Program

Goosebumps Gross Out

My little sister devoured the R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series when she was a kid. I'm a big chicken, so I wasn't a fan. One of the ways she loved to torment me (as little sisters are required to do) was by sharing the juiciest tidbits from the books. I remember being especially disturbed by the ventriloquist doll that was alive and the Halloween mask that wanted to become your real face. CREEPY!!!

Anima Manga Club

Are you an otaku? Otaku is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or Japanese video games. Does that sound like you? Are you interested in hanging out with other teens just as fascinated by Japanese entertainment? Of course you are. So come to the Anima Manga Club on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. Watch anime and talk manga with other 7th-12th graders. Further incentive required? Okay, there are also free snacks.

This Just In's September Debut

The Hoover Public Library has started a new book club for grades 4-6. This Just In! focuses on new releases. Our reporters can read any book published in the last 6 months. They bring it to share with the group then make commercials to share it with the world. Our first meeting was Monday, September 24, 2012 at 6:30 p.m., and we had 12 avid readers show up! Since it was our first meeting, we had to clarify a bit about how the book club would work. Here's a list of the books we talked about.

Book Buzz! Brand Spankin' New

We buzzzzzzz'ed into a new book group for 2nd and 3rd grade kids! Before talking books, we quizzed each other with riddles from the Bee-Hat-- "What do bumblebees wear on the beach? --Bee-kinis!" Then we shared our favorite characters and events from books published in 2012. Here are the recs from tonight's discussion:

Fly High, Fly Guy!

Fly Guy is a beginning readers super star. His books fly off the shelf faster than you can say "Watch out for that flyswatter!" That's why the Kid Zone is hosting a Buzz-worthy party called Fly High, Fly Guy! on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. It will start with a funny skit featuring . . . you guessed it, Fly Guy! Kids will also have a chance to make some amazzzing crafts -- a Fly Guy doll and a super deluxe flyswatter. And that's not all! There will also be high-flying games and prizes! And cake and bug juice!

Are You Prepared for Scaredy Squirrel?

We hope so! He's headed to Hoover Public Library on the first day of autumn -- Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. -- for Scaredy Squirrel: Be Prepared. What a way to kick off a fabulous and safe fall! Scaredy Squirrel will come down from his tree to help us create emergency preparedness kits and flying squirrels before everyone shares some squirrely snacks. Important! No nuts will be on the premises. Also, bees and sharks are discouraged from attending. But fans of Scaredy Squirrel should definitely make an appearance. Watch our commercial, then call 444-7833 to register today!

Eric Litwin - It's Still All Good!

Eric Litwin made his Hoover Public Library debut this past June. He played five shows in two days for 1,865 people. Did Mr. Eric cry? Goodness, no! He just kept walking along, singing his song. And now he's back this Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. So put on your school shoes, fasten your groovy buttons, and head to the Library Theatre.

Cassette Tape Wallets

I was a child of the 1980s and a teen of the 1990s. Which means, yes, my music collection consisted of cassette tapes which I played on my Walkman. And, yes, some of my favorite tapes were never converted to CD, so I still rock out to them in my car and on my stereo. And, yes again, I wish I still owned that Walkman.

NEW! Two Book Clubs for Kids

Beginning in September 2012, the Hoover Public Library's Kid Zone will be hosting two book clubs per month. Miss Polly will lead Book Buzz for grades 2-3. Miss Katie Jane will guide This Just In! for grades 4-6. Both groups will meet one Monday night a month at 6:30 p.m. Read on to find out more information, and be sure to watch our commercials. Then call 444-7833 to register.

Library Skills 101 - A Class for Homeschoolers

We're trying something new this fall. It's called Library Skills 101, and it's geared for the many homeschool families who use the Hoover Public Library. Students in grades 3-8 (and their parents) are invited to come to the Kid Zone on Friday, September 14 at 10:30 a.m. They'll learn the ins and outs of our very large library by embarking on a fun scavenger hunt. There will also be a session on navigating our online catalog. Since the catalog covers all departments in forty libraries across Jefferson County, this can be a challenge even to the most tech savvy individual.

Safari Greg Is Back!

Our favorite animal "dude" is back at the Hoover Public Library. Safari Greg combines the skills of a master magician, the humor of a comedian, and the knowledge of a wildlife biologist in an animal show full of fun and surprises. Check out his Facebook page for a sneak peek.

Safari Greg
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012
10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m.

