulu TeeveeTitle - We Are ArtistsTitle - Through GeorgiaTitle - Faith Ringgold


Listed below is a Black history timeline of important events of the civil rights movement. These events led to the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965. The fiction and non-fiction books listed bring the events and people to life. Take a book walk through history to learn about these determined, brave people who stood together so no one stood alone.

Ruby Bridges

At the age of six Ruby Bridges became the first Black child to integrate an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. This Is Your Time is a new book for kids written by Ruby herself and is a great introduction to one of the key moments in the Black history timeline. It is a letter she has written to children today, more than 60 years after her historic first, to share her story and share her thoughts on what children can do to effect change. As Ruby says, “what can inspire tomorrow often lies in our past.”

This Is Your Time includes many historical photos, some from Ruby’s private collection. I especially enjoyed learning about Ruby’s first grade teacher that year and the photo of Ruby and her teacher at school, as well as the recent picture of the two of them together.

The image on the book’s cover is “The Problem We All Live With,” a 1964 painting by Norman Rockwell that shows Ruby being escorted to school by four US Marshals. In 2011 President Barack Obama arranged to borrow the painting from the Norman Rockwell museum. He had it hung outside the Oval Office and invited Ruby to come see it. Watch this video carefully to hear President Obama say something important:

“I think it’s fair to say that if it hadn’t been for you guys, I might not be here and we wouldn’t be looking at this together.”

Ruby Bridges visits with the President and her portrait

He said something very similar during his campaign for the presidency in 2007.

“I’m here because somebody marched. I’m here because you all sacrificed for me. I stand on the shoulders of giants.” ~Speech, Selma Voting Rights March Commemoration in Selma, Alabama, March 4, 2007

Black History Timeline

The books suggested in the Black history timeline below make great selections every day, but are especially meaningful on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January, and on January 18th, the National Day of Racial Healing. On these days we turn our attention to specifically remember history and re-commit to the goal of racial justice.

1954

Brown v. Board of Education was a very important United States Supreme Court case. The Court decided state laws that separated Black students from white students in public schools were unconstitutional. In other words, the Court said this separation of students was not legal. The decision by the Court was unanimous (9–0). Unanimous means all of the supreme court justices agreed.

title - When the Schools Shut Downtitle - Remembertitle - Brown V. Board of Education : A Day That Changed Americatitle - Brown V. Board of Education

1954

The Murder of Emmett Till – Accused of offending a white woman at a grocery store, Emmett was a 14-year-old Black boy lynched in Mississippi in 1955. The brutality of his murder and the fact that his killers were acquitted highlighted the long history of violent persecution of African Americans. Like Ruby Bridges, Emmett became an icon of the civil rights movement.

title - Choosing Bravetitle - Ghost Boystitle - In the Name of Emmett Tilltitle - A Wreath for Emmett Till

1955-1956

The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a protest against segregated seats on the public buses in Montgomery, Alabama. Back then Black people had to ride in the seats at the back of the bus, and if the seats were all full and a white person got on the bus, a Black rider would have to give their seat to the white person. A boycott a tactic people use to point out something they think is not right. They stop buying something or stop using something to draw attention to the problem. In this case, people boycotted the buses; they stopped paying to ride them.

title - Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycotttitle - Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvintitle - Sweet Justicetitle - Rosa

1957

The Little Rock Nine was a group of Black students who signed up to go to Little Rock Central High School. Even though the U.S. Supreme Court had already said it was not legal to separate Black students from white students in public schools, officials blocked these Black students from entering the school. President Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne and the Arkansas National Guard to escort the students to school.

title - The Little Rock Nine Challenge Segregationtitle - March Forward, Girltitle - Daisy Bates and the Little Rock Ninetitle - The Lions of Little Rock

1960

The Greensboro Sit-ins were nonviolent protests against segregated seating in restaurants. The sit-ins began in Greensboro, North Carolina when four Black men sat down in the white section of a restaurant. No one would take their order because they were not sitting in the “right” seats. They sat quietly until the restaurant closed. Because they were sitting in the seats, white people could not sit in the seats and make an order. The next day more people came and did the same thing, filling up the seats. More people joined each day at more restaurants and in more cities. The restaurants did not make any money. Eventually, the restaurants changed their segregation rules so that they could do business again.

title - Lunch Counter Sit-institle - The Greensboro Lunch Countertitle - Freedom on the Menutitle - Sit-in

1960

Ruby Bridges was the first Black student to attend an all-white elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana. Four federal marshals escorted Ruby and her mother for the entire school year.

title - Ruby Bridges Takes Her Seattitle - I Am Ruby Bridgestitle - Ruby Bridgestitle - This Is your Time

1961

Freedom Riders were people who rode on buses to protest segregated seating. The United States Supreme Court had already ruled that it was illegal to separate Black people from white people on public buses. The authorities did not enforce the law. To protest this, groups of people, both Black and white, rode the buses together to challenge the rules. The riders drew attention to the states that were not following federal law.

