Summer Reading week 3 celebrates the ZOO

It's the third week of Summer Reading at Conshohocken Free Library!  Have you signed up for Beanstack yet, to track your reading?  Our Friends group has some fantastic prizes for readers of all ages, including gift cards to local merchants and restaurants, prize packs for kids, a brand new Kindle, an American Girl Doll, a $100 gift card to Barnes & Noble, tickets to Longwood Gardens and Morris Arboretum--the list goes on and on!

This week, we have a Grab & Go craft to help you celebrate the zoo.  These are available at the library while supplies last.

For special events this week, we are part of the MontCo One Book One Author celebration featuring artist/graphic novelist Jarrett Krosoczka.  Jarrett will talk to middle graders tonight and teens tomorrow night.  There is still room in both programs--get more information HERE.  We still have some copies of Jarrett's books to give away if you stop by our library.

Teen comics fans would also enjoy the program we are joining in on for this Thursday and Friday!  On July 1 and July 2 at 3 PM, take a deep dive into the common tropes seen in Anime and its historical link to Japan’s culture with local artist, Keville Bowen.  Get more information about that program HERE.  

Finally, Harry did this week's read-alouds.  Enjoy them here, or visit our YouTube Channel to see all our read-alouds.

Summer Reading - week 2 is WILD

Hello, all!  We are in our second week of Summer Reading at Conshohocken Free Library.  We hope that you have signed up to treack your reading on our Beanstack platform at mcnpl.beanstack.org.  We have some great prizes this year, so make sure you sign up, and check off every day that you do at least 15 minutes of reading.  Readers of all ages are welcome to join us; summer reading is not just for kids!

Programs and events: every week, we are focusing on a theme.  Starting each Monday, we will post read-alouds that you can watch anytime during the week, and we will have a "grab and go" craft available for pickup at the library.  We have some special programs on Wednesdays and Thursdays as well.  We also have Baby Story time on the lawn on Tuesday mornings (weather permitting, and with limited attendance).

This week's theme is WILD.  Check out the videos below of the stories that Sydney read for this week.  We have two programs planned for this week as well, and we hope you will join us:

• Art Workshop with Amy Grebe - Where the Wild Things Are
  Wednesday, June 23 at 7PM.  For kids in grades K-5.
  We'll roll a rumpus! A roll of the dice will help direct this paper cutting collage as we create our own Wild Things Book--reading included, of course! Register in advance and pick up a craft kit at the library the week before the program.  Register HERE.
• Virtual Trivia - MUSIC
  Thursday, June 24 at 7PM.  Appropriate for all ages, families welcome!
  
  How well do you know MUSIC? Angela from Perkiomen Valley Library at Schwenksville and Sydney from Conshohocken Free Library are going to try to stump you with questions on a variety of topics dealing with music. See if your family team can win!  If you are not already signed up for trivia on Perkiomen Valley Library's email list, you can register HERE  or you can email PVL

Happy Reading!

Summer Reading starts Saturday!

Who's ready for Summer Reading?  We are! 

Starting Saturday, you can track your reading at mcnpl.beanstack.org.  We have some great prizes this year, so make sure you sign up, and check off every day that you do at least 15 minutes of reading.  Readers of all ages are welcome to join us!

Programs and events: every week, we are focusing on a theme.  Starting each Monday, we will post read-alouds that you can watch anytime during the week, and we will have a "grab and go" craft available for pickup at the library.  We have some special programs on Wednesdays and Thursdays as well.  We also have Baby Story time on the lawn on Tuesday mornings (weather permitting, and with limited attendance).

For our first week, our theme is BIRDS.  Check out these stories that Sydney recorded, and plan to join us for a Beginner Birdwatching for Kids program on Thursday, June 17 at 2PM.  Sydney will be joined by Rebecca Blacketter from Norristown Farm Park, who will have a lot to tell us about getting started with birdwatching.  The registration link is HERE.  

Reading African American authors with your kids

 

A post from Sydney and Ms. Lorraine.

