We’re supposed to believe that summer starts with Memorial Day weekend, but for me it has to do more with weather and other signs. So here are my lists, for kids and parents:

You know it’s summer when . . .

KIDS:
It’s still bright out when you go to bed.
The ice cream truck comes down your street.
You catch your first lightning bug.
You get so dirty and hot from playing outside you actually want to take a bath.
Flip-flops!

PARENTS:
Instead of piling on coats, scarves, hats and mittens, you’re slathering on sunscreen.
The kids start complaining that they’re bored.
You have to clean sand out of weird places.
It’s time to sign-up for Summer Reading at the Library.
Flip-flops!

How do you know when it’s summer? Share with us!

Now that the weather is finally warm enough, I thought I'd link to some fun and mostly free games that kids can play outside. It's time to step away from Club Penguin, pick up some chalk or a Spaldeen and get some grass stains on your clothes! So, parents, in case you've forgotten the rules to hopscotch or stoop ball, here's a few websites that can help:

Streetplay.com - this site covers "the biggies:" stickball, handball and skully, as well as hopscotch, stoopball and jacks. It even includes a section on tools of the trade.
Games Kids Play - includes an index of over 250 games, including "quick favorites" like Red Light/Green Light and Seven Up. Plus it has 60 different rhymes for jumping rope and clapping games.
Spaldeen - Don't know what a Spaldeen is? Check out this official site, which will tell you the story of the pink, rubber ball and give you some games to play with it. I had one as a kid, but usually used a blue handball to play similar games.

And remember, the fun part of these games is that you can come up with your own rules as you go along.

On Thursday, June 18 @ 7:30 pm, join us as we kickoff our Summer Reading Program for 2009 with Chris Agostino and his show: Transformations. Enjoy the show and sign up for the summer reading program! Check out some of his amazing face paintings below, and on his website.

Watch the Summer Reading Program PSA too:

I just found out about this cool band from Brooklyn that sings kids music, The Deedle Deedle Dees. They call themselves an "educational rock band" and some of their hits include "Vegetarian T-Rex" and "Nellie Bly." Several of the members are teachers and each has his own "Dee" alias. There's Booker Dee, Innocent Dee, Otto von Dee and Ulysses S. Dee. The library is looking to buy their CD, but in the meantime check out their website. Special thanks to the mom that told us about them!

The fourth book in the 39 Clues series comes out tomorrow, June 2. The new book, Beyond the Grave is by Jude Watson, and from the last book it seems as though Amy and Dan might be headed for Egypt and the fate of Uncle Alistair is still unknown. See if you can pick up any clues from the cover below:

The question should really be: What is TED? Well, it stands for technology, entertainment and design and it's an invitation-only conference where top "thinkers and doers" are invited to give 18-minute talks on a subject or idea. They can be on anything from important world issues to amazing personal experiences. You probably haven't heard of most of these people, but chances are you will in the future, so why not be the first to know?
A teacher has founded a website to use these inspiring, interesting and short-attention-span friendly speeches into the classroom. Learn more about TED at the Teaching with TED website and watch TED videos here. Listen to Scott McCloud talk about comics or Dr. Stuart Brown, a pioneer in research on play, who says plenty of play in childhood makes for happy, smart adults.

This week is Buckle Up America Week. It's important for kids and adults to wear seat belts every time they get in the car. Here are some shocking facts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

- Every hour someone dies in America simply because they didn't buckle up.
- Adults who don't buckle up are sending children a deadly message that it is all right not to wear a seat belt. Children model adult behavior. Research shows that if a driver is unbuckled, 70 percent of the time children riding in that vehicle won't be buckled either.
- If 90 percent of Americans buckle up, we will prevent more than 5,500 deaths and 132,000 injuries annually.

So start a new habit this week and buckle up!

The third and final book by Jessica Day George in the Dragon Slippers series comes out tomorrow, May 12. George never even meant to write a sequel to Dragon Slippers, the successful Dragon Flight, but now she is concluding Creel's story in a third book. Check out her great website for some inside jokes, recipes and stories behind the books.

These books are technically kept in our teen section, but I'm such a fan that I can't resist posting all this great news about the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. First, the fifth book in the series: The Last Olympian comes out tomorrow, May 5. And second, the first book in the series, The Lightning Thief is being made into a movie due to be released in 2010. Some big names have already been cast as the gods, including Pierce Brosnan as Chiron, Uma Thurman as Medusa, Sean Bean as Zeus, Kevin McKidd as Poseidon and Melina Kanakaredes as Athena.
Check out the photos of the three main, mortal characters below:
From left: Brandon T. Jackson as Grover, Alexandra Daddario as Annabeth, and Logan Lerman as Percy

This Saturday, May 2 is Free Comic Book Day. That's right, just go into a participating comic book store and get a free comic book. It's always the first Saturday in May. Just go to this website to find a participating store near you.

Come on in at any time between 2 and 5 pm on April 22 (Earth Day) for a drop in craft. We are going to recreate the life-cycle of a butterfly using recycled and found materials. Ring in spring with us!

