Upcoming Author Visit!

Since 2012 isn't quite over, I'll hold off on a "best of 2012" post and talk instead about an upcoming author visit at the library. Alice B. McGinty, resident of Urbana and author of Darwin, Eliza's Kindergarten Pet, Thank You World, and Ten Little Lambs is coming to Allerton Library on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 11 a.m. When she visits, kids will get a chance to learn the "story behind the story" for her books, meet Cookie the guinea pig (star of Eliza's Kindergarten Pet), do a craft, and buy signed books. The presentation, and Alice's books, are great for kids in grades K-5. I especially recommend Darwin for older elementary-aged students. I am really excited about this upcoming visit and I hope lots of kids will jump at the opportunity to meet an author! You can see Alice's website here.

New Children's Music & More

We've been able to add a few new CDs to our children's music collection recently and I grabbed some to listen to in the car. Two of my favorites were Rockin' the Uke by Cathy Fink and Marcy Maxer and Live in Lexington: Under the Copper Beech by Ben Rudnick & Friends. Rockin' the Uke had a really nice, bouncy, happy sound to it that had me smiling and humming along. Listening was just delightful! And Live in Lexington had a nice country/rock flavor to it that I think people will really like.

We have a Christmas storytime and craft coming up at 11 a.m. on December 22 for kids ages 3+. We will make Santa beards, Christmas cards, and hear Christmas stories. Please sign up in advance, as space is limited!

Also, I've started putting together weekly tips for getting kids ready to read in the toddler & preschool years for the parents in my weekly Baby & Toddler Lap Time (Tuesdays at 9:30! Lots of fun!). I thought I'd share them here on the blog with you, too. Here's the first one:

The American Library Association suggests five things parents and caregivers can do with children to get them ready to read: talking, singing, playing, reading, and writing. These activities will help kids start learning about books and reading before they start school. In upcoming weeks I will give you more information about these five activities.

Children learn best when they are calm, relaxed, and happy. Loving physical contact (hugs, kisses, being held in your lap) makes the brain release serotonin, which is a chemical that helps learning and memory formation. You know your child best, so you can pick the best times to read and work on these pre-literacy skills. If your child isn’t responding or is fussy, it’s best to put a book or activity aside and look at it again later.

Some Good Audiobook Choices

If you'll be traveling a lot this holiday season, I highly recommend a good audiobook. They make hours in the car practically fly by! I have listened to quite a few children's audiobooks from our collection, and here are a few of my favorites:

Henry and the Clubhouse by Beverly Cleary, narrated by Neil Patrick Harris. Beverly Cleary's stories are wonderful classics that are enjoyed by pretty much all school-age children who like realistic stories. Since they were originally published around 50 years ago they have a nice nostalgic feeling, but the characters and situations are so universal and true-to-life that kids have no trouble relating to it. Neil Patrick Harris does a wonderful job narrating, with good enunciation and nice subtleties in tone that make for a great listening experience.

The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney, narrated by Hal Hollings. The Humphrey the Hamster stories are incredibly popular with elementary-age children, and no wonder! You won't find a cuter, funnier, or more absorbing hamster than Humphrey. Kids who like books about animals but don't necessarily like fantasy stories will love these. Hal Hollings, the narrator, is the perfect choice because his voice can be high-pitched and hamster-like without being annoying or grating in the least. I had a lot of fun listening to this.

For older audiences (middle school and older) I really liked the Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot, narrated by Anne Hathaway, who starred in the movies. Anne has proven that she can do a fantastic job with Mia's breezy yet sometimes neurotic voice, and the story is full of laugh-out-loud moments. It is kind of girly, though, so the boys might need persuading to give it a shot.

And lastly, there's Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins (yes, the same Suzanne Collins who wrote The Hunger Games) and narrated by Paul Boehmer. Gregor's story is less disturbing but more fantastical than the Hunger Games books, and so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for a middle-school-aged audience. The story is compelling and action-packed, but also sprinkled with some funny bits that help alleviate the tension sometimes. The narrator taps into Gregor's voice perfectly and does a great job with the voices and tones of supporting characters.

Take & Make Crafts and a Santa Visit

Come in and get some Take-and-Make Christmas and winter crafts for kids! We currently have four different kinds to choose from: a wreath ornament with jewels, a beaded star ornament, a candy cane ornament, and a large CD snowman decoration. Most just require glue and time, but they do have small parts so they're generally not recommended for children under 3 years.

Santa will be visiting the library on Monday, December 10 at 11 a.m. Kids will also hear Christmas stories and get candy canes to eat. No need to register - just come!

