What's Happening This Month?

Check out the Youth Services Calendar to see what's happening for kids this month. Find a story time to attend or a holiday craft event at a library near you. Happy Holidays!

Happy Fall, Happy Halloween, Happy Dia de los Muertos, Happy Library!

Hi Kids! Please join us at any Long Beach local library and gather up your books for the season. October is, among other things; Carmel Month, Cookie Month, Dinosaur Month, Roller Skating Month, Sarcastics Month, Vegetarian Awareness Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, Pretzel Month, and Month of the Pumpkin Festival. Pick up and read books on these topics at your local library. Be a detective. See if you can locate books on these topics at your local library.

Trick or Treat! Don't forget to Read! Reading for fun while in school can help improve your reading skills. It's also a creative and fun way to spend your time, while gaining knowledge about things you may have never known about. Pick up a good book today at your local library.

Halloween Poem:

A-camping we will go,

with monster friends in tow -

Hi ho the scary-O,

we dare you to say no.

We'll gather 'round the pit.

We'll growl, snort, and spit.

Hi ho the scary-O,

now grab a log and sit.

We'll sing a song or two.

We'll belch and barbecue.

Hi ho the scary-O,

here, try the witches' brew.

We'll rip your tent and sneer.

We'll fill your nights with fear.

Hi ho the scary-O,

we're glad you made it here.

(From Sipping Spiders Through a Straw: Campfire Songs for Monsters. Lyrics by Kelly DiPucchio)

Have a good night tonight! From all your friends at the Long Beach Public Library :)

Recommended Reading

Hi Kids Blog Viewers:

Check out the recommended reading website page on our homepage. You can find links to Harry Potter Readalikes, Great Readaloud Books, and other book lists on this webpage.

Enjoy!

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

The big bad wolf, the big bad wolf?


People who BAN BOOKS, that's who!!


Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read
September 26−October 3, 2009


To see a list of banned or frequently challanged books, visit:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_books_banned_by_governments


or take a look at the ALA (American Library Association) website for banned books for 2009: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/index.cfm



Here is a quote from ALA about Banned and Challenged Books:

"A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection."



In regards to intellectual freedom, ALA states, "ALA actively advocates in defense of the rights of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment. A publicly supported library provides free and equal access to information for all people of that community. We enjoy this basic right in our democratic society. It is a core value of the library profession."



Our library in Long Beach supports intellectual freedom. Come in today and pick up a copy of Little Red Riding Hood by Jacob Grimm, a Harry Potter book from J.K. Rowling's series, or Blubber by Judy Blume. These books, along with others on display have often been banned or challenged by various organizations and groups. Join us and support banned books week at your local library.

This little train...

Hello,

I recently showed a train storytime flannel story at the Main Toddler Time program. The rhyme goes like this:

This little train, painted black

It comes chugging down the track

With a "Choo-choo; Toot-toot"

Hear the whistle blow

this little train goes chugging home.

This little car, painted blue

It has seats for me and for you

With a "Choo-choo; Toot-toot"

Hear the whistle blow

this little train goes chugging home.

This little car, painted yellow

It shimmies and shakes like a bowl of jello

With a "Choo-choo; Toot-toot"

Hear the whistle blow

this little train goes chugging home.

This little car, painted green

It's the fanciest train car you've ever seen,

With a "Choo-choo; Toot-toot"

Hear the whistle blow

this little train goes chugging home.

This little car; it is grey

It takes you places far away

With a "Choo-choo; Toot-toot"

Hear the whistle blow

this little train goes chugging home.

This caboose; it is red

It will take you home to bed

With a "Choo-choo; Toot-toot"

Hear the whistle blow

this little train goes chugging home.

September is...

CESAR CHAVEZ

National Honey Month, Piano Month, Classical Music Month, Fall Hat Month, Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th thru October 15th), Subliminal Marketing Month, Chicken Month, Back to School, Autumn Fun Month, Little League Month, and Kids Good Manners Month.

