Weekly Spotlight

What does any kid looking for adventure need? A cape, of course! On one rainy, boring day, Stuart decides to make a cape for himself out of his father's old ties - and little does he know just what kinds of adventures this cape will bring. Stuart soon finds out that very strange things seem to happen when he's wearing the cape. Will the cape help him get used to his new town and new school? Or will it just get him in trouble? Find out in Stuart's Cape by Sara Pennypacker. (And if you enjoy this book, look for it's sequel: Stuart Goes to School. )

Looking to Check this Book Out? Stuart's Cape is located in our Children's Fiction Collection surrounding the tree under P, for Pennypacker.

Weekly Spotlight

Have you ever wondered just how snowflakes form? Or what they look like up close? Take a look at The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino to find out the answers to these questions. Full of facts about snow, and some pretty amazing close-up photos, this is just the book to help get you in the mood for a good snowstorm!

Want to check this book out? The Story of Snow is located in the Children's Library's Nonfiction Collection, under the call number J551.578 CASSINO.

Weekly Spotlight

Simon Bloom is in big trouble. Sure, he knows all the secrets that allow him to defy gravity and the other laws of physics, but these are powerful secrets. Secrets that some would do anything to obtain. When the Teacher's Edition of Physics literally landed in his lap, Simon was psyched - what kid wouldn't want to learn how to fly? But now he and his friends are being chased by a very dangerous and evil group of people who are determined to get their hands on the book. And if they do, it could mean the end of the world.

Fans of adventure stories and science-fiction alike should delight in this story from first-time author, Michael Reisman.

Want to check this book out? Simon Bloom: The Gravity Keeper is shelved in the children's library's Fiction collection (the books that wrap around the tree) under "R" for Reisman.

Early Childhood Education & Information Fair

Attention all Preschool Parents! On Saturday, January 22nd, 2011 we will be holding our Annual Early Childhood Education and Information Fair. Stop by for a chance to visit the fair and speak with representatives from Wallingford’s licensed centers, preschools, and agencies about their programs. This is the place for parents and families looking for childcare and early childhood education programs for their children. Come see the wide variety of options available. Gather the information you need to make the important choices for your children’s future. This FREE event, co-sponsored by WECARE is open to all families.

The fair will be held from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM in the Library's Community Room.

Please contact the Children's Library with any questions.

Weekly Spotlight

Have you ever been so bored that it feels like you've already done everything there is to do? That's how Sal and Frankie feel. There is nothing left that they haven't already done. And that's when it hits them - how about TRYING to do nothing? Is it possible? Will Frankie be able to sit still? Find out the answer in Tony Fucile's new picture book, Let's Do Nothing!

Want to check this book out? Let's Do Nothing is one of our New Picture Books and is located in one of the "New Books" bins on the Preschool Area Train.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth

I know many of you have been anxiously waiting for the latest Wimpy Kid book to hit the shelves. For those of you lucky enough to have gotten your hands on a copy, what did you think? Was it as good as the other Wimpy Kid books? Below are some questions to think about - please leave your answers, or any other thoughts on the book, in the comments!

1. This is the 5th book in the series - do you think you have to read the others first to understand The Ugly Truth?

2. What do the illustrations add to the story? Would the book make sense with out them?

3. Greg is growing up - does he think this is a good thing, or a bad thing? Why?


-Kari

Weekly Spotlight

Just added to our collection: The Ultimate Dinopedia: The Most Complete Dinosaur Reference Ever by Don Lessem. Like dinosaurs? Think you know everything there is to know about them? Then this book is for you! Did you know that the Diplodocus could grow up to 90 feet long? That makes these guys the largest dinosaurs on record! Find out more about Diplodocus and all his dino friends in this brand-new, eye-popping book.

Interested in checking this book out? The Ultimate Dinopedia can be found in the Children's Library, shelved in our New Nonfiction under the call number, "J567.9 Lessem."

Weekly Spotlight

Finished all the Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries books? Looking for something new to read? Take a look at the Ellie McDoodle books by Ruth McNally Barshaw. Set up like the Wimpy Kid books, Ellie McDoodle is part novel, and part graphic novel. In the first book, Ellie McDoodle: Have Pen, Will Travel, Ellie writes and doodles about all of her adventures on forced camping trip with her aunt, uncle, cousin, and baby brother.

