Welcome to Aurora Public Library’s blog. A place where our library staff share their thoughts, insider knowledge and overall love of all things book and community.
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Join us each week as we learn about the letter of the month, each week focusing on a different activity or skill!
May’s letter of the month is K and the word of the month is KANGAROO! In this video, Miss Julie shares a fun rhyme and Miss Karen shares a book recommendation, all about kangaroos!
This is your opportunity to learn something new! This week, Miss Tess shows how to make a marshmallow catapult! This STEM activity showcases kinetic energy. When you pull back on the spoon, kinetic energy is transferred from the spoon to the marshmallow, which launches it! How far can you get your marshmallow to fly?
Join us every Tuesday in May as we share new things to learn!
Kids ages 5 - 12, with parent's permission, can submit a photo or video of what they learned this month (a fun fact, a new song, a new language, a new dance - almost anything!) via social media or an email to [email protected] to be entered to win a prize! Last day to enter is Friday, May 28. Click here for more info.
Welcome to Family Book Club! This is an exciting club for families who love to read and is appropriate for ages 8-15. The books chosen are always within the 3rd-6th grade level but both younger and older kids have enjoyed them! If your child is younger, I encourage the family to read the book aloud together or listen to the audiobook (if available)!
This month we are reading “Just South of Home” by Karen Strong. Cousins Sarah and Janie, along with two friends, unearth a tragic event in their small Southern town’s history. With their new knowledge, it is up to them to heal their community.
Please note: This novel contains religious themes as well as spooky moments involving ghosts (or haints).
Genre: PARANORMAL MYSTERY
Chapters 20 (Family Meeting) – 28 (A Guilty Liar)
1. What is your favorite 4th of July tradition?
2. Janie and Sarah are learning what makes a real friend. Their old friends weren’t actually good ones. Have you had a similar experience?
3. People in town do not want to hear what Mrs. Whitney has to say. Why do you think they are uncomfortable?
4. Do you think Mrs. Green is so strict and (seemingly) unloving because of her family’s sad history?
5. If you were Sarah, would you forgive Jovita?
Next week read chapters 29 (Witching Hour) – 37 (Home)
We will be having a special virtual event on Monday, May 24 at 5 p.m. to meet the author! Register here to receive WebEx link.
Copies of the book are available for checkout at the Tallyn's Reach Library. Please call 303.627.3050 if you'd like to put one on hold to be picked up at a different branch. Copies are also available through Prospector.
Resources listed are for informational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose or treat a condition without the guidance of a mental health professional. If you or someone you know is having a mental health emergency, please call 911 or Colorado Crisis Services at 1.844.493.TALK.
Hey teens! Interested in mental health?
Each month Aurora Public Library focuses on a different topic related to mental health. Swing by the Aurora Central Library's teen area to browse YA novels and nonfiction related to the monthly topic. Whether you or someone you know is facing a mental health issue, or you are just interested in the topic, APL has information, resources and reading materials for you.
Remember, your mental health matters.
For our May Spotlight, we will be honoring Mental Health Awareness Month!
Since 1949, May has served as Mental Health Awareness Month. It is a reminder that mental health is essential to our lives and those living with mental health issues or a mental illness are deserving of care, understanding, and recovery.
What is Mental Health?
Mental health refers to our cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. In simpler terms, mental health affects how we think, behave, and feel—which then can affect our daily lives, relationships, and physical health. Conditions such as stress, anxiety, depression, and addiction (as a few examples), can turn a person’s daily life upside down.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” The WHO stress that mental health is “more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities.” Peak mental health is about not only avoiding active conditions but also looking after ongoing wellness and happiness.
Read more about what mental health means here.
While Mental Health encompasses a lot, here’s a few topics that impact our daily lives:
Relationships:
Toxic vs. Healthy Friendships: What’s the Difference for Teenagers?
8 Ways Setting Boundaries Improves Your Quality of Life
Sleep:
Healthy Sleep Tips
The Relationship Between Sleep and Mental Health
Physical Health:
5 Ways an Active Lifestyle Supports Mental Health
How Your Mental Health Impacts Your Physical Health
Stress:
9 Quick Ways to Calm Down When You Feel Overwhelmed
Mindfulness for Teens
General Mental Health:
Top 10 Self Care Hacks for Your Brain
5 Charts You Need If Identifying Your Emotions Is Hard
31 Tips To Boost Your Mental Health
Diet, Exercise, and Sleep Are Pillars of Mental Health, Study Finds
The Importance of Gratitude in Time of COVID
14 Top (Binge-Worthy) Podcasts About Mental Health
You Are Not Alone
10 Affirmations for When You Think You're Unlovable
Forgiveness Can Improve Your Emotional and Physical Health
18 Invaluable Pieces of Advice I've Received From Therapists
Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19
Real People Share Their Story:
Make It Okay To Talk About Mental Illness
I Was Scared To Talk About My Mental Health
10 Reasons Why I Talk About My Mental Health
Stay Connected:
15 Best Mental Health Blogs for 2021
Lisa Olivera
9 Instagram Accounts Changing the Conversations Around Mental Health
The Mighty
8 Inspiring, Young Mental Health Activists You Need to Know About
Self-Care is for Everyone
Liz & Mollie
Explore Young Adult novels & nonfiction that address Mental Health:
For more resources for all ages, visit the nonfiction department at your local library and look for call number 616.8527.
Resources are also available at Aurora Mental Health.
Check back in June for our next Mental Health Spotlight!
Join us each week as we learn about the letter of the month, each week focusing on a different activity or skill!
May's letter of the month is K and the word of the month is KANGAROO! In this video, learn how to sound out, spell and sign kangaroo!
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