title - The Story of the Civil Rights Freedom Rides in Photographstitle - Night on Firetitle - Twelve Days in May

1963

The Birmingham Children’s March was a march by hundreds of school children in Birmingham, Alabama. The children left school and walked downtown to talk to the mayor about segregation. Authorities used fire hoses and police dogs to try to stop the march. Many children were arrested. This event inspired President Kennedy to publicly support federal civil rights legislation and the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

title - We've Got A Jobtitle - The Youngest Marchertitle - Let the Children March

1963

The March on Washington took place in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963. At the march, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic “I Have a Dream” speech. The march helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

title - More Than A Dreamtitle - Unstoppabletitle - A Song for the Unsungtitle - March On!title - A Place to Landtitle - I Have A Dream

1963

The 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sunday, September 15, 1963 killed four little girls and injured 22 other people. Three Klansmen were thought by the FBI to be responsible and were eventually prosecuted for the crime, but not until 1977, 2001 and 2002. A fourth man died before he could be prosecuted. The bombing contributed to support for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

title - Birmingham, 1963title - Birmingham Sunday

1964

The Civil Rights Act enacted on July 2, 1964. It is a landmark law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

title - The Civil Rights Act of 1964title - Glory Betitle - All the Days Past, All the Days to Cometitle - Freedom Summer

1965

The Selma to Montgomery Voting Marches were three protest marches along a 54-mile highway from Selma, Alabama, to the Alabama state capital of Montgomery. Black citizens who were being prevented from exercising their constitutional right to vote organized the marches. The marches contributed to the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

title - Because They Marchedtitle - Lillian's Right to Votetitle - Turning 15 on the Road to Freedomtitle - The Teachers March!

1968

Dr. Martin Luther King assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. While his death silenced his own voice, it did not end the civil rights movement. The movement continues to this day as people work to ensure and preserve opportunities for racial equity, inclusion, justice, and peace.

title - Martin Risingtitle - The Cart That Carried Martintitle - Chasing King's Killer

To learn even more about fascinating and inspiring black history makers, visit the Center for Black Literature & Culture at Central Library. The Center is dedicated to celebrating the vibrant and resilient heritage and triumphs of those born of African roots.

Kwanzaa is a celebration that honors African heritage. Observed from December 26th to January 1st, it includes a feast on December 31st called Karamu. Kwanzaa celebrations include singing, dancing, storytelling and African drums. To learn more about the holiday’s roots in ancient African customs and how it is celebrated, watch the PBS Learning Media video All About the Holidays: Kwanzaa and this Sesame Street video during which a family shares how they celebrate together.

Listen together as author Ibi Zoboi reads aloud, The People Remember, with illustrations by Loveis Wise. It uses the seven principles of Kwanzaa called Nguzo Saba, to share the history of African descendants in America from the time their ancestors arrived in America to the present day. The seven principles are:

1. Umoja (Unity)
2. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
3. Ujima (Responsibility)
4. Ujamaa (Cooperative economics)
5. Nia (Purpose)
6. Kuumba (Creativity)
7. Imani (Faith)

You can also listen to author Donna L Washington read Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa, a story that introduces the holiday and celebrates its true meaning – coming together to help others.

Did you like these? You can find more stories at Free Video Read Alouds and enjoy even more themed reading and activity fun at IndyPL’s DIY Online Storytimes at Home.

Books for Kids About Kwanzaa and Nguzo Saba to Check Out with your IndyPL Library Card

Use your IndyPL library card to check out e-books, audiobooks, and other streaming content about Kwanzaa from home, right to your device. See our digital Kwanzaa collection from OverDrive Kids, or come visit us! Below is a selection of books for kids to help you get started!

Title - The Night Before KwanzaaTitle - KwanzaaTitle - Celebrating KwanzaaTitle - The People RememberTitle - KwanzaaTitle - Seven Spools of ThreadTitle - My First KwanzaaTitle - Habari Gani? WhatTitle - KwanzaaTitle - LiTitle - Kwanzaa KaramuTitle - The Sound of Kwanzaa

Need Help?

Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Cuando está de vacaciones, haciendo mandados o simplemente fuera de casa, leer historias es una excelente manera de convertir lo que pueden ser horas de espera en mucha diversión. ¡Es la hora del cuento en línea! Esta biblioteca de escucha está disponible todo el día, todos los días (¡y toda la noche!) para volver a sus viejos favoritos. “¡Leelo de nuevo!” nunca ha sido tan fácil! Haga clic en la portada de un libro para leer o escuchar una historias en español.

Para obtener más ideas que ayuden a los niños a seguir escuchando y disfrutando de grandes historias, pruebe International Children’s Literature Database: Los Libros en Español, Uniteforliteracy: Los Libros en Español con narración, o Plaza Sesamo en Español.

No te pierdas la Hora del Cuento Bilingüe – Español. Únase a la Señora Laura mientras presenta la hora del cuento bilingüe en inglés y español. ¡Los preescolares disfrutarán de libros, canciones y juegos!