If you like the first book, make sure to check out Ellie's other books:

Ellie McDoodle: New Kid in School
Ellie McDoodle: Best Friends Fur-Ever

Interested in checking one of these books out? Best Friends Fur-Ever is currently on order, and should be in our collection very soon. The other two books can be found on in our Fiction collection that wraps around the tree. They are shelved in with the B's (for the author's last name, Barshaw).

The Lost Hero: Discussion Questions

Rick Riordan's latest book, The Lost Hero has been out for just over a month now. I bet many of you have already flown through it and are now anxiously awaiting his next book. In the meantime, here are a few questions to think about - feel free to leave your answers in the comments. And for those of you who have not read the book, be warned! The comments may contain spoilers.

1. This book is the first in a new series, but picks up where the Percy Jackson books left off. Do you think you have to read the Percy Jackson books first in order to understand The Lost Hero?

2. What are some of the differences between the Greek and the Roman gods?

3. Who is the "lost hero"?

4. If you were a demigod, which Greek or Roman god would be your parent? Why?

Weekly Spotlight

Looking out at a blanket of newly fallen snow is always a beautiful sight. But have you ever stopped to think about just what lies under that snow? Under the Snow, by Melissa Stewart explores this hidden winter world. Take a look at what ladybugs, frogs, fish, and other animals do to survive the winter.

Interested in checking this book out? Under the Snow is a NEW Picture Book in the Wallingford Children's Library, and can be found in one of the "New Books" bins on the train.


The "Weekly Spotlight" is a new feature of the WPL Kids Blog. Each week we will feature one book from our collection. We will do our best to highlight a variety of titles in the hopes that you will find something you might be interested in reading! Feel free to leave thoughts on the featured book, or titles of recent books you have enjoyed in the comments. We love hearing from you!

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Hey,
"Wimpy Kid" fans, read this book!
"Like it you will"! Yoda always knows.

Chess Club Special Event

Calling all Chess Lovers! On Saturday, November 6th at 10:00 a.m. the Wallingford Youth Chess Club will be hosting a Simultaneous Exhibition, featuring Dr. Nelson Castaneda. Dr. Castaneda, a FIDE Master in Chess, has a Ph.D. degree in Mathematics from Indiana University and is a Professor of Mathematics at Central Ct. State University. He is also the current CT State Chess Champion. Dr. Castaneda has given the simultaneous exhibition at the Library for the last two years and is looking forward to meeting with the Wallingford Youth Chess Club again. This is a fascinating event and all who are interested in the game of chess are invited to attend.

This event does require registration, and is open to all Wallingford students grades K-12. You can register by going online or by contacting the Wallingford Children's Library.

We hope to see you there!

Looking for Something Spooky?

With Halloween just around the corner, I'm sure there are many of you out there looking for something just a little bit spooky to read. From the slightly scary to the all out creepy, the Children's Library has something for everyone. I won't lie, I am not a fan of scary books, so I'm going to rely on all of you to help come up with some truly spooky suggestions. Please post your recommendations in the comments!



For those of you out there like me who aren't so keen on being scared out of your skin, I have a great book recommendation for you: Dear Dracula by Joshua Williamson and Vincente Navarrete. What happens when Sam, a huge fan of Dracula, decides to write Dracula a letter? Dracula shows up on his doorstep ready to turn Sam into a real live vampire, of course. This silly, funny, graphic novel (that means it reads like a comic book) is chock full of great artwork and is the perfect book to help you get in the mood for Halloween!

-Kari

Parent-Child Activity Center

The Wallingford Children's Library has a fantastic new service to offer! If you have been to the library in the last couple of weeks, you may have noticed a new piece of furniture with a "Coming Soon!" sign on it. We are happy to announce that our new Parent-Child Activity Center is now up and running!

Located where the kitchen used to be (don't worry, we still have the kitchen - it's just now on the other side of the train), this Activity Center is specifically designed for kids ages 3-5 to use with their parent or accompanying grown-up. Right now, we are featuring activities to help with the social and emotional skills that are so important in starting school. The center has nine bins and each bin features a different skill. Included in each bin are tips for parents for things to do at home, and at least one activity to help develop the skill. Keep checking back as the activities in the bins will change!

