Confused by the children's area? Check out our new map!

The children's and teen areas can be quite overwhelming for new visitors. There are 20 different collections scattered within the three rooms. I've tried to make things as user friendly as possible by shifting several collections and making new signs, but it still can be confusing.

If you're frustrated by not finding what you're looking for, I invite you to either ask me (I'm here to help you!) or to check out our new map. It includes detailed descriptions of each of the categories of materials and where they are located. Additionally, I'll include a brief explanation of some of the more ambiguous collections.

What's the difference between EB, E, EK and ER?
EB are easy board books. They are geared toward very young children. These books have thick cardboard pages to stand up to rough handling and potential chewing/tearing. They usually contain large, colorful images and few words on each page. These are located right next to the entrance to the storytime room.

E are easy books. These are the classic children's picture books (like Curious George and Where the Wild Things Are). They range from the very simple (with a few words on each page) to the advanced (with entire pages of text), and include large images to accompany the story. These are located on the shelves along the walls of the E room (the one with the icy blue walls).

EK are easy kindergarten. These are aimed at children who are entering preschool and kindergarten and who are learning how to read for themselves. They are smaller in size so it's easier for little hands to hold. They usually contain only a one or two sentences of simple words per page. These are located in the long shelves in the middle of the E room, next to the barn.

ER are easy reader books. These are a child's first chapter books. These have longer sentences and more words than E or EK books as the child advances in their reading ability. This collection is ideal for transitioning from the E room into the J (juvenile) room. These are located between the entrance to the Teen Zone/Audio room and the storytime room.

What is the difference between JR, JN, JB, J and JPA?
JR is juvenile reference. This collection includes encyclopedias, atlases, almanacs and other non-circulating materials.

JN is juvenile non-fiction. These are factual books, rather than fictional stories. They are arranged according to the Dewey Decimal classification scheme. Signs hanging above the shelves describe the topics within each number range, and additional signs along the top of the shelves note the range of books on that shelf.

JB is juvenile biography. These are true books about the lives of noteworthy individuals. They range from the basic (32 pages) to the detailed (200+ pages). They are in alphabetical order by the last name of the person who is the topic of the biography. They are located in the pink-walled room with orange signs posting the shelves.

J are juvenile fiction hardcover books. These are located in the smaller green-walled room in alphabetical order by the author's last name or by a unifying series name. This collection contains the blue-dotted titles aimed at 3rd and 4th grade readers (see the next question for more information).

JPA are juvenile fiction paperback books. These are located behind my desk in the larger green-walled room in alphabetical order by the author's last name or by a unifying series name. This collection also contains the blue-dotted titles aimed at 3rd and 4th grade readers (see the next question for more information).

Which books are best for 3rd and 4th graders?
As children gain reading skills, it's important to find materials that are appropriate to their abilities to encourage continued reading. The juvenile fiction room has a lot of books in many genres that span from the 2nd-3rd grade level to adult-level. To find items suited for 3rd and 4th graders, look for the blue dots on the spines. These mark titles and series with slightly larger print and fewer words on each page, and they usually contain some illustrations to accompany the text to help the transition from picture books.

Are there magazines for children?
There sure are! In fact, we've added several new titles this year. Our current magazine subscriptions include:
American Girl
Junior Scholastic
National Geographic Kids
Practical Homeschooling (for adults)
Sports Illustrated Kids
Thomas & Friends
Your Big Backyard

We also have Teen Vogue, located in the Teen Zone.

Book review: The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler (YA Asher)

Its 1996. Computers and the internet are still brand new for most people. Emma receives a computer and Josh, her next door neighbor and friend, gives her an AOL CD-ROM to try. When she signs on, she is somehow connected to her Facebook page fifteen years in the future. At first they think it’s a prank, but they soon discover that it’s actually a peek into the year 2011. Emma quickly learns that even the smallest changes have drastic repercussions in not only her future, but all of the people in her life.

I loved The Future of Us. I’m a big fan of time-travel books and movies that show different outcomes of the same scenario (like Run Lola Run and Sliding Doors). The cultural references were a ton of fun (who remembers dial up computers and the Dave Matthews band?), as were Emma’s reactions to the behaviors and slang of today (like oversharing private information on Facebook). The romantic interplay between Emma and Josh is realistic and heart-breaking. It was an interesting concept to think about: if you discovered that you didn’t like your future, would you change it? I highly recommend this book for both teens and adults.

Visit our catalog at : http://www.wcplibrary.org/

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Book review: The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman by Meg Wolitzer(J)

Duncan Dorfman, April Blunt and Nate Saviano don’t appear to have much in common. Duncan is trying to adjust to a new town with his mom while managing his new superpower—he can read words and pictures beneath his left hand without looking. April is obsessed with a mystery boy she met years ago and hungry for acknowledgement in a family of jocks. Homeschooled Nate is suffocating under the expectations of his father to accomplish something he couldn’t when he was a boy. The lives of these three kids intertwine at the national Youth Scrabble Tournament, and each of them has a different drive to win.

