Your Reading Pet

Submit a photo of your pet reading his or her favorite book! Contest ends at 6 p.m. February 1, 2008. Contest is open to all ages. Top 10 entries in each age group will be displayed in the Children's Services Department to be voted on by the public. One winning photo from each age group will be put on ACPL bookmarks and photos will be displayed on the ACPL website. See contest rules for more details.

ACPL Mock Sibert Results 2008

A year of reading great informational books for children culminated this afternoon at the 2008 Mock Sibert program.

After much discussion, the group selected a Mock Sibert winner and five honor books.

The 2008 Mock Sibert winner is:
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis



And the five honor books are:

• Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children about Their Art
• A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston
• Emi and the Rhino Scientist by Mary Kay Carson
• Dogs and Cats by Steve Jenkins
• 1607: A New Look at Jamestown by Karen E. Lange

ACPL Mock Newbery Results 2008!

Over the past year, our Mock Newbery group enjoyed reading books from a suggested reading list of 50 titles. Today, we gathered for a morning of intense discussion; issues of plot development, setting, characters and style were all brought to the table with energy and passion. In the end, we agreed that this was a great year for children's books!

We selected one title as our 2008 Mock Newbery Winner and three titles as Honor books.

The Mock Newbery winner we selected for 2008 was Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson.

Our group selected three Mock Honor books. They are:

• Bone by Bone by Bone by Tony Johnston
• Cracker by Cynthia Kadohata
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

It's C-O-L-D outside! Maybe you should bring your preschooler to the Early Learning Center at the Library!

Murphy and her dad love working puzzles together in the Early Learning Center.






One of the highlights of our Children’s Services department is a large room, approximately 2200 square feet, devoted to early literacy and pre-numeracy skills. This room is designed to be used by children age 6 and younger with their adults for learning play. It includes a wide variety of participatory learning activities including a drama corner, a writing center, and many reading nooks for adult and child to share books together. A major developmental focus of this room is the absence of technology; no computers, no video screens, no electronic buttons to push. Instead, children are encouraged to use their imagination in participatory, interactive, learner-centered play.




Drake and his mom learn about counting and numbers in the shopping area of the Early Learning Center.







Cousins Micah & Austen play with the train set with Austen's mom.









Gabriella and Fransisca enjoy the Writing Center as mom looks on.








Claire and her Grandma explore the "Babies Only" area of the Early Learning Center.








"Spaceman" Tyler and dad play dress-up in the dramatic play area.

The Early Learning Center focuses on the six primary early literacy skills defined by the National Research Council:

• Narrative Skills – Being able to tell or retell a story helps children understand what they read.
• Letter Knowledge – Knowing the names and sounds of letters helps children figure out how to say written words.
• Print Awareness – Being familiar with printed language helps children feel comfortable with books and understand that print is useful.
• Print Motivation – Learning to enjoy books
• Phonological Awareness – Becoming aware of the sounds and parts of words

This is a active learning space which draws families with preschoolers to the Library to play, learn, read, and have fun together.

Come on in and check it out!

Mock Caldecott

The Randolph Caldecott Medal is given each year by the American Library Association to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children published during the preceding year.

Each year our Children's Services department hosts a Mock Caldecott Election program for adults who are interested in children's literature.


Seven books have just been added to the list:

Brett, Jan. Three Snow Bears.
Cate, Annette Le Blanc. The Magic Rabbit.
de Seve, Randall. Toy Boat. Illustrated by Loren Long.
DiCamillo, Kate. Great Joy. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline.
Sayre, April Pulley. Vulture View. Illustrated by Steve Jenkins.
Skeers, Linda. Impossible Patriotism Project. Illustrated by Ard Hoyt.
Willems, Mo. Knuffle Bunny Too.

If you would like to participate, the rest of the Mock Caldecott Award reading list can be found here. If you can't join us in person for the discussion, please take a moment to post your comments about any of the books online.