Wow! Lots of things to celebrate during the month of September, in addition to going back to school! Did you know the library has books about all of these things? Wouldn't it be wonderful to learn how honey is made? It's always funny to think about bees being cultivated to make honey we eat on our toast. We have books that tell all about honey and bees, and even picture books with stories about bees. How about learning to play the piano? You might be able to put playing the piano to good use some day to entertain others, or to even make some money. Find piano history and piano music books with full instructions for beginners at your local library. Another way to make money is to use business skills for marketing or use marketing in the business world. In the children's department of every library in Long Beach, there are books about making money, selling things, and starting a business. Little League Baseball is fun to watch or even play. There are books about baseball, the all-American pastime, at all our libraries. There are books which show you how to be a better player and books about famous baseball players. Kids with good manners please their parents, and the rest of society. The library has funny stories about children with bad manners, and when we read about these characters, we understand how important it is to be kind and polite to others.

I think many of us would benefit from learning about our own or others' Hispanic Heritage and the struggle many have gone through or are still experiencing to fight for Hispanic rights. We could also enjoy learning about Hispanic Culture. Find books at Long Beach Public Library about important people of Hispanic backgrounds who've benefited out society, as well as books about Hispanic culture and rights.

Wouldn't you like to check out books on these above topics to impress your friends, relatives, and compatriots with your knowledge? Your friendly librarian can help you find books on these and other topics whenever you come into the library. Learning new things makes for a more knowledgable community in Long Beach and beyond. Have a good end to your month, and get ready for September!!!

Close of Summer Reading Club - August 15th

Well, we sure did have a lot of fun this summer by "getting creative" with the fabulous summer reading club at Long Beach Public Library. The last day to receive wonderful book prizes is today, August 15th. A big huge thank you goes out to the Molina Foundation for providing us with a great variety of books for all our participants. Also, thank you to all the great performers who entertained our kids this summer! Great job everyone for keeping up with reading throughout the summer! Your teachers will be impressed when you return to school this fall. Thanks, again!

Tiny Tot and Toddler Storytime Favorites

Every Tiny Tot and Toddler Time each week, we open with the same song and fingerplay, and we close with the same song each week as well.

Here's a taste:

Opening:

The more we get together, together, together,

The more we get together, the happier we'll be!

'Cause your friends are my friends and my friends

are your friends,

The more we get together, the happier we'll be!

Open, shut them. Open, shut them.

Give a little clap, clap, clap!

Open, shut them. Open, shut them.

Put them in your lap, lap, lap.

Creep them, creep them, slowly creep them,

Right up to your chin, chin, chin.

Open wide, your little mouth...

But do not let them in!!

Open, shut them. Open, shut them.

Give a little clap, clap, clap!

Open, shut them. Open, shut them.

Put them in your lap, lap, lap!

Closing:

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it!

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

...If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet!

...If you're happy and you know it, shout hooray!

What can you do with a box?

Enjoy books having to do with boxes :-)!

Not a Box – Antoinette Portis
To an imaginative bunny, a box is not just a box.

Sitting In My Box – Dee Lillegard
The box in which all the animals are sitting gets more and more crowded until a hungry flea comes along. This is a fun story to act out by sitting in a box and adding your own mix of stuffed animals or puppets.

A Mighty Fine Time Machine – Suzanne Bloom
An aardvark, an anteater, and an armadillo attempt to travel back in time when they turn a big box into a time machine.

Thank you, Bear – Greg Foley
Despite being criticized by others, Bear knows he has found the perfect gift for Mouse.

Roxaboxen – Alice McLerran
A hill covered with wooden boxes becomes an imaginary town for Marian and her friends.

My Book Box – Will Hillenbrand
A determined elephant creates his own book box and discovers all the magic and fun of books and reading. Decorate your own book box with stickers and wrapping paper.

Harry’s Box – Angela McAllister
A young boy and his dog spend an exciting afternoon with a box pretending that it is a pirate ship among other things.

