Saturday Morning Storytime is back with the perfect snowy book for January! 

April Jones Prince, author of such fantastic books as Goldenlocks and the Three Pirates, What do Wheels do All Day, and Twenty-One Elephants and Still Standing, will be in our store to read her beautiful book Snowy Race! 


In the midst of a whirling snowfall, a girl and her father pile into their big red snow plow. Through slippery streets, up winding hills, they race—clearing the snow and heading for the train station to meet a very special traveler. The beautiful rhyming text of this is just right for a cozy read-aloud!

Join us as we re-open Storytime Season! We can't wait to see you! 
 

Living in a racially unjust and deeply segregated nation creates unique conundrums for white children that begin early in life and impact development in powerful ways. Raising White Kids offers age-appropriate insights for teaching children how to address racism when they encounter it and tackles tough questions about how to help white kids be mindful of racial relations while understanding their own identity and the role they can play for justice.

Raising White Kids is a book for families, churches, educators, and communities who want to equip their children to be active and able allies in a society that is becoming one of the most racially diverse in the world while remaining full of racial tensions.

Formed in Boxborough in 2015, the Fostering Racial Justice Group is on a mission to foster racial equity and justice by activating the community to dismantle bias and systems that reinforce racism. The book club is facilitated by Amy Osenar. 
 

Take note of the date and time! This special storytime event is on Friday afternoon instead of Saturday morning! 

The Commonwealth Ballet Company is back with another beautiful storytime production! Make a plan to see these talented artists bring Frances Hodgson Burnett's beloved novel The Secret Garden to life! 

This is the lively retelling of the story of a young girl, orphaned in India and forced to return to England to live with her uncle. In his isolated and lonely house, she uncovers many hidden secrets, and with the help of new-found friends, ultimately discovers the transformative power of love as The Secret Garden works its magic upon all who enter.

Come out and experience the beauty of dance and the power of storytelling through movement and music! 

 

Looking to read a romance novel with a little more substance? This is just the book for you! 

Ayesha Shamsi has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been set aside for a teaching job so she can pay off her debts to her wealthy uncle. She lives with her boisterous Muslim family and is always being reminded that her flighty younger cousin, Hafsa, is close to rejecting her one hundredth marriage proposal. Though Ayesha is lonely, she doesn’t want an arranged marriage. Then she meets Khalid who is just as smart and handsome as he is conservative and judgmental. She is irritatingly attracted to someone who looks down on her choices and dresses like he belongs in the seventh century.

When a surprise engagement is announced between Khalid and Hafsa, Ayesha is torn between how she feels about the straightforward Khalid and the unsettling new gossip she hears about his family. Looking into the rumors, she finds she has to deal with not only what she discovers about Khalid, but also the truth she realizes about herself.

Friday Fiction Book Club has been meeting for a year and is still growing! It's never too late to join! Make this the month you pop in for pastries and discussion! We can't wait to see you! 

Scott Magoon is back with a brand new book, Straw! We can't wait to host him! 

Meet Straw!

He's always rushed straight to the finish. But when his speedy streak gets the best of him, it takes a friend to show Straw how to drink in the amazing world around him. If you loved Spoon and Chopsticks, this delightful picture book will fit right in! 

Scott will read his book, do some drawing, and sign books! 

We're delighted to welcome young leaders and scholars from Littleton High School's National Honors Society for a special storytime event! Teens will be here taking turns reading some favorite books! 

This is a fantastic time to connect with and encourage our aspiring youth. It's also a great time to introduce your little ones to some new role models! 

Make a plan to come in and hear some classics from fresh new voices! We can't wait! 

Our first book launch of the new year! Join us as we celebrate Erin Dionne and her new book, Balletball! 


Nini hates baseball. She hates that baseball is not ballet. She especially hates that Mom signed her up to play, but now she’s stuck with the sport. Nini just can’t bring herself to try. Her team starts to lose, but not even her teammates’ disappointment will change her feelings. A pep talk from her coach and sparkly shoelaces help—a little. When Nini makes a game-winning catch using her ballet moves, she realizes that change might not be so bad after all, and ballet and baseball have more in common than she thought.

This is a beautiful book with important lessons for readers of any age! Be here to hear the story and celebrate its launch into the world!  

A special Leap Day Saturday Morning Storytime! You don't want to miss this adorable book from a Maynard illustrator! 

What's better than an extra day in February? A book launch, of course! And this one is a real treat! Space Mice is the adorable read-aloud picture book you are going to read over and over again this year! 

When two hungry mice spot a giant yellow ball of cheese in the night sky, they get right to work building a rocketship so they can take a big bite out of that glowing full moon. After sailing through starry skies, the mice arrive at the feast of their dreams—and soon the moon isn't so full anymore! Simple, rhythmic text makes this a great read-aloud for future astronauts.

