Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Teddy Bear Sleepover at the Main Branch!

On Friday, January 9 at 4 pm, children aged 2-7 years are invited to bring their teddy bears (or other stuffed friends) and join Miss Berry at the Easton Area Public Library for stories, songs, a craft, and milk and cookies. After storytime, we'll tuck our friends into bed for a sleepover at the library!  Children can pick up their teddy bears the following Monday, January 12, along with a surprise.  Shhhh!  Teddy bears are sleeping!

This program will last for around 45 minutes.  Registration is required and space is limited.  Please phone the Youth Services desk at 610-258-2917 x 306 to register your child.  

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

WINTER STORYTIME

Palmer's Winter Storytime will begin on January 12, and will continue through February 18. Sign-ups begin December 29 at the Palmer Branch.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Register now for December storytime at the Main Branch!

Registration for the next session of storytime has begun!

 
The next session will run from December 1 to December 19. We offer classes on the following days:

Mother Goose Time (6-24 mos. with an adult)

Tuesdays - 10:00am
Wednesdays - 9:45am
Thursdays - 10:30am
Fridays - 10:00am
 

Toddler Time (2-3 years with an adult)

Mondays - 10:00am
Tuesdays - 10:45am
Wednesdays - 10:30am
Thursdays - 9:45am
 

Family Storytime (3-5 years with an adult)

Wednesdays - 5:30pm
 

Preschool Storytime (4-5 years with an adult)

Mondays - 10:45am
Tuesdays - 1:15pm
 
Visit the Youth Services Department or call us at 610-258-2917 ext. 306 for more information or to register for our upcoming session!

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Bulletin Board Art for November: Arndt's Preschool

This month's bulletin board art comes from

Arndt's Preschool

in Forks Township.

 
Every month, the Easton Area Public Library offers the bulletin boards in the children's room to local childcare centers in the Easton School District. The centers are welcome to display creative artwork, photographs, 3D art projects, and promotional materials. Make sure to visit the children's room to see their artwork up close! If you're interested in learning more about Arndt's Preschool, contact information is available on their displays.
 
Kids are special

Fall Fun with Friends

Hand Fed Turkeys!
 

It's a Whale of a Tale, it's a Big Blue Whale!

If you missed preschool storytime this week, here is what we talked about:
Whales!  What's the first sound you hear in the word, whale? /w/  What is a whale?  Where do whales live?  What else do you know about whales?

Let's sing our Little Bird Song:  Way up in the sky, the little birds fly.  While down in the nest, the little birds rest.  Shhh!  They're sleeping.  With a wing on the left and a wing on the right, the little birds sleep all through the night.  Shhh!  They're sleeping.   THEN!   Up comes the sun, the dew goes away!  Good morning!  Good morning! The little birds say!  (repeat a little faster)

It's Storytime!  Your ears are to listen!  Your eyes are to look!  Now let's get together and read a great book!  Here is the book, and here is the (cover).  When you open it up, there's a lot to discover!

Blue Whale: The World's Biggest Mammal by Molly Smith.  The kids loved learning all about where blue whales live, what they eat, and how they breathe!

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Don't forget... Children's Illustrator Ponder Goembel will visit THIS SATURDAY!

It's not too late to sign up!

Children's book illustrator Ponder Goembel will visit the Main Branch of the Easton Area Public Library. She will talk about her creative process, do a drawing demonstration, and autograph books and postcards. Copies of her books will be sold during the event.

 

Saturday, November 8

10:30am

 
The visit is appropriate for children ages 3 and up.
Visit the Main Branch or call 610-258-2917 ext. 306 to register!
 
Ponder Goembel is the illustrator of several children's books, including Castaway Cats, Animal Fair, Old Cricket, Sailor Moo, Swamp Song, and "Hi, Pizza Man!" 
You can also visit Ponder's website to learn more about her life, books she's written/illustrated, and her artistic process.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

New children's books at the Main Library - Week of 10/27/14

Exciting news! We recently purchased a whole slew of the Who Was... / What Was... book series! Check them out along with all the other great new books that came in this week!