Boxy fun – use leftover gift boxes or larger boxes to play in, decorate, and hide surprises in.

Comic Books and Graphic Novels

Hey kids! Come on down to your local library and check out the comic book and graphic novel collections. We have everything from Batman to Scooby-Doo, Simpsons to Spider-Man and Loony Toons! We also have many childrens' graphic novels, such as Yu-Gi-Oh! and Dragon Ball Z! Don't forget, the teen section has a lot of manga and other graphic novels, too. See you soon!

Where do you go...?

For poetry?

LIBRARY

Where do you go for history?

LIBRARY

Where do you go if your old and shy?

LIBRARY

Where do you go to learn how to fly?

LIBRARY

That's how you spell it

Whatcha gonna tell it?

It's been in your town for a hundred years

Let's give the library 3 big cheers

Hip-hip hooray!Hip-hip hooray!

Hip-hip hooray!

FRIENDS

are we gonna be one?

FRIENDS

are we gonna be one?

FRIENDS

PUBLIC

LIBRARY

that's how you spell it. Now whatcha gonna tell it?

When I say Library, you say card:

Library ________ Library _________

I got one today and it wasn't too hard

Library ________ Library _________

Big brick building how sweet it looks

Take me to the land of books!

~ Library Cheer

June 21st - Summer Solstice and Longest Day of the Year!

Hey y'all! What are you planning to do with all that sunlight on Sunday? I know it's Father's Day, but besides spending time with your good ole' dad, why not pull out a good book to read? Or even better, pull out a book that you got at your local library? If you don't have one on Sunday, you can come in on Monday at El Dorado, Bret Harte, Mark Twain, or North Neighborhood Library Branches. The library will be closed this Tuesday, but we will be open again on Wednesday with the fresh continuation of our Summer Reading Club!!! Many of you have already received wonderful prizes of free books, and there's more to come. Here is a snipit of some of the books you can win for yourselves or your small child...YAY!

BE CREATIVE - Summer Reading Club 2009

Hey kids! Studies show that reading throughout the summer increases your reading skills for the next school year. Don't let your reading ability go down this summer - instead, join the summer reading club! Our club this year is open for all children through grade 6. Be creative - come in each week to Main Library and you can contribute to the decorations for the bulletin board. For every 5 days of reading, you can win a free book - yours to keep! Altogether, you can win up to 5 free books. What a way to brighten your day! Learn, grow and keep your reading skills up! Doesn't sound so bad to me! There are also programs happening throughout the summer at all our library locations. You could be bedazzled by magicians, pet animals, and more! Check our website http://www.lbpl.org/ for more information. So much is in store for you at your local library in Long Beach. Come join the fun!

Summer Reading Club starts on June 13th when the library opens. Thank you.

New Fiction Series Titles

For those of you interested, we have some new Children's fiction and Middle School series titles available for check out:

Book Five of Children of the Lamp: The Eye of the Forest by P. B. Kerr.
This is a New York Times bestselling series about the djinn twins John and Philippa who are tangled in their latest magical mystery. When a collection of rare Incan artifacts goes missing, the Blue Djinn of Babylon sends the twins and their Uncle Nimrod to recover them. The adventure leads them deep into the heart of the Amazon jungle to an enchanted doorway that is guarded by powerful Incan spells. Read the book to find out more...

World Weavers: Cybermage by Alma Alexander. (Middle School)

This is the first book in the Worldweavers series. The Wandless Academy feels all wrong to Thea. The Federal Bureau of Magic needs Thea's help to unlock the mysterious white cube - the one found over the summer in the professor's house, the same cube the dangerous Alphiri are still after. Thea needs the help of her friends to stay ahead of the Alphiri and the wiles of the FBM.

Storm: The Ghost Machine by E. L. Young

This is the second book in the Storm series. With one high-stakes assignment behind them, genius teens Will, Andrew, and Gaia are poised to take Venice by Storm. Two high-profile burglaries have hit the headlines in Venice, and news footage shows a strange spectral form at the crime scenes. Armed with high-tech speedboats, brilliant brains, and Will's cuttingedge gear, STORM is up against multiple threats. Very exciting!

