Paws to Read!

Come to the library and read a story to a book-loving dog. Trained therapy dogs will be here every week with their handlers -- and they want to listen to you read!

At the Main Library, we welcome back Morgan and Samantha and their handlers, who will be here on Thursday evenings from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Readers will take turns as time allows.

Can't make it on Thursdays? Many branches also offer Paws to Read -- check out this video published by the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette about Paws to Read at the Little Turtle Branch.

Happy Reading!

Stuffed Animal Sleepover Photos

We sure had a rip-roaring time with our stuffed animal guests at our Stuffed Animal Sleepover! After story time, we tucked the animals into bed for the night, but we caught them out of bed on several occasions! On Saturday, all of our stuffed guests went home with their families, with a memory book and friendship bracelet to share.

Back to School Night Tips

Many schools in the area are scheduling "Back to School Nights" for their families. This is a great opportunity for parents and caregivers to meet teachers and school staff as well as other families. Reading Rockets offers these tips for other things to look for on Back to School Night.

Tie Dye TODAY 1:00 - 2:30 on the plaza

Bring a white t-shirt and your creativity
we provide the dye and the clean up!
This is fun-filled, family friendly event!
Please join us today at 1:00!

Animals at the Library?!? WHAT?!?

Tonight is our Stuffed Animal Sleepover!

Friday, August 27 5:00 pm

Wear your pajamas, bring your stuffed friend and listen to a bedtime story at 5:00 pm tonight.

After our story time, you will tuck your stuffed animal into "bed" and wish her sweet dreams. While you return home to your own snuggly beds, your stuffed pal will get to have fun in the library overnight! Who knows what they will do ~ where they will go...

Come back on Saturday morning at 9:00 am to pick up your friend and "hear" about all the mischief they got into after hours at the library!

All stuffed participants will take home a photo memory book of their overnight adventures in the library.

TIE DYE ON THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY PLAZA

Please join us on the Library Plaza
downtown at 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Saturday, August 28th
Bring your white t-shirt and creativity~
we will provide the dye!
This event is for all ages!

Children's Booksale

THOUSANDS of older children's books are now on sale at the Allen County Public Library in downtown Fort Wayne.

All books are being sold for 25 cents each or 5 for a dollar.

The booksale is being held in the Program Room at the back of the Children's Services department in the Main Library.

Hours are 10:00 until 8:00 Monday through Thursday and 10:00 to 4:00 Friday and Saturday.

The booksale ends on Tuesday, August 31st at 8:00 pm.

Smart Start Storytime and Letter Play Day

Wednesday, August 25
10:30 AM

Families of Preschoolers, please join us for
Smart Start Storytime
brought to you by the letter S.
There will be great stories, songs, and rhymes.

Letter Play Day
with super letter S learning activities
in the Early Learning Center
all day Wed. from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm.
LEARNING IS LOTS OF FUN!

Second Annual Tie Dye SATURDAY!!

Please join us on the Library Plaza
downtown at 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Saturday, August 28th
Bring your white t-shirt and creativity~
we will provide the dye!
This event is for all ages!

It's Back-to-School Time!

Help your children adust to going back to school with some books from the library! Check out our Going to School Booklist for titles for a variety of ages.

Look what we built at LEGO Club!

Our next meeting is Tuesday, September 21
3:30 ~ 5:00
We have thousands and thousands of LEGOs
come join us in the Globe Room at the downtown library!
It's a Blast!!

New Seussville Website

Fans of Dr. Seuss may want to check out the recently updated Seussville site -- chock full of new games and activities for kids, as well as lesson ideas for teachers and tips for parents.

Coming Soon to a Library Near You!

Captain Underpants fans will be pleased to know that author Dav Pilkey has recently published...

The Adventures of Ook and Gluk:
Kung-Fu Cavemen of the Future



Place your copy on hold today!

Babies, Books and Brain Development

Does reading to your baby really make a difference? YES!
Come to this informative and interactive session for adults and find out what researchers have discovered about brain development and how books, rhymes, and other simple, everyday language activities affect the way your baby's brain develops.
All participants will receive a free gift and a certificate of completion.

Monday, August 23rd
7:00 pm
Globe Room at the downtown library

Curiouser and Curiouser

We have an incredible display up in the Children's Services department at the downtown library.
This Curious George memorabilia is a lovely and cherished gift from Gabriel, one of our favorite patrons. The items are really wonderful and we invite you down to take a look. There are also a plethora of Curious George books available for check out!

Magazines Galore!

We have magazines for children, magazines for parents and teachers, magazines, magazines, and more magazines!  

And now on our website you'll find handy lists and descriptions of all the magazines that are available in the Children's Services department.  Check out these lists, and then come in and check out a magazine!

LEGO CLUB TUESDAY

Please join us in the Globe room
in the Children's Services department
at the downtown library
for LEGO CLUB
Tuesday, August 17
3:30 pm ~ 5:00 pm
You bring the ideas and creativity...
we provide the Legos!
And we have thousands!

Tie Dye on the Plaza CANCELLED!

Second Annual Tie Dye on the Plaza
is cancelled due to the weather!

We will host this awesome family event

Saturday, August 28

1 - 2:30 pm

Friday the 13th

Today is Friday the 13th, a perfect day to read Knock on Wood: Poems about Superstitions by Janet S. Wong.

