For "Mythology-Minded" Readers

Summer Reading with Rick Riordan
Seems as though East Hampton's tween-age readers are still enjoying the author's Percy Jackson and Kane Chronicles series.  You might also like to make some summer reading time for the Heroes of Olympus series which picks up where Percy left off. The only downside is you will have to wait until fall 2012 for the third in this five-book series.

In the mean time, you can check out Disney-Hyperion's Greeks vs. Romans web site where you will be asked to decide "Whose camp are you in?" Check back often because right now there's not much there... there. Also have fun on Riordan's author site.

Related Reads
Here are but a few graphic novels, non-fiction, and fiction selections for kids and tweens; try these others about mythology and adventure.

Mount Olympus Basketball by Kevin O'Mally [Graphic Novel]
Destiny's Call : the Legend of Perseus by Ryan Foley [Graphic Novel]
Medusa Jones by Ross Collins
Jason and the Argonauts by Dan Whitehead
The Fate of Achilles by Bimba Landmann
The Greeks by Michael Kerrigan
Greek Myths by Eric Kimmel
Greek Hero by Mick Manning
Tales of the Greek Heroes by Roger Lancelyn Green
Olympia : Warrior Athletes of Ancient Greece by David Kennett
Dusssie by Nancy Springer
Iris, Messenger by Sarah Deming
Tales from the Odyssey

Civil War Resources

From the National Park Service

Last April, the National Park Service (NPS) launched its Civil War website, mainly a tool to help visitors plan their trips to historic Civil War sites preserved and administered by the NPS.  However, Civil War buffs will find much more than a trip planner here.  Check out the People section (find an ancestor who served in the Union or Confederate Army) or subscribe to Civil War Reporter, a Twitter feed.

Surfers might also enjoy the National Archives' Discovering the Civil War and podcasts from CivilWar Traveler. You may also search this blog for previous posts about recommended Civil War resources available at the library or search our catalog.

Strolling Through the Park

Sears Park, State Parks, National Parks
Public parks, large and small; urban, suburban, and wilderness, are important parts of our national heritage.  Have some fun in our local and state parks this summer and if you have not had the pleasure to travel to a national park, armchair travel may be just as fun, too.

Sears Park Stickers
The library sells Sears Park stickers to town residents for vehicles and watercraft.  Click here for an overview of requirements. Purchase your stickers during any of the library's 51 public service hours which include day, evening, and Saturday hours.

State Park Pass
Borrow a pass and save some cash! The pass admits passenger vehicles to all state parks and forests and admits 2 adults and 4 children to Dinosaur, Gillette and Fort Trumbull State Parks. Click here for a complete listing of our museum pass offerings which includes a pass to Roaring Brook Nature Center.

National Parks and Forests
Our summer reading program theme is Dream Big Read! Enjoy a selection of books and films about our national parks and forests and the dreamers and doers who helped lead our country's early conservation movements.

Midnight Forests : A Story of Gifford Pinchot and Our National Forests by Gary Hines
The National Parks : America's Best Idea
National Parks Collection
This Land is Your Land by Sylvia Whitman
Adventures in Your National Parks
The Camping Trip That Changed America by Barbara Rosenstock
John Muir : America's First Environmentalist by Kathryn Lasky
Gentle Wilderness by John Muir

and just for fun...
Haunted Hikes : Spine Tingling Tales and Trails from North America's National Parks by Andrea Lankford

Surf's Up
CT DEP : State Parks and Forests
Mapping the National Parks (Library of Congress)
National Park Service

"Shine the Light" for Bevin Bell

Shine On Brightly..
Show your support for a Bevin Bell revival by shining a light in your window using a specially branded LED candle. Lighting the candle is an easy way for you to show your visible and vibrant support for Bevin Bell's rebuilding efforts and the company's commitment to keep the bells in Belltown. For greatest effect, work with your neighbors to "shine the light" up and down your street!

Candle Description
Ivory color hollow candle/wax luminary, 6" tall by 3" in diameter. Candles includes flickering "A" brightness, battery-operated LED inserts and batteries.  The candles are made in the USA.

How Much Do the Candles Cost?
Each candle will be sold at cost for $7. Your cost includes our cost to buy the candles plus a small markup to cover CT sales tax which we must charge when we sell a candle to you.  The price also includes the cost of printing Shine the Light labels; one of which comes with each candle.