No. 3 The Wednesday Tales: The Lightning Key by Jon Berkeley
Just in, read this finale in the Wednesday Tales series. Miles Wednesday has discovered his link to a magical Tiger's Egg, and he's suddenly at the wheel of a great voyage. Determined to recover the stolen stone and free the trapped soul within, Miles sets off with Little, a Song Angle, and the wisecracking blind explorer, Baltinglass of Araby. They head off far across the sea and desert to the home of Miles's Aunt Nura, who may be thier only hope in releasing the Egg's true power. They have many thrills and catastrophes along the way.

Chapter Books to Read Aloud

Hello,

Here is a list of chapter books compiled by our own Jennifer Songster, department and children's librarian of the Dana Branch Library:

Chapter Books to Read Aloud
(especially, but not exclusively, to children under the age of 8)



Avi. The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an even smaller ant) ~ Avon the snail and Edward, a take-charge ant, set off together on a journey to an undetermined destination in search of unspecified adventures.

Barrows, Annie. Ivy & Bean (series) ~ When Bean plays a mean trick on her sister, she finds unexpected support for her antics from Ivy, the new neighbor, who is less boring than Bean first suspected.

Briggs, Anita. Hobart ~ Four budding artists, a tap dancer, a poet, a singer, and an acrobat, who just happen to be pigs, live out their dreams and avoid becoming bacon.

Burnett, Frances H. The Secret Garden ~ Ten-year-old Mary comes to live in a lonely house on the Yorkshire moors and discovers an invalid cousin and the mysteries of a locked garden.

Carris, Joan. Welcome to the Bed and Biscuit ~ The family animals at the Bed and Biscuit begin to feel slighted when Dr. Bender returns from a fire with something that occupies the time usually reserved for them.

Christian, Mary Blount. Sebastian, Super Sleuth (series) ~ Dog detective, Sebastian, is on the job with stolen Egyptian artifacts and other mysteries in this series.

Cleary, Beverly. Henry and Ribsy ~ Henry wants to go fishing with his dad more than anything so Henry and his dad make a deal. If Henry can keep his dog, Ribsy, out of trouble for a month, then Mr. Huggins will take them both fishing.

Cleary, Beverly. The Mouse and the Motorcycle ~ A reckless young mouse named Ralph makes friends with a boy in room 215 of the Mountain View Inn and discovers the joys of motorcycling.

Coombs, Patricia. Dorrie (series) ~ Dorrie, a little witch, has all sorts of adventures in this series.



Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach ~ A young boy escapes from two wicked aunts and embarks on a series of adventures with six giant insects he meets inside a giant peach.

DiCamillo, Kate. Mercy Watson (series) ~ Mercy Watson is a pig who has many adventures in and around here own backyard.

DiCamillo, Kate. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane ~ Edward Tulane is a cold-hearted and proud toy rabbit, he loves only himself until he is separated from the little girl who adores him. He travels across the country finding new owners and listening to their hopes, dreams, and histories.

DiCamillo, Kate. The Tale of Despereaux: Being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread ~ The adventures of Despereaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the that princess he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.

Dixon, Franklin, The Hardy Boys (series) ~ Frank and Joe Hardy, amateur, teen detectives, are always at the center of wholesome action, mystery, and suspense as they bring criminals to justice.
Erickson, Russell E. A Toad for Tuesday (series) ~ Warton the toad dons on a pair of homemade skis and ventures out in the dead of winter to visit Aunt Toolia.

Fleming, Ian. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: the magical car ~ The Potts family embarks on a rollicking adventure in their magical car in this hilarious story written by the infamous author of the James Bond series, Ian Fleming.

Gannett, Ruth. My Father’s Dragon (series) ~ Elmer Elevator stows away to rescue a baby dragon in a far-away land.

