Way Cool Website!

Thanks ACPL Kids blog reader "anonymous" for telling us about Big Universe. Visit Big Universe to read HUNDREDS of books online and even create your own book. Way cool!

Starfish

On my last vacation I visited the Pacific Ocean and found this starfish in a tide pool. It was pretty cool! You don't have to go all the way to the Pacific to see a starfish, stop by Children's Services and check out the amazing aquariums today.

Smart Start Storytime

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Wednesday April 30th at 10:30 a.m
Join us for a storytime dedicated to those lovable, hugable, furry friends we call Teddy Bears! Stop in the Children's Services department and listen to some "beary" good stories, rhymes and songs!

Smart Start Storytimes are geared to preschoolers ages 3-6, and begin to introduce a love of literature. After stories, children and their grown-ups are invited to use our Early Learning Center to share in play-time that emphasizes pre-literacy skills.

Preschool groups (such as childcare or daycare classes) must preregister by calling the Children's Services department at 421-1220. Registration for groups is limited.

A Child's Book Review: Here Comes Mother Goose

Here Comes Mother Goose by Iona Opie, illustrated by Rosemary Wells was reviewed by 2-year-old Nora:

Rhymes. Yes. We can read it every day.

Submit your child's book review to me via email and you may see it in a future "A Child's Book Review" blog post.

Attention Babies & Toddlers!

Storytimes for babies and toddlers are now at a new time!

Babies and Books will be presented on Friday mornings at 10 a.m.

Toddler Time will be presented on Friday mornings at 10:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

If you have any questions about these programs, please give us a call at 421-1220.

Early Learning Center Mailbox

The Early Learning Center mailbox is always full of surprises!

Check out this beautiful springtime picture - it looks like an adult and child worked together on this one!

Visit the Early Learning Center and draw a picture with your child today. Drop it in the mailbox and you just may see it up here on the blog in the future.

Great Games: A Family Day!

Saturday, April 26,
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
and 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Bring the family to the Library for a fun day of gaming. We'll have Wii and Playstation set up for families. You can bring your Gameboy and/or DS and/or Leapster to try out some library games. And for those who want to cut down some screen time, we'll have board games for all.

At 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. we'll have a Yankee Game Swap -- bring an electronic or board game that you're tired of and want to trade, then take home something new-to-you.

New Online Program Calendar!

Check out the new ACPL calendar!

You can search for programs by age of participant, type of program or just see all of the stuff happening at your favorite library. If you need help, there is a tutorial which shows you how to search for and view events in the calendar.

Earth Day Craft

Tuesday, April 22nd

Stop in to the Children's Services at the Main library
and try out the Earth day Craft!
(During library hours)

Overdrive Audio Books - Download a good read now!

Have you heard about Overdrive Audio Books? With your ACPL library card and Internet access you can download audiobooks to your computer or mp3 player. I just downloaded A Cricket in Times Square by George Selden to my mp3 player so that I can listen to it on my daily walk. Click on the "kids" tab to see all of the children's books that are available. Here are a few:

• Spongebob Squarepants Chapter Books 1 to 8
  
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle


• Disney Fairies Collection #1


• Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine


• The Bunnicula Collection Books 1 to 3 by Deborah and James Howe


• Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems


• The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
  

This service is FREE with your library card. Check it out today!

Bunnies! Baby & Toddler Storytimes

Join us this Friday, April 18, as we sing, rhyme, and read about bunnies.
Babies & Books: Friday mornings at 9:15 a.m. (10:00 beginning May 2)
Toddler Time: Friday mornings at 10:00 & 10:45 a.m. (10:30 & 11:00, beginning May 2)

If you just can't wait, you can read this LookyBook right now! Just click on the book to turn the pages. For a larger view, click the orange eyes in the corner.

To find this book in the ACPL catalog, click here:
Hush Little Baby, by Sylvia Long.

See you at the Library!

David Macaulay LIVE online!

Caldecott Award medalist David Macaulay will be presenting the 2008 May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. in Madison, WI and YOU are invited to attend. Click here for the link to the live streaming video. If you can't make it at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow, the video will be available online for a year.

