Spooky Stuff

Looking for some spooky fun in Tigard this weekend? Get in the spirit with a few spine-tingling tales from the display in the Children's Room of the library (in the Fiction section). Find just the right story to share with the perfect amount of scare.

Stop by the Tigard Farmer's Market on Sunday, Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., for the final day of the market and a special seasonal celebration. Bring bags for your treats, meet Gentle Biff the Clown and enjoy the market.

Tigard High will be hosting their annual Halloween Trick or Treat Rooms on Sunday, October 31 from 3 to 5 pm. There is no cost but they are asking for a donation of canned food.

Shooting Kabul

In the summer of 2001, 11-year-old Afghan refugee, Fadi, was the last person in the family to touch his 6-year-old sister, Mariam, before the big army truck sped away without her. If only Fadi had just put her Barbie in his backpack like she had asked, she wouldn't have paused to pick up the beloved doll she dropped, and he wouldn't have lost grasp of her hand. It's all his fault, at least in his mind.

The family had no choice but to return to the United States where Mariam was born, without her. Fadi's American-educated father, Habib, had high hopes of helping the Taliban rebuild Afghanistan, but when the Taliban began to abuse power like their predecessors and expected Habib to help them, the family's only option was to flee. On top of the loss of Mariam, the family is also dealing with the anti-Muslim sentiment in the wake of 9/11.

Now Fadi has the perfect opportunity to bring Mariam home: he must win a national photography contest whose grand prize is a trip to India. And from India, it is just a short plane ride to Pakistan where the family now believes Mariam is.

Will Fadi triumph over a thousand other photography hopefuls? Will the family be reunited with Mariam after months of not knowing where or how she is, or even if she is alive?

To find out, read Shooting Kabul, by N. H. Senzai. 4th grade and up

Booklist additions

At the suggestion of one of our other librarians, I am adding a book each to my Monsters booklist and the Good Night booklist. In her words, "I feel so, so, so, so, so dang strongly about these two books!" Now if that's not a strong recommendation, I don't know what is! Thanks, Wendy! I have added these to my two past blog entries but wanted to point out the changes.

• Gackenbach, Dick. Harry and the Terrible Whatzit


• Rathmann, Peggy. Good Night, Gorilla (really not sure how I missed this one, as it is also one of my favorites!)

TPL Kids Rock

Even if you didn't make it to our Rock 'n' Roll Kindy program with Mo Phillips on October 12, you can enjoy two tracks, composed and recorded on the spot by the just-formed Great Feeling Band. Go to http://www.rocknrollkindy.com/ and click on MUSIC to hear "Let's Get Together and Dance" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Rock on!

Rainy Day Fun

 Those fall rains have started, just a  hint of the grey days of winter. Create your own indoor fun with some crafts. Even a not-so-crafty person can help their youngster get creative with simple stuff you probably already have. Try one of these books (and their Dewey number for similar books) for some ideas.

Organic Crafts by Kimberly Monaghan (J 745.5 MON) 75 eco-friendly activities that use things you can find in your yard. In addition to leaf art and garden chimes, this also includes science activities like making soil and the "Nature Notes" about the science behind this "craft supplies."

Make It by Jane Bull (J 745.5 BUL) I love these crafts. From awesome looking bowls made out of a paper scraps to bottle cap art, this stuff is cheap, simple and incredibly creative. Basic instructions are given and then kids can take the designs to their imaginations!

Totally Cool Origami Animals by Ann Kristen Krier (J 736.982 KRI) With simple photographs of each step (thank you!) these origami animals are easy to make, even for the most novice paper folder.

Super Simple Paper Airplanes by Nick Robinson (J 745.592 ROB) Follow these instructions to make some serious paper airplanes. Then have a family race to see which design works the best. You'll be amazed at how many different designs there are.

Keepin' the Kids Entertained

Rain is in the forecast. Luckily, the library has some fun activities planned to keep the kiddos occupied indoors.

With no school on Friday, bring the whole family to our Family Game Fest from 2-4 p.m. in the Community Room. Try out board games, Rock Band and other video games on the big screen. Awesome! 

For those who need a little sparkle in their lives, stop in Saturday to the Puett Room from 1:30-2:30 for our Fancy Nancy Extravaganza! If it's fancy, it's got to be fun!

Sunday from 1:30-3 p.m stop by Puett Room for some Lego building fun. We'll supply the blocks for some easy entertainment.

While you're here check out some movies, music and books to help that inside time fly by!

Monster books

Having a hard time finding any Halloween books in at this time of year? Here is a list of some of my favorite monster books that are just included in the regular Picture Books section, instead of the Halloween Picture Books section. Some I'm sure you've heard of, hopefully some you haven't.