Grahame, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows ~ The adventures of four friends, Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger, who live in the English country-side.

Hurwitz, Joanna. Tales Julian Tells (series) ~ Episodes in seven-year-old Julian’s life, including getting in trouble with his younger brother Huey, trying to grow taller, and finding a new friend.

Jenkins, Emily. Toys Go Out ~ Three best friends, who happen to be toys, have a series of adventures.

Keene, Carolyn. Nancy Drew (series) ~ The intrepid girl detective solves crimes and captures criminals.
King-Smith, Dick. Babe ~ A piglet, destined for eventual butchering arrives at the farmyard, is adopted by an old sheep dog, and discovers a special secret for success.

King-Smith, Dick. Funny Frank ~ Gertie the Hen is appalled when her son Frank wants to swim with the ducks, but Jemima and her mother, the farmer’s wife, make him a special outfit so that his dream can come true.

King-Smith, Dick. The Nine Lives of Aristotle ~ A little white kitten goes to live with a witch in an old cottage where he finds so many opportunities for risky adventures that he soon has only one life left.

LeGuin, Ursula. Catwings (series) ~ Four young cats with wings leave the city slums in search of a safe place to live, finally meeting two children with kind hands.

LeGuin, Ursula. Tom Mouse ~ Tom Mouse befriends an old woman on the train he’s boarded looking for travel and adventure.

Lindgren, Astrid. Pippy Longstocking (series) ~ The escapades of a girl who lives with a horse and a monkey at the edge of a Swedish village.

Lowry, Lois. Gooney Bird Greene (series) ~ A most unusual new student who loves to be the center of attention entertains her second grade class by telling absolutely true stories about herself, including how she got her name.

MacDonald, Betty. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (series) ~ From her upside down house, the eccentric Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle cures such common children’s diseases as won’t-put-away-toys-itis and answerbackism and fighter-quarellitis.

Martin, Ann M. The Doll People ~ A family of porcelain dolls that have lived in the same house for 100 years is taken aback when a new family of plastic dolls arrives and doesn’t follow The Doll Code of Honor.

McClosky, Robert. Homer Price ~ Six episodes in Homer’s life, including one in which he and his pet skunk capture four bandits, and another about a donut machine on the rampage.

Milne, A.A. Winnie-the-Pooh ~ The adventures of Christopher Robin and his friends in which Pooh Bear uses a balloon to get honey, Piglet meets a Heffalump and Eyeore has a birthday.

Norton, Mary. The Borrowers (series) ~ A family of miniature people journey down a drain, live briefly in a tea kettle, and are swept away by a flood before finding a new home.

Reiche, Dietlof. I, Freddy: book one in the golden hamster saga ~ Fredy a remarkable intelligent golden hamster, learns how to read and write on a computer and escapes captivity to become an independent and civilized creature.

Saint-Exupery, Antoine de. The Little Prince ~ A fantasy about a young prince and a pilot who meet in the Sahara desert.

Spyri, Johanna. Heidi ~ A Swiss orphan girl is broken-hearted when she has to leave her beloved grandfather and their happy home in the mountains to go to school and care for an invalid girl.

Travers, P.L. Mary Poppins ~ The wind brings the Banks children a new nanny who can slide up banisters and introduces them to some delightful people and experiences.

White, E.B. Charlotte’s Web ~ The story of Wilbur, the smallest pig in the litter, who is raised by the farmer’s daughter and finds a friends in Charlotte, the spider.

White, E.B. Stuart Little ~ The adventures of the debonair mouse, Stuart Little, as he sets out in the world to seek his dearest friend, a little bird who stayed for a few days in his family’s garden.

White, E.B. The Trumpet of the Swan ~ Knowing how to read and write is not enough for Louis, a voiceless Trumpter Swan; his determination to learn to play a stolen trumpet takes him far away from his wilderness home.



To go directly to our catalog and place a hold, try this link: http://catalog.lbpl.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=main#focus and type in the title, or author. Thank you.


