Friday June 21, 2013: 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm -- Malletts Creek Branch: Parking Lot

Bring your ropes, your rhymes for a jumpin' good time! We've got Chinese, Double-Dutch and standard jump ropes to share. Special guests, the St. Francis Heartbeats, will demo their skills. If it rains, we'll jump inside!

This event is for teens and pre-teens (grades 4-12).

Saturday June 22, 2013: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Lobby

AADL hosts the 2013 Kids Read Comics Celebration on Saturday June 22 & Sunday June 23, bringing more than forty cartoonists and writers to the Downtown Library for the entire weekend. This is the fifth annual KRCC, an event that promotes comics as a part of lifelong reading and as a means of creative expression for kids and teens.

Among the guests are Ben Hatke of "Zita the Spacegirl;" Raina Telgemeier, creator of the award-winning "Smile and Drama;" Dave Roman of "Jax Epoch And The Quicken Forbidden" and "Astronaut Academy;" and Rafael Rosado, who has been a writer, director, producer and storyboard artist for shows as diverse as Animaniacs, Men In Black The Animated Series, Curious George, and The Venture Brothers. His all-ages graphic novel, "Giants Beware!" was published by First Second Books earlier this year.

Stressing active engagement over passive consumption, the weekend will include hands-on workshops covering such topics as learning to draw funny people from wacky shapes, writing and drawing minicomics, and much more. Artists will demonstrate how they do what they do while answering audience questions, and the always popular Quick Draw competitions will pit artists head to head as they improvise drawings based on suggestions from spectators. Other programs will be geared to educators and librarians to help them learn how to use comics most effectively in their settings.

At tables in Artists' Alley, kids, teens and parents will have a chance to talk one-on-one with comics creators -- who have been known to toss off free sketches along with offering their comics and books for sale. Free giveaways will also include comic books donated by publishers big and small, including DC Comics, Archie Comics, Top Shelf Productions and Oni Press.

The Kids Reads Comics Celebration offers something for just about everyone, using the magic of comics to open up the imaginations of kids of all ages. And all activities, as well as every artist's and writer's table in Artists' Alley, will offer a code as part of AADL's Summer Game.

Kids Reads Comics is co-sponsored by the Ann Arbor Book Festival. Information about Kids Read Comics guests and programming is available at www.kidsreadcomics.org.

This event is for grade 4 - adult.

Sunday June 23, 2013: 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Lobby

AADL hosts the 2013 Kids Read Comics Celebration on Saturday June 22 & Sunday June 23, bringing more than forty cartoonists and writers to the Downtown Library for the entire weekend. This is the fifth annual KRCC, an event that promotes comics as a part of lifelong reading and as a means of creative expression for kids and teens.

Among the guests are Ben Hatke of "Zita the Spacegirl;" Raina Telgemeier, creator of the award-winning "Smile and Drama;" Dave Roman of "Jax Epoch And The Quicken Forbidden" and "Astronaut Academy;" and Rafael Rosado, who has been a writer, director, producer and storyboard artist for shows as diverse as Animaniacs, Men In Black The Animated Series, Curious George, and The Venture Brothers. His all-ages graphic novel, "Giants Beware!" was published by First Second Books earlier this year.

Stressing active engagement over passive consumption, the weekend will include hands-on workshops covering such topics as learning to draw funny people from wacky shapes, writing and drawing minicomics, and much more. Artists will demonstrate how they do what they do while answering audience questions, and the always popular Quick Draw competitions will pit artists head to head as they improvise drawings based on suggestions from spectators. Other programs will be geared to educators and librarians to help them learn how to use comics most effectively in their settings.

At tables in Artists' Alley, kids, teens and parents will have a chance to talk one-on-one with comics creators -- who have been known to toss off free sketches along with offering their comics and books for sale. Free giveaways will also include comic books donated by publishers big and small, including DC Comics, Archie Comics, Top Shelf Productions and Oni Press.

The Kids Reads Comics Celebration offers something for just about everyone, using the magic of comics to open up the imaginations of kids of all ages. And all activities, as well as every artist's and writer's table in Artists' Alley, will offer a code as part of AADL's Summer Game.

Kids Reads Comics is co-sponsored by the Ann Arbor Book Festival. Information about Kids Read Comics guests and programming is available at www.kidsreadcomics.org.

This event is for grade 4 - adult.

Monday June 24, 2013: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Training Center

Design and fly spacecraft that are capable of trans-continental or even interplanetary travel!

Kerbal Space Program is a multi-genre game where players create their own space program. It's a Slapdash Spaceflight Sandbox, and you're in control of your nation's space program.

Participation in "Race to Space" events includes codes for Summer Game space badges and requires your attendance for the entire scheduled time.

This event is for teens (grades 6-12).

Monday June 24, 2013: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Training Center

This session ratchets up the difficulty level with the goal of leaving Kerbal's orbit and landing on the Mun!

Kerbal Space Program is a multi-genre game where the players create their own space program. Participation in "Race to Space" events includes codes for Summer Game space badges and requires your attendance for the entire scheduled time.

This event is for teens (grades 6-12).

Monday June 24, 2013: 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Washi tape is a decorative Japanese tape used in craft projects.

We have lots of colors and patterns of tape available for you to make greeting card images and other inspired crafts. Bring an item from home to decorate, if you'd like!

This event is for youth (grade 3 and up), teens and adults.

Tuesday June 25, 2013: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Explore the fundamentals of logic, programming and robotics design with LEGO NXT! You will build, test, and tweak your robot, then COMPETE.

Participation in "Race to Space" events includes codes for Summer Game space badges and requires your attendance for the entire scheduled time.

This event is for teens (grades 6-12).

