Wednesday, June 24, 2009

It's Here!!!


The Be Creative @ Your Library summer reading program has started registration this week. Come on down and sign up at the children's desk. There are great prizes, fun programs, and lots to do at your library this summer. :-)


We look forward to seeing you!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Picture Your Summer

Our exciting summer reading club, Be Creative @ Your Library, kicks off on Monday, June 22 with continuous registration through Friday, August 7. We are thrilled to begin another fun summer chock full of programs, events, and great books. Come on in and see what's in store. Check out this great video about the summer reading program:


In between reading and recording all those fantastic books, children entering grades 2 through 5 will have a chance to participate in our first ever Picture Your Summer photo contest. For more information, come in and ask a librarian for a flyer. All participating contest photos will be displayed in the Children's Room.

Summer registrations are beginning. Please watch for registration dates and remember that registration is in person. We look forward to seeing you.

Happy Summer!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Boys, Books and Knuckleheads, too.

In the Children's Room, we see firsthand how boys (usually around the preteen age) associate reading as a girls activity. They often shuffle in, head hung low, and begin browsing the fiction section searching unenthusiastically for a book . Sure, there are a few favorites, such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Captain Underpants, but mostly it can be a dreaded chore.

Boys (and lots of girls, too) sometimes prefer informative text, like non-fiction or biographies. With Father's Day around the corner, we would like take this opportunity to remind you of our extensive collection of books on intriguing (boy-friendly) non-fiction topics such as spies, bigfoot, UFO's, space, sports, fun experiments, jokes and riddles, and more. These can make for great father/son read alouds,too.


And, if you're in the mood for a good laugh, we would highly recommend the autobiography (and now a blog) Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka author and founder of Guys Read.


So, stop on in and ask a librarian for other boy-friendly titles. We can't wait to see you!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Summer Reading Anxiety

As school winds down, children are already dreaming of the lazy days of summer. There is swimming, the beach, camp, etc... but there's also those homework-free nights for TV and video games. Reading just doesn't seem to be considered "summertime fun" for many kids despite the list of books that they are required to read before September. For parents, encouraging reading can be an enormous challenge, especially for the parent of the reluctant reader.

Thankfully, there are emerging genres of literature, such as the graphic novel, which offer descriptive text in a variety of reading levels, relatable storylines, and exciting visual illustrations. In the Children's Room, our collection of graphic novels is constantly expanding. We have graphic versions of favorites such as Nancy Drew, Coraline, Star Wars, Goosebumps, Owly and the Bone series. For those who might prefer non-fiction, there is the wonderful autobiography To Dance, by Siena Cherson Siegel. Visit the Kids Comicon site for this year's award winners.
Be sure to stop in and see a librarian for more exciting graphic novel titles and other reader recommendations.