Carnival of the Animals this Saturday!

The Fort Wayne Ballet Youth Company will be performing Carnival of the Animals at the main library on Saturday, March 5th at 11am & 2pm. Doors will open fifteen minutes before the performance, seating is limited.

Peter Pan

From now through April 10, the Foellinger-Friemann Botanical Conservatory in Fort Wayne has a special Peter Pan exhibit on display in the Showcase Garden.

Brush up on your knowledge of this classic story by visiting the library and picking up a copy of the
original story written by J. M. Barrie ...









... or one of the many adaptations that have been created over the years, such as this one by pop-up illustrator Robert Sabuda.










Happy Reading!

More Letterboxes!

Letterboxing is a hobby that will exercise your treasure hunting and artistic abilities. This fun and exciting activity can be enjoyed by the whole family. Letterboxes are hidden all over the world and each one contains a unique stamp. Find letterboxes and collect stamps in your personal journal and leave your personal stamp in the letterbox's visitor book.

We have several letterboxes hidden in the Children's Services department, making this a perfect cold weather activity for your family. Most of our boxes contain beautiful hand carved stamps and if you aren't careful you might learn something about how to find books in the library while you solve the clues. Our trail name is ACPL Kids, click here to find the clues. You can also ask at the Ask Here desk in Children's Services for a folder with EVEN MORE clues!

Do you have visitors?

Bring them to the Library!

Since the new building at 900 Library Plaza opened in 2007 we have noticed a new local tradition...Fort Wayne families LOVE to show off their new library to out of town visitors over the Thanksgiving weekend.

So, if you are looking for something fun and warm to do this weekend, bring your friends and family in to meet us.

Johnny Appleseed Festival!

You still have time to get to the Johnny Appleseed Festival if you are in the Fort Wayne area -- festival hours are from 10:00am to 5:00pm today.

Whether you made it to the festival or not, come to the library and learn more about this legendary figure! Start out with some of the books on our Johnny Appleseed booklist.

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.

Check this out! Jim Gill HERE Tomorrow!

Jim Gill will be at the main library, performing on the plaza for four shows:
Friday July 23 2:00pm AND 7:00pm
Saturday July 24 11:00am AND 1:00 pm

And again: Jim Gill Will Perform on the Plaza!

We cannot believe we get to host the wonderful, fun, amazing and captivating musician Jim Gill at the library! We keep pinching ourselves!! Honestly, this is a musician we dance to regularly in our story times ~ Silly Dance Contest anyone?
Click on the link above to watch Jim in action!

Jim Gill will be at the main library, performing on the plaza for four shows:

Friday July 23 2:00pm AND 7:00pm
Saturday July 24 11:00am AND 1:00 pm

Visit us at Barr Street Market Today

If you visit the Barr Street Market today, please make sure to stop by the Allen County Public Library's booth. We are there every week and always have a new and exciting craft for the kids to do ~ and like everything at the library, it is always free!!
The Barr Street Market is a lovely downtown event that happens every summer! There are food and non-food vendors and wonderful acoustic entertainment.
We hope to see you there!

Eggdrop Eggstravaganza!

Don't miss the 12th Annual Eggdrop Eggstravaganza Contest on Saturday, July 11th @ 1pm at Science Central.

The challenge: build a container which will protect an egg that is dropped off of the roof of Science Central.

The fun: watch containers being dropped off of the roof of Science Central while hoping that the eggs don't break.

Prizes will be awarded as follows:

• Grand Prize: to the egg that doesn't break
• Most Creative
• Most Scientific
• Most Devastating Crash
  

Whether you are a participant or a spectator, you are sure to enjoy this Three Rivers Festival event. For more information visit this site.

Letterboxing

Letterboxing is a fun activity for the whole family. Start a letterboxing journal and collect stamps from letterboxes hidden around the world!

There is now a letterbox hidden somewhere in the downtown library. For more information check out Letterboxing North America.

Summer Hours

The Main Library is now closed on Sundays for the summer. Sunday hours will resume after Labor Day.

Looking for something to do on Sundays? Check out an ACRES Landtrust nature preserve, or explore a new Fort Wayne Park.

Lifetime Sports Academy

The Lifetime Sports Academy is open to boys and girls ages 8-18 and offers free group lessons in the lifetime sports of golf, tennis and swimming. The program begins June 14 in McMillen Park and operates Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Group lessons in golf, tennis and swimming will focus on skill development, training, and participation and will be taught by certified coaches and highly trained professionals and volunteers. The Lifetime Sports Academy is funded by the Fort Wayne Sports Corporation and the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department and is offered to area youth FREE of charge.

Pre-register on-line through May 31, on Opening Day, or at the McMillen Park Pavilion at any time during the program. A Lifetime Sports Academy brochure with schedules, registration form and detailed information is available on-line or by calling 427-6000. Beginning June 14, you may call the Academy at 427-6760 or stop by the pavilion in McMillen Park.

A Question for Mr. McKissack

Last week we collected an interesting question for Fredrick McKissack, Jr.

