Whenever Columbus Day comes I always get the "In fourteen hundred ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue." stuck in my head. Unfortunately, its only been that part, so I had to find out more!
I had to do a little research, because didn't know anything about the rhyme. Then I found out it was a poem and I needed to find out who wrote it and apparently, it was Jean Marzollo!
The reason for the exclamation was because she was in charge of all the I Spy books too. How cool!
Here's more information specifically about the book, In 1492.

IN 1492
In fourteen hundred ninety-two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
He had three ships and left from Spain;
He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.
He sailed by night; he sailed by day;
He used the stars to find his way.
A compass also helped him know
How to find the way to go.
Ninety sailors were on board;
Some men worked while others snored.
Then the workers went to sleep;
And others watched the ocean deep.
Day after day they looked for land;
They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand.
October 12 their dream came true,
You never saw a happier crew!
“Indians! Indians!” Columbus cried;
His heart was filled with joyful pride.
But “India” the land was not;
It was the Bahamas, and it was hot.
The Arakawa natives were very nice;
They gave the sailors food and spice.
Columbus sailed on to find some gold
To bring back home, as he’d been told.
He made the trip again and again,
Trading gold to bring to Spain.
The first American? No, not quite.
But Columbus was brave, and he was bright.

Halloween costumes! I have to think about four costumes ... well maybe three. Jack, my 14 year old, is probably too old to think about costumes, you think? My daughter, Leila, who is 10, is super excited and wants to be one of the characters from the anime Fairy Tale. How I'm going to do that, I don't know. So that's two down, two to go. The rest are for me. :)
I need to dress up for the Halloween party on October 26 at the library and I need a costume for a 5k that I'm running called "Scare Away Brain Cancer" earlier in the month.
I have a little idea what I could do for the Halloween party. I have two pajama onesies. A dragon one and a unicorn one. Which one do you think I should be?
As for the 5k, I'm thinking about being Minnie Mouse. That's a little harder because you want to wear something that you can actually run comfortably in, but that is obvious enough to tell what you are. This could be a safe one. :)
So what are you going to be for Halloween? This goes for kids, teens and adults! Let me know! I will of course, make sure to post pictures of said costumes as soon as I wear them. Promise.

 The Top 11 Challenged Books of 2018 are:

1. George by Alex Gino
   Reasons: banned, challenged, and relocated because it was believed to encourage children to clear browser history and change their bodies using hormones, and for mentioning “dirty magazines,” describing male anatomy, “creating confusion,” and including a transgender character
   
2. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss, illustrated by EG Keller
   Reasons: banned and challenged for including LGBTQIA+ content, and for political and religious viewpoints
3. Captain Underpants series written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey
   Reasons: series was challenged because it was perceived as encouraging disruptive behavior, while Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot was challenged for including a same-sex couple
4. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
   Reasons: banned and challenged because it was deemed “anti-cop,” and for profanity, drug use, and sexual references
5. Drama written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier
   Reasons: banned and challenged for including LGBTQIA+ characters and themes
6. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
   Reasons: banned, challenged, and restricted for addressing teen suicide
7. This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
   Reasons: banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and certain illustrations
8. Skippyjon Jones series written and illustrated by Judy Schachner
   Reason: challenged for depicting stereotypes of Mexican culture
9. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
   Reasons: banned and challenged for sexual references, profanity, violence, gambling, and underage drinking, and for its religious viewpoint
10. This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman, illustrated by Kristyna Litten
    Reason: challenged and burned for including LGBTQIA+ content
11. Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
    Reason: challenged and burned for including LGBTQIA+ content

Drum roll please!
Check out this summer's winners here.
We had lots of great readers. In fact, 563 people registered! That was a lot of necklaces and beads we went through. You were all so excited about the dog tags and beads that we will do it again next summer. That's right, we're already thinking about summer 2020. Next years theme is "Imagine Your Story" (its fairy tales/Mythology and fantasy).

There was a total of 209,440‬ minutes that you've read! That's "increadible" ... yes I'm a goofball.

