Youth

>Safe Child Policy

Contact the Youth Department
Email the Youth Department or call at (319) 859-3282
Email the Youth Librarian or call at (319) 268-5546

Read Beyond the Beaten Path Youth Bookmark Contest | April 1-30th
What does reading mean to you? How can you read beyond the beaten path? We challenge you to create a bookmark that answers those questions. Submit your design in-person or by emailing youth@cedarfallslibrary.org by April 30th and the winning design will be chosen in early May. The winner will receive a certificate and their design will be featured on bookmarks for our Summer Library Program.

FAQ:
1. What are the age requirements? Currently, the bookmark competition is for youth ages 0-12.
2. What are the required dimensions? The bookmarks can be anywhere between 2.5″x5″ – 2.5″-8″. The submission can be sent to us in person, or you can submit your design virtually by emailing it to youth@cedarfallslibrary.org. If you do submit it virtually, the preferred file formats are .png or .jpg, but PDFs are acceptable as well.
3. What student/patron information do you need to accompany the submission? With each submission, you should include your name and the best way to contact you. This can be a phone number, email address, or the school you attend. You can also include your age, but it isn’t required.

Puppet Show Script Contest | May 15th- June 15th

We want your short script submissions! This summer we are going to bring back our popular puppet shows, and we want to perform one of your scripts! Write a short play that would be about 5 minutes long. We have a lot of animal puppets, so we encourage having animals as the main characters. The story can be about whatever you dream up, but we would love it if it were camping or outdoorsy-themed. Submissions will be accepted between May 15th and June 15th. The winning submission will be performed on July 21st at 4:30 p.m. as part of our puppet show lineup.

Adventure Pass

Have you heard of our Adventure Pass system? Check out passes to fun places, such as the Blank Park Zoo, The Science Center of Iowa, and the Grout Museum District.  Check it out >here.

Big Woods Lake StoryWalk®

In collaboration with the City of Cedar Falls and with the support of the Cedar Falls Community Foundation, the Cedar Falls Public Library has opened its first StoryWalk® at Big Woods Lake Campground. Spend time with family/friends, enjoy nature, and read our winter book Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner. Click >here to learn more about the StoryWalk®.

Book Bundles

Wondering what to read next?
You tell us what you love. We pick your next read.

Fill out one of the forms below, and a library staff member will hand-select five to ten books catered to your interests. We’ll get them ready for you and library staff will notify you when your items are ready for pickup. They will be on the hold shelves.

Book Bundle Request Form

Book Discussion Groups

Do you have an interest in reading and a need to talk about what you’ve read with others? One of the joys of reading, besides being swept up in narrative, is being able to gather with others who have shared this reading experience, discussing themes and overall impressions. Youth Department staff lead two monthly book discussion groups, one for grades 3/4 and another for grades 5/6, during the school year (September-May).  Interested in joining? To register and arrange a pickup for the book and activity, please email the youth desk at youth@cedarfallslibrary.org or call the youth desk at 319-859-3282.

3rd and 4th Grade Book Club

5th and 6th Grade Book Club

Reading Challenges

Check out the latest reading challenges that the library is offering through >Beanstack. The next challenge will start in December.

Spooky Story Contest Winners

For the last few Octobers, we’ve held a spooky story contest. We’ve had some awesome entries, and we want to thank everyone who participated. This year’s winners are Aisley W. and Jocelyn S. Last year’s winners were Ramona Saavedra-DuBord and Quentin Morse. Read their short stories >here.