New in Teen, Plus a Contest

I recently read two great new books from our teen section: Ask the Passengers and Code Name Verity. Rather than re-inventing the wheel, I'll just put my Goodreads reviews here:

For Ask the Passengers: There's so much that teens can take away from this book! A.S. King's deceptively simple writing style disguises this fact, because reading her prose is a breeze, but it leaves the reader with a lot to think about as well. Teens who like stories about family, friendships, and relationships in general will find a great read. Teens who are questioning their sexuality or have discovered that they fall somewhere that's not hetero will find comfort and will relate to Astrid's confusion and struggles. Teens who like Big Questions and who like to discuss issues and philosophical ideas will love Astrid's humanities class and will be eager to chime in. Highly recommended for most teen readers, but especially for fans of John Green, David Levithan, John Barnes, Sarah Dessen, or Francesca Lia Block.

For Code Name Verity: This was an incredible World War II story and a great choice to read on Veteran's Day. It's about a young female British spy who has been captured, tortured and interrogated by the Gestapo in France and has cut a deal with them: they will give her two weeks, and she will write down everything she knows about the British war effort. The reader is on the edge of his/her seat the whole time (what will they do to her? what will she give away?), and some of the plot twists are just. staggering. The whole thing really brings home the extraordinary bravery of all the people who fought the Nazis during the war. It's a tough read, but I will recommend it to older teens and adults who want a good historical fiction story that packs an emotional wallop. Fans of The Book Thief will want to read this, immediately.

Also, there's a contest out there for kids who enjoy reading and writing! It's called Letters About Literature and it's open to kids in grades 4-10. Kids who win will get money for themselves plus money for their schools! You must enter before January 11, 2013. For more details, go to the website here. 

Getting Crafty (And Hungry!)

I have been very busy cutting out snowman parts and paper wreaths to get everything ready for Take 'N Make Craft Day on Saturday, November 24. It's the Saturday after Thanksgiving and I know all you crafty people out there will be thinking about Christmas and winter decorations! We will have three or four different crafts that will be great for families with kids to do together. All you'll need for most of them will be glue.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, it's only two weeks away! Be sure to stop by and check out some of our Thanksgiving books... or, if those are all gone (they're going fast!) some books with food. Some of my favorites are Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Muncha Muncha Muncha by Candace Fleming, Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann, Bean Thirteen by Matthew McElligott, and Wild Boars Cook by Meg Rosoff.

What are some of your favorite books for Thanksgiving?

They're Here!

Remember how I posted a while back on all the cool books that were coming out this fall? Well, now lots of them are here and my to-read pile is as huge as ever! I did read the two books pictured in that post, The Mark of Athena and Let's Go for a Drive!. I also finished The Diviners, This Is Not My Hat, and Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs. I liked all of them, even though I felt a little so-so on The Diviners because it has a slow-moving plot. I also want to warn Riordan fans that The Mark of Athena is really, really good... but there is an excruciating cliffhanger at the end of it.

Right now my to-read pile includes Variant by Robison Wells, Ask the Passengers by A.S. King, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Ruins by Orson Scott Card (yay! it's finally here!), and Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin. I also have Linwood Barclay's book The Accident and Lauren Kate's Fallen on my Kindle waiting to be read after I finish Across the Universe. Phew! And I CANNOT WAIT for Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor. I loved the first book, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, so much, and I've been looking forward to this sequel since last year around this time.

Teen's Top Ten 2012

I'm slightly late on this one, but the Teen's Top Ten list has been released from YALSA! Here it is:

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth
2. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
3. Legend by Marie Lu
4. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
5. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
6. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
7. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
8. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
9. Where She Went by Gayle Forman
10. Abandon by Meg Cabot

As I scanned the list, I was very pleased to note that we already own 9 of the 10 titles (we're missing Across the Universe, which I will shortly fix) and I've personally read 8 of the 10 (I haven't read Across the Universe or Where She Went, although I did read Forman's If I Stay).

Of the ones I've read, I'd say my favorites are The Fault In Our Stars and Divergent, and my least favorite ones were The Scorpio Races and Abandon. What did you think of the list?

I Jump Into the World of Tablets

I just got a new Kindle Paperwhite and I'm loving it so far! It can hold about 1100 books, it's quick, it's easy and intuitive to use, small, and lightweight. I've also gone onto My Media Mall to download library books to read on it, and I was surprised by how easy it was. No need to download extra software like Mobipocket or Adobe EPub - I just limited my search to Kindle books, found one I wanted, and clicked several buttons that said "download" or some variation of it, and I was done! The Kindle was able to download it via wi-fi SO QUICKLY once I had it checked out - I think the entire process, including signing on to the network, took about 15 seconds. It was great.

Zoinks!

October is here and that means I'm gearing up for the Scooby Doo Mystery Party, which is happening on Saturday, October 27 at 11 a.m. At the party, kids will follow clues to solve the mystery of who stole the Scooby Snacks, make Mystery Machines from shoeboxes, get a chance to win Scooby books, and have snacks. It's for ages 7+, and younger kids are also welcome but will need help from an adult. Sign up if you're interested!

I've been making up fun rhymes about different locations in the library for clues - which is harder than I thought it would be! I've also made a shopping list for supplies and typed up some directions for the Mystery Machine craft. The shoeboxes will really roll just like toy cars, which makes the whole thing a bit complicated, but I think the fun of racing them around will be worth it.