Check out Zac Morgan at the library on Tuesday, April 14 at 11 a.m. Learn all about Zac at his website.

The trailer for Where the Wild Things Are directed by Spike Jonze has finally been released, though the movie is not due until October 2009. It still has everyone guessing just what this movie is going to be like. There were reports that the film was too intense for children and had to be re-shot and re-edited. It seems like Jonze has made a hipster movie for kids. The evocative song playing in the background of the trailer is by critically acclaimed Canadian group Arcade Fire, and there seems to be a minimal amount of special effects. I have high hopes that this will be a great movie, but here in the children's room we're all wondering how they are going to stretch Maurice Sendak's short, but wonderful book into a full-length film. See the trailer here.

Last week we attended a lecture by Leighton Coleman III, who helped bring the book, Polar the Titanic Bear to the world. It was written by his ancestor, Daisy Spedden in 1913 as gift to her son Douglas. It chronicles the story of Douglas and his stuffed bear, Polar, who both survived the sinking of the Titanic. Polar was part of the wave of the first stuffed toys made by the Steiff company and was bought for $80 at the time, which would be about $800 today. Originally published in 1994, the book is gaining attention again as the 100th anniversary of the Titanic tragedy will be marked in 2012. To see some amazing pictures from the Edwardian era and learn the fascinating story behind the publication of this book check out www.polarthetitanicbear.com.

The Bacon Family (Dan, Beth, Arthur and Henry) decided to travel to all 50 states in 50 weeks starting in June 2008. They chronicle their trip on their website with pictures and lots of fun facts about each state. There's a couple of blogs attached to the site, one by the parents and one by the two sons. Besides the awesome trip they are on, brothers Arthur and Henry wrote a book called, I Hate Reading: How to Get Through 20 Minutes of Reading a Day Without Really Reading, a funny look at required reading.

Author James Patteron has a great website about encouraging kids to read. There are booklists by age, author interviews, and more!

A movie version of the popular Beverly Cleary book, Beezus and Ramona, is in the works and the word is that it will star everyone's favorite "Wizard of Waverly Place" and Nick Jonas G.F. - Selena Gomez!

March 2 is Dr. Seuss's birthday, so celebrate and read one of his great books! Target is having a storytime at all its stores at 1 pm on Sunday, March 1. Also, check out the National Education Association website for information on Read Across America which always coincides with Dr. Seuss's birthday.

They are having open auditions for the role of Greg Heffley. 20th Century Fox describes what they are looking for as this: "think a younger version of Michael Cera, or imagine Larry David in middle school." Watch audition tapes, get tips on making your own and send it in (check with your parents first!) at iamthewimpykid.com! Awesome!

Nickelodeon debuted a new series on Jan. 26 based on the Olivia books by Ian Falconer. The half-hour animated series follows the adventures of a spunky 6-and-3/4-year-old pig.

Along with about a million (no exaggeration) other people I went to Washington D.C. to watch Barack Obama become president. It was moving and crowded and my toes froze, but ultimately it was worth it because now I can say, "I was there." I thought I'd share a few pictures with you all, including ones of our newest mascot Ike LaRue. Enjoy!

Not only is it time for the Grammys and the Oscars, but it is also award season for children's books. Last Monday the winners of several big awards were announced, and they are:

Newbery Medal: (author award)
Winner: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Honor Books: The Underneath by Kathi Appelt
The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle
Savvy by Ingrid Law
After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

Caldecott Medal: (illustrator award)
Winner: The House in the Night - ill. by Beth Krommes, written by Susan Marie Swanson
Honor Books: A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever written & illustrated by Marla Frazee
How I Learned Geography written & illustrated by Uri Shulevitz
River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, ill. by Melissa Sweet, written by Jen Bryant

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award: (for beginning readers)
Winner: Are You Ready to Play Outside by Mo Willems
Honor Books: Chicken said, "Cluck!" by Judyann Ackerman Grant, illustrated by Sue Truesdell
One Boy written & illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (RVC's own!)
Stinky written and illustrated by Eleanor Davis
Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator by Sarah C. Campbell

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal: (nonfiction)
Winner: We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson
Honor Books: Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and Rediscovery of the Past by James M. Deem
What to Do About Alice?: How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy!" written by Barbara Kerley and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

Today is the Chinese or Lunar New Year. It marks the beginning of the year of the Cow or Ox. Be sure to wish everyone "gong xi fa cai" (pronounced: gung hay fat choy; meaning: congratulations and be prosperous). Check out the festivities in Chinatown in New York City and in Flushing, Queens. Since it is traditionally celebrated for 15 days, here are a couple of other fun ways to celebrate Chinese New Year:
Clean your house or your room (not so fun, but Mom and Dad will be happy).
Make some New Year's paintings to put on your front door to keep bad spirits away.
Adults give children candy or money in red envelopes (give only even numbers of candy or money)
Eat mandarin oranges, they are a symbol of wealth and good fortune.
Buy new clothing, shoes and get a hair-cut - they all symbolize a fresh start for the new year.
Buying books during the new year celebration is considered bad luck because the Chinese word for "book" is a homonym for the Chinese word for "lose." (So come to the library instead!)