¿Necesitas ayuda? Llame o pregunte a un miembro del personal de la biblioteca en cualquiera de nuestras ubicaciones o envíe un mensaje de texto a un bibliotecario al 317 333-6877.

title - Blank Entrytitle - Babies nursetitle - Good Night, Mr. Pandatitle - Blank Entrytitle - Chato y los amigos pachanguerostitle - Chato y su cenatitle - Blank Entrytitle - Blank Entrytitle - Danielito y el dinosaurotitle - Dias Y Diastitle - Blank Entrytitle - Blank Entrytitle - Jajá, jijí, cuactitle - Jorge el Curioso monta en bicicletatitle - José el Chéveretitle - Blank Entrytitle - Leo, el retono tardiotitle - Maria Had A Little Llamatitle - Mario y el agujero en el cielotitle - Martí's Song for Freedom/ Martí Y Sus Versos Por La Libertadtitle - Max viaja a la Lunatitle - Maya's Blankettitle - My Name Is Celiatitle - Mike Mulligan y su maquina maravillosatitle - La nevera de Maddititle - ¡Olinguito, de la A a la Z!title - Blank Entrytitle - Owentitle - Blank Entrytitle - Un pato en tractortitle - Pato para presidentetitle - El puntotitle - Qué montón de tamales!title - Blank Entrytitle - Sam y el dinero de la suertetitle - Señorita Mariposatitle - La señorita Runfiotitle - Silvestre y la piedrecita magicatitle - Blank Entrytitle - Strega Nonatitle - Blank Entrytitle - Los zombis no comen verduras!

Comic books and graphic novels for kids are all-time favorites. Like Dog Man. He’s a policeman, he’s a crimefighter, he’s a dog! He’s the best of both, a canine and a crimefighter doing his best to outsmart his archnemesis, an evil cat, who does TERRIBLE things like plotting to destroy all books to make the world “supa dumb”! Read the whole series or have fun with these Dog Man Activity Sheets. These stories definitely aren’t just about superheroes anymore! In this list you will find a diverse cast of characters whose stories are set in different and interesting places. Also try Read Right Now: Superheroes.

Graphic Novel Reading Recommendations from IndyPL Staff

Browse our featured book lists and then find even more recommendations from our staff.

Graphic Novels About Space

Get ready for space camp! These fun and informative graphic novels will entertain even the most stubborn rocket scientist.

Title - Sanity & TallulahTitle - Solar SystemTitle - The Great Space CaseTitle - Zita the Spacegirl

If You Liked Smile by Raina Telgemeier

If you liked Smile you might like these because they also use humor to talk about growing up, fitting in, making friends, and the importance of being true to yourself. And if you liked Smile, you’ll like the other books by Raina too–Sisters, Guts, Ghosts, Drama, and the Babysitters Club graphic novels!

Title - TwinsTitle - FreestyleTitle - AwkwardTitle - Real Friends

Kristy’s Great Idea

The books on this list are all similar to the Babysitters Club series because they are graphic novels that feature friends and friendships. If you’ve finished all the books in the series this will be a great start to find your next read.

Title - KristyTitle - KristyTitle - The Friendship CodeTitle - Sunny Side up

Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian.

The poet James Whitcomb Riley was born in Greenfield, Indiana on October 7, 1849. To give you an idea how long ago that was, he was about 12 years old when the U.S. Civil War started. Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell were both born around the same time. At the time of his death on July 22, 1916, Riley was a beloved figure across the country, but especially so in Indiana. Many of his poems were funny. People really liked that. During his life he traveled the country giving live shows reading his poetry. In his time, he was a rock star!

James Whitcomb Riley’s death was such news it made front page headlines in major newspapers all across the country. One of the newspaper headlines about his funeral said, “35,000 People Pass Casket of Indiana Poet”. That is a lot of people paying their respects.

Riley Recordings

During Riley’s life people did not have radios in their homes yet. In order to listen to music or readings people used a hand cranked phonograph machine to listen to audio recordings on cylinders. Today you can play a digital file of an audiobook on your phone or computer. In 1912 Riley recorded poetry readings for the Victor Talking Machine Company so that people could listen at home. You can listen to old Riley Recordings in The Library’s digital collection. Open the James Whitcomb Riley Recordings to listen to the man himself reading his own poetry.

James Whitcomb Riley Books

Mr. Riley’s most famous poems for children were and still are, “Raggedy Man,” “The Little Orphant Annie,” “When the Frost is on the Punkin,” and “The Old Swimmin’ Hole.” You can read them right now in these free e-books from IUPUI. I recommend the deliciously scary “The Little Orphant Annie.” Annie is a great storyteller! She tells the story of why you better mind your parents because “The gobble-uns’ll git you ef you don’t watch out!” To read it click on the first book below, Riley Child Rhymes, and then click on page 23.

title - Blank Entrytitle - Blank Entrytitle - Blank Entry

Websites, Activities & Printables:

In the spirit of another beloved Hoosier, David Letterman:

Top 10 Ways to Know James Whitcomb Riley was a Rock Star of his Time:

10. His book Rhymes of Childhood, published in 1912, can still be found today over 100 years later. Find it at the library or go to an online bookstore. There are not very many books still available from that long ago!