I'm also starting to think a little bit about Halloween. What's everyone going to be this year? I haven't decided yet, personally. We have some great Halloween books out on display in case you need some inspiration like me. Stop by and check 'em out!

Events, Books and Authors

We will be having a My Weird School party here in the ballroom above the library this Saturday 9/29/12 at 11:00 a.m. for kids in grades 2-3 (others are welcome, but kids in grades 2-3 will have the most fun). At the party, kids will juggle scarves for Fizz Ed, take the School Nurse Challenge (balance a yardstick on your nose), do one of Ms. Hannah's art projects, and leave spelling words on a board for Miss Daisy to learn. Kids will also have snacks and get a chance to win My Weird School books. Please sign up if you are interested.

We recently got a new picture book called My Brave Year of Firsts, another title by Jamie Lee Curtis who came out with hits such as It's Hard to Be Five and Today I Feel Silly. My Brave Year of Firsts is fun and exuberant and made me laugh out loud on the first page. Laura Cornell's illustrations are full of energy and complement the rhyming text perfectly. Both kids and their parents will enjoy it.

 On Saturday, Oct. 6 there is a Community Day Celebration that makes up part of the Youth Literature Festival centered in Champaign. The website, with more details including directions to the IHotel where it is located, can be seen here. The Community Day is a chance for the public to meet lots of amazing children's authors including some of my favorites like Nic Bishop and Joseph Bruchac. The full list of authors is here.
I'm really excited because I like meeting authors and getting books signed. I hope I'll see some of you there!

New & Notable in the Teen Section

I've read a couple of new books from the Teen section recently that I've been raving about to the Teen Book Club members. The first one is Every Day by David Levithan. Every Day is about a being called A who wakes up every day in a different person's body. A has no control over what person's life he will be living next, and A just drifts from day to day until... A falls in love with a girl named Rhiannon. As A's feelings for Rhiannon deepen and A has to go to greater and greater lengths to see her every day, things get more and more complicated. You'll have to read the book to find out how it all gets resolved. Most teens who like romance (especially paranormal romance) stories will like this.

I also just read Gordon Korman's newest book Ungifted. It's about an eighth grade boy named Donovan who accidentally ends up in The Academy, a school for exceptional and gifted children. Donovan wants to stay at the Academy for as long as possible (the reason becomes clear in the hilarious first chapter of the book) but how long will the Academy's teaching staff wait for Donovan to show his "exceptional" qualities? Fans of Korman's amazing No More Dead Dogs will absolutely love this, as well as any middle school kid who likes realistic fiction.

New Books I Like

This month is an awesome month for new books, as I said a couple of weeks ago, and I've been finding some unexpected gems here at the library! One of my new favorites is The Baby That Roared by Simon Puttock. It's best for kids in kindergarten or first grade, because the "baby" in the book is actually a sneaky monster in disguise. This will be obvious to older kids who are watching the illustrations carefully, but younger preschoolers won't get the joke and might be a little frightened. I thought the whole thing was very amusing, though, in the same way that Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems and I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen were.

I've also been trying to revitalize the board book collection and we've added It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff (who also wrote the famous If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and sequels). It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse! is a cute board book that shows Mouse painting pumpkins with different kinds of faces: happy, sad, excited, etc. This book is good for toddlers who are ready for & can recognize abstract representations of facial expressions. We've added lots of other board books too, including several featuring popular Pixar characters and "Touch & Feel" types with wild animals, Curious George, etc.


What picture books have you read recently? Anything good?

Fall Programs

I'm really looking forward to the big Saturday programs at the library this fall! Here's what we have coming up:

Saturday, Sept. 29: My Weird School Party at 11 a.m. Join us for a party based on Dan Gutman’s popular chapter book series! At the party, kids will  have Ms. Hannah’s art class, take the School Nurse challenge (balance a yardstick on your nose), do scarf juggling for Fizz Ed, and leave spelling words on a board for Miss Daisy to learn. Snacks will be served and kids will get a chance to win My Weird School books. Please register by Sept. 27 if interested.

Saturday, Oct. 27: Scooby Doo Mystery Party at 11 a.m. Join us for a spooky good time and to solve the mystery of who stole all the Scooby Snacks! Kids will follow clues through the library to find the culprit, and will also make Mystery Machines from shoeboxes. Snacks will be served and kids will get a chance to win Scooby Doo books. Please register by Oct. 25 if interested.

New Picture Books

Today at storytime I tried out a couple of new picture books. One was called Cindy Moo and I really enjoyed it. The story is about how Cindy, a cow, hears the nursery rhyme about the cow jumping over the moon and decides she should be able to do it, too. Her attempts at jumping the moon reminded me strongly of Kevin Henkes's wonderful book Kitten's First Full Moon. Cindy Moo was fun to read, but a little challenging because the story is told in a rhyme scheme that has a certain rhythm to it. It reminded me of Bed Hogs by Kelly DiPuccio.