Did you know that the first inauguration, George Washington’s, was held in New York City on April 30, 1789? Well, I'll be down in Washington DC for Barack Obama's. I'm hoping to see the parade and if I get some good pictures I'll post them up here in the weeks to come.
Nickelodeon is covering the inauguration for the first time, so look for their correspondents to reporting during commercial breaks from their regular programming.
I'm wondering what the new first daughters, Malia and Sasha will wear. Ever wonder what school is like for the second and fifth grader? Check out the website for their school, Sidwell Friends. Coming soon I'll post some of the books that were on the school's summer reading list in the past. See below for a picture of the Lower School's library.

Kids have been asking for this book since the summer and it's finally here: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney is out on January 13. What hijinks will Greg Heffley get into this time?! I can only wonder if the disgusting cheese is finally gone from the playground.
Check out this video of kids sharing their favorite parts of Diary of a Wimpy Kid made by a teacher in Canada. And you can meet Jeff Kinney at the Barnes and Noble store in Carle Place on January 13, wristbands will be handed out at 3 pm that day.

Just a reminder that Story Time Registration starts for Rockville Centre School District residents on Thursday, January 8. Check out the calendar link on our Kids' Page for more information.

Do you have a reluctant reader at home? Well, the author of the Max and Pinky series, Maxwell Eaton has come up with 10 Tips for Parents of Ricky, the Reluctant Reader. Here is a taste below:

Merry Christmas! (Thanks to Mo Willems for the great cartoon.)
And Happy Hanukkah!

It seems that blogs are always linking to other blogs, who link to other blogs, etc. which could leave you surfing the internet for the rest of your life. But I'm just going offer two blogs from authors that I enjoy:
Douglas Florian: The staff here in the children's room just saw Douglas Florian speak at a breakfast meeting and he was wonderful. He read his poems aloud and had us all laughing out loud. I'm also making a resolution to try to read more poetry and he posts a lot of poetry on his blog.
Mo Willems : I don't think there's a funnier children's author out there, because it seems like he mostly wants to make kids laugh and if the parents get the joke too, it's just a bonus. So click away and find out where he'll be appearing (be prepared to be charmed if you see him speak) and get a peek at some awesome fan mail.

Children's book author and illustrator, Nathan Hale, is featuring a Dinosaur-A-Day Advent Calendar to promote his new book The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas written by Anne Muecke. Check his blog every day until Christmas for more dinosaur awesomeness!

Who wants to even attempt to do any shopping on "Black Friday?" I know I didn't this year, instead it was "Book Friday" for me. Cruise Amazon.com and stay home in your slippers. Here are a few of the books I'm buying as holiday gifts this year for the kids in my life:
Bats at the Library by Brian Lies - for the book lovers

Adele and Simon in America by Barbara McClintock - for the more sophisticated Where's Waldo fans
In a Blue Room by Jim Averbeck - a quiet, calming bedtime story

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems - a cautionary tale for those wishing for a dog under the tree
Backbeard and the Birthday Suit by Matthew McElligott - Arghh, pirates everywhere will love it!
Elephant and Piggie Series by Mo Willems - easy readers with a sense of humor

Fancy Nancy I-Can-Read Series by Jane O'Connor - tres chic, only for the fanciest girls you know

The latest book from J.K. Rowling, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, comes out on December 4. Albus Dumbledore left this collection of five fairy tales to Hermione Granger in his will. This edition includes commentary and footnotes from Dumbledore. Originally there were only seven handmade editions of this book, illustrated by Rowling and decorated with silver and jewels. Six of them were given as thank-you gifts to people closely associated with the Harry Potter series. The seventh was auctioned off to benefit the charity, The Children's Voice. That copy was purchased by Amazon.com for $3.98 million. Checkout some pictures of it here.

You can be an armchair traveler by reading some great books we have in the library and then visit some cool sites in New York City and Long Island to get a feel for the settings of the books.
One of my favorite areas of Manhattan is downtown -- and it also happens to be the perfect place for a staycation! You can visit Italy, Ireland and China within a few subway stops.
Henry and the Kite Dragon by Bruce Edward Hall tells the story of children from Chinatown who argue with the children from Little Italy for throwing rocks at the beautiful kites Grandfather Chin makes, not realizing that they have a reason for doing so. Go to Little Italy and have lunch. I like Puglia's (pronounced poo-lia's) -- try the fried zucchini, it's the best!
In Chinatown find a street vendor that sells little round pancakes that taste like fortune cookies. My dad would always buy them for me when I was a kid.
Susan Campbell Bartoletti's Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine does a fantastic job of bringing this tragedy to life and Battery Park has it's own
Irish Hunger Memorial where you can get a feel for Ireland by winding your way though plants native to Ireland and the ruins of a stone cottage.

