Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Today was very exciting for story time!  This week is Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week and the book that was Kansas Center for the Book chose as this year's title is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by the late Bill Martin, Jr.  I love this book, as I love everything that Martin ever wrote.  The rhythm of the text and the bright illustrations just beg to be enjoyed by kids. I was thrilled that over 30 children were present at story time today. I also provided some early literacy activities for the children and caregivers to do at home.  If anyone needs extra copies of the activities, please let me know. Happy Reading!

National Gaming Day

National Gaming Day is Saturday, November 12th.  The library is hosting gaming activities for members of the gaming club. Games will begin at 11:30am in the library meeting room. At noon, gamers will compete in the national Smash Brothers tournament, competing against other libraries across the nation.
For more information, contact the library at 326-2011 and ask for the children's desk.

Summer Reading Ends

The Summer Reading Program "One World, Many Stories" is ending for the year. This year, the library was excited to be able to give books as prizes to all the participants.  Over 200 young people participated in the program this year. 

Summer Reading Approaching

May is here and that means that the summer reading program is right around the corner. We are so excited about our theme this year - One World, Many Stories. Get ready to take an adventure around the world with us! Registration begins on May 16th.

Summer Reading

It's time to Be Creative @ the library! Summer reading is in full swing. The library has been a busy place all month. In addition to the story times, the library has offered a drama club and an art lab. We're having a great time...come and join us!

Library News

We have a lot going on at the library right now. Our preschool story times started again in January. We will have those every Thursday morning at 10:00 am until spring break.
It's time again for the Reading Rainbow KPTS Young Writer's and Illustrator's Contest. The contest is open to children in grades K-3. Official rules and entry forms are available at the childrens desk.
Look for our newsletter to start up again. We will have lists of new books and news about our upcoming summer reading program.
Check out my reviews of books for older readers on the GoodReads link. New picture books will be listed on the LibraryThing link. Both can be found on the blog.
Happy Reading.

Today's Book

I recently The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. A new addition to the children's library, I have seen it showing up on many mock Newbery lists. The book cover shows a hound dog and kittens underneath a porch and the jacket flap leads one to believe that it is a simple animal story. Rest assured, there is nothing simple about this multi-layered fantasy about good and evil, love and hate and all its power.
The story is set in a bayou where an evil man, known as Gar Face, lives with a hound dog. His is a sad story but he is not a sympathetic character. He traps and skins animals and mistreats the old dog. A mother cat, seeking refuge, moves in with the dog under the porch despite the constant threat that she and her kittens will be discovered. The kittens are special and must survive.
There is an old tree, dying in the bayou. At its roots is a jar containing a cotton mouth snake, a selkie thousands of years old. Her story is told alternately with the cat's story in a gripping tale that you can't put down. The past and the present collide in an unforgettable climax that the reader won't soon forget.
Expecting one thing in a book and getting another was not wholly unpleasant. This story grabbed me and held me from beginning to end with a satisfying enough ending which demonstrates while evil and hate are strong, love can conquer all.
This book is suitable for readers at the 4th or 5th grade level and above. If you read it, let me know what you think.