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Summer Story Times

"The Caterpillar Club"

• Ages 2½ through 5 (not entering Kindergarten)
• Registration from June 23 at 9:30 a.m. - August 4 at 9:00 p.m.
• Story time on Mondays: June 30, July 7, July 14, July 21, July 28, August 4

"Catch the Reading Bug"

• Grades K & 1
• Mondays: June 30, July 7, July 14, July 21, July 28 & August 4
• Registration is not required.
• Storytime at 7:00 p.m.

The walls of the Story Time Room have a new mural of favorite storybook and nursery-rhyme characters for children to enjoy. The mural was drawn and painted by Library Aides Liane Mallon and Amelie Alford. Such favorite characters of children’s storybooks as Arthur, Curious George, Max and Ruby, and Madeline adorn the walls. In addition, classic literary characters like Alice in Wonderland and nursery rhymes like "Hickory Dickory Dock" offer children the opportunity to test their knowledge about traditional children’s stories and rhymes. Librarians Joanne Van Meter, Barbara Grace, and Donna Furey have surprised children visiting the Children’s Room in the New Year by inviting class visits and story-time participants to name all the characters and stories that they recognize.

Story Time Room mural drawn and painted by Library Aides Liane Mallon and Amelie Alford

Summer Reading Club

"Catch the Reading Bug"

• For children entering K through Grade 5
• From June 23 at 9:30 a.m. - August 6 at 9:00 p.m.

Book Discussions

• For Grades 2-5
• 45 minutes long

"Lunch Bunch" 2^nd Grade Book Discussion

Bring a brown-bag lunch. A beverage and dessert will be provided.

July 10 at 1:00 p.m.
Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag, by Marjorie Sharmat
Registration begins June 23 at 9:30 a.m.

July 31 at 1:00 p.m.
Mouse Soup, by Arnold Lobel
Registration begins July 10 at 9:30 a.m.

"New Friends in a Book Club" 3^rd Grade Book Discussion.

Bring a brown-bag lunch. A beverage and dessert will be provided

July 7 at 1:00 p.m.
How to be Cool in the Third Grade, by Betsy Duffey
Registration begins July 23 at 9:30 a.m.

July 28 at 1:00 p.m.
Harry Kitten and Tucker Mouse, by George Selden
Registration begins on July 7 at 9:30 a.m.

"Go Fourth!" 4^th Grade Book Discussion

Bring a brown-bag dinner. A beverage and dessert will be provided!

July 10 at 5:30 p.m.
The Chocolate Touch, by Patrick Catling
Registration begins June 23 at 9:30 a.m.

July 31 at 5:30 p.m.
Toys Go Out, by Emily Jenkins.
Registration begins on July 10 at 9:30 a.m.

"The Page Turners" 5^th Grade Book Discussion

Bring a brown-bag dinner. A beverage and dessert will be provided.

July 7 at 5:30 p.m.
Everything on a Waffle, by Polly Horvath
Registration begins June 23 at 9:30 a.m.

July 28 at 5:30 p.m.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E.L. Konigsburg
Registration begins on July 7 at 9:30 a.m.

Audio Books

Listening to books on tape or CD can enhance your children's reading development and broaden their exposure to a different genre. They can also make a car ride shorter and more pleasurable.

Large Print Books

Is there a reluctant reader in your house? If so, come into the Children’s Room and check out the newest acquisitions to our collection - LARGE PRINT BOOKS. According to studies, words are easier to decode when they are in large print. Also, the larger font and increased amount of white space on a page are beneficial to children with reading disabilities. Titles that are in the collection include: Al Capone Does My Shirts, by Gennifer Choldenko; Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux, both by Kate DiCamillo; The Janitor’s Boy, Lunch Money, and The Report Card, all by Andrew Clements; Joey Pigza Loses Control, by Jack Gantos; The Pepins and Their Problems, by Polly Horvath; Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls; and A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle.

Magazines

Did you know that the Children’s Room has a multitude of subscriptions to many magazines for all ages covering many different topics? Those titles include:

Click: This magazine for 3-6 year-olds is a children's magazine for science and exploration that satisfies the craving to learn that comes naturally to young children. It helps little ones understand the world around them.

Cricket: This magazine has delighted and entertained young readers ages 9 to 14 for over 30 years. It is a 64 page joyride of fiction, fantasy, folk tales, adventures, poems, history, and biography. The stories are written by top-notch writers and illustrated by award-winning artists.

Junior Scholastic: This magazine for Grade 5+ integrates national and world events into the social-studies curriculum through even timelier, kid-friendly news articles than ever before.

Kids Discover: This magazine brings award-winning nonfiction to children of ages 6 and up, providing them with lively prose, beautiful photography, and rich illustrations.

American Girl: This is the most popular magazine in America for girls 8-12 years old. Award-winning American Girl magazine offers great topics and activities that girls love and moms trust.

National Geographic World: This is a colorful, monthly magazine for ages 9-12, created especially for curious kids. Novelty and hands-on learning make a winning combination that has captivated World's nearly one million readers for more than 20 years. World's features encourage its readers to protect the planet's resources and to learn more about geography, adventure, wildlife, science, and youngsters of special distinction from around the world.

Ranger Rick: This magazine for kids ages7 and up is a wonderfully informational and educational magazine about wildlife and nature. Kids enjoy the articles, stories, and jokes, and best of all, they learn all about many different animals.

Sports Illustrated for Kids: This is the magazine for boys and girls who love sports. It present sports the way kids want to read about them, with great action photos, easy-to-read stories about star athletes, helpful instructional tips from the pros, and humor, comics, and activities.

Dig: This magazine brings the excitement, mystery, wonder, and fun of archaeology, paleontology, and earth sciences to children ages 9 and older to both entertain and educate its young readers.

Highlights: This magazine for children ages 5+ delivers puzzles, science projects, jokes, and riddles to challenge young minds, while characters in regular features like "Hidden Pictures," "The Timbertoes," "Goofus and Gallant," and "The Bear Family," keep children coming back like good friends should. This magazine first started in 1946.

Muse: This is a science magazine, a history magazine, and an art magazine - all rolled into one. With insightful articles on topics ranging from anthropology to zoology and just about everything in between, Muse will captivate curious readers ages 8 and up. Muse magazine isn’t a collection of facts; it’s a guidebook for intellectual exploration.

Your Big Backyard: This magazine for the children ages 3-7 has insightful articles on topics ranging from anthropology to zoology and just about everything in between.

Zoobooks: Simply written and beautifully illustrated for ages 5-12, each monthly issue "captures" one of 60 different animals through magnificent photography, illustrations, diagrams, and descriptions and includes interactive activity pages. Kids get "up close and personal" with the world's most amazing creatures.

Special Needs Collection

Come visit the Children’s Room to take a look at the new Special Needs Collection. The collection covers topics such as ADD, asthma, autism, cancer, diabetes, deafness, gluten-free eating, Tourette’s syndrome, and having a friend with a special need. Currently there are books (both fiction and non-fiction), DVDs, videocassettes, and games available. The collection will continue to be expanded as time goes on.

Programs

Our programs are funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library. Priority for registration and participation is given to children who are Garden City Public Library cardholders. Check the Calendar of Events, and watch for program flyers.