We're Moving!

We are in the midst of a system wide social media upgrade. Our Facebook presence has changed –  and so will our blogs.   Please join us at http://acplkid.wordpress.com/ for our new look and new name: One Book, Two Book, Old Books, New Books.  

We hope you will find it full of information about children's books and events for children throughout the Allen Count Public Library system. Please check back often! We look forward to your feedback on our new look.

Poetry Contest Award Ceremony

2009 ACPL Poetry Contest Winners

This Saturday, December 3, at 11:00 a.m., join us in the theater at the Main Library as winning poets from the library's annual Poetry Contest are honored with an award ceremony and reception.  Over 800 students in kindergarten through grade 12 entered this year's contest with the theme Snowballs and Sandcastles: Poems of the Seasons.  

Congratulations to the winners and their families, and many thanks to all who entered and supported our young poets! 

Books so sweet you may cry

After I had my first child, I was surprised at the intensity of emotions I felt.  I loved that tiny baby more than I even realized I could.  I felt very protective of him and fell even more in love with my partner.  As I prepare to have my second child in the next few weeks, I'm remembering the books we read when our son was little.  These titles are especially memorable to me, because I couldn't get through any of them at the time without crying.

Read to Your Bunny by Rosemary Wells

Little Gorilla by Ruth Bornstein

Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers










Watching your children grow up is a wonderful, bittersweet experience. I try to remember to savor each day. I hope your family might enjoy reading these books together as much as we did.



******************************************************

Thanks, Sara Patalita - our Children's Librarian from the Georgetown Branch - for writing this post.

Wordless Books! Wordless Books! Wordless Books!

Did you know...wordless picture books are a GREAT way to help your child with pre-reading and reading skills.  When you share a wordless book with your child, try taking turns telling the story.  This helps children learn how stories work AND helps teach new words!  Pictured on the left are some of my favorite wordless books -- click on them to find their availability in the library's catalog.

Do you have favorite wordless books?  Click here for a list of more titles!

Come see the dancers perform!

Kids of all ages and their families are invited to join us for a special, mini-performance by the Fort Wayne Ballet on Tuesday evening, November 15th at 7:00 pm - doors open at 6:45. This special ballet presentation will feature Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

You'll love watching this classic children's book dance to life!  We will follow a caterpillar eating its way through a wide variety of foods before turning into a glorious butterfly. A delightful story of life with a very big appetite! This FREE mini-performance by the Fort Wayne Ballet will be held in the theater at the Main Library on Tuesday evening, November 15th, at 7:00 pm.

Doors open at 6:45 for the 7:00 pm performance.

(And did I mention that it's FREE?!?!)

Hey, Kids! Which Book is YOUR Favorite?

All children in grades 3 to 6 are invited to participate in the ACPL Mock Newbery for Kids program -- to be held on Saturday, December 3, 2011, from 2:00-3:30 p.m in Children's Services at the Main Library.

So far, we have included the 4 titles pictured above on the Mock Newbery for Kids reading list --- with one more soon to come -- that we hope you'll read and then come to the library to talk about (snacks included).  We'll also learn a little about the Newbery Award, and then you'll get to cast your vote to help pick the winner of the 

2012 ACPL Kids' Mock Newbery Award!

Interested?  Click here to register!

El Dia de los Muertos / Day of the Dead

The sugar skulls and frosting have been prepared...







The papel picado has been strung...










It's time for Children's Services annual celebration of El Dia de los Muertos / Day of the Dead!!  Join us and learn about this joyful Mexican holiday that celebrates the lives of the departed. 

Decorate your own sugar skull to take home, add your memories to the community memory board, taste bread of the dead, make marigolds and masks, and bring your camera along to have your picture taken in our holiday photo booth.   To learn more about Day of the Dead, check out this booklist!

Saturday, November 5th, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 6th, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Loopy Lessons to Live By!

Fort Wayne Youtheatre 

presents

STORYBOOK THEATRE

"Loopy Lessons to Live By"

A humorous trip through Aesop's Fables!

Come skip through the pages of Aesop's Fables with YOUTHEATRE!! 

You'll meet a Wiley Wolf, a Bragging Rooster, a Lazy Bear and so many more!!

Don't cry wolf!! No sour grapes!! Join the fun!!

