Normal Public Library provides many enriching events and resources for kids of all ages, parents, and families.
Activities
The Children’s Department offers lots of activities to educate and entertain kids. There are story hours for various ages, crafts, guest authors, robotics and other science and tech activities, and of course, Summer Reading
A Place to Discover
Whether we have an official activity going on or not, you can always find fun things to do in Children's Services.
The Discovery Room
The Discovery Room is a popular area for imaginative play, with tons of puppets and a wonderful puppet theater, a dress-up center, Velcro wall, gear table, and more. We even have a Tot Spot area reserved for our youngest patrons.
The Book Nook
The Book Nook is a welcoming area to find a comfy seat and enjoy a book, put some puzzles together, or build a DUPLO masterpiece.
Tech Playground
Jump on an iPad and play learning games in our Tech Playground. The Tech Playground can be a busy place! If all of the iPads are in use, or you want to sit somewhere else in the library, check out an iPad for in-house use.
Outreach
The library has lots of services and resources that can help teachers and homeschoolers.
We are happy to offer storytelling or information programs to nursing homes, churches, community centers, and schools. For more information, please contact us at 309-454-4668.
New Books for Kids
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The Startup Squad: You're the Boss
Are you bursting with great ideas for a new business but aren't quite sure where to start? Do you know that you'd be great at selling something but first need to figure out what that "something" actually is? Are you gearing up to be an entrepreneur but think that kids can't really build anything big? If any of these sound like you—you've come to the right book!
You’re never too young to start a business. Whether you want to launch a babysitting service, run a lemonade stand, sell crafts online—or don’t even know what business to start—You're the Boss is here to help. In this book, you'll learn how to figure out which business is right for you, find your ideal customers, manage the competition, calculate costs and profits, pitch your ideas, and so much more. -
Queer Mythology
Myths and legends tell our stories. They connect us and show us not only who we are, but also reflect the people during the time the stories were first told. And LGBTQIA+ people have been a part of every community since the dawn of storytelling. From Tu’er Shen, the Chinese rabbit god who protected those yearning to come out in an unaccepting world, to Ghede Nibo, the Haitian spirit who performed drag in the realm of the dead, the twenty myths told in this collection capture one irrefutable fact—even as labels, language, and definitions have changed, LGBTQIA+ people have always existed.
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Nat the Cat Has a Hat
Nat the Cat has a hat. Pat the Rat has a nicer hat. Nat the Cat wants a hat like that. Will the two friends have a spat?
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The Faerie Isle: Tales and Traditions of Ireland’s Forgotten Folklore
Watch for seal-skinned selkies coming to shore every ninth day to dance—but keep a safe distance, lest you become mesmerized. If you spy a fair mermaid combing her hair whilst sitting upon a rock, look away, as that could be bad luck indeed. And legend has it that just one encounter with the silver-tongued fairy known as the Charmer may leave a person lovesick and heartbroken. This gorgeous book offers illuminating introductions to fifteen remarkable fairies, the lesser-known heroes and villains of Irish folklore, from tiny leprechauns to enormous giants, trickster spirits to slippery shape-shifters.
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Very Bad at Math
Verity “Very” Nelson can do it all.
She’s student body president, debate club whiz, and first chair clarinetist. You could say she’s pretty much the best at everything…Well, almost everything. Everything except math.
And it’s not like she doesn’t try. Math just doesn’t make sense in her brain. But it better start soon, or else she can kiss her presidency—and her campaign promises—goodbye. Soon Verity finds herself enrolled in a remedial math class where, despite her best efforts, failure persists. All seems lost until a teacher helps her discover the truth: Verity has dyscalculia, a learning disability that causes her to mix up numbers.
Armed with a new diagnosis and improved grades, Verity is confident her math struggles will remain secret. But when a gossipy podcaster dismantles her perfect image, Verity must choose: remain part of a broken system or fight to fix it.
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Chickenpox
All big sister Abby wants is to spend more time with her friends, far away from the sticky fingers and snooping eyes of her annoying brothers and sisters. But when a case of the chickenpox leaves the Lai kids covered in scratchy red spots and stuck at home together for two weeks of nonstop mayhem, Abby thinks this might be the end . . . of her sanity. Yet she feels responsible for the situation since her best friend was Patient Zero and brought chickenpox into their home.