Metropolitan Museum of Art is so fun and has so much to see, my favorite place is the Temple of Dendur. There are probably hundreds of books you could associate with the Met. Here are just a few:
A Nickel, A Trolley, A Treasure House by Sharon Reiss Baker
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Museum Shapes and Museum ABC
You Can't Take a Balloon into the Metropolitan Museum by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman

Read a biography of Teddy Roosevelt and then visit his "summer White House" in Oyster Bay, Sagamore Hill. (Or read the very funny biography of his daughter, What to do About Alice?: How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy! by Barbara Kerley)

Take a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge then take a rest and read Twenty-one Elephants and Still Standing : A Story of P.T. Barnum and the Brooklyn Bridge by April Jones Prince

Is that what your kids say at night? Well there is a great website and podcast called JustOneMoreBook.com Andrea Ross and Mark Blevis review books as well as interview authors and discuss issues regarding chidlren and reading. It's a great place to get ideas about what to read to your kids next, not to mention asking your local librarian (you can't blame me for a little self-promotion). Andrea and Mark are the parents of two young girls and IT professionals working in Canada. They broadcast from a coffee shop in Ottawa, Canada -- so those clinking-mugs and foaming-milk sounds in the background are real!

Sad that Halloween is over and now it's another 364 days before more free candy?! Well here's a cure for the post-Halloween blues -- author and illustrator Adam Rex has released Frankenstein Takes the Cake, a sequel to his hysterical book Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich. Full of monsters, comic strips, fake blogs and poems, both books are full of Rex's great artwork and irreverent sense of humor. Visit Rex's website to see more of his artwork and learn about some of the other books he's written and illustrated, including The True Meaning of Smekday.

The mystery writing world lost a giant this week with the death of Tony Hillerman at age 83. Mr. Hillerman set his novels on Southwest Indian reservations featuring Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Sgt. Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police with the purpose of instilling in his readers a respect for Native American culture. His Navajo mysteries include The Shape Shifters(2006), Skeleton Man (2004), The Sinister Pig (2003), The Wailing Wind (2002), Hunting Badger (1999), The First Eagle (1998), The Fallen Man (1997), Sacred Clowns (1993), Coyote Waits (1990), Talking God (1989), A Thief of Time(1988).

As a tribute to Mr. Hillerman, I am chosing one of his books for our Monday Mysteries book discussion in 2009.

Well, not really Harry, but his creator J.K. Rowling. Scholastic, the U.S. publisher of the Harry Potter books is sponsoring an essay contest for kids between the ages of eight and 17. The five winners and their chaperones will win a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, to attend an exclusive event at the National Library of Scotland. (See below for a picture of me at the library.) As part of the event the children will get to have tea with Rowling on December 4 where she will read from her new book Beedle the Bard and answer questions. All entries must be received by 5 p.m. EST on October 30. For more information check the Scholastic website.

We have all new clues for Letterboxing, so if you did it over the summer come back and try our new clues. There is a new theme for these clues, see if you can figure out what two animals we're focusing on.

October is Fire Prevention month -- time to check the batteries in your smoke alarms! And it's also a good time to review escape plans with your family. Visit Sparky the Fire Dog for some fun games and important tips for the whole family.

We have received the first book in the 39 Clues series -- The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan. I haven't been able to read the book yet, but I have already started to unlock some of the clues. I visited the 39 Clues website and created my own account. Once you pick a username and password, you are asked to answer a few questions, for example: Would you rather have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame or have a real star in the sky named after you? My answers put me in the Ekaterina Branch of the powerful Cahill family. If you're a member of the Tomas branch -- sorry, but you are now my sworn enemy! Each week you get four messages in your inbox to help you unlock clues and bring you closer to the prize money! Some of the clues are easy, some are hard, but all are time-consuming. Solving the 39 Clues could be a full-time job.

There is a new series that just hit the shelves called the 39 Clues. It's about the Cahill family, the most powerful family in the world. The first book, called The Maze of Bones, is written by Rick Riordan the author of the popular Percy Jackson series. Book Two, One False Note by Gordon Korman, comes out on December 2. Not only are these books, but they are also part of a real life treasure hunt with cash prizes, including a $10,000 grand prize. The books, along with cards that are sold seperately, help unlock the clues to find the prizes. DreamWorks Studio has already bought the film rights and Steven Spielberg is hoping to direct. Check out the 39 Clues website for more details.

Everyone is talking about the presidential election these days, but kids have their very own nominations to make for the Three Apples Book Award -- the New York State children's choice award. If you are in grades 3 to 6, come into the library before October 20 to nominate your favorite book for the award. Think about all those great books you read over the summer! If it was up to me, I'd pick Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. The top 15 nominees will be announced in November and then it's time to read some of the books, if you haven't already, and then vote on the winner.

Of course you do, it's September. The next time you're stumped on a question log onto our newest service: Live Homework Help from Tutor.com available from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. everyday. Just type in your library card number and start chatting with a qualified tutor. Click on the picture to watch a video that shows how it works.

