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Curiouser and Curiouser
This month we are honoring Lewis Carroll, the man who made us delight in nonsense and embrace madness. Carroll's wildly imaginative tales of young Alice and her forays into Wonderland have inspired...
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2014 Newbery Medal Winner
On Monday, January 27th the American Library Association announced the 2014 winners of the youth media awards. The most illustrious of these is the Newbery Medal which is awarded to the author of the...
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Big Red Dog Party!
Anyone who knows me is aware of my love for dogs. In fact, I often refer to my yellow lab as my third blond son. It probably has something to do with the way I was raised. There was always a dog in the...
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Favorite Books of 2013
A few weeks ago I mentioned the American Library Association (ALA) Youth Media Awards, and I specifically wrote about the Newbery Medal. Many of you may not be aware that the Michigan Library...
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Hooray for Non-fiction
I must confess that I do not usually choose to read nonfiction books. Even the word nonfiction makes me think of school and dreary hours spent studying dry, stodgy textbooks. That being said, I have...
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Disney's Frozen
Come join us to celebrate the best animated movie ever!For anyone who hasn't seen Frozen yet and for everyone who wants to enjoy it again. We are premiering the movie on Saturday March 22nd @...
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All Ears
Spring Break is is only three weeks away and that means many families will be traveling. Now, if you are lucky you are taking a plane ride to somewhere with palm trees, sandy beaches, and drinks with...
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Is it Spring Break Fever of Freezer?
Unfortunately, not every family can travel to Florida (or any other state with temperatures above freezing). If you are remaining in the Arctic Wasteland (also known as Michigan) over Spring Break you...
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Storytime Anytime
Don't get me wrong, bringing your children to the library is a phenomenal way to instill a love of reading (and if you do not regularly use the public library I encourage you to start). However, you,...
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Storytime Anytime-Here Comes the Easter Bunny
Before the Easter Bunny arrives here are some Eggceptional (haha) books to read with your children. For the wee ones my favorite Easter-themed picture book is Piggy Bunny by Rachel Vail and illustrated...
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Six Degrees of the Portland District Library
I recently went to the Public Library Association biannual conference in Indianapolis, and while I was there, I attended a session on a new reader's advisory method. Based on the popular parlor game,...
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Serious about Series
It can be frustrating being a book junkie these days, because it seems like every book that comes out is part of a series. Am I the only one that feels the need to reread the previous book when a new...
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Storytime Anytime-Let's Get Dirty (and not the way you think)!
What was that warm, yellow orb in the sky all last week? Oh, it was the sun. I had forgotten what it looked like during what seemed to be an endless winter. As a mom of a couple of rambunctious boys...
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Help! I Need Another Bookshelf!
If you are a book lover (or book hoarder) you have probably faced the book storage dilemma. Unless, of course, you are a giant, furry beast that used to be a handsome prince before you were cursed by a...
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It May Be "Odd" But It's Also Enjoyable
Have you ever read the "Odd Thomas" books by Dean Koontz? If you haven't, you might want to give them a try. The main character, whose first name is literally "Odd," can see ghosts. The deceased...
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Storytime Anytime-Hooray for Moms!
If you do not get all of the geeky references above, I apologize. I am a total sci-fi nerd and I could not resist. Obviously, Mother's Day is only two days away so this week's Storytime Anytime is all...
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AR What?
This week I am writing about a controversial issue that affects me almost daily as both a children's librarian and as a parent. Loved or despised, Accelerated Reader (AR) has sparked vehement debates...
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Series-ously Excited
As long as there have been series of stories published for children, there have been multiple authors writing about the same characters. Traditionally, all the authors would write under a pseudonym,...
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Storytime Anytime-Slime!
CAUTION:This storytime may get a teensy bit messy! Okay, probably more than a teensy bit, but I promise you that it will be totally worth it! Before we get into the books I am going to talk about the...
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