We're really looking forward to launching this new picturebook into the world! Come celebrate with us! 

Attention parents with adorable kiddos with only the most discerning of tastes! (Also known as picky-eaters!) Join us for a Saturday Morning Storytime full of oh-so-relatable giggles! 

What’s for dinner? How about skizzle klumps n’ gizzardlumps? 

Would you like a bite of frizzle frazzle hotchy potch? How about a plate of mushy gushy bloobarsh? NERP, says our hero. Nerpity nerpity nerp! (That’s “NO” to you!) With nonsense language and humorously expressive illustrations, this delightfully silly picture book tells the story of two picky eaters—one child, one pet—of indiscriminate species, a multitude of supposedly tasty goodies, and one surprising solution to a familiar childhood situation!

Award-winning speculative fiction author Ken Liu is coming to the Silver Unicorn! 
 

Ken Liu (http://kenliu.name) is an American author of speculative fiction. A winner of the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy awards, he wrote The Dandelion Dynasty, a silkpunk epic fantasy series (starting with The Grace of Kings), as well as The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories and The Hidden Girl and Other Stories. He also authored the Star Wars novel, The Legends of Luke Skywalker.
 

Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Liu worked as a software engineer, corporate lawyer, and litigation consultant. Liu frequently speaks at conferences and universities on a variety of topics, including futurism, cryptocurrency, history of technology, bookmaking, the mathematics of origami, and other subjects of his expertise.

Ken's second short story collection, The Hidden Girl and Other Stories, 

includes a selection of his science fiction and fantasy stories from the last five years—sixteen of his best—plus a new novelette.

In addition to these seventeen selections, The Hidden Girl and Other Stories also features an excerpt from book three in the Dandelion Dynasty series, The Veiled Throne.

This is a big deal for anyone who loves speculative fiction! Mark your calendars now! 
 

Massachusetts author-illustrator Ioana Hobai is coming back to our store with another gorgeous picture book! We're too excited for her, and we're honored to help her launch her newest book, A Whale of a Mistake, into the world! Stop in for this special event!  

When a girl’s mistake grows into a whale that carries her out to sea, can she shrink it down to size and find a way to move on?

When you make a mistake—a big mistake, a HUGE mistake—it can weigh you down or even swallow you whole! As one kid finds herself swept away by her whale of a mistake, she takes readers along on a journey of emotions. When the girl pauses to stare at the night sky, she realizes something important: there are as many mistakes in the world as stars in the sky, and maybe she can handle it after all. As the seemingly huge whale begins to shrink, the girl embraces her mistake and finds her way back to solid ground.


We can't wait to share this beautiful book with you and celebrate with Ioana! 

 

Author and journalist Tina Cassidy will be speaking at Acton Memorial Library about her new book, Mr. President, How Long Must We Wait? 

Called a "heroic narrative" and "compact and energetic" by The Wall Street Journal, Tina's work tells the the inspiring and timely account of the complex relationship between leading suffragist Alice Paul and President Woodrow Wilson in her fight for women’s equality.

Tina Cassidy writes about women and culture. In addition to Mr. President, How Long Must We Wait? Alice Paul, Woodrow Wilson and the Fight for the Right to Vote, she is the author of Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born; and Jackie After O: One Remarkable Year When Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Defied Expectations and Rediscovered Her Dreams. A former journalist who spent most of her career at the Boston Globe covering business, fashion and politics, she is the Chief Marketing Officer of WGBH.

There are a lot of hard-working leaders and creators in our community! We are proud to bring them in for a chat, a demonstration, and some Q&A! Come to the kick-off event of our new Community Collaborators Series!


Life in 2020 is about the go-go-go. Even our hobbies have turned into hustles as we seek to iterate or transform everything we do into the next big thing or quick buck. But where is the quiet joy of a beautiful thing? The satisfaction of the slow, deliberate cultivation of something? Is there room in our world for the simple pleasure of growth?

The art of training Bonsai, living trees that grow to the size and shape of the cultivator, is a lifelong discipline for many people. We are excited to welcome Michael Levin, owner of Bonsai West in Littleton, to speak with us about his business, this art form, what it does for the community,and what it can do for individuals in our area!

As many garden enthusiasts begin to contemplate their planting, this might be the perfect event to get you thinking green! And if you've been looking for a new art form or hobby, this might also be just what you need! No matter what, it will be a fantastic evening of community! We can't wait to see you! 

   

Did you know that Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe were friends and allies? 

Ella Fitzgerald's velvety tones and shube-doobie-doos captivated audiences. Jazz greats like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington couldn't wait to share the stage with her, but still, Ella could not book a performance at one of the biggest clubs in town--one she knew would give her career its biggest break yet.