Main Library November 4 at 2:00 in the Globe Room

Woodburn Branch November 18 at 1:30

Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos Open House

Saturday, November 5, 2-4 p.m.
Sunday, November 6, 2-4 p.m.

Families with children of all ages are invited to come to the Main library and learn about the joyful Mexican holiday that celebrates the lives of the departed. Although the official Day of the Dead occurs on November 2, we will spend some time together on Saturday and Sunday this week. Decorate your own sugar skull to take home, add your memories to the community memory board, taste bread of the dead, make marigolds and masks, and bring your camera along to have your picture taken in our holiday photo booth.

Meet the Artist: Michele Wood!

On Saturday, October 22, from 2:00-4:00 p.m., visit the Krull Gallery to meet, live and in-person, award-winning artist and illustrator Michele Wood.  Michele Wood was honored with the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award in 1999 for her book I See the Rhythm, written by Toyomi Igus. Come and see her amazing art, which will continue to be on display in the gallery through Sunday, October 23, 2011.   This event is FREE and is open to families and patrons of all ages.

Below is a brief video featured on ACPL's You Tube Channel about Michele Wood's exhibit "Not to be Forgotten":

Rainy Day Destination!

It's cold outside, and rainy and gray. Here in Children's Services, though, we're warm and cozy and colorful! When you and your little one can't go outside and discover the world, we invite you to make the Main Library a destination of discovery! We have one gaztrillion facts to soak up, stories to read and places to learn and play!

Come visit us any time! Find a comfortable spot with a delicious book and read until your heart is content.

Getting Ready for Day of the Dead

Preparing for programs in Children's Services can be sweet work. Seriously!

In preparation for our upcoming Day of the Dead Program, Children's Services staff created hundreds of sugar skulls. These will be available for families to decorate in memory of loved ones who have died. We hope you will join us for our Day of the Dead Open House on Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 6 from 2:00 to 4:00.

Come learn about this joyful Mexican holiday that celebrates the lives of the departed.In addition to decorating your own sugar skull to take home, you can add your memories to the community memory board, make marigolds & masks, taste bread of the dead and more!  We hope to see you!

Helping Your 1 to 2-Year-Old Get Ready to Read

Parents and caregivers -- you've heard you should read to your toddler, do you feel you have no idea where to start?  Are you wondering how you can get your active little person to sit down and read a book?  Come to the downtown library Monday night, and learn how simple and fun it is to get your child ready to read.   You'll learn more about the Five Practices:

• Talking
• Singing
• Reading
• Writing
• Playing

...and how they can teach your child about letters and language and sounds and books -- and get them ready to read!  All attendees will receive a free gift and certificate of completion, and door prizes will be given away.  At the end of the program, we'll do a brief tour of the Children's Department and the Early Learning Center. 

Ready to Read -- Toddlers!

Monday, October 10, 2011

7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

(Next month, November 14, from 7-8:00 p.m., there will be a session for parents & caregivers of preschoolers, ages 3 to 5.  Feel free to come to both sessions!)

Read for the Record!

On Thursday, October 6, 2011, we'll be joining with millions of others around the country who will be reading Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney.  Help us set a reading world record AND call for an end to America's early education achievement gap.

We'll all have fun -- and we'll be standing up for kids!  Join us for our special storytimes at any of the following locations this Thursday, October 6, as we participate in Jumpstart: Read for the Record.

• Children's Services, Main Library, 10:00 a.m.
• Aboite Branch, 10:30 a.m.
• Dupont Branch, 10:30 a.m.
• New Haven Branch, 10:30 a.m.
• Shawnee Branch, 11:00 a.m.
• Woodburn Branch, 1:00 p.m.
• Little Turtle Branch, 1:30 p.m.
• Grabill Branch, 7:00 p.m.
• Hessen Cassel Branch, 6:30 p.m.
• Waynedale Branch, 7:00 p.m.

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!

Football? Volleyball? Running? Baseball? What's YOUR Sport?

Whether you are a player or a fan, we've got books for you!  Visit us at the library and read up on your favorite sports, teams and players.

Floor-etry!

There's something big and bright in the Children's Services Department! It's poetry on the floor!

Grown-ups, this is a fantastic way for little ones to interact with words!

Come on down to the Main Library, walk around the circle and enjoy some "floor-etry"!
A librarian would be delighted to direct you to our wonderful poetry collection for kids!

