KidsBiz

Are you looking for something great to read over the Christmas break?  Let us suggest two diverse new series that we have just purchased for the Children’s Room!

The first are the “Araminta Spookie” stories by Angie Sage.  Where else would a girl named Araminta Spookie live other than in a haunted house filled with trap doors and secret passageways…and, of course, ghosts?!  You’ll love her hair-raising adventures in her beloved house, but (rest assured!) they won’t leave you too scared to sleep at night.  There are now 5 “Araminta Spookie” books and you will love every one of them.

Another fun new series is in our non-fiction section and is published by American Girl.  Honestly, these books will appeal more to girls because the topics are definitely geared to girls’ interests.  Some of the titles include A Smart Girl’s Guide to Friendship Troubles: Dealing with Fights, Being Left Out, and the Whole Popularity Thing, as well as A Smart Girl’s Guide to Money: How to Make It, Save It, and Spend It. (Guys might find this one useful, too.)  But the best book of the series, in our opinion, is Snooze-a-Palooza!  More Than 100 Slumber Party Ideas.  The party themes in this book include having a spa night, a chocolate-lovers party, or just a good old-fashioned board game night.  You’ll find ideas for invitations, party activities, favors, and FOOD!

Our December Family Book Discussion for December centered around favorite holiday stories, which, in this case, tended to be Christmas stories.  The very favorite Christmas story was The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore, with Janna reading us an edition beautifully illustrated by Leonard Weisgard, and Brynn showing us an awesome pop-up version by Robert Sabuda. 

Two books had unusual aspects to them:  Clifford the Big Red Dog Glow-in-the Dark Christmas was a favorite of Alyssa because you can read it in the dark, and Brynn’s second selection, The Twelve Days of Christmas, was another amazing pop-up book by Robert Sabuda.  Interestingly, Brynn also brought in a newspaper article that said it would cost $86,609 to buy all the gifts in that book!

Sarah loved The Christmas Bunny by Will and Nicholas in which Davy visits the forest on Christmas Eve when all the animals can talk.  He even meets Santa and gets a very special present, but in the morning, Davy isn’t sure if he dreamed his adventure or not.

Janna showed us a very funny book, Eloise’s Christmas Trinkles, by Kay Thompson, but she didn’t give away the ending and we all can’t wait to find out how much trouble Eloise will get into!

The Story of the Holly and the Ivy by Rumer Godden is a book that Mrs. B. loves.  It is the story of a Christmas doll named Holly and an orphan girl named Ivy - and they both wish for a home for Christmas.  Will their wishes come true?

Finally, Alyssa told us about How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman, a funny book about a very complicated way to bake a pie.  And, speaking of complicated, Mrs. B. showed the book If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff, about a mouse who drives his friend crazy by always wanting more, more, more!

We would love to have MORE …of you come to our next Family Book Discussion group on Monday, January 7, at 5:30 p.m.  We’ll be eating pizza and cookies while we talk about our favorite mystery stories.

Friday, December 12 @ 10:30am

There’s no school today, so get into the holiday spirit with Fairport’s favorite musical duo, Bart and Kevin.  Registration is required and begins on November 21.  Call the library at 223-9091 or register online at www.fairportlibrary.org.

Thursday December 11 @ 10:30am

ALL AGES

Did you know that even dogs like to listen to stories?  Come read to real live therapy dogs from ”Tales for Tails” - and make a dog craft too!  NO REGISTRATION NECESSARY!

At Family Book Discussion (11/12/2008) our participants brought and talked about some of their favorite stories about animals!  Kris Raj brought a book called, Guinness World Record Book of Dangerous Creature Records.  Included among these top 10 most dangerous animals in the world, were a meat eating piranha and alligators that ate almost an entire army during WWII.  Brynn Lohr talked about What Do You Do With a Tail Like This by Steve Jenkins.  We learned about all the amazing things animals can do with their tails, eyes, ears, mouths, noses….one fish even has four eyes so it can look above and below the water at the same time!  Brynn also shared a very informative - and fun - biography about Susan B. Anthony, who helped women earn equal rights - and lived in Rochester! Alyssa Lohr recommended a book called Friends Forever about a couple of penguins who liked to sing and dance! Arianna Raj shared a very special version of Bill Martin’s book Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See.  This is a copy she got in school, colored in the pages all by herself and even read the story to us.   Mrs. J also shared a book of poems written by Jack Prelutsky called My Dog May Be a Genius. 

