EMBRACE WHO YOU TRULY ARE

Nory Horace is a sweet girl who possesses a special, magical talent. Although she has the ability to turn into an animal, she's unable to maintain its shape for very long.  Instead of turning into just a kitten, she'll turn into a 'bitten (beaver plus kitten) or a 'skunkephant' (skunk plus elephant').  What can be the cause of this?  By her father's request, Nory is sent away from home to attend a new school, one that offers a class to those who have upside-down magic.  Nory is frustrated with her abilities, but she soon finds hope when her teacher Ms. Staff shows her the secret to discovering her true self.

Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins are a great team of writers who show that unusual talents can also be quite special in Upside Down Magic.  

For 3rd-5th grade.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND COUNT TO SIXTY

From talented debut author Kathleen Lane comes The Best Worst Thing, an engaging and deeply perceptive novel about what growing up really feels like. Maggie is about to start middle school and is worried about pretty much everything--growing apart from her older sister, not seeing her father as much as she'd like, the fate of the cute little rabbits next door, the threat of the dangerous bully in her neighborhood, and, to top it all off, there's an actual murderer on the loose in her small town. Her helplessness in the face of the chaos of her world drives her to seek control in other ways--saying things twice (saying things twice), only eating an even number of snacks, and holding her breath and counting to 60. It's when she devises a pretty ambitious plan for keeping her and her loved ones safe, though, that things really start get out of hand. Will Maggie ever manage to feel like everything will turn out alright in the end?

Somehow Lane takes her readers into the mind of a preteen with anxiety-driven obsessive-compulsive tendencies and explores some fairly intense topics while managing to keep the tone relatively light and ultimately hopeful. Maggie's voice rings true and will certainly offer assurance to readers trying to find their place in a rapidly-changing world. 

An engrossing read best for 5th to 8th graders. 

SMALL WONDERS

Little Bitty Friends is filled with natural living things for both children and adults to enjoy.  These small wonders--a small turtle, a parade of ants, gentle snails, and the most delicate flowers--remind the reader to take a moment to discover the smallest wonders of the world, just as a very young child would.  The text is spare but this itty bitty story will bring big, bright smiles. 

Patrice Barton's illustrations nicely complement Elizabeth McPike's sweet story for children.

For ages 3 to Kindergarten.  

DIG IN!

Dig In! by Cindy Jenson-Elliott with illustrations by Mary Peterson, is a story to dig your fingers (and toes!) into. A curious child’s hand reaches into a budding garden to discover life and movement beneath the surface. It’s a toddler-friendly tale of exploration in your own backyard that ends in a squishy, muddy, fun time.

Peterson’s illustrations, linoleum block prints on paper with digital touch ups, flawlessly complement Jenson-Elliott’s easy-flowing story. With text simple enough to pass for an early reader and eye-catching, double page spread illustrations, Dig In! is an excellent choice for a young storytime crowd.

Round out the garden theme with more toddler favorites: Lois Ehlert’s Growing Vegetable Soup and Anna McQuinn’s Lola Plants a Garden.

Ages 2+

THE JOYS OF CHILDHOOD

Four very young children have different aspects of childhood:catching worms, splashing in puddles, and collecting bouquets of flowers.  When it's time to go home, their mother sees that their bodies are covered with dirt and grime.  Fortunately, she knows that the mess is not as important as the smiles on their faces and the memories they've made together.

Mary McKenna Siddals' Bringing the Outside In gently reminds readers of the importance of exploration, the joys of being 'in the moment', and our need to be truly carefree.  A wonderful "it's good to be a kid" story with a diverse set of characters is a plus. 

PreK- 2nd grade.

TRUCKS AT WORK

The Mixed-Up Truck, written and illustrated by Stephen Savage, tells the the story of a eager cement mixer's first day of on the job. All the other trucks are already working away at their respective tasks and the mixer just wants to know how it can help too. What seems like a simple enough instruction from the other vehicles ("Mix up some powdery white cement!") turns into a preposterous comedy of errors when our ambitious if unobservant protagonist doesn't read the signs and consequently blends a series of mistaken ingredients to entertaining effect. Will the mixed-up truck ever manage to get it right? 