So now we're looking into fall.  One of the things I'm most excited about are our new programs for parents. Here they are (click on the links to register and learn more):

SIP, SWAP, AND SHARE
For adults 18 and up. Do you have diapers, clothes, or toys your kids have outgrown? This program is a chance to meet and chat with other parents, have a cup of coffee or tea, and swap unneeded children’s items! We will have a different swap theme each month. Please feel free to attend even if you aren’t participating in that month’s swap! No registration required. Meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm:
                  September 3—Diaper Swap
October 1—Clothes Swap
November 5—Toy Swap
December 3—Book Swap
 
THE FACTS OF LICE
Saturday, September 14 at 2pm. For adults 18 and up.
Worried about what to do when your kids come home from school with pests? Come to our informational session presented by the Lice Clinics of America. They will share lice myths, what’s old information, what works to get rid of them, treatments, advice for the home, and most importantly, how not to panic! Registration begins August 31.
 
HEALTHY LUNCHTIME SNACKS WITH THE STORYBOOK COOK
Wednesday, September 18 at 7pm. For adults 18 and up.
Join us as we welcome Liz Bauld, The Storybook Cook, to our library. She will show us how to make some easy, fun, and delicious snacks to add to school lunches. The snacks will be healthier than what comes out of a bag, but still appeal to adults and children alike. Generous food samples will be provided...so come hungry! Registration is required and begins September 4.
 
PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE
Tuesday, October 29 from 6:30-8:30pm. For parents and caregivers.
Stop in and check out some of our local preschools. It's a chance to ask questions, get information, and discover what makes each school stand out from the rest. No registration required.
 
HAIR HELPERS
Saturday, November 23 at 2pm. For all ages and families.
If you have ever struggled with styling your child’s hair, this is the program for you! Come learn the basics of a few simple hairstyles to keep the bedhead at bay. We will have a mini hair supply kit for each participant! Please register both parent and child for this program. Registration begins November 9.
 

Week 6 is a mystery ... SERIOUSLY! Its a mystery! Read something mysterious to get the special bead, which is a totally fabulous one. Some mysterious things to try out.

Before I tell you what to read, let me tell you what programs to go to! Unfortunately, you may have missed out on our big end of the summer blow out, Tie Dye. We had an amazing time this morning and afternoon, and although it was pretty messy for the staff, we had an amazing time.
Tonight (Monday) at 6pm we have Minecraft. Bring in your tablet/laptop or come and borrow ours.
Wednesday at 10am we will be showing a movie about a yellow detective. Curious and want to learn more? Call and ask!
Thursday at 10am is Simply Stories with Pockets the Kangaroo from our local dentist, Dr Shea.
Thursday at 2:30pm we have KidsFit Conditioning, where we will be getting a great workout for our hearts! Interested? Register here.

Onto the book recommendations!

Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard is a fun mystery picture book. The kids in Room 207 take advantage of their teacher's good nature until she disappears and they are faced with a vile substitute. They decide to figure out how to get Miss Nelson back!

Cam Jansen, by David Adler is one of my favorites! She has photographic memory, but every time she is trying to remember something important related to the mystery she's going to solve, she says "CLICK", just like an old school camera.

Nate the Great, by Marjorie Sharmat is a great series for younger, beginning readers. You can get introduced to the detective mystery and problem-solve with Nate!

For you older people, check out Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein. It is a great and silly mystery that will keep you on your toes the whole time.
When Kyle learns that the world's most famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, has designed the town's new library and is having an invitation-only lock-in on opening night, he's determined to be there But the tricky part isn't getting into the library--it's getting out. Because when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route.

This week we're reading SILLY and HUMOROUS books!

One of my favorites is Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems, especially when he starts screaming "LET ME DRIVE THE BUS!" and he gets crazy eyes. :)
If you love the pigeon, there's a whole series to love.

For beginning readers, we have Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish. This series is about a quirky and confused maid named Amelia Bedelia. She's constantly doing things in her own way, which is usually different from how anyone else in the world would do things.

