It's a contest here at the bloggity blog!

Ms. Eileen has done a wonderful job with content on this blog in recent months, so browse though and comment for a chance to win exceptional swag.  This blog is an excellent place to keep up with all of our antics at RML, as well as stay informed about kids literature.  While Ms. Eileen is away in Vermont today for the kick-off of our blog contest, I thought I'd share with you some thoughts in our summer reading program so far.

Every year, Ms. Eileen and I remind ourselves to "not go crazy like last year", but every year we plan activities and events that stretch our time and budget.  But we can't help it; you guys make it too much fun!  And Mrs. Wood, our director, is always so supportive. So far this year we have had great fun with our traveling gnomes and, I see from the photos you've sent, that many Marlborough families have too.  We've also enjoyed excellent events such as our thunder storm kick-off, rainy terrarium making, wiggly worms,  hot-hot-hot touch a truck event, and Dino discovery.  We finish off with a rock workshop and panning for "gold".

(Don't even get us started on our Teens Take Over the Library  night, Katniss EverGnome hunt, and other teen events!)

And thanks to all of your serious reading we have hit the mark on our Mole Meter; we've reached 1924 books!  (Actually, we've blown it out of the water, exceeding 2000 books already.) We will all celebrate that achievement soon with a special event.

This week, check out the new craft in the storytime room, plus a new flannel board game, and the arrival (finally!) of our ant farm.

What have you enjoyed so far this summer? What about next summer...any suggestions?
Ms. Patty

Blog Contest Coming Next Week!

Beginning Monday, July 29, we are having a CONTEST! Just comment on any post from the week, and be entered into a drawing to choose one of the great book prizes that 
Ms. Patty and I brought back from Book Expo!
(Sorry, contest only open to readers who can come in to Richmond Library to select their book prize!) 
We will randomly choose a winner each day (Mon-Sat) to come select a prize book. You only need to comment 1 time to be entered - multiple comments won't increase your chance of winning. Please leave your FULL NAME so we know who wins!

Here's a look at the prize books:

                       If You Want to See a Whale by Julie Fogliano, illus. by Erin E. Stead
                                                                       (picture book)  

      Autographed (by illus.)Copy

 An Otis Christmas by Loren Long (picture book)

Autographed & Advanced Reader Copy

 When Charley Met Grampa by Amy Hest, illus. by Helen Oxenbury (picture book) 

Autographed  & Advanced Reader Copy

 

Snowflakes Fall by Patricia MacLachlan, illus. Steven Kellogg (picture book)  

Autographed by both author & illus., Advanced Reader Galley edition

 Lunch Lady and the Video Game Villain by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (graphic novel) 

Autographed Copy

 Randi Rhodes: Ninja Detective – The Case of the Time Capsule Bandit by Octavia Spencer 

(chapter book)  Advanced Reader Copy       

 39 Clues: Unstoppable series – Nowhere to Run by Jude Watson (chapter book)  

Advanced Reader Copy

Digging for Dino's!

Thanks to local resident Logan Tyler (and her mini assistant) for having fun with us on a scorching hot morning! She helped 2 groups of amateur fossil hunters make their very own casts of dinosaur prints and literally 'dig' for fossils like the pros!
(And did I mention the part where Ms Eileen (me) read some dinosaur books and got totally schooled by the kids (even the 5-yr-olds) in the pronunciation of the names? Yup. It was pathetic.
Anyway, here's some pics of our morning and of what the kiddos made:

"Dig Into Reading" Extras!

 We are having such fun at RML this summer with the "Dig Into Reading" theme. It lends itself to soooo many themes and crafts and fun ideas. Dinosaurs, gardening, trucks, underground critters, mining, etc! Ms Patty and I have found so many good ideas that we can't possibly do them all - but we can share them!

Here's a classic craft to make with those garden potatoes!

Potato Craft Dough
What you need:
Four or five baked potatoes
White Flour
Food Coloring

What you do:
Scoop the insides out of the potatoes and place them in bowl.  Discard peels.
Mash with a potato masher or ricer.
For every two cups of mashed potatoes, add appox. one cup of flour to create dough.
Add more flour if necessary.
Mix in several drops of food coloring.
Store in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to four days.

I found this on itmom's website - such fun for the kiddos!

 

 Find it here:

Dinosaur Stomp! 

This is from the instructables website, but you can find different variations all around Pinterest too:

 

Gummi Worm Ice Cubes 










And if you've been in RML lately, you've noticed that we have gone WILD for gnomes! Here's some fun from the movie, Gnomeo & Juliet: 
Gnomeo&Juliet Printables 

Stay tuned for some pictures from our Traveling Gnome Adventures! (Those gnomes have been all around New England lately, picking blueberries, at the zoo, to Maine, VT, and in someone's backyard hammock!)

Mole-O-Meter

For lack of a better title, the original name has stuck. Ms Patty had the idea to track the number of books that RML patrons read this summer, and the Mole-O-Meter was born! Unlike thermometers for fundraisers, etc, our Mole-O-Meter is digging DOWN of course for Dig Into Reading!
Richmond Library was established in 1924, so we wanted to see if collectively (kids, teens, adults) we could read 1,924 books! (I think we will have no problem!)
So keep reading and make sure you register for one of our Summer Reading Programs. If we reach our goal, I think there will be a special prize at the end!
 