Who Was.../ What Was... Series

What was the Alamo?
What was Ellis Island?
What was the First Thanksgiving?
What was Pearl Harbor?
What was Pompeii?
What was the Underground Railroad?
Who is Michelle Obama?
Who is Steven Spielberg?
Who was Davy Crocket?
What was Maurice Sendak?
Who was Nelson Mandela?
Who was Roald Dahl?

Picture Books

The Sweetest Friends (Lalaloopsy) by Amy Acklesberg
Stanley the Builder by William Bee
Stanley's Garage by William Bee
Princess Parade (Lalaloopsy) adapted by Samantha Brooke
Thanksgiving Helper (Pinkalicious) by Victoria Kann
Bug on a Bike by Chris Monroe
The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak
(*Take a look at our previous post, When Words Are Enough, about other excellent children's picture books that ask readers to interact with the story!)
Fancy Nancy and the Fall Foliage based on the creation of Jane O'Connor
The Great Mom Rescue (Mike the Knight) adapted by Natalie Shaw
Albie's First Word: A Tale Inspired by Albert Einstein's Childhood by Jacqueline Tourville
Legend of the Blue Mermaid (Team Umizoomi) by Jennifer Twomey
The Misadventures of Sweetie Pie by Chris Van Allsburg

Beginner Books

Waiting Is Not Easy! (Elephant & Piggie) by Mo Willems

Fiction Books

Hansel and Gretel by Neil Gaiman
The Lego Movie: The Official Movie Handbook by Ace Landers
Timmy Failure: We Meet Again by Stephan Pastis
Paddington: The Junior Novel adapted by Jeanne Willis

Non-Fiction Books

Secrets of the Terracotta Army: Tomb of an Ancient Chinese Emperor by Michael Capek
Secrets of Mesa Verde: Cliff Dwellings of the Pueblo by Gail Fay
Secrets of Machu Picchu: Lost City of the Incas by Suzanne Garbe
Secrets of Pompeii: Buried City of Ancient Rome by Tim O'Shei
The Titanic's Crew: Working Aboard the Great Ship by Terri Dougherty
The Search for the Titanic: Finding the Ship's Watery Grave by Terri Dougherty
Building the Titanic: The Making of a Doomed Ship by Sean McCollum
Passengers of the Titanic: Traveling on an Ill-Fated Ship by Sean Stewart Price
U.S. Navy True Stories: Tales of Bravery by Jessica Gunderson
U.S. Air Force True Stories: Tales of Bravery by Adam Miller
U.S. Marines True Stories: Tales of Bravery by Adam Miller
U.S. Army True Stories: Tales of Bravery by Steven Otfinoski

 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

SANTA IS COMING TO THE PALMER BRANCH!!!




santa-waving-logo
Santa will visit the Palmer Branch on
Saturday, December 5
10:00am
Join us for songs, stories, crafts and a visit from St. Nick!
Sign ups begin on November 22nd.
** This program requires a valid library card AND pre-registration!!!

WHO WAS ... BOOK GROUP!

The Palmer Branch offers children ages 7-12 years old a non-fiction book club that meets 4 times a year on selected Tuesday evenings from 6:00-7:00pm. The group will be discussing the book,
                    "Who Was Eleanor Roosevelt" by Gare Thompson on
 Tuesday, November 4 at 6:00pm.
The first 10 children who sign up AND attend the discussion will receive a free copy of the book.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Dig deeper into children's literature with author websites

Finishing a good book can be both satisfying and disappointing.  It can be hard to say goodbye to the imaginary world tucked into the pages of the book.  Luckily, most popular children's literature authors have blogs or websites that can extend the experience of reading their work.  These sites feature biographical information, book lists, and other features.  Some blogs offer downloadable coloring sheets, interactive games, chat rooms, newsletters, e-cards, resources for parents and teachers, and much more.

Here's a round-up of ten author blogs and websites that I like to visit, listed in no particular order:

Mo Willems, the prolific genius behind Elephant and Piggie, The Pigeon, and Knufflebunny, among others, has a blog stuffed with games, booklists, and other fun stuff.  His website and blog reflect his warm sense of humor and razor-sharp ability to illustrate nuanced emotion.  Visit his blog here.

