4th of July is "Independence Day".
Celebrate "Independence" by learning personal stories of people who have stretched the definition of civil liberty in US history.
Our Children Can Soar
Madame President
Elizabeth Leads The Way
American Heroes: Robert Smalls
River Of Words: Story Of William Carlos Williams
Boy Named Beckoning:True Story of Dr. Carlos Montezuma

On the NEW BOOKS shelf for kids, we have a NEW series of books that are very nicely done. Colorful illustrations include kids of many cultures. In The Nest
In The Pond
On The Moon
Under The Ground
The Rainy Day
The Sunny Day
Each title provides very satisfying pieces of information about the world we live in.

Just for fun, I typed Nora Roberts into our catalog--245 hits. More than Stephen King! Wow, I thought, maybe I will read one of these in our Summer Reading Game. Then, for more fun, I searched J.D. Robb, the name under which Roberts writes police procedurals. Whoa, another 72 hits! Clearly Roberts is beyond prolific, and you can learn (lots) more about this bestselling phenom in Lauren Collins’ wonderful profile in the June 22 New Yorker. As many as 27 Nora Roberts books are sold every minute, the article suggests.

Ms. Rachel is doing stories about HOME and HOUSE this week. You
can read the same stories at home, or try more stories from around the block....
Friday My Radio Flyer Flew ... did yours?
Annabelle's Big Move from the arctic to the tropics.
"We Were Tired Of Living In A House," declared the kids.
Too Many Toys in the house. Familiar?
Hello Goodbye Window at Granma and Grandpa's house.
Jethro And Joel Were A Troll. With two heads, who gets the troll for the day?

hike

Tonight at 7pm, join the City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation staff in a botanical walk through Lakewood Nature Area. Meet in the parking lot of Lakewood School, 344 Gralake. This event is held in conjunction with the summer reading program, Local Motion, which encourages the use of local neighborhoods, gyms, recreational facilities and outdoor areas to move and get fit!

Got Pencils or Crayons? Get Movin'....
The NEW Books Shelf has NEW Drawing Books for Kids.
You might be an Artiste!
How To Draw Incredible Cars
Drawing: The Only Drawing Book You'll Ever Need
Draw 50 Baby Animals
Draw 50 Princesses
Ed Emberley's Drawing Book: Make A World
The Draw 50 Way
You might even illustrate your own book someday.

Teen Reading Book

Looking for a good book to read this summer? Check out Skyline High school's recommended reading list for grade 9 and 10. Just click the links. Skyline g9 2009 and Skyline g10 2009.

kickball

We've all heard time after time that childhood obesity is on the rise. The next sentence or paragraph usually says something about exercise, maybe outdoor activities. Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine published one of these articles in their June/July issue. In this article they suggest bringing inside toys to the playground, planting a garden, turning a hike into a scavenger hunt or having a back yard dance party as suggestions for fun ways to introduce or add more exercise. You can see the article here. If you're looking for more local suggestions, ArborWiki is worth a look. Have fun!

bookshelf

Library summer reading programs evolved from studies that show that students who do not read during the summer lose some of the gains that they made during the previous academic year.

Translation: children who read during the summer do better in school in the fall.

Camping sign

Have you been meaning to give camping a try? If so, the “First Time Camper” Program might be for you. This program, sponsored by Gander Mountain, aims to provide an opportunity for new campers to experience both campers and the outdoors. Equipment, instructions, gear and information are provided at an economic rate.

In order to help new campers prepare for their experience, each group receives a welcome kit that outlines what to expect, pack and wear. After check-in, DNR staff help participants through the process of setting up camp and settling in.

For more information about the program, including a list of participating parks and recreation areas click here.

Happy camping!