 

Summer Programs, Despite This Weather!

This weather is ridiculous! Thanks to our great patrons who still come out, despite this rainy weather. Here are some pics from our Kid-Friendly Terrarium program and a few 

other snapshots.

  

Happy Birthday Eric Carle!

Writer/illustrator Eric Carle celebrated his 84th birthday this past Monday, so I've been seeing some fun things popping up on the Internet. Thought I would share, and remind you of a great day trip with the kiddos this summer - The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA. Here's the link to some great exhibitions coming up:

Carle Museum 

Here's an awesome lunch idea (right!) I ran across on Facebook - I think originally by GoGo SqueeZ 

Check out this link to Reading Rockets website where they have 3 short clips from an interview with Eric Carle. Hear what he has to say on 'visual pollution' and how his ideas develop.

Eric Carle Interviews

The art teacher at my daughters' school had the first graders make these cute caterpillars 

for the art show this year:

and finally, too cute...

Summer Weather Cannot Ruin SRP Kickoff Night!

It feels to me like every year, I am faced with the decision to hold our Summer Reading Kickoff Night performance outdoors or indoors. The problem is, that decision often comes 5 minutes before the show! It always seems to be "threatening to rain", or "pop-up storms likely". Our indoor space isn't large enough (as you'll see in the pictures below) and moving to the Senior Center is fine, but we really LOVE to have our kick-off night here at RML.
Anyway, the thunder and lightning last night DID NOT ruin our show, thanks to a great performer and some helpful parents.  Here's a few pics from Maria Sangiolo's "Growing Green" show:

 We started outdoors, under the shady trees...

 then ended up in the storytime room after a loud "BOOOM"! of thunder

Parents who couldn't fit had to hang outside with the dinosaur...

 

10 Picture Books Perfect for Summer!

It's that time of year when school is winding down and many parents are coming up with 'Summer Bucket Lists' of things to do with the kids during the lazy days of summer. So why not make a list of books to read or re-read with the kids as well?  You can certainly choose any books you'd like, but here's a list to start with. These are picture books that are just perfect for summer!

Harry By the Sea by Gene Zion 

The loveable Harry the Dirty Dog goes incognito once again in this tale of getting lost at the beach.  Instead of dirt, he's covered in seaweed! Complete with umbrellas and crowds and all things 'beach', this title is as irresistible as the first.

Bebe Goes to the Beach by Susan Middleton Elya

This follow-up to Bebe Goes Shopping has our cutie-pie toddler enjoying the beach the mischievous way only a small child can. The vivid illustrations and Spanish words added throughout make it a great book for sharing.

Summertime Waltz by Nina Payne 

I have to admit that I have skipped over this one in the past because I don't particularly love the cover. But inside is a really beautiful poetic tribute to the wonders of summer. "Lovely the lateness in summertime darkening..." it begins. It goes on to capture the true meaning of being a child in summer.

Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey 

This timeless tale of a family vacationing in Maine for the summer won the 1958 Caldecott Award for most distinguished picture book. Even if your vacation place is the Jersey or CT shore, or a lake in the woods or a friend's home away, you will identify with the magic of going away for vacation. "And, children," warns McCloskey, "don't forget your toothbrushes." Truly wonder-ful.

  

How Will We Get to the Beach? by Brigitte Luciani

 This is one of my favorite books for storytime. Part guessing game and problem solving, it really appeals to the kids and makes us all long for that early or late summer day 

at the beach!

 

And Don't Forget These!

 

A Summery Saturday Morning by Margaret Mahy

Hot City by Barbara Joose
Summer is Summer by Phyllis & David Gershator
The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant

The Night Before Summer Vacation by Natasha Wing

Fun From Book Expo!!!

Ms Patty and I had the privilege of spending 2 days in New York City last week for Book Expo America, also known as BEA. It's a great treat for librarians to see what publishers have coming out, to see what's trending in both adult and children's books and media, and to meet some of our favorite authors and illustrators! 

Here's what a booth might look like at the conference - they are setting up:

We also got to attend the Children's Book & Author's Breakfast on Friday morning.  Actress Octavia Spencer (from The Help) opened the program and introduced the other authors - she also happens to have a children's chapter book coming out and we may actually give it our stamp of approval (I personally, am usually not a fan of celebrity authors!) You can see it in the picture below, which shows all the fun goodies we took home from the Breakfast from the great panel of authors including Mary Pope Osbourne (Magic Tree House), Rick Riordan (Heroes of Olympus) and Veronica Roth (Divergent YA series).
We brought home lots of other goodies too - we will be using the items for prizes for Summer Reading, so keep a lookout!

Here are some of the sights from the conference floor:

And of course we had to get our picture taken with:

 Piggy and Gerald!!!!!! The great duo from Mo Willem's easy readers. 

I will post more pictures this summer, when we will have you guess some of the famous authors from their pictures and clues in a little contest - so keep reading! 

(the blog that is ;)