Or maybe it is a good day to read a scary story.

Most probably it is a great day to read anything you want.

Back to School Worries

Parents, are you a little anxious about back to school time? Are you worried about what your child will experience while out of your care all day? Do you have a child starting school for the first time? Check out Clayton Early Learning Center's blog for a great post about back to school parenting.

Looking for books about going back to school? Check out our booklist.

Mr. McKissack Tackles A BIG Question

Dear Mr. McKissack,

I would like to know if you think computers will replace regular books.

Sincerely,
Mary

Mary, sorry for the delay, but I've been out of town on vacation. I wrestled with this question for years, and only within the last year have I come to see that the electronic book is not going away and as a writer I have to embrace the future. Some cultural critics and philosophers are already predicting the "end" of the physical book within five years. As more companies enter the e-book marketplace, particularly Apple's I-Pad, the barriers (financial, technological, psychological) to using electronic books gets smaller and smaller. The drop in price is one reason why Kindle books are outselling hardcover books. As a writer, this is an interesting time because we should study what it takes to create great work for that space. Is it simply text? Is it a combination of text and multimedia? My great fear is how libraries will be affected in such an environment.

Do you have a question for Fred McKissack, Jr.? Send it to me.

Storyline Online

Storyline Online is a website that streams videos of famous actors reading children's picture books -- there are currently over 20 different stories offered, each read by a different actor. Discussion questions and downloadable activity guides are also available for each story.

Wanda Brunstetter is coming to the ACPL!

Award-winning, bestselling author, Wanda Brunstetter, is visiting the ACPL! She is perhaps best known for her books which focus on Amish communities. Some of her books for kids include:

• The Wisdom of Solomon: A Solomon Lapp and Friends Amish Storybook

• The Rachel Yoder - Always Trouble Somewhere series

Wanda Brunstetter will be making a personal appearance at our Grabill Branch on Friday, Friday, August 13, from 10:30 - 12:30 p.m. In addition to signing autographs, she will also have some of her books available to purchase.

Mark your calendars now to visit Grabill Branch this Friday!

Babies and Books!

Did you know that every Friday morning, we have three storytimes for babies and toddlers at the Main Library?

Did you know that all of our Branch Libraries also provide storytimes for babies & toddlers?

Have you ever wondered WHY we dedicate so much time to children this age? Well, we want to tell you why!

Come to Babies, Books and Brain Development and find out...
**WHY reading with babies and toddlers is so important
**WHAT kinds of materials and resources the library has for your baby
**HOW you can help your children learn to LOVE books and reading from a very early age

Babies, Books and Brain Development
Monday, August 23, 2010
7:00 p.m.

**All participants will receive a free gift and a certificate of completion. **

Suddenly Stories and MORE!

Today is THE day to be downtown!

9am - 1pm - Visit the library at Barr Street Market to make a pasta necklace
10am -4pm - Used book sale in the Program Room of Children's Services
11am - The Fort Wayne Dance Collective will perform Books Alive! in the library theater
2pm - Suddenly Stories: School Days in Children's Services

Scientists in the Field series

Some of the most interesting books I've read recently are a part of the Scientists in the Field series.  

One such book is Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot about a species of bird that is nearly extinct.  There are only 122 kakapo in the world, but scientists and volunteers are working hard to make sure that this number continues to grow.  You can learn more about their efforts at the Kakapo Recovery Program website.

After you've read the book, let us know what you thought of it on the ACPL Mock Sibert blog.

Fort Wayne Dance Collective

The Fort Wayne Dance Collective Touring Company will present a free performance of Books Alive! in the theater at the Main Library.

This delightful literacy-based performance invites students into the world of children’s books including Dr. Seuss’ The Foot Book, Babette Cole’s Princess Smartypants, Alma Flor Ada’s The Gold Coin and The Z was Zapped by Chris Van Allsburg.

This 45 minute program engages the audience through dance, theater and a variety of interesting props while delivering an unusual and humorous performance that will ignite your child’s imagination. Performers include Brittney Coughlin, Kelly Horne, Gloria Minnich and Liz Monnier.

Seating is limited, free tickets will be distributed beginning at 9am on the day of performance.

Book! Book! Book!

Join us tomorrow at 1:30 pm in the Children's Services department

at the downtown library.

We will be having fun with stories and creating our own

books to take home!

This program is suited for children PreK to grade 5.

Smart Start Storytime Fun Fun Fun

Check out the fun that was had at our Smart Start Storytime last Wednesday ~ we sing, we dance, we read, we laugh, we rhyme and we have fun!
Please join us tomorrow or any Wednesday for our Smart Start Storytime!

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Wii READ today!

Actually, we hope that you read everyday! But today is Wii READ in the Children's Services department of the Main Library.
This is game day at the library~the format is easy...read for 20 minutes and receive a ticket to play Wii for 20 minutes. Not enough? Read for another 20 minutes and receive another ticket to play Wii for another 20 minutes!
Board games will also be available. It is a fun-filled, game-filled day at the library!

Come see us today!
Wii Read!
10:00 am - 12:00 noon 2:00- 4:00 pm

Duckapalooza was just ducky!

Here are pictures from one of our Summer Reading Programs, Duckapalooza!

We had a blast and wanted to share the fun! Enjoy!

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