9. In the late 1890s Riley encouraged the African American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. He wrote Dunbar a letter of recommendation that helped get Dunbar’s work published.

8. When Riley died, the President of the United states, Woodrow Wilson, and the Vice-President of the United States, Thomas Riley Marshall (who was from Columbia City, Indiana), both sent messages of condolence to his family. The Governor of Indiana allowed Riley to lay in state at The Indiana Statehouse Rotunda so that people could come pay their respects. Until that time, only Abraham Lincoln had been honored in that way.

7. Greenfield, IN, his birthplace, and Indianapolis, IN, his home for over 20 years, fought over the location of Riley’s grave. Over Riley’s Dead Body: Indy’s Weirdest Civic Fight. Indianapolis won. He grave is at Crown Hill Cemetery in a tomb at the top of a hill, the highest point in Indianapolis.

6. Both Riley’s boyhood home in Greenfield, IN and his adult home in Indianapolis, IN are museums and on the National Register of Historic Places.

5. Named in his honor, the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children opened in 1924. In 1955 the hospital added Camp Riley, a camp for youth with disabilities.

4. In 1940, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 10-cent stamp honoring Riley.

3. Commissioned in 1942 during World War II, the cargo ship SS James Whitcomb Riley bears his name.

2. There used to be a Hoosier Poet Brand of coffee, oatmeal, vegetables, cigars and more.

1. James Whitcomb Riley donated the land Central Library is built on. The bronze gates at the main entrance on St. Clair Street were purchased with pennies donated by children. The bronze tablets on each of the iron gates say: The gates are the gift of the children of Indianapolis in loving remembrance of their friend James Whitcomb Riley

Famous Hoosiers for Kids

A look at an interesting group of the Indiana born or raised who have contributed to the history and life of the state and the nation from a millionaire businesswoman to a Disney animator to a lighthouse keeper (in Indiana!) as well as a U.S. President. #indyplkids

Title - Bill PeetTitle - John GreenTitle - Major Taylor, Champion CyclistTitle - Seed by Seed

Have you ever seen a “shooting” or “falling” star? These streaks of light are not actually stars at all, but space rocks falling through the earth’s atmosphere. These rocks, called meteoroids or meteors, rub against particle’s in the earth’s atmosphere as they fall. This creates friction, making the meteor extremely hot. Usually, the meteors become so hot they burn up and disappear before hitting the earth. The flame of that burning up is what we see and what makes meteors look like a star falling out of the sky. A meteor that survives its journey through the atmosphere and lands on the earth, is a meteorite.

At certain times of year we can see a lot of meteors all at once because the earth is passing through a field of space rocks. These times of year are called “meteor showers” because so many space rocks are falling through the earth’s atmosphere at one time. Each year in late summer the Earth passes through a trail of dust and debris left by an ancient comet called Comet Swift-Tuttle. This creates a lot of meteors that look like they are coming from the constellation Perseus. That’s we we call this time of year the Perseid Meteor Shower.

In 2023 the Perseid Meteor Shower will occur from July 17to August 24, and be at its peak around August 13.

The best way to see meteors is to go outside after dark when meteor showers are predicted, like the Perseid Meteor Shower, lie on your back and look straight up. You might have to wait. Bring a good snack like popcorn!

This meteorite is an Artifact at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. “Meteorites are one of the few extraterrestrial, from outer space, materials scientists have to study. Most meteorites found on the ground are iron, which are very dense and appear quite different from ordinary rock. This is a Gibeon meteorite made up mostly of iron and nickel.”

Websites, Activities & Printables:

You can also ask a math and science expert for homework help by calling the Ask Rose Homework Hotline. They provide FREE math and science homework help to Indiana students in grades 6-12.

Meteor Showers in Books

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about meteors at any of our locations, or check out meteor e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use it for both e-books and audiobooks.

Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. Additionally, the Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

What to Read

title - On the Night of the Shooting Startitle - Exploring Meteor Showerstitle - How the Meteorite Got to the Museumtitle - Rocket Says Look Up!

The water on the earth is in constant motion. Water falls to the earth as rain and then evaporates back up into the air forming clouds. Evaporation is the process that changes liquid (like water) to gas (water vapor in the air). Water vapor in the air forms tiny droplets. When there are a bunch of these droplets clouds form. When a bunch of the droplets stick together raindrops form and fall back to earth again. After the rain falls, some of it soaks into the earth, and some of it evaporates into the air again. This cycle is call the hydrologic or water cycle. You can build construct a DIY terrarium and observe the water cycle in it.

Make a DIY Terrarium

To see how the hydrologic cycle works you can make your own miniature model of the earth in a terrarium. A terrarium is a little garden inside a clear, sealed plastic or glass container. A canning jar is a common glass container with a lid that might be easy to find at home. You can probably find the other things you need for your terrarium in your own backyard: small stones go in the bottom of the container, dirt, and a small plant or two. Look in shady areas for moss, it grows really well in a terrarium! You can also plant seeds and watch them grow.

