May 8th- Amy Ignatow

Amy Ignatow will be at the Parkland Community Library to talk about her book The Popularity Papers.  (Books will be available for sale and she will sign them, too.)  That's on Saturday, May 8th from 1 t o2 pm.

I skimmed through the book a week or so ago and thought, "Cute!" and "Clever!" and then last night I sat down and read it from cover to cover.  It is one of the funniest books for middle grade readers that I have read in a long time.  (And, just between you and me, I read a LOT of books.)

Two best friends, Lydia and Julie,  decide that fifth grade is their last chance to learn what really makes people popular.  Their plan is to study what the popular girls do, copy them (Lydia's job because she is more daring) and write down their observations (Julie's job because she has better handwriting).  The book looks like a handwritten and illustrated notebook with the girls taking turns making entries, sometimes at the same time.  Experiments with hair color, clothes, after school activities, cell phones, whether or not to like boys all add up to a lot of fun.  A LOT of fun!!!  Read it.

Here's Amy's self-portrait and a short bio (just for fun.)

More Poetry Month

Here's a poem from Schoolyard Rhymes collected by Judy Sierra.  The poet is Anonymous!  It sounds like a jump rope rhyme.  Do you have a favorite jump rope rhyme to share at the Parkland Community Library?  Enjoy.

Oh, my, my.

I want a piece of pie.

Pie too sweet.

I want a piece of meat.

Meat too tough.

I want to ride the bus.

Bus too full.

I want to ride a bull.

Bull too black.

I want my money back.

Money too green.

I want a jellybean.

Bean too red.

I want to go to bed.

Bed too soft.

Throw the pillow off.

Close your eyes

And count to ten,

And if you mess up,

Start over again.

Poetry!

Here are some family friendly Poetry Month events in our area this week.

Fly a Poem month at the Parkland Community Library.  Submit your favorite poem - original or by another author - and we will post it on a kite shape and display it in the library.  Fill the library with kites and poems.

Fancy Nancy fans can visit the Whitehall Borders store this Saturday for a poetry party.  Click here for details.

Here's a poem to get the poetic juices flowing.  (And to remind you to visit the Parkland Community Library Wednesday, April 14th, at 7 pm for a program by the Lehigh Valley Zoo.)

The Porcupine by Karla Kuskin

A porcupine looks somewhat silly /
He also is extremely quilly. /
And if he shoots a quill at you, /
Run fast /
Or you'll be quilly too. /

I would not want a porcupine /
To be my loving Valentine.


 

National Library Week

Happy National Library Week!  "Communities Thrive @ Your Library" - that's this year's theme.  Visit the Parkland Community Library this week to submit a poem in the Fly a Poem project, to check out the latest books and resources on the environment or to use the computer.

Tuesday, April 13th is Movie Night, sponsored by the Parkland Community Library and held at the South Whitehall Township building.  Call the library at 610-398-1361 to find out what movie will be shown.  The film starts at 6:30 pm.

On Wednesday, April 14th, at 7 pm, educators from the Lehigh Valley Zoo will be at the Parkland Community Library with some of the animals from the LVZoo.  Find out how animals thrive and survive - at the Parkland Community Library.

And the Winner is......

Katherine Paterson made the final choice this morning in The Battle of the (Kids') Books.  To recap, the final two books were The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardinge and Marching for Freedom by Elizabeth Partridge.  Then to create more interest or suspense or difficulty to the choice, followers voted for one of the 16 original books to come back from the dead in the final round.  The Undead book was The Frog Scientist by Pamela S. Turner.

Paterson had a hard choice because as she says in her explanation this morning, this was like comparing "apples, orangutans and orchids." 

Her choice?  Marching for freedom!!!!!!!!  (It has the absolutely finest subtitle I have ever read, "walk together, children, and don't you grow weary".)

Hmmm, what should the YS staff read now?  (This member of the YS staff is working her way through the works of the late great Sid Fleischman.)  Without the urgency of The Battle of the Kids' Books, the YS staff may need some other suggestions.  Just let us know what you are reading.

Battle wages on...

I was mistaken about when this battle will end.  The final decision will be announced on Monday.  Today, the UNDEAD was revealed.  That book, the one librarians voted to return from the dead before the start of this whole thrill ride began, was revealed this morning.

So which one was it?  Sweethearts of Rhythmn?  Claudette Colvin?  Charles and Emma?  Fire?  Sit down, please.

The Undead, the spoiler, the third book thrown into the final judging is....The Frog Scientist by Pamela S. Turner.  Jump, frog, jump!

Semi-Finals Complete

WHOA!!  This blogger's predictions for the Finals have been blown out of the water.  In an earlier post, I was sure that Charles and Emma would best The Lost Conspiracy in yesterday's judging, and that Tales from Outer Suburbia would overcome its competitor (unknown at that writing) to move to the Final Round.  WRONG!!! 

Marching for Freedom, that moving account of children and teens who worked for Civil Rights before and during the March on Selma will vie against The Lost Conspiracy tomorrow.  Tales from Outer Suburbia will have to watch from the sidelines UNLESS...There is a third unknown title, voted for before this whole contest began, that will come back from the dead.  Any of the 14 titles that have been eliminated may return to oust the finalists.  Perhaps the final winner will be Charles and Emma or Fire or Tales from Outer Suburbia or, even The Frog Scientist.  And the decision lies with the renowned and respected author, Katherine Paterson.  The suspense is building.

Check out the entire contest and Walter Dean Myers decision making process for today's judging and check back tomorrow to see who reigns supreme.