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Bucks County Free Library

Established 1956

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Wholesome Teen Reads

There’s something uniquely exciting about browsing the library shelves and picking up a book you’ve never heard of before, whether it’s because the cover catches your eye or the blurb on the back grabs your attention. But it can be scary too, especially if you like to avoid books with a lot of violence, language, or intimate relationships. It can be overwhelming knowing where to even start, whether you are just making your first forays into the Young Adult section or if you’re just looking for something new! Don’t worry, we’re here to help with this list of books that are exciting, engaging, and safe for any level of content–comfortableness–all at the same time!

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Juvenile Graphic Novels Bring Epic Adventures

Explore your favorite superheroes, make your own costume, read a Wonder or Crossover story in comics, and show some Guts with Raina Telgemeier’s latest. When it comes to graphic novels, the possibilities are endless! Check out these books by your favorite authors and experience epic adventures staring your favorite characters and more!

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Board Games for Adults: Try Something New!

Maybe you just got home from a long day of work, and once again, you find yourself settled in for a night of endless scrolling through the Netflix queue. I’m not judging, I’m doing the same exact thing! Then a thought strikes you: “Why don’t we crack open the ol’ game cupboard?”

Sitting in front of you are dust-encrusted Scrabble, Life, Yahtzee, and Monopoly. Don’t get me wrong, I love playing Monopoly as much as the next person. Who doesn’t love becoming an unbeatable corporate juggernaut and absolutely demolishing Grandma, even if your Mom says you “ruined Thanksgiving” for the “third year in a row?” (Fun Fact: Monopoly was originally designed as a game to warn against the dangers of income inequality and corporate greed! Check out The Monopolists by Mary Pilon for an interesting history of the game. Another Fun Fact: We’re all playing it wrong! You’re supposed to auction off the property to all players if the person landing on it doesn’t want it. I’ve literally just saved you hours of your time and saved your relationship with your brother-in-law!) While all of those games are still a treat to play, sometimes it’s fun to try something new!

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Magic Tree House Read-Alikes

One of our most frequently asked questions is… “My child is growing tired of or has finished all of the Magic Tree House book series. What else can you recommend?”

Some of the book series that are similar to the Magic Tree House in reading level and theme include…

A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy

Three friends and their assorted pets and siblings, help their local police officer solve mysteries around town.

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Talking to Your Child About Loss

When your child has a loss in their life, having resources to start a conversation with them can be difficult. This can be especially trying if you are also going through a loss. Typically, speaking about loss directly, with realistic words, is best. Not using imaginary situations will help your child confront the loss. Sending a dog to the “farm” will not help the child deal with that pet’s death in a healthy manner. A child can go through the stages of grief in a natural way, and it will allow them to handle it better when they get older.

From death, to changing of a life situation, there are many books that can help you start the conversation and the healing process.

When a Pet Dies by Fred Rogers

This book, written by the incomparable Fred Rogers, helps children share their feelings about the death of a pet. A reassuring book that grieving is a natural and healthy thing to do.

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Stories Come to Life with Read-Along eBooks for Children

Check out a Children’s Read-Along eBook from cloudLibrary today! Read-Alongs are a new picture book reading experience sure to captivate young readers. They are eBooks with professionally-recorded narration that plays along while your child reads. Many Read-Along eBooks will highlight text as the narrator reads, so kids can follow along.

With the new Read-Along feature, text, pictures, and sound come to life with page-turning titles. These titles combine the visual text of an eBook with a read-along capability to help readers better understand sentence structure, language flow, and syntax.

Read-Alongs are a wonderful way to get young children excited about reading and introduce them to technology and devices through interactive reading experiences. Explore available titles on our featured shelf in cloudLibrary. Read-Alongs are also available on Overdrive and Hoopla.

— Kathleen L., Collection Management Librarian

Cultivating Mindfulness in Children

You can work with your children to cultivate mindfulness. This is, much like any exercise, something that requires practice. The practice of mindfulness can help your child promote happiness and relieve stress. They also will gain benefits further in their life to help them in their school and work life.

You can focus on general areas when you talk to your children about it and help them do exercises in relation to those areas. Here are some areas that are great to work on with your children:

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