These are popular shows and are always crowded. Please give yourselves ample time to get to the library, find a parking spot, and find your seat. Doors open 30 minutes before the show begins.

Caffeine and Canvas

Back by popular demand! Librarian and artist extraordinaire Wendy will guide teens (grades 7-12) through the creative process at Caffeine and Canvas on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. The result will be an amazing piece of art you can take home to revamp your room, amaze your family, and impress your friends. Last year's theme was owls. This year's focus will be trees. Plenty of snacks will be on hand to fuel your inner artist. Call 444-7826 to reserve your spot today. Registration is limited to 60.

That Puppet Guy (AKA Lee Bryan)

Don't let the mustache fool you! That is Lee Bryan. You may know him as That Puppet Guy. He's an Atlanta-based puppeteer who's bringing the Fee-Fi-Fo-FUN to our Library Theatre this summer.

The Giant, the Beanstalk & Jack
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012
10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m.

Calling All District Tributes!

The Hoover Public Library dares teens, ages 12-18, to join us for our reaping and compete in our version of the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games Challenge will take place on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. Teens will endure Archery Practice, face the Cornucopia, and "wow" in the District Fashion Show. They will also craft a Mockingjay Pin and consume a culinary surprise. To be eligible to compete, stop by the Teen Spot desk or call 444-7826.

Walkabout Puppets presents Mr. Blister's Toy Circus

The Hoover Public Library will be closed this Wednesday, July 4, 2012 in celebration of Independence Day. That means there will be just three opportunities to see Walkabout Puppets present Mr. Blister's Toy Circus in The Library Theatre -- Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.

Fun and laughter are the order of the day when Mr. Blister's Toy Circus comes to town! See the incredible performing toys go through their paces -- Madame MooMoo (queen of the unicycle), Steenko the Strongman and more! This production is presented in a European puppetry style where the puppeteer is in full view and participates in the action as an actor.

Reader's Studio Says "Oh Brother! Oh Sister!"

We had a small but enthusiastic group at the last Reader's Studio of the school year on Monday, April 16, 2012 at 6:30 pm. Our theme was Oh Brother! Oh Sister!, and we laughed a lot as we shared the books we read about siblings.

Elephant & Piggie Party

Admit it. You absolutely LOVE Mo Willems. Even after your kids have gone to sleep, you keep reading the books about an extremist pigeon, an enthusiastic pig, and a cautious elephant named Gerald. Don't worry. You're not alone. We've yet to meet an individual, kid or adult, who doesn't want to join the Mo Willems fan club. And that's why we decided to throw an Elephant & Piggie Party this Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. The books in that series work as bedtime read-alouds, beginning readers, and quick laughs for any age. Lots of wisdom there, too.

Reader's Studio: No Nonsense Nonfiction

Okay, we admit it. There was maybe a little teeny tiny (okay huge) amount of nonsense in this month's Reader's Studio. But we did focus on nonfiction books. Here's the list of what we read. And we've included a snippet of information that we learned from each book. Hopefully it will entice you to read it to find out more.

Ana - A ValueTales Treasury: Stories for Growing Good People by Spencer Johnson
(Ana's favorite part was about Harriet Tubman, who helped escaped slaves.)

Aziza - The Pebble First Guide to Snakes by Katy R. Kudela (Aziza's favorite species in the book was the Indian Python)

Check Out Our Lego Creations!

We had 86 people attend our Lego Block Party! Make sure you stop by the online photo gallery to see all of the amazing things our 7 to 12-year-olds created. You'll also see pictures of some kids seriously concentrating on mastering the game Lego Chopsticks. Thanks to our local Lego Store in the Galleria for donating Mar/Apr 2012 issues of Lego Club magazine for all of our participants!

Stay tuned for our next Tween Scene event in April: DS Game Day.

Reader's Studio Braves the Sleet

Eleven of us braved the sleet on Monday, February 13 to share fractured fairy tales with the Reader's Studio, including two new friends. Welcome, Citlali and Sofia!

A Blue Ribbon Book Club

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)

Happy Holidaze from the Reader's Studio

Ok, so our Christmas tree of readers is a little lopsided, but it's still completely adorable. The Reader's Studio met on December 12 to talk about all the great holiday books we had read. There were a lot of Christmas titles (surprise, surprise), but a few other holidays were represented too.

