Dig Into Reading!

The weather is getting warmer and children everywhere are counting down those last few days of school. Summer vacation will soon be upon us - more time outdoors; more time with family and friends; and more time to read!

Handley Regional Library is thrilled to announce the launch of our 2013 Summer Reading Program, Dig Into Reading.

Dig into Reading is a fantastic programe for all children and teens.  Just 15 to 30 minutes of daily reading helps children and young adults become better readers, and it's an excellent way to ensure that over the summer they don't lose all that important learning they gained over the school year.  

You can register for Dig into Reading any time after June 1st. Click here to register online or come and see us at your local library. For every six hours of reading you complete, you will receive a book from our book trunks. We'll also be giving away book themed prizes throughout the summer so be sure and register early.

There's also a whole lot of exciting things happening at your local libraries over the summer - PJ storytimes, puppets, magic, pirates - even gnomes on the roam! Click here to find more information about all the great library activities you can be a part of during the summer.

Join us for a Rally for Reading on Saturday the first of June at Bowman Library between 11am and 2:30pm, and help us get our summer of reading off to a fantastic start. 

Here's to summer and here's to lots of super summer stories! Get out there and Dig into Reading!

Happy Birthday Margaret Wise Brown!

Today we celebrate the birthday of beloved and prolific children's author, Margaret Wise Brown. Whilst Brown is best known for the classic bedtime story, Goodnight Moon, she also produced over fifty books for young children, including Big Red Barn and Runaway Bunny.

"Goodnight stars. Goodnight air. Goodnight noises everywhere."

It was whilst working as a teacher in New York city that Brown began to write for children. Her first story, When the Wind Blew, was published in 1937. Brown loved animals and most of her books have animals as characters in the story. She also loved rhythm and rhyme and you can often find repeated word patterns in her stories.

"If you become a little boy and run into a house", said the mother bunny, "I will become your mother  and catch you in my arms and hug you."

Brown tried to write the way children wanted to hear a story. Her books addressed the everyday world and the concerns of children. This went against the traditionally held belief that fairytales, myths, legends and folktales were the best way to introduce young children to literature. She listened to children - to how they talked, to the songs and poems that they made up - and created stories about children like themselves, in the style of language that they actually used. 

I like bugs. Black bugs. Green bugs. Bad bugs. Mean  bugs.

So celebrate the young readers in your life and celebrate Margaret Wise Brown too - come in and see us and check out some of the wonderful stories created by an equally wonderful author.

Happy Birthday Margaret Wise Brown!

Children's Book Week 2013

This week it's Children's Book Week - an annual celebration of books for young readers and the joy of reading. Every year since 1919 events have been held at libraries, bookstores, schools, homes...anywhere you find young readers and books. This year, over 50 cities across the country will host exciting events, featuring well known authors and illustrators.

Here's Robin Press Glaisser, illustrator of the wonderful Fancy Nancy series, at a very fancy CBW art show in Los Angeles.

The official CBW website is packed full of information about this very special week. (You can visit the site by clicking on the pink words "CBW website")

There are ideas on how to celebrate CBW ; you can read all about the history of CBW;  try out some CBW puzzles and you can download the official CBW bookmark, designed by Grace Lin.

If you are reading this blog then we're pretty sure that children's books are already an important part of your lives, but how about taking some extra time this week to really celebrate the amazing gift of writing and illustrating for children.

You could:

• visit your local library or bookstore
• dress your family up as their favourite book characters
• donate gently used books that you no longer need
• write your own stories and create illustrations for them
• write and share a review of one of your favourite books
• share this blog post on your Facebook page...
• and, of course...read, read and then read some more!!

Until next time...Happy Children's Book Week!

Official Book Week poster designed by Brian Selznick.

Your YouthScope!

Your YouthScope!

Welcome to the YouthScope Blog – a place for the youth of Winchester City and Frederick and Clarke Counties – and their parents, caregivers and teachers.

Here you’ll find an exciting space that celebrates the gift of reading.

v A place that reflects the interests, needs and ideas of our youth – be they baby and toddler, preschooler, elementary, middle or high school student.

v A place that showcases all the wonderful literacy programs offered by our libraries.

v A place for sharing reviews, recommendations, and book lists.

v A place to find help and advice on all sorts of things – developing lifelong readers, useful websites, help with homework and research, great Apps…we could go on and on!

YouthScope is for you – our library community and we welcome your input.

v Do you have ideas and suggestions for what you would like to see on the YouthScope blog?

v Have you read a book, watched a movie, surfed a website or used an App that you’d like to share with others?

v Have you taken part in one of our library programs and wish to share your experience?

We would also like to hear from any budding designers and artists who would be keen to create a logo for our YouthScope blog. Send us your design and we’ll feature it on YouthScope.

Keep up to date with all that is happening on YouthScope by liking Handley Regional Library on Facebook, or by entering your email address in the box on this page. You will receive an email message every time a new post is added.

Suggestions, ideas, comments and logo designs can be emailed to us at hrlyouthscope@gmail.com.

Until next time, happy reading!