Marysville Library

Farming Resources at Sno-Isle

2012-01-27T11:30:00.000-08:00

A photo from last summer of our goats (Little Tart, Truffles, Cotton, Ivory and Bo) and the three lambs we raised for meat.

All my life I have had a farm dream. Even though I grew up in the city, I fantasized about collecting the morning eggs, riding my own horse and harvesting vegetables and herbs from my garden for dinner. A year and a half ago my husband and I were able to begin to realize that life (lucky for me he had a farm dream too!) when we purchased our first home on a 10-acre property a little south of Granite Falls. Since both of us were born and raised in Seattle we had quite a lot of learning to do about farm life! Fortunately for us one of the first things we did after we moved was get a Sno-Isle library card. Sno-Isle had so many resources to teach us how to do all of the new tasks we were suddenly presented with. From gardening to goat rearing every project we’ve begun has started with the library. Here are some essential resources we’ve used:

The Country Living Encyclopedia

by Carla Emery

The most important book on this list! Emery’s encyclopedia provides step by step instructions and information on all aspects of country life. This exhaustive reference tool includes how to cultivate a garden, buy land, bake bread, raise farm animals, make sausage, can peaches, milk a goat, grow herbs, churn butter, build a chicken coop, catch a pig, cook on a wood stove, and much more. Even if you don’t have a farm of your own this book will prove an informative and entertaining read.

Growing vegetables west of the cascades: the complete guide to organic gardening
by Steve Solomon

This well organized and easily accessible guide is full of gardening information specific to the Pacific Northwest including entries on composting, soil issues, pests and recommended plants. Solomon provides lots of helpful information for how to deal with no-sun winters, no-rain summers, and low-nutrient soil.

The new organic grower: a master's manual of tools and techniques for the home and market gardener
by Eliot Coleman

Another great book for gardening information. This one is especially useful for learning ways to extend your growing season and utilize greenhouses to maximize vegetable output.

Rodale’s vegetable garden problem solver: the best and latest advice for beating pests, diseases, and weeds and staying a step ahead of trouble in the garden
by Fern Marshall Bradley

Bradley offers natural solutions for many common edible garden problems. Covering topics from animal pests to watering, weather, and weeds, the guide includes pest profiles, control methods, resources, recommended reading, and the USDA plant hardiness zone map.

The meat goat handbook: raising goats for food, profit and fun
by Yvonne Zweede–Tucker

Longtime goat rancher Yvonne Zweede-Tucker draws on twenty years of hands-on experience to help you raise your own meat goats. Illustrated throughout with color photography, this instructive handbook includes advice about breeds, feeding, housing, safety, health, kidding, butchering, and selling product. Included is a glossary and a resources appendix.

Storey’s guide to raising meat goats: managing, breeding, marketing
by Maggie Sayer

Storey’s guides are a great place to start when you need to find information on raising livestock. This guide is a good source of basic information about choosing a goat breed, day-to-day care, addressing common ailments and breeding.

Chick Days: an absolute beginner’s guide to raising chickens from hatchlings to laying hens
by Jenna Woginrich

This is a good one for the whole family. Complete with wonderful color photos and simple explanations Woginrich’s book is a great place to start if you are thinking about raising chickens. Although it doesn’t provide much in-depth information, Chick Days chronicles the journey of three chickens from newly hatched fluffy butterballs to grown hens laying eggs. Day by day and week by week, readers watch the three starring chickens grow and change, learning about chicken behavior, feeding requirements, housing, hygiene, and health-care essentials, and fun facts on all things poultry.

You can farm: the entrepreneur’s guide to start and succeed in a farm enterprise
by Joel Salatin

If you have a farm dream like me this is the book for you! Salatin, a small-family-farm revolutionary, explains how making a living by farming is a realizable goal. Full of information on general farm management and suggestions for possible farming endeavors this book offers step-by-step how-to’s for beginning a profitable farming enterprise.

Spinning Wool basics & beyond DVD

Last summer we raised three lambs for meat. In the fall we sheared them before dropping them off to be butchered. I’d never encountered a “greased fleece” (unwashed wool) before in my life and had no idea what to do to transform it into yarn. This DVD shows how to card or comb the wool to make roving and then how to make roving into yarn using a spinning wheel. Even though I don’t have a spinning wheel (I am spinning the roving using a drop spindle) this DVD was very useful.

The northwest herb lover’s handbook: a guide to growing herbs for cooking, crafts and home remedies
by Mary Preus

Preus provides information on herb-growing basics; planning and creating herb gardens of various types (including diagrams for themed herb gardens); harvesting and preserving herbs; and using herbs in cooking, healing, and crafts. She also offers superbly detailed coverage of 50 herbs and a month-by- month calendar of herb gardening in the Pacific Northwest.

Veterinary guide for animal owners: cattle, goats, sheep, horses, pigs, poultry, rabbits, dogs, cats
by C.E. Spaulding

A well-organized and illustrated guide for home veterinary care. Dr. Spaulding gives instructions for handling emergencies, diagnosing problems, and coping until the vet arrives.

The backyard orchardist: a complete guide to growing fruit trees in the home garden
by Stella Otto

The Backyard Orchardist includes information on selecting the best fruit trees and details about each stage of growth and development, along with tips on harvest and storage of the fruit. Those with limited space will learn about growing dwarf fruit trees in containers. Appendices include a fruit-growers monthly calendar and a trouble-shooting guide for reviving ailing trees.

Hobby Farms magazine

A great magazine with information for hobby farmers. We love to flip through the articles for inspiration on ways to improve existing endeavors and to get ideas for future ones.

Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center

This is a great database full of articles and books on all sorts of crafts. It was a great resource for learning how to wash and use raw wool. Remember that when you print from a database at a Sno-Isle library you can print as much as you need for free and it doesn’t even count against your 70 page weekly limit. How awesome is that?! This means that you can print out that article on how to felt wool or create a block print and bring it home for your reference.

Home Improvement Reference Center

This database provides how-to instructions for all sorts of projects; outdoor, electrical, remodeling, plumbing projects, wood, decorating and maintenance. Included in the database are videos, books and magazine articles.

* You access either of these databases through links on this page or from our "Databases and Research" tab on Sno-Isle's homepage.

Come Run Away with the Circus

2012-01-17T11:45:00.000-08:00

What is it about the old-style traveling circus in literature these days? Recently I’ve read the popular “The night circus” by Erin Morgenstern, and also “Water for elephants” by Sara Gruen. There’s even a movie coming out on the latter starring the erstwhile vampire Robert Pattinson. Is it because they are their own magical world separated from the mundane, stick-in-the-mud world of everybody else? Is it that they live in a world dedicated to putting on the illusion (?) of magic? Could they really be satanic traps for the unwary? Here are some books for adults, teens and children that have come out recently about circuses or the even older medicine shows.

The night circus by Erin Morgenstern. Waging a fierce competition for which they have trained since childhood, circus magicians Celia and Marco unexpectedly fall in love with each other and share a fantastical romance that manifests in fateful ways.

Water for elephants by Sara Gruen. The memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind; memories of himself as a penniless and newly orphaned young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It is home to Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, who was there because she married the handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And home to Rosie the elephant because she was the new act that was supposedly going to be the salvation of the circus. Love and trust were their only hope of survival.

Circus Galacticus by Deva Fagan. Trix's life in boarding school as an orphan charity case has been hard, but when an alluring young Ringmaster invites her, a gymnast, to join Circus Galacticus she gains an entire universe of deadly enemies and potential friends, along with a chance to unravel secrets of her own past.

The boneshaker by Kate Milford. When Jake Limberleg brings his traveling medicine show to a small Missouri town in 1913, thirteen-year-old Natalie senses that something is wrong and, after investigating, learns that her love of automata and other machines make her the only one who can set things right.

The nine pound hammer by John Claude Bemis. Drawn by the lodestone his father gave him years before, twelve-year-old orphan Ray travels to the post-Civil War South, meeting along the way various characters from folklore who are battling against an evil industry baron known as “The Gog”. For much of the story he travels as part of a medicine show.

Circus Mania by Douglas MacPherson (791.3094). The ultimate book for anyone who has dreamed of running away with the circus.

Henrietta Hornbuckle’s circus of life by Michael de Guzman. Twelve-year-old Henrietta Hornbuckle and her parents perform as clowns in a tiny, ramshackle traveling circus until a family tragedy jeopardizes Henrietta's whole offbeat world.

Mechanique: A tale of the circus Tresaulti by Genevieve Valentine. Outside any city still standing, the Mechanical Circus Tresaulti sets up its tents. Crowds pack the benches to gawk at the brass-and-copper troupe and their impossible feats. War is everywhere, but while the Circus is performing, the world is magic. Yet even a careful ringmaster can make mistakes. Two of Tresaulti's performers are trapped in a secret stand-off that threatens to tear the Circus apart, just as the war lands on their doorstep.

Tiger’s Curse by Colleen Houck. Seventeen-year-old Oregon teenager Kelsey forms a bond with a circus tiger who's actually one of two brothers, Indian princes Ren and Kishan, who were cursed to live as tigers for eternity, and she travels with him to India where the tiger's curse may be broken once and for all.

Tom Thumb: The remarkable true story of a man in Miniature by George Sullivan. This biography explores the life and career of the dwarf Tom Thumb, who toured the world as a curiosity at the behest of showman P.T. Barnum.

The autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin. Never growing beyond two feet and eight inches, Mercy Lavinia "Vinnie" Bump spent much of her life in seclusion. However, when she impressed legendary showman P.T. Barnum, she suddenly became the world's most unlikely celebrity. A fictional imagining of a true life.

Something wicked this way comes by Ray Bradbury. Okay, so this is older than the others in this list, but how can I omit a classic Bradbury? A carnival rolls in on a chill Midwestern October eve, ushering in Halloween a week before its time. A calliope's shrill siren song beckons to all with a seductive promise of dreams and youth regained. And two inquisitive boys standing precariously on the brink of adulthood will soon discover the secret of the satanic raree-show's smoke, mazes, and mirrors, as they learn all too well the heavy cost of wishes -- and the stuff of nightmare.

-Kathy

Free Voluntary Reading Proves Valuable in School Success

2012-01-03T14:13:00.000-08:00

Did you know that the kids who read more do better in school and on standardized tests than children who don’t read? Researchers have compared the test scores of those who read regularly and those who receive grammar and vocabulary instruction in school. Children who read regularly actually test as well as those who receive specific test instruction, and over a longer time continue to improve. Teachers spend lots of class time specifically on preparing their students to take tests. Yet surrounding their students with lots of interesting and appropriate books and letting them read has been proven to work just as well.

Here’s a follow-up question: Did you know that kids who get to pick what they want to read, read more than those who are told what they have to read? This seems obvious to me; “Well, duh!” If you are forced to do something unpleasant, would you want to continue doing it when the force stops? Of course not! If your child associates reading with only hard or boring stories that they have to suffer through, rather than a fun acvtivity, they will have no reason to read more than they absolutely have to. If they associate reading with fun or pleasure or as a source of valuable information, they will find the time for it.

So you are a parent, and you want your child to do well in school. But this “letting kids read whatever they want” - also known as “Free Voluntary Reading” - sounds awfully wishy-washy to you. You think your children should challenge themselves! You think they should read “at the level the school says they’re at”! Yes, I know who you are. You come up to me at the Reference desk and want the Level H books, for instance, or the books with the 3.6 AR level. I can ease some of your concerns:

1) You are worried that your child will stay with the easy books. “Easy books, however, can provide the taste and background knowledge that will lead to … reading other books.”

2) Reading for fun is the bridge to making harder reading more understandable.

3) Assigned reading levels don’t always translate to age appropriateness or interest. Are you really going to tell your elementary-school-aged Harry Potter fan that the books are too difficult for them? Are you really going to tell your squealing teen girls that the Twilight books are inappropriate for them since they are only at a fourth grade reading level? Of course not!

We as librarians know this, and so every time I talk with you or your children I love to find books that they will find fun and interesting. What have they enjoyed in the past? If I can get your child to start talking about a book they have liked in the past, I can find other books that are also likely to appeal to them. If they are interested in a particular topic or activity, I will find books about it for them. My goal is to get a book into your child’s hands that they will want to read, and their reading level is only a small issue. If a child is interested in a book - even if it is a little too hard - their interest in the story or topic will carry them through the reading difficulties. If a child isn’t interested in a book, even an easy reading level won’t make them want to read it.

What can you do to encourage free voluntary reading?

1) Surround your children with lots of interesting reading material (books, magazines, etc). It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, just stop by the library on a regular basis. Browse the stacks, talk to a librarian for ideas, check out the Sno-Isle Kids web page for book lists and encourage your child to talk about books with their friends.

2) Give your child the time and a comfortable place to read. A cozy, quiet corner, and a quiet time - perhaps just before the bedtime routine - are perfect. Choose a book together and read to them, or sit quietly next to each other and each read your own thing. You don’t have to stop reading to them just because they may have learned how to read on their own. It is also important that they see you reading to yourself, too.

3) Talk with your children about what they’re reading and what they think about it, but don’t make a big production about book reports or formal “What I learned”. You can even talk to them about what you are reading.

Reading for fun and pleasure is a proven way to do well on school tests. As your knightly librarian gallops away into the sunset, she charges you to have fun and read!

Bibliography (I'm citing my source!): http://www.sdkrashen.com/articles/pac5/index.html

-Kathy

Favorite Books of 2011

2011-12-30T15:22:00.000-08:00

I like reading. Shocking, I know. I read widely, including children’s chapter books, teen books, fantasy, mysteries, historical fiction, literary fiction, histories and even romances. So when it comes time for the end of year lists, I can look back and find a lot of books that I really liked. I mean, if I start a book and I don’t like it after 50 pages, I drop it and go on to the next one. The problem is whittling the list of books I liked down to a manageable quantity. Of course, this is my own idiosyncratic list of books that I really liked. Take what you like:

The Sisters brothers by Patrick deWitt. A Western told from the bad guys’ perspective: When a frontier baron known as the Commodore orders Charlie and Eli Sisters, his hired gunslingers, to track down and kill a prospector named Herman Kermit Warm, the brothers journey from Oregon to San Francisco, and eventually to Warm's claim in the Sierra foothills, running into a witch, a bear, a dead Indian, a parlor of drunken floozies, and a gang of murderous fur trappers. If you like this, you’ll also like Ranchero by Rick Gavin.