There are always a lot of new books about school that come out during the summer, and this year there are quite a few good ones. Here are a few of my favorites:
A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech, illustrated by Harry Bliss
Lost and Found by Andrew Clements
Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk
Jake Starts School by Michael Wright
Go Home, Mrs. Beekman! by Ann Redisch Stampler, illustrated by Marsha Gray Carrington
Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton

From Strummin' and Drummin' with Chris and Matt Marshak back in June to Bugs as Pets with Eric Powers and the SRO crowd at Mr. Ray - this has been a very busy summer in the children's department! We're glad so many families decided to spend their "staycations" with us at the library. Take a look back some of the fun ways we celebrated "Catch the Reading Bug" in our photo gallery.

It's the last week of the Summer Reading Program so it's time to come down to library and pick up your reading records and your last prizes. We'll have everything available at the final show, Erik's Reptile Edventures, in case you plan to attend.

We already caught the Reading Bug this summer and now we've caught Olympics Fever! Come in and check out our Medal Count. We will be keeping tabs on the medal standings of the top four medal winning countries from the last summer Olympics: the United States, Russia, China and Australia. I can't wait to see if swimmer Michael Phelps wins medals in all eight events he's competing in.
Also, East Meadow Public Library is hosting a blog written by an NBC staffer who is in Beijing. Check it out and send in your own questions.

How about that All-Star Game? I fell asleep during extra innings, but what a send-off for Yankee Stadium. So now that it's over come check out some of our cool baseball books. Two of my favorites are How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball by David Shannon and Across the Alley by Rich Michelson.

There is a very cool new website I just heard about where kids can write stories, illustrate and even publish them. It's called Tikatok. It costs about $20 to buy a print copy (hardcover or paperback) of your child's book. They use "StorySparks" to help guide kids through the process of writing. It was founded by two mothers, so it has to be good!

Last month the American Library Association released its list of the Most Challenged Books of 2007. The number one most challenged book is And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. This award-winning book is based on the true story of two male penguins who raise a penguin chick and form a family. Check out the entire list, read some of the books and make your own decisions. A fellow librarian shared a quote at a meeting the other day and it went something like this:
"We try to protect children from the stories that some of them are living every day."

As announced in School Library Journal, the New York City Department of Education has launched a campaign to encourage the use of graphic novels in school settings. Read all about it here.

We overhear a lot of cute and funny things in the children's room here in Rockville Centre and I thought it would be fun to share some of them:
Recently a little boy, about 4 years old, was putting on a puppet show for his grandmother when he announced, "And now it is time for an imitation!"
"Who are you going to imitate?" asked his grandmother.
"Noooo," said the boy, "That's the time when you go to the bathroom!"
"Ohh, you mean 'intermission'!" said the grandmother.

While handing out stickers after storytime the kids asked for the stickers to be put on their hands or their shirts and one boy pushed up his short sleeve and pointed to his tiny bicep -- "I want mine here like the basketball players." Look out mom, as soon as he's 18 he'll be getting inked!

A director has been named for the film version of the Caldecott Award-winning book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. Chris Wedge, the director, has also taken the helm of animated movies such as Ice Age and Robots. Hugo Cabret will be a live action film, but it is unknown whether or not it will be shot in color or black and white, which would reflect Selznick's striking illustrations. The screenwriter, John Logan, worte the screenplays from The Aviator and Sweeney Todd. Below is the young man who posed as Hugo Cabret for Selznick:

Did you know that there is a website that tracks specific dollar bills to see where they've been spent and what condition they're in. I had no idea such a thing existed until I got a dollar bill at the library that looked like this:

I went to Where'sGeorge.com and so far my dollar was first registered in Maryland and then I put in my tracking information. There is a list called George's Top 10 which shows the bills that have been tracked the most. One bill has been in Alaska, Canada and Hawaii -- it's more well traveled then I am! You can even continue to track your bill after you've spent it by registering on the website. I think I'll spend my dollar on coffee -- so look for it around Rockville Centre, and if you find it be sure to enter it on the website!
If you are going abroard be sure to check the links sections of Where'sGeorge.com and you can track euros, pounds and even rubles.

As the weather gets warmer and spring is in the air, there is nothing better then putting on a cute outfit and having a very civilized afternoon tea. It's a very special treat for any of the little girls in your life. So crack open a copy of Miss Spider's Tea Party by David Kirk and then visit one of these delightful places. This is for all the girlie-girls out there -- so get out your frilly hats and stick out that pinky finger:
Lady Anne's Vintage Tea Room - Levittown - I haven't been here myself, but have heard it's very cute and affordable. Plus it's one of the few tea houses right here in Nassau County.
Polo Restaurant at the Garden City Hotel - On the pricier end of afternoons teas at $50, save this one for a very posh occasion.
American Girl Place - New York City - For $20, afternoon tea is probably one of the cheapest things you can do at the American Girl store/palace. And it comes with a real live harpist -- I thought I'd have to wait until heaven for that! The food, including Kit's garden party sandwiches and Samantha's fruit tartlets, is quite good.
Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel - New York City - You could say I saved the best for last. I recently went to the Carlyle for afternoon tea and it was wonderful. The service was incredibly gracious, the food was delicious and abundant and the live entertainment, Tina de Varon (who you might have seen in concert at the library), was enaging. The bill averages to about $40 a person and it is well worth it. Everything down to the napkins is emblazoned with that famous Ludwig Bemelmans character -- Madeline. And you can search out her image in the murals lining the bar's walls. If this is any indication of the Bemelmans Bar's elegance -- I spotted Vera Wang eating there. Here's a secret -- if your child's name is Madeline she eats for free!

