Holiday Reading

Christmas! Chanukkah! Kwanzaa! The library has a great selection of books for December holiday reading! And don't forget juvenile cookbooks and craft books to make great holiday foods and decorations.

Pajama Storytime

Can't make it to storytime during the day? Come to Pajama Storytime at the Northeast Branch on the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00. During this 1/2-hour program, we'll share a selection of stories suitable for the whole family! Wear your pajamas if you wish.

Teddy Bear Storytime

Have fun with your teddy bear on Saturday, September 12 at the Warren County Library Headquarters. We will read teddy bear stories, play teddy bear games, and make a teddy bear craft. Bring a teddy bear or other stuffed friend to join in the fun! The program begins at 10:30 and will be held on the porch.

For children ages 3 - 5.

Call 908-475-6322 to sign up.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month!

Does your child have his or her own library card? While you are setting in supplies for the new school year, add a library card to your list. It's free if you live in the Warren County Library service area.

Children may get their own library cards when they are able to write or print their first and last names. Children may use their cards to borrow books, magazines, and audio books. Sorry, movies must be checked out on an adult's card. Children may also use their cards to access the library's databases at home through the library web site. This comes in especially handy when working on school projects at times when the library is closed.

Drop in to get a card today!

Wanted: Legos

The Catherine Dickson Hofman Branch is collecting Legos for a future program that promises to be lots of fun. If you have unwanted, no-longer-played-with Lego blocks taking up space in your closet or attic, please consider donating them to the library for this project. Legos can be any color and in any quantity.

Bored?

Looking for something fun to do in the waning days of summer vacation? Consider some of the activities found on these web sites:

PlayworksUSA offers lots of ideas for games and physical activity.

Exploratorium offers science-based activities in many areas, such as sports, gardening, etc.

Zoom Activities is a virtual treasure trove of ideas for games, crafts, cooking, etc.

Twitter

Do you tweet? The Warren County Library does! Visit us at http://twitter.com/warrencountylib and sign up to follow us. Have the latest news about library happenings sent directly to you!

Fancy Nancy Parties

The Fancy Nancy parties were lots of fun! We decorated tiaras, played "Pin the tail on the Posh Puppy" and "Fancy Nancy Bingo," shared a Fancy Nancy story, and enjoyed delicious treats!

Click here to see photos from the Catherine Dickson Hofman Branch party held May 13.

Click here to see photos from the Headquarters party held June 20.

Click here to see photos from the Franklin Branch party held July 21.

Summer Reading

"Be Creative @ The Library," the Warren County Library's 2009 summer reading program is packed with fun activities for children, preschoolers through fifth grade. Incentives will be awarded each week for reading. Activites include crafts for all ages, preschool storytime, concerts, magic shows, and more! See your library branch or the summer reading page on the library web site for details. The summer reading program begins on the following dates:

Catherine Dickson Hofman Branch: June 22

Northeast Branch: June 22

Library Headquarters: June 29

Franklin Branch: June 29

Ooh - la -a! It's Fancy Nancy!

Do you love Fancy Nancy? Dressing up in frilly clothes? Using fancy words and doing fancy things? Then the Fancy Nancy party is for you! We'll decorate tiaras, play fancy games, enjoy fancy party food, and read a Fancy Nancy story. Be sure to wear fancy clothes with lots of accessories, and we'll provide the feather boas.

Sign-up is required and space is limited for each of the following dates:

Catherine Dickson Hofman Branch: May 13, 4:00, for ages 5 and up.

Northeast Branch: May 20, 4:00, for ages 5 and up.

Library Headquarters: June 20, 11:00, for girls entering Kindergarten in September and older.

Franklin Branch: July 21, 1:30, for ages 6 - 11.

Why do you YOU love the library?

Think about all the things the library means to you. Then tell us why you love the library.

