Summer Reading Begins

June 27th, 2006 by cathy

If I didn’t like the kids and teens so much, I’d have to say that I CANNOT wait until September. Fortunately, I do like them, so I’m safe.

I’ve been trying to get them to sign up for summer reading, and its like pulling teeth. One five year old even started crying and sobbing out loud. “Mommy, don’t make me!”, over and over. I felt terrible. So then I started telling her about the books she could read, like “Winchell Cuts the Cheese”, “Magdelina Catelina Hoopensteiner Wallendiner Hogan Logan Bogan Was Her Name”, “Walter the Farting Dog”, “Stinky Smelly Feet” and “The Truth about Poop”. By the time she left, she was laughing out loud, and her mom looked slightly green.

I don’t know why kids dread reading so much. I try and put out great fun and COMPLETELY uneducational books out there for them, but they still don’t want to read.

What DOES get them to read however, is the giant candy bars and slices of pizza the size of their heads that I’m giving away as prizes.

I have TONS of programs for the kids and teens.

For the kids:

Throughout the Summer

Kids Reading Program
June 26th through August 4th
Two groups: for ages 4 – 8 and 9 – 12
Come in and sign up!

Kids Knit (or crochet)
beginning July 6 at 4 pm
Every other Thursday, grades 4 – 8
No experience is necessary!

Afternoon Movies for kids
beginning July 3 at 1 pm
G rated movie every other Monday through July 31
Bring snacks, your favorite blanket and stuffed animal

Elementary Book Group
4th Friday in July & August @ 12 pm
Attention kids in grades 3 – 6, join us for pizza and discussion!
Sign up so we have enough pizza for you.
July – read an adventure of your choosing
August – read a fantasy of your choosing

Special Programs

Injest with Nels Cremean
July 5 at 2 pm for all ages
“In Jest,” blends clean comedy, flying objects, acts of balance, absurd theatrics, and assorted fruits and vegetables.

Opening Week

Animal Draw with Mary Beth Dolan!
J
une 29 at 2 pm, Ages 5 and up and limited to 25 kids.
A funny class for younger artists!
Learn how to draw the faces and bodies of several kinds of animals.
This program includes a cool take-home workbook.

Princesses and Princes Tea Party
June 30 at 12 pm, for all ages. Space is limited.
Let us know if you have any food allergies.
Join us for a special tea party with dainty sandwiches and peppermint tea!
Make sure to bring your own tea cup.
The librarian will be in her nicest dress, and you should too!

Pirate Week

Pirate Story Time
July 11 at 10:30 – 11:00 am for ages 3 – 5
Get ready to join a group of scurvy pirates on the ship
S.S. Reads-a-lot for lots of swashbuckling fun!

Pirate Craft
July 12 at 1 pm for ages 5 and up
Heave ho and a bottle of glue is all you need to make this craft.
Space is limited, so sign up in advance!

Pirate Movie
July 13 at 1 pm
There be pirates in this G rated movie!
Bring snacks, your favorite blanket and stuffed animal.

Treasure Hunt for Kids
July 14 between 10:30 – 4:30 pm
How well do you know your library?

Princess (but Princes are welcome too) Week

Princess Story Time
July 25 at 10:30 – 11 am for ages 3 – 5
By Royal Proclamation, you are invited to listen
to wonderful stories about princesses and princes.

Princess Craft
July 26 at 1 pm ages 5 and up
You’ll be making something so fabulous; you’ll have to wear sunglasses to look at it, but don’t worry guys we’ve got you covered too.
Space is limited, so sign up in advance!

Princess Movie
July 13 at 1 pm
Which princess do you think it could be in this G rated film?
Bring snacks, your favorite blanket and find out!

Princess Ball
July 28 at 2 pm for ALL AGES!
Party on down in you’re most glamorous duds and don’t forget all your jewels!

Closing Week

Act Like a Pirate Day
August 9 all day long!
Come in any time that day, dress like a pirate, see the pirates at the library and learn how to talk like a pirate! ARR!

