September is Library Card Sign-Up Month!

The month of September marks the celebration of “Library Card Sign-Up Month”. In September, the American Library Association and libraries across the country remind parents that a library card is the most important school supply of all! Come on down to your local library, sign-up for a library card, and check out some of these great books about libraries.

Library Mouse: Home Sweet Home by Daniel Kirk
“Library Mouse” is about a little mouse who lives in the library named Sam. His friend Sarah lives there, too. Throughout the series, Sam and Sarah have adventures exploring the library together. The books really do a great job of getting children excited about the worlds that books can take them to in their imaginations. The other books in the series are Library Mouse, and Library Mouse: A World To Explore.

Amelia Bedelia’s First Library Card by Herman Parish
Amelia Bedelia takes everything literally, so she makes quite a few mistakes when her class takes a field trip to the class library. She dumps her drink in the book return slot, misunderstands what a “fine” is, and ends up with the wrong book. Amelia Bedelia ends up loving her new library card.

Dewey: There’s A Cat In The Library! by Vicki Myron
This picture book is a children’s version of an adult #1 New York Times Bestseller, Dewey. The book tells the true story about a kitten who was abandoned in a library book return slot in small town Iowa. Dewey is a bit mischievous but steals the hearts of the residents and library patrons. Kids will especially love the part where Dewey crams himself into a small box of scrap paper on the circulation desk counter.

Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn
Lola at the Library is a great choice for toddlers or younger preschoolers. Lola goes to the library with her mom every week for story time and some new books. She carefully packs her books, makes sure she has her library card, and enjoys the walk to and from the library. She even gets a treat on the way home.

D.W.’s Library Card by Marc Brown
This book is all about D.W. getting her very first library card. She works diligently to be able to write her full name so that she can get her card. Then she is so worried about damaging her borrowed book that she doesn’t even read it! Arthur sets her straight, and she is ready for more library fun. This is a cute story that captures a child’s excitement about having their own card!

Dinosaur vs. The Library by Bob Shea
Dinosaur is going to one of his favorite places: the library! On the way, he invites his friends–a lonesome turtle, a sad owl and more– to roar along with him. But how will his roaring go over at the library? Has Dinosaur finally met his match in Storytime?

Library Lil by Suzanne Williams
Library Lil begins working at a small town library where eventually is able to change the town’s excessive television habit and get the residents excited about reading. When a gang of motorcycles comes to town and wants the televisions turned back on, Lil works her magic once again to turn them into readers as well.

Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
A gentle lion wanders into the library where he soon becomes a welcome friend and helper. He obediently follows the rules, but eventually teaches the children and librarians that occasionally rules are meant to be broken. The soft colors and sweet faces in the illustrations make the library feel like such a warm and friendly place to be!

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise by Jan Pinborough
Miss Moore Thought Otherwise tells the true story of how Anne Carroll Moore created the New York Public Library’s children’s room, which influenced children’s areas in libraries across the country. The illustrations are bright and cheerful, but the text is a bit long so this is a good choice for older preschoolers or elementary students.

Do Not Bring Your Dragon to the Library by Julie Gassman
Have you ever thought about bringing your dragon to the library? Don’t do it! You might have the best intentions, but that dragon will cause nothing but trouble. Using rhyming text and a diverse cast of characters, this charming picture book will provide some important and some not so important library etiquette in a very entertaining way.

Check this crafty bookmark idea out by Mum in the Madhouse. These monster nose bookmarks will help hold your place in your new library books.

 

2nd Annual Comic Con @ SLPL

Central Library ended July with a bang!  The library’s second annual mini comic con was fun for all ages.  Attendees came dressed as their favorite characters and kids had the chance to participate in Jedi Training Academy in the children’s library.  Take a look at some of the fun below:

Beginning Readers

Have you browsed the E Reader section at your favorite library?  These books are designed to help kids who are just starting to read on their own; they use limited vocabularies, word families and easy to read fonts to help support the earliest readers.

Kenny and his Grandmother are regular visitors at SLPL’s Kingshighway branch and were thrilled to learn about the E Reader section!  Is there a beginning reader in your life?  Try out some of these titles together:

Benjamin Bear in Brain Storms! by Philippe Coudray
A collection of one-page comic strips featuring Benjamin Bear, a very serious bear who has his own silly logic for doing things.