One way to recognize and honor Black History Month is to read books with your family that feature the African American experience, and that are written or illustrated by African Americans.  Fortunately, there are plenty of amazing African American authors and illustrators to choose from on our library shelves!  There are so many that is hard to choose just a few to highlight here.  We highly encourage you try some of these with your family this month, and beyond! 

Picture Books:

We have to start with the wonderful Pinkney Family!  Jerry Pinkney is a Philadelphia-born author and illustrator.  He has illustrated over 100 books since 1964, including picture books, nonfiction titles and novels. Pinkney's works address diverse themes and are usually done in watercolors.  He has received multiple awards for his illustrations and his contributions to the field of children's literature. Jerry’s wife, Gloria Jean Pinkney, is also an author, and several of their children are prolific authors or artists as well.  Search for the name “Pinkney” in our catalog—you will be amazed at how many titles come up!

Here are just a few other ideas for picture books authors and illustrators:

• Kadir Nelson (e.g., We Are the Ship: the Story of the Negro Baseball League)
• Donald Crews (e.g., Freight Train)
• Faith Ringgold (e.g., Tar Beach)
• Natasha Tarpley (e.g., I Love My Hair!)
• John Steptoe (e.g., Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: an African Tale)

Chapter Books & Graphic Novels: 

Jacqueline Woodson has written books for all ages but may be best known for her works for middle grader readers: e.g., Harbor Me (a novel) and Brown Girl Dreaming (her beautiful memoir in verse).  You can read her many picture books--including The Day You Begin, Show Way, or The Other Side (illustrated by the equally wonderful E.B. Lewis)--with young children.  On their own, adults would enjoy Red at the Bone or Another Brooklyn.  Here are just a few more ideas if you are looking for African American authors for middle graders:

• Sharon M. Draper (e.g., Stella by Starlight
• Kwame Alexander (e.g., Crossover)
• Jerry Craft (e.g., New Kid)
• Rita Williams-Garcia (e.g., One Crazy Summer)
• Kwame Mbalia (e.g., Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky)
• Mildred D. Taylor (e.g., Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry)
• Christopher Paul Curtis (e.g., Bud, Not Buddy)
• Renee Watson (e.g., Ways to Make Sunshine)

Young Adult:  

It’s wonderful to see more and African American authors appearing on the YA shelves.  Sydney just read a recent publication, Legendborn, by Tracy Deonn, and highly recommends it for fantasy YA fans.  Here are a few more of authors to try—they offer contemporary fiction, fantasy, novels in verse. 

• Angie Thomas (e.g., The Hate U Give)
• Tomi Adeyemi (Children of Blood and Bone series)
• Elizabeth Acevedo (e.g., Clap When You Land)
• Jason Reynolds (e.g., Long Way Down)
• Bethany Morrow (A Song Below Water)
• Walter Dean Myers (e.g., Monster)

Are any of your favorites listed here?  There are so many more to choose from.  Commemorate Black History Month with us this month and check out some of these great reads. We think you'll discover some new favorites to keep enjoying all year! 

What we're reading: Catching up with Christmas gifts

A post from Sydney  (silly dog included in the photo above to catch your attention!)

When you were a kid, did you have that aunt who gave you books for every holiday?  Yeah, I'm that aunt.  It may be even worse for my kids: I am a serious book pusher, giving them for every holiday, every opportunity.  I don’t even wait for my kids to submit requests-- I already know what I think they would like, and they next thing they know, I’ve given them a copy, or grabbed it from the library, and then I am bugging them about what they think of it. 

I can understand how this might be a bit annoying….  But this year, both kids loved their Christmas books, so much so that they turned the tables on me and insisted I read them as well.  I really couldn’t say no, after all the reading I’ve foisted on them over the years, right?  

I just finished Legendborn, by Tracy Deonn.  This was the gift for my daughter who is a lover of all things fantasy and YA.  As soon as I finished that, I started The Crooked Hinge, by John Dickson Carr, which was the gift for my Sherlock Holmes-loving son.  My son is all about logic and deduction, so I thought this classic “locked room” mystery would be right up his alley.  He thought it was great and is eagerly waiting for me to finish it so we can discuss.  In the meantime, my daughter and I are gushing about Legendborn, because we just loved this book.