When she woke by Hillary Jordan. In the future, abortion has become a crime as a series of events threatens the existence of the United States. One woman wakes up to discover that her skin color has been changed to red as punishment for having the procedure done. Now she must embark on a dangerous journey in order to find refuge from a hostile and threatening society. If you like Margaret Atwood, if you like science fiction that builds a believable future based on current events, this is for you.

Empire of the summer moon: Quanah Parker and the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history by Samuel C. Gwynne. If you like Westerns, read this to find out how it really was in the American West; a stunningly vivid historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West, centering on Quanah, half-breed son of a kidnapped white Texan and the greatest Comanche chief of them all.

Beauty Queens by Libba Brae. When a plane carrying contestants for the Miss Teen Dream pageant crashes on a remote island, the survivors face greater challenges than just finding food, shelter, and missing cosmetics. Hilarious outlandishness combines with an examination of femininity and feminism, sex and sexuality, and our media-saturated, appearance-obsessed, consumer-driven society.

Blindness by José Saramago. A city is hit by an epidemic of "white blindness". The blindness spreads, sparing no one. Authorities confine the blind to a vacant mental hospital secured by armed guards. Inside, the criminal element among the blind hold the rest captive: food rations are stolen, women are raped. How much of our civilized society is based on our ability to see? Reminiscent of Camus and The lord of the flies.

The American heiress by Daisy Goodwin. Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, rich and spoiled Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts', quickly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. If you like the world of Edith Wharton and Henry James, this one is for you. Historical romance fans will also enjoy the extension of the genre.

The other side of dark by Sarah Smith. Ever since Katie's mom died last year, she has seen ghosts; Law has overbearing parent issues, and they both become interested in a historical house due to be torn down with a possible slave-trader treasure hidden inside. I loved how complex the characters were while also exploring the complex legacy of slavery in the US. This is one of the few fantasies starring a biracial teen.

Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet. Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers, updated to the modern era: this is small town England with lots of quirky characters, from a retired spy serving as the vicar to the New Age shop-owner to the universally hated head of the Women’s Institute who ends up dead at the Village Harvest Fayre. The clues are all there, but the solution is still a surprise.

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. After being sold to a cruel couple in New York City in spite of being promised her freedom, a slave named Isabel spies for the rebels and then the British during the Revolutionary War in a long effort to gain her freedom. She fully realizes the irony of the rebels’ cry for freedom while denying her the same thing. This my be marketed to teens, but is good for adult readers as well.

Invisible Inkling by Emily Jenkins. This mix of wild humor, fantasy, and sadness offers a moving story about defeating bullies. When his best friend moves away, Hank dreads fourth grade alone, and he is thrilled to discover a small, invisible creature, Inkling, who helps him face the lunchroom jungle. Hank can feel its fur and, even better, the two can talk, and together they stand up to the school bully. Was it because Inkling bites him or because Hank delivers a devastating insult? Good for elementary aged children.

These are my favorite reads of the year. What are yours?

-Kathy

Lego Animation Movie

2011-12-12T09:40:00.000-08:00

On Saturday over 20 school-age kids got together for a Lego Animation program, taught by Lukas Allenbaugh of Clay Animation Network. They divided into 8 teams and after learning some basics about the technology and storytelling, and trying out a practice clip, they each made a mini movie. At the end, Lukas put them all together with music into a wonderful animated short. The kids were able to be very creative and they all laughed at each other’s humorous stories. Check it out!

eResources at Your Fingertips, 24/7

2011-12-06T14:50:00.000-08:00

As a busy working mom, I am always looking for things to make my to-do list easier. That’s why I always have the Sno-Isle Libraries website bookmarked on my phone and computer.
Within seconds, I have access to an astounding number of resources online. Like logging on to Consumer Reports Online while I’m trying to make a decision on a car seat for my toddler, or a picking out a new washing machine out of the too-many choices I’m staring at in the store. I can browse articles on health or research information from my recent doctor’s visit using Consumer Health Complete. Or I can look for a good book to read or the next title in my current series with Novelist Plus. All from the comfort of my home, or from a waiting room, or in line at the grocery store. Anywhere and anytime I have access to the internet, I have access to Sno-Isle’s eResources 24/7.
What’s better than saving time and money? Sharing your knowledge with your friends! That’s why I’m always sure to mention our HelpNow in our Homework Help section, which provides online live tutoring help, to my friends who have kids in school. Or letting friends who are travelling know about Mango Languages where they can learn a new language before their voyage—for free!
Because knowledge really is power, and so is your library card.

You can access the resources mentioned, as well as many other eResources by visiting http://www.sno-isle.org, and clicking on Databases & Research. If you are accessing these from outside of the library, you’ll be asked to enter a valid library card # and PIN. If you have any questions, feel free to contact your local library.

This is a Note of Dares

2011-10-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

As a librarian who happens to love books and reading, part of my job description is to spread my passion for reading. Now, I know that not everybody shares my taste in books. My husband, for example, likes to read the National Electric Code - which I find nearly as incomprehensible as he finds my taste in steam punk. But the important thing is that we both have found books to be passionate about.

One of the reasons my husband likes his book is that he can immediately put what he found out into action. Reading fiction isn’t quite as direct as that…or so I thought.

Recently our Teen Librarian found a note in Eoin Colfer’s “Artemis Fowl” from one reader addressed to the next reader, challenging them to a series of dares dedicated to “Nerdfighters in this general Nerdfighteria area”. I have learned that there is a subculture out there called “Nerdfighteria” that includes video blogs and adventure notes left for others to find, and generally dedicated to making the world “more awesome”. The unknown reader took this to heart and created a series of adventures for “the brave and/or attractive…If you’re none of the above, put the book back. You are not worthy of such a title” Do you dare?

“Dare 1: Go to the check-out customer service desk. Ask for a guy named Brian. Say hello to him.” We enjoy it when people come regularly enough to know our names and say “Hello!” It always makes our day, even if we aren’t named Brian.

“Dare 2: FIC CHRISTIE 1984 Who did it?” Ooh, the darer is encouraging the reader to expand beyond the teen section into the mystery or adult section. We like to recommend books to you, too. Perhaps we’ll lead you into an area of the library you’ve never considered, and find the perfect book for your mood.

“Dare 3: Do a tribal dance outside [of the] library, but only if dare 2 was completed successfully.” We love library celebrations, and we love enthusiastic library lovers. But perhaps a better way to support the library would be to join the Friends of the Library group to help them support us. All of the funds that the Friends of the Library raises goes to support the library and its programs. You could even organize a “tribal dance” fund raiser if you want!

“Dare 4: Gather a collection of your 10 favorite books. Go to the desk acting as if you’re going to check them out. Don’t. Instead leave them and run. Flail your arms.” Hey, if they are your favorite books go ahead and check them out and read them again. Or even better, recommend them to a friend and spread the joy. For extra credit you can recommend them to us. If we liked them too, we can talk about our favorite parts. Then again, much as we’d like to we can’t possibly read all of the books in the library, but we would love to find out what your favorites are. If we find out what people really enjoy, we can spread the word about them, and even read them ourselves, too.

“Last dare: Write a new note. Be daring. Put it in your favorite book. Maybe we’ll find it someday.” If you like to talk books with others, come join a book group! If you’re an adult we have a monthly book group where everybody reads the same book. If you’re a teen we have a “Pizza and books” group where you can bring your favorite book and tell everybody all about it while noshing on pizza.

What book has filled you up with enough “awesomeness” to act? As true nerdfighters say, "Don’t Forget to be Awesome!" (DFTBA)

-Kathy

What Makes a Good Baby Shower Book?

2011-09-20T14:58:00.000-07:00

A baby is coming! Time to throw a baby shower, right? Some people are crafty and make cute blankets or knit the cutest little hats and booties, and some people like to go to the baby store and coo over the tiny outfits. I am not a crafty type, and although I enjoy the tiny outfits too, really - I am a book person.

Did you know that it is never too early to start reading to a child? Okay, admittedly a baby in utero isn’t going to see the wonderful pictures but baby will still hear mom and dad’s voice and begin to associate those sounds with comfort and security. After a baby is born, reading time is cuddle time, sharing time, play time, learning time and even distraction time. Not only that, but studies show the more books that surround a baby as s/he grows; the better that child can read in school.

So what are some good books to start a new baby’s library? My pregnant sister last year got multiple copies of “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown and “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle. They are both very good, but what are there beyond those classics?

“The Arnold Lobel book of Mother Goose” and “The Real Mother Goose” are two examples of large collections of Mother Goose rhymes. They are too much for a baby or even a toddler to handle, but are wonderful for parents to learn or remember rhymes from their own childhood. These familiar rhymes can help in everyday activities such as; playing “Pat-a-cake”, or bouncing baby on the knee to “Ride a cock horse”, or even chanting “Diddle diddle dumpling, my son John” while putting on a baby’s socks. Babies love the rhythms, and can focus on the parent’s face rather than get fussy. Other Mother Goose books such as the series by Moira Kemp are much shorter, making them appropriate to read to babies.

Babies love to see pictures of other babies, and my favorite book with baby pictures is “Ten little fingers and ten little toes” by Mem Fox. It features babies from all around the world, has nice rhymes and rhythm, and repeats how they all have fingers and toes. With every repetition it encourages parents to lovingly tickle their baby’s fingers and toes!

Babies treat books like toys, no different than balls or dolls. Sturdy board books can stand up to baby-handling and lift-the-flap books are a wonderful way to increase a baby’s interaction with a book. I call lift-the-flap books peek-a-boo books! “Where is baby’s belly button?” by Karen Katz or any of the Spot books by Eric Hill are very popular with babies.

“Hurry! Hurry!” By Eve Bunting is full of brightly colored animals and has a simple story about the birth of a baby chick. It has lots of opportunities for silly noise making that both babies and toddlers love! I have found that the best part of being with children is being able to be silly with your youngster and make them laugh. This is also available as a board book that baby can play with by himself.

Lots of children’s songs have been made into books, and singing a book to baby is another wonderful way for parents to have fun with their little one. Try “Fiddle-i-fee: a farmyard song for the very young” by Melissa Sweet, or “Ten little fingers” by Annie Kubler.

Sometimes new parents can be overwhelmed by the tiny new person in their lives. Throwing a baby shower gives the new parents a start. Giving books can help give them some tools for play and cuddle time, and start their child on the way to literacy.

What books are your favorites to read to babies?

(Adapted from “What makes a good baby shower book?” by Vicki Ash and Betty Carter, Horn Book Magazine, May/Jun2011, Vol. 87 Issue 3, p27-33)

-Kathy

How Internet Wise Are You?

2011-08-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

We all know that not every email (or Facebook posting) we get is from a friend or legitimate business. Some email is spam, some are scams, and some is phishing. Some emails and Facebook posts that on the surface look like they are from people or companies we know and do business with are really attempts by bad guys to do you or your computer harm. If you guess wrong, you could infect your computer with a virus or worm, or your bank account could be emptied.

How savvy are you in picking out the real from the fake? Take the following test, then check out what you need to look out for so you can do business online without inadvertently infecting your computer or giving the bad guys your financial information: http://www.sonicwall.com/furl/phishing/

How did you do?

-Kathy

The Link Between Literacy and Physical Movement

2011-08-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

Did you know that learning to read and write can include more than your child just sitting in school all day at a desk? Did you know that different children learn better using different parts of their brains? I just finished reading a very interesting article that lists many ways that physical movement can help a child learn to read and write, all of which has been backed up by research.

• Every language has a rhythm, and every person has their own rhythm. So singing and dancing helps a child learn both the rhythm of a language and helps them get along with other children. What can you do? Sing songs and put motions to them. Clap out the rhythm of a poem. Create a dance and sing what you’re doing. Your child will be learning phrasing, connecting different parts in a series, and flow - all of which are important when they start connecting words into sentences and sentences into paragraphs.

• To learn to read, children need to be aware of how things relate to each other in space. The letters “b” and “d” are both made up of a line and a circle. Instead of just copying the letters on paper, children can mimic the straight and curving lines with their bodies. Acting out the letters with their whole bodies helps children learn the spatial difference between them.

• Prepositions are little words with big and important meanings. If a child goes through a tunnel and over a log and under a desk, that child understands those words on a much deeper level. What can you do? Move with your child through an obstacle course and talk about what you’re doing. It is a perfect opportunity for learning those important preposition words.

• Children learn what words mean in a more concrete way if they act them out. Read a book together, then act it out! If you and your child slither like a snake, stalk like a lion, and stomp like when they’re mad, they are learning those words using many senses at once. If they truly know what a word means, their reading comprehension will come easier. Even suffixes become more understandable when they act out the words: for instance, try acting out the difference between “scared” and “scary”!

Learning through moving their whole bodies is not only more fun, but it stays with children longer. So get moving!

Pica, R. 2010. Learning by Leaps and Bounds. Linking literacy and movement. Young Children 65 (6): 72-73. www.naeyc.org/yc/columns

-Kathy

For Fans of the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” Series

2011-07-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

The second “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” movie came out in March, and the next book in the series “Cabin fever” doesn’t come out until November. What is your poor fourth or fifth grade fan to do – besides play more video games? Here are some suggestions for books that he will like while he waits.

The strange case of Origami Yoda

Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda. By Angleberger, Tom.

The rat brain fiasco

Cody Mack's misdeeds land him in a reform school, where he soon discovers that the principal and teachers are actual monsters with a sinister plan to alter the boys' brains. By Berry, Julie, who also wrote "Curse of the bizarro beetle"

Dear Max

When nine-year-old Max writes a fan letter to his favorite author, Max has no idea what's in store for him. By Grindley, Sally.

Middle school is worse than meatloaf : a year told through stuff

Told entirely through notes, grocery receipts, report cards, bottle caps, newspaper clippings, and other pieces of a young girls life, here is the story of Ginny’s seventh-grade year using all the things that "really" matter. By Holm, Jennifer L.