Here are two videos that will help you. One explains how the water cycle works and the other will take you through step-by-step directions for building your own DIY terrarium.

What You Need

  • a Clear Plastic or Glass Container With a Lid
  • Stones
  • Soil
  • Plants
  • Water
  • Little Toys for Decoration (optional)

Instructions

After planting, add enough water just to moisten the soil. You don’t want to flood your garden. You don’t want standing water in the bottom of the container. When you poor water into your terrarium you are starting the water cycle. Eventually, it will “rain” in the little glass world you have made! When you set your terrarium in the sun the water inside the terrarium will heat up and turn into water vapor in the air. This is called evaporation. When the water cools back down, it turns back into a liquid. You will see condensation – water droplets – sticking to the lid of your terrarium. If the drops get large enough, they will roll down the sides of the container or fall from the lid – rain!

The close-up on the left shows the condensation that began to form on the inside of the jar after only 1 hour sitting in the sun. If there is too much water just open the lid and let some of the water evaporate into the air outside the container. If your plants look wilted or dry, try adding a little more water. It might take some trial and error to get the amount of water needed just right.

Science Experiment Idea

Make three identical terrariums. You have to use the same kind of container, the same amount of soil & the same plants. Make your variable (the thing you are going to test) the amount of water you put into the terrariums. Measure a different amount of water into each terrarium. Close the lids and watch the terrariums over several days to see which amount of water made the best environment for your plants. A terrarium with too little water will have dry plants. A terrarium with too much water will have plants with yellow leaves and maybe even mold growing on the soil!

Websites, Activities & Printables

You can also ask a math and science expert for homework help by calling the Ask Rose Homework Hotline. They provide FREE math and science homework help to Indiana students in grades 6-12.

e-Books & Audiobooks

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about plants at any of our locations, or check out plant e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use it for both e-books and audiobooks.

Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. Additionally, the Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Little Indoor Gardens for Kids – Terrariums & the Hydrologic Cycle

To see how the hydrologic (water) cycle works you can make a miniature model of the earth in a terrarium. A terrarium is a little garden inside a clear, sealed plastic or glass container. After making one, you can watch how water evaporates, condenses and rains. Here are some books to help you learn about the hydrologic cycle and put together a terrarium of your own.

Title - A Family Guide to Terrariums for KidsTitle - DropTitle - Water CyclesTitle - The Water LadyTitle - WaterTitle - WaterTitle - How Long Is the Water Cycle?Title - The Water CycleTitle - From Raindrop to TapTitle - Fairy Garden DesignTitle - The Water CycleTitle - The Nitty-gritty Gardening Book

In How to Make Ice Cream in a Bag follow step-by-step directions at home for making your own ice cream. Find out the science behind how this works. Smart as well as delicious! Watch a demonstration of how this works in the video below. With a few simple ingredients you can be eating a DIY slushie cold treat in no time! Even on a very hot day!

A little bit simpler science recipe you can try is making a DIY slushie from your favorite drink. The same science principles apply! Your favorite drink is pretty good with ice floating in it. When your drink has ice cubes in it, the ice cubes make the drink colder, but the ice cubes don’t make the drink itself freeze. The ice cubes IN the drink melt because they are colder then the drink itself. The drink melts the ice cubes by lowering their temperature. If you want a slushie you need to put ice AROUND your drink instead of IN it.

Melting point is the temperature at which a solid will melt. For ice this temperature is 32 degrees. If you put a drink in the freezer, where the temperature is 32 degrees or colder, the drink itself will freeze. Solid. You won’t be able to drink it!

To make your DIY slushie you want the temperature around your favorite drink to be lower than 32 degrees so the drink itself will get really cold. Keep an eye on it and stir it a lot so it doesn’t freeze solid. Make an easy slushie using ice cubes and salt. Note: the salt does NOT go IN your drink!

Salt lowers the melting point of water. Adding salt to ice cubes makes them stay frozen longer. If ice with salt added to it is packed around a liquid, like your drink, the salted ice will make your drink so cold that it will turn into a slushie!\

What You Need:

  • Your Favorite Drink (Soda, orange juice, lemonade, etc.)
  • Quart-size zip-lock bag
  • Gallon-size zip-lock bag
  • 2 cups ice
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • Bowl

Fill the quart size bag with your favorite drink and zip it closed. HINT: Make sure the bag is zipped really good or your slushie will taste bad when some of the salt leaks into your bag. Put the quart size bag inside the gallon bag. Add the ice and salt to the gallon bag. Next, zip the gallon size bag closed. Finally, shake the bag a lot – even play catch with it…gently. In about 15 minutes you will feel the ingredients in the quart size bag starting to firm up. What started out as a liquid is changing to a solid. When it feels done take the quart size bag out of the gallon size bag. Rinse it off good in clean water. Then open the bag, squeeze the slushie into a glass and enjoy!