Marilyn Monroe dazzled on the silver screen with her baby blue eyes and breathy boo-boo-be-doos. But when she asked for better scripts, a choice in who she worked with, and a higher salary, studio bosses refused.

Two women whose voices weren't being heard. Two women chasing after their dreams and each helping the other to achieve them. This is the inspiring, true story of two incredibly talented women who came together to help each other shine like the stars that they are.


We're excited to welcome New Hampshire author Vivian Kirkfield as she shares this story of empowerment and friendship at a surprising time in history. Your kids will get a lot out of this nonfiction storytime!
 

Looking for an age-appropriate, accessible book for children about community building and organizing? Noodlephant is a fantastic book to check out! Somerville writer Jacob Kramer will be reading his book for Saturday Morning Storytime! 

Famous for her pasta parties, Noodlephant is shocked when the law-loving kangaroos decide noodles are only for them!
Noodlephant won’t let this stand—Noodlephants can’t survive on sticks and branches, after all. Determined to do something to push back against an unjust law, she and her friends invent a machine that transforms pens into penne, pillows into ravioli, and radiators into radiatori. With that, the pasta parties are back! But that very night, the kangaroos come bounding through the door… ready to enforce their unjust laws. A zany tale full of pasta puns, friendship, and one Phantastic Noodler, Noodlephant, written by Jacob Kramer and illustrated by K-Fai Steele, explores a community’s response to injustice.

Come one, come all for this special Saturday Morning Storytime Event! It's a Reading and a Show! A Storytime Spectacular!

Lisa Robinson will be here to read her new picture book, Madame Saqui: Revolutionary Rope Dancer, a true story abut a young tightrope walker in Revolutionary France!  

In revolutionary France, a girl named Marguerite Lalanne longed to perform above large crowds on a tightrope, just like her acrobatic parents. Sneaking off to the fairgrounds for secret tightrope walking lessons, Marguerite finessed her performance skills, ultimately performing for crowds as a young rope dancer. And eventually, Marguerite would perform as Madame Saqui, waltzing and pirouetting across- and never falling off- countless ropes above adoring crowds. A nouvelle chérie de Paris, Madame Saqui cemented her place in circus history, winning the adoration of the French people and royalty alike, including Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

But that's not all, folks! Lisa and her daughters are circus artists themselves, and they will be bringing their own tightrope act to the bookstore! We hear there might also be juggling! A great read, an act of daring and artistry, and a little bit of whimsy! What more can you ask for on a Saturday Morning? Make sure to be here! 
 

 
Kimberly Zieselman is an intersex woman, lawyer and Executive Director of interACT - one of the world's largest intersex organisations and advocacy groups. We are excited to have her for an evening of reading and conversation about her new memoir, XOXY. 

Kimberly's provocative and life-affirming memoir charts her journey from discovering she is intersex through to self-acceptance and becoming an international human rights defender, and the impact this has had on her personal and family life.
 

From uncovering a secret that was intentionally kept from her, to coming out to her family and friends and fighting for intersex rights, her candid and empowering story helps break down barriers and misconceptions about intersex people and brings to light the trauma and harmful impact medical intervention continues to have on the intersex community.

Written from a non-queer perspective and filled with much-needed, straightforward information and advice about what it means to be intersex, this is a vital and timely resource for intersex people and their families, as well as the general reader.

We look forward hosting Kimberly and hearing her important story!

 

We're welcoming Massachusetts author Kelly Carey for Saturday Morning Storytime! She'll be reading her first picture book, How Long is Forever? 

Mason is waiting for Nana’s blueberry pie and complains that it’s taking forever. So Grandpa challenges him to figure out how long forever really is. Is it as long as Grandpa has had his tractor? No. As long as it took Nana to grow the roses to the top of the chimney? Not even close. After a trip around the farm to figure out the answer, Nana’s pie is ready. And Mason’s finally got the answer: forever is how long he’ll love Nana’s pie and how long he’ll love Nana and Grandpa, too.


This is going to be a lovely Saturday Morning Storytime! Be sure to come in! 
 

Save the date for this extra special evening Storytime event! 

Uncle Bobby is getting married and you're invited to the launch party! We're excited to celebrate the launch of this inclusive and beautiful book that celebrates love and family! 


When Chloe's favorite uncle announces that he's getting married, everyone is excited. Everyone except Chloe, that is. What if Uncle Bobby no longer has time for picnics, swimming, or flying kites? Chloe just wants to keep having fun with her favorite uncle, but she's afraid everything is going to change. Can Uncle Bobby and his boyfriend Jamie show Chloe that, when it comes to family, the more the merrier? In this inspiring, love-filled story, Chloe learns just what family means.

Uncle Bobby's Wedding was produced in coordination with GLAAD. This adorable picture book is a positive example of same-sex marriage and a celebration of family.

We've got fun surprises planned for this special event! Stay tuned for more details!