The simple words are complimented by the bright and bold art, making this a perfect fit for toddlers through preschoolers, and will lay the groundwork for a riveting things-that-go or construction-themed storytime. This story also serves as an excellent introduction to print awareness, showing that words have meaning, as well as how important it is to notice the environmental print we see in the world all around us. 

To continue the truck-themed fun from Stephen Savage, be sure to check out the adventures of a snowplow who discovers his versatility in Supertruck. And, while the Central Library is closed for the duration of the renovation, please note that our branches will have expanded hours beginning Monday, September 12th. 

GOODBYE STRANGER

Bridge’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. How could Emily do this? Emily had promised Bridge she would consult her before sending selfies to Patrick, a boy she is crushing on. Bridge, Emily, and Tabitha had a pact since elementary school that they’d be friends forever without fighting, but now that they're in junior high this pact will be tested. Can they overcome the challenges of boys and bullying and still remain friends? 

Rebecca Stead is a Newbery Award-winning author who depicts each character carefully in Goodbye Stranger in such a way that readers can't help but to relate. Stead writes from multiple points of view about the ordinary lives of junior high schoolers living in New York City. The novel acknowledges the realities of the coming of age experience in a rapidly changing world, as these 12-year-olds learn what it's like to be true to themselves.

Ages 11 and up.

A TALE OF PERSPECTIVE

You know what they say: the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

Or in this case, the sea is always bluer, and the fish are always having more fun-- at least that’s what the sardonic barnacle in Jonathan Fenske’s new picture book believes. Barnacle’s day follows a routine as predictable as the tide: he’s too hot, he’s too cold, he’s too dry, he’s too wet, and through it all he is totally, utterly, wretchedly bored. Spying a colorful fish gliding through the water, Barnacle imagines the endless opportunities for adventure open to untethered animals. But as one might expect, life in great open waters is not without its own complications.

Barnacle Is Bored is a classic tale about perspective, hilariously presented and expressively illustrated.

For other humorous picture books tackling the challenge of boredom, check out Let's Do Nothing! by Tony Fucile and I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black.

Ages 4+

CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION

Today is our last public day at the Central Library. The Central Library will reopen in Spring of 2017. We apologize for the inconvenience, but look forward to seeing all of you at the branches!

Miss Sherry is now at Library Connection @ Adams Square. Join her--and all of our other wonderful branch children's librarians--for storytimes starting on Monday, September 12th. We also hope to be announcing a temporary location for storytimes nearby the central library so check back soon for updates! 

IT'S A PARK DAY

Monsters frolic and play in this rhyming picture book about a sunny park day. An eager young blue monster and his dad are off to the playground, where they discover swings, rings, and spinny things. As with any typical toddler day there are ups and downs: triumphant climbs and brave slides, as well as scraped knees and reluctant departures. But daddy monster’s big soothing hugs (and promises to return another day) take the sting away.

Join the colorful array of young monsters from author illustrator Annie Bach’s Monster Party!, as they return to play, share, and snack together in Monster Park. A lovely, lively read for ages 0 to preschool.

ACTIVATE ROBO-BOOK!

BEEP BOOP BOOP BEEP. You've never seen a book quite like this before. Popular picture book author-and-illustrator team Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri are back with Robo-Sauce, an inventively hilarious story that packs a resounding robo-punch. 

Like many kids, the main character of this book loves to play robot... but what if there were a way to become a real robot--with lasers for eyes, rockets for feet, and a supercomputer for a brain--and never have to eat steamed beans or take baths ever again? Enter Robo-Sauce (recipe included)!

But the downside about real robots? It's hard for them to play with their friends or family or dog for fear of wreaking havoc on those they love with all that robot extra strength. So what's an all-powerful but ultimately lonely robot to do? 

This wildly entertaining story takes readers on an unexpectedly interactive ride, and the warning sticker on the book's cover--"WARNING THIS BOOK TURNS INTO A ROBOT"--is meant to be taken literally. It's a perfect read-aloud or one-on-one share for the preschool through second-grade set.  

