By Children’s Librarian Eileen
Kids summer reading is just around the corner! Mark your calendars to sign up for June 1. Looking for books and magazines to read? You are in luck! Get ready for summer reading by exploring eight different ways to find more to read.
Here at the library, we want you to find books that spark joy, bring pleasure and comfort, and broaden your knowledge. We hope that by sharing a variety of ways for you to find titles to read this summer and throughout the year, you will discover a wealth of books and magazines for your reading pleasure.
8 ways to find more to read
1. Browse what’s new & recommended in the library’s catalog
Browse the library’s online catalog to find books that interest you. On the homepage, use the catalog search bar to enter the title, author, or keywords.
Are you looking to find kids fiction books featuring sloths that are available now at the Main Library? Using the filters on the top or left side of the page will help narrow your search results, which you can save or email to yourself or someone else.
Looking for graphic novels, ebooks, or digital audiobooks? Find them using the Format filter. Looking for books in Spanish or Chinese? Find them using the Language filter. You also can search by e-content collection, fiction/ nonfiction, audience, author, series, subject, user rating, publication date, and shelf location.
Want to locate books in the library’s catalog and pick them up later? Sign in to your account with your Oak Park library card number and PIN to place books on hold for pickup at your library branch of choice.
Would you like more help with filters, to learn how to reset your pin, or to view your checkout history? Visit our FAQ page for help with these features and more.
2. Explore kids reading lists—curated by librarians
On the library’s website, you can access librarian-curated reading lists for kids—from early childhood up through grade 6.
Some reading lists we offer:
- Grade-level lists that include fiction and nonfiction recommendations
- Creators and stories lists like our Black Creators and Disability Reads lists
- Award-winning lists, like the Monarch Award and Newbery Medal lists
- Genre lists such as our Scary Stories and Romance: Sweet Reads lists
- Reading Olympics book lists
Reading lists are available as browsable, clickable titles and downloadable PDFs. On your next visit, you can also pick up copies in the Children’s Services Area at the Main Library or at the Maze or Dole Branch libraries. To get the latest lists sent to your inbox, subscribe to our monthly Kids & Families email.
3. Find readalikes on Novelist K-8 Plus
With Novelist K-8 Plus, you can explore fiction and nonfiction book lists for children, award-winning titles, and books by grade-level or Lexile score. Use Novelist K-8 Plus to access:
- Recommendations to help match you with your next favorite book, series, or author.
- Read-alike recommendations for titles, authors, and series.
- Books that appeal to your interests, moods, and reading style.
- Story elements index to search for books by specific genre, appeal, or theme.
- Curated book lists.
4. Explore fun books & magazines for all ages on Media on Demand & Libby
Media on Demand (web) and Libby (app) is the library’s largest and most popular collection of ebooks and audiobooks, as well as the latest issues of popular magazines.
Ebooks & audiobooks
From nursery rhymes and classic tales to robots and pirates, young readers can explore fun books for all ages in a special reading section just for kids.
Use the audience filter search for Juvenile titles. Additionally, search by subject, format, availability, popularity, date added, and language to find books, audiobooks, and magazines of interest.
Digital magazines
Search for magazines using the collapsed menu icon on the top left side of the toolbar for both the Media on Demand website and the Libby app. Issues will always show as available, but you’ll still need to check them out.
Some kids magazines that you can access include:
- Black Girl’s Magazine
- Highlights High Five
- National Geographic Little Kids
- Sports Illustrated Kids
- TIME for Kids – Age 8+ Family Edition
- The Week Junior US
5. Engage with animated storybooks on Kanopy Kids
Kanopy Kids is designed for kids ages 2-8 and includes a large collection of high-quality animated storybooks.
Check out Up in the Garden Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner, the perfect book for spring, especially for those who love to garden and dig in the dirt.
6. Borrow a Hoopla BingePass for a week’s worth of access to ebooks & more
With Hoopla‘s BingePass and your Oak Park library card, you can get unlimited streaming for seven days with a single borrow! Kids have access to collections featuring:
- STEM-focused ebooks
- Books read aloud in a variety of languages and brought to life with illustrations and music
- Spanish ebooks for kids
- Highlights magazine collection
7. Check out digital animated talking books from TumbleBookLibrary
TumbleBookLibrary offers a large online collection of animated talking books for kids. TumbleBookLibrary contains picture books, chapter books, early and advanced readers, graphic novels, nonfiction books, and children’s classics.
Find award-winning and best-selling titles, books in different languages, and books on themes such as music, rhyme, and humor. Browse books organized by genre such as mystery, folktales and fables, and historical fiction.
Click on a book to read it online and access all its details, including the author, illustrator, publisher, word count, TumbleTime, reading level, summary, and keywords.
8. Read thousands of National Geographic Kids magazine articles online
Why do we love National Geographic Kids?
- It’s got tons of magazine articles online, including issues from 2009 to the present.
- You can go on amazing adventures in science, nature, culture, archaeology, and space.
- It offers high-quality informational texts for primary, upper elementary, and middle school students.
If you visit one of our library locations, we would be happy to help you navigate the different resources shared with you today. Just come visit us at any service desk!
About Eileen
Eileen Saam is a children’s digital learning librarian who loves discovering new things, learning from others, and sharing with children the joy and wonder of books. One of her favorite things to do at the library is to help children, families, and teachers find books and digital resources that delight and inspire them.