End of the Summer Reading Pizza Party
August 11
For all kids who participated in the program!
Pizza and games at 12 pm
Accordion Pat at 1 pm

For the Teens:

Reading Competition

June 26th through August 4th
Compete against Brockport, Hamlin and Ogden

End of the summer Pizza Party

August 10 at 6:00 pm
For all teens who competed. The pizza party will be held at the winning library. It better be ours!

Writing Group

beginning June 29 at 4 pm
Come in every other Thursday through August 24th and share in the joy of writing with other teens!

Teen Movies

beginning June 26th at 1 pm
Every other Monday until August 7th, we will show a PG or PG-13 rated movie. Bring your snacks and get comfy!

Book Discussion Group

1st Friday of the month at 12 pm
July – Jennifer Government by Max Barry
August – Homebody by Orson Scott Card
September – Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian

Dance Dance Revolution

1st and 3rd Tuesday each month at 4 pm
July 18th
– Special DDR Competition

Anime Group

2nd Tuesday of every month at 4 pm
July 11th
– Special Japanese Surprise

Game Group

4th Tuesday of every month at 4 pm
July 25th
– Play Skallywags with the creator, Chris Pallace

Yu Gi OH! Group

EVERY Wednesday at 4 pm
July 5 through August 23
Join other teens that play Yu Gi Oh for fun. This is NOT a tournament, and we do not play for keeps. Plus you could teach the librarian a thing or two about the game!

So you see why I look forward to the fall. Granted I have all these fab-u programs going on all summer, but most of this is going to be put on by little old me. There’s only four times this summer I’ve paid other people to do stuff, all because:

  1. I can’t draw
  2. I can’t ride a unicycle
  3. I didn’t create the game Skallywags
  4. I can’t play the accordian (although my husband and I own one… but neither of us can play)

Okay so I complain. I really shouldn’t because I put all of this on myself. I want to do the programs myself, really. Then I get to really interact with the kids/teens and they get to know me. Plus I can do more programs because I spend a lot less money on them.

Oh well, I guess they’ll just have to cart my remains away in a wheelbarrow at the end of the summer.

Of course in the words of Monty Python, who sum it up best in their movie , Monty Python and the Holy Grail: (BTW, I know its long, but its funny)

The Dead Collector: Bring out yer dead.
[a man puts a body on the cart]
Large Man with Dead Body: Here’s one.
The Dead Collector: That’ll be ninepence.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn’t: I’m not dead.
The Dead Collector: What?
Large Man with Dead Body: Nothing. There’s your ninepence.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn’t: I’m not dead.
The Dead Collector: ‘Ere, he says he’s not dead.
Large Man with Dead Body: Yes he is.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn’t: I’m not.
The Dead Collector: He isn’t.
Large Man with Dead Body: Well, he will be soon, he’s very ill.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn’t: I’m getting better.
Large Man with Dead Body: No you’re not, you’ll be stone dead in a moment.
The Dead Collector: Well, I can’t take him like that. It’s against regulations.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn’t: I don’t want to go on the cart.
Large Man with Dead Body: Oh, don’t be such a baby.
The Dead Collector: I can’t take him.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn’t: I feel fine.
Large Man with Dead Body: Oh, do me a favor.
The Dead Collector: I can’t.
Large Man with Dead Body: Well, can you hang around for a couple of minutes? He won’t be long.
The Dead Collector: I promised I’d be at the Robinsons’. They’ve lost nine today.
Large Man with Dead Body: Well, when’s your next round?
The Dead Collector: Thursday.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn’t: I think I’ll go for a walk.
Large Man with Dead Body: You’re not fooling anyone, you know. Isn’t there anything you could do?
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn’t: I feel happy. I feel happy.
[the Dead Collector glances up and down the street furtively, then silences the Body with his a whack of his club]
Large Man with Dead Body: Ah, thank you very much.
The Dead Collector: Not at all. See you on Thursday.
Large Man with Dead Body: Right.

Tomorrow (hopefully): A rant about teens who hang outside the library in order to:

  1. write graffiti on the walls
  2. set fires next to the library
  3. smoke (god only knows what)
  4. make babies in the alley between the library and the next building

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