This year the Mock Caldecott election will be held on Saturday, January 12, from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art in downtown Fort Wayne. Participants will have the opportunity to view the art of illustrator Allen Say as part of the program. To sign up, call the Children's Services department at (260) 421-1220 or send an email.

For information about the ACPL's other Mock Elections, click here.

See you at the Mock Caldecott!

Mock Sibert Award

The Robert F. Sibert Award is given each year by the American Library Association to the to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book for children published in English during the preceding year.

Each year our Children's Services department hosts a Mock Sibert Election program for adults who are interested in children's literature. If you would like to participate, the complete Mock Sibert Award reading list can be found here. If you can't join us in person for the discussion, please take a moment to post your comments about any of the books online. We'll be sure to read your comments as part of our discussion.

This year the Mock Sibert Award election will be held on Saturday, January 5, from 2:00 - 6:00 p.m.at the Main Library in downtown Fort Wayne. To sign up, call the Children's Services department at (260) 421-1220 or send an email.

Here is the fourth and final reading list for the ACPL Mock Sibert Award:

Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children about Their Art
We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin by Larry Dane Brimner
Emi and the Rhino Scientist by Mary Kay Carson
Who Was First?: Discovering the Americas by Russell Freedman
The Many Rides of Paul Revere by James Giblin
An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming by Al Gore
War in the Middle East: A Reporter's Story by Wilborn Hampton
At Gleason's Gym by Ted Lewin
City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male by Meghan McCarthy
Tuttle's Red Barn: The Story of America's Oldest Family Farm by Richard Michelson
The Real Benedict Arnold by Jim Murphy
Footwork: The Story of Fred and Adele Astaire by Roxane Orgill
Nothing But Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson by Sue Stauffacher

For information about the ACPL's other Mock Elections, click here.

See you at the Mock Sibert!

Mock Newbery Award

The John Newbery Award is awarded each year by the American Library Association to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

Each year our Children's Services department hosts a Mock Newbery Election program for adults who are interested in children's literature. If you would like to participate, the complete Mock Newbery Award reading list can be found here. If you can't join us in person for the discussion, please take a moment to post your comments about any of the books online. We'll be sure to read your comments as part of our discussion.

This year the Mock Newbery Award election will be held on Saturday, January 5, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.at the Main Library in downtown Fort Wayne. To sign up, call the Children's Services department at (260) 421-1220 or send an email.

Here is the fourth and final reading list for the ACPL Mock Newbery Award:

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate
Revolution is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine
Land of the Silver Apples by Nancy Farmer
The Entertainer and the Dybbuk by Sid Fleischman
Who Was First? Discovering the Americas by Russell Freedman
When I Crossed No-Bob by Margaret McMullan
Tap Dancing on the Roof: Sijo (Poems) by Linda Sue Park
Freak by Marcella Pixley
The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex
The Wall by Peter Sis

For information about the ACPL's other Mock Elections, click here.

See you at the Mock Newbery!

Mock Geisel Award

The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year.

Each year our Children's Services department hosts a Mock Geisel Award program for adults who are interested in children's literature. If you would like to participate, the complete Mock Geisel Award reading list can be found here. If you can't join us in person for the discussion, please take a moment to post your comments about any of the books online. We'll be sure to read your comments as part of the discussion.

This year the Mock Geisel Award election will be held on Saturday, January 12th from 2 to 6 p.m. in Children's Services at the Main Library. To sign up, call the Children's Services department at (260) 421-1220 or send an email.

Here is the fourth and final reading list for the Mock Geisel Award:

Arnold, Tedd. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy.
Baker, Barbara. One Saturday Evening.
Bloom, Suzanne. Treasure.
Egan, Tim. Dodsworth in New York.
Gregorich, Barbara. Waltur Paints Himself Into A Corner.
Rylant, Cynthia. Annie and Snowball and the Dress-Up Birthday.
Rylant, Cynthia. Annie and Snowball and the Prettiest House.
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. First the Egg.
Yee, Wong Herbert. Abracadabra! Magic with Mouse and Mole.

For information about the other Mock Elections, click here.

See you at the Mock Geisel!