The plot descriptions for these books were taken primarily from NoveList, an electronic database available through the Library’s website at http://www.lbpl.org/. In addition to plot descriptions of books for all ages, children through adult, NoveList provides extensive searching capabilities (very helpful for when you remember the plot, but not the title or the author!), author read-a-likes, book discussion guides, lists of award winners, author biographies, articles about fiction genres, and much more. Check it out next time you aren’t sure what to read!

Long Beach Public Library and Information Center ~ Youth Services Division

National Library Month

Hello children and families of the Long Beach Public Library. We have quite a busy month this April in our Youth Services Department of the library. Many celebrations are taking place. First, it was International Children's Book Day on April 2, which has been celebrated since 1967 on or around Hans Christian Anderson's Birthday. This day is meant to inspire a love of reading and call attention to children's books. It is also National Poetry Month, and we have a bulletin board and trough book display at Main Library in honor of that. The bulletin board is made up of words that can be placed into any order to form a poem by anyone who stops by our children's department. This is reflective of the magnetic poetry word games that you see sometimes on people's refrigerators. It is a really fun display and there has been at least one poem created by a young gentleman on it in honor of the library.

Last week was National Library Week celebrated in libraries across the country. We are very lucky here in Long Beach because we celebrate our own National Library Month throughout the entire month of April! Hooray for Long Beach Public Library! Next Month, between May 11th and 17th, our country will be celebrating Children's Book Week, as well.

Here are some things happening at two of our branches:

At Mark Twain Library, there is a great bulletin board celebrating National Library Month which shows worlds connecting through books @ your library. It is loosely inspired by the book "My Librarian is a Camel" by Margriet Ruurs.

Also, "Break Free From TV" week (April 20-26) is being celebrated at the Mark Twain Library. There is a bulletin board display for this, and kids can sign up to turn their televisions off for the week. You can earn a treat for this, and please ask Carla at Mark Twain for more information.

Celebrate National Library Month with a Treasure Hunt. Follow the clues and find our mascot, El Dorado Ed. Win a free book. Every day except Sunday until April 30. El Dorado Neighborhood Library, 2900 Studebaker Rd., Long Beach, 562 570-3136.

Also - stop by Bay Shore Library on Saturday:

Bay Shore is celebrating its 50th Anniversary - music, refreshments and crafts for kids - and more!

Please stop by to see our lovely displays, as well as our book troughs at Main filled with poetry books and books to "Spring into Reading". Also, don't forget to take a look at our New Books - fiction, non-fiction, and picture books, all on display at the Main Children's Department. If you can't get to Main Library, please visit one of our local branches, who are all participating in what I've mentioned above. Thank you.

Women are Heroines

We are coming to a close of our appreciation for all women in the U.S. as Women's History Month is almost over here at Long Beach Public Library. I want to remind everyone of the importance of women in our society. How wonderful is it to know that women ranging from Hillory Clinton to Janis Joplin, Maya Lin to Rachel Carson, Beyonce to Ellen Ochoa who have all made our country a great, honorable and noteworthy place to be. I am proud to know that these among many other women - our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, children, and wives - have all influenced our lives for the better. Women in society help us every day: when we go to the grocery store, when we go to the bank, when we look up something on the internet, when we look at art, when we go to the doctor, when we use important and everyday inventions, when we need legal help, when we go to school, when we read a book, when we watch TV, when we listen to the radio or the news, and when we go to bed at night, it is often our mothers who tuck us in. How amazing is that?!

If you are a woman, be proud of the girls and women you are. And we should all be grateful for the women in our lives who help us every day!

Here are some good books written about and by female authors at our public library for you to enjoy at the close of this important month:

Michelle Kwan by Rachel A. Koester-Grack, Dear Mrs. Parks: A Dialogue with Today's Youth by Rosa Parks, Sally Ride by Tamra Orr, Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary, and Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan.

