Do You Know Mother Goose?

We have many collections of Mother Goose rhymes and I have given many of these as gifts for new babies. I try to introduce them to kids as a part of our oral history. But, I find that sometimes the complete rhymes are very difficult for me to remember. I'm not sure if I ever learned some of them completely as a child or if it is the ease of the words that made me remember some better than others. Whatever the reason, I was delighted when I discovered a new series of Favorite Mother Goose Rhymes and its companion of Children's Favorite Activity Songs. Each book (eight in each series) contains a delightfully illustrated version of one rhyme or song. Short and sweet! You'll find old favorites like Little Miss Muffet and Hey, Diddle Diddle but may also discover not so familiar ones like Grey Squirrel and Round and Round the Garden. Great for young children that need a short good night story or for helping them visualize exactly what those words mean. Worth a look!

Playing Games Is A Great Idea!

Have you noticed the push for playing games in the media? While the ads are generally produced by the game makers, they have the right idea. Spending time together with family and friends playing games can be a great experience on many levels. Many of my best childhood memories are the times we spent playing games - board games, car games, card games, guessing games, etc. There are so many to choose from that sometimes it can be mind-boggling. And, standing at the rows of games in the stores is even worse - how do you know which are good ones and which will be donated to the Goodwill after only one time out of the box? I've located a couple of sites to share with you about gaming. Take a look and see if you can find a new one to challenge your family and friends.

http://www.boardgameswithscott.com/ - Scott Nicholson, professor at Syracruse University, provides video reviews of games. A great way to get a taste of a game without the purchase. Scott gives you information about contents, strategies, playing time and more. You'll see new games introduced but can also search for reviews of older releases.
http://www.thegamecrafter.com/ - Have an idea for a game yourself? Here's the spot for you! You can find all the things you need to produce your own idea. Whether you want just one copy for your family to play or you are interested in marketing it to consumers - you'll want to check out this site. NOTE: Have a game with lost pieces? They have a place to purchase pawns, dice, etc.

(NOTE: If you don't see the web address, mouse over the blank area and the link appears.)

Boys and Reading

I recently attended a workshop on the topic of boys and reading. The presenter, Michael Sullivan is a former children's librarian and library director. He shared with the group many of the studies that have been done comparing boys and girls reading - both in choices and abilities. The audience was made up of public librarians, school librarians as well as teachers and prinicipals. Everyone is searching for ideas and answers about why it seems for a majority of boys that reading comes so difficultly or even though they can read very well they choose not to. He didn't have cut and dried answers, but he shared many insights and gave us some fabulous resources. He talked about the sense of humor and inquisitiveness about how things work that engages many boys. Nonfiction is often their genre of choice although we as adults seem to be stuck on insisting that they read fiction. One of my favorite suggestions was that you try to pair an activity and a book. We have pushed this in several activities we have provided - explore a subject in a book and then go and try to experience it in another fashion. This is a quote that hit home for me having three brothers and a father that did very little reading as I was growing up; "Engage a boy's hands and his mind will follow." In the next few weeks I will  be putting together a list of some of his suggestions. I have already ordered some additional titles. Unfortunately, some of his suggestions are out of print but the good news is they are available through our Prairie Cat system.

Be sure to stop in the library to pick up a list or have a conversation with one of the youth services staff members. We'll be happy to help you locate some great choices for your child.

Toddler/Preschooler Reading Program: Discover the Treasures in Reading

We are always looking for ways to connect our youngest readers and their families to literacy. We have discovered that providing a reading program just for them has been a big hit the past few years and we are pleased to announce the theme for our 2009 program. Discover the Treasures in Reading will give us the opportunity to share some "gems" with our young patrons throughout the month of October. Registration begins on October 5 and the program will conclude on October 31. Stop by to pick up a reading log (beginning on the 5th) to keep track of the books you read aloud to your child. Be sure to return with your completed log by October 31 to be guaranteed a reading award - a new book! Sponsored by the Friends of the Bettendorf Public Library.

