• Activities

    Robot Building – Part 2

    I survived our robot building workshop this afternoon! It was a lot of controlled chaos, but I think the kids and many of the parents had a really great time building, exploring, imagining, and just having a really great time together. We ended up with over 100 people for this…

  • Activities

    Robot Building – Part 1

    I’m not sure that anyone who isn’t a children’s librarian understands the feelings of being smack in the middle of summer reading with programs happening on a daily (sometimes hourly) schedule, reference questions flying at you a mile a minute, and kids and parents, nannies, grandparents, and tutors in every…

  • Reviews

    Book Review: The Fourteenth Goldfish

    I was so excited to get my hands on a copy of this uncorrected proof while at ALA in Las Vegas this year.  The Fourteenth Goldfish will not be on sale until August 26, 2014, which means this review is based solely on the advanced read’s copy (ARC) and information…

  • Reviews

    Book Review: Absolutely Almost

    From the author of A Tangle of Knots comes a true coming-of-age story about the importance of knowing who you are and understanding that it is essential to stand up for yourself.  Albie is familiar with the feeling of being almost – almost good at sports, almost smart in school,…

  • Reviews

    Review: Boys of Blur

    I heard about Boys of Blur on the Fuse #8 blog from School Library Journal about some books that the author (Elizabeth Bird) thought might be strong contenders for the Newbery Award for 2015.  A slight novel, with less than 200 pages, Boys of Blur, packed a punch.  With strong parallel…

  • Reviews

    Three Times Lucky Audiobook

    I just got back this morning from a (very) short trip to visit my family.  My brother recently moved closer to home, my sister was in town for a wedding, and my other brother and his wife took some time off of work to visit.  We actually got the chance…

  • Reviews

    Knightley & Son

    If you’re looking for a fast-paced mystery for a great summer read, then Knightley & Son is the book for you!  Darkus Knightley is a 13-year-old boy whose been reading his father’s top secret files in his bedroom for the past four years while his father has been in a…

  • Reviews

    Princess Posey and the First Grade Parade

    I’ve finally begun working on my New Year’s resolution to find more books for beginning chapter book readers (i.e. early elementary school).  Princess Posey definitely fits the bill – in length of chapters and the book in its entirety, in vocabulary, and in content.  The first in the series is…

  • Lifestyle

    Rain, Rain Go Away…

    Although, I like having a day where  my story time theme (rain) matches the weather outside, this is a little too much weather for me!  It’s been raining heavily all day long with dreary gray skies which in turn makes for a very quiet library.  It wouldn’t be a problem, because…

  • Reviews

    The Impossible Knife of Memory

    I’ll start by saying I read this book from cover to cover over a 12-hour time span – I couldn’t put it down.  I’m familiar with Laurie Halse Anderson, but mostly for her historical fiction works, I’ve never read Speak or Wintergirls, but I think I’m going to have to…