Where to Purchase
Stop by the library or the East Hampton Parks & Recreation office to purchase Shine the Light candles beginning June 28, 2012.  Candles may be purchased in a maximum quantity of five (5) candles, against our initial order quantity of 250 candles. Both locations will accept personal checks or cash.

Shine the Light
As our initial quantity of 250 candles sells out, we'll reorder.  We're sure you're all willing to Shine the Light for Bevin Bell, one light... one at a time... in as many windows as possible.

Surf's Up
Bevin Brothers Manufacturing
Keep the Bells in Belltown
P.S.I. Plus

Saving for College : CHET Summer Reading Program

Saving for College

Hi there, parents! If you have a kiddo in the house (any age through age 13), consider entering CHET's (Connecticut Higher Education Trust) 2012 think Big! Save for College! promotion. It's free and it's easy to participate and your child will have the chance to receive a $1,000 contribution to a CHET direct-sold 529 college savings account. Very cool...

About 2012's Promotion
Enroll you child in our summer reading program. Pick up a mail-in entry form at the library or enter online. Mail-in forms must be postmarked by August 17,2012.

And Let Us Not Forget
One of 2011's $1,000 winners was East Hampton's own Charlotte Minnick! Click here to read all about it!

About CHET
CHET is Connecticut's direct-sold 529 college savings plan designed to help families save for a loved one's future college education. The CHET direct-sold plan is sponsored by the State of Connecticut's Treasurer's office, and managed by TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc., a recognized leader in managing state 529 saving plans. Click here for more info.

Summer Reading Program 2012 Update

Dream Big READ!
Summer reading season at the library, 2012 edition, officially opened on Saturday, June 23.  We've got plenty of books for you to enjoy by the lake or backyard pool, at camp, on vacation, or in the quiet evening hours before sleep.

So fill up your book or beach bags and remember, summer reading is so much more than "an assignment". It's your chance to read books everyone is talking about, get to know characters you'll love, and explore ideas that inspire you to Dream Big!

Reading Lists
Links to required/recommended reading lists from area schools, the Connecticut Department of Education, and the Nutmeg Book Awards are shown on the left side panel. Use the links to access title lists, title summaries, book reviews, to place holds, and more.

Summer Reading Game for Kids

Test your research skills by playing our dream catcher board game. Demonstrate your super-duper brain power by correctly answering six questions along one strand in the web and win a small prize. One prize per child, per week.

Sears Park Summer Camp
Book deliveries to Sears Park Summer Camp begin on Wednesday, June 27. See you at camp every Wednesday morning through close of camp in August. Easy-breezy reading days by the lake...

Dream Catcher Craft

On opening day, oodles of local kiddos made their own dream catchers. Owing to popularity of this craft, join us for our regular Tuesday story and craft session set for Tuesday, June 26 at 6:30 p.m.

First 15 kiddos, ages 4-7, are welcomed to join in the dream catcher craze and make a dream catcher of their own.

For Inspiration : Keep a Dream In Your Pocket
A 2009 performance of a 1992 tune by a 1960's-1970's band, The Seekers. The tune may be an oldie but it still comes with a goodie message -- Dream Big!

The Greatest Show

After the Fire
On July 6, 1944, in Hartford, Conecticut, a Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Baily big top went up in flames.  One hundred and sixy eight people were killed and it would be more than three decades before the circus was allowed to return to the city.

Michael Downs' new story collection, The Greatest Show, is less about the fire than the interconnected lives of people affected by the tragedy.  Downs is a Hartford native; this is first fiction book.

Related Books
Masters of Illusion by Mary Tirone Smith
The Circus Fire : a True Story by Stewart O'Nan
Women and Children First : the Horrible Hartford Circus Fire by Donald Roy

Museum Pass Tie-in
The author will read from his new book at the Mark Twain House and Museum on Friday, July 6th, beginning at 5 p.m.  The event is FREE.  Don't forget : a pass to the Mark Twain House is one of twenty passes offered by the library.

Surf's Up
The Author's Blog
Book Trailer

A List! A List! My Kingdom for a List!

Summer Reading 2012
Look on the right side panel, just below the Library Savings Calculator, for a handy set of links to school-assigned summer reading lists issued by area high schools.  Each list will quickly show you title availability (some titles are more popular than others) and provide you with an easy way to place your reserves.

Also find fun Dream Big! reading lists developed for the Connecticut Department of Education by Linda Williams of the Connecticut State Library.

More links to come as we gather other lists and offer a few of our own. Happy summer reading!

