Summer Reading Program Events

Events in Children's Services at the Main Library this week:

• Monday, June 30th @ 7pm - Butterfly storytime and release
• Tuesday, July 1st @ 7pm - Buggy Movie
• Wednesday, July 2nd @ 10:30am - Smart Start Preschool Storytime - Nature Walk
• Thursday, July 3rd @ 10:30 - Team Read
• Thursday, July 3rd @ 2pm & 7pm - Bead Creations
• Thursday, July 3rd @ 6:30pm - Paws to Read
• Friday, July 4th -& Saturday, July 5th - Library Closed
  

You still have plenty of time to "Catch the Reading Bug" and join the summer reading program!

How to Eat Fried Worms - Taste Test Results

On Friday, June 27th, at our Fabulous Friday Book Party, we celebrated the book How to Eat Fried Worms, by Thomas Rockwell. We had a wormilicious time creating wormy art, investigating real earthworms, and trying out some "wormy" snacks.

















We even collected votes on our favorite wormy snack! The votes have all been tabulated, and the winner was....
Gummy Worms in Dirt Pudding!















Coming in a close 2nd place, behind by only one vote was....
Tootsie Roll Worms!

Our next Fabulous Fridays Book Party will be Friday, July 11, when we will celebrate the Junie B. Jones series, by Barbara Park.

Butterfly Release Storytime

This Monday, June 30, at 7:00 p.m., we will be celebrating the release of our fabulous Painted Lady butterflies into the evening sky with stories and songs. It's been fascinating to watch the transformation from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. You still have time to pop into Children's Services to view the butterflies before their release!

Creative and Crafty Saturdays

Fourth of July "Standing Star"

Stop in to Children's Services tomorrow (June 27th) during library hours and create a Standing Star to take home!

This patriotic masterpiece is fun to make, and stands up by itself so everyone can admire it at your Independence Day celebration!

Earth Friendly Concoctions

On Monday afternoon, a special guest from the Allen County Solid Waste Management District taught us how to make earth friendly concoctions to use to clean our homes. We also learned what household hazardous waste is and how to properly dispose of it.

Here is a green recipe for Glass Cleaner from ACSWMD:
1 qt warm water
1/4 cup vinegar (or 2 tbsp. lemon juice)

Tip: use newspaper instead of rags to avoid streaks on glass

For more recipes click here. For more green living ideas, check out the ACSWMD website here. This website provides a wealth of information about recycling, reducing and reusing items in Allen County. Find books for kids about recycling and environmental issues on our booklist.

Mark's Ark

Snakes and turtles and chinchillas...oh my!

Don't miss out on this wild animal adventure as Mark's Ark visits the Main library theater on Thursday, June 26 at 2:00 PM.

If you've ever wanted to hold a tree frog or pet a hedgehog (ouch!), this is your chance.

Daisy Duck Visits the Library

Daisy Duck visited storytime last Wednesday, and we had a great time wiggling, waddling, and shake, shake, shaking with her! 

You can see more photos of Daisy's visit to the library here. 

If you missed Daisy's visit, you can still check out some of Jane Simmons' books and read about Daisy at home.

Summer Reading Program Events

Events in Children's Services at the Main Library this week:

• Monday, June 23rd @ 2pm - Early Friendly Concoctions
• Tuesday, June 24th @ 10am - Parent and Child Computer Class: Blog Bash (registration required)
• Wednesday, June 25th @ 10:30am - Smart Start Preschool Storytime - Let's Go On a Picnic
• Wednesday, June 25th @ 2pm & 7pm - Learn to draw creepy crawly bugs with T.A.G. Art Company
• Thursday, June 26th @ 2pm - Mark's Ark Animal Showcase
• Friday, June 27th @ 10am - Babies and Books Storytime
• Friday, June 27th @ 10:30am & 11am - Toddler Time
• Friday, June 27th @ 2pm - Fabulous Fridays Book Party: How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
• Saturday, June 28th All Day - Creative and Crafty Saturdays
  

See you at the ACPL!

A Child's Book Review: Jumpy Jack & Googily

Jumpy Jack & Googily by Meg Rosoff and Sophie Blackall was reviewed by 4-year-old Helena:

That is a fun book!

(She is right, this is a really fun book about monsters. Look for it on the new book shelf!)

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.

It is the Summer Solstice!

Today is the longest day of the year!

Celebrate by reading Under Alaska's Midnight Sun, a book about Barrow, Alaska where the sun stays out for 83 days!