THE WITCH'S CURSE

The Kingdom of Wrenly blamed the weather as the possible reason for the kingdom's destruction. If only they had known it was something more powerful than that. After days of gloomy skies and wet land, Prince Lucas was becoming bored . The more time Prince Lucas spent in his room the more he was becoming suspicious that the heavy rain was caused by a wizard and King Caleb was becoming increasingly frustrated very desperate. But was the king desperate enough to seal a deal with the witch of Bogburp?

Read The Kingdom of Wrenly: The Witch’s Curse by Jordan Quinn to find out if the Kingdom of Wrenly survived the extreme weather in this fourth book in the series. Don’t miss out on other exciting adventures with Prince Lucas.  The moral of the book is not to judge someone without knowing them.

For readers in grades 2 - 4

A DELICIOUS ZOMBIE TREAT

Reginald is not your average zombie. The rest of his fellow fiends only have one thing on their minds for breakfast, lunch, and dinner: brainsssss! But Reginald would much rather feed on sweet and sticky peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and he's convinced that if his zombie cohorts just gave them a try they'd never hunger for brains ever again. But how can Reginald persuade the entire population of Quirkville's undead that they can leave the living alone since a good PB&J is all they really need? 

Peanut Butter & Brains by Joe McGee and illustrated by Charles Santoso is a delightfully creepy but not-too-scary picture book that preschoolers through second graders will enthusiastically devour.  

MAYHAPS THE MAYPOP TEA?

The Maypop Kidnapping is set in a small coastal Maine village filled with eccentric locals. When 13-year-old Quinnie's beloved teacher, Blythe Stilford, doesn't show up for their first day of school, Quinnie sets off to search for her.  She sees what she believes are clues showing foul play; perhaps a kidnapping because why else wouldn't she be home.  

Her mother, the town sheriff (also the town realtor, postmaster and mayor) doesn't believe her and decides to let her handle it.  Quinnie, believing that time is of the essence and outraged that the sheriff won't listen to reason, enlists the help of two friends to follow any suspicious people and viable clues through the town to figure out what happened to favorite teacher.  

C.M. Surrisi  has put together a wonderful small town who dunnit with a great main character in Quinnie, who is full of righteous fervor.  

For readers in grades 6th - 8th.  

A DOG LIKE THAT!

 A Dog Like That! by Janene Cooper is a simple picture book about a girl who loves her unusual dog.  She’s always been told by those around her that a normal dog behaves and looks a certain way, and her dog is everything but normal according to their standards.  While certain dogs follow commands and look well groomed, her scruffy looking dog does as he pleases.   

This book is illustrated by Evie Kemp covered with basic sentences that define the illustrations. While one side page spread describes how dogs should behave the other page describes how this little girl’s dog does the exact opposite.  A fun book for ages 2-5.

ROAD TRIP ANYONE?

Did you have a road trip this summer with your family? Take your pick of these two books about a road trip where both are titled Are We There Yet? by two veteran authors, Nina Laden and Dan Santat.  

In the first Are We there Yet? by Laden, the sights get more and more interesting during the drive but our traveler's only response when he arrives at grandma's was that the trip was boring. Boring?! I think not. He must have slept during that portion through outerspace!

Our second road trip, also going to grandma's for her birthday, our young backseat traveler is feeling bored and asks that classic question "Are we there yet?" But this time strange things happen as time slows down and goes literally backward.  An added feature in Santat's Are We There Yet? include QR codes for readers to discover the secret coded messages. An unusual story to really sit down and scour the pages for every detail.  

For readers in preschool and older.  

(LIFE IS) AWKWARD

On her first day as a new student, Middle schooler Penelope “Peppi” Torres will accidently catch the attention of mean-spirited students by tripping over her own feet. In a moment of panic, Peppi will push a quiet boy and scramble away, leaving him to endure the taunts of their classmates. This brief moment will be seared into Peppi’s memory as, even weeks later, she agonizes incessantly over how to apologize.

Peppi knows moving to a new town and school is rarely easy. That’s why she is horrified to break cardinal rule #1 for surviving school on her very first day: don’t get noticed by the mean kids. Luckily, there’s Art Club. There Peppi finds her place among young artists, sharing ideas, bemoaning artist’s block, and commiserating with them over their long-standing rivalry with the Science Club.

