Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 28, 2012

Summer reading lists

Looking for something to read this summer? Here are a couple of kid-centric reading lists we’ve come across recently, with options from pre-K to young adult:

Montclarion columnist Martin Snapp’s annual Ms. Ammenti’s Summer Reading List, courtesy of Jen Ammenti, the librarian at Redwood Day School

OUSD Library Services Recommended 2012 Summer Reading List:
Grades Pre-K-5
Grades 6-12

Some highlights from the lists you can pick up at the Montclair branch:
Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown (all ages)
Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa by Jeanette Winter (grades K-4)
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (grade 2)
Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin (grades 4-6)
It Happened on a Train by Mac Barnett (grade 5)

What’s on your summer reading list?

Coming soon: Summer reading suggestions for adults.

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Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 26, 2012

Teen reading suggestions

To Kill a Mockingbird, photo by Bruna Ferrara via Flickr

Looking for some young adult book recommendations for the summer?  On the lighter side, the OPL has a list of books for teens that have been made into movies, from Thor to Scott Pilgrim to the Hunger Games series.  For meatier reads, see last Saturday’s New York Times article Some Books Are More Equal Than Others for recommendations of “accessible nonfiction guaranteed to increase world and verbal knowledge” for middle schoolers, with titles about world events, food politics and more.

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Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 25, 2012

This week at Montclair library

There will be crafts and lots of storytime this week at the Montclair branch:

Wednesday June 27, 2012 – 10:30am
Jewelry Making with Chelsee Robinson
In this fun hands-on jewelry workshop, local designer and entrepreneur Chelsee Robinson will guide you in creating your own beautiful bracelet, necklace or earrings. Materials provided. Ages 6 and up.

Thursday June 28, 2012
10:15-10:45am – Toddler Storytime (ages 18 months to 3 years)
11:30-11:45am – Baby Bounce (birth to 18 months)

Saturday June 30, 2012 – 10:15am
Family Storytime (all ages)

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Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 24, 2012

Summer reading for grown-ups

Reading in a hammock, photo by Sonya Green via Flickr
So, we’ve covered the OPL’s summer reading program for kids and teens, but did you know there’s an Adult Summer Reading Program, too? From June 16 to August 11, 2012, the Main Library and all branches will participate, with prize drawings for readers who register for the program and submit reviews of the books they read for inclusion in a summer reading blog.

Sign up online, see what books others have reviewed and get all the details at the OPL website.

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Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 22, 2012

Baseball trivia contest

Step Up to the Plate @ your libraryThe Campaign for America’s Libraries is holding their annual “Step Up to the Plate @ your library” contest. Each week, answer the question they post on their website or on Facebook (hint: the library is a great place to research trivia answers, either on- or off-line) and be entered to win a trip for two to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Need some baseball-themed books to inspire you? Check out these titles at the Montclair branch:

Kids:

(For more baseball books for kids, including picture and chapter books, see Imagination Soup.)

Young Adults:

  • Summerland by Michael Chabon – Fairies, baseball, werefoxes, Indian mythology, sasquatches and more. Grades 5 and up.
  • Heat by Mike Lupica – Baseball is a life-saver for a kid growing up in a tough situation. Grades 5 and up.
  • The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John H. Ritter – Described as “the ‘Holes’ of baseball books,” the story of a small California town whose fate rests on the outcome of one baseball game. Grades 5-8.

(For more YA baseball books, see this Amazon list.)

Adults:

  • The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach. Last year’s much-talked-about best-selling novel about life and baseball.
  • Moneyball by Michael Lewis – The now-famous story of Billy Beane and the Oakland As.
  • Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend by James S. Hirsch. Biography of the baseball great and former Giant.

(For tons more baseball books for adults, on topics from physics to frankfurters to fiction, see GoodReads.)

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Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 18, 2012

This week at the library

The summer activities for kids are in full swing at the Montclair branch this week:

Unique Derique performs at the Woodside library, courtesy of San Mateo County Library

Unique Derique recruits a young body musician during a performance at the Woodside Library. Photo courtesy of San Mateo County Library.


Wednesday June 20, 2012 – 10:30am
Modeled Animal Craft
Come celebrate the Summer Reading Program – make your favorite animal!

Thursday June 21, 2012
10:15-10:45am – Toddler Storytime (ages 18 months-3 years)
11:30-11:45am – Baby Bounce (ages birth to 18 months)

Saturday June 23, 2012 – 10:30am
Juneteenth Celebration – The Unique Derique!
The funny and Unique Derique, internationally known for his unique blend of hambone body drumming, (an African American body percussion art form) and circus skills, will help us celebrate Juneteenth. All ages.