• Emberley, Ed. Go Away, Big Green Monster!
• Gackenbach, Dick. Harry and the Terrible Whatzit
• Hutchins, Pat. The Very Worst Monster
• Mayer, Mercer. There's a Nightmare in my Closet
• McCarty, Peter. Jeremy Draws a Monster
• Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are
• Stewart, Joel. Dexter Bexley and the Big Blue Beastie

Some of these links you will have to slog through a few titles before you actually find the book I'm talking about in our library catalog. Sorry about that!

Friends are Fantastic

Everybody needs friends. Even libraries need friends. This week is National Friends of the Library Week! The Tigard Friends of the Library help your library through volunteer work, super book sales and much more. The latest sale just a few weeks ago raised over $7,800 to support library programs and materials. Find out more about what the Friends do to help the library and maybe you'll want to become a "friend" too!

When You Need a Hand

Need help finding medical or dental assistance? Or legal resources? How about access to fax machine to submit an application? All of this and more is available free of charge through the Tigard Tualatin Family Resource Center. Located in a portable building on the campus of Tigard High School, staff at the center are prepared to help connect you to the help you need in the community. Adult English classes and cooking classes are even available through the center. Check out their webpage for more information or stop by their office Monday through Thursday from 9 am to12 pm and from 1 pm to 3 pm.

Cooking with Your Kids

Now that fall has come, you may be looking for more indoor activities to do with your kids. How about cooking? I bet you didn't know that we have quite a collection of cookbooks for kids. The Dewey Decimal Number for cooking is 641.5. Check out all our cooking stuff in Juvenile Non-Fiction and get ready for some fun with your kids!

Volcanoes, Mold and Seeds

Ah, science fair time. Those fun projects that kids research and develop to share with their friends. For me, it's the time to panic about how many scientific terms sound like foreign words to me. And time to help parents and students find something (because all of the related books are checked out!) to help with their projects.

Enter the fantastic world of Science Online. This resource is available to you 24/7 and it's even student-friendly in its search system. Unlike the Internet, all of the articles, terms and topics are completely accurate and up-to-date. You can search a specific idea or explore general concepts. There are even some experiments available through the site. All you need is your library card number and you and your student can start searching!

Down Came the Rain

"The itsy bitsy spider crawled up the water spout..." Almost everyone can sing along with this childhood favorite. More than just a fun rhyme to sing, Itsy Bitsy offers little ones a chance to work on their fine motor skills, those movement skills that translate later into holding scissors and pencils. Think of how the fingers move up and the arms make big circles. All great movements! Beyond that, think of the words of the song. Rain pours down, washes things away and later the sun dries everything up. It's a mini science lesson!

Cyber Friends

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and perhaps a good time for you and your kiddos to refresh your knowledge about how to stay safe on the Internet. Check out this website for fun activities to do with your family: http://www.onguardonline.gov/.

Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite

Tired of Goodnight Moon every night before bed? Try some of these bedtime books. And if your kid still really insists on Goodnight Moon, maybe try the variation below, by Michael Rex.

Allen, Jonathan. "I'm Not Sleepy!"

Anderson, Brian. Nighty Nights, Sleepy Sleeps

Butler, John. Bedtime in the Jungle

Coffelt, Nancy. Big, Bigger, Biggest!

Edwards, Pamela Duncan. Wake Up Kisses

Paul, Ann Whitford. If Animals Kissed Good Night

Rathmann, Peggy. Good Night, Gorilla

Rex, Michael. Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody

Shields, Gillian. When the World is Ready for Bed

Books at Home

You know we love it when you check out plenty of books and other things here at the library. But it's also great to have books on hand at home, for those times when you want something familiar to read. I always like to have a few paperbacks on hand for trips and waiting rooms, that can be forgotten without the fear of a fine! That's why the Friends of the Library Book Sale is such a fantastic thing! This Friday, Oct. 8 from 9-5 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 9 from 9-3 p.m. you can load up on lots of inexpensive books at the sale, held in the Community Room. Expand your at home library without having to expand your expenses.

Re-Boot Camp, Take 3

Missed Re-Boot Camp last summer? Well, now's your chance! We're offering it again, this time during the school year. Fourth and fifth graders can get help with specific assignments or just learn how to do research in general. This will not be a tutoring session, but kids will learn how to find the information they need on their own.

So want to come have fun at the library while learning, too?

WHAT?! I can't HEAR you!!!

Re-Boot Camp will be two days long: Tuesday, October 12 AND Wednesday, October 13 4:30 to 6:00 in the Puett Room.

To register your child, call the Children's Desk at 503.718.2656.