Peppi gradually develops an awkward friendship with the quiet boy, a “rival” from the science club, but finds it difficult to navigate between social groups. A highly publicized competition between the two clubs to earn a coveted spot at the annual school club fair ultimately tests her loyalties.

Though the rivalry between the two clubs can feel forced at times (I imagine there are plenty of kids who appreciate both art and science), Svetlana Chmakova’s graphic novel Awkward deftly explores themes of loyalty, friendship, and morality, while remaining true to its middle grade target audience. Give this to readers who are eagerly awaiting Raina Telgemeier's next book (Ghosts in September 2016).

Grades 4+

PETE'S DRAGON EBOOK WIN

HERE’S A CHANCE TO WIN A DOWNLOADABLE APPLE iBOOK OF DISNEY’S JUNIOR NOVEL, PETE’S DRAGON.    

Did you have an invisible friend?  Pete has an invisible friend.  Check out his invisible dragon friend in this new novel Pete’s Dragon, based on the movie of the same name. 

The library is giving away 10 digital* copies of the Pete’s Dragon Junior Novel courtesy of Walt Disney Studios! Read the book and watch the movie. 

For your chance to win, comment below with your favorite childhood book that celebrates friendship and adventure. Screenshot your comment and send it via email** with the subject line “Pete’s Dragon” to cpham@glendaleca.gov .Please include your name. Winners will be selected at random and notified by email only. LAST DAY TO ENTER IS 8/17 @ 6PM!

* Digital download for use on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch devices. 
** We will not be collecting your name or email for any outside purposes of the drawing.

‪#‎myglendale ‪#‎petesdragon ‪#‎disney

AMELIA BEDELIA: BY THE YARD

Young Amelia Bedelia’s parents love to hold yard sales to clear out their clutter. At first Amelia is hesitant to sell their belongings but as potential buyers browse around, she becomes intrigued with the whole idea of garage sales. Amelia puts her good customer service skills to use as she agrees to dig up the flowers in their yard to sell to a neighbor; even though, the yard itself is not for sale!

By the Yard is part of the young Amelia Bedelia series by Herman Parish, great for beginning readers.  This book concentrates on family, community and helpfulness, while enhancing readers' vocabulary. 

Ages Preschool- Grade 3

WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS FLOPSY BUNNIES

Beware of magic hats that come with warning labels.

Word-loving Mole adores labeling pretty much anything. Armed with a pencil and a plethora of sticky labels, he and his best friend, the Lumpy-Bumpy Thing, make their way through the forest assigning names and descriptors to everything they see. So when the two friends encounter a flopsy, fluffy, white bunny and a mysterious black top hat labeled “Warning! Do not touch!” cautious Mole is instantly alert. What dangers might befall them?

Together Mole and the Lumpy-Bumpy Thing unleash a magical storm of adorable, flopsy, white bunnies. One cute, cuddly, chubby bunny seems harmless enough, but what starts out as a bit of fun quickly morphs into a raucous affair with naughty bunnies everywhere.

Warning! Do Not Touch! by Tim Warnes is silly fun for ages 4 through second grade. And as an early literacy aside, naming and talking about all the things you see throughout the day with your child is a great way to introduce new vocabulary.

ALLIGATORS ALL AROUND

Alan's Big, Scary Teeth by Jarvis
Who has the biggest, snappiest set of teeth?  Alan the alligator that's who!  But someone discovered his secret and stole his set of scary teeth so he wouldn't be able to scare everyone anymore.  Alan makes a promise to only scare during a special hour - the scary story hour!  GRRR.

Hurry Up, Alfie!  by Anna Walker is a new series about Alfie the Alligator who avoids doing things he has to like getting dressed by asking questions and lingering over things as long as possible.  An adorable preschool age book that all parents will understand.

In this last alligator story, Gator Dad by Brian Lies an all male alligator family enjoys the day together doing what normal guys would do together.  This is a really sweet tale of a father and his three boys bonding.  

For readers ages 3 and older.

TURN IN YOUR SUMMER READING LOG

Have you forgotten your summer reading logs under your bed?  Don't worry.  Dust it off and bring in your finished logs to the Central Library during the next two weeks and get your prizes.