Super Chicken Nugget Boy and the Furious Fry

Fern Goldberg is just an average kid until he falls into the green liquid behind Bogie's Burger Barn. Now whenever his skin comes into contact with condiments, he transforms into a bona fide deep-fried superhero. And he’s not afraid to fight the giant, mutant french fry that threatens to crush the whole school beneath its massive, starchy feet. By Lewis, Josh.

Max's logbook

Max's log book of observations, drawings, experiments, and inventions reveals the rich world of his imagination and his feelings about his parents' divorce. By Moss, Marissa.

Big Nate in a class by himself

Supremely confident middle school student Nate Wright manages to make getting detention from every one of his teachers in the same day seem like an achievement. Part of a series by Peirce, Lincoln.

Stuart goes to school

The first day of school is here, and Stuart is worried. What if he gets stuck in the boys' bathroom? What if he doesn't have anything to show for show and tell? Worst of all, what if his mother really makes him wear those green plaid pants? Doesn't she know that what Stuart really needs to wear is his cape? By Pennypacker, Sara

Max Quigley: technically not a bully

After playing a prank on one of his "geeky" classmates, sixth-grader Max Quigley's punishment is to be tutored by him. By Roy, James

Sideways stories from Wayside School

Humorous episodes from the classroom on the thirtieth floor of Wayside School, which was accidentally built sideways with one classroom on each story. Part of a series by Sachar, Louis

Spaceheadz.
On his first day at Brooklyn's P.S. 858, fifth-grader Michael K. is teamed with two very strange students, and while he gradually comes to believe they are aliens who need his help, he has trouble convincing anyone else of the truth. Part of a series by Scieszka, Jon.

Milo: sticky notes and brain freeze

In love with the girl he sneezed on the first day of school and best pals with Marshall, the "One Eyed Jack" of friends; seventh-grader Milo Cruikshank misses his mother whose death has changed everything at home. By Silberberg, Alan.

Dragonbreath

Danny Dragonbreath and his friend Wendell get an up-close underwater tour of the Sargasso Sea from Danny's sea-serpent cousin, encountering giant squid and mako sharks--and learn about standing up to bullies in the process. Part of a series by Vernon, Ursula.

Little Wolf's book of badness

Little Wolf has been behaving too courteously, so his parents send him to his uncle's Big Bad Wolf school to learn to be a proper wolf. By Whybrow, Ian.

Frankie Pickle and the closet of doom

Fourth-grader Frankie Piccolini has a vivid imagination when it comes to cleaning his disastrously messy room, but can a room ever really be too dirty? He is about to find out. Part of a series by Wight, Eric

If you need other good book ideas, check out the Sno-Isle's Kids "Find a Good Book" site

-Kathy

Books for Toddlers and the Very Young

2011-07-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Two-year-olds can be both lots of fun and very frustrating. They have lots of energy and enthusiasm, but very short attention spans. Going for a walk is an exercise in discovery (“That noise up above is a plane. I can tell you are very excited about it.”) rather than physical exercise or actually getting somewhere. They are reaching out to try new things and be independent, but their understanding and abilities are still so restricted that it can be frustrating for both themselves and their parents. Has anybody else heard the phrase, “I want to do it ALL BY MY SELF!”?

After a long and exciting morning or day of so much newness, it is very relaxing for both parent and child to calm down and read a book together as part of the nap time or bed time routine. Children thrive on the predictability of doing the same thing every time. They may test the boundaries and push, but they take great comfort when they find the boundaries still there.

What should you look for when picking out a book to read to your toddler? Here are some general tips:

*Their attention span is short, so the whole story should be short and simple.

*Each page should have only one or two sentences on it -or even less.

*Repetition or a repeating phrase is good.

*The pictures should be clear and simple. Look for white backgrounds and a focus.

*Look for stories about everyday situations and recognizable emotions, such as the love between a parent and child, or exploring a back yard, or bed time. The very young are still building their vocabularies and comfort levels for these everyday parts of life, and reading about them helps them put words to their experiences.

So what are some good book suggestions for the very young? I’ve been doing the storytime for two-year-olds for several years now, and here are some of the favorites that I come back to time and again:

1. I went walking by Sue Williams - During the course of a walk, a young boy identifies animals of different colors. Simple and repetetive, but you can talk about different things every time.

2. Kitten’s first full moon by Kevin Henkes - When Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk, she ends up tired, wet, and hungry trying to reach it. Toddlers will relate to the kitten's frustration.

3. Freight train by Donald Crews - Trace the journey of a colorful train as it goes through tunnels, past cities, and over trestles. Don't forget to make lots of train noises!

4. Guess how much I love you by Sam McBratney - During a bedtime game, every time Little Nutbrown Hare demonstrates how much he loves his father, Big Nutbrown Hare gently shows him that the love is returned even more. Read this with lots of cuddles!

5. Whose chick are you? By Nancy Tafuri - Goose, Duck, Hen, Bird and the little chick itself, cannot tell to whom a new hatchling belongs, but its mother knows. Nancy Tafuri is a good author for toddlers.

6. Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus! By Mo Willems - When a bus driver takes a break from his route, a volunteer springs up to take his place-a pigeon! As he pleads, wheedles, and begs his way through the book, children will love answering back. Also check out Mo Willems' "Knuffle bunny" series.

7. In the driver’s seat by Max Haynes - A driving lesson becomes a wild ride through countryside and city streets. This is a great book to read with your toddler on your lap so you can bump them around like a car.

8. The very hungry caterpillar by Eric Carle - Follows the progress of a hungry little caterpillar as he eats his way through a varied and very large quantity of food until, full at last, he forms a cocoon around himself and goes to sleep.

9. Growing vegetable soup by Lois Ehlert - A parent and child grow vegetables and then make them into a soup. This is written in a way that you can read it with varying levels of detail, depending on what your child wants.

10. Bark, George by Jules Feiffer - What's going on with George? Your child will love the silliness of a dog sounding like other animals.

11. Ten little fingers and ten little toes by Mem Fox - Rhyming text compares babies born in different places and in different circumstances, but they all share the commonality of ten little fingers and ten little toes. This is a good book to cuddle with

12. Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? By Bill Martin Jr. - Children see a variety of animals, each one a different color, and a mother looking at them.

13. The baby goes beep by Rebecca O’Connell - A baby makes various sounds as he explores the world around him. Read this one enough, and your toddler will be able to "read" along with you.

What are your toddler's favorites?

-Kathy

Do You Have a Favorite Book to Listen to?

2011-06-10T16:21:00.000-07:00

Usually when I say "I'm reading a book", people think I'm reading the ink on paper kind of book, or even an ebook. But I also like to listen to books, both the CD kind and the downloadable kind. I like listening to audiobooks while driving – No commercials! No radio dead spots! If I pick a book everybody in the family likes, we can listen to it together, and have something to do and talk about together on long trips. I like listening to audiobooks while exercising – it makes the time go faster when I don’t have to think about how much I'm sweating and how much longer I have to continue. I have even started listening to audiobooks while puttering about the house. Who really wants to think about chores, even when you’re in the middle of doing them? The audiobooks transport me out of the mundane even while I get things done.

Listening to a book adds a whole different layer to a book experience, and this different layer can really add to the reading experience when well done, or on the other hand, take away from your enjoyment of an otherwise perfectly good book.

What do I mean? One time I listened to an award-winning book told from a young boy’s point of view, yet the reader was an elderly man. That was distracting! Another time I listened to a book where one character was from Colorado Springs, yet the reader gave her a Southern accent. What?! When the reader mispronounces a place name, a friend of mine finds herself yelling at the reader, “It’s Puerto *Va-YAR-ta*, not Puerto *Va-LAR-ta*!” It's hard to be transported by a story when you're yelling at your CD player. And finally, some books just don’t work as well as audiobooks; if the language is luscious and complex, you can’t go back and reread a sentence like with a print book, just to enjoy how well it was written.

But when an audiobook is well done, it can transport you into its world even better than a print book can. Here are some examples of books that I found even better as an audiobook than I would have as a print book:

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine, read (and sung) by a full cast. In a book about a society where music and singing are extremely important, where Asa must reconcile her voice with her appearance, hearing the full cast singing original music was a much deeper experience than just reading about the music. If you like listening to a full cast audiobook like this, do a Keyword search for “Full Cast Audio”.

Bloody Jack [being an account of the curious adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy] by L.A.Meyer, read by Katherine Kellgren. Reduced to begging and thievery in the streets of London, a thirteen-year-old orphan disguises herself as a boy and connives her way onto a British warship set for high sea adventure in search of pirates. What makes the audiobook so good is that the reader does all of the different British accents (gutter, Cockney, Dorsett, etc) much better than I could do in my head if I were just reading it.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, as read by the author himself. It is a wonderfully spooky, eerie story about Nobody Owens, a normal boy who has been raised by ghosts and other denizens of a graveyard. Neil Gaiman has the deep, gravelly voice to make it even spookier. Maybe I hear my own voice when I read a print book, but Neil Gaiman’s voice works better.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, read by Sandra Burr. This is another book where I wouldn’t hear in my head the Maine accents nearly as well as the reader does them. This character book about an unpleasant retired teacher in small-town Maine made me wonder how much we judge characters by their voice.

So pull out your CD player or put on your MP3 player ear buds, and borrow or download an audiobook from Sno-Isle. Happy listening!

-Kathy

Teaching Language to Babies

2011-05-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

I’ve had two conversations recently with mothers wanting to teach their very young children a language other than English, when they don’t know that language very well themselves. I applaud what they’re trying to do, but it is very hard.

Babies learn by social interaction. They learn by listening to and watching a person, trying things out themselves, and having that person react to what they do and say. Simply watching something on a screen, even if it is supposedly aimed at young children, is not a very effective way to teach a language. Television shows and movies obviously do not react to children, so children don’t learn language from them. Given this fact, what can you do to teach a language to a baby?

Talk to your baby. Narrate what you’re doing, narrate what they are doing. If they’re playing with the pots, touch the pot and say “Pot” in whatever language, then use it in the sentence telling them what they are doing. If you don’t speak the language, have them spend time with someone who does.
Read a book to your baby. Sno-Isle has books in English, Spanish, Russian, Korean, Tagalog, Chinese and Japanese. Use lots of drama in your voice and body to give them a clue as to what’s going on. Do they bat at or point to a particular image? If you know the word for it, repeat the word. Do they say something sort of like the word for it? Praise them and say it again, correctly.
Sing songs with your baby. Most songs for the very young have motions that go with them, and if they don’t you can always make them up. Sno-Isle has lots of music available in different languages. Since I speak Spanish, my favorite resource in that language is José Luis Orozco. For other languages, search for "children's songs" and whatever language you're interested in.

Guess what – all of these suggestions work for English too! And don’t worry about your baby getting confused or delayed in learning English while also learning another language: studies also show that young children raised in bilingual homes have the same vocabulary levels as children raised in single language homes, just spread out over both languages.

The more opportunities you give your child to learn, the more your child will learn - whatever the language.

-Kathy

Brilliant Boy Books

2011-04-28T17:04:00.000-07:00

News flash! Boys are different than girls! Okay, now that you’ve recovered from laughing so hard, it won’t surprise you that boys approach reading in different ways than girls, too. Just like anything else, both boys and girls get better at reading by practicing. With all the entertainment alternatives out there (can anyone say video games?), guess what - guys won’t read if they don’t find books entertaining and fun. Boys have slightly different reading tastes than girls do. Unlike girls, they think books about relationships or character growth are boring. Instead, they go for books with lots of action. They go for books with humor. They tend to read edgier books. And they read lots of non-fiction. Non-fiction is good reading for boys because they can tie it to real world experiences, and in general it provides more pictures, giving them the extra brain stimulation that they need.

Here are some good middle grade boy books that I’ve read recently that you can check out from your local Sno-Isle library:

Kid vs. squid by Greg Van Eekhout: Giant attack squid! Kelp and lobster men! Seagull spies! Mummies and shrunken heads! Curses and an evil witch's head and a creepy Neptune house! Non-stop action and snarky humor give this lots of boy appeal.

Thomas and the dragon queen by Shutta Crum: A great adventure as young Thomas is pressed into a quest to rescue a princess, riding a donkey instead of a horse and wearing a cork-lined vest instead of armor. Boys will like the desperate fight against the bog monster, while grownups will like the ending, where Thomas shows his bravery by talking and understanding to provide the solution rather than blood and gore.

Poop happened! A history of the world from the bottom up by Sarah Albee: Did lead pipes cause the fall of the Roman Empire? How did a knight wearing fifty pounds of armor go to the bathroom? Was poor hygiene the last straw before the French Revolution? Did Thomas Crapper really invent the modern toilet? How do astronauts go in space? Throughout time, the most successful civilizations were the ones who realized that everyone poops, and they had better figure out how to get rid of it! Boys will enjoy grossing out their parents, and it’s all true. Need I say more?

The strange case of origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger: Dwight, a loser, talks to his classmates via an origami finger puppet of Yoda. The puppet is uncannily wise and prescient. Origami Yoda predicts the date of a pop quiz and saves a classmate from popularity-crushing embarrassment with some well-timed advice. Dwight’s classmate Tommy wonders how Yoda can be so smart when Dwight himself is so clueless. With contributions from his puzzled classmates, he assembles the case file that forms this novel. This is hilarious! It is similar in humor to “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”, but for the next grade up.

Here are two additional good resources for finding more books that boys will enjoy reading:

http://talestoldtall.com/B4B.html (by Michael Sullivan)

http://www.guysread.com/ (by the author Jon Scieszka)

How is our Lego Club Being Sneaky?

2011-04-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

This coming Friday is our ever popular monthly After School Lego Club, 3:30-5:30. What, you may ask, does playing with Legos have to do with libraries and literacy?

    1) It appeals to middle-grade boys. Studies show that many in this particular group lose interest in reading, books, and the library. Playing with Legos draws them in to the library. It doesn’t hurt that this is a family activity that Dad’s like to participate in as well.

    2) I provide a boy-friendly themes and lots of books relating to that theme that they can check out. As a general rule, boys like non-fiction (true books), so I put out lots of non-fiction. This Friday's theme is "Survival", but I've also done "Castles and Forts", "UFOs and Aliens", "Things that Fly", and others.

