Kid Stuff

Love is in the air, even if you're just 8-12 years old.  Valentine's Day gives us the opportunity to show our family and friends just how much we care about them.  And the Hoover Public Library is here to help you get creative about it!  Our Tween Scene program for this month is How-To Crew Makes Pop-Up Cards & Candy Necklaces on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 6:30 pm.  Guess what we'll be making?  Did you say pop-up cards and candy necklaces?  Good guess!  Call 444-7833 if you want to be part of this heart and candy-filled craft extravaganza.

DID YOU KNOW?
Our Hoover Public Library Director Linda Andrews started the JCLC Valentines for Children's Hospital campaign in 1983 when she was still at the Eastwood Mall Branch of Birmingham Public Library.  That means this is our 29th year--WOW!

We will be collecting valentines for this year's campaign February 1-11, 2012.  Please bring your signed homemade and/or store bought valentines to the Preschool Desk and receive a holiday prize.  If you plan on sharing the love, please follow these guidelines from Children's Hospital:
1. NO candy or gum
2. NO balloons or rubber bands
3. NO religious messages

Still have questions?  Call 444-7833.

The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, video, and audiobooks for children and teens at its Midwinter Meeting in Dallas, Texas on Monday, January 23, 2012.  The full list can be found at this website.  Here are a few of the highlights.  Several library favorites made the list, but there were some disappointed Hoover Public Librarians this morning.  How do you feel about this supposed best-of-the-best?

Newbery Medal
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

Newbery Honors
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin

Caldecott Medal
A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

Caldecott Honors
Blackout by John Rocco
Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
Me . . . Jane by Patrick McDonnell

Printz Medal
Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Printz Honors
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
The Returning by Christine Hinwood
Jasper Jones by Craig Silvery
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award
Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom by Shane W. Evans

Mildred L. Batchelder Award
Soldier Bear by Bibi Dumon Tak (translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson)

Odyssey Award
Rotters by Daniel Kraus, narrated by Kirby Heyborne

Pure Belpre (Author) Award
Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Pure Belpre (Illustrator) Award
Diego Rivera: His World and Ours illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award
Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet

Theodore Seuss Geisel Award
Tales for Very Picky Eaters by Josh Schneider

It's time for the first Tween Scene program of 2012, and it's going to be a great one!  Hot Reads, Sizzling Pizza on Tuesday, January 24 at 6:30 p.m. gives 8 to 12-year-olds a chance to introduce fellow readers to some of their favorite books.  Which means they will also have a chance to discover a bunch of future favorites.  And, of course, there's free pizza too!  Call 444-7833 to let us know you want to be part of the fun.

What do the following items have in common?

1. Oranges
2. Red envelopes
3. Fireworks
4. Dragons

The answer is . . . Chinese New Year!  If you want to find out more, stop by the Kid Zone this Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 10:30 a.m.  for Year of the Dragon.  There will be Chinese folktales, yummy food, and several fun crafts to help us learn about the holiday.

Local favorite Larry Moore, The Magic Man is coming back to the Hoover Public Library!  His magical comedy show will be on the Plaza this Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 6:30 pm.  Families should be prepared to laugh and be amazed.  Oh, and I should probably warn you that toilet paper will play a major role in the entertainment.  This FREE event does not require a reservation, but make sure you come a little early to get a good parking spot and a prime seat.

This is the THIRD TIME I have attempted to make this blog post.  Technology has not been my friend.  But, as they say, third time's a charm!

Fourteen of us pulled ourselves away from the pre-LSU vs UA mania to discover some amazing award-winning books at Reader's Studio: Blue Ribbon Books on Monday, January 9, 2012.  We were introduced to big-eared mice, regurgitating wolves, and even flying frogs.

Alonna - The Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahy (ALSC Childrens' Notable Book)

Aziza - Tuesday by David Wiesner (Caldecott Medal)

Emily & Maddie - The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Caldecott Medal)

Ethan - To the Top of the World: Adventures with Arctic Wolves by Jim Brandenburg (Orbis Pictus Honor)

Grace - Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann (Caldecott Medal) 

Isabella - The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (Newbery Medal)

Juliana - The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (Newbery Medal)

Miss Katie Jane - Two biographies about Marian Anderson - When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan (Sibert Honor) & The Voice That Challenged a Nation by Russell Freedman (Sibert Medal)

Mark - Flotsam by David Wiesner (Caldecott Medal)

Miss Polly - A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park & Emma's Poem: The Voice of the Statue of Liberty by Linda Glaser (both won the Jane Addams Children's Book Award)

Sophia - Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary (Newbery Honor)

We also created our own book awards.  Check out the pics to see what you've been missing!  Then call 444-7833 to register for our next Reader's Studio, a super-cool book club for grades 2-5.  We will delve into Fractured Fairy Tales on Monday, February 13, 2012 at 6:30 p.m.