The second book I tried out was Don't Copy Me! by Jonathan Allen. This book will resonate with any kid who has a sibling, because the story of Little Puffin's attempts at getting the Gull babies to stop copying him should be very, very familiar. Kids will laugh at the illustrations, and should also check out Allen's Baby Owl titles I'm Not Cute! and I'm Not Scared!

New Stuff Coming This Fall

This fall is going to be a wonderful time for popular children's book releases! I am especially looking forward to The Diviners by Libba Bray (September), Ruins by Orson Scott Card (October), This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen (October), The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (October), and Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor (November). Fans of the Just Grace and Ivy + Bean chapter books will be pleased to see new books in those series, and Mo Willems fans such as myself will be happy to see new books in September and October (Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs and Let’s Go for a Drive!, respectively). Which books are you looking forward to this fall?

We'll be busy with fall programs here soon too. On Saturday Sept. 1 we're having a special Pete the Cat storytime at 11 a.m. with snacks and activities in addition to Pete stories. On Saturday Sept. 29 we're having a My Weird School party at 11 a.m. with art projects, Fizz Ed, and more activities, plus snacks and a chance to win the My Weird School books. And on Saturday October 27 we're having a Scooby Doo Mystery Party at 11 a.m. Kids will solve a mystery and build shoebox Mystery Machines, as well as eat snacks and get a chance to win some Scooby books. Please sign up for these programs if you're interested by calling us, emailing me, or stopping by the library.

Last-Minute Rush

We have been really busy giving out summer reading prizes this week. In fact, I hope everyone has come and claimed their reading prizes for the reading program, because we are about to run out of prize packs. We had unprecedented numbers of children complete the program this year, and latecomers might have to accept substitute prizes. I'm so proud of everyone who read 50 books or 500 minutes so far this summer!

I'll be on vacation for the next two weeks, so there won't be any storytimes, lap times, or Teen Book Club meetings until the week of August 13. I'm planning on reading a bunch of books during my time off, so I hope I'll have lots of good ones to talk about when I get back.

Manga!

I'm pleased to say that our library now has eight different manga series for kids and teens! For kids we have Pokemon Adventures, Ninja Baseball Kyuma, and The Big Adventures of Majoko in the chapter book section. For teens, we have Fullmetal Alchemist, Ouran High School Host Club, One Piece, Vampire Knight, and Black Butler.

I'm planning on expanding our selection, especially for teens. My to-buy list includes Death Note, Claymore, K-ON!, Tsubasa, Children of the Sea, and Black Bird.

Do you have a favorite manga series I've missed?

The Fun Goes On

We still have two weeks of fun activities to look forward to this summer! Next week we have a Healthy Snacks program with 4-H and a Cooking Up History program where kids will experience hands-on activities relating to the kinds of foods the pioneers ate and how they were made. The week after that, we'll be going crafty with Spaghetti Painting and pretend ice cream sundaes. If you're interested in any of these programs, please call us or email me to sign up!

Halfway Point

So we're halfway through the year, and halfway through our summer reading program. Congratulations to all the kids who have collected prize bags already! My advice about prizes is that if you've marked enough boxes on your log sheet to get a prize bag, you should come in sooner rather than later, since prizes will only be given out while supplies last.

Goodreads informs me that I've read 104 books so far this year. Woo! Some of my favorites so far include The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis, Chomp by Carl Hiaasen, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, The Selection by Kiera Cass, Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King, Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu, Delirium by Lauren Oliver, Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver, and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

Thursday is Read-A-Thon Day

Don't forget, all the Thursdays in June and July are read-a-thon days. Kids who read or listen to books in the library on Thursdays from 10-12 will earn double points for the summer reading program. We also have read-a-thon times on Sunday afternoons from 1-3 for kids who can't make the Thursday morning ones.

I have storytimes every Thursday at 11, so kids who come listen to stories will earn double points for those books too! At my last few storytimes, we've read Oh, No, George! by Chris Haughton, Hot Rod Hamster by Cynthia Lord, and Smash! Crash! by John Scieszka, among other things. We've also been singing songs, playing parachute games, doing the Hokey Pokey with Pinky the Puppet, and generally having a great time. Stop by soon and join us!

Free Food & Fun

I'm sorry I haven't been blogging much lately - it's just been so busy here at the library. The summer reading program is in full swing and we've got lots of books, lots of readers, and lots of activities going on!

Tomorrow we have an Iron Chef program with two groups - kids 7 and under will start at 2:30, and kids 8+ will start at 3:30. Each group will have a variety of foods to choose from to create their own dish to eat - but they have to use the Secret Ingredient!

On Monday next week we'll do a Food Detectives program at 10 a.m. where kids will have to guess what kind of candy bar is in the bag, guess condiments by taste, and guess herbs & spices by smell. Then on Tuesday at 2:30 we'll have a Gross Food program where kids will use normal ingredients to make gross-looking food (Ritz cracker & pretzel stick "spiders," for example).