When you add salt to the ice cubes you lower the melting point of the ice cubes by several degrees. The ice cubes stay colder, longer – long enough to turn your drink slushie. The secret is the catalyst – the salt. A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a reaction.

Science Experiment Idea

Make 3 different quart size bags each filled with the exact same amount of your favorite drink. Fill each of three gallon size bag with the exact same number of ice cubes. Add 1/8 cup of salt to the first gallon size bag and label it with a sharpie, “1/8”. Then add 1/4 cup of salt to the second gallon size bag and label it “1/4”. Finally, add 1/3 cup of salt to the third gallon size bag and label it “1/3”. Have a couple friends help you shake and smoosh the bags to make the slushies. Time how long it takes each of the bags to turn into a slushie. Which amount of salt makes a DIY slushie the fastest?

Websites, Activities & Printables:

You can also ask a math and science expert for homework help by calling the Ask Rose Homework Hotline. They provide FREE math and science homework help to Indiana students in grades 6-12.

e-Books & Audiobooks

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out kitchen science books at any of our locations, or check out kitchen science e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use it for both e-books and audiobooks.

Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Ice Cream and Other Edible Science for Kids

Let your kitchen become a science lab and bake, melt, freeze, or boil an experiment you can eat!

Title - The Chemistry of FoodTitle - The Complete Cookbook for Young ScientistsTitle - Kitchen ChemistryTitle - Hack Your Kitchen : Discover A World of Food Fun With Science BuddiesTitle - Kitchen Explorers!Title - Experiment With Kitchen ScienceTitle - Awesome Kitchen Science Experiments for KidsTitle - Kitchen ChemistryTitle - Melting MatterTitle - How to Make Ice Cream in A BagTitle - Curious Pearl Explains States of MatterTitle - The Kitchen Pantry Scientist

In the month of May in Indianapolis attention is focused at The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, or less formally, “The Brickyard,” or as we simply call it here at home, “the track.” It is time for the Indy 500!

If you sit outside in Indianapolis on a spring day in May and the wind is just right in relation to where you are, you can hear the distant high-pitched hum of cars practicing, careening around the track. On race day you can see other signs that something big is happening. If you look up you can see the Goodyear blimp floating above the city giving the world a birds-eye view, or at start time, watch the fighter jets fly in formation over the city, both traditions leading up to “Drivers, start your engines!”

While you wait for this year’s race, have fun learning about the history, physics and amazing records of the greatest spectacle in racing – the Indianapolis 500! The Spectacle is a complete history of the Indianapolis 500. It includes a hundred year’s worth of memories from legendary drivers and details about memorable races. It’s like you were in the pits yourself watching the drama unfold. Listed below are online activities and books about the Indy 500 you can check out with your IndyPL library card. You can even learn how to draw or build a race car of your own!

Websites, Printables & Activities

e-Books & Audiobooks

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about car racing at any of our locations, or check out car racing e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use it for both e-books and audiobooks.

Need help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Have you seen one of our IndyPL Bookmobiles driving around Indianapolis? We have two that visit neighborhoods and schools all over the city delivering books to people who don’t have a library branch nearby. Kids love trucks, books, and cozy little spaces – our Bookmobiles are all three! Watch this video to meet one of our book cruising teams, ride on the bookmobile with Emilie and Bruce. Our Bookmobiles are filled with both great books and great people! Happy National Library Outreach Day to Miss Emilie, Mr. Bruce, and all our staff in Outreach!

Bookmobile History

A librarian in Maryland in the early 1900s is credited with coming up with the idea of the first bookmobile. That first one was a horse-drawn wagon. No one had ever seen one of those before! Soon book wagons were appearing in other parts of the country, and by 1922, the book wagon idea was very popular. The bookmobile was born!

  • Bookmobiles: Then and Now – A Fascinating timeline of the evolution of bookmobiles, including the features, technology, and vehicles responsible for bringing library services to the public. Note: green entries on the timeline are bookmobile history in general. Purple entries in the timeline are IndyPL Bookmobile history.
  • 50 Vintage Photos of Libraries on Wheels
  • Indianapolis Public Library Digital Collections: Bookmobiles

We’ve picked our favorite photos from our Digital Collection for this Bookmobile photo gallery. It’s fun to see how our Bookmobiles have changed over the years!

To learn even more about bookmobiles check out one of the books below. Each one tells the story of a bookmobile. You can ride on the bookmobile with Emilie and Bruce or ride a lot of other things to deliver books! Some of them are from a different part of the world where it makes sense to deliver books by boat, burro or camel!

Bookmobiles: On the Road for Reading All Over the World

Book lovers and librarians have loaded up books and taken them on the road for decades. What people use to transport the books depends on where the books need delivered. Bookmobiles can be trucks, boats, bikes, or pack animals! Which animal is chosen depends on where in the world the books are being delivered. Horses, burros and camels are all excellent at book transportation. Here are some of our favorite stories about how mobile libraries get books to people who don’t have a library building nearby.