Pie for Chuck by Pat Schories
Chuck and his woodland friends desperately want a taste of freshly-baked pie, but they can’t get it down from the windowsill.

What This Story Needs is a Pig in a Wig by Emma J. Virján
Illustrations and rhyming text introduce an increasing, then decreasing, cast of characters sharing a boat in a moat with a pig in an enormous wig.

I Really Like Slop! by Mo Willems
Piggie really likes slop. She likes it so much, she wants Gerald to try some! But can Gerald find the courage to do it? Or will the smell alone be too much to handle?

 

My 1st Library Card

Children need books! The American Academy of Pediatrics recently issued a recommendation that children be read to daily, beginning in infancy. Research suggests having books available at home is the best way to prepare children for school. Reading advocates say that children should be read 1,000 books before kindergarten. Happily, it doesn’t seem to matter whether we read the same book over and over, or a different book every day. Just make reading part of every child’s day, every day.  St. Louis Public Library has a new library card, My 1st Library Card, to make this easier.

Using their very own card, children from birth to age 6 can check out up to 50 children’s books. Plus they can download Tumblebooks (eBbook versions of picture books with interactive features) from the Library website. Overdue Fines are not charged but parents are still responsible for lost or damaged items.

My 1st Library Card helps youngest users become readers for life. Sign your child up today!

New Events Calendar!

You may have noticed the lack of weekly event calendars on the blog recently. Do not fear! There’s a new and improved way to find out what children’s events are happening at St. Louis Public Library. The new calendar of events at our main website can now be filtered by age group! Simply point your browser to www.slpl.org and click on the calendar of events link at the top of the screen. From there you can select the age ranges you’d like to see programming for.

Public Performance DVDs at Your Library

Teachers, school counselors, and school librarians of all grade levels! Each year we add to our collection of public performance DVDs (DVDs you can use in the classroom setting as teaching tools). Come to our private viewing of clips from some of the movies and learn how to use the collection to your advantage in the classroom.  Join us in Central’s auditorium on February 5th from 4:30-6:00 pm.

SLPL on your Digital Devices

SLPL Youth Services Staff helps a young patron learn to use her e-reader.

Families can visit any branch of the Saint Louis Public Library to get help in accessing the library’s digital resources on their tech gadgets. Has somebody in your family received a new e-device this holiday season? If you don’t know how to get started and want to know how to use the library’s digital resources, visit any branch and speak to a Public Technology Assistant or any library staff member. By using your valid library card, patrons can download eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, Movies and even free music. Recommendations for new materials are always welcome; please contact our Digital Library Services department at digitalrequest@slpl.org

E-books + Music = Smiles!

Candy Airplane

National Aviation Day is on August 19th, 2013. Let’s build an airplane out of candies.

http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/kids/articles/2010/08/20/20100820kids-craft-aircraft-krafts.html

April is Poetry Month! Celebrate with St. Louis Public Library

St. Louis Public Library welcomes 7th Grade Poetry Project Awards Ceremony!

The 7th Grade Poetry Project Awards Ceremony will be held in Central Library’s new auditorium on Wednesday April 17. Over 60 young poets, chosen to represent every middle school in the metro area, will take the stage to share poetry they created.

“I was impressed with the depth and vigor of the poetry last year,” said Patty Carleton, Director of Youth Services for St. Louis Public Library. “This is well crafted and meaningful poetry inspired by teens’ real lives–everything from violence, to family situations, to nature, and the meaning of live.”

Each winning student receives a $25 cash prize, has their poem published in an anthology donated to the students, their school libraries and the Library, and is featured in a YouTube video clip.

Can’t make it to Central Library on the 17th? No problem. Watch a live stream of the event by from anywhere via the world-wide web.

Find out more by clicking HERE.

For more information about the 7th Grade Poetry Project, contact Aaron Williams, Champion and President of 7GP at:

aaron@7thgradepoetry.org.

We hope to see you there!

 

Chia Pet

Spring is around the corner, click on the link below to learn how to grow your cute chia pet. We will be making chia pet at Schlafly on April 10th at 4-5 p.m.

http://littlehomeonthehill.blogspot.com/2009/03/itchy-green-fingers.html