I spy with my little eye...

Please stop by the Children's Department and check out
our display case of search and find books!

It's Library Card Sign-up Month!

Now is the perfect time to sign up for a Library Card if you don't already have one. To sign up, or for more information on how to get a library card, click here.

Families are also invited to celebrate the Library at our 2nd Saturday Family Storytime on September 12th, starting at 11:00 a.m. There will be fun for kids of all ages -- and their grown-ups, too. Mark it on your calendar now!

Here are a couple of new library-related books you may enjoy:

Read It, Don't Eat It!
by Ian Schoenherr










A Book
by Mordecai Gerstein










See you soon at the Library!

Today is National Aviation Day

Stop by the library and check out
these books about aviation.

"Firsts" can be difficult for little ones: first sleepover, first day of school.

Introducing adorable Kevin!

Bold graphics, friendly faces and a toddler's-eye view make Kevin a must for little ones just beginning to explore and understand their world.

Chicken Dance Contest!

Here's a fun contest in celebration of the new book, Chicken Dance, by Tammi Sauer. The author and illustrator invite YOU to create a video and enter the Chicken Dance Video Contest!

Click here for all the rules.

Or check out the illustrator talking about the contest:

Have fun!

Back to School

It's almost time for kids to head back to the classrooms! At the Library, you'll find lots of Back-to-School books for kids, like these...


Wow! School!
by Robert Neubecker








or...


First Day Jitters
by Julie Danneberg








For more suggestions, take a look at our Going to School Booklist.

The Snowy Day needs your help!

The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation is working to get a commemorative stamp celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Snowy Day. This book is not just an American classic, it is also the book the broke the color barrier in mainstream American children's book publishing.

Click here to let the U.S. Postage Stamp Citizen's Advisory Committee -- the group that decides what subjects are chosen for commemorative postage stamps -- know that families and educators would welcome this stamp. Help make the 50th anniversary of The Snowy Day a celebration of American children in all their diversity!

Silly Stories, Silly Fun!

Don't forget to join us tomorrow for Smart Start Preschool Storytime! Our theme will be...

Silly Stories, Silly Fun!

Be ready for all kinds of silly, wacky stories and rhymes and some crazy crafty fun, as well! It all starts at 10:30am, Wednesday morning, July 15th, in Children's Services at the Main Library.

Almost

Almost, by Rich Torrey, follows almost-six-years-old Jack through his day of activities. There are a lot of things that he can almost do! If you are almost-six-years-old, check out this new book and make a list of things that you can almost do.

One Tidy Little Pig!

"If you want to grow up to be a respectable pig, you must learn how to make a proper mess," says Little Oink's Dad. The trouble is, Little Oink likes to clean things up, not make messes!

Little Oink, written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Jen Corace, is sure to leave you with a smile on your face! You might also like to try Little Pea and Little Hoot, both by the same author and illustrator.

A Child's Book Review: My Cat, the Silliest Cat in the World

Two-year-old Ada had these comments about My Cat, the Silliest Cat in the World by Gilles Bachelet:

That's elephant, that's not cat. Uh, oh, he's getting in trouble.

Submit your child's book review to me via email and you may see it in a future "A Child's Book Review" blog post.

If You Like Children's Picture Books...

...then you'll definitely want to check out the ACPL Mock Caldecott Blog. Here is where you can find many of the best American picture books published this year. And, if you like talking about books or book illustration, feel free to leave some comments and let us know what YOU think of the titles we've posted!

New Picture Book: Moon Rabbit

If you're looking for a fun new picture book to share with your preschooler, you might want to try Moon Rabbit. It's a charming story with delightful illustrations, by Scottish author and illustrator Natalie Russell.

We get new books almost every day in Children's Services! Ask us for more suggestions the next time YOU come to the Library.

Tornadoes! by Gail Gibbons

Have you ever heard of the Great Tri-State Tornado? I just read about it in the new book Tornadoes! by Gail Gibbons. The Great Tri-State Tornado was on the ground for over 3 hours in 1925. The tornado traveled from Missouri through Illinois and into Indiana.

To learn more about this famous tornado and more, check out this great new non-fiction picture book.

Smart Start Storytime -- I Like Me!

Preschoolers! Join us this morning at 10:30 for storytime -- our theme will be
I Like Me!

We'll be doing some fun rhymes and songs and stories, to celebrate the specialness that is in each one of us.



Our Early Literacy Focus this week will be on Print Motivation, which simply means having an interest in and enjoyment of books and reading.

Some ways to encourage this are:

• Keep books in every room, in the car, in the diaper bag...you can catch a few minutes here and there when you and your children can enjoy sharing books.
• Play along, sing, or act out the motions in a story. By making stories fun, we are motivating children to want more!
• When you are reading a book with your child, don't worry about finishing the book. Engage your child as much as you can, and when your child loses interest, just continue another time.
  

For more Early Literacy tips, see our Everybody Reads page, or visit us at the Library!

Happy Birthday Wild Thing!

Today is the birthday of children's author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak. He has written and illustrated many books over fifty years, but he is probably best known for his book, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, which brought him international acclaim.
It is the story of a young boy named Max, who is sent to his room only to find his imagination has created a new world there, populated by wild geographies and monsters of all kinds. Before long it was a favorite among children everywhere. It has been translated into fifteen languages and has sold more than two million copies!

Germanfest at the Library Tomorrow

Please join us tomorrow, June 8th at 2:00 at the main library for an hour filled with German vocabulary, songs, stories, a craft and yes...the Chicken Dance!
We will also have lots of books for you to take home, like these versions of the German folktale, Little Red Riding Hood!

A Child's Book Review: Jake the Philharmonic Dog

Jake the Philharmonic Dog, by Karen LeFrak, was reviewed by 9-year-old Xavier:

This book is quite funny; it's about a dog named Jake. Jake liked music but when he heard the sound of the drum in the orchestra he got scared because it sounded like thunder. He started running around in circles until he heard the violins . . . what a beautiful sound!!!

Thanks, Xavier! Submit your child's book review via email and you may see it in a future "A Child's Book Review" blog post.

Honk, Honk, Goose!

Have you ever wondered about the families of Canada Geese that you see all over Fort Wayne? Honk, Honk, Goose! is a wonderful new book by April Pulley Sayre all about these interesting birds. In this book you can see the geese meet, build a nest, lay eggs and start a family. Check it out!

A Good Thing About Construction!

If you know a child who loves everything construction, the library is the place to be!

In the Children's Department of the library, we have great fiction and non-fiction books about construction vehicles and our librarians will be happy to show you where they are shelved.

But the best thing is our very large windows that let your child view the real life construction going on right outside!

Believe it or not, the construction is a limited time engagement - so get here before they are gone!