Have a long road trip coming up?

Add some excitement to your hours on the road with one or more of our great audiobooks.

Looking for some mystery?  Try

• Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham
• The Danger Box by Blue Balliett
• The Red Blazer Girls: The Ring Of Rocadour by Michael D. Beil

Feel like traveling back in time?  Try

• Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
• The Mostly True Adventures Of Homer P. Figg by W. R. Philbrick
• The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood

Need a good laugh?  Try

• School Of Fear by Gitty Daneshvari
• Jeremy Bender Vs. The Cupcake Cadets by Eric Luper
• Alvin Ho Allergic To Girls, School, And Other Scary Things by Lenore Look

Love stories about animals?  Try

• The Cheshire Cheese Cat by Carman Agra Deedy
• Chomp by Carl Hiaasen
• The Fast And The Furriest by Andy Behrens

Need an escape from reality?  Try

• Troubletwisters by Garth Nix
• Museum Of Thieves by Lian Tanner
• The Book Of Elsewhere: The Shadows by Jacqueline West

Need a dose of reality?  Try

• Oggie Cooder by Sarah Weeks
• The Absolute Value Of Mike by Kathryne Erskine
• Out Of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Rather be at a ballgame than sitting in your car?  Try

• The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John H. Ritter
• Million Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica
• The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane

Enjoy the ride!

Three Weeks Left of Summer Reading

It's not too late to sign up! 

Even with only three weeks left, kids who signed up late or were away this summer can continue to collect prizes until the first day of school.

What's happening this week: 

Animal Embassy: Talk to the Animals

  Wednesday, August 1 at 3:30 p.m.  Ages 4 and up.  Learn to understand how animals communicate. With color, body language and vocalization, animals have more to say than they are given credit for. Meet live animals and learn from real life accounts of Animal Embassy staff members' interactions with wildlife, including Grizzly Bears and Grey Wolves. (Live animals will include some combination of reptiles, amphibians, arachnids and/or small mammals.) 

Cookie Decorating craft

Sign-up has started for next week's cookie decorating program on Wednesday, August 8 at 3:30 p.m. for ages 4 and up.  Call 273-3887 and ask for the Children's Room.

Going On Vacation This Summer?

Before you go on vacation this summer, check out some of the great vacation stories we have in the library.

 Picture Books

• LaRue Across America: Postcards From Vacation by Mark Teague
• Froggy Goes To Hawaii by Jonathan London
• Olivia Goes To Venica by Ian Falconer
• A Couple Of Boys Have The Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee
• Pictures From Our Vacation by Lynne Rae Perkins 

Easy Reader

• Aunt Eater's Mystery Vacation by Doug Cushman
• Henry and Mudge And The Tumbling Trip by Cynthia Rylant
• Pearl And Wagner:  Five Days Till Summer by Kate McMullan

Young Reader

• I Hate Camping by P. J. Petersen

Fiction

• Alice-Miranda On Vacation by Jacqueline Harvey
• A Million Miles From Boston by Karen Day
• Genius Files:  Mission Unstoppable by Dan Gutman
• The Vacation by Polly Horvath
• Penderwicks At Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall
• Summer At Forsaken Lake by Michael D. Beil

Patricia Shih In Concert

Wednesday at 3:30 p.m., the North Castle Children's Corner is presenting Patricia Shih in concert.

An author and musician, Ms. Shih plays many instruments such as guitar, piano, Marxophone, Chinese flower drum, and soprano recorder, and she has six albums to her credit.  Her work is also included on three anthology albums, one of which was honored by the American Library Association Notable Children's Recording Award, Parents' Choice Award, Parents' Prize, NAAPA Gold Medal, and the L.A. Times "Best of 1993" list. 

For more information, visit her website.

Donald J. Sobol, 1924-2012

Last week, author Donald Sobol, the creator of the beloved character Encyclopedia Brown, passed away at the age of 87. Sobol authored more than eighty books published in over fifteen countries. The first in the Encyclopedia Brown series book was published in 1963, and the series has never gone out of print.

Read more here:

New York Times
Associated Press
National Public Radio

You can place a hold any time on these library books by Donald Sobol

Summer Reading, Week 2

Today is the start of Week 2 of the Summer Reading program.  In the last two weeks, over 335 kids have signed up for our reading program.  If you have not signed up yet, there is still time to pick up your starter kit.

Tomorrow, the Children's Room will be doing a craft in the theater at 3:30 p.m.  Sign-up is required;  however, there are still plenty of spaces available.  Kids ages 4 and up will be making colorful sun mirrors to take home.  We hope to see you there.

For our parents of young pre-readers, remember to check out the Summer Reading (Birth - 4 Years Old) link at the top of the page to see all the great activities the library is offering this summer.

Happy Reading !