Celebrate Your Freedom to Read!

This week, September 24 through October 1, 2011, is Banned Books Week. Celebrate your freedom to read by reading a banned book.  Click here to see a list of books challenged or banned in 2010-2011.

Tumblebooks!

What's a Tumblebook, you ask?  Tumblebooks are animated, electronic books that can be accessed directly from the Children's Services website.  Simply look for the Tumblebooks icon, shown above, and click on it!

You can find early readers, such as Biscuit by Alyssa Capucilli...picture books, such as Doreen Cronin's Diary of a Fly...and classic titles like Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz.  Many books in the Tumblebooks Library include Lexile level and Accelerated Reader information, as well as reviews. 

Readers may choose to listen to the story being read to them, or read along.  Many titles include games and puzzles.  There is even a section of titles available in languages other than English.  

Happy Reading!

Have You Read To Your Child Today?

Reading aloud to your children -- at any age, from birth on up -- is one of the most important thing parents can do to help your children's reading development.  From sharing short, simple board books with your infant or toddler ... to sharing picture books with your preschooler...to reading snippets of chapter books with your school-age child ... reading aloud has been shown over and over again to be beneficial, in many, many ways.  Just a few minutes a day is all it takes, but you may find you're enjoying it so much, you'll be spending more time reading together!

Checkout Reading Rocket's Top Ten Resources on Reading Aloud for some great tips.

One of my all-time favorite resources on reading aloud with children is the The Read-aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.

Of course, you can always visit us at the library, where your friendly children's librarians will be happy to share their favorite read-alouds with you!  Happy Reading!

Alphabet Fun!

Children's Services is going Alpha-crazy this month with some special programs featuring letters of the alphabet!

Visit our Art Room and create some beautiful Alpha - Art!  We have all the materials you need to create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Participate in our ABCs of Downtown Quiz -- check out the letters on display throughout the Children's Department, and figure out what downtown building they came from -- don't worry, we have a list of buildings to choose from!  When you turn in your answer sheet, you will be entered in a drawing for a prize!!

Wednesday, September 14 is Letter A Playday! Preschoolers and their grown-ups can visit the Early Learning Center for special Letter A activities and attend storytime at 10:30 a.m. (We'll have a special storytime at 9:30 a.m. for daycare and preschool groups).

After all this alpha-fun, you may want to check out some alphabet books to take home with you.  We hope to see YOU soon at the library!

Remembering 9/11



America Is Under Attack
by Don Brown

  Explaining the events of September 11, 2001 can be difficult, especially with children. Here are some books and websites that may be helpful for parents and teachers.

Books

14 Cows for America
by Carmen Agra Deedy with Wilson Kiimeli Naiyomah
illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez

Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey
by Maira Kalman


Websites

9/11 Memorial: Teach + Learn
The official website of the 9/11 Memorial includes tips for talking with your children about the events.

PBS.org: America Responds
Provides information on the events of 9/11, as well as tips and resources for parents and teachers.

Help Is Available!

Applications to receive free reading tutoring are available for children in Grades 1-3 who are reading below grade level. Projects Reads, an Allen County Education Partnership program, is partnering with ACPL to offer skill-building activities including one-on-one practice with trained tutors at three library sites:

Children's Services, downtown at the Main Library (Mondays, 3-4 p.m.)

Georgetown Branch Library (Mondays, 3-4 p.m.)

Dupont Branch Library (Thursdays, 3-4 p.m.)

Applications for both students and volunteers for these, and additional county sites, are available at the libraries or by contacting kbradley@abouteducation.org. Sessions will begin on Monday, September 19, and meet weekly when Fort Wayne Community Schools are in seesion, through April, 2012.

Labor Day Weekend!

This weekend, many people in the United States are celebrating Labor Day, a day to honor American workers.  Did you know...


...that Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September?


BUT...the very first Labor Day was not celebrated on a Monday.  To find out what day it was, and to learn more about this holiday, read this article from America's Story from America's Library (also known as the Library of Congress).


All locations of the Allen County Public Library will be closed on Monday, September 5, in honor of Labor Day.  We will resume normal hours on Tuesday, September 6.  See you at the library!