Title - The Library BusTitle - My Librarian Is A CamelTitle - That Book WomanTitle - The Book BoatTitle - Waiting for the BiblioBurroTitle - Library on WheelsTitle - Miss Dorothy and Her BookmobileTitle - My Librarian Is A CamelTitle - BiblioburroTitle - That Book WomanTitle - The Library BookTitle - Librarian

Picture book read along stories play like a movie and are great for listening practice as well as really fun! You can stream picture book videos free with your IndyPL library card. Illustrations move as you watch the narrated stories. Video picture books are especially convenient for car trips. You can check out several at a time and play them multiple times while you have them checked out. They are perfect for “read it again!”

To stream these videos for kids you will need a Hoopla account. Hoopla is the service the Library uses to deliver these videos to you.

Get Started Streaming Picture Book Videos on Hoopla

Here are a few favorites to get you started, or see Hoopla’s complete list of picture book videos for kids.

Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

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Take a backstage tour.

Learning about puppets is a great first step to get the skills you need to make your own puppets. You can get an inside look at puppets by taking a video tour of Peewinkle’s Puppet Studio in Indianapolis. For even more behind-the-scenes inspiration watch this video to learn how the Sesame Street puppeteers bring Elmo, Big Bird, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Abby Cadabby, and Rudy to life!

Watch a puppet show.

Tune in to the Edmonton Public Library on Youtube to see these puppet shows:

Watch a video tutorial with your IndyPL Library card.

Learn how to make your own puppets by watching this video tutorial for kids from Creativebug. Just enter your IndyPL library card. Creativebug Kids is a collection of crafting video tutorials just right for preschool and elementary makers. Other videos include drawing, origami, sewing, holiday decorations, and more. If you have never used Creativebug before, start here.

Make your own puppets and put on a show!

There are several workshops available online from puppet theatres all over the country. A wonderful one comes from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Watch Fort Wayne Youtheatre’s video and use their workshop guide to learn how to create your own shadow puppet theatre and shadow puppets.

Also try New Victory Theatre’s Arts Break at Home Puppetry Week.

Still looking for puppet activities? The Jim Henson Foundation is providing links to online performances and workshops provided by grantees from their Foundation.

Are you ready to create yet? Here are some printable patterns and templates to get you started!

Puppet Project Ideas from Old Socks to Paper to Clay!

Upcycle items from your craft bin or trash can, add your creative storytelling, and put on a puppet play!

Title - Ashley BryanTitle - LotteTitle - Puppets Unlimited With Everyday MaterialsTitle - Nick and Nack Put on A Puppet ShowTitle - Puppet PlayTitle - Paper Puppet PaloozaTitle - The Strange Case of Origami YodaTitle - Darth Paper Strikes BackTitle - The Surprise Attack of Jabba the PuppettTitle - One-person Puppet PlaysTitle - How To Create And Animate A Clay Puppet With Stop Motion ProTitle - Night of the Puppet People

There are lots of stories kids can rattle off without even thinking very much. The Three Little PigsThe Three Bears, and Cinderella are examples of some commonly told stories children all over the world often know. Told in different places, the stories take on interesting differences that reflect a country’s environment or culture. Fairy tale variants like these can be great introductions to new places and new people!

Sometimes storytellers like to have fun with a traditional story too. Cinderella plays in a hockey game instead of going to a ball. The Big Bad Wolf tells HIS side of the story. The story happens in a new or unique place. Try one of these for a unique twist on classic tales!

title - The Twelve Dancing Princessestitle - Jacqueline and the Beanstalktitle - The Ninjabread Mantitle - The Egyptian Cinderella

Have fun with fairy tale variants – unique spins on these classics!

Hispanic Retellings of Classic Tales

Here are some favorite classic tales and traditional stories told with details and cultural traditions of the American Southwest, Mexico, Central or South America.

Title - AdelitaTitle - Paco and the giant chile plantTitle - The Runaway TortillaTitle - La Princesa and the PeaTitle - The Pot That Juan BuiltTitle - The Three CabritosTitle - Rubia and the Three OsosTitle - The Three Little JavelinasTitle - Señorita GorditaTitle - The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden StirredTitle - Chachalaca ChiquitaTitle - The Party for Papá Luis

Need help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

I’m sure you’ve heard people say that dogs are man’s best friend. When you read some of these books, you’ll discover that there are a lot of animals that have been man’s best friend as well as best friends to each other! Who would have thought that a deer and a dog or a dog and a duck could be friends? Some of these animals just have the best life stories. Some are famous, like Koko the gorilla who learned American Sign Language. Or the 21 elephants that walked across the Brooklyn Bridge when it was built, just to prove it was safe! Or Eclipse, the dog that learned how to catch the bus to the dog park all by himself! Theses are true animal stores and they are amazing!

Can We Be Friends: Unexpected Animal Friendships from Around the World tells the stories of five unlikely animal friendships:

  • a hippo and a tortoise
  • an elephant and a sheep
  • a gorilla and kittens
  • a cheetah and a dog
  • a dog and dolphin

Check out even more books that tell the true animal stories of some special members of the animal kingdom!

