The Winter Olympics and Teachable Moments

If you've been watching the Winter Olympics with your family, you may have had some great questions from your kids, like...where's Vancouver?








....what's curling?










...how can I learn more about Apolo Ohno?











A GREAT place to learn the answers to these questions...and more...is right here at the Library! There are so many books for kids of all ages about countries, sports, and cultures. The Olympics only happen every few years, but your Library is here for you almost every day -
take advantage of it!

Get the conversation going...

A uniquely charming book of questions and possibilities to get
kids laughing, thinking, talking, drawing, writing and exploring the world.
The open ended questions are accompanied with whimsical illustrations.

"Could you imagine waking up one morning as a baby again?"

"What sort of animal would you like to be?"

"What would you like to do when you are bigger?"

February is "Bake for Family Fun" Month!

Why not stop by the Library and pick up some cookbooks from our collection? We have a great variety of baking books for children.


Cooking and baking with children can be a great way to reinforce reading and math skills, as well as a fun family activity.

Happy Baking!

Letters to a Soldier

It's fun to send and receive letters in the mail!

In the book Letters to a Soldier, students in Mrs. Julie Hutt's fourth-grade class write letters to First Lieutenant David Falvey, stationed in Iraq. In his responses, Lt. Falvey answers questions about his duties, about life in the military and other information about his experiences.

Have you ever shared letters with someone?

Oobleck, Slime and Dancing Spaghetti

Are you looking for a fun science experiment to share with your child? Check out Oobleck, Slime and Dancing Spaghetti by Jennifer Williams.

This creative book includes 20 science experiments for children preschool to 5th grade which are inspired by favorite children's books.

One of the 2nd grade experiments was inspired by the book Everybody Bakes Bread by Norah Dooley. During the experiment, children lock yeast & sugar in bags and measure the expansion to discover why dough rises. Included is an opportunity to take the experiment further, an oral history component and this great link to the Exploratorium's bread page.

Cowboys and Coffin Makers

I couldn't resist picking up Cowboys and Coffin Makers: One Hundred 19th Century Jobs You Might Have Feared or Fancied by Laurie Coulter up off of the new book shelf. The book begins with a time line of changes that took place in the 19th century to get the reader a little perspective on this portion of our history.

Some of the jobs in this book you may have heard of such as lighthouse keeper or explorer, but others may be new to you. Here are a few that I just learned about: jimmy duck, mule spinner, iron puddler, ship biscuit maker, and limner. Have you ever heard of these careers?

February is Black History Month

Celebrate Black History Month with a good book! Here are a few that I highly recommend:

• Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
• Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
• Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
• Carver, a life in poems by Marilyn Nelson
  

Redwoods by Jason Chin

One of my favorite new picture books is Redwoods by Jason Chin. In this book a young boy is magically transported from the city to the redwood forest to experience firsthand the majesty of these incredible, ancient trees.

The text of the book focuses on facts about the trees and never mentions the boy; his story is told only through the beautiful illustrations. Chin has created a perfect nonfiction book, one that allows readers to use their imaginations while absorbing the interesting information.

I just had the opportunity to see the redwoods in person and enjoy the wonderful smells of the forest. If you can't make a trip to California, pick up Jason Chin's book to experience the look and feel of the forest, the only part you will miss is the smell!

Happy Birthday, Rosemary Wells!

You may know Rosemary Wells as the author and illustrator of popular picture books and board books for younger children, such as the Max and Ruby series, but you may not know that she has also written...

...historical fiction for older children:

Lincoln and His Boys

...and non-fiction:

Mary on Horseback: Three Mountain Stories

Click here to find more items by Rosemary Wells in the Library Catalog.

Teaching Children about Money

In this economic climate, many parents are teaching their children early about how to manage and budget their money. We have several books that address these issues and make the subject matter easier to grasp for children. It is never too early to teach children how to make smart money decisions that will last a lifetime.

I Have A Dream

Please stop by the Children's Service's department
and check out our display of books on
the courageous Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
and the heroic civil rights movement.

2010 ACPL Mock Newbery & Mock Sibert Winners!

The winner of the 2010 ACPL Mock Newbery is:

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.

Two honor books were selected:

Crossing Stones by Helen Frost
Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson.

The winner of the 2010 ACPL Mock Sibert is:

The Frog Scientist by Pamela S. Turner

Two honor books were selected:

Redwoods by Jason Chin
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose

New Year's Resolution

Is your little one ready to start potty training?

Visit the Children's Services department at the library and ask our knowledgeable librarians to show you some great books and videos to help both you and your child have a successful experience.

We also have Kits for Kids available to check out on potty training.
We love to help families!

The Grosser the Better?

This editorial in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette endorses the idea of giving them what they want - when it comes to reading! Sometimes appealing to the baser instincts in children can help them learn to love reading. Anything gross, funny, fantasy or chock-full of pictures works because it’s not as difficult to read and captures their attention.

It's that time of year...

No! Not that time, school science fair time!!
Visit the Children's Services department at the library and ask a librarian to help
you find the perfect book with the perfect science fair project!

The Story of Snow

Do you ever wonder how snowflakes form? Is it true that no two snowflakes are alike? What do snowflakes look like
UP CLOSE?
If you read The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder, written by Mark Cassino with Jon Nelson, Ph. D. , you'll find out the answers to these questions, and more.

At the end of the book, you can even learn how to catch your own snow crystals for your own snowy observations. Fascinating stuff!

Happy Hanukkah!

Happy Hanukkah!

Hanukkah began last night at sunset.

Are you looking for a book about Hanukkah? Check out Hanukkah Around the World to discover how people around the globe celebrate.

Where Else in the Wild?

Look carefully at the orchids on the cover of Where Else In the Wild?. Can you see the Orchid Mantis?

The creatures featured in this book are experts at camouflage. Each page features a gorgeous photograph with camouflaged creatures for you to find. Then you can open the flap to see them revealed and read a little information about their lives.

Did you know that as many as 10,000 snowshoe hares can live in a square mile? I didn't.

Frogs, Mermaids, Geese, and Mount Everest

Question: What do frogs, mermaids, geese and Mount Everest have in common?

Answer: Books on these topics all appear on the ACPL Mock Sibert Blog.

If you enjoy non-fiction books, take some time to look at the titles on the ACPL Mock Sibert blog. These books are the best of the best of this year's non-fiction for children. Plan to attend the Mock Sibert program in January to help us pick the BEST non-fiction book of the year.

The Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions

Would you like to mix up your own invisible ink? What about finger paint? Do you know how to make your own stickers? Check out the Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions, and you'll have the instructions you need to whip up your own paints, doughs, glues, and more!