There's also still time to register online all those books you are reading for school.  It’s a chance to win a gift certificate to the children’s bookstore, Once Upon A Time Bookstore. The drawing will be at the end of August. Good luck and happy reading! 

BEE DANCE

What will it take to make honey? The bee dance! Honeybees do what they do best—follow the sweet scent and sip away at the nectar. The honeybees do the waggle dance movement in a figure eight pattern.  Bee Dance by Rick Chrustowski is a non-fiction book with simple text and colorful illustrations for a great read aloud. Don’t miss out. Read about these small insects found everywhere. 

For preschool through third grade.

THE BEST VACATION

Herman's Vacation by Tom Percival finds our friend Herman trying to create the best vacation for himself and Henry. But of course things do not go as planned and Henry is not happy.  Herman, through a series of postcards asks for help and equipment to make it all better.  What would you do to make a friend happy?  Check out the other Herman and Henry book, Herman's Letters, for another fun read.

For readers ages 3 and older. 

SORRY, WE'RE CLOSED TODAY!

Due to an extensive power outage in the area, the Central Library is closed today, and our Pete the Cat Book Bash is cancelled. Sorry patrons and Pete the Cat fans! We should resume normal hours tomorrow, and hope to see you then. 

LAST CALL FOR THE SUMMER

Pete the Cat Book Bash 
Pete the Cat crafts and activities.
Tuesday August 2, 3pm
Central Library, Children's Room

Actors and Others for Animals 
A pet safety presentation for ages 4 and older.
Thursday, August 4, 1pm
Central Library, Children's Room 

SPECIAL SUMMER PERFORMERS

BUBBLEMANIA...TRULY
Bubble fun for ages 4 and older.  Three on the same day so if you can't make it to one, come to another.  Or go to all!

Thursday, July 28, 2016, 1 pm
Central Library, Children's Room

Thursday, July 28, 2016, 4 pm 
An event celebrating the branch's birthday.
Library Connection @ Adams Square

Thursday, July 28, 2016, 5 pm 
Casa Verdugo 

A MO AND DALE MYSTERY

In The Odds of Getting Even by Sheila Turnage nothing goes as planned and everything goes sideways before Mr. Macon even sets foot in the courtroom to stand trial where Dale, his youngest son, must testify against him.  In this third story of Mo and Dale, of the Desperado Detective Agency, set inTupelo Landing, NC, the two must solve multiple crimes seemingly linked to Mr. Macon, but Dale is sure that his father is being framed. After all, a professional criminal such as Mr. Macon would never leave such obvious clues at the crime scenes to incriminate himself.  

Sheila Turnage, the author of Three Times Lucky and The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing tells another amazing story of these two best friends and the cast of characters living in their small town.  

For readers in grades 6th-8th.  

AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER FRIENDSHIP

Two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo has done it again and given us another gem in her beautifully written and profoundly heartfelt middle grade novel, Raymie Nightingale. Things aren't going so well for Raymie, but she has a foolproof plan to get everything back to normal: if she learns how to twirl a baton, she can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire 1975 competition--and when her father sees her picture in the paper, he'll have to forget about the dental hygienist he ran off with and come back home. Simple as that. 

But when she shows up at baton-twirling class instructed by former world champion Ida Nee, she meets a couple of other girls with alternate plans of their own--guileless Louisiana Elefante with her pink bunny barrettes needs to win the pageant to help save her long lost cat, Archie, while tough-talking Beverly Tapinski, whose father is a cop, wants to sabotage the competition altogether. But despite their plans being directly at odds with one another, the unlikely threesome soon form a strong bond that leads them through some unforgettable summer adventures and changes them all more than they ever thought possible.

The wealth of quirky characters and simple but deeply evocative writing will appeal to kids in fourth grade and up. 

SHERLOCK HOLMES - THE HAMSTER VERSION

A pun filled  beginning reader where detective Hamster Holmes and firefly sidekick Dr. Watt help Springy Beaver, a stupendous inventor, solve the case of mysterious things being disturbed in his workshop.
A light mystery with clues and red herrings to mislead the reader while trying to solving this unusual mystery.

Hamster Holmes: On the right Track is just one in the series of Hamster Holmes books.  For readers in grades 1-2.

