Book Notes

From the desk of the director!

"Book Notes" are a series of talks given by the Port Library director over the radio at our local station, KVSV radio. Printed below are previews of two new books at the Port Library. If you are interested in either book, please call the library at the number listed at the upper left corner of the blog main page.

The 6 Sacred Stones by Matthew Reilly.

The follow-up to Matthew Reilly's the 7 Deadly Wonders manages to be even more over-the-top than its predecessor, no small feat in a series that makes the DaVinci Code seem mighty tame by comparison.
In Reilly's vision, Earth is in peril once more as a voracious Dark Star approaches. The only defence agains Armageddon is an elaborate series of secret rituals involving six diamond pillars spaced around the globe. Enter metal-armed superhero Jack West, Jr., his faithful peregrine falcon Horus, and a ragtag band of adventurers who speed around the world in a black 747 named Halicarnassus, flown by a pilot named Sky Monster.
Whisking readers through wave after wave of nonstop action on a cloud of exuberant improbabilities, Matthew Reilly really makes readers feel like a kid again - and it's a blast!
Teens who say books can't hold a candle to movies or video games need to take a look at The 6 Sacred Stones.

If You Didn't Bring Jerky, What Did I Just Eat? by Bill Heavey

If you have never read or even glanced at Field & Stream...worse yet, if you don't know or care what it is, please stop reading this right now. BUT, if you not only know what it is, but enjoy every page right to the back page, then you'll want to read on.
Bill Heavey has written a humorous column on the back page of this magazine for nearly a decade, but is more than a mere humorist. He also possesses a deep and infectious love f nature, and his writing evokes the pleasures of hunting and fishing as well as their perils. The stories in If You Didn't Bring Jerky, What Did I Just Eat? offer important lessons about 1) why children make perfect decoys; 2) how to cook your brain with hand warmers; 3) why you should always sleep with your your pants on in camp to name a few.
Heavey is a master of blending pathos with humor. We've all been there...outdoor folks or not. If You Didn't Bring Jerky, What Did I Just Eat? is a gem.

Summer Library Programs!

The Port Library is pleased to announce signups for it's summer library programs are now open, and will run through the 31st, with the exception of the teen program, whose signups will remain open through June. See below for a listing of programs offered this summer, and how to sign up.

Ages 5 Through 5th Grade

Our regular program is for readers age 5 through 5th grade. Program times are Wednesdays from 1-2 PM, from June 4th through July 23rd. The program is free, but parents do need to come to the Port Library to sign their children up. Signups end May 31st. Parents can click here to see a handout with more information and a tenative schedule.

Birth Through Age 5

We also have a program for children ages birth through 5, following the same theme as above. This program is in partnership with Mitchell County Partnership for Children, and will be an at-home program. Parents may come to the library to sign their little readers up through May 31st. Starting the first week in June, parents come to the library once a week to pick up a craft and activity packet, weekly reading chart, and to check out books. The program runs through June 28th. On June 28th, the library will host a special program from Smoky Hills Public Television especially for pre-schoolers. Those who sign up for the Pre-K program will recieve more information.

Teenagers (13 Through Graduated Seniors)

Teens will have their own program starting Thursday, July 3rd. We will meet at the library at or around noon and have pizza, pop, and cookies, talk about books, do a craft, and just hang out. Teens can advise the librarian on additions to the YA section of the library, and get prizes for reading this summer. Teens can stop by the library any time from now until the end of June to sign up. The last Thursday for a free lunch will be July 24th.

For more infomation on any of these programs, please contact the library via the information at the top left of the main blog page.

Story Port Wrap-Up

The final session of Story Port for spring 2008 ended May 7th. We meet a total of 13 times a semester. Of our 5 participants, we had an average attendance of 10 programs for each child. Below is a short list of what we did for the last 9 programs. The titles link to that book's amazon.com listing. Some activites listed link to an online resource. The pictures are of the librarian's art/craft from the weekly activities.

5. (March 5th) We read Wings: a Tale of Two Chickens by James Marshall. In activity time, we made origami balloons and attached them to a self-drawn picture of a hot-air balloon basket.

6. (March 12th) We read Beauty and the Beaks: a Turkey's Cautionary Tale by Mary Jane and Herm Auch. Our activity page can be accessed by clicking here.

7. (March 19th) We read A Fish Named Spot by Jennifer P. Goldfinger, and made pompon pets, pictured below.
8. (March 26th) We read A Trip to Dinosaur Time by Michael Foreman. We "hatched" dinosaur "eggs" (dinosaur shaped sponges in dissolving capsules), and made sponge print paintings with them, pictured below.
9. (April 2nd) We read Gregory, the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat. Afterwards, we enjoyed a healthy snack of jello-dipped bananas.

10. (April 9th) We read Grandpa's Teeth by Rod Clement. The children especially enjoyed the windup walking teeth given away, and also colored a picture of an oversized smile, both pictured below.

11. (April 23rd) We read Iva Dunnit and the Big Wind by Carol Purdy and made pinwheels.

12. (April 30th) We read Aunt Minnie and the Twister by Mary Skillings Prigger. Out back, we taped together tornadoes in a bottle, and filled them with water and glitter. Unfortunately they leaked, and I wasn't able to keep the one I made!

13. (May 7th) Our last session! We read Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin, and used activities from the publisher's website.