Sassy, sparkly Ramona Quimby is an endearing character that generations of readers have grown up with.  Asked where her books take place, Ramona's creator, Beverly Cleary, answered, "in childhood."  Click here to visit Cleary's website for an interactive tour of Klickitat Street, a complete illustrated index of each of her characters, and a virtual arcade featuring games based upon her books.

Eric Carle's vivid collage art and folk-like stories have captivated children and their parents for decades.  Visit Carle's website here to play online games based upon his characters, learn more about his life and books, and read his occasionally-published newsletter.  There are also several links for teachers, parents, and children to learn more about Carle and how he makes his art.  At this site, you find out more about the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art located in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Rosemary Wells has written and illustrated scores of popular books for children that feature lovably appealing animal characters like Max and Ruby the brother and sister rabbits, Yoko the cat and Noisy Nora the mouse.  Visit her website here to play games, print several different coloring sheets, watch videos featuring Wells' characters and much more.  Parents can print free party supplies for a Max and Ruby party, learn more about her work, and the importance of reading with children for 20 minutes each day.  This site is jam-packed with fun and helpful resources to use on a rainy day.   

Tomie Depaola's lush, folksy art and stories have been treasured for years.  Grown-ups and kids will appreciate visiting his website here to view his gorgeous illustrations and to learn more about his life as an artist and his process for creating characters like those in his picture book Strega Nona.

Jon Scieszka has written humorous chapter books for older kids such as the Spaceheadz series and picture books such as The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and Trucktown.  Find out more about his work and life at his website here.  Scieszka is also the brains behind the project Guys Read, a literacy program designed to help boys become motivated readers.  Check out the Guys Read website here to find extensive suggested book lists for boys.

Erin Hunter's epic animal series books fly off of the library shelves.  Readers can delve deeper into Warriors, Survivors, and Seekers series, and learn about the six successful authors who write the series under the name Erin Hunter by clicking here.  The site also features message boards, fan art, reader surveys, an online book club, interactive territory maps, story timelines, and games.

Lemony Snickett is the pen-name for the mysterious author of the Series of Unfortunate Events books and the All the Wrong Questions series.  Fans of Snickett's dry sense of humor, twisting mysterious plots, and intricate language should visit this site and this site to find videos, puzzles, and other fun from the author.

Cressida Cowell has written over a dozen books in the How to Train Your Dragon series.  In addition to providing author information and lists of all of Cowell's books, the site offers instruction in speaking and writing in "Dragonese," jokes based upon the books, and the chance to train your own dragon as part of an online game. Visit the series website here

Find out more about Lincoln Peirce's popular Big Nate comic strip and books on his website and blog by clicking here.  Read comic strips, view book lists, play Big Nate games, and watch videos based upon the character.

Delve into the world of Judy Moody and learn more about her brother Stink, her friends, and classmates, and author Megan McDonald and illustrator Peter Reynolds by clicking here.  Join the Judy Moody fan club, click on virtual treasure hunts, or test your vocabulary with a Judy Moody Spelling Bee activity.

Enjoy these author websites and blogs and leave a comment to let us know some sites that you enjoy!

Friday, October 17, 2014

Meet children's book illustrator Ponder Goembel!

Join us for a special event! Children's book illustrator Ponder Goembel will make a visit to the Main Branch!

Ponder will speak about her creative illustration process followed by a drawing demonstration. Copies of her books will be available for purchase and signing at the event.

Ponder will be here Saturday, November 8 at 10:30am. This event is for children ages 3 and up and expected to be approximately 30-45 minutes. Registration begins Monday, October 6.

Call the Main Branch for more info or to register - 610-258-2917 ext. 306. Visit Ponder's website to read more about her, her creative process, and the books she's written and illustrated.

Don't forget to look for her beautifully illustrated picture books during your next visit to the library!

Animal Fair


Old Cricket


"Hi, Pizza Man!"


Swamp Song


Castaway Cats

 

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

When Words Are Enough

Do you read picture books for the pictures or for the words?

