Inspiring Picture Books About India

The Forest Man: The True Story of Jadav Payeng by Anne Matheson and Kay Widdowson

Only by growing plants, the Earth will survive.

                                                        Jadav Payeng   

Young Jadav and his family lived on a river island in India filled with many animals and exotic birds until heavy rainfalls caused by monsoons washed away the forests, leaving only sand. The birds and animals had no shade or trees to use for shelter. 

When he was fourteen years old, Jadav began planting trees like mango and banyan trees. He even brought insects and fertilizer to the island to help his forest grow. 

Today, people from all over the world can visit Jadav's beautiful forest and observe the animals that live there. 

Children will love the colorful illustrations of animals in Jadav's garden that include Indian elephants, wild water buffalo, chitals, and bengal tigers. This inspiring picture book shows how Jadav Payeng worked to restore a functioning ecosystem on his beloved island.  

Staff Picks for Autism Acceptance Month A Day With No Words by Tiffany Hammond

 April is recognized as Autism Acceptance Month and World Autism Awareness Month; a time dedicated to increasing understanding and acceptance of people with autism. Tiffany Hammond's picture book A Day With No Words invites readers into the world of a family who communicates without spoken language.    

A Day With No Words by Tiffany Hammond; Illustrated by Kate Cosgrove

This colorful picture book describes a day in the life of a young boy who communicates with the use of a tablet, hugs trees to comfort them, enjoys chicken nuggets, orange sodas, and fries, dances barefoot in the grass, and sometimes feels overwhelmed by the sights and sounds around him. 

Some books are mirrors; reflecting characters that readers can relate to, while others are windows; offering a view of someone else's world. Children on the autism spectrum may see themselves reflected in the story's thoughtful rhyming sentences and colorful illustrations, while others may learn to better understand people who view and interact with the world in a unique way. As Aidan's mother explains to parents they meet at the park, "My son does not speak, but his ears work just fine. The words that you say go straight to his mind."

Alicia Cavitt

Information Specialist

    

  

Teen Poetry Books for High School Students

 April is National Poetry Month. For teens, poetry can provide a powerful creative outlet for their growing emotions and experiences. The writing style helps them experience new vocabulary, experiment with creative language, and invoke critical thinking. Here are some of the best poetry books available in our collection for High School students. 

You Don't Have to Be Everything: Poems for Girls Becoming Themselves; Edited by Diana Whitney

This anthology helps teen girls explore a very formative time of their lives through poetry. Curated specifically with young women in mind, the writing will help them explore themselves and embrace everything they are becoming. It shows how poetry can be a powerful tool of expressing empathy, growth, and understanding. 

The Colors of Our World Community Photography Exhibit: Call for Submissions

 

This summer Forsyth County Public Library is coloring our world through photographs!

We are soliciting submissions for the 4th annual community photography exhibition! This year’s theme is “The Colors of Our World.” Our world is a kaleidoscope of color. In this colorful world, what inspires you?

Adults may submit up to two original photographs to display in the Sharon Forks Library throughout June and July. Click here for complete guidelines and the submission form. The deadline for submissions is Friday, May 23.

Take a look at the photos from previous years!

Adventure Begins 2024

All Together Now 2023

Capture Your Happiness 2022

Brooke Rose
Branch Manager

Teen Poetry Books for Middle School Students

April is National Poetry Month. For teens, poetry can provide a powerful creative outlet for their growing emotions and experiences. The writing style helps them experience new vocabulary, experiment with creative language, and invoke critical thinking. Here are some of the best poetry books available in our collection for Middle School students. 

The Little Mermaid, or How to Find Love Underwater by J.M. Farkas

Perfect for those in middle school learning about poetry, this book uses the blackout method to retell the classic tale of The Little Mermaid. Rather than a love story, this book is rewritten as a tale of empowerment, body positivity, and finding where you truly belong. 

Imaginative Fusion: 2nd and 8th Grade Collaborative Art Exhibit at Sharon Forks

Have you ever heard of the rare species Elpegfish? It's part elephant, fish, and penguin and lives in the deep sea. Elpegfishes sing beautifully, but don't let their angelic voices fool you! They eat flamingos and HUMANS (except their creator)!

The Sharon Forks Library is currently hosting a unique and imaginative art exhibit that showcases the creative collaboration between art students from Daves Creek Elementary and South Forsyth Middle Schools. 

Second grade students learned about different types of animals and crafted 22 illustrations of imaginary animals, each one a blend of characteristics of different species. Taking these imaginative drawings as inspiration, eighth grade art students then created "soft sculptures" – or stuffed animals – bringing the fantastical creatures to three-dimensional life using textile art techniques.

Picture Books for Earth Day

Earth Day began in 1970 and is celebrated annually on April 22nd. This global event raises awareness about environmental issues and encourages action to protect our planet, with the goal of inspiring people to take care of the Earth and its natural resources. These illustrated books from our collection explain the origins of Earth Day and the history of the environmental movement in the United States.

Black Beach: A Community, an Oil Spill, and the Origin of Earth Day by Shaunna and John Stith; Illustrated by Maribel Lechuga

After a devastating oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969 that harmed wildlife and habitats, local citizens, including school children, joined clean up crews to try to help. They picked up debris, rescued seabirds covered in oil, and collected oil in bottles to send to politicians in Washington. Those small actions led to more people across the country taking actions to help the environment. Twenty million people celebrated the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Black Beach explains how children helped draw attention to environmental issues and includes practical ways to protect our environment. 

Picture Books for Autism Acceptance Month

 April is recognized as Autism Acceptance Month and World Autism Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing understanding and acceptance of people with autism. These picture books from our library collection feature children on the autism spectrum.   

How to Build a Hug; Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville; Illustrated by Gisell Potter

Young Temple Grandin loves folding paper into kites, swinging on the playground, and building things but she absolutely does not like hugs. Inspiration strikes when Temple visits her aunt's ranch and notices how the ranch hands use a squeeze chute to calm the cows for vet exams. Using her imagination and building skills she invents a unique hug machine that allows her to control the timing and pressure of a hug. How to Build a Hug is an inspiring biography about Dr. Temple Grandin, an advocate for people living with autism and spectrum issues and for the humane treatment of animal livestock.