FCPL logo

Children's Department News               
April 2015 
Frederick County Public Libraries
Greetings!  

Spring is here and the library welcomes the season with exciting activities and events. We invite you to join us for youth gardening classes with Master Gardeners of Frederick County and Little House Adventures with Rose Hill Manor Park. If April showers have you looking for some creative indoor play, look no further than our LEGO� programs and STEM challenges where kids can learn the basics of building and engineering and even make their own stop-action movies.

Also, our Summer of Wonder kicks off in May, including the reveal of our Summer Reading Program Art Contest winners. Be sure to pick up a bookmark featuring the winning artwork when you sign up for Summer Reading.

Your local library--always a trusted family-friendly resource. 

In the event that this newsletter was forwarded to you by a friend and you would like to continue to receive information about library programs, services, and events, we invite you to sign up here for our email newsletter. 
 
Sincerely,
Darrell Batson, Director
Frederick County Public Libraries
In This Issue
Every Child Ready to Read
Learning About the Moon
Finding the Right Book
Junior Rangers and Park Pals
Award Winning Books
Spelling Bee Winner
Homeschool Connections
Keep in Touch
Sunshine and Raindrops!
Join us for a special Saturday storytime at the Thurmont Library to celebrate all things spring. Hear stories, sing songs, and share in the fun! For children ages 2-5 with an adult.

Saturday, April 18th
at 11:00am
Thurmont Regional Library 
 
Register online at fcpl.org
EVERY CHILD READY TO READ
The Every Child Ready to Read program was introduced by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Public Library Association (PLA) in response to a national need. Several studies, including the 2000 National Assessment of Education Progress, found that a significant number of children were entering kindergarten without many of the early literacy skills needed to begin learning how to read. ALSC and PLA developed an approach that addresses these skills and enables parents and caregivers to continue focusing on these learning areas at home.
A baby reading.
The researchers came up with five practices to help children get ready to read:
  • Talking
  • Singing
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Playing

These five practices can easily be integrated into a child's everyday life to help him or her learn the necessary early literacy skills to be able to learn to read. Learning to read begins at birth and parents and caregivers are a child's first and best teacher. Public libraries have recognized a need to support parents and caregivers as they develop these skills in their children.

 

On May 7th, at 2:00pm, the Thurmont Regional Library is presenting Have Fun Getting Your Child Ready to Read. During this 45 minute program, children from birth through age 5 will be able to experience activities that support the five practices for developing early literacy skills. Additionally, parents will go home with lots of ideas for things they can do at home with their children. You can register for this program online at fcpl.org, or by calling the Thurmont Regional Library at (301)600-7214. Have fun getting ready to read!

 

Submitted by Jeanne Read

Thurmont Regional Library 

LEARNING ABOUT THE MOON
Did you know that every month the moon has a different name? Full moon names can be found among many different nations, including the Chinese, Celtic, and New Guinea cultures. Native Americans often used moon phases and cycles to keep track of the seasons and the months during which they occurred.

The full moon for the month of April is known as the Full Pink Moon. It is also known as the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Full Fish Moon, because this was the time of year the shad swam upstream to spawn.

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes book cover.
Below are some great stories about the moon, whether they're
 about the full moon, the Man in the Moon, or just about the moon and its cycles.
 
Man on the Moon
by Simon Bartram - E BARTRAM

Kitten's First Full Moon
by Kevin Henkes - E HENKES

When the Moon Fell Down
The Moon by Stephen Feinstein book cover.
b
y Linda Smith - E SMITH 

Watching the Moon
by Edana Eckart - J 523.3 ECKART 


The Moon: A MyReportLinks.com Book
by Stephen Feinstein - J 523.3 FEINSTEIN

The Moon
by Ralph Winrich - J 523.3 WINR

Submitted by Kris Buker
C. Burr Artz Public Library   
HELPING YOUR CHILD FIND JUST THE RIGHT BOOK
"Can you tell me where you keep your third grade chapter books?" "Where is your section for historical fiction?" Library staff hear these questions on a regular basis and we're happy to share that while our collection of juvenile fiction isn't organized by grade level or subject, we can absolutely help you find just the right book for your child.

Parents may sometimes feel frustrated or overwhelmed and finding the right book for your child can seem daunting. That's where your friendly FCPL staff can come to the rescue! We read professional journals, learn about new and upcoming children's literature, and read dozens of new titles every year so we can have a collection, right in our heads, of books your child might like. Plus, your FCPL staff is a team. If one of us doesn't have the answer, we can easily turn to one of our trusted colleagues who may know exactly which funny chapter books are sure to delight a third grader.

Do you need a book for a horse lover? How about a title that will appeal to your child who never wants to read anything longer than the comic pages? Not a problem when you ask staff at the Children's Information Desk! Do you need a science fiction book or a historical fiction title for a reading assignment? Give us a few minutes of time working with you and your child and we're sure we can find just the right book for you! We also maintain a variety of recommended reading lists on our website that you can browse through anytime.

What about a great read-aloud that will be interesting enough for your 9 year old, but still appropriate for your 6 year old? Helping families find the books that children and even their parents will treasure for years to come is a joyful part of our work. With summer quickly approaching, we can help you keep your youngsters engaged and eager readers who are always hungry for more. And who knows? On the way to picking out a book for that historical fiction reading assignment, your child might discover a book that will become a family tradition for generations to come!

Submitted by Deb Schepp
C. Burr Artz Public Library 
JUNIOR RANGERS AND PARK PALS
Park rangers from Cunningham Falls State Park will visit Frederick County Public Libraries this spring!
Maryland Park Service logo.
Park Pals
Park rangers will lead interactive sessions at the library designed to get 3-5 year olds excited about nature and the outdoors. Visit fcpl.org or click on the program title to register.