Someone's In the Kitchen With Mommy (or Daddy)

Image credit: MomTrends (www.momtrends.com)

Cooking With Kids

Cook up some fun with your kids this summer.  We offer a quick list of kid-friendly books with easy, breezy recipe ideas, including a book on making pet treats!

Cake Mix Cooking With Kids by Stephanie Ashcraft

Cool Pet Treats : Easy Recipes for Kids to Bake by Pam Price

The Princess Cookbook by Sarah Schuette

Easy-Peasy Recipes : Snacks and Treats to Make and Eat by Karen Berman

The Football Cookbook by Sarah Schuette

The Dinosaur Cookbook by Sarah Schuette

Tate's Bake Shop : Baking With Kids by Kathleen King

A Superhero Cookbook by Sarah Schuette

Mayo Clinic Kids' Cookbook : 50 Favorite Recipes for Fun and Healthy Eating

A Monster Cookbook by Sarah Schuette

Best Kept Secrets?

Not Anymore...
If you've never seen Foamhenge (Virginia), been to the Thermometer Museum (Massachusetts), or attended the Emma Crawford Coffin Fest (Colorado), you can travel by armchair with assistance from guidebooks of different sort.  Have fun...


Weird U.S. -- Weird New England -- Weird Massachusetts -- Weird New York -- Weird Florida -- Weird New Jersey.

Creepy Crawly Books for Kids

The "Yuk" Factor
With summer reading season drawing near, the little outdoor or nature and science lover in your home might find a little joy in books about the world of creepy crawlers. Here's a short list of titles well worth enjoying; though do expect a "yuk" and a "gross"... or two.

The Tarantula Scientist by Sy Montgomery
Bugs : Poems About Creeping Things by David L. Harrison
Spiders by Nic Bishop
Paleo Bugs : Survival of the Creepiest by Timothy J. Bradley
Creep and Flutter : The Secret World of Insects and Spiders by Jim Arnosky
Face to Face with Caterpillars by Darlyne Murawski
The Bat Scientists by Mary Kay Carson
Bug-a-licious by Meish Goldish 
The Case of the Vanishing Golden Frogs by Sandra Markle
It's Disgusting and We Ate It! : True Food Facts from Around the World and Throughout History by James Solheim

A Day for Dads

Father's Day 2012
The first Mother's Day was celebrated in 1914. A day to honor fathers came much later, in 1966. Click here for an historical overview of Father's Day, courtesy of the Library of Congress.

For Father's Day 2012, we offer quick lists of a variety of library resources for the very young and preschool crowd.  Celebrate your Dad with big hugs all around on June 17!

Board Books for Little People
My Dad Is the Best Playground by Luciana Navarro Powell
Daddies and Their Babies by Guido van Genechten
A Wild Day With Dad by Sean Callahan
Daddy and Me by Karen Katz
Kisses for Daddy by Frances Watts
The Very Best Daddy of All by Marion Dane Bauer
Daddy Hugs by Karen Katz
My Dad Loves Me by Marianne Richmond
Daddy's Girl by Garrison Keillor

For Preschoolers and Early Readers
I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish by Neil Gaiman
What Dad's Can't Do by Douglas Wood
My Dad by Anthony Browne
I Love My Daddy by Sebastien Braun
The Night Before Father's Day by Natasha Wing
Just Me and My Dad by Mercer Mayer
Because I Am Your Daddy by Sherry North
Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss
Tyrannosaurus Dad by Liz Rosenberg
My Father Knows the Names of Things by Jane Yolen

Fun Stuff to Borrow and Do...

Image courtesy of Manhattan-Elwood 

Public Library District

Thinking Big About Library Services
Beyond traditional services -- lending books, music and movies -- we offer a quick list of library services : better known, lesser known, and downright unusual.  Fun stuff!

Energy Meters

Borrow an energy meter and use the meter to determine how much power your home appliances or gizmos and gadgets consume.  Use these as a stepping-off point and take the Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge!

Sign Up for Emergency Alerts

If you don't own a computer, stop by the library to sign up for East Hampton Alerts Townwide Notification System.  If you're not computer savvy, we can help you navigate the sign-up process.

Museum Passes
Visit a premier museum or attraction for free or at discount off regular admission.

Art Prints
If you are home-staging, would like to enhance your office decor, or are otherwise looking for a change of view, the library lends art-to-go.  Most of our art-to-go selections were created by local artists.

Early Childhood Literacy Kits
Does your kiddo like fish? Bears? Big rigs or trains?  Try one of our multimedia kits which include a variety of theme-related books and media materials.