Actor and author BJ Novack has written and published an ingenuous book for young readers that addresses this issue called The Book With No Pictures.  We enjoyed watching him read his book out loud to a group of primary school children, and think you will enjoy watching it too.  Click here to watch his lively reading.  You won't regret it.
Grover is exasperated with the reader in There's a Monster at the End of This Book!
Elephant and Piggie crack up when they realize that they can make the reader say anything in We Are in a Book.

If you like the premise of this book, you might also enjoy books such as Mo Willems' We Are in A Book, Herve Tullet's Press Here!  or Jon Stone's classic There's a Monster at the End of This Book!  All of these stories play with the interaction between readers and the words on the pages of the books that they read, and they all make for highly interactive books to read out loud with a child.   

The Winter Book Sale is coming up!

Save the dates for our Winter Book Sale at the Main Library!


Public Sale

Friday, December 12 - 10am to 5pm
Saturday, December 13 - 9am to 2pm
 

Half Price Day

Monday, December 15 - 2pm to 7pm
 

Bag Sale

Tuesday, December 16 - 2pm to 7pm

 

Support the library's teen group, YouthQuake Explosion at the sale!

Need a fun bookmark to hold your place in your book? Pick up one of these handmade bookmarks!

The members of YouthQuake Explosion (YQE) will be selling handcrafted page-corner bookmarks during the sale. The talented teens create all the bookmarks by hand during their regular weekly meetings. You'll find popular and favorite characters, an assortment of animals, iconic logos, and much more!

Bookmarks range $0.50 to $1.00 and make great gifts for teachers, friends, siblings, and book lovers! All money raised will go towards materials to benefit the children of Easton through library programming and outreach.

Look for their table on the main floor of the library!


Want to learn more about YQE?


YouthQuake Explosion is a volunteer service group for teens in grades 7 to 12 at the Main Branch of the library. YQE meets once a week, and is for teens who are creative, energetic, and enjoy spending time at the library. YQE plans and presents programs for preschoolers (such as our recent Preschool Pumpkin Painting Party) and school age children (like the upcoming Spider Soiree). The group also annually produces a promotional video for the library's summer reading program, creates monthly bulletin boards for the children's room. Teens in YQE are welcome to write posts for the library's teen blog, Operation: YA.

Teens who need service hours for activities or organizations are welcome to attend the weekly meetings. Teens are under no obligation to join the group once their required service hours are completed, but are welcome to join as members if they wish. Service hours can be earned at each meeting by participating in varying activities during the meetings.

YQE meets every Tuesday night at 6:30pm. Meetings are approximately 1 hour. Space in YQE may be limited depending on the number of volunteers we have at a given time. Call the Youth Services Department at 610-258-2917 ext. 306 for information and availability.

Monday, October 13, 2014

American Girl Book Club

The Palmer Branch offers girls ages 7-12 years old an American Girl Book Group. The group meets once a month on selected Saturdays from 2:00-3:00pm. We will be discussing "Felicity's Surprise" by Megan McDonald on Saturday, November 1 at the Branch. After discussing the book, girls will enjoy doing a scrapbooking page. Call the branch if you are interested at 610-258-7492.

Registration for the SPIDER SOIREE begins today!

Join us for a night of creepy crawlers at the Spider Soiree! Celebrate your favorite eight-legged creepers with stories, snacks, and silliness! For children in Kindergarten to 4th grade.
 
The Spider Soiree is hosted by the library's teen group, YouthQuake Explosion.

Tuesday, October 28 at 6:30pm.


*Allergen Alert: We will be using products that contain soy, chocolate, dairy, wheat, and food dyes.

Call or visit the Youth Services Department at the Main library to register. Hurry... space is limited to 12 children! 610-258-2917 ext. 306.
 

Sign up today!

Thursday, October 9, 2014

New arrivals at the Main Branch for October

Here are a few of the brand new titles landing on our shelves this October...
*If a book you're looking for is checked out, you can request it for $0.50.