Coraline

Do you have an interest in Coraline the movie or in reading the book? Here are some ideas for more fun things to do if you like Coraline:

The Coraline web site has a gorgeous downloadable vintage button poster: http://coraline.com/images/wild_poster/Coraline_catalog_3.jpg

The Coraline web site also has a pattern available for download so knitters can create their own star sweater at http://coraline.com/images/sweater_pattern.pdf

Make your own Other Mother Box http://www.instructables.com/id/Other_Mother_Box/

There is also an Evil Buttons Craft Blog http://evilbuttons.blogspot.com/

And see the cool SWAG handmade boxes the PR folks sent out to craft blogs… http://www.notcot.com/archives/2009/01/coraline_50_box.php ; young folks can make their own with cigar or shoe boxes.

Information provided by:

Stephanie Stokes LibraryPalooza.net stephanie@librarypalooza.net

Also, follow this link to the book Coraline in our Long Beach Public Library catalog.

For local Long Beach showtimes of Coraline the movie, click on the following google movie link here.

Thank you!

LONG BEACH READS ONE BOOK

And the title is Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Journey to Promote Peace...One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson. The same version for middle school kids is called, Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Journey to Change the World, One Child at a Time. And the children's book is called Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea. These books can be found at our Long Beach Public Library; just click on the link under each book.

A link to the website for Three Cups of Tea is as follows: http://www.threecupsoftea.com/

And a link to the full schedule of events from March 6 through March 14 is at the following: http://www.lbplfoundation.org/programs_lbrob.html.

In addition, El Dorado Branch Library is offering the following programs for kids in tune with Three Cups of Tea:

Kites for Kids, March 10, 4:00 pm. Listen to kite stories and make your own kite. Sign up with the librarian. El Dorado Neighborhood Library, 2900 Studebaker Rd., Long Beach. 562 570-3136

Tea for Twenty (or more), March 11, 4:00 pm. Dress up or wear a fancy hat and listen to stories about tea parties. Iced tea will be served. Sign up with the librarian. El Dorado Neighborhood Library, 2900 Studebaker Rd., Long Beach. 562 570-3136.

Penguins

Here is a penguin themed program moms and dads or teachers can use with your young ones:

Book: Playful Little Penguins by Tony Mitton

Kit (book & CD): Five Little Penguins Slipping on the Ice by Steve Metzger

Song: Little Penguin (to tune of I'm a Little Teapot)

I'm a little penguin, round and fat.

Here is my beak, here is my hat.

Winter days are coming, hear me shout,

Please don't toss my mitten out!

This song was found on the following website:

http://www.preschooleducation.com/penguin.shtml

This site offers additional action rhymes and songs, as well as craft and snack ideas.

Have fun!

Using recycled materials for crafts

Doing an activity on recycled materials? Check out Family Fun's February 2009 issue for Trashtown Fire Station and Villagers using egg cartons, plastic bottle caps, grocery bags, and more.

Check out amazingmoms.com or birthdaypartyideas.com for games, snacks, and decorations - just add books. This is helpful anytime you're planning a kids party or event.

Love is in the Air

and Cupid's arrow has hit our library with all kinds of Valentine's Day books. Get yourselves or your little ones ready for Valentine's Day by reading all sorts of delectable Valentine's Day books.

Here are some that I really love:

Froggy's First Kiss by Jonathan London - Great for Preschoolers, Froggy is totally grossed out when he actually receives a kiss from Frogalina.

Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse - Great for Babies through Kindergarten. Mama loves her dear one more than all the creatures in the Arctic, even when her child misbehaves.

I like me! by Nancy Carlson - Great for Toddlers through Kindergarten. A charming pig loves life and everything having to do with herself!

Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink by Diane de Groat - Great for Kindergarten through 2nd grade. Kids will appreciate the Valentine's Day sentiment of passing out Valentine's to their friends, and/or not getting ones they necessarily like. This story emphasizes being kind to everyone.

