A growing concern

These are my good buds, Mr. B, Mr. J, and Miss S. Long-time library kids (well, they haven't been on the planet all that long) and faithful friends.






























Generally speaking I am not one of the those wild librarians who advocate the desecration of library furniture. But I do have a soft spot for the many kids who ask me to keep track of their growth.

This posse in general never visits without asking to be measured.
It is sweet to see all the kids who start out as infants and gradually grow up and over the Biography shelves. Soon after to be seen loitering around the Teen shelves. Sigh...



























So here we are, another summer wrapping up. Soon it'll be time to buy new back-to-school clothes a few inches longer and a shoe size larger. But we still have time to get in a few good stories about things that grow.

Here are a few of my favorites. Click on each cover to whisk you away to the catalog. See you in the kid's room where I'll measure you, no matter how big or little you are.

Labracadabra!

 

Allow me to introduce the talented Mr. G, very soon to be 11-years old and the grandson of one of our California Room volunteers. Mr. G visited some months ago and graciously offered his assistance while Grandma was working her shift. 

Who among us could refuse such an offer from someone wearing a "Pugs not drugs" t-shirt?!

I asked G to tidy up the books laying around and to please stack them on the table. After 30 minutes, I glanced at the results of G's quiet but intense labor and had to marvel. I don't believe I've seen such an architecturally complex stack of books in my career! 

Another wonderful volunteer of ours and her grandson reading together...

Perhaps Mr. G built the roman aqueducts or worked on the Notre Dame Cathedral in a previous life. I immediately thought of David Macaulay's book, Building Big. If perhaps not the most stable stack of books ever, it certainly was the most impressive and I am certain the architect of our beautiful Civic Center, Frank Lloyd Wright, would have been impressed too.

Naturally, I always want to know what kids love reading and asked Mr. G to provide me with a list of his favorite titles that 10-year-old boys would like.

The young man does enjoy his geometric angles!

Straight  from the genius of Mr. G to you...here are some great titles to read this summer after you've signed up for the reading game. You just never know where the next Frank Lloyd Wright might come from. 

The Red Pyramid

Island of Shadows. The Seekers, Book 1

The Maze of Bones. 39 Clues, Book 1

Seven Sorcerers
13 Gifts
13 Curses
The Bad Beginning. A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1
One Dog and His Boy
City of Dogs

Why Summer Reading is Important

Few things in life rival the unbriddled joy of a school year ending and the giddy anticipation of an endless summer.

Is there anything more delicious than reading exactly what you want when you want all summer long?

Luckily for you Reading is Delicious this summer at the Marin County Free Library. But before you make your book selections, we'd like to tell you WHY we want kids to play the summer reading game.

Phone or e-mail in your order if you would like a copy of this handout, in English or Spanish and as a bonus, I'll give you another handout as well.

So, before you head out to the hammock or pool or tent, grab a book, a snack, and your reading log. Sounds yummy to me. 

If you liked this, you are going to love that

Visit our kid's web page and take a peak at "Books and More for Kids".  We have some terrific read-alike recommendations along with a mother-lode of great reading lists. Click on the image above and you'll zip right in.

If, like me, you weep at the thought of figuring out where a title is in the Redwall or Little House series, you'll for sure want to bookmark the miraculous "Juvenile Series and Sequels" page produced by the Mid-Continent Public Library.

I also really love Good Reads for both kid's books and adult reading ideas. Easily overlooked but also a terrific resource is our database Novelist K-8.  Spend some time wandering through these resources and I'm sure you'll discover some reading gems.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery....

...but it can also be quite humbling. This is Miss B; friend and doppelganger.
Miss B has adopted a new identity as "Miss Kitty". She puts on my name tag, sits as my desk, and generally avails herself to all who need her assistance. It does puncture any delusions of grandeur one may possess to overhear a child mimicking you. I'll say one thing for Miss Kitty, she's efficient.

Charming and clever Miss B.

The real Miss Kitty applauded the other Miss Kitty for this clever external mail pocket and picture of our very very fine house. 

 In 'lo these many years of public service, I don't believe I've ever been complimented for being "righteous".  I swear I didn't write this to myself {wink}.

Recently, with a righteous but gentle nudge I made her get out of my chair and reminded her she's had my name-tag in her bedroom for several weeks now and I do in fact need to wear it. She made me a new one after a lengthy discussion about the Marin County Free Library logo.

I wouldn't mind trading places with Miss B. on a day when a quarterly report is due. Here's another fun book about trading places. As always, read the book before you see the movie.

Monday begins...

MARINet catalog. Click on image to place a hold

This day was on the first of many similar ones for the emancipated Mole, each of them longer and fuller of interest as the ripening summer moved onward. He learnt to swim and to row, and entered into the joy of running water; and with his ear to the reed-stems he caught, at intervals, something of what the wind went whispering so constantly among them.

Happy Earth Day dear reader. One musn't leave childhood, or adulthood for that matter, without reading Kenneth Grahame's classic, A Wind in the Willows. This particular edition is from a series of unabridged classics published by Sterling that I recommend highly. Illustrated by the talented graphic designer Scott McKowen,  all the must-read classics are in this series and lucky for you, the library owns the entire set. And that's something to celebrate- Earth  Day and every day.

Food for Thought

Kids are invited to celebrate National Library Week at branches of Marin County Free Library by playing a game to win free tickets to the Marin County Fair.

“Food for Thought” is the name of the game, a tie-in to the Library’s upcoming summer reading program theme, “Reading is So Delicious,” and the Marin County Fair theme, “School’s Rule.”

 Kids who identify the fruits and veggies on the Food for Thought placemat will receive a pass good for 1 free child’s admission to the 2013 Marin County Fair. Passes can be used on Wednesday, July 3 or Friday, July 5, 2013.

Children who read a book about food will win a second free child’s admission. Kids can play the game from April 15 through April 28. For a complete list of MCFL branches and hours, visit www.marinlibrary.org.