Upcoming Programs

Hey kids! Martha the talking dog is coming to the Library! Join us for our "Martha Speaks" program on Tuesday, September 15 from 4-5 p.m. For those of you unfamiliar with Martha, she is the star of the books by Susan Meddaugh and also of her own PBS show (4 p.m. on WQPT). Staff from WQPT will join us in presenting this event. Participants will have the opportunity to have their picture taken with Martha (don't forget your cameras!), listen to one of her tales, make a simple craft and try a few activities. No registration is required but the program is geared toward kids ages 4-7. 
Sponsored by the Friends of the Bettendorf Public Library.

Toot! Toot! Fun with Thomas the Tank Engine

It seems like we get multiple requests for the Thomas the Tank Engine books every day. I know we have tons of fans out there, so when I came across this site I definitely wanted to share the information. The website is actually Random House Publishers, but they have many games and activities for children - Thomas is just one of them!

Plan to spend some time with Thomas and Friends at
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/thomas/activities.html.

The StoryNory - a reading website

A friend suggested this website full of free audiorecordings for kids. The woman reading the stories has a very pleasant voice and there is a nice selection of classics and folktales. Check it out at www.storynory.com

The Kids' Experience!

We are pleased to announce the 2nd annual Kids' Experience on Saturday, August 22 from 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Make plans to bring the whole family and join us for a day filled with FREE classes and activities for kids of all ages. Classes include: magic, storytelling, origami, string stories, face painting, sign language, watercolors, caricatures, nutrition, pet care, drawing. Additional activities include: music, bubbles with the Family Museum, Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center puppet shows (12:30-1:30), an obstacle course with the Life Fitness Center (9:30-noon), an enviroscape with the Bettendorf Public Works Department, juggling with Ronald McDonald (2-3 only) and Miller's Petting Zoo. Classes run for 30 minutes. Kids will have the opportunity to checkout materials on the subjects they have been investigating. Some classes are targeted at specific age groups and have limited seating.
No registration is required. Stop by for as long as you can and let your families get THE KIDS' EXPERIENCE!

Sponsored by the Bettendorf Public Library Foundation

Calling All Erin Hunter Fans

For those kids reading books by Erin Hunter, you won't want to miss the podcast on HarperCollins Children's Books regarding the new release, BlueStar's Prophecy. You can download the podcast at http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/kids/gamesandcontests/features/podcast/
Be sure to check out some of the other podcasts available for free. There are also links to other sites that may be of interest to Erin Hunter fans!

Summer Reading Program News

It is hard to believe that we are in the final weeks of the summer reading program. We've had some awesome programs and MANY, MANY kids reading tons of books (just ask our shelvers!). This is a reminder that if you haven't turned in your reading logs you have until July 25 to do so. The Family of Readers logs MUST be returned by July 25 - the drawing for the baskets will be held on Monday, July 27.

Father's Day Ideas for Kids

Also from Activity Village - some cute ideas for your kids to make for Father's Day.
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/fathers_day_page.htm
Activity village has tons of cool things! Keep Exploring!

There is a great article on the website Activity Village that talks about all the things you have around the house that can encourage creative play. Don't spend a dime and give your kids hours of fun! Here is the link: http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/free-toys.htm. They all sound fun to me!!

Miss Tami will visit the Bettendorf Farmer's Market

Don't forget to stop by the Bettendorf Farmer's Market (State Street) on Thursday, June 11. Miss Tami will be there sharing stories throughout the afternoon. The market runs from 2-6 p.m. and Miss Tami will stay until 4:00 p.m. Come join the FUN!

Planning a Trip This Summer?

Are you planning to take a family vacation this summer? Don't forget to pack the books! A great way to pass the time in the car is reading. Don't forget books come in several formats and can help entertain multiple age listeners. Check out the children's books on tape or CD as well as our Playaways. If you haven't heard of a Playaway - it is a small player that contains one book. All you have to have is a pair of earphones and you are good to go! You can also use the WILBOR program off of our website to download books for free to your MP3 player. There are many choices for all ages and they are all free! For assistance with the Playaways or with downloading books, ask at the Youth Services Desk or Information Desk.