 

You aren't the only one!  Our storytellers have enjoyed the holidays, but we're excited to kick off 2012 in the very best way . . . with books, songs, fingerplays, puppets, and more.  And there's even more reason to celebrate.  Miss Laura is back from maternity leave, which means she'll be back in Tiny Tot Tales, shaking her bean bag.  Welcome back, Miss Laura!

Here's a list of the starting dates for each of our storytimes. 

Mother Goose - Tuesday, January 3 at 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Early Birds - Tuesday, January 3 at 10 a.m.

Tiny Tot Tales - Wednesday, January 4 at 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.

After Lunch Bunch - Wednesday, January 4 at 1:30 p.m.

Storytime Live - Thursday, January 5 at 10:30 a.m.

PJ Storytime - Thursday, January 5 at 6:30 p.m.

Together with Twos - Monday, January 9 at 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.

If you've never been to one of our storytimes before, you can find out more information on our Kid Zone website.  You can also watch a short video clip of each of our talented storytellers.  If you still have questions or would like to register for Together with Twos, Mother Goose, or Early Birds, give us a call at 444-7833.

Part three of three.  We did not read as many nonfiction titles this year.  We are making a New Year's Resolution to improve on that in 2012.

Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming
America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001 by Don Brown
At This Very Moment by Jim Arnosky
Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet
Big Questions by Laura Buller
Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 by Sally M. Walker
Can We Save the Tiger? by Martin Jenkins
Celebritrees: Historic and Famous Trees of the World by Margi Preus
Energy Island: How One Community Harnessed the Wind and Changed Their World by Allan Drummond
Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein
The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman
How They Croaked: The Awfuls Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson
Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air by Stewart Ross
The Lego Ideas Book: Unlock Your Imagination by Daniel Lipkowitz
Miss Dorothy and Her Book Mobile by Gloria Houston
A Nation's Hope: A Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis by Matt de la Pena
Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, A Civil War Hero by Marissa Moss
Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People by Monica Brown
Shy Spaghetti and Excited Eggs: A Kid's Menu of Feelings by Marc A. Nemiroff
Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman
Treasury of Greek Mythology: Classic Stories of Gods, Goddesses, Heroes & Monsters by Donna Jo Napoli
Underground by Shane W. Evans
Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) by Sue Macy
Worst of Friends: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and the True Story of an American Feud by Suzanne Tripp Jermaine

Part two of three.  We read (and loved) a lot more mysteries than usual.

An Accidental Adventure: We Are Not Eaten by Yaks by C. Alexander London
Aliens on Vacation by Barrett Clete Smith
Bird in a Box by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry
The Boy at the End of the World by Greg Van Eekhout
The Candymakers by Wendy Mass
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading by Tom Greenwald
The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale by Carmen Agra Deedy
Cosmic by Frank Boyd Cottrell
Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angelberger
The Deadlies: Spiders on the Case by Kathryn Lasky
The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
Everybody Bugs Out by Lesley Margolis
Flat Broke by Gary Paulsen
The Friendship Doll by Kirby Lawson
The Ghostwriter Secret by Mac Barnett
The Grave Robber's Secret by Anna Myers
Horton Halfpott by Tom Angleberger
Hound Dog True by Linda Urban
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
The Midnight Tunnel by Angie Frazier
Nowhere Girl by A.J. Paquette
Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
Saving Zasha by Randi Barrow
Second Fiddle by Rosanne Parry
The Six Crowns: Trundle's Quest by Allan Jones & Gary Chalk
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
Spellbound by Jacqueline West
The Star Maker by Lauren Yep
Storm Runners by Roland Smith
Theodore Boone: The Abduction by John Grisham
Toys Come Home by Emily Jenkins
True ( . . . Sort of) by Katherine Hannigan
Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
Vanished by Sheela Chari
Waiting for the Magic by Patricia MacLachlan
When Life Gives You O.J. by Erica S. Perl
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Young Fredle by Cynthia Voight