The Electric Company is coming back to PBS in 2009. The original show ended in 1977 and featured famous faces like Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno. The new version will be a weekly series, unlike the old one which was daily. For those of you too young to remember (myself included) The Electric Company was a bit like Sesame Street for older kids -- stressing literacy, healthy eating and such in a fun, clever and hip show. Check out the recent New York Times article for more details.

We have a lot of new paperback series arriving at the library. Already out are books based on the Hannah Montana television series, but also coming soon are Camp Confidential, The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes and Rotten School. I'm most looking forward to reading The Day My Butt Went Psycho by Australian author Andy Griffiths -- with a title like that how could this book be bad?! This trilogy also includes Zombie Butts from Uranus! and Butt Wars! The Final Conflict. Andy also has a funny website about all his books that "delight, amuse and disgust the whole family."

Tomorrow is Earth Day and the environment is a topic on everyone's mind these days. Here are a few easy ways kids and adults can recycle and help a good cause at the same time!

Nike: The Reuse-A-Shoe program takes old sneakers of any brand and turns them into the rubbery stuff that lines playgrounds and basketball courts. Drop-off sites include the Nike Factory Outlet in Tanger and Niketown in Manhattan.

Crocs: Your old crocs can be recycled into new shoes for people in need around the world through the Sole United program. 10,000 pairs have recently been sent to Haiti. To get an idea of what it's like not to have your own pair of shoes check out these books Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed and Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts.

Patagonia: Through the Common Threads Garment Recycling Program Patagonia will take and recycle worn-out Patagonia fleece and other brands of Polartec garments, as well as other Patagonia garments marked with the Common Threads tag.

Visit the EPA website and learn all about “Recycle City” and how this “town” changed its ways and its name from Dumptown.

Following the success of Horton Hears a Who, another movie based on a children's book comes out this Friday, April 4 -- Nim's Island. Based on a book by Australian author Wendy Orr, the story follows the adventures of a young girl, Nim, and a timid author as they try to save Nim's father and her island. Check out the movie website for more information, games and downloads. And Nim's Island just happens to be this month's book for the Mother/Daughter Book Club, which meets on Tuesday, April 15 at 7:30 pm for girls in grades 4-6 and their moms. They'll discuss the book and make plans to see the movie.

This Thursday, March 20 is Sweater Day in honor of what would have been Mister Rogers' 80th birthday. Sweater Day originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as part of the city's 250th anniversary celebration and the first-ever "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" Days March 15 - 20. Check out the video made by David "Speedy Deliveryman" Newell to find out more about Sweater Day. Take off that blazer and those dress shoes, put on your favorite sweater and sneakers and have a beautiful day in your neighborhood.

Join us for a marathon of both High School Musical movies rescheduled for March 24 from 2:30 - 5:30 pm. Originally scheduled for February 22, this movie marathon was snowed out. In between the movies we will have an easy craft project for everyone to make.

On March 14 the movie Horton Hears a Who opens in theaters. Based on a Dr. Seuss book, the film stars the voices of Jim Carrey as Horton and Steve Carrell as the mayor of Whoville. It looks like a winner and there is already a cool website to go with the film. One of the things you can do on the website is adopt a Who. You get to pick a boy or a girl, give him or her a name and then dress and feed your little Who. My Who is named Jenny and she has pigtails. You even get a Whoville Adoption Certificate to print out.

Because of the snow storm on Friday our High School Musical Marathon will be rescheduled for some time in March. Be on the lookout in the Children's Room for flyers with the new time and date. We will be showing both movies on the big screen and during the intermission we will have a simple craft for everyone to make. Make sure to wear your Wildcat colors -- RED and WHITE!

Laura Vaccaro Seeger - get sneak peeks at her new books, not even out yet -- like Dog and Bear: Two's Company due this spring!
Jan Brett - This site is chock full of fun, there are pictures of the author with elephants in Botswana, and so much more including games that you can play on the computer as well as games to print out and play.
J. K. Rowling - She just can't be left off this list! Her brilliant site shows her cluttered desk and sometimes contains suprise information about her latest work -- it is more of treasure hunt then a website.
Cornelia Funke - Much like J. K. Rowling, her site is no less magical then her books. Check out the fun quizzes to find out which character you are.
Patricia Reilly Giff - It's not the flashiest of web sites, but it has great information about the author and her books, plus we went to the same high school so I had to include my fellow Hilltopper.
Beverly Cleary - Always a classic, her site has a neighborhood map where you can visit Ramona's house plus trivia quizzes and ideas about throwing a Ramona party.

