Kent District Library (MI)'s Blog, page 107

Early Lit Bits: Book Review — “Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters”

Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters by Jane Yolen

Monsters are playing ball, riding bikes and picnicking at the Creepy Commons park in this new picture book. The two-page illustrations and rhyming text make this book perfect for reading aloud to a group. Invite listeners to guess the rhyming word that comes next, using the pictures as clues. In a one-on-one setting, have your little one point to various monsters in an “I Spy” game. Can you find the monster going for a jog? This story has rich action words, such as lope, hurl and teeter. As you read together, talk about what these words mean. You may even be inspired to create your own monsters with construction paper, or simply draw a funny shape and have your child create a monster face. Talking about new words and drawing are wonderful ways to get your child ready to read and write.

–Liz W. at KDL’s Plainfield Township branch

 

 

This article originally appeared in our Early Lit Bits eNewsletter. Read the most recent issue online or sign up to receive this monthly update highlighting early literacy tips and resources for parents and caregivers.

 

Teen Writing Workshop — Sign Up Today!

Do you plan to enter the Write Michigan Short Story Contest? Got a super story idea, but don’t know where to start? Learn the tricks to writing dynamic, compelling and downright awesome short stories. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited. KDL is offering two workshops just for teens:

Saturday, September 21, 11:00 AM – Wyoming branch – presented by the Grand Rapids Creative Youth Center

Saturday, October 12, 11:00 AM – Sand Lake/ Nelson Township branch – led by local author-illustrator Ryan Hipp

Click here to register

 

 

Walker Branch Closing Early on 8/17

The Walker branch will be closing early on Saturday, August 17 for carpet cleaning. The branch will close at 2:00 PM instead of 5:00 PM. Regular hours will resume on Monday, August 19. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

 

Calling All Teens

Summer getting a bit long? Teen summer volunteers at the library have lots of opportunities to work with kids and help with programs at each of the KDL branches. A few comments:

“I love to see the smiles on their faces when the little kids turn in their completed reading logs and get a prize.”

“It’s lots of fun to help with the programs… especially the food programs.”

“We get first chance to play with the animals at the petting zoo and pet show.”

KDL branches register teens in May, so if this summer seems to be dragging, keep us in mind for next year  We love to have you!

Favorite Teen Volunteer books this summer include:

Why Is Snot Green and Other Extremely Important Questions (and Answers) by Glenn Murphy

 

     The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

 

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

 

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

 

 

 

Writing Workshop for Adults — Sign Up Today!

Entering this year’s Write Michigan Short Story Contest?

Authors Phillip Sterling and Matthew Rohr — finalist and Judges’ Choice runner-up in the inaugural Write Michigan Short Story Contest, respectively — will help participants craft and edit their short stories for brevity. Discussion and exercises on characterization, setting, point-of-view and conflict may help generate the next Write Michigan winners!  You do not have to be entering the Write Michigan contest to attend. Pre-registration is required and space is limited.

Saturday, September 28, 11:00 AM – Cascade Township branch

Click here to register or call Patron Services at 616-784-2007.

 

Freegal Music Update

Regular users of our Freegal Music service may have noticed that the Freegal website looks a little different today. Freegal has launched a number of new updates, including:

A brand-new look as well as an updated search engine
More content from your favorite artists, with millions of songs available
Browse the new website at http://kdl.freegalmusic.com without logging in, and send links to individual songs to your friends (login still required to download songs)
Download your favorite music videos as well as song files (note that a video will count as 2 of your 3 allotted downloads for the week)
Create a wishlist of songs you may want to download in the future
Backup songs downloaded from the Freegal app into iTunes
Delete songs from the Freegal app to save memory on your mobile device

Not familiar with Freegal? This is an awesome service that allows KDL cardholders to download 3 songs per week, completely free! The MP3 files are yours to keep — they will never expire or disappear. Check it out today at http://kdl.freegalmusic.com!