Dear Mr. McKissack: How long does it take to write a novel? - Lettie

That's a very good question, Lettie. It's hard to say because all books are different. The short--and unhelpful--answer is that the book is done when it is done. What it comes down to is the author knowing the work is ready for an editor. One of my favorite books is Frederick Forsyth's "Day of the Jackal". The actual writing took about 35 days, but he said he spent 12 years on research. Elizabeth Kostova's bestseller "The Historian" took 10 years to write. The first draft of Shooting Star was done in two months, but there were numerous drafts and rewrites before it was good to go. It was a year-and-a-half process. I worked on a comic/graphic novel a few years ago, and the time from first draft to finished manuscript was four months.

Again, great question. Thank you Lettie.

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

Four Questions for Fred McKissack, Jr.

Over the last two weeks we collected four questions for ACPL Writer in Residence Fredrick McKissack, Jr.

1. I would like to know how you get the names for the people in your books. - Anonymous

I sometimes use first names of people I know, and I do use last names from my own family. However, what I try and do is find a name that works for the character, a name that resonates with me and, hopefully, the reader. There's a logic to it. In Shooting Star, Jomo's parents gave him that name because of the respect that have for the great Kenyan leader Jomo Kenyatta. Given his parents' political and social leanings, the name makes sense. I've changed the names of characters because the name didn't sound right. For me, it comes done to what feels and sounds right.

2. What do you do when you can't think of anything to write about? - Gabriel

Oh, that rarely happens. I have too many ideas--not all of them are good. The real problem is getting to the best idea, and even then a publisher or editor might not like the idea as much as I do.

3. What is your favorite book written by your parents? - Josie

That's a hard one, but I love Flossie and the Fox. It's a timeless story, and Flossie is a brave character that all children can identify with and root as she outwits the fox.
Thanks for the question, Josie.

4. Which of your books did you enjoy writing the most? - Kim

I really enjoyed writing Shooting Star. It was a long, but fun process of going from basic idea to a complex story with multi-dimensional characters. Black Diamond is high on the list, too. One of the great benefits about writing non-fiction is how much you as the writer learn in researching a subject. I thought I knew baseball, but working on that book really opened my eyes and mind to the past struggles of African-American baseball players.
Thanks for the question, Kim

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

Chance to win FREE Youtheatre Tickets!

Would you like to win FREE tickets to Fort Wayne Youtheatre's production of Princess and the Pea at Arts United Center? Visit the ACPL Kids Facebook page and leave a comment by Tuesday, April 20 @ 10am. Let us know which performance you prefer: Saturday, April 24th or Sunday, April 25th at 2pm.

Not on Facebook? Email me your name and preference.

FWMoA Chalk Walk 2010

Sign up for the Fort Wayne Museum of Art
Chalk Walk now!
The Chalk Walk is based on an Italian tradition of street painting that dates to the 16th century, known as i madonnari (street painters). Using pastels, they may choose to reproduce existing artworks or create their own.
As part of the Three Rivers Festival, Chalk Walk is truly a community event and will draw on the amazing talents of area, regional and national artists. Individuals and families with no training in art are just as welcome.
There is no charge to particpate and it is a wonderful opportunity for young and emerging artists, a fun family event, and a wonderful way to meet a variety of amazing people.

Fort Wayne Museum of Art!

The Fort Wayne Museum of Art is scheduled to reopen today. Plan a visit to see the newly renovated museum. The doors open at 11am and admission is free for the entire week. The new museum includes a hands-on gallery for children. This is sure to quickly become a regular destination for Fort Wayne families. If you would like to learn more there was a nice article about the renovation in the March 2010 Fort Wayne Monthly.

Fredrick McKissack, Jr. Answers Your Questions

This week we had three questions for Writer in Residence Fredrick McKissack, Jr.

Dear Mr. McKissack: Do you like baseball? Sincerely, Tom

Yes! I am now and I will always be a St. Louis Cardinals fan. We--my family--also love going to Tin Caps games and the new ballpark is aces. I wasn't a very good player, but I had fun.

Dear Mr. McKissack: How old were you when you "knew" you were a writer? Sincerely, Lettie

I "knew" I wanted to be a writer in college, although I had inklings as early as grade school. Having a parent as an editor and writer had something to do with it, but I just liked the idea of creating characters, scenes, and dialogue. My son is doing this with toys now, although he says he wants to be a rock-and-roll-artist-astronaut-fireman.

Dear Mr. McKissack: What were your favorite books as a child? Sincerely, Lettie

As a kid, my favorite books were Yertle the Turtle, The Cat in the Hat, Where the Wild Things Are, and anything with the Peanuts characters. My mom and dad used to read us Aesop's fables and they'd tell us stories from Greek mythology. When I was a little older, my aunt, a social studies teacher, gave me a set of social studies and geography books. I loved those books. I read encyclopedias, too. Also, The Pushcart War remains a strong influence with me today. It's an amazing, fun, and compassionate story.

Do you have a question to ask Mr. McKissack? Email me and I will be sure that he gets it. Answers will be posted on the blog.

Marchitecture @ The Botanical Conservatory

The Botanical Conservatory is sponsoring a Downtown Landmarks Scavenger Hunt. Have a look at the pictures on this week's form, I bet you will recognize many of them. While the weather is nice, take a walk downtown and check out the architecture in person. There will be a new hunt each week, so check back each Monday for a new form. Enter weekly for your chance to win a family membership.