Sear's Park Stickers
Purchase a Sears Park sticker for your automobile, watercraft/boat, or both during any of the library's 51 public service hours.

Book Club Support
If you're running a local book club, the library can help you obtain multiple copies of your club's selected reads, subject to availability. Phone the library for information on how to get started.

Video Games
Find a growing collection of video games for Wii, PS3, and X-Box 360.

Master of Sci-Fi and Then Some

Ray Bradbury (1921-2012)
Influential sci-fi icon, Ray Bradbury, passed away today.  He cared about books and his books have stood the test of time. His voice will be dearly missed by the legions of real people who were moved by his words.

Bradbury received the 2000 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, the 2004 National Medal of Arts and a 2007 Pulitzer Prize Special Citation.

Read or re-read Bradbury's classics this summer.  Our summer reading program theme is Dream Big READ! and Bradbury's dreams for everyone who appreciates a well-told story, told so personally, were very big indeed.

The Martian Chronicles
The Illustrated Man
Fahrenheit 451
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Dandelion Wine

Reading Your Way Around the World

A Short Trip Through Recent Books

Find memoirs, reportage, and literary flavor in this short list of recent non-fiction, compiled by library staff member Phil Carr.  Great reads, all.

Key West : Mile Marker Zero by William McKeen

Haiti : Haiti After the Earthquake by Paul Farmer

England : Gypsy Boy by Mikey Walsh

Italy : Extra Virginity : the Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller

Kenya : You Will See Fire by Christopher Goffard

Somalia : The Pirates of Somalia : Inside Their Hidden World by Jay Bahadur

Zimbabwe : Cocktail Under the Tree of Forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller

Pakistan : Buried in the Sky : the Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2's Deadliest Day by Peter Zuckerman and Amanda Padoan

India : Behind the Beautiful Forevers : Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo



Colorful Covers

Uncovering YA Covers
If you're interested in young adult (YA) books, check out an extraordinary series of infographics developed by young adult author Kate Hart.  Very interesting results; disappointing, too.

Have fun.

Our Canine Friends

When Dogs Are More Than Beloved Pets...
The library's 2011-2012 after-school Fribrary Time series for kids concludes on Friday, June 1 with a program titled Meet the Doggie Detective.

During this program you'll meet and get to know a K-9 officer and his human police officer partner, as well as learn a little something about how K-9 officers help investigate crimes. 

Related Reading
Animals at Work by Liz Palika and Dr. Katherine A. Miller
Prison Puppies by Meish Goldish
Speaking Dog by Tammy Gagne
Bomb-sniffing Dogs by Meish Goldish
Fire Dog Heroes by Linda Bozzo
Pest-sniffing Dogs by Meish Goldish
The Right Dog for the Job : Ira's Path from Service Dog to Guide Dog by Dorothy Patent

Classic Tales for Kids... With a Twist

Clever Takes

Classic tales (fairy, fable, folklore and the like) are always fun to read and have for generations been repeated, re-told, recast and parodied in both books and films. We offer a quick list of recent and classic books with creative, unusual, and amusing takes on familiar stories we all know and share with our kiddos.


The Great Sheep Shenanigans by Peter Bently
Huff & Puff by Claudia Rueda
Wolf Won't Bite by Emily Gravett
Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten by Tricia Speed Shaskan
Trust Me, Jack's Beanstalk Stinks! by Eric Mark Braun
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by A. Wolf; as told to Jon Scieszka
Believe Me, Goldilocks Rocks! by Nancy Jean Loewen
Seriously, Cinderella Is SO Annoying! by Trisha Speed Shaskan
The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas
Prince Cinders by Babette Cole

The Latest Books to Film

Turn the Pages, See the Film
Not a surprise to see that spring season's big screen films owe much to the books and stories that came before.  Here's a quick list :

The Lucky One (PG13) : based on Nicholas Sparks' tear-jerker novel of the same name.

Think Like a Man (PG13): the film adaptation of Steve Harvey's bestseller Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man : What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy and Commitment.

The Raven (R) :  A serial killer who bases his methods of killing on Edgar Allan Poe’s stories, beginning with The Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Pit and the Pendulum and working his way through other stories.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel : The script is based on a novel by Deborah Moggach, previously published in the UK as These Foolish Things.

What to Expect When You're Expecting (PG13) : Adapted from Arlene Eisenberg's ever popular bestseller, written with her daughters Heidi Eisenberg Murkoff  and Sandee Eisenberg Hathaway.

