News, News, News

So if you haven't seen it online yet...the new fall schedule is out! You can pick up your copy in the library or check it out here. New this fall...a second Family Story Time on Fridays (now 10:30 and 11:30), a second Preschool Story Time on Thursdays (1:30, in addition to Mondays at 10:30) and a special monthly story time for children with special needs. As always, we're offering fantastic Weekend Adventures, Super Tuesdays and special events.

In reading world news...Reading Rainbow will be off the air shortly. Have no fear, you can still check out episodes at your library.

You or your kids fans of The Series of Unfortunate Events? If so, glad tidings for you, as Lemony announces that there is a new series in the works. Bad news...not until 2012!

Fall means new events for grown ups as well. Check out the full offerings here, or pick up a schedule at the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor. Highlights include book groups, computer classes, job seeker classes, music and movies.

Dogs & Tales

Do you have a child who could use a helping "paw" with reading? The library's Dogs & Tales program starts again on September 9th. What's Dogs & Tales you ask? Every Wednesday evening from 6-7:30 two pet therapy teams come to the library so that kids in Kindergarten through 5th grade have a chance to read to a dog! Did you know dogs are non-judgemental, kind and attentive listeners? Yup, and ours sure love books, and kids too. If you are interested in signing your child up for a 20-minute time slot, or you just want to know more about this cool program, please call 503-684-6537 and ask for the Children's department. We register up to two weeks in advance. To quote one of our seven-year-old Dogs & Tales regulars: "When I have to read in class at school and I get nervous, I just pretend that I am reading to one of the dogs and I feel better!"

So What Do You Want?

This blog is almost a year old! How did that happen?! Time for a mini-review.

What do you like? What do you wish we would talk about? What do you want us to cover? Comment away!

(For example...We're thinking of putting up audio files to the songs we sing at story times. Interested?)

Happy Birthday, Library!

Five years ago, library staff, patrons and volunteers helped to move the library into its new building. Since the move, the library has added programs, hours and a lot more books (and stuff!). You are checking out 2x as many books now (over 1.2 million last year alone versus around 600,000 then).

Help us celebrate at our birthday party, this Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Enjoy music, games, crafts, and of course, cake! You can also get a behind the scenes tour of the library. While you're there, test your library knowledge with our trivia to win some fabulous prizes.

Early Literacy, Ch. 4: Print Motivation

And so we continue with another installment of Early Literacy. Print Motivation. I realized I've already talked some about Print Motivation, but in the interest of continuing with my little Early Literacy mini-lectures, I'll repeat myself. Kids who have the skill of print motivation like books. Yes, liking books is actually considered a skill. You may ask, "How do I encourage print motivation in my child?" Depending on your child, this may be the easiest skill to master, or it may be the most difficult. Try some of these things:

• Find a time to read when you are BOTH in a good, relaxed mood. Do NOT try to force your child to read.
  
• Help your child find books that interest him/her. It's even OK if s/he wants to read the same book over and over again. That's actually normal.
  
• Find ways that will involve your child in the story. For examle, repetition is great; your child will love joining in and feeling extra smart because s/he knows what to say along with the story. Stories that involve the audience in some way are good, too. Think Mo Willems' Pigeon books.

Join the (Book) Club!

Registration for the library's book clubs is getting started. Space is limited, so registration is required. Call the Children's Desk or stop by to reserve a spot!

Kids Book Club (1st-4th graders) Meetings at 3:30 on the 4th Monday or Tuesday of every month

Each month kids read a different book nominated for the Beverly Cleary Children's Choice Award. At the end of the year, they get to vote on their top pick! Each meeting features book discussion and fun activities.

Super Readers (4th-6th graders) Meetings at 4 on the 3rd Tuesday of every month

These readers read a bit of everything in this fun club. They meet to talk about the book with other readers and enjoy crafts and activities.

Teen BookTRON (6th-12th graders) First meeting on Sept. 17 at 4:30

Reading Young Readers Choice Award nominees, the teens enjoy book discussion, crafts and activities.

And adults, don't forget the library offers two book clubs for you too! The Morning Book Group meets at 10:30 on the second Tuesday of each month. The Evening Book Group meets at 7 pm on the fourth Wednesday of every month. Check out the library's page for more grown up events!

Fat Cats, Cow Birthdays, and Rhyming Dust Bunnies???

Time for me to share another of my recent favorite picture book authors and illustrators: Jan Thomas. He (or she, not sure which) has a very recognizable style with silly, cartoon animals. The books are all very short and very silly. His (or her) newest is called Can You Make a Scary Face? It's all about pretending and it will get your child standing up and sitting down, chasing a tickly bug off her nose and into her mouth, and scaring away a giant frog. It's got a great and yes, silly, ending that I won't give away. And if you can't get enough of the first Rhyming Dust Bunnies, a new Dust Bunnies book, Here Comes the Big, Mean, Dust Bunny, is coming out in November.

Favorite New Picture Books

Want to move beyond train and princess books? Love Eric Carle but can't bear to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar one more time? Check out some of these shiny new picture books that have recently been added to our collection. Clicking on the title will link you to our catalog where you can check availability or place a hold. Happy Reading!

Birds by Kevin Henkes

Fascinated by the colors, shapes, sounds, and movements of the many different birds she sees through her window, a little girl is happy to discover that she and they have something in common.

Dragon Is Coming! by Valeri Gorbachev

Mouse Frightens all of the animals she sees by shouting that a dragon is going to eat the sun, and then come after them.

Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney

Llama llama experiences separation anxiety on his first day of nursery school.

Martha Doesn't Say Sorry by Samantha Berger

Martha is ready to do just about anything - except say those three little words: I am sorry. Will this sweet but stubborn otter learn the ultimately rewarding feeling that comes with apologizing?

The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett

Duck is trying to hatch the oddest egg of all.

Scaredy Squirrel at Night by Melanie Watt

Scaredy comes up with a Bad Action Plan to avoid sleep but between counting stars, playing cymbals and making scrapbooks, disaster still strikes and exhaustion takes its toll. Will Scaredy find sweet dreams?

Zoo Day, Ole!: A Counting Book by Phillis Gershator

Abuelita takes her granddaughter to the zoo in this bilingual book. They have fun counting the animals and other things that they see. Dos squirrels running! Tres bears standing! Cuatro seals splashing!

Early Literacy, Ch. 3: Letter Knowledge

...And we continue with the latest installment of Early Literacy. Now remember that early literacy skills are skills that kids have before they learn how to read, and we certainly do not expect your baby, toddler, or pre-schooler to know how to read. Today we're talking about Letter Knowledge. This skill kind of speaks for itself: it means, yep that's right, knowing about letters. Enough said.

Ways that you may be able to help your children gain the skill of letter knowledge are:

• Teach them shapes. Before they can begin to recognize letters, they have to be able to recognize basic shapes and see that there is a difference between them.
• Point out every day things with letters and words on them (street signs, cereal boxes, etc)
• Choose books that emphasize certain words or letters with bold or big letters

Join me sometime in the next couple of weeks for Early Literacy, Ch. 4: Print Motivation.