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Me and Other Bunnies
There are ME bunnies.
There are YOU bunnies.
There are US bunnies . . . and WE bunnies . . . and THEM bunnies.
There are a lot of bunnies in Me and Other Bunnies. -
Towed by Toad
No time, Pop! Can't stop!"
Toad and his tow truck are always on the move to lend a hand to anyone who needs help. Whether it's a flat tire or engine trouble, it's Toad to the rescue!
Pop does his best to try to get Toad to slow down and take care of himself, but there always seems to be someone else who needs to be towed by Toad. How can he say no?
Toad is so used to being the problem solver that when his tow truck breaks down, he does everything he can to fix it himself — and can't! What happens when the helper needs help?
An American Library Association Geisel Honor book • An American Library Association Notable Children's Book -
Catside Up, Catside Down
Catside up, catside down.
Cat on a turntable, spinning around!
Under a piano, over the moon,
swept high and away by a cat-shaped balloon.
A collection of cozy, knitted cats find themselves in all sorts of funny positions in this rhyming picture book that introduces prepositions like over, under, between, beside, and many more! -
You Are a Raccoon!
Crawl, cling climb! You may have seen a raccoon scurry up a tree or across the road just before dark. Did you know that raccoons stay up at night playing, hunting, and eating when you go to sleep? From birth to first stripes and beyond, discover all that goes into being a raccoon in this charming picture book, the second in the Meet Your World series.
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Dancing Dumplings for My One and Only
Dumplings dance in water like Grandma moves through tai chi beats: slow, firm, focused. When the autumn leaves are tumbling, there's nothing better than coming home from the park and helping Grandma roll, fill, and pinch ingots of meat and cabbage. "Dancing dumplings for my one and only," Grandma says, scooping them up for her granddaughter. But as the season grows colder, Grandma says she can't make dumplings for her one and only, not today. The child watches her grandmother wheeze and sneeze in bed, and although her heart da-dubs with fear, she lights incense and keeps her company until the day her grandmother is well enough to dance again--made stronger and healthier by the dumplings her granddaughter now cooks for her. Sumptuously and scrumptiously illustrated by Natelle Quek, Eva Wong Nava's story captures the wonderful bond between grandchild and grandparent--and how powerful and healing the act of sharing food can be. An author's note deepens the message of the importance of cultural foods in our relationships to both our heritage and loved ones.
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Knight Owl and Early Bird
Early Bird wants to be brave and protect the castle, just like Knight Owl. But she falls asleep on the job and then keeps her hero up during the day with her enthusiastic chattiness, well-meaning questions, and cheerful owl impersonations. But there are strange happenings in the forest, and soon Knight Owl and Early Bird find themselves in the throes of danger. Will these two learn to work together to keep themselves and the kingdom safe?
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I Am Glinda
This Little Golden Book celebrates everything that is thrillifying about Glinda, the pretty and charming girl from Universal Pictures’ smash-hit Wicked! Everything from Glinda’s magical world, including her friend Elphaba and the Wizard, is featured in gorgeous retro-style illustrations that will delight children, Wicked fans, and collectors of all ages!
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I Am Elphaba
This Little Golden Book celebrates everything that is special about Elphaba, a misunderstood green-skinned woman, from Universal Pictures’ smash-hit Wicked. Glinda and the Wizard are also featured in gorgeous retro-style illustrations that will delight children, Universal Pictures’ Wicked fans, and collectors of all ages!
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Sonic the Hedgehog: 5-Minute Stories
Follow the adventures of Sonic and his best friends as they fight Dr. Eggman and save the day! Filled with exciting stories and awesome illustrations, this book is the perfect read for bedtime, when you're on the go, or anytime in between!
Upcoming Kids' Events

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is an education initiative with three main goals: to promote early childhood literacy, to prepare young children for kindergarten and to facilitate family bonding through reading. Find more information about 1,000 Books and register here.