Picture Books


Alone Together by Suzanne Bloom
Not Very Scary by Carol Brendler
Unikitty: A Cuckoo Adventure (The Lego Movie) by Samantha Brooke
Lion, Lion by Miriam Busch
Fox's Garden by Princesse Camcam
The Bear's Sea Escape by Benjamin Chaud
Firebird by Misty Copeland
The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight by Tony DiTerlizzi
A Mousy Mess by Laura Driscoll
The Navy's Night Before Christmas by Trish Holland and Christine Ford
M is for Monster by J. Patrick Lewis
The Iridescence of Birds by Patricia MacLachlan
The Sweetest Witch Around by Alison McGhee
I am a Witch's Cat by Harriet Muncaster
Dog and Bear: Tricks and Treats by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Richard Scarry's Pig Will and Pig Won't: A Book of Manners by Richard Scarry
Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads by Bob Shea
Ladybug Girl and the Dress-Up Dilemma by David Soman
The Memory of an Elephant: An Unforgettable Journey by Sophie Strady
The Spectacular Tale of Peter Rabbit by Emma Thompson
Dino-Boarding by Lisa Wheeler
Penguin and Pumpkin by Salina Yoon

Beginner Books

Benjamin Franklin (When I Grow Up) by AnnMarie Anderson
Sonia Sotomayor (When I Grow Up) by AnnMarie Anderson
Fly Guy's Amazing Tricks by Tedd Arnold
Santa's Little Engine (Thomas and Friends) based on the series by W. Awdry
Batman: Batman Versus Man-Bat by J.E. Bright
Ocean Adventure (Magic School Bus) by Mary Kay Carson
Petal and Poppy and the Spooky Halloween! by Lisa Clough
Pete the Cat and the Bad Banana by James Dean
Let's Celebrate President's Day: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln by Barbara DeRubertis
Let's Celebrate Veteran's Day by Barbara DeRubertis
In the Rainforest by Kate Duke
This is Captain America by Brooke Dworkin
This is Thor by Brooke Dworkin
You'll Love Cockapoos by Erin Edison
You'll Love Labradoodles by Erin Edison
Stinky Bugs by Joan Emerson
Dixie and the Best Day Ever by Grace Gilman
Barack Obama by Caroline Crosson Gilpin
Splat and Seymour, Best Friends Forevermore (Splat the Cat) by Alissa Heyman
Ponies Love Pets (My Little Pony) by Emily C. Hughes
Holly Jolly Harmony (My Little Pony) by D. Jakobs
Mikey's Monster (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) by Hollis James
Tutu-rrific (Pinkalicious) by Victoria Kann
Nelson Mandela by Barbara Kramer
The Adventures of C-3PO (Star Wars) by Shari Last
Can You Spot a Jedi? (Star Wars) by Shari Last
Superman: Superman Versus the Silver Banshee by Donald Lemke
Batman: Batman Versus the Riddler by Donald Lemke
Spiderman: Spidey's New Costume by Thomas Macri
Igloos by Jack Manning
Longhouses by Jack Manning
Pueblos by Jack Manning
Tepees by Jack Manning
Justice League: I am Aquaman by Kirsten Mayer
Just a Special Day by Mercer Mayer
Snow White and the Seven Dogs by Cari Meister
Racing the Waves by Robert Neubecker
Great Leaders and Thinkers of Ancient Greece by Megan Cooley Peterson
Gila Monster's Burrow by Dee Phillips
Heroes of Asgard (Thor) by Tomas Polacios
Huff and Puff Have Too Much Stuff! by Tish Rabe
Justice League: Meet the Justice League by Lucy Rosen
Justice League: I am the Flash by John Sazaklis
Riff Raff Sails the High Cheese by Susan Schade
Starry, Starry Night (Doc McStuffins) by Bill Scollon
Snow Day! (Lalaloopsy) by Jenne Simon
School Day! (Lalaloopsy) by Jenne Simon
Let's Pick Apples (Lalaloopsy) by Jenne Simon
Daily Life in Ancient Greece by Lisa M. Bolt Simons
The First Olympics of Ancient Greece by Lisa M. Bolt Simons
Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece by Danielle Smith-Llera
Pizza Party! (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) by Joshua Sternin
The Amazing Adventures of Superman: Creatures from Planet X! by Yale Stewart
Top Cops (Team Umizoomi) by Clark Stubbs
Batman: Going Ape by Laurie Sutton
Olivia Loves Halloween by Maggie Testa
Slinky's Guide to Caring for Your Snake by Isabel Thomas
Transformers: Roll Out and Read Adventures
Big Machines Build! by Catherine Veitch
Big Machines Drive! by Catherine Veitch
Big Machines Float! by Catherine Veitch
Big Machines Fly! by Catherine Veitch
Big Machines Rescue! by Catherine Veitch
Big Machines Ride Rails! by Catherine Veitch
Military Vehicles by Jack Wesley