Or read Ellen Jackson's non-fiction book The Summer Solstice to learn more about the longest day.

Creative and Crafty Saturdays

Summer Solstice Sun Hanger

Stop in to Children's Services tomorrow (June 21st) during library hours and make your very own Solstice Sun Hanger!



This fun and cheery reminder of summer is sure to brighten up any room in the house!

Letters! We get letters!

We love getting feedback from kids! Here is a letter we received after a class from Oakview Elementary visited the library recently.

Friend of the Sun Program

Thursday, June 19th
at 2:00 pm



Play it safe this summer and still have some fun with some basic sun safety. The American Cancer Society will be presenting their "Slip, Slop, Slap," program to remind us of the importance of sun protection and we will finish up with a craft. Join us for this fun and informative program designed for kids!

Meet Daisy Duck

Waddle on down to Children's Services this Wednesday, June 18 at 10:30 AM and 2:00 PM to practice your quacking and meet the darling duck, Daisy, from Jane Simmons' books.

Parents, bring your cameras to capture Daisy and your little duckling on film. 

Summer Reading Program Events

This week in Children's Services at the Main Library:

• Monday, June 16th @ 2 pm - 3 "R"s - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
• Tuesday, June 17th @ 10 am - Parent and Child Computer Class: Wiki Week (Registration Required)
• Tuesday, June 17th @ 2 pm - Mark's Ark Animal Showcase
• Wednesday, June 18th @ 10:30 am & 2 pm - Meet Daisy Duck!
• Thursday, June 19th @ 2 pm - Friend of the Sun
• Friday, June 20th @ 10 am - Babies & Books
  
• Friday, June 20th @ 10:30 am & 11 am - Toddler Time
• Saturday, June 21st All Day - Creative & Crafty Saturdays
  

Don't forget to sign up for the Summer Reading Program! This year there is a program for adults too. Ask for more information at your library.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day!

We have some wonderful books about dads in our collection. Check out Because Your Daddy Loves You by Andrew Clements to read about a fun day at the beach with dad.

Enjoy your special day, dads!

Early Learning Center Mailbox

Do you recognize this character?

Stop by the Early Learning Center soon and draw a picture of YOUR favorite character.

Creative and Crafty Saturdays

Father's Day Craft

Stop in to the Children's Services department on Saturday, June 14th during library hours for a Creative and Crafty Saturday dedicated to dads! We will be making "Shirt and Tie" cards to celebrate Father's Day.
It's the perfect way to show any dad how much you appreciate them!

Get Moving!

Things will be hopping at our Baby and Toddler Storytimes tomorrow morning! We'll read action-packed stories and we'll sing songs that will get us all moving. Why not try some with your baby or toddler? Activities like these help reinforce the Early Literacy concept of Print Motivation: a child's interest in and enjoyment of books. A lifetime of reading begins with enjoyment of reading as a child!


Twist with a Burger, Jitter with a Bug,
by Linda Lowery









Toddlerobics,
by Zita Newcome









Wiggle Waggle Fun:
Stories and Rhymes for the Very Young,
by Margaret Mayo








Join us for Babies and Books, Fridays at 10:00 a.m.
and Toddler Time, Fridays at 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

We Have Chrysalises!

Our Painted Lady caterpillars have been growing and growing and growing, and have now all formed their chrysalises. During the chrysalis stage, caterpillars make their transformation from a crawling caterpillar to a fluttering butterfly. Be sure to visit Children's Services to see
with your own eyes this amazing stage in the life cycle of the Painted Lady butterfly!


This is a close-up view of one of the chrysalises.










This is the view of the inside of our butterfly tent, with several chrysalises on display.

Fun With Stickers!

Do you love stickers? If you do, then Fun with Stickers is for you! We'll meet today at 2 pm in the Children's Services department to make some stickerific creations.

Summer Reading Program Events

Events this week in Children's Services at the Main Library:

• Tuesday, June 10th @ 2 pm - Fun with Stickers!
• Wednesday, June 11th All Day - Letter G Play Day in the Early Learning Center
• Wednesday, June 11th @ 10:30 am Smart Start Preschool Storytime - Goofing Around with the Letter G
• Thursday, June 12th @ 10:30 am - Team Read (Registration required)
• Thursday, June 12th @ 10:30 am & 2pm - Stories and Song with Yurtfolk
• Friday, June 13th @ 10 am - Babies & Books
• Friday, June 13th @ 10:30 & 11 am - Toddler Time
• Friday, June 13th @ 2 pm - Fabulous Friday Book Party: Doreen Cronin's Diary Books
• Saturday, June 14th All Day- Creative and Crafty Saturdays: Make a Father's Day Craft!
  