The Avengers (PG13) : This tribute to the Marvel Comics series by Stan Lee features a team including iconic super heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow.

Mirror, Mirror (PG) : Based on the classic fairy tale, Snow White, by the Brothers Grimm.  Previous book and film version versions abound.

A Rule of Etiquette?

Don't Talk About Politics or Religion

"After all, conversation between two people is very easy.  You find a mutually interesting topic, although it may lead to one about which you don't agree.  Then take care!  Much better to withdraw unless you can argue without bitterness or bigotry." ~ Emily Post's Etiquette, 12th Revised Edition, 1969

The library holds a wide range of books about religion and religious thought, including sacred texts/religious documents and interpretations of them.  Here's a very short list of recent titles that have received broad media, book buyer, and library patron attention.  Pick and choose and of course, we welcome suggestions for purchase.

Bad Religion : How We Became a Nation of Heretics by Ross Gregory Douthat

Revelations : Visions, Prophesy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation by Elaine H. Pagels

Every Day a Friday : How to Be Happier 7 Days a Week by Joel Osteen
The Mormon People : The Making of an American Faith by Matthew Bowman
Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul by John M. Barry

Unorthodox : The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman

The Righteous Mind : Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt

War of the Worldviews : Science vs. Spirituality by Deepak Chopra and Leonard Mlodinow

When God Talks Back : Understanding the American Evangelical Relationship with God by T.M. Luhrmann  

In and Around Your Home

If You're Handy...

DIY titles attract their fair share of attention.  If you use your talents to make and keep your home base a comfortable place to live and enjoy hobbies, here's a quick list of latest additions for the handy person in you.

Quilts and Quilting
60 Pieced Quilt Borders by Judy Laquidara
Modern Minimal : 20 Bold and Graphic Quilts by Alissa Haight Carlton
Simple Expression Quilts by Fran Morgan [June 1 Release]

Home Decorating
Creative Display by Geraldine James

Sabrina Soto Home Design by Sabrina Soto

Soulspace : Transform Your Home, Transform Your Life by Xorin Balbes

Crafts

Happy Cute : 25 Amigurumi Gifts by Annie Obaachan

Knits for Nerds : 30 Projects : Science Fiction, Comic Books, Fantasy by Toni Carr

One + One : Scarves, Shawls & Shrugs by Iris Schreier

Techno Cozies by Sue Culligan

Voodoo Maggie's Adorable Amigurumi by Erin Clark

Simple Beginnings : Beading by Suzann Sladcik Wilson  

Backyard Transformations

Little House in the Suburbs by Deanna Caswell and Daisy Siskin

Self-Sufficiency on a Shoestring by Alan & Gill Bridegwater

Northeast Home Landscaping by Roger Holmes

Designing Gardens With Plant Shapes by Carol J. Smith

The 50 Mile Bouquet : Seasonal, Local & Sustainable Flowers by Debra Prinzing

Garden Pools, Fountains & Waterfalls by Debra Prinzing

Look! Up In the Sky! Join the Star Party...



Photo Credit: MPR Photography

East Hampton Star Party Tonight

Join N.A.S.A. Solar System Ambassador and local resident Dean Kavalkovich this evening, Saturday, May 12, for a star party in Hurd State Park.  Start time is 8 p.m. on the park's ball field.

If for any reason we need to cancel the party, cancellation notice will be posted at 6 p.m. on this blog and on the library's Facebook page.

Bring Your Binoculars or...
For those without telescopes, five scopes will be availbable for star gazers' use.

Directions to Hurd State Park
Try Google Maps.

Star Party Etiquette
Drive slowly, for safety and to avoid kicking up dust. Arrive before dark so your headlights won't interfere with night vision -- or use parking lights if it is safe to do so.

Turn off your car's interior lights. Most cars have a dial or switch (often connected to the panel light dimmer) that shuts off interior lights even with open doors. Pulling up one or two notches on the parking brake of cars with automatic headlights will sometimes extinguish interior lights.

Wear warm clothes. The air cools quickly after dark, even after a warm day. Astronomy is a sedentary activity; there's no movement to generate warmth. Bring layers for weather 15 degrees cooler than the forecast.

If you plan an extended stay you may decide to bring a light snack and a beverage. However, please observe the rule below about not eating or carrying drinks near telescopes.

Leave flashlights at home or place a red filter over the lens (see advice on lights below). Many astronomical objects are very faint, and it takes 30 minutes for eyes to adapt to night vision.