Chapter Books

Cam Jansen and the Joke House Mystery by David A. Adler
The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill
Tell Me by Joan Bauer
The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry
Bad Magic by Pseudonymous Bosch
Revenge of Superstition Mountain, Book 3 by Elise Broach
Whack of the P-Rex (Notebook of Doom) by Troy Cummings
Shadows at Predator Reef (Hardy Boys Adventures) by Franklin W. Dixon
Nest by Esther Ehrlich
The Eye of Zoltar by Jasper Fforde
Unstoppable Octobia May by Sharon G. Flake
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Making Money by Tommy Greenwald
Where I Belong by Mary Downing Hahn
A Wonderlandiful World (Ever After High) by Shannon Hale
Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale
Comics Squad: Recess! (graphic novel) edited by Jennifer Holm, Matthew Holm, and Jarrett Krosoczka
The Phantom of Nantucket (Nancy Drew Diaries) by Carolyn Keene
Captain Awesome Gets a Hole-in-One by Stan Kirby
Flashpoint (39 Clues: Unstoppable, Book 4) by Gordon Korman
Yoda's Secret Missions (Lego Star Wars) by Ace Landers
Island of Legends (The Unwanteds) by Lisa McMann
Zipper (Puppy Place) by Ellen Miles
Tales of the Giant Beasts (Spirit Animals Special Edition) by Brandon Mull
Treasure Hunters: Danger Down the Nile by James Patterson
Captain Underpants and the Tyrannical Retaliation of the Turbo Toilet 2000 by Dav Pilkey
The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Dork Diaries: Tales from a NOT-SO-Happily Ever After by Rachel Renee Russell
Pathfinder by Angie Sage
"Shouldn't You Be in School?" by Lemony Snicket
Beauty and the Basement (Twice Told Tales) by Olivia Snowe
Against the Tide (Spirit Animals, Book 5) by Tui T. Sutherland
The Real Man of Steel (graphic novel) by Laurie Sutton
I Survived: Five Epic Disasters by Lauren Tarshis
I Survived: The Destruction of Pompeii by Lauren Tarshis
Ellray Jakes Rocks the Holidays by Sally Warner
Delivery of Doom by Dan Yaccarino

Non-Fiction Books

Art2-D2's Guide to Folding and Doodling by Tom Angleberger
Tastes Like Music: 17 Quirks of the Brain and Body by Maria Birmingham
Lifesize Rainforest by Anita Ganeri
Creature Features: Twenty-Five Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do by Steve Jenkins
Magic Tree House Survival Guide by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce
Animalium by Katie Scott
Student Toolbox: Tips for Better Writing by Louise Spilsbury
Take Shelter: At Home Around the World by Nikki Tate and Dani Tate-Stratton
National Geographic Kids Ultimate Body-Pedia by Christina Wilsdon, Patricia Daniels, and Jen Agresta
Hope For Winter: The True Story of a Remarkable Dolphin Friendship told by David Yates
Ripley's Believe It or Not! Special Edition 2015

Foreign Language Books

Mi Dragon y Yo (Me and My Dragon) by David Biedrzycki
A Friend at the Zoo / Un Amigo en el Zoologico by Mary Tillworth

Parenting Books

The Learning Habit by Stephanie Donaldson-Pressman

Holiday Books

Christmas Magic (Lalaloopsy) by Lauren Cecil
It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! by Charles M. Schulz
Easter Eggs-travaganza (Lalaloopsy) by Jenne Simon

DVDs

Earth to Echo