A Child's Book Review: Quiet, LOUD

Quiet, LOUD by Leslie Patricelli was reviewed by 3-year-old Robert:

We love Quiet, LOUD. Sometimes we like to be quiet. Sometimes we like to be loud.

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.

Early Learning Center Mailbox

Look at this great owl picture that was in the Early Learning Center mailbox!

It is a treat to see such wonderful drawings.

Stop by the Early Learning Center today and drop a picture in the mailbox for us.

Nebraska Elementary Kindergarten Students Visit Children's Services!

Look at all these smiling faces! The kindergarteners from Nebraska Elementary visited the Main Library today and listened to stories and sang songs about plants and flowers and other things that grow. They even helped tell the story of The Rose in My Garden, by Arnold Lobel. They also learned about the fun materials available in Children's Services, and they were able to explore the Early Learning Center. We hope they visit again, soon!

Join us for storytime!

Grownups, grab your favorite preschooler! Kids, grab your favorite adult! Come downtown to the Library and join us for storytime today at 10:30. We'll be reading books all about "Good Bugs in the Garden." We'll also have lots of bug books you can check out to read together at home.

Team Read

Team Read starts June 10th - visit any location of the ACPL to pick up an application for this exciting program! Team Read pairs children in grades 1 to 3 with teens to practice reading skills from July 10th through July 24th. This is a fun way to practice reading skills this summer, don't miss this opportunity! Team Read will meet at the following locations:

CHILDREN’S SERVICES (MAIN LIBRARY) 10:30-11:30 on Thursday
GEORGETOWN 1 – 2 on Tuesdays
GRABILL 11-12 on Mondays
HESSEN CASSEL 12:45 - 1:45 on Tuesdays
LITTLE TURTLE 10:30-11:30 on Fridays
NEW HAVEN 11 – 12 on Thursdays
PONTIAC 1 - 2 on Wednesdays
SHAWNEE 1 - 2 on Thursdays
TECUMSEH 12:30 – 1:30 on Mondays

Stop by or call us with any questions 421-1220.

Memorial Day!

The Library is closed today for Memorial Day. To learn more about this holiday, check out Memorial Day by Trudie Strain Trueit or any of our other great books on this topic.

Summer Hours

Summer hours begin today! The Main Library is closed on Sundays through Labor Day. For more information about Library hours click here.

Remember that the ACPL will be closed tomorrow, Monday, May 26th for Memorial Day.

Catch the Reading Bug!

The Children's Summer Reading Program (birth through 5th grade) kicks off on June 2nd this year. You can sign up early online with your library card by clicking here. Read, sing and play together this summer to earn great gifts: a Rocking Rhymes CD or packet of marigold seeds, a reusable book bag and two books of your choice.

Attend amazing programs: learn about Indiana Insects, laugh while enjoying the magic of Sweetcakes Comedy Magic, draw insects with T.A.G. art company and more! See all of the programs by clicking here.

Let's get Growing!

Saturday
May 24th,
2:00 p.m.


A Gardening Program
Join us in Children's Services as we learn to explore the basics of planting a garden. We will hear from local gardener Josie Dellinger, who will help us get started on a little planting of our own! Listening to gardening stories, learn about plants and seeds, and participate in a hands-on gardening activity.

-Kindergarden-5th grade

Sea Creatures at the Library?!

If you can't make it to the beach today to check out the tide pools, stop by the Children's Services department and spend some time at the reef aquarium. You are sure to find some fascinating sea creatures!

Early Learning Center Mailbox

Look at what Meghanne drew for us!

Stop by the Early Learning Center today and draw us a picture - you may see it up on the blog!

Zipping around with Z!

Z z z Z z z Z Z z Z

Don't miss Letter Play Day with the letter Z this Wednesday - all day - in the Early Learning Center. We'll have a special Letter Z storytime at 10:30 a.m. in the Program Room to kick off a day of Zipping Around with Z!

Click on the book cover at the right to find The Alphabet From A to Y With Bonus Letter Z! by Steve Martin and Roz Chast in the Library catalog. Or click here to find a booklist of MORE alphabet books.

Monarch and Milkweed by Helen Frost

Don't miss this beautiful new picture book by local author Helen Frost. The lovely illustrations by Leonid Gore are the perfect compliment to the poetic text.

Reading Rocks! Discusses Prince Caspian

Yesterday, the Reading Rocks Homeschool Book Club met and discussed Prince Caspian, by C. S. Lewis. We had a dynamic discussion about characters -- which were our favorites, what qualities did they possess that made them appealing. We also talked about the setting of the story, and the differences between the setting of The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe and Prince Caspian.


Have YOU read Prince Caspian, or any of the Chronicles of Narnia series, by C. S. Lewis? We'd love to read your comments!

A Child's Book Review: Bean Thirteen

Bean Thirteen by Matthew McElligott was reviewed by 3-year-old Robert:

I like when they pick beans. I like when they eat the beans.

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.

Fabulous Fridays Homeschool Book Club!

