Here in Youth Services, we are VERY excited about Summer Reading...it's one of the biggest, most fun things we do all year, and this year we have a really great theme...Reading is SO Delicious! Of course, this means we will have tons of great programs about food and eating, and loads of yummy-looking decorations, too. If you sign up for the program, we also have all sorts of cool prizes and activities, so watch the mail for our almanac and be sure to stop in and sign up on June 4th!

Here at the Library, we have a stack of cards on the Youth Services desk. Anyone who wants to fill out a card telling us about a book they read can get a bookmark...and their review posted right here, for everyone to see!

Here are the most recent submissions:

Title: Dweeb
Author: Aaron Stamer
What this book is about: people who get framed
Why this book is great: Because it's really exciting and you always want to know what's going to happen.
Reviewer's first name: Jonathan U.

It is National Ghostwriter’s Week...and you’ve probably read something written by a ghostwriter. Ghostwriters aren’t really ghosts! They are people who write books for other people and let them take the credit. Sometimes, a famous person who isn’t a great writer will hire a ghostwriter to write their “autobiography” or sometimes a famous author will come up with ideas for a popular series and have a ghostwriter do the actual writing. In some cases, there isn’t even a real author at all!

The new nominees for the Illinois reader's choice awards are in! It's a great group, and we have lots of copies, so drop by and check a few out today! If you want to check out the lists before you come to the library, click on the lists below.

Caudill
Grades 4-8

Bluestem
Grades 3-5

Monarch
Grades K-3

February 19-25 is National Pancake Week, so dig in to a tall stack...of pancake books, that is! Here are some of our favorites, but there are plenty more if you want second helpings—just type “pancake” into our catalog!

J E BAR
Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs
Barrett, Judy
One of the coolest pictures in this book is the GIANT pancake that covers the school.

J E CHA (FROIO)

The last two weeks have been busy, busy, busy with children’s book and media awards! The Newbery Award for the best writing for children, The Caldecott Award for best illustration, and many others were announced. It’s like the Super Bowl and Oscars for libraries! Drop by the library and check out one of these "classics-in-the-making". Do you agree with the book chosen as the winner? Which would YOU have picked?

Newbery Medal

January 18 is Winnie-The-Pooh Day!

Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared by name on 24 December 1925.

The real Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, and Tigger are toys that belonged to the real Christopher Robin, A. A. Milne's young son...they now live at the New York Public Library.

Check out the ORIGINAL Winnie-the-Pooh stories at the library!

Winnie-the-Pooh

January 1st—Happy New Year!
Did you know that January is International Creativity Month? Banish boredom with some great craft and activity books like these! (click on the titles to see the book in the library's catalog!)

J 031.02 IGG
The Dangerous Book for Boys
Iggulden, Conn

J 646.48 CIV
Bags and Purses
Civardi, Anne.

J 646.7 BUC
The Daring Book for Girls
Buchanan, Andrea J.

J 688.725 LIP
Lego Ideas Book: unlock your imagination
Lipkowitz, Daniel

J 745.5 GOR
The Super Duper Art & Craft Activity Book : over 75 indoor and outdoor projects for kids!
Gordon, Lynn

J 745.5 BEL
The Kids' Guide to Building Cool Stuff
Bell-Rehwoldt, Sheri.

J 745.5 THR
Remake It! : recycling projects more from the stuff you usually scrap
Threadgould, Tiffany.

J 629.04 ENZ
Build your own car, rocket, and other things that go
Enz, Tammy.

J 793.2 CON
The Simply Spa-tacular Spa-time Book : pamper and soothe yourself and your friends with over 30 spa-time activities, recipes, and party ideas
Conley, Erin.

As we swing into October, school's getting busier. There's less time to sit and read for long stretches - but that doesn't mean your reading has to stop. Check out a magazine from our collection, and read on the go! From short articles to short stories, we have magazines for lots of different interests. Here are just a few:

National Geographic for Kids
A magazine that has it all, this month's issue features pets in costume, haunted vacations, flying monsters, and more!

Pack-o-Fun

Ahoy matey, did ye know that September 19 is "Talk Like a Pirate Day?" By the powers! It be true. So brush up on your pirat-ese by checking out some great buccaneer books. Here are a few to get you started.

Pirate Pete's Talk Like a Pirate by Kim Kennedy