    3) Boys like and need to relate their reading to real life. So this combination of building Lego creations with books about the same thing helps boys make those connections.

What can you do at home to help your boys with reading?

Provide the boys in your life with books about subjects they are already interested in. Are they interested in bike riding for instance? We’ve got books, both fiction and non-fiction about biking.
Are they reading something for school? Do a real-life activity together that relates to it. Are they reading Gary Paulsen’s wilderness survival story, “Hatchet” for example? Walk through the woods and talk about what they could use to survive if they were lost.
Finally, even if your boys are old enough to read by themselves, don’t give up on reading to them at bedtime. You are modeling the importance of reading, plus showing them another way to enjoy books.

See you at Lego Club!

-Kathy

Baby Brains and Literacy

2011-03-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

A while back I attended a library conference, and my favorite session was all about the latest research into how babies acquire language and literacy. Here are some cool takeaways that I learned:

1) Baby’s brains are great statisticians. Between the ages of 6-9 months, they listen to everything they hear around them, and are able to calculate what sounds are important to pay attention to in the language they are hearing. For example, is the difference between “r” and “l” important? Yes in English, no in Japanese.

2) Babies who grow up in language rich environments enter Kindergarten with four times the vocabulary of babies who grow up in language poor environments. Children who have a higher vocabulary will have an easier time learning how to read. And those children who grew up in language-poor environments *never* catch up in their reading ability.

3) Babies learn through interacting with people. Mom, dad, Aunt, Uncle, Grandparents, and every other person a baby spends time with, is a learning experience for baby. Television does not interact with babies, and even when babies look like they are fascinated with a television, they have found that babies do NOT learn anything from it.

4) Babies who live in a bilingual house learn language just as fast as babies who live in a monolingual house. They measured vocabulary in kids from both situations at a certain age, and kids had the same vocabulary numbers. The key was that the young children in the bilingual homes had the same number of words in their vocabularies spread over the two languages.

What can parents take away from this research?

1) Talk to your babies. Even if they can’t talk back, they are still learning. YOU are your child’s best toy.

2) Pay attention to your baby, and whatever they do, you add to it. If they say “ba”, say “baba”. If they say “baba”, say “bada”. If they say “truck”, you say “red truck”.

3) Use the television sparingly, if at all. Be aware that even if you really need to park your kids in front of the TV in that crazy moment while you finish dinner while the kids are cranky and tired, that is a moment that they’re not learning. (Can you tell I did that, too?)

4) Read to your babies, even if they can’t talk yet. (You’re not surprised I would put in a plug like this, are you?). Read to them in whatever language you find most comfortable. Notice when they interact with the book or the story, talk to them about it, then read to them again and again.

You’re not only having fun with your beloved child, you’re helping to build their brains!

-Kathy

Everything you see on the Internet is true, right?

2011-03-19T16:16:00.000-07:00

Your child is writing an essay for school, and finds a site on the Internet that is very interesting and useful for his or her paper. But is it true? Is the information trustworthy? There’s a site about Martin Luther King Jr written by a white supremacist group. There’s another website site claiming that the moon landings never took place written by a guy in his garage. Should you believe the information you read on either of those sites? Here are some tips for figuring it out:

1) The first thing to look for is who wrote the site. Everybody has a point of view, and you should know what it is. Reliable sites will have the author’s or organization’s name in an obvious place. You should also be able to find a link to “About us” that tells about the organization and their goals. The two sites I reference above don’t have this information.

2) Look up at the address bar. Does it have a “.com” or “.org”? Anybody at all can create a website with those top level domain names. If you have any questions, you can always search Google using whois Samplesite to find out who the site is really registered to. Does it have a “.gov” or “.edu”? Those sites are hosted by either the government or an accredited educational institution. In fact, when you use Google, you can limit your results to only those sites by typing in site:.edu samplesearch or site:.gov samplesearch.

3) Did you find a great article on Wikipedia? Wikipedia is what is known as a “stepping stone” site. That means that your child shouldn’t use the information in the article directly for their paper, but it is a great source to find information they can use via the links to outside resources listed at the bottom.

4) Finally, Sno-Isle has a great collection of databases with good, reliable information. Go to www.sno-isle.org, hover over the “Databases and Research” in the blue bar, and choose one of the broad topics. We have databases that cover everything from country information to biographies, from science to all sides of controversial topics.

Using these tools and tips, you can be confident that the information you find is much more likely to be true. And if you have further questions, about any of this, don’t hesitate to ask any of us at the Information Desk at your library!

-Kathy

Ejection Seats for Computers?

2011-02-11T14:10:00.000-08:00

An older gentleman came into the library today, feeling somewhat leery of the computers and the Internet in general. He asked if the computers had ejection seats if he did anything wrong, and in my mind’s eye I imagined the library full of computers and the occasional explosion as patrons went flying. Of course, when I finished chuckling, I walked him through the process of signing onto the computer, and how to find things on the Internet.

We have no plans to install ejection seats at our computers, entertaining though the idea is. We do plan on a major change at the end of March, however: a new catalog system. Our current catalog system is 20 years old, which in computer years means it comes from practically the Stone Age. The new system from Polaris will make it easier to find what you’re looking for, give you more spelling help (like Google and Amazon.com do), and give you more control of your holds. We are all very excited about it, and hope you will like the improvements, too. We are spending the next month making sure we know the new system, and it looks like the changeover will happen during the last week of March. We won’t be able to do some things that changeover week, but then we should be up and running. We ask that you bear with us as we make the change; both during the changeover week, and afterwards as you get used to the new system.

An hour later, the gentleman came back with more questions. And I could happily tell him that yes, he could bring his laptop in and he could get both electricity and a connection to the Internet. And we won’t have any ejection seats. Guaranteed.

-Kathy

Tips on Reading to Your Child

2011-01-18T11:10:00.000-08:00

You know that reading to your child is good. It demonstrates to them the importance of reading, it’s a good activity to share, and it teaches pre-reading skills. If you’re not exactly sure how to do it, here are five tips to make reading to your child enjoyable for both of you.

1. Pick a book that is appropriate to your child’s developmental level. Babies up to two-year-olds like clear, uncluttered pictures, with only a sentence or two per page. Preschoolers begin to have longer attention spans and can handle longer stories in their picture books. As your child gets older and even able to read by themselves, you can pick books that are to their taste, yet might be slightly too difficult for them to read themselves. If you need suggestions, don’t hesitate to ask a librarian at the Information Desk!

2. Make reading part of your daily routine. Bedtimes make great times for sharing books, as it helps them wind down after a busy day. Cuddling while reading is encouraged! In fact, any cuddle time during the day can be book time. Are you in line somewhere waiting? Reading aloud works to keep your child deal with the boredom. Be prepared to read the same book over and over again, as young children love the predictability of routine.

3. Talk to your child about what you’re reading. If your very young child points to a part of the picture, you can name it and say something about it. You can ask them what color it is, or what the creature is doing. You can ask what sound it makes. For older children, you can ask things like how the character felt when something happened to them in the story, or what would have happened if they had chosen to do something different. Talking together with your child is more important than reading the book straight through.

4. Have fun. Make exaggerated faces and don’t be afraid to make silly sounds, all to go along with the story. Come to one of our storytimes at the library, and see how much fun we have reading books to your child. You don’t have to do different voices like some of us do, but check out how much fun we have. Your child will know, and learn to have fun while reading, too.

5. Don’t stop! Just because your child has learned to read by themselves, doesn’t mean that you should stop reading to them. You can pick out chapter books that you both like, read a chapter (or two!) a night, then talk about it. It is a good way of not only demonstrating the continuing importance of reading, but also it is a good opportunity to talk about issues and values important to you as a parent and as a family. Continuing to read to your child even as they get older is especially important for reluctant readers.

Reading to your child helps them in many ways. Start reading to them when they are young, and keep reading to them as they get older; show them your love through reading. If you want to know more, or need help picking out a good book to share, come talk to your local librarian. We would love to help!

-Kathy

My Best Reads for 2010-Children’s Chapter Books

2010-12-31T16:27:00.000-08:00

As a Children’s Librarian, I get the great pleasure of reading children’s fiction and also feeling virtuous that I’m doing it to be better at my job. So here are the Children’s chapter books that touched me this past year. Yes, this reflects my reading taste, but I hope you or the children in your life get as much fun out of them as I did. If they sound like your child would be interested in them, but the reading level is too much for them, I encourage you to read to them, or check out the audiobooks.

1. “The search for WondLa” by Toni DiTerlizzi: Eva Nine is a curious and sensitive twelve-year-old who has lived all her life sequestered in a subterranean home called Sanctuary, cared for by a robot named Muthr. Eva's great desire is to go above ground and meet other humans, though when she finally has the opportunity, nothing is as she had imagined or prepared for. Where are all the humans? Where are all the plants and animals she read about, and what are these creatures she finds instead? This is an illustrated children’s science fiction chapter book with the same fantastical mood and elements as "Princess Mononoke" and "Howl's Moving Castle".

2. “Penny dreadful” by Laurel Snyder: Penelope is rich, loved by her mostly-absent parents, lonely, and bored. So she makes a wish at a wishing well that life become more interesting. Is it her wish what causes her father to quit his job, her parents to run out of money and the whole family to move to a rambling house in the middle of nowhere filled with odd characters? Penny’s new life feels too magical to be real, too real to be magic. And it may be too good to last . . . unless she can find a way to make magic work just one more time—if it even was magic.

3. “Poop happened!: A history of the world from the bottom up” by Sarah Albee, with Robert Leighton as Illustrator: Have you ever thought about poop? Once humans stopped walking away from their poop as hunter/gatherers, they needed to start dealing with it. I will never watch a show or read a book about past European cities the same way again: streets flowing with animal and human excrement, nobody bathed, and chamber pots being emptied from upstairs windows into the street. And can you guess how a knight in 50 pounds of armor went to the bathroom? Forget shining! This book is full of disgusting facts that will leave your elementary-aged boys howling with laughter.

4. “The great and only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum” by Candace Fleming: Known far and wide for his jumbo elephants, midgets, and three-ring circuses, here’s a captivating look at the man behind the Greatest Show on Earth. Readers can visit P. T. Barnum’s American Museum; meet Tom Thumb (only 39 inches tall!) and his tinier bride (32 inches!); and discover Barnum’s legacy to the 19th century and beyond. Drawing on old circus posters, photographs, etchings and ticket stubs, this book presents history as it’s never been experienced before—a show-stopping event! The highs and lows of his life are worthy of the great showman himself.

5. “Thomas and the Dragon Queen” by Shutta Crum: A kingdom is at war. A brave squire volunteers to set out on a quest to rescue the kidnapped princess. But there's just one small problem; he's low-born Thomas, the shortest of all the squires. Setting off with little more than a donkey, a vest, and a sword, Thomas will have to use all of his courage and determination to battle a beast with many heads, reach a forbidden island, and rescue the princess from a most fearsome dragon! Boys will like the desperate fight against the bog monster, while grownups will like the ending, where Thomas shows his bravery by talking and understanding rather than fighting.

6. “I kill giants” a graphic novel by Joe Kelly: She's an antisocial reading nerd at school, with a very active imagination...but something is not right at home. Who are the giants she must kill, why is her older sister in charge of raising her, and what is so deathly frightening at home? A new friend, the school counselor, and the school bully all add to the mix, culminating in a stormy titanic battle with the horrible Cyclops.

7. “Touch blue” by Cynthia Lord: The state of Maine plans to shut down her island’s schoolhouse, which would force Tess’s family to move to the mainland. Fortunately, the islanders have a plan too: increase the numbers of students by having several families take in foster children. So now Tess and her family are taking a chance on Aaron, a thirteen-year-old trumpet player who has been bounced from home to home. Will Tess’s wish come true or will her luck run out? I loved the sense of place and how several characters grow over the course of the story, but warning: readers looking for lots of action will be disappointed.

8. “The strange case of Origami Yoda” by Tom Angleberger: Loser Dwight talks to his classmates via an origami finger puppet he made of Yoda. If that weren’t strange enough, the puppet is uncanny: he predicts the date of a pop quiz, guesses who stole the classroom Shakespeare bust, and saves a classmate from popularity-crushing embarrassment with some well-timed advice. Dwight’s classmate Tommy wonders how Yoda can be so smart when Dwight himself is so clueless. With contributions from his puzzled classmates, he assembles the case file that forms this novel. Kind of a "Diary of a wimpy kid" sensibility, but for the next grade up.

9. “The mysterious howling” by Maryrose Wood: Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children. Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Mysteries abound at Ashton Place: Who are these three wild, wolfish children, and how did they come to live in the vast forests of the estate? Will Penelope be able to teach the Incorrigibles table manners and socially useful phrases in time for Lady Constance's holiday ball? And what on earth is a schottische?

10. "Frankie Pickle and the closet of doom” by Eric Wight: Frankie braves the dangers of the swamps to explore the ruins of an ancient civilization. He must find the golden circle, but suddenly he is attacked by lava monsters! Just as he is about to touch the golden circle ...his sister grabs the last waffle. Frankie’s imaginative adventures are way more important to him than cleaning his room, so his mom tells him that fine, he doesn't have to clean his room. But he must live with the consequences. How bad could the consequences be? Interspersed graphic novel (the stories Frankie imagines) with regular font (realistic-fiction).

Have fun! What books have grabbed your child's interest this past year?

-Kathy

My Best Reads of 2010-Adult and Teen Books

2010-12-31T12:20:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year when everybody puts out their best and worst lists of 2010. Since I’m a librarian and I read all year, I decided to put together a list of my favorite reads from this past year. For this list, I’ll do just adult and teen books, and I’ll do another list for children’s chapter books that I liked.

I currently use goodreads.com to keep track of what I’ve read and what I want to read, but this coming spring we’re going to change our catalog program, and the new one should give you the option of keeping track of what you want to read. I can’t wait to see how it will work!

But here is my own personalized, idiosyncratic list of books that touched me in 2010:

1. “Sometimes a great notion” by Ken Kesey: The American South has its great literature; this is great epic literature for the Pacific Northwest. Beautifully poetic language, great sense of place and time, underlying issues to think about, and the best ratcheting up of tension ever. Not a quick read, and Kesey is better at writing male characters than females, but this was a wonderful read to then talk about with others.

