Blog Post
Parent's Corner: Books on Bullying
by manz
The Downtown library has a shelf in the Youth Department known as the Parent Shelf. On this shelf you’ll find a variety of parent-child related books on a multitude of topics- including everything from language to tantrums to potty training to homework. These books are available for checkout, and can be found in the catalog when searching “parent shelf,” if you’d like to have one sent to a branch of your choice.
Here you’ll find some great books on how to deal with bullying. Check out such titles as The ABC’s of Bullying Prevention, Sexual Harassment and Bullying: A Guide to Keeping Kids Safe and Holding Schools Accountable, and The Parent’s Book About Bullying: Changing the Course of Your Child’s Life. For additional titles, see here for a longer list.
Blog Post
Liar & Spy Audiobook: Give It a Listen
by skcramer
In Liar & Spy, Georges’ best friend has left him to join the popular kids, and now Georges is alone and bullied at school. When his family moves into a new apartment building, he finds a note advertising a spy club and soon finds himself joining to spy on mysterious neighbor Mr. X with his new best friend Safer. But not all is as it appears to be in this funny, tense, beautifully-layered novel.
After listening to it myself, I can say that translates into an excellent audiobook, especially during those edge-of-your-seat moments, which really did have me on the edge of my seat.
Liar & Spy is written by Rebecca Stead, whose previous novel, When You Reach Me, won the Newbery Medal in 2010.
Blog Post
Book Journals
by kidlit
Do you keep track of all the books you read? When you get that book report assignment, do you have several titles to choose from? Do you remember what each book was about?
A book journal is a good way to keep track of the books that you read.
Come to the Pittsfield Branch on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. and make a journal that you can use to track your reading history.
We'll show you how to make paper journals as well as online ones.
This is for kids in grades K - 5. All supplies will be provided.
For some ideas, look here.
Blog Post
Dragons Love Tacos
by manz
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin is one funny picture book. I recently read this to my small relations and we were all cracking up. The book features a crew of taco-loving dragons. They LOVE tacos! (I mean, who doesn’t?) They love all kinds of tacos. They also love parties. Especially taco parties. BUT! Dragons do not like spicy salsa of any kind, ever. Of course the dragons end up at a taco party serving spicy salsa! If you want to know how it ends you’ll have to grab this funny book off the shelf and give it a read. Grown-ups, you'll have as much fun as the kids.
For more picture books about dragons check out this list, and for more funny picture books check out this list.
Blog Post
Seusstastical Puppets!
by manz
Saturday, March 2 | 1-2:00pm | Downtown Multi-Purpose Room | Grades K-5 with an adult
March 1 is Read Across America Day! "Now in its 16th year, this year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources." It's no coincidence that this special day happens around March 2 each year... Because that day is author Dr. Seuss' birthday!
We'll be celebrating the magic of reading by making Seuss character puppets. We've got all the supplies for the kids to make Cat in the Hat and/or Thing 1 and Thing 2 puppets. As always, it's a great idea to catch silly spirit by curling up with some of your favorite Dr. Seuss stories.
Blog Post
Coming Soon: New Book Clubs to Go
by Caser
Four new Book Clubs to Go titles will be available soon! Follow the title links below to jump on the waiting list.
In Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, the best-selling author of Blink identifies the qualities of successful people, posing theories about the cultural, family, and idiosyncratic factors that shape high achievers, in a resource that covers such topics as the secrets of software billionaires, why certain cultures are associated with better academic performance, and why the Beatles earned their fame.
We the Animals by Justin Torres is a short novel that follows three brothers who tear their way through childhood -- smashing tomatoes all over each other, building kites from trash, hiding out when their parents do battle, and tiptoeing around the house as their mother sleeps off her graveyard shift. Life in this family is fierce and absorbing, full of chaos and heartbreak and the euphoria of belonging completely to one another.
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward: Enduring a hardscrabble existence as the children of alcoholic and absent parents, four siblings from a coastal Mississippi town prepare their meager stores for the arrival of Hurricane Katrina while struggling with such challenges as a teen pregnancy and a dying litter of prize pups.
The Submission by Amy Waldman: When a Muslim architect wins a blind contest to design a Ground Zero Memorial, a city of eleven million people takes notice. Waldman, a former bureau chief for the New York Times, explores a diversity of viewpoints around this fictional event, bringing in politicians, businessmen, journalists, activists, and normal people whose lives -- whether by happenstance, choice, or even due to their country of origin -- get caught up in the controversy.
Book Clubs to Go (BCTG) is a service of the AADL that provides local book clubs with the convenience of complete kits for book discussions. Included in each BCTG are 10 copies of the featured book for discussion (or 10 each of two related titles), 1 copy of movie DVD if available, a resource folder containing the following: summary information and reviews of the title(s); author biography; a list of suggested discussion questions and read-alikes; tips for book groups; and evaluation forms so you can let us know what you think of the service.
Blog Post
Snowman Bookmarks and Snowflake Crafts
by Caser
Monday, February 18 | 1 - 2 pm | Downtown Library Multi-Purpose Room | Preschool to Grade 3
Make a simple, but snazzy, snowman bookmark out of construction paper, beads, decorative punch out designs, and twine. Also, learn how to make a unique, 6-point, paper snowflake that you can use to create a beautiful winter scene.
The AADL has crafting books of all kinds for kids!
Blog Post
Author Dan Romanchik Gives Tips For Self-Publishing
by hillary dorwart
Wednesday February 27, 2013: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room
Are you interested in self-publishing? Do you want to know how to get started?
Local author Dan Romanchik has self-published several books on amateur radio and has found it to be a rewarding experience, both personally and financially. In this lecture, he will describe his experiences and explain the technical process involved - including how to create different e-book versions and how to set up accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble to begin selling books there. He will also include advice on marketing, setting up blogs, and more.
Join Dan for a witty and informational look at how to get started self-publishing your work.
Blog Post
Washi Tape Greeting Cards
by Caser
Wednesday, February 20 | 1 - 2 pm | Downtown Library Multi-Purpose Room | Grade 3 - Adult
Washi tape is a popular, decorative, Japanese paper tape used in craft projects. We have a variety of colors and patterns of washi tape, along with various colors of card stock and other patterned paper available for you to make greeting card images and other inspired crafts.
If you have never heard of washi tape, check out this Pinterest pinboard for great project ideas. You could also bring an item from home to decorate, and feel free to bring a your own roll(s) of washi tape to use along with ours to create your greeting card, if you like!
This event is for youth (Grade 3 and up), teens, and adults.
Blog Post
Teen Fiction: Boy21
by annevm
Boy21 is a novel about basketball and so much more, encompassing male friendship, poverty, the Irish mob, grief, and love. I highly recommend this fast read by Matthew Quick, who became one of my favorite teen authors with his 2010 book Sorta Like a Rock Star.
Quick's latest novel, published in 2012, opens in ugly, tough Bellmont, Pennsylvania, where quiet, obedient Finley lives with his wheelchair-bound grandfather and widowed father. Finley -- whose childhood is a mystery until late in the book -- is flourishing as the only white kid on the high school basketball team. When the coach asks him to mentor a hot new -- and very mysterious -- player from California, Finley does, but suddenly luck and life seem to turn against him and toward the new guy. Nonetheless, Finley continues to support his friend, "Boy21," and their friendship grows, until Finley's girlfriend Erin is injured and Finley can't stand it anymore.
This book offers strong characters, action, dialogue, and -- hard to believe with all the bad luck going around -- a semi-happy, if old-fashioned ending. Particularly appealing to me were the threads of responsibility, loyalty and friendship among two extraordinary young men.