Brian Selznick - his site for The Invention of Hugo Cabret has so many great things that you just have to check it out for yourself, but be warned it could take hours to get through all the cool stuff, especially the links.
Jarrett J. Krosoczka - author of Bubble Bath Pirates and Punk Farm, his site features a funny "fake" bio, his childhood drawings and even how to pronounce his last name.
Mo Willems - the hysterical author of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Knuffle Bunny has a special Pigeon contest and coloring pages on his site; and Mo's blog is full of sketches and funny stories from his everyday life.
Guy's Read - it's not really an author site, but it does seem to be the brainchild of author Jon Scieszka, who is the first National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. The site, which also inspired a book called Guys Read, has lots of great book suggestions for little and big guys.
Tomie dePaola - see pictures of his dog, Bronte, some of his non-book art, coloring pages and more!
Stay tuned for the ladies next week!

*NOTE: The winner of the Three Apples Book Award, a New York State children's choice award, has just been announced: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss.

In order to reward our young readers year round we have just started a new program that we are very excited about. If a child checks out two books from our "Staff Picks" display they will get a special prize. All they have to do is check out the books and bring their blue due date slip to the children's reference desk to get their surprise. If it's a hit, we hope to continue it with our other seasonal displays. Here's a hint about the surprise gift:

The entire staff of the Rockville Centre Public Library shared their favorite children's books with me and now they are on display in the children's room. There are dozens of choices from The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams to Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth, and everything in between. It got us all talking about books and remembering a lot of the books we read as children or read to our children. In the future we hope to have a display of your favorites!

Everyone knows about the Caldecott and the Newbery Awards, but there are a lot of book awards out there that recognize wonderful children's books every year. If you're looking for something good to read check out the winners of these awards:
Boston Globe – Horn Book Awards

Charlotte Zolotow Award Books

The Edgar Allan Poe Awards (Mysteries)

State Awards for Children's and Young Adult Books (listing)

Today the American Library Association announced the winners of the Newbery Award and the Caldecott award.
The Newbery Award went to:
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz

There were also three Newbery Honor Books:
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

The Caldecott Award went to:
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Four Caldecott honor books were named:
Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Ellen Levine
First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sís
Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems

Several other book awards were also announced today, including the Michael L. Printz Award for young adult literature, which was won by The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean. The Coretta Scott King Book Award recognizes an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults. Christopher Paul Curtis won for Elijah of Buxton. The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished book for beginning readers went to There Is a Bird on Your Head! by Mo Willems, with four honor books including: First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. For a full list of all the awards and winners check the ALA website. Congratulations to Rockville Centre resident Laura Vaccaro Seeger on her honors!

This past Monday librarians from around Nassau County gathered to discuss some of the best picture books of 2007 and then we voted for our favorites in a Mock Caldecott election. The "winner" was The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.

There were also three "honor" books: Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems, Old Penn Station by William Low and Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson. The Caldecott Award is given to a book for exceptional illustrations. The real Caldecott and Newbery Award winners and Honor Books will be announced Monday, January 14.
The Mother/Daughter Book Discussion group will be reading The Invention of Hugo Cabret for its January 29 meeting.

On Thursday, December 27 there will be two programs going on at the library:
Music Together - 10:30 - 11 am and 11:30 am - noon

AND
Chess Instruction - 2 - 3 pm

Come in out of the cold and enjoy these programs.

Check out the Notable Children's Books of 2007 from the New York Times. Included on the list are: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which has already gained recognition as the winner of the National Book Award. Also check out the slideshow of the Best Illustrated Children's Books including First the Egg by Rockville Centre's own, Laura Vaccaro Seeger.

On Monday librarians from around Nassau County gathered to discuss some of the best chapter books of 2007 and then we voted for our favorites in a Mock Newbery election. The "winner" was The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt, and there were three "honor" books: Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson, Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis and Red Moon at Sharpesburg by Rosemary Wells. The actual Newbery Award winners and Honor Books will be announced the second weekend in January during the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting.

The new movie The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman, opens on Dec. 7. It is based on the first book of a trilogy written by Philip Pullman. The trilogy, entitled "His Dark Materials," includes The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. These fantasy novels are more challenging reads then recent fantasy hits such as the Harry Potter series. The main character, Lyra, is a young girl living in a parallel universe where humans carry a piece of themselves in an animal form called a daemon. There has been controversy regarding Pullman's attitude toward religion and its treatment in the novels. For an insightful take on this controversy check out the blog of Sr. Rose Pacatte, FSP director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Culver City, CA. She is a Catholic nun who blogs about movies. For some fun stuff, check out the movie's official website to watch the trailer and take a test to discover your personal daemon. My daemon is a crow.