Art Smarts Scavenger Hunt

Are you Art Smart? As a compliment to our summer reading program we brought back our popular scavenger hunt from last summer. Instead of bugs, kids will be looking for items having to do with art - ART SMARTS! There are 20 pictures hidden around the youth department. Kids pick up an entry sheet and then match the pictures and numbers once they locate the items. Completed forms should be placed in the "red box". Winners will be randomly drawn for some great prizes. Children should only enter once - but wait! When the color of pictures changes, you can enter again! We will have two drawing s throughout the summer.

P.S. - Need some assistance? Can't find one of the pictures? Ask for a Hint at the Youth Desk!

This Week's Website of the Week

I love Olivia the pig! She is definitely a pig with attitude. I chose her website this week because of some of the fun things for kids to try. Once you get to the website look under the Fun with Olivia section. Be sure to try the Painting Game. Kids can paint (in black, red and gray!) pictures and then print them out. I think these would be great stationery, wrapping paper, gift cards, etc. It will become addictive to even the not so young and the great part is - you can paint as often as you like and not waste paper! Have fun!

SUMMER READING BEGINS ON MONDAY, MAY 18!

It hardly seems possible that the summer reading program is just around the corner. But it's true! Registration begins on Monday, May 18. This year's theme is Be Creative @ Your Library. There are so many avenues to explore, I hope you have a great time! Watch for more details! We have programs for kids from ages 3-12 as well as a teen program and an adult program, too. Stop by the library to register and pick up a list of all of the special events going on this summer!

Summer Reading Needs Kids!

Summer Reading is just around the corner and we are asking kids to help with our decorations this year. The theme is Be Creative @ Your Library and will focus on all the ways we can be creative. To kick us off, we are asking kids to pick up one of our gold frames (paper) and create something in it - paint, markers, crayons, glue - what ever you want to use. Return the frames with your name and age on the back and we will add them to our Kids' Art Gallery to be displayed throughout the summer.

Wimpy Kid #4 Announced!

Jeff Kinney and his publisher have announced the arrival of book 4 in the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. The book will be released on October 12, 2009! No indications of the color of cover or jacket design, but Kinney did reveal that Greg will be taken out of the school setting into summer activities! We'll be sure to have the new book on order and ready for our eager young readers!
If you aren't familiar with the series check out Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley's Journal, Roderick Rules and newly released The Last Straw.

You can also listen to an interview with author Jeff Kinney at http://www.readkiddoread.com/

Quad City Greyhound Adoption Visit

Great News!

Fox 2000 is developing a live-action family movie adaptation of Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. The five-book series focuses on the awkward life of middle school student Greg Heffley. The storytelling alternates between handwritten text and comicbook illustration. Fox 2000 has started work on a first movie with possibly more to follow. The movie is scheduled to be released in 2010.

New Literacy Brochures Available

The Partnership for Reading, a collaborative effort of the National Institute for Literacy, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has provided us with a variety of new publications for patrons - all FREE! Stop by the Youth Services Department and pick up one of these informative issues: Literacy Begins at Home: Teach Them to Read, Dad's Playbook: Coaching Kids to Read, Shining Stars: Toddlers Get Ready to Read: How Parents Can Help Their Toddlers Get Ready to Read, Shining Stars: Preschoolers Get Ready to Read: How Parents Can Help Their Preschoolers Get Ready to Read, Shining Stars: Kindergartners Learn To Read: How Parents Can Help Their Kindergartners Learn To Read, Shining Stars: First Graders Learn to Read: How Parents Can Help Their First Graders Learn to Read, Shining Stars: Second & Third Graders Learn to Read: How Parents Can Help Their Second & Third Graders Learn to Read, A Child Becomes a Reader: Proven Ideas From Research for Parents: Birth Through Preschool, A Child Becomes a Reader: Kindergarten Through Grade 3.