YA and fantasy fans—you need to get yourself a copy of Legendborn!  On a very basic level, I can describe it as a modern YA novel, where a young girl navigates college, boys, all while suffering through the grief of just having lost her mother in a tragic car accident.  But it is so much more than that.  Throw in the legend of King Arthur and some serious magic.  Now add in the twist that, Bree, the main character, is African American, and the action is set in the South, with all that you can imagine that entails. The author doesn’t shy away from showing the racism Bree faces today, or that her ancestors suffered through.  We loved Bree, Bree’s voice, the relationships between the characters, and the creativity behind this book.  It was enthralling, exciting, and we are very much looking forward to the next book in the series. 

Museum Inspired Grab & Go Bags!

A post from Ms. Lorraine.

With many museums closed for public visitation, I thought we could have fun and learn with STEAM activities connected to some of the museums we have library passes for, thus keeping them in our hearts until we can visit in person. 

Using very few supplies, we can create and experiment with ideas I’ve researched and modified. 

Most of their websites have a variety of virtual offerings, as well, depending on your desires to learn or just have fun. 

OK, so what is all the fuss about STEM/STEAM?, you may ask.  What’s the difference between STEM and STEAM? And just what makes STEM/STEAM learning important? Let me share what I have learned.

Science encourages investigation and answering questions, often involving experimentation.

Technology refers to using simple tools like crayons and rulers, as well as more complex ones like microscopes and computers

Engineering refers to recognizing problems and testing solutions

Arts encourage creativity and allows children to illustrate concepts they are learning

Mathematics deals with numbers, but also patterns, shapes, organizational skills and much more

The main difference between STEM and STEAM is STEM explicitly focuses on scientific concepts.  STEM represents science, technology, engineering and math, while STEAM adds in the arts – humanities, language arts, dance, drama, music, visual arts, design and new media.

STEM and STEAM learning are both very important because these five disciplines are used in everyday activities. They promote problem solving, innovation, and creative and analytical thinking. STEM disciplines are a growing part of our economy.  Including the A for Arts helps us remember the importance of personal expression and creativity as well.   

So let the fun and learning begin!

Look for our Grab-N-Go Bucket on the Front porch starting January 5th!

What We're Reading: And We Came Outside and Saw the Stars Again

 

What We’re Reading: a series where we, your librarians, share what we're reading this week. A post from Harry.

A new addition to the Conshy Library's collection, And We Came Outside and Saw the Stars Again is an anthology featuring writers from all over the world responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. With contributions from over 50 global authors, this book collects deeply personal reactions to the pandemic yet remind us that the pandemic is a shared experience, that even in our isolation we are not alone.

This collection ranges from personal essay to poetry, from Mauritius to Canada, juxtaposing genre and location. It offers a global view of the unfolding tragedy, reminding us that we are all in this together as we hunker down and do our best to keep others safe. 

One of the more provocative pieces is by the Sudanese writer Khalid Albaih who asks that the reader reflect on what privilege hides behind the phrases "new normal" and "old normal".  He reminds us that there are people in places around the world that live everyday under lockdown because of geopolitical conflicts out of their control. A more poignant story talks about a child who falls in love with Jane Goodall and her chimpanzee friends during quarantine. A poem talks about a pile of books that the narrator cannot force himself to read. 

Most of the selections were written during the early months of lockdown, between March and May of this year. Reading them now, it is interesting to reflect on how our understanding of the virus has changed, as well as our ability to cope with "the new normal". Uncertainty is one of the underlying themes that connect all the works, and while much is still uncertain, vaccines are being administered for the first time across the United States. The light at the end of the tunnel that so many of these writers are hoping for is finally arriving.

While some might want to put more space between them and the pandemic before reading, I found it therapeutic to read this anthology. I'd highly recommend this for high school age and above. Anyone will find something that they connect with in this collection, and connection has never been more important.