Tuesday June 25, 2013: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm -- Malletts Creek Branch: Program Room AB

Make jewelry, key chains, pet tags, pins, clothing buttons - the sky's the limit!

Shrinky Dinks shrink to approximately 1/3rd their original size and actually become 9 times thicker! In two magic minutes your creation gets smaller and smaller.

This event is for adults, teens and pre-teens (grade 4 and up).

Thursday June 27, 2013: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Traverwood Branch: Program Room

Jennifer will share some tips to improve your game, then you can try your skill against other players!

This event is for adults, teens and pre-teens (grade 4 and up).

Friday June 28, 2013: 9:45 pm to 11:45 pm -- Top of the Park
 (map)

Become a Superhero!

Created by Spanish arts collective Wildbytes, Superhero is an interactive projection mapping experience in which participants are transformed into superheroes using Kinect cameras and customized software.

A digital art exhibition at Top of the Park over multiple nights (Friday June 28 - Sunday, June 30 - 9:45 - 11:45 pm), festival-goers will be able to fly over the historic facade of the Burton Memorial Tower while enjoying a number of super powers, which they can control with natural gestures. These powers included throwing light balls, becoming gigantic or tiny, and, of course, flying.

Wildbytes is an art and technology studio based in Madrid and New York. Their work is focused on creating engaging, interactive experiences that are often displayed as large-scale projections in public events. Producing new technology in the process, the main goal of Wildbytes' projects is to create immersive experiences that trigger emotion through participation. Wildbytes' interdisciplinary work has been exhibited in institutions around the world including Ars Electronica (Austria), FILE (International Festival of Electronic Language).

This event is for all ages.

Saturday June 29, 2013: 9:45 pm to 11:45 pm -- Top of the Park
 (map)

Become a Superhero!

Created by Spanish arts collective Wildbytes, Superhero is an interactive projection mapping experience in which participants are transformed into superheroes using Kinect cameras and customized software.

A digital art exhibition at Top of the Park over multiple nights (Friday June 28 - Sunday, June 30 - 9:45 - 11:45 pm), festival-goers will be able to fly over the historic facade of the Burton Memorial Tower while enjoying a number of super powers, which they can control with natural gestures. These powers included throwing light balls, becoming gigantic or tiny, and, of course, flying.

Wildbytes is an art and technology studio based in Madrid and New York. Their work is focused on creating engaging, interactive experiences that are often displayed as large-scale projections in public events. Producing new technology in the process, the main goal of Wildbytes' projects is to create immersive experiences that trigger emotion through participation. Wildbytes' interdisciplinary work has been exhibited in institutions around the world including Ars Electronica (Austria), FILE (International Festival of Electronic Language).

This event is for all ages.

Sunday June 30, 2013: 9:45 pm to 11:45 pm -- Top of the Park
 (map)

Become a Superhero!

Created by Spanish arts collective Wildbytes, Superhero is an interactive projection mapping experience in which participants are transformed into superheroes using Kinect cameras and customized software.

A digital art exhibition at Top of the Park over multiple nights (Friday June 28 - Sunday, June 30 - 9:45 - 11:45 pm), festival-goers will be able to fly over the historic facade of the Burton Memorial Tower while enjoying a number of super powers, which they can control with natural gestures. These powers included throwing light balls, becoming gigantic or tiny, and, of course, flying.

Wildbytes is an art and technology studio based in Madrid and New York. Their work is focused on creating engaging, interactive experiences that are often displayed as large-scale projections in public events. Producing new technology in the process, the main goal of Wildbytes' projects is to create immersive experiences that trigger emotion through participation. Wildbytes' interdisciplinary work has been exhibited in institutions around the world including Ars Electronica (Austria), FILE (International Festival of Electronic Language).

This event is for all ages.

Tuesday July 2, 2013: 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Repurpose pages from discarded books into paper flowers and embellish with buttons and beads.

This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).

Tuesday July 2, 2013: 6:30 pm to 8:45 pm -- Downtown Library: Training Center

Does gaming development interest you? Propose ideas, use some programming techniques, and make games using Scratch and GameMaker! Check out the Python I and II classes, too--think of the games you might create!

This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).

Saturday July 6, 2013: 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Engineer a device to keep your egg safe from a big drop. Hope it doesn't break!

This event is for grades 4-8.

Sunday July 7, 2013: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Build an LED JunkBot out of scrap electronic parts and learn about electrical circuits.

The activity will take about 20-30 minutes. You can take your project home.

This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).

Monday July 8, 2013: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Training Center

Learn Python, a general purpose, high-level programming language, from brief lectures about core elements of the language coupled with interactive exercises. This first class provides an intro as well as the tools used to write and run Python scripts. Basic computer experience is required.. class handouts

This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).

Monday July 8, 2013: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm -- Malletts Creek Branch: Program Room AB

Can you meet the Super Comics Challenge?

At this weekly series, you'll design dangerous fortresses, awesome heroes, lugubrious villains, and unlock achievements of the comics-storytelling masters! Each week you'll have two fun drawing challenges to level up your comics-making powers and get special Summer Game codes. Come every week to collect a special series of video challenges! Become the supreme master of visual storytelling!

Sessions will be held at Malletts Creek Branch on Mondays, 6 - 8 pm, July 8 - August 12.

This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).

Monday July 8, 2013: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Pittsfield Branch: Program Room

Make a dreamcatcher with local crafter Dawn Henry.

Feel free to bring a favorite object to weave into your dreamcatcher. This project will take the entire time.

This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).

Wednesday July 10, 2013: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm -- Pittsfield Branch: Program Room

Try your hand at block printing! Using soft linoleum blocks, you will design, cut, and print your own creations on note cards and paper. Just bring your ideas!

This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).