If you're interested in any of these programs (and we'll have more in July!) please contact the library to sign up, or email me at klawson.allerton@gmail.com.

I recently got my hands on a copy of Wonder by R.J. Palacio and I really liked it! No wonder all the upper elementary/lower middle school kids are asking for it. On my Goodreads page I wrote:

"Fans of heartfelt stories with happy endings will love this book about Auggie, whose facial deformities, multiple surgeries, and health problems have kept him out of school... until the beginning of this book, where he starts 5th grade. His face is still messed up despite the surgeries and the story of him starting school for the first time is both heartbreaking and uplifting. The book ultimately presents a positive view of human nature, so the sad parts are kept from being depressing. Readers who enjoyed Rules, Out of My Mind, Anything But Typical, and similar stories will like this."

Step Right Up...

...and sign up for the summer reading program at the library!

Kids of all ages are welcome to participate. The reading part of the program is a do-it-yourself thing where you sign up at the library, get a log sheet, and starting on June 4 you count books or minutes on the log sheet. Once you've filled out the sheet, bring it in to the library and get bags of prizes including certificates for free pizza and free ice cream.

We're also doing lots of cool activities, which you can read more about here. They are open to kids of all ages, and parents/caregivers should read the descriptions and determine the appropriateness of each activity for their children. For example, some activities are just crafts involving gluing stuff together, but other activities require reading and writing. To sign up, call us or email me, or of course please do stop by. I hope to see everyone soon!

Watch for me at school!

It's time for school visits again! I have had the pleasure of visiting Lincoln School, White Heath School, and the Monticello Christian Academy this week. Next week I'll be going to Washington and Monticello Middle School. I will be dropping off flyers in teachers' mailboxes about the summer reading program so be sure to keep an eye out for those!

I have finished all but one of the Rebecca Caudill books and now I'm starting to work on my Bluestems. My two RC favorites were Countdown and Dark Life. The one that irritated me the most was As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth. So far from the Bluestems I liked Guyku and Out of My Mind. What did you think?

Library Luau

It's Library Luau time again! This year's luau is coming up quickly: it will be on Saturday, May 12 from 2-4 for children of all ages. At the luau, there will be coconut bowling, fishing, painting, hula hooping, a bean bag toss, and advance registration for the summer reading program. There will also be snacks and music. Please sign up for the luau by May 10 if you're interested. Kids who sign up in the library can pick a prize from our treasure box!

An Awesome Book

Hello, folks. The behind-the-scenes mechanics have changed in Blogger so bear with me as I get used to all the new stuff around here.

I recently had the pleasure of reading An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton. The cover practically sells the book just in and of itself, but I enjoyed the inside as well. The text is actually a poem, with large two-page spreads for every few lines. The poem is basically a letter to a child about the importance of having big dreams, and I found it very inspirational. (The librarians out there who are planning a "Dream Big!" summer reading program should definitely take note of this book, btw.) The rhythm of the poem is mostly solid with a few small exceptions (for example, "They dream of breakfast sandwiches / They dream of telephones / Sometimes they even dream of dreams that aren't even their own.") The illustrations are the book's true strength - detailed and vibrant, with lots of great touches and things for children to pore over at length.

Unfortunately, this book is not available in our local system yet, but if you are interested in borrowing it please contact me and we can work something out. As soon as it is possible, I plan to add it to our library's collection.

Summer Reading Program Details

Allerton Library's summer reading program is simple, fun, and open to all children under 18. After kids sign up, they take home a reading log. They can read anything they want (audiobooks also count) and they should keep track of their minutes on the log. After 200 minutes, they can bring the log in and get a bag full of prizes. After 500 minutes (in other words, 300 additional minutes), they can bring the log in again and get a second bag of even cooler prizes. Kids who want to keep going should keep recording their minutes, because large prizes are awarded to the 15 readers who have the most minutes at the end of the program.

The reading program starts on June 4 and ends on July 27. Kids can sign up for the program anytime between May 12 (Library Luau day) and July 27, but June 4 is the earliest day they can begin counting minutes. They have to stop counting minutes on July 27.

When kids sign up, they will get a reading log, information about reading goals and prizes, and a bookmark. They may also pick up activity calendars and sign up for activities (for more info on activities, please go here) but they don't have to do the activities in order to participate in the reading program. Kids must come in to the library to sign up.

Questions? Call us at 762-4676 or email me at klawson.allerton@gmail.com.

Summer Reading Activities

Summer is coming soon, and we have lots of great activities for kids planned at Allerton Library. You can register for these activities anytime between May 12 and the day of the activity you're interested in. Sign up for all, some, or none - it's up to you! There's no penalty for no-shows or cancellations. To sign up, stop by the library at 201 N. State St., call us at 762-4676, or email me at klawson.allerton@gmail.com.

Activities are on Monday mornings and Tuesday afternoons. We will also have weekly teen book club meetings, baby lap times, and storytimes. Stop by the library or go here to view monthly calendars.