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Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 16, 2012

Raising a reader, part 2

Storytime, photo by Flickr user DeaPeaJay
Today’s the day: Sign-ups for the OPL Summer Reading Program start today! Stop into the branch today from 10:00am-5:30pm to get your materials. (Why not come today at 10:15 for family story time? Stories, songs and rhymes for all ages, followed by playtime. But I digress.) You can sign up any time this summer that the library’s open until August 11th, or on the OPL website. The Summer Passport Program for teens also kicks off today.

Did you know that even if your child is too young to read, he or she can still participate in the summer reading program? A parent, older sibling, grandparent or other caregiver can read to pre-readers and count the hours. A few days ago we posted some ways to encourage your child’s love of reading. Here are some tips for raising a lifelong reader by reading aloud from reading maven Pam Allyn:

1. Grow an appreciation of the sound and rhythm of language.
2. Model what readers do.
3. Teach higher level thinking skills.
4. Affirm a child’s own reading capacities and readiness skills.
5. Experience together the joy that reading brings.

See the full article on the PBS website for details and specific examples for each item.

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Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 14, 2012

Raising a reader

Kids reading - Photo by Clever Claire via Flickr
Judging by the number of searches for “summer reading program” on this site, many of you are excited about the library’s upcoming summer plans! You can sign up for the OPL summer reading program online or at the library starting June 16th. In the meantime, here are 5 tips for raising a reader, from PBS:

  1. Integrate reading adventures into your daily routine.
  2. Explore your local library.
  3. Bring learning tools with you on the road.
  4. Find educational activities you and your child can do together indoors and outdoors.
  5. Look for books and programs that feature your child’s favorite characters.

See the PBS website for ideas to help with the tips above and fun tools like a book finder that recommends children’s books based on age, theme or keywords (of course, your local children’s librarian is a real live book finder); a library-themed word scramble; a printable to help you generate a reading list; and more.

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Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 11, 2012

Meet our new Branch Manager

Lynne Cutler outside the office
We’re thrilled to announce that Lynne Cutler, who has been the acting Branch Manager for Montclair Library, is now permanent. Here’s a note of introduction from Lynne:

I want to introduce myself to the Montclair community. I have been assigned temporarily at the Montclair library since January, and was recently offered the branch manager position on a permanent basis and happily accepted it. I am thrilled to be staying here in this beautiful and friendly neighborhood.

I received my Masters in Library Science in 1983 from UC Berkeley. I have worked since at the Oakland Public Library (with 5 years also at the Alameda Free Library). I was at the Main Library until 2008, mostly in the Art, Music, History and Literature Department, but also in the Oakland History Room. I created the library’s disability services program and received City Employee of the Year for that, and a national Library Journal award. I then was the librarian at the African American Museum & Library of Oakland for two years, and Branch Manager at the King branch.

I live in Berkeley with two cats, Delia and Roisin, and a brand-new fluffy grey kitten called Fiona who just arrived this weekend. My boyfriend of nine years, Randy, also a librarian, lives nearby. My passions are many, including travel (I lived 5 years in Europe); reading; Catalan; silent film; folk music; bird watching; passengering on motorcycles…

I am very committed to this community and its library needs. One current project with former librarian Leon Cho is to scan historic articles and photos of Montclair and the library, to make a binder here for the public. Soon we will be able to offer adult programs, since we are getting rolling shelves for the back room. I’d like to offer workshops on using e-books, author programs, and local history talks, for starters. I plan on doing outreach throughout the Village. Collection development and weeding are a large part of the job. I always welcome suggestions on purchases. This is such a reading community! The Friends of Montclair Library, established in 2008, are a fantastic group of library supporters. It is a joy working with them.

Thank you – and next time you are in, introduce yourselves, I’d love to meet you.
Lynne Cutler

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Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 9, 2012

Books that launched a lifetime of reading

Reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid - photo by woodleywonderworks via Flickr

Think back to your childhood and try to remember the book that first got you reading. You couldn’t put it down. You were reading it at breakfast, on the bus, at recess and hidden underneath the covers at night. Your mom had to tear it from your hands to get your attention. For my daughter that book was the Penderwicks. For me, it was A Wrinkle in Time. What was it for you?
— Amy Graff on SFGate.com

The SFGate’s Mommy Files blog had an interesting post last week about books that made you fall in love with reading as a kid. Was there one book or series that set you up for a lifelong love of literature?

If you have a young reader at home, sign up for the library’s Summer Reading Program and search for the magic book that unlocks reading for your child, continue their established reading habit, or share some of your favorite books from childhood with them. Miriam, Montclair’s children’s librarian, can also recommend books based on your child’s reading level, interests, and other books they’ve liked.

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