Author: Ashley Barnes

Hot Topics & Politics

Posted on by Ashley Barnes

Don’t miss out of these nonfiction books on hot button topics including politics, race, and identity. Check them out!

How to Be Antiracist
 By Ibram X. Kendi

The Stamped from the Beginning author weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science with his own personal story of awakening to antiracism. This is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond the awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a just and equitable society.

Read | Download | Listen

I Love You, But I Hate Your Politics
By Jeanne Safer, Ph.D

In today’s political climate, disagreements have been ravaging our personal relationships like never before. From friends to relatives to lovers, no relationship is immune to this crisis. This practical guide draws from fifty interviews with every type of politically-mixed couple.

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UnFreedom of the Press
By Mark Levin

With historical research for which his books are renowned, Mark Levin makes a case of how those entrusted with news reporting today are destroying freedom of the press from within.

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You also might be interested in…

Prepared Not Scared: Your Go-To Guide for Staying Safe in an Unsafe World
By Bill Stanton
Read the book
Signature Wounds: The Untold Story of the Military’s Mental Health Crisis
By David Kieran
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This Land is Our Land: An Immigrant’s Manifesto
By Suketu Mehta
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White Identity Politics
By Ashley Jardina
Read the book

What’s New for Young Adults

Posted on by Ashley Barnes

Where did the summer go? With other a few more weeks left of summer vacation, relax with one of the new Young Adult novels available at the Pratt.

American Road Trip
By Patrick Flores-Scott
Read | Download
Darius the Great Is Not Okay
By Adib Khorram
Read | Download | Listen
Dissenter on the Bench: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Life & Work
By Victoria Ortiz
Read | Download
Field Notes On Love
By Jennifer E. Smith
Read the book

Mariam Sharma Hits the Road
By Sheba Karim
Read | Download | Listen
Stepsister
By Jennifer Donnelly
Read | Listen
Technically, You Started It
By Lana Wood Johnson
Read the book
The Downstairs Girl
By Stacey Lee
Read | Download | Listen

The Merciful Crow
By Margaret Owen
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The Rest of the Story
By Sarah Dessen
Read | Download | Listen

War in the Ring: Joe Louis, Max Schmeling, and the Fight between American and Hitler
By John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro
Read the book

Focus on Fashion

Posted on by Ashley Barnes

Are you a lover of fashion? If so, good news! We have a few books hitting the Pratt’s shelves that are sure to inspire your upcoming looks. Pick up one of these books to learn from a fashion legend and everyday style mavens.

Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem
By Daniel R. Day

Before Dapper Dan reinvented haute couture, he was a hungry boy with holes in his shoes, a teen who daringly gambled drug dealers out of their money, and a young man in a prison cell who found nourishment in books. In this remarkable memoir, the fashion icon tells his full story for the first time.

Read | Listen

The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good
By Elizabeth L. Cline

Whether your goal is to build an effortless capsule wardrobe, keep up with trends without harming the environment, seek out ethical brands, or all of the above, this book has all the vital tools you need. Cline delves into research on fashion’s impacts and shows how we can leverage our everyday fashion choices to change the world through style.

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The Anthropology of Dress and Fashion: A Reader
By Brent Luvaas and Joanne B. Eicher

From classic ethnographies of dress to cutting-edge contemporary research tracing the global circulation of clothing today, this comprehensive volume maps out this vibrant field of study’s shifting preoccupations, theoretical innovations, and traditional and experimental methodologies.

Read the book

Other Lifestyle Picks:

Ice Cube Tray Recipes
By Jen Karetnick
Read the book

The DIY Style Finder
By Kari Anne Wood
Read the book

Play, Make, Create, A Process Art Handbook
By Meri Cherry
Read |Download

What to Watch this August

Posted on by Ashley Barnes

Here’s a quick look at a few of the recent additions to the DVD collection at the Pratt. From charming romantic comedies to hard-hitting documentaries, we hope there’s something for all viewers to enjoy.

The Sun is Also a Star
Young Adult fans will enjoy the adaption of bestselling novel by Nicola Yoon. Grown-ish actress Yara Shahidi stars as Natasha who meets college-bound Daniel one day in New York City. With just hours before her family’s deportation, Natasha is fighting against it and her growing feelings for Daniel.

Check out the DVD

The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Jimmie dreams of reclaiming the Victorian home his grandfather built in the heart of San Francisco. Joined on his quest by his best friend Mont, Jimmie searches for belonging in a rapidly changing city that seems to have left them behind. This award-winning film stars an ensemble cast featuring Jimmie Falls, Jonathan Majors, Danny Glover and Tichina Arnold.

Check out the DVD

Mister Rogers: It’s You I Like
In this warm tribute to the beloved Fred Rogers and his landmark children’s television program on PBS. The 60-minute special is hosted by award-winning actor Michael Keaton and contains memorable segments including visits with Koko the Gorilla and the iconic trip to the Crayola crayon factory.

Check out the DVD

Also new this month:

Being Serena
Check out DVD

Love Gilda
Check out DVD
Separated: Children at the Border
Check out DVD

Keeping an Eye on Early Literacy

Posted on by Ashley Barnes

 Lisa Bintrim, Childrens Librarian, Canton Branch

When we talk about early literacy learning, we often focus on the cognitive processes—firing neurons and strengthening synapses to build the pathways through the brain that allow language development. But literacy also requires physical skills, including eye strength and coordination. 

Much like other physical skills such as sitting up, standing, and walking, which become automatic over time, infants and toddlers have to learn how to focus their eyes, coordinate them to work together, and use them to track objects across space, all of which are necessary for reading and writing. By talking, singing, reading, and playing together, you can help your child develop the physical skills they need for literacy.

Talk:

  • Talk (or sing) to your infant as you move around the room. The sound of your voice will encourage them to follow you with their eyes.
  • Point to or touch things as you talk about them. You can also gently guide your child’s hand to point to an object. 
  • Follow your child’s gaze and talk about whatever they are looking at.

Sing:

  • Sing songs with finger or arm movements, such as “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider” and “The Wheels on the Bus.” Encourage toddlers to begin making the movements themselves.
  • Use scarves, rattles, or other props while singing to help focus your child’s attention and encourage visual tracking.

Read:

  • Choose books that have just a few words on each page, simple illustrations, and lots of white space. 
  • Point to words and objects on the page as you read together. 
  • Repeat the same books. Familiarity with the words and pictures will allow your child’s brain to relax, freeing up energy to build focus skills.

Play:

  • Play peek-a-boo or simple hide-and-seek games (e.g., putting a toy in a closed hand or behind your back). These games not only encourage visual tracking but also help develop object permanence. 
  • Blow bubbles; encourage your child to reach out and pop the bubbles. 
  • With older infants and toddlers, roll a ball back and forth to encourage visual tracking and hand–eye coordination.

Sources