Plum Creek Literacy Festival

Last week I attended the Plum Creek Children's Literary Festival at Concordia University in Seward. I would highly recommend this festival to anyone interested in Children’s and Young Adult literature. This year Carmen Agra Deedy, David Biedrzycki, John Erickson, John Archambault, Preston McDaniels, Gordon Korman, Anne Silvey, Shelley Gill, and others held informative and entertaining presentations. I enjoy hearing from nationally known award-winning authors and illustrators the “story behind the story” – how they got started, how they selected the theme for their books, or what authors inspire them. So think about attending next year (October 9, 2010) when Dan Gutman and Alyssa Capucilli are scheduled for festival. You will be very glad you did.

Annual Halloween Party

We dare you to come to Florence Branch Library for a spooktacular night of storytelling, creepy crafts, ghoulish games, frightfully fun food, and more! Listen to scary (and not so scary) stories with activities, crafts, food and a visit to Frankenstein's lab.

Wednesday, October 28 from 6:00-7:30 pm

Preschoolers, You're Invited

Preschoolers, you're invited to storytime every Wednesday or Thursday at 10:30 am. We will continue our journey through the alphabet this month. Listen to stories, flannelboard stories, songs, fingerplays, and receive a take home craft, t00.

October 7 and 8 F is for Funny Fish
October 14 and 15 G is for Goats Galore
October 21 and 22 H is for Happy Hats
October 28 and 29 I is for I Scream for Ice Cream

Autumn Harvest Time

October is just around the corner. Have you noticed that the weather is getting cooler and the leaves are starting to change colors? Check out these books about autumn at the library. Consider going on a nature walk but be sure to take along a paper bag to gather leaves, small twigs, dried flowers or other nature objects. You can create an art project with what you have found!

Autumn by JoAnn Macken
Autumn Leaves by Ken Robbins
Clifford’s First Autumn by Norman Bridwell
Crafts to Make in the Fall by Kathy Ross
Fall Leaves Fall by Zoe Hall
Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson
Footballs and Falling Leaves : a Fall Counting Book by Rebecca Davis
How Do You Know It’s Fall? by Allan Fowler
How Leaves Change by Sylvia Johnson
Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
Leaves by David Stein
Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! by Nancy Wallace
Let’s Look at Fall by Sarah Schuette
Sketching Outdoors in Autumn by Jim Arnoksy
Why Do Leaves Change Color? by Betsy Maestro

Apples, Apples, Apples

Johnny Appleseed walked all over the Midwest planting apples trees for everyone to enjoy. Did you know that Johnny Appleseed’s birthday is September 26? Why not celebrate by reading all about apples and making an apple snack today!

An Apple a Day by Jennifer Gillis
Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall
Apples by Jacqueline Farmer
Apples by Gail Gibbons
Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell
How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro
Johnny Appleseed : a Tall Tale by Steven Kellogg
Johnny Appleseed : the Story of a Legend by Will Moses
Life on an Apple Orchard by Judy Wolfman
Out and About at the Apple Orchard by Diane Mayr
The Apple Doll by Elisa Kleven
The Apple Pie That Papa Baked by Laruen Thompson
The Life and Times of an Apple by Charles Micucci
We All Fall for Apples by Emmi S. Herman
Who Was Johnny Appleseed? by Joan Holub

Pajama Storytime Begins

This storytime is offered on the third Tuesday of the month. Wear your p.j.'s and bring a stuffed animal friend to experience a variety of stories, flannelboards, songs and other activities. Enjoy milk and cookies, too!

Preschool Storytime Begins

Preschool Storytime is presented every Wednesday and Thursday morning at 10:30 am. Come to the library and listen to stories, flannelboard stories, songs and fingerplays. Each child will receive a storytime sheet listing fingerplays, songs, suggested books, Spanish Word of the Week, Sign Language Word of the Week and an early literacy tip. Each week the stories will center on a letter of the alphabet and an alphabet sheet will be provided to take home. A take-home craft or coloring sheet may be included.

On Wednesday, September 23 and Thursday, September 24 the theme is -
D is for Daring Dinosaurs

On Wednesday, September 30 and Thursday, October 1 the theme is -
E is for Egg-cellent Eggs