BRING A SWEATER TO THE SHOW!

Luce Puppet Company is coming to the Central Library on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at 11:00 am.

Join us for a great retelling of The Reluctant Dragon.  An amazing story for children ages 4 and up.  

Please bring a sweater because the Children's Room now has air conditioning! 

PUPPET SHOW IS TOMORROW!

Luce Puppet Company is coming to the Central Library on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at 11:00 am.

Join us for a great retelling of The Reluctant Dragon a great story for children from ages 4 and up.  

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Thunder Boy Jr., the first picture book from Sherman Alexie, bestselling author of the National Book Award-winning young adult novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian among many others, tells the story of a son and a father and their shared name. In this loving Native-American family of unspecified tribal background, beautifully depicted by Caldecott Honor recipient Yuyi Morales in bold illustrations that seem like they might leap off the page, the titular young boy feels frustration about not having a name of his own and imagines other names for himself based on his own accomplishments and life experiences. But what kind of name can at once affirm the deep love he has for his family and yet assert his own identity in the world? 

Simply but dynamically told, this lively story of identity and family is best shared with children in preschool through second grade. 

CROOKED GRANDMA

The Classy Crooks Club by Alison Cherry stars our soccer fiend, AJ, or Annemarie as her grandmother prefers to call her. She must spend a month with her disapproving wealthy grandmother when her parents have to go to the Amazon for work. She only gets to go to soccer practice, she can't have her dog or sleepovers, or hang out with her best friend, but she does get etiquette lessons.  Whoopee. The only silver lining is that Stanley, grandmother's hunky chauffeur, drives her to soccer practice and she is the envy of all.    

AJ thinks that her grandmother's friends just get together and play bridge, but they are really "liberators".  The ladies liberate lots of things from their undeserving or bad owners like a macaw who doesn't get any love.  Even AJ gets liberated, unwillingly.

There's a mean girl and her crew, a misunderstanding with friends but it's a fun and mostly predictable adventure with a twisted ending. Great for readers who love a good spunky girl story.

For readers in 6th - 8h grades.

SUMMER SPECIAL PERFORMERS

BUBBLEMANIA 
Bubble fun for ages 4 and older.   A few more performances left in July at the following branches.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016 at 6:30 pm 
Pacific Park 

Thursday, July 28, 2016 at 1:00 pm
Central Library, Children's Room

Thursday, July 28, 2016 at 5:00 pm 
Casa Verdugo 

LION & TIGER & BEAR: TAG! YOU’RE IT!

Tag you’re it! AAAAAHHH, leave me alone!!! This is Lion, he is so caught up in his painting that he doesn’t want anyone or anything to interrupt him, even his best friends.  When Bear and Tiger come out to play a game of tag, they ask Lion to join in on the fun, but Lion had other plans. Read and find out how far Lion goes to get some peace and quiet.

Ethan Long's story is about the friendship between Lion, Tiger and Bear. The story also teaches about respecting your friend’s wishes.  

This is a fun picture book for ages 5-7.   

TRANSPORTED TRANSPORTATIONS

This is a very silly book about transporting a lawnmower by all modes of transportation in order to mow one eensy weensy little patch of grass on a teeny tiny island on a Thursday.  Tom Angleberger strikes again with his wicked and sly humor about a toad riding a lawnmower.  

The illustrations by John Hendrix are so much fun to look at. This is the book for children who love all things transportation. 

McToad Mows Tiny Island by Tom Angleberger and illustrated by John Hendrix. 
For ages 2 and up.  

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY !

The Children's Room at the Central Library will be closed for the July 4th weekend, but this Friday we will be open for Lunch and Books from 11am to 1pm.  

We will see you again on Tuesday, July 5, 2016.  

THE PRINCESS AND THE SUMMER CAMP

One very, very spoiled princess, "a royal pain" really, is sent away to summer camp in order to learn how to make a friend or two.   To her surprise, no one takes her luggage to her cabin or brings her breakfast in bed!  Tuna Fish Girl from the bus becomes her bunk mate and shows her around.  After she "rescues" Princess Lulu from "drowning" and Princess Lulu rescues her from a skunking, the two become great friends.  