Watch your step in the dark, especially around tripods, chairs, tables and other equipment. Be aware of wires on the ground and other shadowy obstacles. If your scope requires power make the wires as safe as possible. Walk, don't run!

Children are welcome -- an early observing experience can kindle a lifetime love of astronomy. But make sure your child understands the rules about safety, not touching the equipment and noisy or disruptive behavior.

Use parking lights to exit the telescope field and turn on your headlights only once you are some distance away. Driving without any lights is not necessary -- and may be unsafe!

Adieu

Maurice Sendak,
1928-2012
Sendak, author of the gloriously subversive and widely read Where The Wild Things Are, died today at age 83.

Adieu and thank you.

Surfs Up
A few of our favorites on the web:
From the NYT
Author interview by Terry Gross of NPR's Fresh Air
Author Interview from TateShots, the Telegraph U.K.
Grimm Colberty Tales, Part 1 and Part 2
From Today Books : 9 Subversive Children's Books

Happy 'Star Wars' Day

May the Fourth Be With You!

Survival Tales

The World of the Hunger Games
Movie Companion (Book)

Hunger Games Readalikes
If you have read your way through Suzanne Collins' mega-hit trilogy, seen the big screen film, and listened to the movie soundtrack, you might be asking yourself "What's next?"

Here's a short list of reading suggestions recently offered over the front desk.  All are futuristic novels about survival in a too-harsh world.  Read 'em with your kids...

Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Also try the prequel, Fire.

The Maze Runner Series by James Dashner
In order: The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure.

Trash by Andy Mulligan
A 2013 Teen Nutmeg Book Nominee.

Books of Ember Series by Jeanne DuPrau
In order : City of Ember (also a movie), The People of Sparks, The Prophet of Yonwood, The Diamond of Darkhold.

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
The sequel is Sapphique; the author also writes the Relic Master series.

Nation by Terry Pratchett
A stellar young adult book about the aftermath of a tsunami, from an adult fiction favorite.

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
If there is a sequel or a book-to-film on the way, Farmer isn't saying.

Dark Life and Rip Tide by Kat Falls
Find conflict and adventure in an underwater world that isn't always pretty.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman
A Teen Nutmeg Book Nominee and dah, dah, dah... the 2011 winner!

Chaos Walking Series by Patrick Ness
In order : The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and The Answer, Monsters of Men.

Little Books for Little People

Board Books
Board books are generally recommended for infants and toddlers.  These hunky-chunky books offer an easy way to introduce your kiddo to books and as they grow, explore concepts such as shapes, colors, sizes, and numbers.  Familiar settings, simple rhymes, likable characters, and predictable settings also make for a great board book experience.  It sure doesn't hurt that the thick pages are easy to handle, play with, and turn!

Here's a quick listing of latest board books plus a few of our favorites :

Big Little and Quiet Loud by Leslie Patricelli
The Five Friends (series) by Orianne Lallemand
Little Pim Animals and Little Pim Numbers by Julia Pimsleur Levine
Hamsters Holding Hands by Kass Reich
Daddies and Their Babies by Guido Van Genechten
My Birdie Puzzle Book and My Bunny Puzzle Book
Babar and His Family and B is for Babar
Hippopposites by Janik Coat
Lllama Llama Hoppity-Hop and Llama Llama Zippity-Zoom by Anna Dewdney
Seymour Chwast Says Get Dressed! by Seymour Chwast
Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Meserve Kunhardt
Baby Faces by Margaret Miller

Explore the U.S.A. : A to Z

Your State Report
If you are a grammar school kiddo learning about our glorious country, stop by the library and check out series books about America's states. These plus other print resources are sure to be helpful as you explore the history, life, and times of the fabulous 50.

When you explore online, use your local library card to visit AtoZ the USA, a go-to database filled with cool, credible, and creatively presented information.

The database offers students need-to-know information about U.S. states and territories but adults will also enjoy the information about places to visit, history, recipes, museums, statistics, photos, maps, postcards, and much more.

You may access the database at the library or from any Internet PC. For external access, go to the AtoZ homepage, enter your library card number in the box labeled "library card", and start exploring.

I Listen to Audio Books

OneClickdigital : The "i's" Have It
If you are an audio book and i-device fan, please do download a free app and use it to deliver e-audio book content to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch!

Listening On the Go
To download e-audio books, you'll need to login to OneClickdigital (if you already have an account) or use your local library card's barcode number to create an account. All titles are PC and Mac compatible.  If you are using a mobile i-device; grab the app from the iTunes store.