The activities and information for parents included in the center have been adapted from the book, "Seven Skills for School Success: Activities to Develop Social and Emotional Intelligence in Young Children" by Pamela Byrne Schiller. Copies of this book are available for check out from our library.

Stop by to take a look and give it a try the next time you and your preschooler are in the library! We look forward to seeing you!

-Kari

Guys Read!

Attention Guys in 4th and 5th Grades!

Convinced that you will never find a book that you like? The Wallingford Children's Library is starting a new book club just for you! We promise, this is not just any old book club. Based on Jon Scieszka's Guys Read Initiative, this club is designed to help every boy find a book he likes to read.

Interested? Stop by or call the Children's Library to sign up. Our first meeting will take place on Monday, September 27th at 4:00 p.m.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Fire Safety Program

Grab your helmet and come meet a real Wallingford Firefighter!

On Monday, October 4th, instead of our regular Preschool Story Time, we will be having a special program all about fire safety. This program is for kids ages 3 to 5, and does require registration. Please stop by or give us a call to sign your child up! After the program, kids will have a chance to see one of Wallingford's fire engines up close.

Please note: this special program begins at 10:30, instead of the regular time of 10:00.

Fall Programs

Story times are back! This morning we had an amazing turn out for our first Preschool Story Time of the season. Here's the lowdown on what we have this fall:

Itty Bitty Babies
Thursdays @ 1:30 p.m., September 16th - November 4th
This story time is especially designed for our youngest patrons - anyone up to 12 months old. Older siblings are always welcome!

Waddling Ones
Thursdays @ 10:00 a.m., September 16th - November 4th
Designed for graduates of Itty Bitty Babies, this story time is for children 13-24 months.

Musical Mother Goose
Tuesdays @ 6:30 p.m., September 14th - November 9th
Wednesdays @ 10:00 a.m., September 15th - November 10th
This lively, interactive program is geared towards children 1-2 years old and their caregivers. As this program is extremely popular, please remember to bring proof of Wallingford residency with you, and to arrive early.

Preschool Story Time
Mondays @ 10:00 a.m., September 13th - November 8th (except October 4th & 11th)
Wednesdays @ 1:30 p.m., September 15th - November 10th
Thursdays @ 6:30 p.m., September 16th - November 4th
Join us for some books, flannel board stories, rhymes, and more in this program just for kids 3-5 years old.

Thanks for a Great Summer!

Today marks the official end to summer vacation. With school starting today, I wanted to take a moment and thank all of you for helping make this such a great summer. Over 1,000 kids played on our Ghoulish Game Board, and over 250 Wallingford families participated in our Ice Cream for Books program. That's a lot of reading! Beyond that, we had amazing turn outs at all of our other programs. We hope that that means you had just as much fun here at the library as we did!

I know that many of you will soon be swamped with schoolwork and after school activities, but before that happens, I just have to ask: Of all the books you read this summer, which one was your favorite? Or, if you're like me and just can't choose, what were a few favorites? Personally, I was thrilled to (finally) get through the end of the Percy Jackson series - talk about heart-pounding, nail-biting adventure! I just couldn't put "The Last Olympian" down. I also discovered the very funny "Magic Pickle" books, and had a chance to read the latest in the Clementine series, "Clementine, the Friend of the Week." The Clementine books are one of my favorite series, and are always good for a chuckle.

We would love to hear your thoughts on what you read this summer - please let us know in the comments!

-Kari

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Ashley, the winner of our Ice Cream for Books Family Fun Basket!

And of course, congrats to all of our Haunt Your Library raffle prize winners! There are too many of you to name here, but we hope all of you enjoy your prizes!

Monarch Magic

We had a GREAT turnout for our Monarch Magic program this morning. Thanks to all of you who came, and helped to make the program a success. We now have a display in the Children's Library of many of the caterpillars from this morning's program. We will be watching over the next few weeks as these caterpillars change into butterflies. Make sure to stop in to watch this amazing process!

More information on Monarch Butterflies can be found at the sites below:

http://www.monarch-butterfly.com/

http://monarchwatch.org/

We also have a variety of books available at the library about monarchs - just ask at the Children's Desk and we'll be happy to help you find some!