Princess Lulu Goes to Summer Camp by Kathryn Cristaldi is a great beginning reader.  A fun and sweet story for all.   

SPECIAL SUMMER PERFORMERS

The fabulous Annie Bananie uses twisted balloons to tell a fun futuristic story with the help of kids from the audience. Join her for this summer's adventure, THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE - IN SPACE.
Children's Room, Central Library 


Annie Bananie, Tuesday, June 28 at 11:00 am. 
For ages 4 and older.  

SPECIAL SUMMER PERFORMER

Joe Gandelman, comedic ventriloquist extraordinaire will be performing and entertaining us onThursday, June 23 at 1:00pm.  

Children's Room, Central Library 
For ages 4 and older.  

Join us for some family fun.  

WE ARE OPEN!

Today, Wednesday June 22, 2016 the Children's Room will have storytime  in our room and lunch outside under the tree.  We are now open. 

Our Thursday special performer, ventriloquist Joe Gandelman, will perform at Central Library as scheduled.  Join us tomorrow, Thursday, June 23, 2016 at 1 pm. for more stories and fun.

We apologize for the inconveniences.  

THE CHILDREN'S ROOM WILL CLOSE TODAY

Due to the high temperature, the Children's Room will be closed today, June 21, 2016. We will continue to serve lunch for children in the ARC next door.  Pete the Cat Book Bash is canceled.  We apologize for the inconvenience. Most of our branches are open today if you need books and other materials. 
If you need to speak to someone at Central, please call 818-548-2021.  

SPECIAL SUMMER PERFORMERS

Joe Gandelman, comedic ventriloquist extroardinaire will be performing and entertaining us all Thursday, June 23 at 1:00pm.  

Children's Room, Central Library 
For ages 4 and older.  

Join us for some family fun.  

HISTORY THAT PACKS A PUNCH

The phrase "Remember the Alamo!" is about the extent of what many people remember about the Alamo. But what else are we supposed to remember? There's so much more to the historical incident, packed full of exciting, treacherous, and gory details, all laid out to uproarious effect in Alamo All-Stars, the most recent entry in the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales graphic novel series from author-illustrator Nathan Hale. 

Like the other books in the series, this historical tale is told through the perspective of the spy (not the author!) Nathan Hale delaying his impending execution in 1776 by telling thrilling stories from American history to his eager hangmen. In this installment, they are joined by Hale's Mexican counterpoint, Vincente Guerrero, and his firing squad, and together they explore the events surrounding and key players involved in this piece of American and Mexican History: the state of Texas's fight for independence from the Mexican government. How did the small, ragtag bunch of frontiersmen end up blocked in a fort and fighting against a whole army? Why did Mexico mess with Texas? How exactly did Texas become a part of the United States? And what did Davy Crockett have to do with it? These answers and much, much more are found in this latest installment of the highly entertaining and informative graphic series that shows how it all went down. And don't skip the endpapers, title page, and other backmatter: every page is chock full of fascinating--and hilarious--information.

Other recent illuminating entries in the series include The Underground Abductor and Donner Dinner Party. Perfect for graphic novel fans, history buffs, and anyone else in grades 4 and up.  

LET'S GO TO THE HARDWARE STORE

Need a handyman? Not Flora’s family.  When the family moves into a new house there are endless small projects that need fixing. So Flora, her brother and their father visit the new town’s hardware store to purchase all the necessary tools to repair the new house.  The family dives right in and selects a hammer, ladder, tape measure, screwdriver and other essentials.

Let’s Go to the Hardware Store by Anne Rockwell is the perfect book for young children to read before exploring their town’s hardware store. Children who are captivated with building projects will find this book as the perfect reference source.  Rockwell describes their journey in simply sentences and provides the names of the tools at the bottom of the page which introduces a sophisticated vocabulary.  Melissa Iwai, the illustrator, uses pastel colors and fine details for the images.

Ages 4-7

OUR SUMMER SPECIAL PERFORMERS

KIDDLE KAROO 

Join us for a Puppet show presented by the fabulous Kiddle Karoo.  

Thursday, June 16 at 1:00pm
Central Library
Children's Room 
818-548-2035