Park Pals at the Middletown Branch Library - Wednesday, May 6, at 1:00pm
Park Pals at the C. Burr Artz Public Library - Tuesday, May 12, at 5:00pm
Park Pals at the Thurmont Regional Library - Monday, June 1, at 5:00pm

Junior Rangers
Park rangers bring this special program for 6-10 year olds out of the park and into the library. Rangers from Cunningham Falls State Park will get kids started on their quest to earn a Maryland State Parks Junior Ranger badge.

After completing the introductory session at the Walkersville Library and three more sessions about plants, animals, and planet earth at the C. Burr Artz or Thurmont Libraries, attend two more programs at Cunningham Falls this summer to earn your badge! Visit fcpl.org to register.

Introduction Session at the Walkersville Branch Library
Maryland Junior Ranger Patch. Tuesday, April 28, at 6:30pm

Junior Rangers at the C. Burr Artz Public Library
Tuesday, May 12th, 19th, and 26th, at 4:00pm

Junior Rangers at the Thurmont Regional Library
Monday, June 1st, 8th, and 15th at 4:00pm
READ A WINNER
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION YOUTH MEDIA AWARDS
Every year in January the American Library Association (ALA) announces the winners of its Youth Media Awards. These books are the best of the best and will be frequently read and well loved for years to come. Take a look at some of this year's winners. Have you read them all? If not, you can check them out at your local library or download them from the comfort of home with our eLibrary. Enjoy! Crossover: A Basketball Novel by Kwame Alexander book cover.
  
2015 John Newbery Medal Winner
The Crossover: A Basketball Novel by Kwame Alexander

2015 Randolph Caldecott Medal Winner
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend
written and illustrated by Dan Santat

2015 Schneider Family Book Award Winner 
A Boy and a Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz
The Adventures of Beekle by Dan Santat book cover.
2015 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Winner
The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant

2015 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Winner
You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang

Submitted by Tara Lebherz
Thurmont Regional Library
2015 FREDERICK COUNTY SPELLING BEE

Thirty-six Frederick County students battled to be the top speller on March 14th at the 2015 Frederick County Spelling Bee. When the Bee finally ended in the 16th round, Selomi Dayaprema, a seventh grader at Urbana Middle School, walked away the winner of the county's eighth annual bee. Rabia Lee, a seventh grader at Frederick Classical Charter School, took second place in the event.

 

Lee exited the bee on the word railroadiana. Dayaprema's winning word was embalmment. Dayaprema will now move on to represent Frederick County at the Scripps National Bee in Washington DC from May 24-30. Dayaprema will join other students from across the United States and around the world in competing in this prestigious event. The event is not all work; area tours are available and participants are treated to a Memorial Day Barbecue, an awards banquet and a farewell party--all within the comfort of the Gaylord National Hotel and Resort Center at National Harbor, MD.

 

National Spelling Bee Logo Dayaprema's Spelling Bee prize includes hotel accommodations and $1,000 to cover transportation and other expenses. Lee won a $500 cash prize for her second place win. Also included in the event prizes are a Webster's Third New International Dictionary awarded to Dayaprema and a Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition for the runner-up. Both of these prizes were awarded by Merriam-Webster. Mylz Hahn, an eighth grader at Brunswick Middle School, won $100 for finishing third. Door prize drawings were held for spellers and the schools' alternates. Door prizes included a Google Nexus 7'' tablet, two Kindle Fires, and four Boogie Boards.

 

The Frederick County Spelling Bee is sponsored by The Frederick News-Post, Frederick County Bank, and Frederick County Public Libraries.

 

Congratulations to all our spellers and especially to Selomi! We are excited to have you represent Frederick County at the Scripps National Spelling Bee and wish you the best of luck and hope that you have an exciting time at the event! 

Frederick County Spelling Bee logo.
HOMESCHOOL CONNECTIONS
ENRICHING YOUR HOMESCHOOL EXPERIENCE
On your next visit to the library, take a look at the Playaway Views available for check-out. Exclusive to libraries, Frederick County Public Libraries maintains over 200 fiction and non-fiction Playaway Views which can easily be used to enhance your regular curriculum.

What is a Playaway View?
A Playaway View is a kid-friendly, hand-held video player with up to 6 hours of pre-loaded videos so your children can view great content wherever they are. Playaway Views are an excellent visual tool to promote interest in reading and learning new things.

In addition to familiar titles like Sesame Street, Clifford The Big Red Dog, and The Magic School Bus, there are also a variety of educational subjects in the non-fiction section that will interest homeschool families. Our non-fiction Playaway Views include:
Underwater Creatures Playaway View device.
Underwater Creatures
National Geographic J-PV 591.77

Amazing Planet
National Geographic J-PV 551.41

Exploring Space
National Geographic J-PV 551.41

Fables and Folktales by Hans Christian Andersen
Super Why! J-PV 791.457

Meet the Sight Words - 3 Volumes
Findaway World J-PV 372.462

Playaway Views can be found in the Children's Department at your local library. Simply bring the case to the Circulation Desk for check-out and a staff member will be happy to assist you. Playaway Views have a one week loan period.

...and of course, our librarians are available to answer questions about the library's collections and to help you find materials that are just right for your needs.

Submitted by Penny Stockton
Thurmont Regional Library
Keep In Touch
If you would like to receive updates from time to time about events at your library, make sure to subscribe to this email newsletter.

Thanks, See you around the library!

Find us on Facebook    Follow us on Twitter