2. “Bury your dead” by Louise Penny: An obsessive historian's quest for the remains of the founder of Quebec, Samuel de Champlain, ends in murder. Could a secret buried with Champlain for nearly 400 years be so dreadful that someone would kill to protect it? These three interlocking mysteries surrounding Inspector Armand Gamache are set in the province of Quebec during winter. It had a great sense of time and place, where the mysteries also explored the relationship between the French and the English.

3. “Ship breaker” by Paolo Bacigalupi: Set in a future Gulf Coast shanty town, we meet Nailer, a teenage boy searching grounded oil tankers for copper wiring to make quota and live another day. When Nailer discovers an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane and the lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl, Nailer finds himself at a crossroads. Should he strip the ship and live a life of relative wealth where he is, or take a great risk and rescue the girl, hoping she'll lead him to a better life? This is Sci Fi at its best, where an author takes a current issue (in this case the end of the oil economy) and extrapolates it into a believable and riveting story. Teens who like stories with lots of action will like this, and get something to think about, too.

4. “Immortal beloved” by Cate Tiernan: How does being immortal change how you live? Nastasia has been a party girl for centuries, when she decides she doesn't like who she is anymore. The immortal retreat she withdraws to is soothing, but she isn't the only one hiding dark secrets. Lots of personal growth, magic, a mystery, a touch of romance, and a story that will continue in the next book.

5. “Backseat saints” by Joshilyn Jackson: What is it like to be an abused wife? Why don’t they just leave their abusers? This has a distinctive voice, a very scary and disturbing plot, a well-delineated Southern culture ambiance as Ro Grandee grows and learns she will have to choose between her own life and her abusive husband's. I still think about this story months later.

6. “The good son” by Michael Gruber: Somewhere on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, armed terrorists hold Sonia Laghari and eight fellow members of a symposium on peace captive. Sonia, a deeply religious woman as well as a Jungian psychologist, has become the de facto leader of the kidnapped group. Meanwhile her son Theo, an ex-Delta soldier and child jihadi who fought the Russians, uses his military, social and family connections to find and free the victims before they are killed one by one. It gave me a much deeper understanding of what the US is up against in the region, while also being a gripping thriller.

7. “City of veils” By Zoe Ferraris: A woman's body is discovered on the beach in Saudi Arabia. An American woman comes back to Jeddah from a visit to the US, only to find her husband distracted, and then disappear. A chilling mystery set in modern Saudi Arabia, with a constant theme of how women survive (or don't) in the theocratic state. Enthralling, this is a good companion to Gruber's "The Good Son" in understanding a part of the world that was thrust upon the US on 9/11.

8. “Under heaven” by Guy Gavriel Kay: Shun Dai chooses to honor the death of his father the general by burying the bones on an old battlefield to lay the ghosts to rest. Because of his efforts, he is gifted with 250 Sardian horses; so over-the-top that if he's not careful he will be killed for them. He may be killed anyway. The horses and his efforts to dispose of them ripple thru the empire, disrupting delicate balances all the way to the top. This will appeal to fans of complex and epic fiction (such as "Pillars of the Earth", "Anathem", or “Game of Thrones”)

9. “A reliable wife” by Robert Goolrick: A rich businessman living in Wisconsin in 1907 advertises for "a reliable wife." The new wife, Catherine Land, arrives in the harsh landscape in the dead of winter, and it soon becomes clear that each person has their own agenda for the other. Neither anticipates what develops between them - the pent-up emotional response that Catherine discovers towards this enigmatic man and the joy Ralph experiences in giving Catherine the luxuries she has never known.

10. “Going bovine” by Libba Brae: Trippy. A high school slacker gets mad cow disease, where one of the symptoms before dying is to get hallucinations. A loopy punk angel visits him and convinces him to go on a road-trip to find a cure. With all of the weirdness and recurring motifs-does that mean it's all in his head? I listened to the audiobook, and it had good voice casting with a nasally, nerdy voice. You will never look at a garden gnome the same way again.

I had a hard time picking just 10, and if you caught me on a different day I might have chosen a different 10 for my list. What was your favorite book for 2010?

-Kathy

So You're Shopping for an E-reader...

2010-12-07T11:47:00.000-08:00

So you're shopping for a present for friends or family, and you know they like to read. Hey, how about getting them an e-reader?

You know they use the library a lot (Hooray!), and you know that the library offers downloadable e-books for free (because you use the library a lot, too, Hooray!). You're technologically savvy and know that Kindle is proprietary and won't be compatible with e-books from the library. So what e-reader should you get for them, that will be compatible with the service called "Overdrive" that the library uses? Just in time for the gift-giving season (oh, all right, Christmas and Hannukah), Overdrive has put together a list of devices that are compatible.

Gift-giving problem: solved.

-Kathy

Unlikely Friends: Books for Young Readers

2010-11-27T14:11:00.000-08:00

Once children grow beyond toddlerhood, they begin to realize that there are people their own age around them, and that they might be interesting to play with. One of the ways they learn and grow is through exploring what it means to have and be a friend. What do friends do? Who can be friends? What does having a friend feel like? The issues of friendship can be endlessly interesting and frustrating for years. Books at your library can help your youngster try these things out without necessarily learning the hard way.

Start with the Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems. Featuring two lovable and funny characters -- an optimistic (and sometimes reckless) pig and a cautious, pessimistic elephant -- these books are easy enough for beginning readers, yet full of interest and humor. Children will love both the raw emotions as the two unlikely friends face different crises, and the humor that shines through the simplicity of the language. Titles in the series include: “I will surprise my friend”, “I love my new toy”, “Are you ready to play outside?”, “Elephants cannot dance”, “Watch me throw the ball”, “Pigs make me sneeze”, “Can I play too?” and “I am going”.

Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee. Continuing the idea of unlikely friends, Bink is wild and outgoing, while Gollie is reserved and quiet. Bink is short, while Gollie is tall. But the both love roller-skating. Three chapters explore the adventures of wildly bright socks, an impromptu trip to the Andes, and an unexpectedly marvelous pet. This still has lots of pictures and not too many words per page, and is a good next step up from Elephant and Piggie.

Ivy + Bean by Annie Barrows. Seven-year-old Bean is always active and always getting into trouble, but when a new girl moves in across the street, she isn’t thrilled. The new girl looks like she’s stuck up and always has her nose in a book. When Ivy moves into a new house, she just knows that the strange and wild girl across the street wouldn’t be a suitable friend. What could they possibly have in common? Then one time, desperate to get away from her big sister, Bean hides near Ivy, and Ivy rescues her. Longer than “Bink and Gollie”, this series is perfect for ages 6-9; two more unlikely friends who have wonderfully funny adventures together.

Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace. This old-fashioned series is a step up from the “Ivy + Bean” series, but again features unlikely friends who become inseparable. Betsy is the only girl her age in the neighborhood and is thrilled when a new girl moves in. After a rocky start, they finally become friends when Tacy comes to Betsy’s fifth birthday party – becoming so inseparable that people start referring to them with one name: “Betsy-Tacy”. They build a house out of a piano box, make a sand town, and play dress-up and go calling just like their mothers. This series has been loved for so long that its early 1900 setting has become historical fiction, but the deep friendship it portrays is still true for girls today.

The adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung-fu cavemen from the future by George Beard and Harold Hutchins. Enough of these girly friend books, here’s one for the boys. From the author of the “Captain Underpants” books, and with a similar sensationally silly sense of humor, cave-guys Ook and Gluk and their pet dinosaur living hundreds of thousands of years ago have amazing adventures with time travel, evil corporations, and kung-fu. Forget worrying about their friendship, they’re like most boys and off having adventures saving the world!

These are some of the "friend" books that have crossed my desk recently. I invite you to come visit at the Information Desk, and we'll find the perfect book for you and your child!

-Kathy

E-books vs Print Books: Smackdown Survey

2010-11-09T11:57:00.000-08:00

Lots of people in the book world are analyzing and talking about e-readers and what effect they will have. Amazon crowed that sales of Kindle books surpassed sales of hard cover books recently. Some people are foretelling *The End of the Book*.

Of course, we’re interested in how these new-fangled devices will change our world in the library, and trying to adapt to those changes that we can see coming. So in addition to taking opportunities to play with all of the Kindles and Nooks and Sony readers and iPads, I’m also talking with other book lovers in my daily life. I talked with fellow soccer parents at a game, I talked with my book group, and I even talked with my teenage son. Here are the reactions I got:

*My son was absolutely against e-books. He said it took too long to turn the page.

*One person said that she loves to write her reactions to the book in the margins. How could she do that in an e-book? Her husband, however, loves to read on his smart phone because of the convenience.

*Almost everybody said that they would be absolutely great for traveling, as it would be so much easier than schlepping around a stack of books. But one person said that it would be worse to lose or have an e-reader stolen than a cheap paperback.

*One lady said that she would love to have an e-book, as it would mean she would no longer have shelves of books filling up her bedroom. But even if she did get an e-book, she would still buy books to use as “bath tub books”.

*One lady said she would use an e-reader for general reading, but if she really liked a book, she would purchase a print copy.

*Several people said that e-books for young children were completely inappropriate. On the one hand, they need the mental stimulation of physically turning pages, maybe chewing on the corners of the board books, turning flaps, stroking fur or sandpaper, and so forth. On the other hand, children can be very rough on things: would you really want your child to throw an e-book? One mother commented that her toddlers loved the vinyl books they played with in their bath.

What do I take away from my unscientific survey? I see that physical books aren’t going away, but that they’ll be less common as they’ll fill in the margins of a reader’s life: on the cheap end that they don’t mind getting damaged and on the high end as a mark of importance in their intellectual or emotional lives.

How is Sno-Isle adapting to e-books? Check out our downloadable books! We have both downloadable e-books and audiobooks, in addition to downloadable music and videos. They can be played or seen on specific devices, as listed on the record. None are downloadable to Kindle. That’s not anything we have any control over; that’s just the way Amazon.com currently builds the Kindle and the copyrights are negotiated for each book. So download the Overdrive media console, search for a book, check to see that it goes with your device, and go!

-Kathy

What Scares Us Now

2010-10-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

Through the ages, different things have given us as a society the heebie jeebies. Centuries ago, it was witches and witchcraft. Decades ago it was Communism and alien invasions. More recently, it seems to be disease, global warming and genetically modified organisms. How does our literature reflect our fears? For a while, movies and science fiction were full of UFOs and implacable enemy extraterrestrials. Now, a lot of speculative fiction is about dystopian climate change and global pandemics. Authors even use allegories like zombies to tweak our fears. Here are some books that play on our current fears:

The year of the flood by Margaret Atwood. In a world of genetic experiments run wild, catastrophic climate change and powerful and dictatorial corporations governed only by naked materialism, a few people band together in an religiously ecological cult to try to survive the coming pandemic. Pair with her other novel, Oryx and Crake, as they cover the same story but from such different (though sometimes overlapping) perspectives that they make a complex whole.

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi. Another post-apocalyptic vision of our future, again with climate change, genetic experiments and man-made pandemics run wild. This story is unusual in that it isn’t set in North America, but in a Bangkok, Thailand that is trying to resist the powerful and dictatorial corporations who have taken over the rest of the world while also building up to their own civil war. If we change the environment so much, what does it mean to be human, and should we engineer our own evolutionary successors?

The Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. In a new genre called steam punk, this is set in an alternate Civil War-era Seattle where a fantastic digging machine has released a heavy gas that turns people into zombies. The survivors have built a wall around down-town Seattle to keep in both the wandering zombies and the gas that continues to vent. Briar Blue, widow of the inventor/mad scientist that released the “Blight” gas is keeping a dark secret even from her son Zeke, who finally goes into the city to find out more about his father.

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks. I'm not usually into horror, but this pseudo collection of oral histories of the zombie war is totally engrossing. Unlike many dystopian visions of the future that have one central hero, this has interlocking short histories that suck you in to how zombies very nearly took over the world. From initial disbelief to smuggling (sometimes infected) refugees to a slimy salesman selling a fake vaccine to cities being overwhelmed to a battle-survivor listing how fighting zombies was vastly different than fighting humans, and so on, this truly does build a believably eerie history of the world's zombie war experience.

The Passage by Justin Cronin. First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear-of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse. For Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey-spanning miles and decades-towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

What books play into your fears?

-Kathy

Twos Are Terrific: What Am I Doing, and Why?

2010-09-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

This year in my “Twos Are Terrific” storytime for two-year-olds, I am concentrating on one letter per week, going through the alphabet. The first week we talked about a-a-a-apples and a-a-a-ants and a-a-a-airplanes. This last week we talked about b-b-b-babies and b-b-b-bears and b-b-b-boats. During each storytime I read stories, we all sing songs and we exercise our large and small muscles in various ways. What do I expect your two-year-old to learn?

Most of all, I want children to learn to associate books with fun. Two-year-olds are very honest, and I know when I’m losing their interest or attention; so I keep the books short and dramatic.
I expect the children to become comfortable with a predictable storytime structure. As they come back each week, and start hearing some of the same songs and activities, they will gain confidence and start participating more.
Children need to acquire six pre-reading skills before they can become successful readers. As I concentrate on one sound or letter each week, I expect the children to learn that words are made up of a string of different sounds. This is one of the six pre-reading skills. They will also be picking the other core skills as well, but this is what I’m concentrating on this year.

Do I expect two-year-olds to actually learn their alphabet? No, not really; although a very few may pick it up if they’re getting more at home.

What do I expect the parents to do?

I expect parents to continue to read to their children all week. Parents can observe and learn from how I read the stories. Not only do I read very expressively, which gives two-year-olds additional clues as to the meaning, but I also involve them in some way in the story by helping to make sounds or asking them questions.
I expect parents to talk to and play with their children all week. I have a handout available each week of everything I do. That way parents can easily repeat the songs and fingerplays all week, as often as the child wants and the parent can stand.

I don’t expect or want parents to feel stressed about “teaching their child to read”. I do expect that I am giving parents skills, ideas and resources to take home and use with their children very day. I also expect that reading will eventually come because the children will have learned the pre-reading skills through these activities.