-Kari

Request for Legos

Hi All,

Recently, we have gotten many requests to start up a Lego Club here at the library. This is something we would love to do, and are hoping that we might be able to start up a club soon. (I stress the word "might.") Before the club can actually start though, there is something very important that we need: Legos! The library has purchased some, but as many of you probably know, Legos are very expensive. In order to start a club, we definitely need more. Unfortunately, we really can't afford to buy all that we would need.

Here is where we need your help: if any of you out there have Legos lying around that you no longer need or want, please consider donating them to the library. I promise they will be put to good use, and they will make some of our school-age patrons very, very happy!

Kari

Attention Parents!

Have your kids been playing our Ghoulish Game Board this summer? If so, please note that the game board will disappear this Friday, August 6th. If your kids won't be finished by Friday, and they have been playing, please stop by the Children's Info Desk and speak to one of the Librarians.

We can arrange for you to keep your kids reading - and for them to collect their prizes at home! We will give you all the prizes and certificates, and you can give them to your children when you feel they would have done enough reading to finish the game.

Happy Reading!

Kari

Help Build Our Collection!

Here at the WPL, we Children's Librarians do our very best to buy all the books that we think Wallingford kids will enjoy. I have a secret to share with you: we aren't perfect. Shocking, I know. We buy what we can, but I guarantee you that there are books we have missed. And this is where we need your help - please let us know if there is a book you want to read, but have not been able to find in our library. I'm talking about things we don't already own, not items that we have but are always checked out. (I know you all want to read Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but unfortunately, we can only afford to buy so many copies!) This is your library, so it is extremely important for us to make sure the collection has everything you need and want. If you have suggestions for us - whether it is a picture book, chapter book, or something nonfiction, please let us know in the comments.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Kari

Read Anything Good Lately?

Summer is now in full swing (can you believe how hot it's been?), and for many of you, I hope that means you've had time to catch up on your reading. Based on how many of you have been playing our Goulish Game Board, and have contributed to our GIANT Ice Cream Cone, I know that there are a lot of you out there who have been reading.

So now my question is, what have you read? In the comments, please feel free to share some of your favorite summer reads - and make sure to let us know why you liked them!

Kari

Who is that new librarian?

If you've stopped in the Children's Library anytime over the last month or so, you may have noticed a new face. Wondering who that might be? Well, I'd like to take a moment to introduce myself. I am Kari Hammond, the new Preschool Specialist. I've come to Wallingford by way of the public library in Lowell, Massachusetts, and am very excited to have joined the team. Next time you're in the library, please make sure to say hi! I can't wait to meet and get to know all of you.

I have also taken over the task of updating the blog. (I'm also posting Children's "stuff" on Facebook, so if you have a Facebook account, be sure to check out our page.) I've gotten a few new blog posts up already, but please keep checking back as there is much more to come! I encourage all of you to make comments on my posts, and suggestions for topics are always welcome.

Kari

Finished the Game Board?

Good for you! When you finish the game board for the first time (yes, you can play through the game twice), make sure to stop at the Children's Info Desk to pick up all of the rewards for finishing. If you have finished the game board, but didn't let us know at the desk, you can still stop in for your rewards.

For those second-time finishers out there (and I know there are a lot of you!), you can also stop at the desk to get your second raffle ticket.

So many kids have already finished this summer - CONGRATULATIONS to all of you, and keep up the good work!

WPL Summer Reading

There are only two weeks left in our Summer Reading Program! I can't believe how fast the summer has gone by. If you haven't signed up for our program yet, don't worry! You are certainly welcome to sign up, and can even count all that reading you've been doing this summer. (You have been reading, right?) Anything you've read since June 22nd counts.

We have two amazing programs this summer:

Haunt Your Library!
This program is geared to all of our school-aged friends out there. This summer's game board has a little bit of a spooky (but not too spooky!) theme to it. For every half-hour of reading that you do, you will earn one turn on the game board. The goal? To earn 9 unlucky charms to make a charm bracelet. (There are also other fun goodies you can earn along the way, and some special rewards you will get for finishing.)

Ice Cream for Books!
Not in school yet? Then this program is for you! Ice Cream for Books is a family program, so if you have brothers and sisters who are also too young to play the game board, you can work together - anything that gets read to you counts too. Earn scoops to add to our giant ice cream cone, along with a bunch of other goodies.

Under Construction

The WPL Children's Blog is being re-launched! Check back soon for new posts.