Don’t miss next month’s Family Book Discussion, on Wednesday, December 3rd at 5:30pm we will be talking about our favorite holiday books! 

Family Story Time is back, and just in time for the Holidays!  Join us on Monday evening December 15th at 6:30pm for a “Jammy Jamboree”.  Children ages 4-9 may wear their jammies if they wish and bring their parents and/or caregivers to the library for an evening of holiday stories and activities.  We will even decorate Christmas cookies!  Call the library at 223-9091 or visit the library’s website @ www.fairportlibrary to register. (Registration begins on December 1st)

If you’re looking for something fun to do on a Friday morning, why not stop by the library for “Family Fun Time.”  Join us for for a few stories, plenty of singing, some fun rhymes and activities and of course, playtime.  This program is geared towards children ages 2-5 and their parents and/or caregivers and no registration is required!  Check the program calendar for dates or call the library at 223-9091 and ask for the Children’s Room.

At our October Family Book Discussion, three families had some very scary stories to recommend for the Halloween season.  Brynn Lohr liked The Twisted Sistahs: The True Story of the First Halloween…Honest!  by Mark Kimball Moulton, a story with three sisters who throw a wild Halloween party so they don’t have to get married.  Alyssa Lohr recommends Hello Kitty’s Happy Halloween by Kris Hirschman which starts out with a costume disaster, but… well, we DON’T want to give away the ending!

Kris Raj liked Jurassic Park 3 which was scary because of the dinosaurs in it - although Kris didn’t think it was scary at all.  Halloween Night on Shivermore Street by Pamela Pollack was the choice of Abrianna Raj.  This book has all of the necessary scary elements:  a haunted house, a party with spider sandwiches, and a BIG, scary surprise at the end.

Sarabeth Hewa told us about a classic Halloween story: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz.  Everyone in our group agreed that they would skip trick or treating - IF the Great Pumpkin would really come.

Mrs. B. and Mrs. J had some recommendations of their own:  Bony Legs by Joanna Cole; In a Dark, Dark Room by Alvin Schwartz, and  Scared Witless: Thirteen Eerie Tales to Tell by Martha Hamilton.  Mrs. J. also scared us with her story about a coffin!

Finally, we wrote our own scary story, and here it is:

SPOOKY NIGHT

ALYSSA WAS OUT ONE SPOOKY OCTOBER NIGHT, STARING IN THE PARK.  ALYSSA HEARD A STRANGE SOUND COMING FROM BEHIND A TREE AND DECIDED TO GO INVESTIGATE.  ALYSSA CREPT UP TO THE TREE.  ALL OF A SUDDEN, AN ALLIGATOR JUMPED OUT SINGING “OLD MACDONALD HAD A FARM.”  THE STRANGEST THING ABOUT THE ALLIGATOR WAS THAT IT WAS WEARING A PINK AND BLACK STRIPED SOCK ON ITS HEAD.  THE ONLY THING ALYSSA COULD SAY WAS, “DON’T LET YOUR SISTER BUG YOU.”  IT SURE WAS A SCARY, CHOKING NIGHT.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29TH @ 5:30PM

Children in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited, along with their families, to discuss one (or more) of their favorite scariest books and hear others share theirs.  Pizza will be provided by the Friends of the Library.  Registration is necessary and can be done by calling the library at 223-9091.  Don’t miss out on this “spook”tacular program!

For some great “scary book” suggestions from the Monroe County Children’s Librarians check out this link!  Thrills and Chills: Shivery Tales for Grades 2-6

Children of ALL ages are invited to the library on Friday, October 24th at 10:00am to hear Rochester City Ballet cast members from the upcoming performance of “The Nutcracker” read the story, demonstrate some ballet steps and sign autographs.  Registration is necessary and can be done by calling the library or log onto the library’s program calendar. 

Don’t miss this exciting program!