Ready Readers: The Six Core Skills
1. Story Awareness (Narrative Awareness)
2. Using Books (Print Awareness)
3. Understanding Sounds (Phonological Awareness)
4. Understanding Letters (Letter Knowledge)
5. Understanding Words (Vocabulary)
6. Loving Books (Print Motivation)

Salmon and Tattoos-How to Find What You’re Looking For

2010-09-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite interactions with patrons start off with the patron telling me that he (and it’s almost always a “he”) hasn’t been in a library since high school. Many times when this happens, they’re looking for car repair manuals, and I happily show them both our print collection and our automotive databases.

This afternoon, however, was even better. The patron wanted a tattoo of a salmon; the tattoo artist wasn’t getting what he wanted, and his Internet search wasn’t helping either. Someone directed him to the library, though he wasn’t quite sure how I would be more successful. After some discussion as to exactly what he had in mind, I started off by searching for “Salmon art” as a Keyword search, and found “Mythic beings: spirit art of the Northwest coast” by Gary Wyatt. This was cool art, but more stylized than he was looking for.

Next, I looked up our general tattoo and body art books. We happily browsed through the pictures, some of which made both of us shake our heads in disbelief. But even though we found some great tattoos and some that he definitely wanted to avoid, nothing quite fit. On the other hand, in the bibliography at the back of one of the children’s books I found a good possible reference, “The tattoo encyclopedia: a guide to choosing your tattoo” by Terisa Green, which is in our system.

Finally, I looked up our books about salmon. Some of the cover art was exactly what he was looking for, and the field guides - though not artistic - could help him choose realistic colors. The best was actually a picture book called “Salmon stream” by by Carol Reed-Jones, though I got several others for him as well.

Why am I writing about this? Okay, I’m weird in that I get a kick out of helping people find things; that’s why I’m a librarian. But the techniques I use are ones you can use as well:

Look at what you want from several different angles. In this case I searched for art, tattoos, and salmon, both together and separately.

Broaden your search if your first search pulled up little to nothing, or narrow your search if you get too much. In this case, I went from “salmon art” to “salmon”.

Find a book that sounds good, then go to that place on the shelf and look before and after it to see if there are other similar books that would be even better.

Look in the bibliography to find good online and print resources. Children’s books are great for this!

My patron left, new library card and several books in hand, happy with the arty pictures of salmon he found with my help. If the techniques I’ve outlined here don’t lead you to where you want to go, please don’t hesitate to come in and ask: we love to search for the information to make you happy, too.

-Kathy

Annual Bookmark Contest

2010-09-02T15:46:00.000-07:00

The start of the new school year is right around the corner and I have exciting news for you about Sno-Isle’s annual bookmark contest. In the past, there have only been winners in each age/grade category across the entire system, leaving hundreds of local entries scant chance of winning. But beginning this year, there will be a winner in three categories from each branch community, which means that Marysville is guaranteed to have its own trio of winners. There will be one, local Marysville winner from each of the three categories listed below:

Preschool
K-Grade 2
Grades 3-6

Winning bookmarks will be printed and distributed in Sno-Isle libraries during Children’s Book Festival in November and we are planning to have a celebration/congratulatory event here at the library for the winners and their families toward the end of November—date to be announced.

We are distributing entry forms through the Marysville schools (in English and in Spanish), and additional entry forms are available here in the library. The deadline for entries to be returned to the library is Friday, October 8th. Winning entries will be chosen during the second week of October and we will post them on the Sno-Isle website on November 1st.

We encourage your budding artist to draw the best bookmark ever!

-Kathy

What Should You Read Next?

2010-08-24T16:45:00.000-07:00

You’ve just finished reading the best book ever. It was absolutely wonderful, but now that you are finished reading it you feel let down and wonder what you can read next that will possible match it. You can always work your way down the best-seller list, but here at Sno-Isle we offer something more personalized: a database called NoveList Plus. To get there from our home page, hover over “Books, Movies, Music” and choose “Books”, then you’ll see the link to NoveList Plus under “Some Ideas”. NoveList Plus will provide you with several ways to choose your next great read.

NoveList offers many ways of finding a book that will appeal to your taste. You can type in the name of that book or the author you just finished reading into the search bar. When you choose your book, NoveList immediately gives you nine recommendations on the right. Further down on the right, you can choose exactly those elements of the book that most appealed to you and search for books that meet those criteria. Books that we have in the Sno-Isle system will give you a link to our catalog.

You can even type book or story elements that you’re looking for into the search field. Looking for women detectives in Seattle? NoveList comes up with 177 suggestions. You can even narrow your results list by appeal on the left, and limit it by things like publication date on the right.

Going back to the main NoveList page, you can just say that you like to read a particular genre, or type of book. On the list to the left, you can choose among 11 genres (or 16 categories of nonfiction), and then further define what specific category you’re looking to read. Do you like Romances? You can decide whether you want to read Romantic Suspense, Paranormal Romance, or Fantasy Romance more. Do you like the list that comes up? Print it out, or choose another, related list on the right. Again, keep an eye out for the link to the Sno-Isle catalog to know what we have in our system.

We as librarians love to talk books with our patrons, and we invite you to come in to the library to do so. But NoveList Plus is a great tool that we use to find good books, which you can use, too.

-Kathy

How can you Organize Books?

2010-07-19T17:11:00.000-07:00

At my house we just put some needed new carpet in our home office. This was wonderful, but it meant I had to move all of my books out, and then reshelve them again after the new carpet had been installed. I hadn’t reorganized my books since we moved into our house 20 years ago; way before I got my library degree. So what would be a logical way to organize my personal library?

Oddly enough, this was how Melville Dewey (1851-1931) started the Dewey decimal system still in use in most public and school libraries today. He had a stack of books and tried to decide the most logical way of organizing them. My own personal library veers toward my own tastes, including fictional mysteries, Science Fiction, general modern fiction, Latin American authors such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, history and memoirs, with a smattering of other non-fiction. Dewey’s collection of books veered to his own tastes and the biases of his time as well; the most obvious is where he designated the 210-289 section to be about the different varieties of Christianity, with all other world religions (!) relegated to the 290’s. For a short explanation of the system Dewey came up with, read "The Dewey Decimal System by Alan Fowler".

Nancy Pearl, a librarian and reader par excellence has written the quirky “Book lust: recommended reading for every mood, moment, and reason”. She reads even more widely than I do, and she has her own way of organizing her reading. Her categories include “O pioneers!”, “Academic mysteries”, “Fathers and daughters”, and even funny categories like “Elvis on my mind”.

Even Hitler had his own collection of books that influenced his thinking: "Hitler's private library : the books that shaped his life" by Timothy W. Ryback. I wonder how he organized his books.

These days you can not only organize the books you own, but books you have read on such websites as librarything.com or goodreads.com, using categories or “tags” that you create yourself. Your own library collection will skew to your interest categories. I created a category for "Historical Mysteries" since I like to read those, but you can create categories like "Scary Stories" or "Religious Reads" or any other grouping that is important to you. How do you organize your own personal library?

-Kathy

Where are the Books that my Child can Read?

2010-06-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

This past school year, your child has worked his or her way up the different levels of reading in the classroom, and you want your child to continue reading books at that level. You want to know where the “Level H” books (for example) are in the library.

I have some good news and some bad news for you. The bad news is that the library isn’t organized like a classroom, and doesn’t group books by reading level. Part of the reason for this is that there are many different ways of figuring out whether the language in a book is appropriate for a particular reader. Different schools use different methods, but we serve children from all of them. Different publishers use different methods too, and again, we order books from many of them. We do not know what method they use to “level” them, or if Level 3 for one publisher has anything to do with Level C from another.

The good news is that there is an easy way for your child to figure out if a book is going to be too hard or not. Have your child pick an interesting looking book. Use recommendations from friends, a librarian, a Sno-Isle booklist, or even the cover. Have your child open the book to the middle at random, and read a page. Hold up a finger for every word your child doesn’t know. At the end of the page, stop. At 0-2 fingers, the book will be easy, at 3-4 fingers the book will be challenging, and at 5 fingers and up it will be too challenging to be fun. Don’t worry if your child wants to read a book that is “too” easy for him or her, we as adults like to read easy books on occasion, too! (We like to call them “beach reads”) .

Now that you know that your child can read that book, double check to make sure that it is appropriate for your child. If your child gets nightmares easily and it’s a scary book, try something else. Your super 1st grade reader may be reading at the 6th grade reading level, but not all 6th grade reading level books are appropriate for a 1st grader.

Finally and most importantly, take a cue from your child. If your child resists reading a particular book or otherwise acts uninterested, that is okay. There are too many exciting books around that your child will be interested in to waste time on one s/he thinks is boring. “Boring” may just mean that it’s too hard for them or not at their emotional developmental level.

If you have further questions, please ask us at the Information Desk. We love to help!

-Kathy

Splash into Reading!

2010-06-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

As the school year winds down, the library gears up for summer reading! This year the summer reading theme is “Make a Splash @ Your Library!”, and I have been visiting local schools to let all the children know about it. Every branch in the Sno-Isle system does summer reading a little bit differently, so here is how it’s all going down here in Marysville:

Register your child for summer reading. You do this by coming to the Information Desk and picking up a Reading Log, or printing it out. One thing that’s a little different this year is that we have two kinds of logs: one for readers and one for pre-readers. Choose whichever is best.
Have your child pick a reading goal for the summer. Do they want to read a certain number of books? Do they want to read a certain number of minutes every day? Whether books or minutes, the important thing is that they continue reading over the summer. Being read to counts. If an older child reads to a younger sibling, that counts for both!
Get your two free tickets to see Everett Aquasox baseball! All you have to do is choose what date you want to go.
Pick up a calendar of all the fun programs and events happening throughout the summer here in the library. We’ve got the magician “Aquiferman” coming to kick it all off on June 26th. We’ve got programs about the ocean deeps, cool science, and pirates - I’m doing the pirate program, so of course that’s my favorite. We are partnering with Home Depot so you can make a periscope, and the Pacific Science Center is coming to do their “Radical Reactions” program. And we’ll finish it all off with a marionette puppet show on August 14. For even more information, you can also check out our online calendar.
Starting on July 6, have your child bring their reading log in and get a prize – they will get a new one every week. We picked out some cool prizes that your children will have fun with, such as mini beach balls, moose antlers, and a stretchable flying frog.
Our poor octopus puppet doesn’t have a name. Have your child put on their thinking caps and think of the perfect name for it. Fill out the entry form, and if the name your child thought of is chosen, they win the octopus!
When your child reaches their summer reading goal, come in and get a certificate of completion and a certificate from Papa John’s Pizza for a free small cheese pizza. Yum!

So bring your children into the Marysville Public Library throughout the summer for books, magazines, prizes, and programs. Make a Splash @ Your Library - READ!

-Kathy

Brain games

2010-06-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

One of the primary purposes of the library is continuing education and self-improvement. And games are a good way of continuing to learn and keeping your brain sharp. I’m not much into video games, unlike my son and his friends. But I do like games that keep my brain active and push my mental limits. Here are two websites that have games I like:

www.sporcle.com has great timed geography games. Can you name all 50 states? How about all the countries in Europe? I like to think of myself as knowledgeable about the world, but this keeps me on my toes. In other areas, how fast can you do the multiplication tables? Can you name the birds from their pictures? Can you name the events of 1965? This can be just for the fun and challenge of it for those of us out of school, or it could be a tool for homeschoolers or tutors for those still in school. This site also has other quizzes that aren’t so scholarly, like: how many body parts can you name with three letters? What are the ingredients in a Big Mac? Think of this as your very own Trivial Pursuit.

Another site challenges your vocabulary while also helping others: http://www.freerice.com/. For each answer you get right, they will donate 10 grains of rice through the World Food Programme to help end hunger. The more you get right, the harder the words get. It not only keeps track of the level of difficulty in your vocabulary, but also the rice you have donated so far. I think I have a good vocabulary, but I’ve only gotten up to level 50 out of 60. How far can you go?

These are my favorite sites. What (free) game sites would you recommend that not only are fun, but teach you something or keep your brain active?

-Kathy

What is the Value of a Stop Sign?

2010-05-04T11:09:00.000-07:00

When a child learns to read, he or she must build and strengthen connections between several different parts of his brain. He needs to connect those strange squiggles he sees to sounds, and connect those sounds into a continuous word, and then connect that word to a meaning. Some children find this whole complicated process a lot harder than others.

When I was little, my parents took in foster children. One time a 6-year-old boy came to us who had several problems - in addition to the family problems he had been taken away from - and one of his problems was that at the end of first grade, he couldn’t read at all. He didn’t even know his letters. So my mother took him under her wing and over the summer worked hard with him every day to try and teach him to read.

After much effort and many different strategies, how did my foster brother finally learn how to read? Stop signs! A stop sign has a color and a shape on the outside, it is repeated many times, and every time you see it, you do something in reaction to it. Every time we would come up to a stop sign, my mother would point it out, read it, and of course, stop the car.

Now that I’m a Children’s Librarian, I can put the technical term of “Print Awareness” to what she was doing with the stop signs. It is one of the 6 pre-reading skills that kids need to have before they learn to read. Reading is more than just books or magazines. Printed words are all around us, from food labels to store signs to billboards to, yes, stop signs. Starting when the child in your life is very young, you can point out these words in passing, and encourage them to “read” them. At first, they will use the colors and shapes as clues to the words, but as time passes they will build those brain connections and start to truly read them. You don’t have to wait until your child has reading difficulties; by pointing out the words around you, you are showing them the importance of reading, and helping them to connect those strange squiggles and shapes to sounds and meaning.

By the way, I was evidently jealous of the time my mother spent with my foster brother. So at age five I paid attention and learned how to read, too.

-Kathy

Energy and the Climate

2010-04-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

Scientists and politicians have been talking about climate change for a while now, but what is the latest news and information on the subject? How much scientific debate continues about this issue? As Congress starts to debate a new energy bill, here are two sites that can answer your questions:

The PEW Center on Climate Change was established in 1998 to provide credible and objective information on global climate change. With this site, you can follow state, national and international issues and policies related to climate change. Are you curious about the relationship between your local climate and global climate change? This is the site for you.