John Lithgow and the Book Donation Challenge!

Would you like to see agencies in Indiana receive 20,000 free books written by John Lithgow? Visit here to answer fun trivia questions and cast a vote for Indiana when you get one right. As of this morning Indiana has the most votes!

Children's Services Department Video!

Check out the new Children's Services department video!

Celebrate "National Library Week"

Celebrate National Library week during library hours from Sunday April 13th through Saturday April 19th .

Check out what's happening in Children's Services at the Main Library

• National Library Week Daily Activity

Receive a gift for trying the daily activity. Stop by Children's Services all week to try out the activity of the day.

• Guess The Book Character

Test your book character knowledge! How well do you know your favorite children's book characters? Stop in Children's Services at the Main Library all week
(April 13th-19th) and try to complete the "Guess the Book Character" worksheet.
The characters will be scattered throughout the Children’s Department with short hints to help you along. All participants will receive a gift for trying!

• Library Trivia Contest / Drawing for Free Mp3 Player!

Play the Library Trivia National Library Week and enter to win a Zen Mp3 player to download Overdrive audiobooks.

• "I Love the Library" Smart Start Storytime Wednesday 10:30 a.m.

Join us for a Storytime dedicated to yours truly(the library). Stop by Children's Services on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and listen to stories about libraries and the reasons we love them!

Early Reader Roundup: I Am Invited to a Party

The Fabulous Fridays Homeschool Book Club: Early Reader Roundup met yesterday afternoon to talk about the book I Am Invited to a Party by Mo Willems.

We made Elephant & Piggie puppets from fun stuff on Willems' Pigeon Presents website, we wrote our own Elephant & Piggie stories, we talked about emotions and even made some faces. Check out more photos of the program on Flickr.

Homeschoolers in Grades K to 2: Join us on Friday, May 16th @ 1:30 p.m. to discuss Nate the Great and the Mystery of the Stolen Base by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat.

Homeschoolers in Grades 3 to 6: Join the Reading Rocks group on Friday, May 16th @ 1:30 pm. to discuss Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis.

Art Out of the Box: Wood Art

The Art Out of the Box homeschool group met yesterday afternoon to learn about wood art and paint boxes. Check out photos of all of the projects and the kids at work on Flickr.

The last Art Out of the Box program for this school year will meet on Thursday, May 8th @ 2 p.m. to talk about photography. See you there!

Want to learn more about Spring?

The weather is warming up. The grass is growing. The birds are chirping. It's Springtime! If you want to read some fun books about Spring, ask your Children's librarian for help or check out our Spring booklist.

A Child's Book Review: Emma's Turtle

Emma's Turtle by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Marsha Winborn, was reviewed by 3-year-old Helena:

This is a funny book, because the turtle thinks that everything is something different.

Submit your child's book review to me via email and you may see it in a future "A Child's Book Review" blog post.

We were busy working on Custom Collections!

Custom Collections are always great fun for Children's Librarians to work on! Here are the Custom Collections we completed which are ready for pickup today.

Do you have a subject or theme which you like us to gather books on? Click here to fill out a Custom Collection request.

Early Learning Center Mailbox

Look at this drawing that we found in the Early Learning Center mailbox!

Stop by the Early Learning Center with your preschooler today and draw us a picture.

Spring Break Crafts: Magnificent Mosaic

Today is the last day of the Spring Break Table Top Crafts program. Take this opportunity to make a magnificent mosaic with your friends and family in the Children's Services department.

Spring Break Crafts: Wonderful Wind Twirler

Everyone needs a wonderful wind twirler! Visit Children's Services today to make your very own.

Spring Break Crafts: Duck Puppet

Make this duck puppet today in Children's Services. You'll have a quacking good time!

Spring Break Crafts: Super Spring Hat

Stop by Children's Services today to make this super spring hat, the perfect complement to any outfit.

Spring Break Crafts: Dazzling Dream Catcher

Today you can make a dazzling dream catcher in Children's Services.