Alonna - Don't Be My Valentine: A Classroom Mystery by Joan M. Lexau

Ana - Juliet the Valentine Fairy by Daisy Meadows

Aziza - An Elk Dropped In by Andreas Steinhofel (Christmas)

Reader's Studio Satisfied Its Craving for Books This Month

So, the weather was lousy and kept half of our group away (We missed you Mary Bailey, Uzma, Sahar, Rayleigh, Jayla, Kayla, Daniel, Ronnie, and Britteny!), but we didn't let it affect our fun. There were seven girls (nine if you count Miss Polly and Miss Katie Jane, which we definitely should) at Reader's Studio: Book Feast this Monday, November 14, 2011. Each girl brought a fabulous food book to share. Check out these tantalizing titles!

Alonda = Duck Soup by Jackie Urbanovic

Ana = Dinner with Olivia by Emily Salinger

Take a look at the Lego Monster Lab Gallery . . . if you dare

Yikes! We had 60 kids plus assorted adults for a grand total of 118 at our Lego Monster Lab. And all of the young mad scientists far exceeded our expectations in creating their monsters. If you're feeling brave, take a look at the gallery.

We have one special Tween Scene event each month. The next one is actually a joint program with the Teen Spot. Stay tuned for more information about Eragon Party on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 6:30 pm.

Reader's Studio Judges a Book by Its Cover

Our October meeting of the Reader's Studio was just a little bit different than normal. The theme was Black, White and Orange All Over, and it was the brain child of our good friend Miss Polly. Everyone who participated was asked to judge a book by its cover, choosing their title based on whether or not the cover featured one of those three colors. It could be the background or font color, the title or author, anything goes. The result was a wide spectrum of great reads:

1. Ana = Where's My Mummy? by Carolyn Crimi

2. Emily = Freckle Juice by Judy Blume

Pets on Parade in the Reader's Studio

We had SEVEN new kids in our Reader's Studio meeting this past Monday, September 19! YOO-HOO! For those of you not in the know, Reader's Studio is a genre-based book club for 2nd-5th graders. We started this school year with the theme Pets on Parade, and we had quite an array of pets represented in the books we chose.

Aleisa = nonfiction book about Corgis (the same kind of dog she has as a pet)

Alonda = Cooking with the Cat by Bonnie Worth (featuring the Cat in the Hat)

Meet Author River Jordan

Please join us this Tuesday, Sept 20th at 7 pm, on the Plaza at the Hoover Public Library for an evening with River Jordan.

Her latest work is a nonfiction book titled, Praying for Strangers: An Adventure of the Human Spirit.

The stories behind this work are the culmination of a New Year’s resolution during a dark time. As 2008 wound to a close, Jordan learned that her two sons were to be deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq after the New Year. As she worked to manage her own emotions and plan the “perfect” family holiday, she felt called to pray for a stranger every single day.

Join us to hear the stories of strangers and the powerful impact this one resolution had on the author's life.

Sales and signings to follow.

Spy Kids Training: Mission Complete

We had an unexpectedly large group (84!) of wannabe secret agents at our Spy Kids Training this past Monday, September 12, but that just made the fun even bigger. We started by creating official photo IDs using construction paper, the miracle of double-stick tape, and some high-tech from 1990: the Polaroid camera. Then we added official metal badges. We were now a room full of card-carrying secret agents. Next, we each placed our hands into a cup full of adjectives, then one containing nouns. The result: super funny code names, which we used to speak to each other all night. Here's a sampling:
1. Smelly Refrigerator
2. Brainy Sweater
3. Mushy Eagle

You Are Here: Teen Update #2

You shouldn't be surprised that it has taken me so long to feature Teen Summer Reading on the blog again. Didn't you read Update #1?

African Paper Beads - Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at 6:30 p.m.
22 teens turned magazine pages into unique beaded jewelry. If you want to follow in their accessorizing footsteps, check out this how-to website.

Kid Zone Summer Reading Programming: That's a Wrap!

That's it, folks! Our eight week whirlwind of summer programming for kids has finally died down to relative calm (emphasis on the word "relative"). Summer 2011 featured a grand total of 56 events that entertained 15, 283 people! No wonder parking was so difficult to come by this summer! Here's a quick breakdown for the number-obsessed:

42 shows in the Library Theatre = 12,862 attendance, average 306 per show

7 storytimes = 1,252 attendance, average 179 per storytime

7 special events = 1,169 attendance

200 Municipal Dr. Hoover, AL 35216 | (205) 444-7800

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