Another Successful Children's Chess Tournament

The Children’s Services department sponsored an all-day chess tournament for kids on Saturday, August 20, 2011. The tournament was open to children in Kindergarten through grade 5. Each child played five rounds of chess beginning early Saturday morning. The tournament lasted until mid-afternoon.

Here are the winners in each division:

Winners in the Beginner Division – Grade 1 and under

• 1st Place Isaiah Stiver 

Winners in the Beginner Division – Grade 2

• 1st Place Dontrell Johnson
• 2nd Place Gabriel Brown
• 3rd Place Jackson Palmer
• 4th Place Jacob Correll
• 5th Place Morgan DiClementi-Ross
• 6th Place Nicholas Weldy
• 7th Place Delaney Wilson

Winners in the Beginner Division – Grade 3

• 1st Place Ben Correll
• 2nd Place Kyler Kellogg
• 3rd Place Kristin Wilder
• 4th Place Jocelyn Willis
• 5th Place Lauren Butler

Winners in the Beginner Division – Grade 4

• 1st Place Isaac Brown
• 2nd Place Joseph Derrick

Winners in the Beginner Division – Grade 5

• 1st Place Mary Neuman
• 2nd Place Caleb Hogan
• 3rd Place Ben Wilder
• 4th Place Matt Lovinger
• 5th Place Eric Miller

Winners in the Intermediate Division

• 1st Place Aakash Saklani
• 2nd Place Graham Stiver
• 3rd Place Vinnie Lovvorn
• 4th Place Jesse Hamlin

Winners in the Advanced Division

• 1st Place Kevin Wang
• 2nd Place Teddy Tsai
• 3rd Place Tyler Li
• 4th Place Ben Fortney
• 5th Place Jacob Manley

Based on comments & nominations from the players themselves, the parents, and other adults who were watching the tournament, we also awarded Good Sportsmanship trophies in each grade level. The Good Sportsmanship winners were:

• Grade 1 Isaiah Stiver
• Grade 2 Morgan DiClementi-Ross
• Grade 3 Lauryn Butler
• Grade 4 Vinnie Lovvorn
• Grade 5 Matt Lovinger

More pictures of the 2011 ACPL Children’s Chess Tournament are available online here. It was a GREAT day for playing Chess!

 

We Are the Ship -- Kadir Nelson Exhibit at Fort Wayne Museum of Art

I'm so excited to share this news!  Original paintings from Kadir Nelson's award-winning children's book We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball will be on exhibit at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art from August 20, 2011 through October 16, 2011. 

If you've never seen original artwork created for picture books, this is your chance.   I promise you won't regret it!
Mr. Nelson has illustrated and/or written many highly-acclaimed children's books.  Click here to see a list of Kadir Nelson titles in the library's catalog.

Sign up for Storytellers on the Move

Did you know that several times a year, children's librarians visit local daycares and preschools

to deliver boxes of great age-appropriate books and provide storytimes?  Well, they do!  

Call Children's Services at the Main Library -- 421-1220 -- and sign up for

Storytellers on the Move.  

Our next deliveries are being scheduled from September 19 - 30.  Call today!

Science Explorers: A Program for Homeschoolers

Homeschool students in kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to take part in Science Explorers at the Main Library in Children's Services. At our first meeting, we'll have fun exploring the science of bubbles!

Tuesday, August 23, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.: Blowing, Bouncing, Bursting Bubbles

Upcoming Science Explorer programs include:
Tuesday, September 13, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.: Flying Things
Tuesday, October 25, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.: Dramatic Static


We hope you'll join us as we have fun exploring the wonders of science. Think - Do - Learn!

Checking out books is so much fun!

Four year old Rocco is very proud of himself for choosing and checking out books.

Here he is with his checkout list. It's almost as tall as he is!

Enjoy your books, Rocco!  We'll see you the next time you visit the library!

Getting Ready for School

The sun is setting a little earlier every day; cicadas and crickets are chirping louder at night; paper, pencils and backpacks are appearing in stores.  The signs are all there - it's back to school time!  Be sure to add a visit to the library to your to-do list as you prepare for this important time of year. 

Radical Raptors!

Visit Children's Services at the Main Library on Tuesday afternoon, August 9, to meet some awesome birds of prey -- up close and personal.  Soarin' Hawk, a local bird rescue, will be with us to teach us about these amazing animals.