June 4: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs at 10 a.m. Kids will do crafts based on the book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. One will be a picture of food coming down from the sky with pipe cleaner and muffin cup umbrellas, and the other will be a food picture mixing/matching activity.

June 5: Building with Food at 2:30 p.m. Kids will make buildings from toothpicks and mini marshmallows, and will test their cookie stacking skills.

June 11: Three Ravens tour at 11 a.m. Kids will go to the Three Ravens restaurant on the square and will get to see how the restaurant works. We will all meet at the library at 10:45 and then walk downtown to the restaurant to be there when it opens at 11. Parents should make sure that small children are accompanied by an adult or caregiver.

June 12: S’Mores and Stories at 2:30 p.m. Kids will listen to stories in a tent and enjoy microwave s’mores.

June 18: Potluck Picnic at 10 a.m. Kids will play picnic games like a Penny Toss, Relay Race, Clothespin in the Bottle, and a Hoop Jump. Parents can bring recipes for a recipe exchange. Juice & snacks will be provided.

June 19: Iron Chef at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. At both programs, kids will have access to several kinds of food and will be able to put together their own dishes – but they have to include the Secret Ingredient! The 2:30 program is for children ages 3-7 and the 3:30 program is for children ages 8 and older.

June 25: Food Detectives at 10 a.m. Kids will try to identify the kind of squished candy bar in each plastic bag. They will also try to guess condiments based on taste and spices based on smell.

June 26: Gross Food at 2:30 p.m. Kids will assemble different kinds of foods to make “gross” items, such as Ritz cracker & pretzel stick spiders, cheese & pretzel boogers on a stick, etc.

July 2: My Plate, My Pancake at 10 a.m. Kids will do a craft based on the “My Plate” healthy eating model, and do a pancake & frying pan craft.

July 3: Bean & Pasta Mosaic at 2:30 p.m. Kids will make mosaics by gluing pieces of pasta and beans onto construction paper.

July 9: Butterflies & Bees at 10 a.m. The Macon County Conservation District will come to the library and do a presentation about how bees and butterflies eat. Kids will learn about pollination and honey making and will get to taste some local honey.

July 10: Pondering Pizza at 2:30 p.m. Kids will learn how all the ingredients on a slice of pizza begin on farms, are processed, distributed, and made into a tasty meal. Cheese pizza will be served.

July 16: Making Healthy Snacks at 10 a.m. Monticello’s 4-H group will lead a workshop for kids where they can learn about healthy snacks and then make their own.

July 17: Cooking Up History at 2:30 p.m. Kids will learn about the kinds of things pioneers used to eat and how they were grown and made. There will be several hands-on activities.

July 23: Spaghetti Painting at 10 a.m. Kids will make paintings using cooked spaghetti instead of paintbrushes.

July 24: Ice Cream Sundae at 2:30 p.m. Kids will make a pretend ice cream sundae with craft pom poms and sequins for sprinkles.

American Girl Tea Party: Follow-Up

I didn't announce the answers to the spice guessing game at the party, so here they are:

1. Clue: This spice is native to Asia. It contains a substance called "piperine" that gives it a sharp, biting taste.
Answer: Black Pepper

2. Clue: This herb is in the mint family and is native to India, but is often used in Italian cuisine.
Answer: Basil

3. Clue: This herb is an excellent source of vitamins. The fresh leaves are used as a garnish and the dried leaves are often used in soups.
Answer: Parsley

4. Clue: This spice comes from the bark of a special tree that grows mostly in Sri Lanka.
Answer: Cinnamon

5. Clue: This spice comes from the bulb of the plant, and is related to the onion.
Answer: Garlic (powder)

I also want to announce that I have called all the winners of the prize giveaways.

Upcoming Events

Today I've been very busy getting ready for this Saturday's American Girl Tea Party. It starts at 11 a.m. and we'll have crafts, painting pictures, a spice guessing game, and a luncheon with sandwiches, fruit, yogurt, and cookies. Kids can dress up and bring their dolls if they want.

I've also started getting ready for our annual Library Luau, which is now exactly one month away! We always do a luau to kick off the summer reading program, so we will have pre-registration for that as well as fun games like coconut bowling, a bean bag toss, and fishing.

The theme for this summer's program is Reading is So Delicious, so we're going to have a lot of really cool food-related programs at the library in June and July. Stay tuned for details on an Iron Chef program, a Food Detectives program, and a Gross Food program.

More Books with Pictures!

So I'm looking forward to finally getting the rest of the One Piece manga series for our Teen graphic novels section. I've been chipping away at it for a long time, trying to find a little money here and there around the necessary orders for new Rick Riordan or Ellen Hopkins books. I will finally be able to get caught up with the series (it's up to volume 61) this quarter! Now I'm wondering what other series we should start with. We already have all available Black Butler and Fullmetal Alchemist volumes.