Click here for details and print out a form. Or pick up a form at the Library Headquarters the next time you come in. Forms must be returned by April 30.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

April is poetry month

April is poetry month! To commemorate this annual event, the Catherine Dickson Hofman Branch is sponsoring a poetry contest. Poets of all ages are invited to submit their finest work for consideration. Poems must be submitted to the library by April 20th. Prizes will be awarded April 30th.

Great Family Read Alouds

Does your family share books by reading aloud? Reading aloud with your children can be a great way to spend time together. And the books read don't always have to be picture books. Older children also enjoy being read to, and taking their turn at reading. Younger children enjoy hearing a longer story in installments. Parents, is there a book you loved as a child? Why not share it with your children?

Need an idea for a great family read-aloud? Try these:

Avi. Poppy
Poppy the deermouse urges her family to move next to a field of corn where it will be easy to feed all of them, but Mr. Ocax, a terrifying owl, has other idea.

Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
Four rambunctious young sisters on summer vacation in the Berkshires share adventures with a local boy, much to the dismay of his snobbish mother.

DiCamillo, Kate. The Tale of Despereaux
The adventures of a small mouse named Despereaux Tilling, the princess he loves, a servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.

Estes, Eleanor. Ginger Pye
A boy and his sister are certain that the disappearance of their puppy is the work of a mysterious man in a yellow hat and set out to track down the culprit.

Howe, Deborah and James. Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery
Family pets Harold the dog and Chester the cat set out to prove their family's new pet rabbit is responsible for the strange things that have been happening in thier house. Also see other books in the series

Lawson, Robert. Rabbit Hill
When a new family moves into the Big House, the animals of Rabbit Hill wonder if they will plant a garden and be good providers.

O'Brien, Robert C. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Having no one to help her with her problems, a widowed mouse visits the rats whose former imprisonment in a laboratory made them wise and long lived.

Selden, George. The Cricket in Times Square
Chester the cricket unwittingly ends up in New York City and makes friends with Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat.

White, E. B. Charlotte's Web
Wilbur the pig is desolate when he learns he is destined to be the farmer's Christmas dinner until he meets Charlotte, a new friend who promises to find a way to help him.

Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House in the Big Woods
Three little girls have many adventures living in a log cabin in the big woods of Wisconsin in the 1800s. Their story continues in other books in the series.

Pet Photo Contest

Do you have a favorite photo of your pet? Bring it to the Franklin Branch Library between March 15 and April 15 to enter the Pet Photo Contest. Then, beginning April 16, pick up a ballot at the circulation desk to vote for your favorite!

Calling all Arthur Fans!

Marc Brown and the folks at PBS Kids are searching for a new friend for Arthur and they want your ideas! The Arthur All Kids Can Character Search Contest, sponsored by CVS Pharmacy, runs from February 1 - March 31 and is open to kids ages 6 - 12. The creator of the winning entry will meet Marc Brown and appear on the Arthur television show.

Here's what you have to do: Create a character who will be a new friend for Arthur and the gang on their TV series. Give your character a name, decide what he or she will look like and what your character likes to do, eat, etc. Then, fill in the entry form and draw a picture of your character in the designated space on the form and mail it in. Be sure to ask your parents' permission and have them help fill out the entry form and sign it.

Visit Arthur's page on the PBS Kids web site to print out the entry form and read the official rules.

2009 Newbery Medal

The 2009 Newbery Medal and Honor books were announced earlier today. The Newbery Medal is awarded annually to the most distinguised American book for children. Books chosen to receive this honor this year are:



Newbery Medal




The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman


Nobody Owens, a boy targeted by ancient assassins, escapes into a graveyard where he is protected and raised by the graveyards ghostly residents.




Newbery Honor Books




The Underneath, by Kathi Appelt

An old hound befriends two kittens born in the space underneath his owner's shack.







The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom, by Margarita Engle


Alternating voices tell the story of Cuba's wars of independence from Spain.






Savvy, by Ingrid Law

On her thirteenth birthday, Mibs discovers her "savvy," a magical power unique from those of her family.

