Eighty years ago, a nickel was worth something. One nickel could buy candy, a ticket to a movie, and real food for a meal. It was during the Great Depression, and life was far from ideal even in Key West, Florida. Huge mounds of smelly garbage piled up, people were out of work, and kids went barefoot because there wasn’t enough money to buy shoes.
But Beans Curry and his sidekick, also known as Kermit, his brother, were great at finding odd jobs there that would earn them that precious nickel.
They would do things like sift through the garbage to salvage empty condensed-milk cans that could be reused to serve café con leche. For a whole day’s work, including washing and filing down the rough edges, Beans could earn one nickel. Some of their efforts were not so nice, and Beans gets into real trouble when the local gangster hires him to help distribute illegal liquor. Change comes when the government sends New Deal teams to collect garbage, paint the decaying houses bright colors, and turn Key West into a tourist destination. The new leaders need Beans and his pals to promote these goals. This funny book is a testament to the grit and leadership youngsters showed when times were tough and they could be part of the solution.
Random House (2016). Reviewed by Lillian Hecker, Children’s Services Librarian. For Ages 8-12.
Our Children's Summer Reading Program is hosted on an online platform called ReadSquared. Beginning on June 22, you can register digitally, log your reading minutes, and save up your points for awesome prizes. Take a look at our YouTube video of how to complete the registration. If in person is more your speed, stop by…
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Reading contests for children have been a staple of the Library's Summer Reading program for years. But why let the kids have all the fun? Adults and teens in 9th grade and up can play our Reading BINGO game and enter a raffle to win a brand-new Kindle! Download a BINGO board with instructions by…
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The Town of Pelham Public Library board of Trustees is pleased to welcome Susan Quintin as its newest memeber.
Susan Quintin is a strategic business and product leader with nearly two decades of experience across global financial services organizations, including leadership roles at BNY, London Stock Exchange Group, Russell Investments, and MSCI. She currently serves as…
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Looking for some spring Saturday fun? Join us for an outdoor parent-child Yoga & Play session! Geared towards toddlers and babies (and their grown-ups). Older siblings are welcome to join the fun too! Led by local yoga instructor & twin-toddler mom Samantha Scinta.
This program will take place outdoors. In case of inclement weather or high…
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Join us on Tuesday afternoons to crochet an amigurumi. "Amigurumi" means crocheted or knitted stuffed toy in Japanese. We'll work on a new critter every month. All supplies (yarn, crochet hooks, and stitch markers) will be provided but feel free to bring your own.
This drop-in program is for ages 13 and up, no registration is…
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WHAT IS THE BATTLE OF THE BOOKS?
Battle of the Books is a book-based trivia tournament for Westchester Youth. The Pelham Library will have a 4th-6th grade team and a 7th-12th grade team. We may need to adjust the age groups based on interest level. We will compete against teams from other Westchester libraries. The…
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The Town of Pelham Public Library is pleased to welcome Antoinette Vitale as the new bookkeeper.
Antoinette Vitale is excited to bring her accounting, bookkeeping, and treasury experience to the Pelham Library. Having moved to Pelham with her family in 2010, Antoinette has enjoyed becoming part of this wonderful and warm community. While raising her…
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Our stuffed animal sleepover at the Library was a huge success! We had so much fun hosting your stuffed animals for the night! Watch our video to see all the mischief our overnight visitors got into.
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Anyone else have a case of déjà vu? Due to the storm, the Library will be closed Monday, February 23, 2026. We will be opening with a delayed start on Tuesday. February 24 at noon. Stay safe and warm!
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Due to the storm, the Library will be closed Monday, January 26, 2026. We expect to reopen at 10 am on Tuesday, January 27. Stay safe and warm!
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