This book is so much more about winning or losing. It’s about life, honesty, fitting in, and friendship. Wolitzer’s characters are likeable and funny, and it’s easy to root for each of them as the competition unfolds. It's also well-paced with a good message at the end. As a bonus, it’s chock full of interesting facts about Scrabble and the players addicted to the game. If you like the style of E.L. Konigsburg, I suspect you will like this book, too.

Book review: Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher (Young Adult)

The premise for this book, quite frankly, is pretty messed up. Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a package of cassette tapes with his name on it. They were recorded by Hannah Baker, a classmate and crush, who killed herself two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them, but he has to listen to the tapes to find out why. In a night full of anguish, he crisscrosses town, listening to Hannah reveal stories and secrets, and becoming a first-hand witness to her pain.

I was reluctant to read this book, but when I started, I couldn’t stop. It was a shocking, emotionally heavy way to discuss such a somber topic, but Asher made the situation and characters believable and thought-provoking. While the book isn't overly graphic, I would recommend that parents read the book along with their kids and discuss it together.

Book review: The Reading Promise by Alice Ozma (Adult non-fiction)

When Alice Ozma was nine, her dad (a school librarian) made her a promise to read to her every night for 100 nights. That 100 turned into 1000, which turned into 3218 nights of consecutive reading. The experience affected Alice so deeply that she wrote this book about "The Streak" and vowed to defend reading and books. The Reading Promise is more than just a book about literacy, or about one girl's love and admiration for her father. It's about the power of the written and spoken word, about parenting, about how taking the time to read together can change someone's life in ways that you can't always anticipate.

Alice has a wonderful website as well, http://makeareadingpromise.com/ and encourages others to make reading promises to their children. She also writes a blog. The print version of The Reading Promise includes a partial list of the books Alice and her father read together. Many of them are classics, and these titles are a good starting place for parents. I would also be happy suggesting books, especially for younger children.

As a librarian and a new mother, I appreciate this book on several levels. I strive to entertain, engage and inspire kids and teens to continue reading, to use the library, to write and read as many books as they can. My mother read to me as a child, and while we didn't have a streak like Alice, I did cherish the time with her. Listening to a book uses a different part of the imagination than reading a book yourself. Additionally, in our current hectic world, its a good way for parents and children to slow down, even for ten minutes a day, and bond over a book. It opens up channels of communication, it builds trust and consistency, and it fosters a love of reading that will hopefully last a lifetime. I think the popularity of audio books is a good indicator of how adults still crave and value the experience of listening to someone else read to them.

This book is located in our adult nonfiction section at 028 Osma. I highly recommend it. Find it and other gems in our catalog at www.wcplibrary.org.

(Thanks, Jen, for suggesting this book to me!)

Penguins!

January 12th was Penguin Awareness Day. The library has several really great books about penguins. Here is one of my favorites, good for reading aloud to kids aged 3+.

Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers

A boy discovers a penguin at his doorstep that soon follows him everywhere. When the boy tries to return the penguin to the South Pole, he realizes that the penguin wasn't really lost. He was just lonely. A very adorable picture book with a sweet ending.

Missing: Train engine

The engine and caboose of our newly purchased wooden toy train have gone missing. If anyone finds them or knows where they are, please return them to the children's area. Thank you!

Happy New Year and welcome to 2012!

Yesterday was my first day back from maternity leave. Due to a daycare snafu, my son Max joined me at work for most of the day and slept through his first storytime (even with kids screaming "Happy New Year!" and blowing horns). It's good to be back in the newly painted juvenile room. Thank you to everyone who assisted while I was away and for giving me such a nice welcome back.

In addition to gearing up for the Summer Reading Program, I'd like to make some other additions and changes to the children's and teen areas. I'm catching up on catalogs to order as many new, fabulous books as possible, making a user-friendly guide to our biographies (by page number and occupation) and starting both a newsletter and this blog. If you have any suggestions, complaints or book requests, please don't hesitate to contact me. Coming in spring 2012: puppet shows, a Yo Gabba Gabba dance party, knot tying and more! I also hope to have regular book reviews and reader's advisory on this blog.

For those who missed it, or want more information, here are the details from this week's storytime. The theme was New Year's/parties and included:
P. Bear's New Year's Party by Paul Owen Lewis (a quick, fun read on counting and New Year's parties)
Stanley's Party by Linda Bailey (about a misbehaving dog's out of control party)
Counting with Apollo by Caroline Gregoire (another quick read on counting, staring a flexible and overeating dachshund)
I Am Invited to a Party! by Mo Willems (a surefire hit, with easy audience participation of yelling "Party!")
We also sang a New Year's themed song to "The Wheels on the Bus" (wear party hats, blow our horns, yell Happy New Year). The kids were very well-behaved about not blowing their horns in the library once storytime was over.

Stay connected with the library through these sites:
http://www.wcplibrary.org/
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002942734841
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Warren-County-Public-Library/113508998679948