Blog Post
Nate the Great
by tkj
Remember Nate the Great? His pancake breakfasts? Rosamond? Anne and her dog Fang?
If so (or if not and your curious,) check out the Nate the Great series by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat.
I think it's time to reintroduce the pint-size detective.
Forget Columbo, hire Nate to get to the bottom of things...
And I bet you didn't know that there's a Nate the Great website, did ya?
Blog Post
Top Ten Bestselling Children's Picture Books
by kidlit
Each issue of Publisher's Weekly features bestseller lists for all kinds of categories. Here are the top ten bestsellers in the children's picture book category according to the November 20, 2006 issue.
1. Our 50 States by Lynne Cheney, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. (This title is on order.)
2. Pirateology. Edited by Dugald A. Steer. (Library's copies are in teen section.)
3. Thanksgiving Is For Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland. Illustrated by Sonja Lamut.
4. Mommy? by Maurice Sendak, Arthur Yorkings and Matthew Reinhart. (This is a pop-up book. Pop-ups are problematic for library collections.)
5. Is There Really a Human Race? by Jamie Lee Curtis, illustrated by Laura Cornell.
6. A Princess Primer by Stephanie True Peters. (This one has many removable pieces. Again, not practical for library collections.)
7. Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser.
8. The Beatrice Letters by Lemony Snicket.
9. Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes.
10. Flotsam by David Wiesner.
Blog Post
Willkommen!
by StoryLaura
All ages are invited to make pine cone and star ornaments, dance to lively tunes played by Luther Schaible on accordion, and eat soft pretzels to celebrate traditions of German, Swiss and Austrian families. To get yourself in the mood, check out some Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales and then party at the Downtown Ann Arbor District Library on Sunday, December 3 at 2:00 pm!
Blog Post
"A book is a gift you can open again and again" ~ Garrison Keillor
by muffy
It’s the season for giving and if your gifts of choice are books, we have a few suggestions for you.
We LOVE Powell’s Books and their right-on-the-money gift ideas. If you are on a budget, no problem! They have great suggestions for $7 and under.
Next time you are at any of our library locations, pick up a copy of the free review magazine BookPage. The December issue has a special feature called "Great Gifts for Readers of Every Stripe". Get a headstart and download the Holiday Gift Catalog.
We also like Amazon’s 2006 Top 50 Editors’ Picks; the Most Gifted in Books; and their lists of award winners.
Want to do right by the little ones?
Here are the N(ational) E(ducation) A(ssociation) Teachers' Top 100 Books and the Kids' top 100 books; New York Public Library’s 100 Favorite Children's Books and the 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know.
Clueless about those teenagers on your list?
What about music? You will be sure to find something on The Billboard Hot 100 to please them. You could also strongly encourage reading by presenting them with one or more of these fabulous picks from the American Library Association’s Best Books for Young Adults.
And if you have deep pockets and are short on time, and you love shopping as much as scrubbing the toilet with a toothbrush, then there is always the BookBaskets option. I cannot personally vouch of this outfit, but Katie Couric is a satisfied customer.
Happy Giving.
Blog Post
Bahumbugs Beware: Local Holiday Events!
by Sancho Panza
Missed out on this year’s earlier-than-usual Children’s Holiday parade? Not to worry--there are plenty of holiday traditions left to enjoy. Though a certain someone shudders every time I play another Christmas CD, there’s only so much time to enjoy the festive mood before January sets in (blah), so why not enjoy? First up, Kerrytown’s own Tree Lighting Ceremony, Sunday, November 26 at 5p.m. Followed by the 60th Annual Greens Market at the Women’s City Club on Thursday the 30th. Finally, head downtown on December 1st for the biannual tradition, Midnight Madness—stores open late, legendary Le Dog soup at night, and sales galore—what could be better?
Blog Post
Picking the 2007 Newbery Winner
by kidlit
The winner of the 2007 Newbery Medal will be announced in January. It's always fun to run your own competition and see if you can spot the winner and honor titles.
Some bookstores and libraries run Mock Newbery contests. These provide good reading lists that can start you on your way. Here are three good lists from three different Mock Newberys. Happy reading!!
http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/children/newbery_current.html
http://www.andersonsbookshop.com/reading_lists/mock_newbery.php
http://www.lori.ri.gov/youthserv/newbery.php
Blog Post
DDR, Mario Kart and Super Smash Tournaments: This Weekend!
by eli
If you can pry yourself away from your new console -- or get someone to save your spot in line -- come to the Downtown Library this weekend for a series of Videogame Tournaments for all ages! First, we'll have a Dance Dance Revolution Tournament for All Ages, Friday, 11/17, from 6-8:30 PM. We'll have prizes for 1st and 2nd place in the Standard/Heavy Level, as well as a prize for the best Adult / Child Team!
We'll then proceed to the final regular season round of the Super Smash Double Dash Championship Series, Saturday, 11/18, from Noon - 5 PM. This is the last chance for a clan to qualify for the December Clan Cup and Grand Championships, unless you want to take your chances with the wildcards, so bring your best thumbs! Also, this event will be televised live on CTN channel 18, and we all know that all of Ann Arbor will be glued to their Televisions to watch this event this Saturday! Right? Anyone? Be sure to bring a release form if you haven't already.
Finally, we'll have a Kid's Kart TEAM Tournament for Grades 5 and under, Sunday, 11/19, from 1-4 PM, with prizes for the two best teams at the tournament, along with open play. Hope to see you there! Read on for more details.
Blog Post
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
by Maxine
Although America Recycles Day was November 15, it's never too late to start being more environmentally aware. Check out all the services of Recycle Ann Arbor. You'll be amazed by opportunities both to recycle and to grab some great finds, especially at the Re-Use Station.
The Library has a wealth of information on recycling and environmental issues. A new dvd series produced by PBS titled Design e2: The Economies of Being Environmentally Conscious looks at inspiring examples of environmental projects throughout the country including Mayor Richard Daley's green initiatives for the city of Chicago. Other programs examine a proposed greywater recycling system in Bejing that would be the largest in the world and how Boston's Big Dig project has provided opportunities for using its scrap for innovative house design.
Ready Made: How to Make (Almost) Everything: A Do-It Yourself Primer by Shoshana Berger is a playful look at how we can transform discarded materials into such creations as chopstick clocks and cd racks made from Fed Ex boxes.
Blog Post
Mad Tea Party
by StoryLaura
Join us during Children’s Book Week to make many different kinds of tea bags, outrageous hats and funny place mats for our tea party in true Alice in Wonderland fashion. Six year olds and up are invited to bring their imaginations along to the Mad Hatter Tea Party at the Pittsfield Branch on Thursday, November 16th at 4:00 pm.
Blog Post
Doggishly good books
by emilyas
On NPR Nancy Pearl has noted that in the past year nonfiction books about dogs have been very popular. Many of the titles she recommends are available at the library. For a doggishly good read, check out one of these titles:
Timbuktu by Paul Auster
Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
City by Clifford Simak
Skippyjon Jones by Judith Byron Schachner
Lucky in the Corner by Carol Anshaw
Foreign Affairs by Alison Lurie
And check out the NPR story for a recording of Nancy Pearl reading "Golden Retrievals," a poem by Mark Doty.