Drawing Contest

The Iowa Architectural Foundation is sponsoring a drawing contest for kids in K-6 grades. Kids are being asked to draw a favorite building in their community. It can be a school, library, post office, courthouse, church or whatever great building they see in their community. Entries may be done in colors, pencils or pen. Deadline for entry is May 1, 2009. Drawings will be judged by the Architecture in Schools Committee in two groups: K-3 and 4-6. Drawings will be judged on the basis of originality, appearance and overall design. The top three drawings from each age group will receive a prize donated by First Federal Savings Bank of Iowa. (First Place: $100 savings bond, Second Place: $50 savings bond, Third Place: $25 savings bond) Entry forms are available in the Youth Department.

For more information and entry forms visit their website at www.iowaarchfoundation.org.

ALAN KATZ IS COMING TO BETTENDORF!!

That Silly Dilly Guy that writes new words to some of our favorite songs is coming for a visit. Yes, that's him - he is still in the bathtub!

Alan Katz will be visiting the Library on Tuesday, April 21 from 7-8 p.m. Parents bring your kids! Kids bring your parents! He will share from his many experiences as a writer both for print and TV (Rosie O'Donnell, Kids Are People Too and Nickelodeon to name a few).

We will have his books for sale and autographing the night of the event. This is a free event thanks to the generosity of The Friends of the Bettendorf Public Library.

Please note the date has changed from the original listing of April 14!

Afternoons with an Author

I am always on the lookout for new ways to introduce kids to authors. Technology has allowed us to "be in the same room" without really having to travel. For this new program, Afternoons with an Author, we will be experimenting with webcasts, Skype, conference calls and author/publisher websites to get to know more about our favorite authors and illustrators and meet a few new ones!

Each month we will highlight a different author and have an activity where we will get to know them better. This will lead up to our in-person visit with author, Alan Katz in April. Join us on Tuesday, February 10 and Tuesday, March 10 from 4-4:45 in the Kelinson Room (second floor). Children ages 7-11 are invited and no registration is required. Pick the sessions you want to attend and bring a friend! Look for information about which author we will be highlighting in the Youth Department.

Storytimes Resume

Don't forget we are back in session beginning this week for Preschool Storytimes. Sessions are held for 3-5 year olds on Mondays at 6:30 p.m.; Tuesdays at 10 a.m.; Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.; and thursdays at 10 a.m.

Baby Time is held the first Thursday of the month at 9:15 a.m. these sessions are for non-walkers and their caregivers.

Tummy Times for children birth - age 3 are held on the 2nd and 4th Monday evenings t 6:30 p.m. and the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.

No registration is required for any of the sessions! Come join us when you can.

Come View the STARLAB!

Monday, February 4 the STARLAB Portable Planetarium will be available for viewing at the Library! This free exhibit is on loan from AEA 9. Viewing is available from 10 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

"The sky we see each night reveals many mysteries of our existence. By looking and listening to those distant worlds, we know so much more today about the origins of the universe, the nature of our galaxy, the composition of our Solar System, and the condition of our home — Earth. It is an inflatable dome capable of accommodating up to 35 students or 25 adults. Inside the dome, a cylinder projector is not only able to show us the night sky devoid of any light pollution; it can take us on a journey from the South Pole to the Equator and on to the North Pole. We can see the sky as it looks right now in New Jersey as well as at the far end of the Australian outback. We can observe our whole galaxy and study the Solar System. We can look deep beneath the Earth’s crust to see the tectonic plates and study causes and effects of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. STARLAB can also serve as a great vehicle for exploring different cultures. We can see the sky through the eyes of ancient Egyptians and Greeks, learn the legends of ancient China and Africa, and study the tales of Native Americans."

No registration is required for this unique experience. The STARLAB program is presented as part of the 2009 Winter Reading Program, BLAST OFF for Reading Adventures!