Summer Reading is UNDER CONSTRUCTION so keep your "thinking machine" oiled. You'll need good equipment.
Librarians are visiting schools the month of May promoting Summer Reading.
We can NAIL DOWN some good books for 1st graders, like
Amelia Bedelia Under Construction;
You Read To Me And I'll Read To You: Short Scary Stories; or
Thelonius Monster's Sky-High Fly Pie.
Just Ask!
Sign-Up BEGINS June 9, 2008 at the Library.

Pablo Neruda's shyness renders him silent in a world of sights and sounds. When the principal of his school in Chile opens his mind to the world of literature, Pablo Neruda becomes one of the world's most distinguished poets and is awarded the Noble Prize in Literature. With lines of his poetry scattered throughout the text, Deborah Kogan Ray offers an enlightening look into the life of Pablo Neruda.

Spring Storytimes ended with BEARS at Malletts Creek and Pittsfield Branches. You can find many versions of the Three Bears. Byron Barton's The Three Bears is perfect for littlest kids. Jan Brett's Goldilocks And The Three Bears has fabulous illustrations. Add action with Michael Rosen's We're Going On A Bear Hunt. If you also have kids in grade school you can continue the theme with the movie A Bear Named Winnie, the true story that inspired A.A. Milne's Winnie The Pooh.

Parents struggle with creating healthy habits for children. One BIG issue these days is "Screen Time", homework, social behaviors, video games, computers, television, and how it all fits together. Perhaps these titles can help .... Taking Back Childhood and Grand Theft Childhood, or the following web site, and it's links.

David Walsh of the National Institute on Media and the Family, presented research on the topic at the Public Library Association 2008 Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota in March 2008.

Henry's Freedom Box tells the amazing story of one of the most famous slaves to travel on the Underground Railroad. Henry "Box" Brown got his name because he traveled to freedom in mail crate. Ellen Levine's short poetic sentences tell the story with clarity and awe. While Kadir Nelson's use of water and oil color illustrations lends a photographic air of realism to the text. An excellent read for young readers.

Got wheels? Let's GO !!
But Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus!.
In Mouse Tales "The Journey", Mouse sets out to visit Mother. And if you are very courageous, see what it's like to get In The Driver's Seat. These are the stories for Malletts Creek and Pittsfield Branch Storytimes this week.
Now pick out something by Richard Scarry like Richard Scarry's Cars And Trucks And Things That Go and study those pictures when you get home.

Kids have asked for books about dragons. The pictures were the treasures! Look for The Book Of Dragons with illustrations by Michael Hague. Dr. Ernest Drake's dragonology : the complete book of dragons. If you like to draw, find Ralph Masiello's dragon drawing book and get out your colored pencils! For stories of girls who went up against dragons look for The Serpent Slayer: And Other Stories Of Strong Women with illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman.

See the piggy? See the puddle? See the Piggy In The Puddle?
We'll do "Piggies" in Storytimes at Malletts Creek and Pittsfield Branches.
Once you know a traditional version of a folktale, revisions are fun.
Begin with traditional The Three Little Pigs by Paul Galdone; Try a revision of The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall;
And when you know the story, you can read ....
The wolf's point of view by Jon Scieszka in The True Story Of The 3 Little Pigs.

"The COUNTRY REPORT"! DUE! AND the BOOK is checked OUT! Aaargh!!

Relax!
Get ARTICLES from "authorized" sources, through the Library Website!
Reach CULTUREGRAMS from HOME.
Choose "My Account" tab, and Login "username" and "password".
Choose "Research" tab and find CULTUREGRAMS.
It provides up-to-date information on countries and people.
It includes a State Edition with profiles on each state,
AND it tells you how to cite the article in your report.

Another great online resource for country information is the CIA World Factbook.

Storytime @ Malletts Creek and Pittsfield will feature stories from Africa this week. We did Rachel Isadora's new Princess And The Pea and Anansi And The Moss-Covered Rock.
Rabbit Ears: Anansi is a DVD production of Anansi stories based onthe book illustrations and text. Rabbit Ears Productions publish, "stories read by well-known actors accompanied by music from top-notch groups".
Look for the Rabbit Ears DVDs in the Library collections.

Jean De Florette is a wonderful French film. Making its debut in 1987, the film stars Gerard Depardieu and Daniel Auteuil. The beautiful setting for this movie is 1920's Provence, France.

Jean De Florette, the main character, is played by Depardieu. Jean makes his living as a tax collector in the city, until one day he inherits a plot of land in Provence. Only too happy to make a move to the country for a new beginning, he arrives in Provence with family in tow. He is joyously looking forward to working a garden and raising small livestock, all the while utilizing a wonderful fresh water spring that is located on the property.

Unknown to Jean De Florette, his "new" neighbors have long had their eyes on his newly inherited piece of heaven. They scheme against Jean and begin to make his life of farming unbearable. They are motivated by their belief that if they can discourage Jean enough, he will fold like a cheap card table, and sell his land to the first buyer. They block the natural spring, conceal its location from Jean, and sit back to see what happens.

I'll be the first to admit that a story about the tribulations of a rural farmer in 1920's France doesn't sound that interesting. However, that's not really what this film is all about. This film is an interesting study in human nature. Jean De Florette is a must see film for anyone interested in exploring the realm of French Film. This movie is as much a staple to French cinema, as baguettes are a staple to French cuisine.

The official FFG rating of this film is 8.

Celebrate our connection to nature in There is a Flower at the Tip of My Nose Smelling Me. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker.

School Library Journal provides an "Online Science Fare" resource list for Science Fair season.
Here it is, and hope it HELPS !
Science Fair Project Resource Guide from the Internet Public Library.

Online (and Hands-on) Activities created by the San Francisco Exploratorium.

Science Fair Project Resource Guide created by Librarians, "a well-known classic among science fair veterans". And

ZOOMsci with simple experiments especially good for elementary students and teachers looking for in-class projects

National Library Week is coming, April 13-19, 2008. El Dia De Los Ninos is April 30 every year. School Library Media Month is April every year. What better time to inform yourselves on Intellectual Freedom. Strong libraries help build strong minds.

We'll do "Doggies" in Preschool Storytime this week @ Malletts Creek and Pittsfield Branches. Doggies is one of my favorite Board Books by Sandra Boynton. The Cake That Mack Ate is out of print, and is still fun to tell. The Great Gracie Chase is Cynthia Rylant's story of the day the dog got out. If you have a dog, you know ALL about this story!