Welcome, to Between the Lines!
Welcome to Between the Lines! Each month you will discover new themes and adventures as you complete reading challenges and beyond the book activities for grades K to 8. Track your reading for each challenge using the Beanstack App. Complete all 4 reading challenges for the month and you’ll have the chance to win a prize! Each month you can also submit your reading log for the chance to recommend your favourite book to other library customers with our Between the Lines bookmark!
Post your Between the Lines reading and adventure challenges on social media with the hashtag #MPLBTL to help other library users join in the fun.
Let the reading adventure start now!
November Reading Challenges
1. Read a book about time or time travel
Daylight Saving Time is a system of advancing the clock by one hour to give us more light at the end of each day, during warmer months. In 2023, it started on March 12 and it comes to an end with the clocks “falling back” to regular time on November 5. This system is only used in some parts of the world, like Canada. What if we could alter time further or even travel through time to experience parts of history? Pick a fiction book about time travel or a non-fiction book about time and let your imagination flow with the possibilities.
Reading List: Time Travel, opens a new window
2. Listen to an audiobook or e-audiobook
If you like reading with your eyes, try reading with your ears! Did you know November 27th is the Day of Listening? To celebrate, explore our online catalogue and borrow our talking books or Playaways. Looking to go virtual? Download e-audiobooks through some of our online databases, such as Overdrive/Libby, Tumblebooks, and Hoopla. Improve your multitasking, active listening, vocabulary and pronunciation by exploring this accessible option this week. Let’s get listening!
Reading list: Great Audiobooks for kids, opens a new window
Reading list: eAudiobooks for kids, opens a new window
3. Read a book about a historical event
To know who we are, we learn about our history. This month with Holocaust Remembrance/Education Week from November 1st to 8th and Remembrance Day on November 11th, take the time to understand how historical events have shaped us and others. There are a variety of recommended reads available, such as The Holocaust Remembrance Series For Young Readers , CBC’s Reading Guide For Remembrance, as well as from our collections are here:
Reading list: Historical Events for Kids, opens a new window
4. Read a book about a dinosaur
When a lone bone from a dinosaur was found in 1677, scientists guessed that it had come from a giant human. As more bones were discovered, the family of fossils was called “Dinosauria,” which translates to “terrible lizard”. This extinct creature, which roamed the planet between 245 to 66 million years ago, fascinates both adults and children alike. We can only make educated guesses as to what they were like, how they lived, what they ate and what led to their mass extinction. If you want to find out more facts, or imagined and adventurous stories about them, read a book about a dinosaur!
Reading List: Dinosaurs, fiction edition
Reading List: Dinosaurs, non-fiction edition
Beyond Books Challenges
1. Writing challenge
November is the month for writers, with celebrations like “Write a Book Month”, Author’s Day (November 1) and “I Love to Write Day” (November 15). There’s also a writing challenge called “NaNoWriMo” in November, which is short for National Novel Writing Month and is a project that supports and motivates writers. We also want to motivate young writers this month with a writing challenge! Read on for more information about this challenge.
Theme for your story: November 8th is S.T.E.A.M. Day (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). Pick one (or more) of these subjects to be the topic of your fictional short story. For example: Write a science fiction tale about technology taking over the world OR about people building a city OR a fictional tale about your favourite artist or mathematician. Whatever you can think of that would fall under any S.T.E.A.M. theme.
There are four age range categories and here are the details:
- Kindergarten to Grade 1: November also is Picture Book Month. Draw a picture with a 2-4 sentence story describing the scene below it. The sentences can be done with assistance of an adult.
- Grades 2 to 3: Write a short story with up to 100 words
- Grades 4 to 6: Write a short story with up to 200 words
- Grades 7 to 8: Write a short story with up to 300 words
Deadline for submission: Please bring in your submission to one of our library locations by Thursday, November 30, 2023. Make sure that your submission is in an easy-to-read format. A winner will be announced in each of the age range categories before December 20th. The winning submission will be published on the Markham Public Library Website and posted in our library.
Reading List: Writing for kids, opens a new window
2. Make an origami craft
To look at a flat piece of paper and dream is to celebrate Origami Day! As we commemorate Remembrance Day, practice the art of folding paper as a way to spread the message of peace. Follow a simple or intricate pattern from our collections:
Reading List: Origami for kids
3. Honour Remembrance Day
Lest we forget… From the fields of France, to the deserts of North Africa, and into the mountains of Afghanistan, Canada has been in many missions to promote its ideals of freedom and democracy. Take some time this 11th of November to attend a ceremony outside of school or visit a cenotaph to honour those who have served and are currently serving our nation. If you would like to do something different, check out these links directly promoted by Veterans’ Affairs Canada to find other commemorative ideas!
- Activity booklet: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/classroom/take-time-to-remember
- Origami peace cranes: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/classroom/make-peace-cranes-and-doves
- Educational resources/programs: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/classroom/partners
Reading List: Remembrance Day for kids
Featured Markham Public Library Online Resource: Overdrive & Hoopla
Can’t fit your book in your pocket? Think again! Markham Public Library offers various online resources for e-books and e-audiobook listening, including Overdrive and Hoopla. Do you find yourself squinting when trying to read tiny fonts? You can adjust the brightness and font size to meet your needs! Have you ever lost your place in a book? Your reading progress is always saved to your last page! You can’t find a physical copy of the newest books? We may have it in e-book or e-audiobook format!
With Hoopla, you can borrow and enjoy e-audiobooks, e-books, comics, movies, and more, for free! All you need is your library card and a device to stream it on. Hoopla also allows you to download most titles so that you can read, listen, and watch on the go! Learning and exploring can be endless with this great resource.
With Overdrive, there are a ton of e-Books, e-Audiobooks, magazines and videos to check out! Whether you’re using your web browser or the Libby app, you can gain access to tons of new books, and even get suggested books based on your interests! By downloading the Libby app on multiple devices, you can access all your loans, notes, bookmarks, and reading progress on each one. Have a Richmond Hill or Vaughan Public Library card? MPL also allows you to borrow titles from their collections as well by adding them to your account.
Online resources such as these are great accessible options for all ages. Even if you don’t have a physical library card, you can sign up for an eCard to get access to all of MPL’s digital collections. Check out Hoopla and Overdrive/Libby for endless reading!
There are so many more online resources for children to explore through our “For Kids” section on our Online Resources page.
Programs
Markham Public Library Programming
The City of Markham Programming
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- Programming for all ages, opens a new window. All programming requires registration. The City of Markham has a new program registration system -- create an account today: City of Markham program registration site, opens a new window.
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