Don't miss the discussion this afternoon at 1:30 p.m.!

Early Reader Roundup (Grades K to 2): Nate the Great and the Stolen Base, by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Reading Rocks! (Grades 3 to 6): Prince Caspian, by C. S. Lewis

This will be the last meeting of the book club for this school year. During the summer we will be hosting Fabulous Fridays Book Parties. The first will be held on Friday, June 13th at 2:00 p.m.
We'll celebrate Diary of a Fly, Diary of a Spider, and Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss with games, crafts, and snacks. Don't miss it!

Paws to Read

Visit Children's Services on Thursday nights through May from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. to practice your reading with a book loving dog. Arrive early to sign up, spaces fill up quickly!

In this picture taken last summer, Guinness and his friends listen to Circle Dogs by Kevin Henkes.

Early Learning Center Mailbox

There is always a treasure to be found in the Early Learning Center mailbox.

Stop by Children's Services today and mail a letter to your favorite friend.

Art Out of the Box: Fiber Art

In January 2008, the Art Out of the Box kids met to discuss fiber arts. We talked about quilting, weaving and many other fiber arts. Then we worked together to create a quilt to donate to Project Linus. Each child (and even some adults) drew a picture on a square of muslin and then a volunteer put it all together. The finished product is pictured here. I think it turned out lovely and will make a child very happy!

Children's Book Week

Come to Children's Services any day this week for a fun scavenger hunt in celebration of Children's Book Week. We'll have new questions each day. And you can win a cool Celebrate Reading pencil in your choice of colors!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

Visit the Children's Services department today to make a Wheel of Affection card and check out a great book about mothers.

The Mommy Book by Todd Parr is one of my favorites.

Mother's Day Craft

Visit Children's Services today or tomorrow to make this fun Wheel of Affection card for Mother's Day. Just write in all of the reasons that you love your mother (or someone special to you) and the recipient can spin the wheel to read all of the reasons for your affection.

Fun & Games at the Baby & Toddler Storytimes!

We had so much fun in Baby and Toddler Storytimes this morning! I took a lot of great photos - check them out on Flickr.

We played games like Pat-a-cake and Open, Shut Them and read wonderful books like Peek-a-Moo! by Marie Torres Cimarusti.

It is time to start thinking about the Summer Reading Program. Did you know that even the youngest babies can participate and earn great gifts? Just sign up and keep doing what you always do - read, sing, and share rhymes together!

You can register for the Summer Reading Program early online, but remember you can't start counting your reading time until June 2nd. Visit the Summer Reading Program website for more information.

Art Out of the Box: Photography

The Art Out of the Box group met this afternoon to learn about photography. After talking about some photography basics and discussing some great art, the kids took photos in the program room. Then everyone had a chance to go out and take a photo in the Children's Services department. We also made accordion fold photo collages of the car that the kids painted during the art cars program. It was a great way to end the Art Out of the Box series for this school year!

To see more photos from the Photography program, visit Flickr. If you would like to see photos from the other Art Out of the Box programs, check out these links: Wood Art, Traditional Crafts, Mail Art, African American Art and Art Cars. I still have photos of the Fiber Art program to put up, I'll do that soon!

New Lift-the-Flaps Booklist!

There are soooo many cool lift-the-flap books, and now we have a tool to help you find them at the Library! Here two of the many titles we have listed on our new Lift-the-Flaps Books Booklist:



Peekaboo, Blueberry!, by Barney Saltzberg










Birds, by Sarah Khan

Ants in My Pants Storytime!

Join us for Smart Start Preschool Storytime tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. to read stories about ants and stories about pants!

We'll even find out WHO took the cookies from the cookie jar...

Time 2 Chime -- LIVE!

Make plans now to attend Time 2 Chime LIVE!, a free concert of beautiful hand-chime music performed by our very own Homeschool Handchime Choir!

Click here to hear a sample of music they have prepared.

The title of this piece is "Austria" and it was arranged by Martha Lynn Thompson.
It's based on the theme from String Quartet in C, Op. 76, No. 3, Emperor Quartet by Franz Joseph Haydn.

Be sure to join us on Tuesday, May 13 at 7:00 p.m. for Time 2 Chime LIVE!

National Bike Month Program

Join us to Celebrate National Bike Month!

On Saturday May 3rd at 2:00 p.m. at the Main Library in Children's Services.

We will be learning valuable safety information from "Parkview Bicycle Safety" and working on a craft which you can take home.
Children in grades k-5th

Calling All Racing Fans!

It's May, and you know what that means...the Indianapolis 500 will be here before we know it! Don't forget to stop by the Library and check out some of our great books about race cars and drivers! Here are two of the newest titles you can find in Children's Services:

This is My Racing Car,
by Chris Oxlade












Danica Patrick,
by Jeff Savage

We Love the Reading Tower!

Hurray! Second graders from Croninger Elementary School in Fort Wayne visited Children's Services today -- here are their smiling faces!


Be sure YOU visit the Main Library soon, and spend some time in Children's Services!