A new Pigeon picture book came to our library yesterday, titled The Duckling Gets A Cookie?! As always, Mo Willems has delivered a hit. The Duckling (super cute of course) asks politely for a cookie and receives one, and then the Pigeon comes along and FREAKS OUT because of course he wants one too! But the Duckling gives the Pigeon the cookie, which makes the Pigeon super happy. Then, at the end, the Duckling asks for another cookie, "But this time, without nuts." Fabulous. :D

American Girl Tea Party & More Events

Lately I've been busy getting ready for the American Girl Tea Party. It will be on Saturday, April 14 at 11 a.m. for kids ages 3+. At the party, kids will do crafts, paint pictures, play a spice guessing game, and enjoy a little luncheon: sandwiches, fruit, yogurt, cookies, tea, and juice. Kids can dress up and bring their dolls if they want. Please register if you're interested!

I've also been busy planning out the summer reading program. This year, the theme is Reading Is So Delicious, and we're going to have a lot of really fun food-related programs - and a bunch of free food! There will be an Iron Chef program, S'mores & Stories, Food Stacking & Building, and much more. Stay tuned for more details on that as we get closer to June.

So Many Books! So Little Time!

The book order I mentioned last week has arrived, and I had placed so many holds on those books that now I'm not sure how I'm going to get them all read! I'm still finishing up my Rebecca Caudills (I've read 16, working on 2 more, and I have the last two on reserve) and I have lots of really delicious-looking books for teens on my to-read pile. Among them are Everybody Sees the Ants by A. S. King, The Always War by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Legend by Marie Lu, and Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet. And I have barely even started thinking about the Bluestems, though I'd like to get most if not all of those read as well. Plus, I've just discovered David Baldacci - I'm working on his newest novel, Zero Day, right now.

Too bad I won't have a ton of time to read this weekend - I'm going to see the Hunger Games movie! Who else is going? If you've seen it already, tell me what you think.

Busier and Busier

I feel like I'm catapulting into springtime with all the stuff that's happening here at the library! First, I've been really busy preparing this Saturday's Hunger Games party. It's at 11 a.m. for tween & teens who have read the books. We're giving away lots of prizes and we will have cool activities and snacks. Registration is a must!

I'm also planning out April's American Girl Tea Party (April 14), the Library Luau on May 12, and of course the 8-week summer reading program starting on June 4. On top of that, I've been getting a lot of special requests for books outside our local system since Champaign and Urbana got their own computer software, so that takes up a lot of time... and I've been trying to learn new songs and flannelboard routines for my weekly storytimes and lap times to keep them fresh. Phew!

I'm also working on ordering some new books so we have cool shiny things for people to check out when they come in for the programs. Let me know if there's something new and interesting for kids that caught your eye, and I will try to add it in.

The Value of Storytime

Storytime is more than just a way to entertain preschoolers for 45 minutes! Reading to small children helps them develop six very important skills that help them later on when they are learning how to read. The six skills are:

• Print Motivation: Kids are interested in and enjoy books. That's why I try to make storytime as fun as possible!
• Print Awareness: Kids know how books work (the way you hold them and turn the pages) and understand that print has meaning. Sometimes while I'm reading I point to the print as I read each word. It helps the kids make the connection between the words and the marks on the page.
• Vocabulary: Picture books can contain some great big words! I really like the Fancy Nancy books because they have big words AND definitions in the text.
• Letter Knowledge: Kids learn that every letter looks different and stands for a different sound. Alphabet books are great for this skill.
• Phonological Sensitivity: Kids learn to distinguish the small sounds (called phonemes) that make up words. Books and songs that rhyme help develop this skill.
• Narrative skills: kids learn how a story works, and can guess what might happen next in the story.

Parents can develop all these skills at home while reading to their children - but of course we love to see you at storytimes!

E-Book Controversy

There's a lot of buzz lately (angry buzz!) about some major publishers refusing to allow their e-books to be lent by libraries. The GalleyCat blog has posted a good entry on it, which you can read here. Basically, we can buy books from publishers like Penguin and Simon & Schuster, stick them on our shelves, and lend them out - but we can't do the same with the electronic versions of the same books. The blog entry has a list of the publishers' contact information if you care to let them know what you think about this development. There's also a petition at change.org about it. You can see that here (you have to click on the Petition Letter tab to read the text of the petition).

On the flip side of the issue, I have heard that the actual cost of producing e-books is much, much higher than people think. IT World has an interesting article about it, which you can read here. Maybe these publishers think they wouldn't be able to stay afloat if they didn't charge for every copy of all their e-books.

What do you think?

Pinkalicious and Lauren Oliver

The Parkland College Theatre is doing a production of Pinkalicious: The Musical. How fun for little Pinkalicious fans! And no wonder suddenly all our Pinkalicious books are checked out. But don't worry - we can always get books delivered here for you from nearby libraries. Anyway, you can see information on the show here.

I am really starting to become a fan of new author Lauren Oliver. Her first book, Before I Fall, was a great book for teens about a girl who is stuck living the last day of her life over and over again, until she figures out how to break the cycle. The ending hit me like a freight train... but in a good way. It packs an emotional punch. I also just finished her newest book, Delirium, and I think it will go over really well with fans of Crossed by Ally Condie.