Franklin's Valentines by Paulette Bourgeois - Great for Kindergarten through 1st grade. Franklin loses the Valentines he had made for his classmates on the way to school. When it's time for the Valentine's party his schoolmates teach him the meaning of true freindship.

* Please note - click on the link underlining the book to take you straight to our catalog. Thank you.

Presidents' Day is on February 16th

Presidents' Day used to be the day of Washington's Birthday and was called just that. Now we call it Presidents' Day and also celebrate Lincoln's Birthday. The day has even been expanded to include all of our nation's presidents.

If you are looking to find out more about some of these great leaders of our country, their wives, the events that were happening around the time of their terms, or their background, stop by your local library to pick up a biography or book on the Presidents. At Main Library, our trough at the entrance to the children's department is filled with books on these topics.

For more information about Presidents' day, try this link to Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington

For several learning sites with information and craft ideas, try these links to websites:

http://www.alphabet-soup.net/hol/president.html



http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/presidentsday/



Enjoy!

February is Black History Month

Some of our most noteworthy citizens throughout our country's history have been from African American ancestry. We are honoring these numerous Black Americans in the Youth Services Department in Long Beach by celebrating Black History Month.

Visit us at the Main Library to see our Black History bulletin board display, as well as to check out some of the great books relating to Black History, which are in our book trough display.

Also, check out our new database - Oxford African American Studies Center.

Websites relating to Black History Month:

http://www.history.com/minisites/blackhistory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_History_Month

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhm1.html

http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/

http://inventors.about.com/od/blackinventors/a/Black_History.htm

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is on February 2, 2009 this year, and in our Youth Services Department, we have a number of books relating to groundhogs and the day - both fiction and non-fiction.

"If Candlemas be fair and bright,Come, Winter, have another flight;If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,Go Winter, and come not again." ~ an Old English Song.

Check out these websites relating to Groundhog Day:

http://www.groundhog.org/ : The official website of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day :Wikipedia site explaining Groundhog Day.

Hi! My name is Joe, and I work in a button factory.

Ever think about doing a fun, fast-paced, camp song with your kids? Here's one that we sing at the library storytime programs.

It's called, "My name is Joe."

First start out by waving your hand, "Hi! My name is Joe, and I work in a button factory. I've got a wife and some kids and a family. One day, my boss said, 'Hey, Joe. Push that button with your right hand." And this ensues. Begin pushing an imaginary button with your right hand. Continue pushing.

And then, "Hi, my name is Joe. And I work in a button factory. I've got a wife and some kids and a family. One day, my boss said, 'Hey, Joe. Push that button with your left hand." Now you are pushing two buttons, one with your right hand, and one with your left hand. Continue pushing and repeat the phrase. You then can push buttons with the following:

right foot,

left foot,

right hip,

left hip,

head,

and then, "Hi, my name is Joe," while flailing, pushing all those buttons, "And I work in a button factory. One day, my boss said, 'Hey, Joe,' and I said, 'NO!!!!!!'"

Really yell out that last 'NO!' as if you absolutely do NOT want to push any more buttons for this boss! This is so much fun and the kids really love it. Try it yourself and see!

Cheers!

Biography Databases

Need a biography? Did you know that the library has a wealth of information in our biographical databases? There are several which can be very helpful with finding biographies.

Obama, Barack Sex: Male Born: Honolulu, Hawaii, United States 4 August 1961 Activity/Profession: Lawyer, U.S. Senator ( 4 Aug. 1961 – ),

1)Biography Resource Center: gives a list of full text biographies; also has magazine and newspaper articles, and websites.

2)Oxford African American Study Center: allows for searching and browsing of biographies of African American individuals throughout history and gives a number of sources with text of biographies for each individual.

3) Science Online: Has a biography search, by both nationality, occupation, Nobel Prize Winners, and Women in Science.

To view a fascinating biography about Barack Obama, our president elect, visit:

http://www.oxfordaasc.com/article/opr/t0001/e2342?from=browse&hi=2&pos=14