Radical Raptors
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Click here to find some great books about raptors in the library's catalog.  We'll help you find them the next time you visit the library, or put some on hold to pick up at your nearest library branch.

Tie-Dye on the Plaza!

Come downtown to the Main Library on Saturday, August 6 for Tie-Dye on the Plaza.

Bring your own white t-shirt or pillowcase; we'll be outside on the grass in front of the Library Plaza Stage with everything you need to create your own tie-dyed masterpiece.

Tie-Dye on the Plaza
Saturday, August 6
1:00-2:30 p.m.

Have YOU signed up for the Chess Tournament?

This year's Chess Tournament for kids will be held on Saturday, August 20th. It's an all-day, "just for fun" tournament for kids in preschool through 5th grade. If you like playing chess, we'd love to have you join us!

Here are some pictures from last year's Tournament:



Created with flickr slideshow from softsea.

You can sign up for the tournament using this online form. And if you want to learn more about the game, check out this booklist!

Here comes...Olivia!!

Yes, Olivia has been gracing Allen County Public Library locations with her wonderful presence. She will be  in Children's Services, at the Main Library, on Thursday, July 28 at 10:30 a.m. and again on Saturday, July 30 at 2:00 p.m.  Be sure to bring your cameras for pictures!

To see other locations, dates and times where you can meet this world-famous pig in person, click here.

Those Stuffed Animals Kept Us Up Late...

...but we all had so much fun!  Thanks to everyone who came -- we thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet and play with you and your stuffed friends.  Below are some photos we took of our adventures in the library.

It's Time for Another Stuffed Animal Sleepover at the Library!

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,

Turn around!

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,

Touch the ground!

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,

Turn out the light.

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,

Say "Goodnight".

Kids are invited to bring their stuffed animals to the Main Library in downtown Fort Wayne on Friday evening, July 22.  Wear your pajamas!  We'll have a bedtime storytime, and then we'll tuck your stuffed friends into bed for the night.  Stuffed friends may be picked up anytime on Saturday during library hours, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., along with a memory book of their overnight adventures.

Crafts Around the World

What's a didgeridoo?  Ever heard of Kente cloth?  What about matryoshka dolls?  Visit Children's Services on Thursday, July 21 to learn about AND make these crafts -- and more.  We'll have all the supplies you need, just come and craft away!  We'll have programs from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Crafts Around the World is part of One World, Many Stories -- this year's Summer Reading Program for children.  There's still time to participate!  Pick up a time sheet at any library location, or print out your own.

Letter Play Day with Letters Q and U

Visit the downtown library this Wednesday with your preschooler!  We'll have storytime in the morning -- 9:30am for daycares and other groups; 10:30am for families -- and we'll have extra-special activities set up in the Early Learning Center, all about Letter Q and Letter U.

Learning about letters is an important pre-reading activity.  Click on the links for more Letter Q and Letter U fun!

James Coffey LIVE in Concert!

James Coffey -- Live in Concert
We're Travelin' the World!

July 14, 2011

10:30 a.m.

2:00 p.m.

7:00p.m.

Bring your family, a blanket, and sunscreen, and enjoy this great concert
outside on the Library Plaza
at the Main Library.

The James Coffey Concert is part of this year's

 Summer Reading Program: One World, Many Stories
and
is affiliated with the Three Rivers Festival.

 

Listened to a good book lately?

Check out Young Fredle by Newbery-Award-Winning-Author Cynthia Voigt. It's a sweet story about a house mouse who finds himself outside. Listen to his adventures as he tries to find his way home to safety -- and discovers that he's braver than he thought he was.

The library has a large selection of Books on CD and Playaways for your listening enjoyment. You may like to practice your reading by following along in the book.

Have you read to your child today?

Adults -- be sure to pick up a Reading Partners Bookmark and complete at least 6 of the reading activities with your children.  Then, fill out the bookmark and bring it back to the library by July 29, 2011 to be entered into the Reading Partners drawing!  Three $100.00 gift cards will be given away in a drawing, but really, everyone who participates will be a winner, because they will have spent time reading with their children!

Read, read, read with your kids!  Share your childhood favorites with them.   Ask them about their favorite books.  Make up stories with them.  And when they start to learn to read on their own, keep on reading to them!   Need ideas for great books to read aloud?  Ask us!