So you want to dig deeper and get actual facts and figures on energy use and emissions both internationally and in the US? Go to the website (http://eia.doe.gov/) that gives the official energy statistics from the US government. This site is data-driven, providing current and historical statistics as well as analysis of energy production, demand, trade, and prices.

Finally, Sno-Isle has a new book that pulls together the science with possible solutions: “The climate solutions consensus: What We Know and What to Do About It” by the National Council for Science and the Environment; David E. Blockstein, Leo Wiegman, editors.

These three credible resources will give you a lot to think about and explore.

Source: Library Journal April 15, 2010, Vol. 135 No. 7

Delicious Spring Reads

2010-04-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

Spring has always been one of my favorite seasons for reading. The longer days and warmer weather have me catching the reading bug. I am a browser when it comes to book selection, and find the best titles just by walking the aisles. I like bright colors and fun titles and if it's a trade paperback, then even better. One thing I like even better than trade paperback, however, is food. And books about food-especially baking.

Here are a few food-related titles that have my book palette watering:

"Let Them Eat Cake" by Sandra Byrd. Lexi Stuart is done with college, but still living at home with her parents in Seattle. What is a girl to do? She doesn't have a job, a boyfriend, or a place to call her own. But what she does have is a talent for baking and a love for french culture. Whip in one part french bakery, two parts handsome men and wait for the magic to begin. This is the first in a three part Christian series and is as addictive as a warm buttery croissant.

"The Sweet Life of Stella Madison" by Lara Zeises. This is a teen fiction title and follows Stella Madison, teenager to two amazing chefs whose favorite food is boxed mac n' cheese and hamburgers. Add one summer internship at a newspaper writing a food column she knows nothing about, slowly mix in one amazing cute older intern at her mom's kitchen, sift in a boyfriend that Stella's not sure is right for her, and you have a recipe for good reading. Quick, fun, and oh-so-sweet.

"Recipe for Disaster" by Maureen Fergus. Another teen title, this time we're introduced to Francie-baker extraordinaire. Helping her parents out at their cafe, and running a side bakery business, Francie is no stranger to the woes of teenaged life. Her best friend Holly is acting strange and siding with the annoying new girl, her old childhood friend Ricky has a knack for always being around when she makes a fool of herself, and she still hasn't won a baking contest from her beloved Lorenzo LaRue's show. Let's hope this baker can create a recipe for happiness, without a bad aftertaste.

"Confections of a Closet Master Baker" by Gesine Bullock-Prado. This is the memoir of Sandra Bullock's sister, Gesine, and her hidden passion for baking. From running her celebrity sister's production company, to moving to a small rural town to start a baking business, this is one scrumptious story I can't wait to dig into.

So whether you're a baker, a lover of food, or just in the mood for a good book, these titles are sure to satisfy.

-Mamie

Value of Books and Reading to Society

2010-04-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

I am currently listening to the book “Team of rivals: the political genius of Abraham Lincoln” by Doris Kearns Goodwin, and I am struck by how books and reading were key to Lincoln’s life. He was raised in an environment on the frontier where size, strength, and hard physical labor were prized, and where intellectual work was considered weak and unmanly. His mother Nancy was his first teacher, but she died when he was 9. His father was uneducated, and grew angry when he found his son reading instead of doing his chores to keep the family going on the edge of the wilderness. In fact, there are hints that young Abe was beaten for it. His step-mother was also uneducated, but allowed him to read long into the night. Education in the area was available at subscription schools only, and even there the teachers were required to have few qualifications.

In this environment, where Abraham received less than a year’s equivalent of formal schooling in between farm work, he found what few books he could and read them so often he could quote whole passages years later. He read Aesop’s Fables, the King James Bible, and Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. He read excerpts from Shakespeare in a book on elocution, and loved the stories years before he saw an actual play.

When he grew older and escaped from the farm, he worked in the post office, in a general store, and as a longshoreman while reading law books. Most men “read the law” under the apprenticeship of an established lawyer, but Lincoln didn’t have that opportunity. Even after passing the bar, he read widely and studied intensely to make up for his lack of the college degree that his fellow lawyers had.

Who could have guessed from Abraham Lincoln’s poverty-stricken beginnings and many disadvantages that he would rise to the highest position in the land? His three rivals for the presidency in 1860, though all highly intelligent and ambitious themselves, had all had much more opportunities for formal schooling than he. If he had not been able to scrounge for books, had he not read them voraciously, who knows what would have happened to our country?

Working in a library full of books for all ages and interests, there is a very small chance that we are providing the education and sanctuary for a future president. But even if they don’t reach such heights, I expect that books and reading are still providing the escape and upward opportunities for all of the less-advantaged, just like Abraham Lincoln. Who knows what they will rise and do for our country?

-Kathy

Who are the Librarians in Marysville?

2010-03-26T10:21:00.000-07:00

When you come into the library, do you ever wonder who the librarians are, or what they're about? Wonder no more, here we are!

Kathy got her Masters in Library & Information Science at the University of Washington in 2007. As a Children’s Librarian, she loves working with all different ages and watching how the children grow and develop, but gets a total kick when she can put a book in someone’s hand that makes them go “Wow!” She’s always on the lookout for ways to get middle-grade boys excited about reading, and she is the go-to person when a Spanish-speaking patron needs help. She loves reading fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, history, teen fiction and romances.

Mark got his Masters in Library & Information Science in Rhode Island in 1994. What he loves about his job is the challenge of the reference work. He loves sleuthing out the answer and finding what people really need. He maintains our reference section and spends part of his time answering questions as an on-line librarian. He likes to read European fiction, experimental fiction, and mysteries.

Mamie is our Assistant Manager, and got her Masters in Library & Information Science at Kent State (OH) in 2005. She likes the wide variety of tasks that she gets to do, and all the people she can help. She likes to read teen fiction, health and how-to nonfiction, and magazines.

Mary Margaret got her Masters in Library Science at the University of Washington. At the library, she teaches the computer catalog and database class. The favorite part of her job is finding information for people. She likes to read historical fiction, mysteries, science nonfiction, animal nonfiction, history and some science fiction.

Laura got her Masters in Library Science at Indiana University in 2006. As a Teen Librarian, she fortunately loves working with teens. She loves recommending a book to a teen and having them come back and tell her how thrilled they were with it. Then she loves it when a teen turns it around and recommends a book to her. She revels in the creative aspect to her job, including all the fun programs she can put on for the youth in our community. She likes reading all teen fiction, and some of her favorite authors are Shannon Hale and John Green.

Eric received his Masters in Library & Information Science from the University of Washington in 2000. As the branch manager at Marysville, he takes real pleasure in the basic philosophy of libraries: he likes that our libraries are available to everyone in the community who chooses to make use of them. He loves the wide variety of things libraries provide and the variety of people he meets. He most frequently reads contemporary American literary fiction in the traditions of Hemmingway, Stegner, and Roth but enjoys the occasional crime mystery. He keeps his eyes open for outstanding teen and children’s fiction and has found several graphic novels that he enjoyed in recent years.

-Kathy

Impact of Library Use on Our Community

2010-03-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

What impact does library use have on our community?

The Marysville library keeps statistics on how much we are used and our numbers keep growing with over 1000 patrons a day visiting us and record-setting numbers of items going out. That means that more of our books, CD’s, DVD’s and other materials are being checked out than ever before.

Our storytimes are always well-attended, and our recent program for adults on controlling clutter was standing-room only. We partner with community organizations, and work with local schools to provide outreach and literacy services to students in preschool through high school. I could tell you heart-warming stories of how we have helped homeless families find help, or provided job-hunting resources to the unemployed, or helped provide legal forms to those who are in a dispute, or how we help recent immigrants who need advice in Spanish. One day I worked with 3 different gentlemen who hadn’t been in the library for decades, but discovered that we have wonderful information on car repair. We help children and teens find books that will touch their hearts and excite their interest; the more someone reads, the better they will get, just like practising a sport. We regularly talk with people looking for information about their interests, who also love the social interaction the library can provide.

Some say that "all information is on the web, what do we need libraries full of dusty books for?" I say that not only do we provide a guiding hand to the information, we fill in the holes to literacy and different social needs.

“Historically, the purpose of public libraries was to safeguard democracy and to 'divert behavior from socially destructive activities and expose the populace to literature and acceptable recreation'.”

How has the library positively impacted your life?

-Kathy

Citation: Toward Developing Measures of the Impact of Library and Information Services. Full Text Available By: Durrance, Joan C.; Fisher-Pettigrew, Karen E. Reference & User Services Quarterly, Fall2002, Vol. 42 Issue 1, p43, 11p;

The Joy of Browsing

2010-03-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

When you're number 156 on the list for the new James Patterson, your favorite author hasn't produced the eagerly awaited next novel in her series and you're already trying the latest diet/nutrition/exercise book and you can't get on the computers anyway---what to do?
This is the time to browse. This is the time to walk down an unfamiliar row of books and let something grab you as you walk by. The following are some of my encounters:

Mr. Allbone's Ferrets (Fiona Farrell)-"an historical pastoral satirical scientific romance, with mustelids". The subtitle says it all.
Central Park in the Dark (Marie Winn)-a study of the wildlife of Central Park. Not the thug and drug wildlife, but the wildlife that has always lived there.
Watery Grave (Joan Druett)-scientific expeditions in the exciting and dangerous Age of Sail.
And it's a murder mystery, too.
Buzzwords: a Scientist Muses on Sex, Bugs and Rock 'n' Roll (May Berenbaum). Dave Barry thinks it's the funniest book ever written by an entomologist.

Try it! For the joy of SERENDIPITY (a really great word needs to be spelled in all caps)

Eagles and Owls and Hawks--Oh My!

2010-02-27T12:31:00.001-08:00

If you think your local public library is just a place that houses books and other items for checking out, think again. On Saturday, March 13th @ 11:00, the Marysville Library will come to life with an array of raptors in a program presented by Kestrel Skyhawk, one of many individuals who have made the care and rehabilitation of injured and orphaned wildlife a priority. Located in Arlington, WA, the Sarvey Wildlife Center cares for more than 4,000 animals annually, owns and operates the only wildlife rescue ambulance serving 4 nearby counties and provides informational programs for the public in an effort to educate people about wildlife. Just click on the highlighted entry above to read more about Sarvey and the great work being done locally for animals. So forget Saturday morning cartoons and bring the family to the Marysville Library for this very special event. Children under the age of 5 must be accompanied by an adult.

Do You Do Mother Goose?

2010-02-26T14:35:00.000-08:00

Nursery rhymes are more than foolish nonsense verses or simple fun children’s songs. For young children, they provide the basic rhythms in the English language. They help build pre-reading skills that children need to master before they try and master the complex process known as reading. For instance, they provide ways to play with language and begin to figure out that words are made up of different sounds; “One TWO, buckle my SHOE”. They help build vocabulary; Where else would they ever hear about a tuffet or curds and whey? For adults, they provide cultural touch-stones that most remember from their childhood.

But did you know that they refer to actual events and people? Usually the events were bloody or unpleasant to modern ears. The “Ring around a rosie” song refers to the Black Death where many people were falling down dying. Humpty Dumpty refers to a powerful cannon that fell off the town wall where it had been helping to defend the town of Colchester during a siege in the English Civil War. "Three blind mice" refers to Queen Mary killing three Protestant bishops when she tryed to turn England back to Catholicism. Many times these nursery rhymes were political commentary when politics was a dangerous business.

For further fun looking into the secret codes of these seemingly nonsense nursery rhymes, check out “Pop goes the weasel: The secret meanings of nursery rhymes” by Albert Jack. And don’t forget to read them and sing them to the children in your life!

-Kathy, Children's Librarian

Finding a good book for the child in your life

2010-01-11T13:43:00.000-08:00

If you’re a parent or other adult searching for a good book for the child in your life, or if your child wants to find a good book to read and they don’t know where to start, Sno-Isle libraries offers some good resources and recommendations. From our website (www.sno-isle.org), scroll down to Otis the Otter “Sno-Isle Kids”, click on it and choose the “Find a good book” link in the upper right corner. The page you get to by doing this has some great book lists, such as:

Award winners. Six awards for children’s books, from the Caldecott Medal for art to the Newbery Medal for chapter books to the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for early reader books, list what national or regional teams of experts have picked out as the best new book for each year.

Books for each age. Whether the child you’re looking for is looking forward to Kindergarten, or is just beginning to read, or is moving into easy chapter books, or is even an older child stumped on what to read next, these book recommendations will fit your child’s reading level.

History. Your child has an assignment to read about a particular era in history, or just loves books about knights or wars in history or pioneers; these lists will help you find good books for their historical area of interest - both fiction and non-fiction.

Read Alikes. The child you care about has fervently devoured all of the “Diary of a wimpy kid” books (or other series) several times. Where do they go next? Guide them to this page, and find recommendations for other books we think your Wimpy Kid fan (or Spiderwick Chronicles fan or Captain Underpants fan) will also like.

Sports. Does the child in your life like sports? Are they fanatical about football, silly about soccer, have to have horses? Find both fiction and nonfiction books we recommend on these lists, divided by their sport of interest.

Genres. Some children specifically like fantasy books, or graphic novels, or mysteries. Send them to this page to find some books we recommend that they may not have found purely by browsing.

We invite you to explore this area of our website further to find books such as those by Washington authors, or Halloween books, or books about family life.

And if you have any questions, come visit us at the information desk. We love to talk books with you!

-Kathy S., Children's Librarian

Ring in the New Year with Reading

2009-12-30T09:27:00.000-08:00

While many people around the world will be out and about celebrating the New Year with spirited whoops of mirth and laughter and glasses at the ready for toasting, I will be at home--far away from careening crowds, celebrating the event with one of many books that I seldom seem to find the time to read. Here are just a few titles from the pile I will be choosing from, come Friday night. Perhaps you'll find one of interest and start your own tradition of Reading in the New Year.

If Big Stone Gap means anything to you, you'll be happy to know that Adriana Trigiani has begun another family saga--this time centering around the Roncalli and Angelini families. Filled with Trigiani's signature hilarity and endearing family dynamics, the first installment in the new trilogy is Very Valentine.