You still have plenty of time to sign up for the summer reading program! Click here or visit any location of the Allen County Public Library.

A Child's Book Review: I'm Dirty!

I'm Dirty! by Kate & Jim McMullan was reviewed by 3-year-old Robert:

I love this book. I love that he likes to dig.

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.

My Senses!

At Baby and Toddler Storytime yesterday we read stories and sang songs about our five senses -- seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, and tasting. Here are some of the books we read -- why not check them out to read with YOUR little one?

Where Is Baby's Bellybutton?
by Karen Katz









I Hear,
by Helen Oxenbury










Walking Through the Jungle,
by Julie Lacome








Teddy Bears, Teddy Bears
by William Winburn








If you have young children, ages birth through 3 years old, join us Friday mornings!
Babies and Books: 10:00 a.m.
Toddler Time: 10:30 and 11:00 a.m.

Creative and Crafty Saturdays

Stop in to the Children's Services department tomorrow (Saturday, June 7th) during library hours to make your own ceiling kite to take home!

Hang it up and enjoy all year long!

Comedy and Magic!

Sweetcakes Comedy Entertainment!

Join us today (Thursday, June 5th) at 2:00 p.m. in the theater for a magic show from Sandy of Sweetcakes Comedy Entertainment Company of Fort Wayne! Sandy will use audience participation, and her silly humor to entertain us all! Prepare to giggle, and to be amazed!

Magic Show!

Sweetcakes Comedy Entertainment will be presenting a magic show today at 2:00 pm and tomorrow, Thursday, June 5th at 2:00 pm. Come prepared to be amazed by magic while you laugh the afternoon away!

Fritz!

We had a very special visitor in Children's Services this afternoon. Fritz, the GermanFest dog, stopped by to sign up for the summer reading program and dance the chicken dance! Check out more photos of Fritz here.
If you would like to sign up for the summer reading program, click here or stop by any location of the ACPL. If you would like to dance the chicken dance, join us for Smart Start storytime tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. for more GermanFest fun!

Guten tag! It's time to celebrate GermanFest!

We hope you'll join us today at 2:00 when we'll hear a story in German and English, dance the Chicken Dance, and work on an "Ich weiß, eine alte Dame, eine Fliege verschluckt" (I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly) craft.

Moms and Dads --> bring your cameras to snap a picture of Fritz, the GermanFest mascot, as he joins us for the chicken dance!

Summer Reading Program Kick Off!

Today is the first day to sign up to Catch the Reading Bug! Sign up online or stop by your local Library. Read, read, read throughout the summer to earn great gifts - a Rocking Rhymes CD (for PreReaders), marigold seeds (for Readers), a book bag and two books of your choice!

Babies can sign up too! Wondering how your baby can read? Talk to a librarian to learn about Smart Start Activities and other options for you and your baby.

Parents, this year there is a reading program just for YOU! Sign up in Children's Services or at the General Reference desk. Your gifts include a handy book light, your very own book bag and a gift certificate to Twice Sold Tales. You can count the time that you spend reading to your child/ren as your reading time - so everybody wins!

This week we have some exciting programs in Children's Services:

• Tuesday, June 3rd @ 2:00 pm Celebrate Germanfest
• Wednesday, June 4th @ 10:30 am Smart Start Storytime Guten Tag! Celebrate Germanfest
• Wednesday, June 4th @ 2:00 pm Magic Show with Sweetcakes Comedy Entertainment
• Thursday, June 5th @ 2:00 pm Magic Show with Sweetcakes Comedy Entertainment
• Thursday, June 5th @ 6:30 pm Paws to Read
• Friday, June 6th @ 10:00 am Babies & Books Storytime
• Friday, June 6th @ 10:30 am & 11:00 am Toddler Storytime
• Saturday, June 7th All Day Creative and Crafty Saturday

Don't forget to sign up for Team Read. For more information click here.

Our Caterpillars Have Arrived!

Come to the Main Library during the month of June to watch our Painted Lady caterpillars transform into beautiful, fluttering butterflies! Housed in their own special butterfly habitat, you can stop by several times during the month to see how they change. While you're here, check out some books about butterflies and caterpillars from out Butterflies Booklist to learn more about the amazing life cycle of butterflies and moths. We'll be releasing our butterflies during an extra-special Butterfly Storytime on Monday evening, June 30, at 7:00 p.m.

See you at the Library!