With the holiday shopping season about to begin this Friday, here's a reminder - books are excellent gifts for all ages but especially for children. If you are looking for some suggestions, here are a few of my favorites from 2007:

Picture Books:
The Flying Bed by Nancy Willard, illustrated by John Thompson
Dog and Bear and First the Egg written and illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Rockville Centre's own!)
I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean written and illustrated by Kevin Sherry
Mary and the Mouse, the Mouse and Mary by Beverly Dinofrio, illustrated by Barbara McClintock
The Boy Who was Raised by Librarians by Carla Morris, illustrated by Brad Sneed
Cute by Lida Dijkstra illustrated by Marije Tolman
How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague
Max's Magic Seeds by Geraldine Elschner, illustrated by Jean-Pierre Corderoch
Digby Takes Charge written and illustrated Caroline Jayne Church

Chapter Books:
The Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems
No Talking by Andrew Clements
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley's Journal by Jeff Kinney
The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel in Words and Pictures by Brian Selznick
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

It's Children's Book Week, and the library has some great new ways to share books with your children. Some highlights to check out -- films based on books, books on tape and CD, our new graphic novel collection and our newest audiobooks, called Playaways.
Be sure to explore our Illustrated Fiction collection now located in between Reference and Picture Books. Illustrated Fiction refers to picture books that are designed for older children. They are usually longer than easy picture books, contain more sophisticated concepts and sometimes have a historical background. Illustrated Fiction offers a wonderful opportunity for parents to read aloud and share stories with older children.

Next week (November 12-16) is the final week for our Fall Storytimes. Sign-up for Winter Storytimes will take place in January. In the meantime, come check out some of our displays for November, including Thanksgiving, Native American Heritage Month and the beautiful artwork of the students from Jacob's Ladder.

Have a safe and fun Halloween. Don't forget to stop by the Children's Room for a free book as a treat from the library.

The Musical Moppets return this Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. for more fun and music with two and three-year-olds. Thursday, Oct. 25 marks the first meeting of the Parent/Child Workshop and Mother Goose, and Friday, Oct. 26 at 9:30 a.m. is Rhyme Time for babies from 4 to 14 months old.
Another reminder: Entries for the Children's Book Week Bookmark contest are due on Nov. 3. Download the form on the Just For Kids page of the library website.

The Seeker, a movie based on Susan Cooper's book The Dark is Rising opened last Friday and is unfortunately getting reviewed as a bad Harry Potter rip-off. The truth is Cooper's award winning five-book The Dark is Rising Sequence was written in the early 1970s, 20-plus years before Harry Potter . The Dark is Rising is a Newbery Honor Book and The Grey King is a Newbery Medal Winner. Check out all five books in the children's room:
Over Sea, Under Stone, The Dark is Rising, Greenwitch, The Grey King and Silver on the Tree
Decide for yourself which is better, the book or the movie?

The long awaited sequel to Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems, Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity has arrived! This time Trixie takes Knuffle Bunny to school only to discover her one-of-a-kind friend may not be so unique. Check it out today and be sure to look carefully for characters from Mo's other books, like the famous pigeon. Look for all our new picture books, fiction, nonfiction and CDs to be displayed on the red shelves at the ends of the aisles.

Registration for the Parent/Child Workshop and Mother Goose is on Wednesday, October 3. The Parent/Child Workshop, Thursdays 9:30 - 10:45 a.m., is for children between 14 & 35 months old with a parent or caregiver, and is for first time attendees only. Mother Goose, Thursdays 11 a.m. - noon, is for children between 15 & 35 months old also with a parent or caregiver. Siblings up to age 5 are welcome in both programs. Please bring your library card and proof of your child's age at the time of registration.

Graphic novels have arrived in the Children's Department! Look for our new collection on the red shelves near the reference desk. The graphic novel format first received widespread recognition in 1992 when Maus by Art Spiegelman won a Pulitzer Prize, and in 2007 the graphic novel American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang won the Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in young adult literature.

Look for the following titles in the Children's Department:
Babymouse, The Baby-sitters Club, The Hardy Boys, Superman Adventures, and many more!

Just a reminder that our Fall Storytimes start next week on Monday, September 24:
Tot Time - 2 year olds (with a parent of caregiver): Mondays @ 9:30 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. and Fridays @ 9:30 a.m.
Terrific Threes - 3 year olds (ready to seperate): Tuesdays @ 10:30 a.m. and Wednesdays @ 1:30 p.m.
Picture Book Parade - 4 year olds: Mondays @ 1:30 p.m. and Tuesdays @ 1:30 p.m.
Kinder Kids - kindergarteners: Thursdays @ 4 p.m.
Books Before Bedtime - 3-5 year olds: Tuesdays @ 7 p.m.
Fall Storytimes last for eight weeks, ending the week of November 12.

Come celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month on Sunday, September 16 at 2:00 p.m. with a presentation by the Arts Flamenco group, Pasion Flamenco! This team of musicians and dancers will present the history of flamenco, its rhythms and forms, and engage the audience in an exciting lesson in palmas, flamenco hand clapping. Look for a display of literature and Latino Cultural Crafts as well. Families and adults are invited to join us for this fun-filled afternoon! Los esperamos!

Our Summer Reading Program, Get A Clue @ the Library, was a huge success! Stop in to pick up your reading charts, certificates and other goodies.
See our flyers for Fall Story Times and Programs and sign up begins Monday September 10th.

If you know anyone in grades 4 and up....
Tuesday, August 7 from 7-8pm
Magic Workshop!