After Tupac and D Foster, by Jacqueline Woodson


Three young girls who become friends because they share a love of Tupac Shakur's music experience changes as they seek to redefine themselves.

To learn more about these and past Newbery books, visit the Newbery Medal Homepage.

2009 Caldecott Medal

The winners of the 2009 Caldecott Medal and Honor Books were announced earlier today. This award is given annually to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children. To learn more about this award, visit the Caldecott Medal Home Page.

Awards were given to the following books:

2009 Caldecott Medal:


The House in the Night, by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes

Warm golden light illuminates a house in the darkness, offering a sense of comfort.






2009 Caldecott Honor Books:



A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, written and illustrated by Marla Frazee

Two friends enjoy a carefree summer.







How I Learned Geography, written and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz

Studying a map inspires a boy living in a refugee camp to dream of living in freedom.





A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, by Jennifer Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

A picture book biography of doctor and poet William Carlos Williams.






Visit the library to check out these and other award-winning books.

Garden State Children's Book Awards

The 2009 Garden State Children's Book Awards winners were announced recently. Books are nominated for these awards by children's librarians throughout New Jersey and the winning books are then determined by popular vote by children from throughout the state. Books are nominated on the basis of literary merit and reader appeal in four categories: "Easy to Read," "Easy to Read Series," "Fiction, grades 2-5," and "Nonfiction, grades 2-5." This year's winning books are:

Easy to Read

Super Fly Guy, by Tedd Arnold

Ted's pet fly, Fly Guy, visits the school cafeteria where he gets the lunch lady fired.





Easy to Read Series

Henry and Mudge and the Big Sleepover, by Cynthia Rylant; illustrated by Suçie Stevenson

Henry and his dog Mudge enjoy a sleepover at Henry's friend Patrick's house, complete with monster movies, pizza, and popcorn. But will they sleep?

Fiction, grades 2-5

Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People, by Dav Pilkey

George and Harold use the purple potty to travel to an alternate universe where they meet evil versions of themselves!

Nonfiction, grades 2-5

The Magic School Bus and the Science Fair Expedition, by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen

Ms. Frizzle and her students board the magic school bus to travel back in time to learn scientific methods from famous scientists in person.




All of the 2009 titles are available in the Warren County Library System. To see a list of past winners, click here.

Online Fun for Kids

A couple of new elements have been added at the bottom of the page. "More Fun Stuff!" provides links to sites offering online games and activities such as puzzles, coloring sheets, fun quizes, and more. Many of the games are educational yet fun. Young children can learn shapes, colors, the alphabet, and numbers, while older children can have fun while learning about math, geography, and science.


Under "Homework Help" you will find links to online databases and child-oriented search engines. Use of the Warren County Library databases requires you to log in with the barcode on the back of your library card. Of particular interest to kids in the database list will be "Searchasaurus," which contains articles on animals, art and music, health, history, people and places, science and math, sports, and stories; "Kids Search," which offers articles on animals, arts and music, geography, health, news, language arts, math, science, social studies, and sports; and "NoveList K-8," which employs several methods of finding fiction books. This includes searching by author, title, series, or by describing a plot, or find recommended books broken down by age group. These three databases are included in the EBSCOhost group. "Ask Kids" and "Yahoo Kids Learning Center" are search engines designed for kids ages 6 - 12. "Surfnet Kids" provides links to and reviews of a wide variety of web sites.

Parents, please discuss internet safety with your children before allowing them to surf the web. If you are unsure of what this entails, a good resource is provided here by the National Crime Prevention Council, the home of McGruff the Crime Dog.

Have fun, and as always, if you need help with anything, be sure to contact your local library.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Warren County Library's Kids' Blog, a new blog for children and their parents! Here we will offer a variety of services including links to sites that we hope will be both useful and fun, book lists, upcoming events, and more. New features will be added from time to time, so please check here often to see what's new at the library. Comments and questions are welcome.