 

National LibraryReads Staff Picks List

You already know that your local KDL staff provide great recommendations when you’re looking for your next favorite book. Now library staff across the nation have connected to offer LibraryReads, a nationwide “Top 10″ list of favorite titles each month! Check out these upcoming titles that librarians across the country have read, loved, and want to share with you!

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny
Night Film by Marisha Pessl
Help for the Haunted by John Searles
The Returned by Jason Mott
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
Margot by Jillian Cantor
Songs of Willow Frost by Jamie Ford
Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout & Sara Corbett

See http://libraryreads.org for more information, including reviews of each title, and find your next great read!

 

“Sherlock Holmes” Giveaway!

KDL is partnering with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre this season to offer passes to dress rehearsals for certain performances downtown, and performance-themed programs at two of our branches.

To kick this off, we’re offering 25 pairs of passes to the dress rehearsal of Sherlock Holmes: Final Adventure at 7:30 PM on Thursday, September 5. The first 25 KDL cardholders to show up and ask at either the Plainfield Township branch or the Wyoming branch will receive two passes. First-come, first-served! Go!!

The East Grand Rapids branch also will host a talk at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, September 18 by Civic Director Bruce Tinker titled “Sherlock Holmes: Unlocking the Mysteries of Staging a Master Sleuth.” Learn from an insider about the challenges and particulars of putting together a performance of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s master work.

Looking for library materials on Sherlock Holmes? KDL has got ‘em.

 

 

Early Lit Bits: Learning with Crafts — Clothespin Word Puzzles

Clothespin Word Puzzles

Fresh laundry drying on an outside clothesline is one of the sure signs of summer. Here’s a way to reuse those old wooden clothespins to make simple letter puzzles. Pinching clothespins helps young children develop fine motor skills they will need to hold a pencil once they are in school. Matching and sorting letters also helps children learn the form and shape of letters and words.

Materials:

Wooden clothespins
Glue
Cardboard cut into rectangles (a cereal box works well for this)
Pictures cut from a magazine or printed from a computer
Glue
Markers or crayons

To Make:

Write a word on a piece of cardboard. Add a corresponding picture to the cardboard cut from a magazine or printed from a computer. Draw one letter for each letter in the word onto a wooden clothespin.

To Use:

Have children find the clothespins that match each letter in the word  and clip the corresponding pin over the letter written on the piece of cardboard.

Other Ideas:

Make a long strip of cardboard with the whole alphabet written on it and a clothespin for each letter. This is also a good way to have a child practice writing his or her name.

– Anjie G. at KDL’s Walker Branch

 

 

This article originally appeared in our Early Lit Bits eNewsletter. Read the most recent issue online or sign up to receive this monthly update highlighting early literacy tips and resources for parents and caregivers.

 

Teen Manga for the Beginner

Interested in Manga but not sure where to start?  Here are three, teen recommend titles for you to try!

A great place to start is InuYasha by Rumiko Takahashi.  This is an easy manga to read and understand, as long as you start at the beginning which is the “back” of the book.  There are 56 books in the complete series so if you really like it, there are a lot of books to read!  “Kagome, a modern-day high school girl, is pulled into Japan’s ancient past!  There he destiny is linked to a dog-eared half demon named Inuyasha.”

The second recommendation is for Pichi Pichi Pitch by Michiko Yokote & Pink Hanamori.  This one is probably more appealing to girls due to the mermaid and romance!  “Lucia is the new girl at school. She and her sister run a public bath that’s all the rage. When Lucia meets a terrific-looking surfer boy, there’s just one little problem:  Lucia is a mermaid and a princess on an important mission to save the seven seas from an evil force.“  There are currently 7 books published.

Last but not least is One Piece by Eiichiro Oda.  This is another large series with 67 volumes.  “As a child, Monkey D. Luffy dreamed of becoming King of the Pirates. But his life changed when he accidentally gained the power to stretch like rubber..at the cost of never being able to swim again!  Years later, Luffy sets off in search of the “One Piece,” said to be the greatest treasure in the world.”

So stop by your library today and check out the great manga selection!