Fall fun!

Wed, 10/29/2014 - 2:48pm by manz

This week at storytime Ms Amanda featured fall themed picture books and stories! Not Halloween, but FALL! We saw some animals swapping items in The Scarecrow’s Hat, we shook our heads at Anansi the spider as he played tricks on the animals in Anansi and the Talking Melon (I turned it into a talking PUMPKIN for this story!). We also had fun checking out GIANT pumpkins in How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow. And for the cuteness factor we met up with Penguin and Pumpkin on a fall adventure.

The library has all sorts of fun and beautiful fall picture books to suit your fancy. They sure are fun to share with little ones this time of year!

Literati: Violin Monster Concert and Storytime

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 3:09pm by annevm

A human dressed up as "Violin Monster" will be at Literati bookstore at 7pm Thursday Oct. 30, the evening before Halloween. Literati is located at 124 E. Washington in downtown Ann Arbor. From their web page: "Violin Monster will play some music, read some stories, share some of his spookiest, scariest memories... and he may even need some help from the audience remembering them! Join us for this fun, spooky event for all ages. AAAAWWWOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!" At the library we have lots of books for young people about Halloween.

At the Art Table: Poppies for Vets!

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 5:09pm by manz

For the next few weeks the art table will feature a chance to make Veterans Day cards featuring pretty poppies! We have all the supplies on hand. We have a spot to collect the cards you make and they’ll be delivered to the VA Hospital in Ann Arbor. Feel tree to make yourself a poppy to also take home and put on the fridge!

Why poppies for Veterans Day? This symbol of remembrance was inspired by the poem In Flander’s Fields by John McCrae. The poppy emblem was chosen because of the poppies that bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in WWI.

Want to learn more about Veterans Day? Here are a couple book to look at.

Lift the flaps in Little Pear Tree

Tue, 10/14/2014 - 8:25am by manz

With creatures fed, the seasons turn
And leaves begin to fall.
The little pear tree stands at rest,
Awaiting autumn’s call.

Little Pear Tree by Jenny Bowers is a darling (not so tiny) board book featuring “lift the flap” options on each page. The pages beautifully depict scenes from Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer with bright, vibrant illustrations. Young children will love looking at the bright colors and lifting the flaps to see what critters are hiding beneath the leaves and flowers each season. Each set of pages includes poetic text describing the pear tree as it changes through the seasons. It’s a lovely board book for babies through early elementary schoolers.

All Things Dad With Nationally-Known “Dad Blogger” Doug French

Wednesday December 10, 2014: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Great Teen Non-Fiction: "Go: A Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design"

Thu, 09/25/2014 - 1:45pm by annevm

If you or a young person in your life is interested in graphic design, be sure to check out Go: A Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design by Chip Kidd. The book was a finalist for this year's Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for young people ages 12-18. From YALSA: "This innovative book offers an introduction to the history and basic concepts of graphic design from one of the most successful designers working today. Using real world examples and rich visual aids, Kidd teaches readers how effective design can communicate ideas and messages, and he suggests ways to think critically about the design elements that infuse the media around us. Kidd invites readers to experiment with design themselves by ending the book with a series of 10 design challenges and offers a venue to share their work online."

At the Art Table: Leaf Rubbings

Mon, 09/15/2014 - 3:10pm by manz

The next time you’re at the Downtown Library, pop into the Youth Department and check out the new art project at the art table.

This month we're making leaf rubbings in fall colors! Celebrate fall with this easy and fun project.

At the library we'll be using plastic leaf rubbing plates, but did you know you can make your own leaf rubbings at home using real leaves?! Try it! It's pretty fun. Happy Fall!

Parent’s Corner: Back to School

Tue, 09/02/2014 - 3:28pm by manz

Summer’s over. The backpacks and lunch boxes have been dusted off. The yellow bus is full of kids. Yep, school’s back in session for most. Which means homework, reports, projects, new friends, new schools, and so much more. Whether the kids are preschoolers or seniors in high school, a new school year means new challenges for both the parent and the child.

The Parent Shelf is located in the downtown youth area, and on this shelf you’ll find a variety of parent-child related books on a multitude of topics- including everything from 4th grade math to potty training to language to bullying. These books are available for checkout and can be found in the catalog when searching “parent shelf.”

Here are a few back to school related titles to look for:

* The parent backpack for kindergarten through grade 5: How to support your child's education, end homework meltdowns, and build parent-teacher connections

* How to tutor your own child: Boost grades and instill a lifelong love of learning, without paying for a professional tutor

* Help your kids with math: A unique step-by-step visual guide

* School success for kids with ADHD

* Cracking the 4th grade: A parent's guide to helping your child excel in school Reading & math

For additional resources on homework help, don’t forget to check out our Homework Help page! You’ll find information on free tutoring, research resources, and lists of books by reading level!

Help! We Need A Title!

Fri, 08/29/2014 - 2:56pm by manz

Any fans of the fabulous interactive picture book Press Here by Hervé Tullet? Help! We Need A Title! is his newest. It’s a clever and sweet book that has half drawn “characters” that speak to the reader, because the book is not finished! There are no characters, story or plot. Until they knock on the author’s door! He then supplies a short little story that doesn’t quite satisfy the characters looking for a story. My favorite part is the nod to Press Here, where the reader is asked to “press here” to turn off the author’s desk lamp. A bit quirky, but indeed fun.

For another fun book where the author "speaks" in the book, check out Chloe and the Lion by Mac Barnett. The book comes to a halt when the writer and the illustrator disagree. It's a great read and super funny.

Parent’s Corner: What’s New

Sun, 08/03/2014 - 12:46pm by manz

There are some new titles over on the Parent Shelf!

The Parent Shelf is located in the downtown youth area, and on this shelf you’ll find a variety of parent-child related books on a multitude of topics- including everything from language to potty training to safety to bullying. These books are available for checkout and can be found in the catalog when searching “parent shelf.”

Here are a few new titles to look for:

* Reading in the wild: The book whisperer's keys to cultivating lifelong reading habits

* Redefining girly: How parents can fight the stereotyping and sexualizing of girlhood, from birth to tween

* Parentology: Everything you wanted to know about the science of raising children but were too exhausted to ask

* Mothering & daughtering: Keeping your bond strong through the teen years