I also really enjoyed her book for middle grade readers (grades 4-7) called Liesl & Po. In that story, she took elements of classic children's literature and added her own gorgeous writing style, unique but relatable characters, and age-appropriate but thought-provoking themes concerning Big Issues like love and death. I just loved every page, and most kids who like stories with magic and adventure will enjoy it.

Minute To Win It & Bluestems

I'm getting a blog post up early this morning so I have some time to work on the upcoming Minute To Win It program. It will be on Saturday Feb. 18 at 11 a.m. for children ages 3+. At the program, kids will do games and activities based on the NBC show Minute to Win It and get prizes. Some games included will be "Breakfast Scramble," "Face the Cookie," and "Johnny Applestack." Please register for this program if you are interested.

Also, in other news: the Bluestem list is out! You can see it here. I noticed that Sharon Draper's Out of My Mind is on both the Bluestem and Rebecca Caudill lists. I say, great - it's a very good book and the more kids who read it, the better. I also liked The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch. What does everyone else think of the list?

2013 Rebecca Caudill & Monarch Lists

Yay! They're out!

You can see the Rebecca Caudills here and the Monarchs here. I was really pleased to see Smile by Raina Telgemeier, as well as Countdown by Deborah Wiles. I REALLY enjoyed Countdown but haven't had much of a chance to talk it up, since most of the kids who come in here are looking for something action-adventure, or a Sarah Dessen read-a-like, rather than some quality historical fiction like Countdown. And now kids will read it! And hopefully they will love it as I did.

I've also read and enjoyed The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Out of My Mind, Bounce, The Graveyard Book, and Inside Out & Back Again. So that's 6 down, 14 to go. (I haven't read Smile yet, but I was very happy to see a well-received graphic novel on the list. Great for reluctant readers.)

As far as Monarchs go, I'm glad A Sick Day for Amos McGee got on there (Caldecott winner from last year!) and of course I was THRILLED to see We Are In A Book by Mo Willems. Every Elephant & Piggie book should be read by everyone. Immediately. :P

ALA Award Lists

ALA (the American Library Association) came out with its annual award lists on Monday. These include the Newbery medal, the Caldecott medal, and the Printz award. I have not yet read any of the winners (which are Dead End in Norvelt, A Ball for Daisy, and Where Things Come Back, respectively) but I have read a few of the honor titles such as The Scorpio Races (see, I told you my opinion was the minority one!), Grandpa Green, Me...Jane, and Inside Out & Back Again. So I'll have to get busy reading this new batch of winners. If you're interested in seeing the winners in other areas such as the Geisel award or the Coretta Scott King award, you can start here.

Have you read any of the winner or honor books? What did you think?

Support School Libraries!

I subscribe to the blog Tiny Tips for Library Fun. Not only is it useful for my day-to-day work, but it also helps me stay current with developments in the library world. Marge, the librarian who writes Tiny Tips, has recently posted about a petition on the White House website that supports school libraries. Her post includes a report from Library Research Service News that shows the value of school libraries and school librarians that you can read to get yourself familiar with the topic. In short though, having a school library plus a full time, certified school librarian running it improves children's test scores. School librarians also do incredibly useful work in teaching kids digital literacy skills and critical thinking skills, which are vital to have in today's wired world.

I really hope you'll support this important cause by signing the petition and spreading the word! School libraries are so important, and every voice counts.

Books and Crafts

We are selling some of our children's books! They are only 25 cents apiece, but free to teachers and other educators. At Allerton Library, we don't have a lot of space, so for every new book we buy, we have to get rid of one. Please take advantage of this great opportunity - many of the books are in great condition and I'd really like to see them go to good homes!

We're going to have a Craft Explosion here at Allerton Library on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. Kids can do crafts from past programs or make their own crafty creations. Please register if you're interested. We also have a Boredom Busters treasure box out at the library filled with cool ideas indoor crafts and activities for kids, since it's sometimes too cold to play outside.

Also: the Newbery award will be announced in less than two weeks! Check here on Monday, Jan. 23 to see what this year's winner is.

Websites to Try

I ran across an interesting site called Great Websites for Kids. It's run by the American Library Association and it features a different website every week, plus it has links to all sorts of educational and kid-friendly websites. You can sort the websites according to popularity (among other things) and one that pops up near the top is Great Group Games. There's also one called Cool Science for Curious Kids. Try it with our new "Here Comes Science" CD!

Looking for a science project idea? Try Steve Spangler Science. You can also get science-based toys and just plain old fun ideas to try at home on a rainy day.

Kids who are animal fans could try looking at The Encyclopedia of Life. It's a neat-looking website with a simple search right at the top, so kids who are looking for something in particular can get right to where they need to go. Some kids (younger ones especially) might not like this website's emphasis on Latin genus and species names, though.

Try 'em! Let me know what you think.