Summer Reading is Right Around the Corner!

That's right!  The 2014 summer reading program is right around the corner!  Sign-ups begin on SUNDAY JUNE 1st!  We will have three different levels of sign-ups.  Read To Me will be for children who do not know how to read and will have others read to them.  This new component of the summer reading program is specially designed to develop early literacy skills in pre-readers.  Read to Me readers who complete their reading record will also receive an early literacy prize at the time of submitting their reading record.  Independent Reader will be for children who know how to read on their own.  Then there's the Teen Reading Program for students entering 6th through 12 grade in the fall.  Sign-ups for teens is available in the children's and teen rooms of the library.

Every participant who registers for the summer reading program between June 1st and 17th will be eligible to enter their name into a prize drawing for a pair of tickets to attend a Hillsboro Hops Game on July 1st.  The winner will be drawn and announced at our Charlie Brown Show on June 17th at 6:30 p.m.

Dogs and Tales This Summer!

I am happy to announce that for the first time in several years, Dogs and Tales will continue through the summer! For those of you who don't know about it, this great program offers beginning readers through 5th graders a chance to practice reading aloud to certified therapy dogs. They can stretch their reading wings in a relaxed, non-judgmental environment, developing skills and building confidence.

The program is offered on Wednesday evenings between 6 and 7:30 p.m., beginning June 18. You may register for this first session as early as May 28. Every session after that, you may register 2 weeks in advance. Visit or call the Children's Desk at 503-718-2673 to register your child.

Story Time Break Reminder, May 26-June 6

This is just a reminder that we will be on a 2-week story time break starting on May 26.  All story time sessions will resume at their regularly scheduled time and days starting on June 9th.   If you stop by the library and forgot that we were on a break, no problem!  We'll have toys available to play with in the Puett Room so little ones can still enjoy themselves!

LEGO® Construction Zone

Join us in the Puett Room Sunday, May 25th for this all ages program!

Come develop your STEM skills with LEGOs®.  STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. When your child builds with Lego bricks, she is engaging her mind in all areas of STEM thinking. Collaborate and build with others, or design your own creations.  It's all happening 1:30-3:00 p.m.!

 

"I Spy" Read-Alikes

Does your child like the I Spy Books by Walter Wick?  How about trying some other books worthy of spying challenges such as these great books:

Animalia by Graeme Base
An alphabet book with fantastic and detailed pictures, bearing such labels as "Lazy lions lounging in the local library" and "Victor V. Vulture the Vaudeville ventriloquist, versatile virtuoso of vociferous verbosity, vexatiously vocalizing at the Valhalla Variety Venue

The Eleventh Hour: A Curious Mystery by Graeme Base
An elephant's eleventh birthday party is marked by eleven games preceding the banquet to be eaten at the eleventh hour; but when the time to eat arrives, the birthday feast has disappeared. The reader is invited to guess the thief.

The Great Art Treasure Hunt by Doris Kutschbach
See what treasures you can find by looking at art.

Look Alikes by Joan Steiner
Simple verses challenge readers to identify the everyday objects used to construct twelve three-dimensional scenes in Lookalike Land.

Look and See: A What's-Not-the-Same Game by Bill Kontzias
This is quite the innovative interactive puzzle book. Eye-catching photographs of toys, trinkets, and more present spot-the-difference puzzles that support early learning skills.  The objects  move around on opposite pages and new ones are added or taken away.  It makes a great way to learn about comparisons too!

I Spy in the Sky by Edward Gibbs
Birds' eyes appear through die-cut pages.  Look through the hole in the page and guess what bird will be on the next page!

I Spy on the Farm by Edward Gibbs
An interactive introduction to farm animals invites youngsters to make animal noises and practice color and letter recognition while peeping through a spy hole on every page and observing clues to guess which animal will be revealed next in the story.

I Spy Pets by Edward Gibbs
Invites young readers to guess which pet animal will be revealed using the given clues and a spy hole.

I Spy Under the Sea by Edward Gibbs
Look through the spy holes and count the sea creatures in this underwater take on the classic game.  Guess what undersea creature will appear on the next page.

I Spy With My Little Eye by Edward Gibbs
Peeking through the pages, children will be able to spot a different colored animal every time, and guess what it is using a simple, factual clue. Bold illustrations and die-cut holes will absorb young readers as they learn about colors and animal names.

Spot 7 by KIDSLABEL
In this series of books, see if you can spot seven animals, seven toys, spot seven things at school, and seven objects found during holidays.

STEAM SATURDAY

The E in STEAM stands for engineering. He's an E activity you can do with your kids: Make paper airplanes! Until my kindergartner and I checked out paper airplane books, I had no idea that paper airplanes could look so different and do such different things based on the design! Try these:

Best Ever Paper Airplanes, by Norman Schmidt
Paper Airplanes series, by Christopher Harbo
Super Simple Paper Airplanes, by Nick Robinson

Summer Reading is Coming!

Lots of you are getting excited about summer reading.  We sure are here at the library!  To let you all know, the 2014 Summer Reading Program, "FIZZ, BOOM, READ!" will begin on June 1st!  For every child and teen who signs up between June 1st and June 17th can enter their name into a drawing to win a pair of Hillsboro Hops tickets, good for a game on July 1st.  The winning name will be drawn at our Summer Reading Kick Off Event, The Charlie Brown Show on June 17th!

Ahoy, Sailors!

Come build boats of all sorts, then see how well they float! We will have tables full of boat building supplies, construction suggestions, and pools of water for you to test your craft.
The fun happens this Saturday, May 17, from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the Puett Room.
Can't wait to see you there!

Evan's picks #7

In case you're not keeping close track of Evan's age, he is now 6 1/2. Here are some of his latest favorites:

Moonpowder, by John Rocco
Houndsley & Catina series, by James Howe
Kung Pow Chicken series, by Cynthia Marko
Katie Woo series, by Fran Manushkin
At the Same Moment, Around the World, by Clotilde Perrin
"Let's Get a Pup!" Said Kate, by Bob Graham

Children's Book Week May 12-18, 2014

This year marks the 95th Anniversary of Children's Book Week! Children's Book Week is the annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading!  Established in 1919, Children's Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Every year, commemorative events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, bookstores, homes -- wherever young readers and books connect! We will have a special display in the children's room here at the library showcasing favorite children's books of youth services staff.  Come see and check out what some of their favorites are.  Perhaps you may discover a new favorite for yourself!

SUPER TUESDAY: Zomba! Marimba Ensemble

Take a musical trip to a sunny place with the warm acoustic sounds of Alberta Rider Elementary School's marimba ensemble, Zomba!  Come hear these wonderful sounds on Tuesday May 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room.

Swamp Chomp!

Down in a Cypress swamp, all the animals are preparing for their lunch in Swamp Chomp by Lola M. Schaefer.  The insects are buzzing, the fish are slithering, the mosquitoes are flying and the turtles are gliding throughout the wetlands...all to the end where the chomping alligator awaits!

Short sentences on each page describe what animals are doing in the swamp, this is followed by a single action verb to reinstate the description.  As the book moves forward, the action intensifies by using only verbs.  This fun cheery book is a great way to introduce verbs to pre-readers, in addition to teaching them about the food chain.  Plus, it's an excellent choice for building vocabulary!