Amazing and True Animals Stories for Kids

Read about the 21 elephants that walked across the Brooklyn Bridge when it was built, just to prove it was safe, or about Eclipse, the dog that learned how to catch the bus to the dog park all by himself! Check out some of these books for amazing stories about some special members of the animal kingdom.

Title - Twenty-one Elephants and Still StandingTitle - Elizabeth, Queen of the SeasTitle - IvanTitle - Bob the Railway DogTitle - Dog on BoardTitle - ClaraTitle - DozerTitle - Ellie

Need help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. Additionally, the Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

For kids who love to draw, two illustrators offer online classes for hours of creative fun! Start drawing today by tuning in to these drawing shows or by checking out an e-book with your IndyPL library card.

Mo Willems

Mo Willems, creator of Knuffle Bunny, the Pigeon books, and the Elephant and Piggie books, hosted a daily writing show called Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems. See the Lunch Doodles Playlist.

Jarrett Krosoczka

Jarrett Krosoczka, author of Hey Kiddo as well as the graphic novel series Lunch Lady and Jedi Academy is hosting Draw Every Day with JJK. Browse his YouTube page for all kinds of drawing tutorials and prompts.

Drawing Books:

We have a lot of drawing books for kids at the library. You can find one for just about any interest you have. Learn to draw NASCAR, forest animals, sea creatures, cartoon characters, buildings and much more. Some of the books feature simple cartoon style drawings and others, for more experienced artists, go into great detail. Each one includes step-by-step directions though, so even if you are a beginner you can create some pretty amazing pictures!

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out drawing books at any of our locations, or check out drawing e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use it for both e-books and audiobooks.

Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. Additionally, the Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Video Read Alouds about Drawing

Just click on one of the book covers to hear the story.

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How to Draw Favorite Book Character Printables

We have thousands of audiobooks for kids on various platforms. All can be checked out instantly with a library card. Each audiobook platform is unique. You can learn how to use each platform below.

Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. Additionally, the Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Audiobooks for Kids from OverDrive/Libby

You can borrow up to 20 titles using your IndyPL Library card from OverDrive Kids. If you have never borrowed from OverDrive before both app directions and browser directions are available as well as a video tutorial and Overdrive Support.

Here are some quick shortcuts to OverDrive’s audiobook collections for kids.

Skip the Wait!

Hold lines can get very long for new and popular titles. Here are two helpful links for young readers: No Wait, No Problem Audiobooks for Kids and No Wait No Problem e-Books for Teens.

Audiobooks for Kids from Hoopla

You can borrow 10 Items each month using your IndyPL Library card. If you have never borrowed from Hoopla before directions are available as well as a video tutorial.

Here are some quick short cuts to some of Hoopla’s audiobook read along collections:

Skip the Wait!

Hoopla Bonus Borrows Logo

You don’t have to put Hoopla titles on hold, you are allowed to borrow whatever titles you want, up to 10 per month.

However, if you’ve already read your 10 monthly borrows, Hoopla frequently offers Bonus Borrows. Bonus Borrows don’t count against your monthly borrowing limit – look for them on Hoopla.

Audiobooks for Kids from Kanopy Kids

Kanopy Kids has one collection of read along picture books in their Story Time collection. Read them in a computer browser or in the Kanopy app. Videos from the Kanopy Kids section do not require any play credits to view. Feel free to watch as many videos from Kanopy Kids as you’d like without seeing a reduction in your play credits! If you have never borrowed from Kanopy before here are some directions and a video tutorial.

Audiobooks for Kids from Tumblebooks

You can read Tumblebook read alongs in a computer browser or the Tumblebook Library app. If you have never borrowed from the Tumblebook Library before here is a video tutorial to help you get started. Here are three examples of the read along stories you can find in the Tumblebook Read Along Library. See the full list of Tumblebook read alongs here. The best thing about Tumblebooks – there are no loan limits and no waiting!

title - Biscuittitle - I Love My Pursetitle - Lola at the Library

Audio Enabled Books for Kids

If your kids like e-book read alongs try our audio enabled book collection – print books that have an audio player permanently attached to them. Children simply push a button to listen and read. The next time you visit one of our libraries, ask where the audio enabled books for kids shelf is or browse the list of all of them.

Free Audiobooks that Don’t Require a Library Card

World Book Day Free Audiobooks
World Book Day’s World of Stories audiobook collection get refreshed frequently. Audiobooks are taken down after 6 months and then are replaced with new ones so check back often for new stories.

Audible’s Free Audiobook Library for Kids
Audible, Amazon’s audiobook library, offers free audiobook streams on a select number of children’s stories. See the Free Audible Library. The books are separated into six categories: “Littlest Listeners,” “Elementary,” “Tween,” “Teen,” “Literary Classics” and “Folk & Fairy Tales for All.” Books are available in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Italian.

Free Video Read Alouds Online
Children also shouldn’t miss these outstanding opportunities to hear old classics like Where the Wild Things Are or a newer favorite like Little Jumbo, often read aloud by the book’s author or a celebrity reader. It isn’t library story time…but you will still hear “I want to hear it again!”