For you older people, check out Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Lois Sachar. The school was built ... you guessed it ... sideways, so instead of 30 classrooms long, its 30 classrooms high. This is about the class in room 13 who are delightfully eccentric and unusually gifted. This is a brilliant story of a very mixed-up and crazy school where only strange things happen.

Tuesday at 2pm we have five seats left for Kids Crafternoon.
You can register here.
Wednesday at 10am we are showing a movie about an elephant with big special ears. :) Hope you know what I'm talking about. If not, come in and ask!
Thursday at 2pm we have 20 seats left for our 4H group. This week we'll be doing fun things with plants!
You can register here.
Finally on Friday at 3pm, we have “Out of this World Etiquette... In a Galaxy Far, Far Away” you can learn mealtime manners, with Star Wars themed cupcakes and galaxy punch. Feel free to come dressed as your favorite character, if you wish, and get ready to explore, soar and discover etiquette & manners.
You can register here.

 I'm okay with this national holiday! Lasagna is one of our family favorites. Probably not during the summer, when its too hot to use the oven, but hey, I don't care if I'm at a restaurant. :)
Onto some of our fun stuff this week...
This Tween Crafternoon on Wednesday, July 31 at 3pm we will be making Starry Windchimes. Sounds like fun! (Registration Required)
The Lunar Lander has been at the Rochester Museum and Science Center and the man (Barry Nobles) bringing it is a wealth of knowledge. He'll be here on Wednesday too from 6-8pm. You can't miss it!
Our favorite dance instructor, Rosalind Walker, is back and this time we will be dancing our hearts out! We'll be meeting on Thursday, August 1 at 2:30pm. (Registration Required)
Our annual Teddy Bear Sleepover is back as well. Come and join me and Miss Jill as we tell lots of sleepy stories as you cuddle up with your favorite friends. Join us Thursday at 7:15pm after Lego Club, which is at 6pm. (Registration Required)
Finally, if you're a teen, we our ending our week with an Ice Cream Social like no other! That's Friday, August 2nd at 3pm. (Registration Required)

This week if you want to get your special bead, you need to read some historical fiction.
Some of our random favorites:
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Patricia Polacco
American Girl
Dear America

Today is also National Hammock Day! A little too cool and rainy to enjoy your hammock today, but maybe later in the week you could do a little of your 20 minute reading/listening on the hammock and pretend you did it today! 

So if you have entered summer reading already, this week is the PINK ticket. What that means is that this week you should add AUDIO BOOKS to your library bag! Remember that if you listen to an audio book, you will get a special bead that proves that you are an amazing listener.

Have smart phone or tablet?
Check out our Overdrive kids audio books that are available now.
​Check out our Overdrive teen audio books that are available now.
​
Other things that we have going on this week:
This evening from 6-7pm we have Cathy's Creativity Club, where we will make "puppets" (not especially difficult puppets, but fun anyways) and then create a story using special dice to help us. Then, depending on how long it takes, we will perform our play in front of the green screen. Should it take longer than anticipated, our green screen will be waiting for us next month too (on August 19). 
If this isn't your cup of tea, tonight we will also have Chess Club tonight from 6-7pm. 

Wednesday we'll be having Movie Morning at 10am. Be ready to eat popcorn and watch the third movie in a series where best friends (who just happen to be a cowboy and a spaceman) take on the world!
Wednesday afternoon at 3pm, if you happen to be between 8-12 you can make Galaxy watercolors that will take you to a place far, far away. (You have to register)

Thursday is CRAZY!
Simply Stories is at 10am: We'll be reading books about colors with Mr Dunning.
We will be HULA HOOPING like crazy at 2:30. This one there is registration since, in case of rain, we will be hula hooping indoors.
Then we end the day with Elephant and Piggie! Our favorite of all time. Elephant and Piggie (from the Mo Willems series) will be visiting us as we tell stories about them.

We will end the week on Friday with our annual Chalkathon at 10am which will happen RAIN OR SHINE!

And teens, we have not forgotten about you. Promise. We will be doing nail art at 3:30pm. We have a million different colors of nail polish, so registration is NOT required! ​

We started the summer off quietly but then added a nice huge BEEP!