You don't have to be a birdbrain to enjoy Alex & Me, the true account of an amazing parrot and a heartwarming relationship between bird and scientist. Written by Irene Pepperberg, this bestselling book just may change the way you think about animal intelligence.

Writing about Love is a Four-Letter Word, a collection of breakups and broken hearts edited by Michael Taeckens, one reviewer has this to say, "These dispatches from the deep, dark depths of romantic doom will make you cringe, laugh, wince, sigh, laugh again and nod along." This handful of bestselling authors baring their souls and sharing their own tales of love's woes may be just the thing to make you feel better about not having someone to kiss when the ball drops!

With the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina deep in the recesses of our memories, Tom Piazza brings the importance of reviving New Orleans back to the front seat of our minds with Why New Orleans Matters. Both heartwrenching and hilarious, the author asks the reader to consider the spirit, grace and soul of this resilient city.

New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz has written yet another winning tale about Izzy, a rescued Border Collie and resident of Bedlam Farm. In Izzy & Lenore, you'll meet two dogs who bring comfort and companionship to people who need it the most. Izzy and Lenore's boundless capacity for love will steal your heart and their real life jobs as trained hospice volunteers can only open your eyes to the ways in which animals can make a huge and lasting difference in our lives.

A graduate of Yale and Oxford, author Charles Finch made his writing debut in the Charles Lenox series with A Beautiful Blue Death, a book which was nominated for an Agatha Award. The ongoing detective work of this mid-Victorian sleuth continues to intrigue readers in The September Society. The case begins in the middle of the night, with Lady Annabelle Payson insisting on seeing Lenox. Her son George at Oxford has disappeared in alarming circumstances.

The health of the planet is literally within our power to alter--whether for better or for worse.
The World without Us by Alan Weisman adds a bit of fiction to science as it depicts the spectacle of humanity's impact on the planet Earth in language and scenario that will rattle the reader to the core. Hang onto your seat for a bumpy, yet strangely optimistic ride on the road to humankind's disappearance from the earth.

And on that note, this busy reader wishes everyone a most happy and book-filled New Year!

Local History

2009-12-22T15:34:00.000-08:00

Amidst the hundreds of books in the Marysville Library's Reference Collection is a distinct Local History collection. These items contain information specifically about the city of Marysville and/or Snohomish County. They include town histories, pictorial histories, and even a picture postcard history. There are collections of biographies about prominent citizens and memories from local community members. We also have pamphlets, newspaper clippings (two binders solely pertaining to the Tulalip Tribes), and 100 years of Marysville-Pilchuck High School Quil Ceda Summit yearbooks. Many of the titles were written by local authors and published by local presses or historical societies.
While you are here meandering down memory lane, you can scroll through the microfilm of the Marysville Globe newspaper, which we have back to 1905. (We also retain the newspaper microfilm for the Stanwood and Arlington newspapers.)
So stop by some time and delve into the history of "the birthplace of the Pacific Northwest."

Winter Weather Tips

2009-12-14T13:29:00.000-08:00

Who can forget the winter weather from last year? Many of us have anxiety when snow is in the forecast, fearing a repeat of last year's flakes. Be prepared for this year's winter weather by checking out some of the resources available online:

Headed out to play in the cold? The Washington State Parks have info on winter safety, including what to bring to be prepared. The Washington Trails Association also has information on winter basics saftey when enjoying the trails.

For those driving throughout the season, the Washington State Department of Transportation has a brochure on winter driving safety. Also on the WSDOT site is a winter section including tips, links to the status of the passes, travel alerts and tire and chain options info.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has an Extreme Cold Prevention Guide as well as an Emergency Preparedness page including information on preparing your home and car for winter weather and storm saftey.

Be sure to keep an eye on the forecast by checking out the Weather Channel site for local forecasts, weather news and other weather-related tips and information.

And of course, be sure to check the Sno-Isle website for books, movies, music, downloadable audiobooks and events to keep you entertained and enlightened this winter.

Flu season reading

2009-11-14T13:54:00.000-08:00

As the flu season sweeps the country, leading to high abstentee rates at work and school, we at the library are, as always, thinking about good books. So here are some good books to go with the flu, whether you're recovering yourself, caring for the sick, or just worried and wanting to know more:

The Given Day by Dennis Lehane
This epic novel takes place in Boston in the aftermath of the 1918 Influenza epidemic. With cameo appearances by Babe Ruth and other historical figures, Lehane brings to life a city under pressure as a police force tasked to protect against revolutionaries decides to strike. Riveting!

Divining Women by Kaye Gibbons
A dark story of abuse and transcendence set in late 1918 as the horrors of World War I abate and the great influenza pandemic begins its destruction.

Flu by Kevin Cunningham
This is an in-depth look at influenza, including an explanation of its varieties and ever-changing nature, speculation about past outbreaks, the 1918 pandemic, and then covers the current potential crises of both avian and swine flu. Snappily written and provides a wealth of information.

The Great Influenza by John Barry
Magisterial in its breadth of perspective and depth of research and now revised to reflect the growing danger of the avian flu, The Great Influenza is ultimately a tale of triumph amid tragedy, which provides us with a precise and sobering model as we confront the epidemics looming on our own horizon.

The Stand by Stephen King
Just a little sniffle, right?! Arguable King’s finest work, The Stand is a showdown of good and evil in a world destroyed by a government-created plague

An American plague : the true and terrifying story of the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy
It's 1793, and there's an invisible killer roaming the streets of Philadelphia. This killer has a name -- yellow fever -- but everything else about it is a mystery. The author draws thought-provoking parallels to modern-day epidemics.

The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen
A small town in Washington state tries to ride out the Flu epidemic by cutting contact with the outside world. This first novel is imaginative, historical, and powerful. Beautiful writing.

And the winner is...

2009-11-06T14:06:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to 10-year-old Chloe from Marysville!

Chloe is the grand prize winner of the Name the Otter contest. More than 2100 kids sent in names for the Sno-Isle otter. Out of the 33 finalists who submitted the winning name Otis, Chloe's name was drawn out of a hat by children's author and illustrator Erik Brooks, Otis' creator. Chloe took home a framed original painting of Otis, signed by Erik. The celebration included a delicious cake topped with a picture of Otis made with icing and a scary/funny story read by Erik. Thanks goes to all the kids who entered the contest and voted for their favorites online. Visit Otis the Otter on the Sno-Isle Libraries Kids Web page at www.sno-isle.org/kids.

Virtual Reference

2009-11-05T14:13:00.000-08:00

Ever woken up at 2:00 am trying to remember the name of the American 1970s band that came from an Australian Aboriginal saying? Or sat down with your child as they attempted to find scholarly journal articles for their assignment on the endangered Ailuropoda melanoleuca? Or just wanted to know how to put more than one book on hold at a time from the Sno-Isle Libraries' online catalog?

All these questions can be answered any time of day, any day of the week through our Chat with a Librarian service. Sno-Isle librarians participate in this service each afternoon, and other librarians in Washington State are available the rest of the day to field questions. Even in the middle of the night a librarian from a cooperating library somewhere in the country is ready willing and able to help.

This virtual chat service is accessible from the library website through the Ask a Librarian choice on the teal menu bar. From there you can either use the "ask wa" qwidget on the right, or click on the "Connect with a Librarian" link. You can remain anonymous, but if you provide your email address, you will receive a transcript of your chat session so you can go back to the information and web sites provided by the librarian.

So the next time you have a question that can't wait for an email response and it's too late or early to phone us, chat with a librarian through this virtual reference service and get an answer right away.

-MAB

2009-11-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

Book-It Repertory Theatre presents “Coyote: A Trickster Tale from the American Southwest” and “Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest.” Gerald McDermott’s award-winning Native American folk tales come to life at Cascade Elementary School at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, November 13th and at Marshall Elementary at 1:30 on Friday, November 13th.

Raven and Coyote--two tricksters from Gerald McDermott’s award-winning folk tales--bestow gifts and get into trouble as they explore the earth and the heavens. In Coyote: A Trickster Tale from the American Southwest, a mischievous bright blue coyote with a nose for trouble meets a flock of crows and longs to fly with them. The crows help him, but soon grow tired of his bragging and boasting, so they teach him a lesson that changes him forever. Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest, tells the tale of how Raven brings light into a world covered in darkness. Raven searches far and wide for the source of the light and finally plays a mighty trick on the Sky Chief to steal the sun and place it in the sky for all the people. Funded by the Wal-Mart Foundation and the Friends of the Marysville Library, these two performances are free of charge and open to the public.

Could you Survive the Library After-Hours?

2009-10-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

Hey, Teens! Looking for something to do this weekend? Join us at the library for a special after-hours event.

Come explore the world of Reality TV and compete in challenges from Project Runway, Fear Factor (anyone out there brave enough to try a clam milkshake?), American Idol, Are You Smarter Than A Librarian, So You Think You Can Read and more. Win prizes and enjoy free food and drinks (other than clam milkshakes) as well .

There’s still time to sign up!

Autumn Creations

2009-10-16T13:48:00.001-07:00

The leaves are changing, the rain is starting and the crisp air of Fall has arrived. What better time to turn the colors and inspirations of autumn into art. The library has a variety of materials with how-tos and ideas for fall craft creations.

Crafts to Make in the Fall by Kathy Ross is a children's book with 29 different craft activities to make creations inspired by the bounty of the season.

Materials from Nature by Victoria Seix includes projects for every season, made out of natural materials. Make an autumn wreath or fruit basket, or learn how to press and dry flowers.

All Through the Seasons: recipes & crafts

includes ideas for recipes, decorations and gifts for every season.

Or try your hand at cardmaking.

Handcrafted Cards by Paige Gilchrist offers 60 design ideas for a variety of cards and celebrations.

Whatever your crafting need, the library has you covered. Check out our library catalog to start your search today.

-MCC

Traveling on a Budget with Sno-Isle

2009-10-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

Everyone loves to travel, but traveling on a budget can be a hurdle or an opportunity.

My husband and I just returned from a bargain cruise to Mexico and I used many Sno-Isle resources when planning our vacation. From finding the bargain itself online to researching the ports and planning activities, Sno-Isle Libraries can help you plan your vacation.

When you start to plan remember that each patron at the library has 2 hours per day of Internet use to check the travel bargains that are e mailed to you or to search tour company, airline and cruise line websites.

Once you have a few possibilities in mind, it is time to check the library catalog. Sno-Isle has up-to date Frommer’s, Fodor’s and other travel guides to help you learn about the areas you are considering. There are also DVDs to let you see your choices before you go.

Our librarians have done research for you as well. From the Sno-Isle Home page, choose Research Tools>Explore the World. You will find links to several websites that have been recommended by our reference staff as helpful when planning a trip. Tripadvisor to see reviews from actual travelers, Amtrak and Washington State Ferry Schedules, Seatguru will show you the seat layout of most airliners so you can choose the one most comfortable for you.

By planning carefully before you go you can minimize the unpleasant surprises that are awaiting you and have more time for the pleasant ones. Now if the library could just do something about the weather…….

The Value of Libraries

2009-09-30T09:07:00.000-07:00

I love the library for all of the versatility it provides in my life, but the time that I am most excited about what the library offers is when I'm traveling.

I feel almost giddy as I walk into an airport bookstore, scanning the prices of the hardcovers and magazines knowing that tucked neatly inside my carry on is a book checked out from the library. Up the thrill factor when I realize I've also downloaded an audiobook to my iPod through Overdrive. I have my information and entertainment needs met for the duration of my flight and layover and I haven't spent a penny.

Just how much am I saving? Thanks to the Library Value Calculator now located on the Sno-Isle homepage, I can find out. With one hardcover, two paperbacks and a downloaded audiobook, my savings from my recent trip total $77!

Talk about value. But value doesn't always have to relate to cost. I value the enrichment I find in the materials I check out from the library ranging from non-fiction books to movies to music CDs. I value the social interaction and the variety of programs I can enjoy in my free time. And I value all the ways the library helps, enriches and empowers others in my community.

What do you value most about your library?

12 ways to get your kids reading

2009-09-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

Just like sports or any other skill in life, no one becomes a good reader without practice. Just reading in school isn’t enough; children have to read more outside of school. So what do you do if the child in your life says they’re bored by reading, or hasn’t ever found a book that interests them? Here are 12 tried and true ways to get your child pepped up on reading:

1. READ ALOUD SOMETHING EVERY DAY: Your kids hear your voice in their heads, and use you as role models. Read to them with lots of expression. It’s never too early to start, and don’t stop just because they’ve reached a certain age or reading ability.

2. LAUGH A LOT AS YOU FOOL AROUND WITH LANGUAGE: Word play is the first step in developing language and, most important, a sense of humor. Read riddles, crack jokes, and let your kids laugh as they learn.

3. ACT OUT STORIES: You want your little readers to become immersed in the story they’re reading. Creative drama is the ultimate way of becoming a part of the story! Acting out a story enables listeners to gain fuller comprehension from what they’re hearing and reading. Encourage your kids to take parts and recreate stories with you.

4. TELL STORIES: Tell your kids stories, including family folktales passed down for generations, family anecdotes about the relatives, and made-up stories you tell off the cuff or add onto night after night. All humans need stories, not just the ones written down.

5. ENCOURAGE DRAWING: Some kids think in pictures, so encourage it! Encourage your child to draw pictures to go with their favorite story, or the one you just read to them. Staple some sheets of paper together and have them draw pictures from their imagination, and then have them tell you the story to go with it. Drawing is a natural way to get kids excited about reading and writing.

6. LEARN A NEW FACT EVERY DAY: Everything you read makes you smarter. Children can easily learn at least one interesting, intriguing, or astonishing fact every single day. Pick up some children’s non-fiction books and wow them with facts that make them curious to find out more about the world and their place in it.

7. ASK AND ENCOURAGE QUESTIONS: When you read aloud to your children, ask questions to see if they understand the story, to explain unfamiliar vocabulary, and to cue them in on things they might not “get” on their own. If you are asking and answering questions, that means they really understand and are putting themselves into the story. That’s exactly what you want!

8. GET OUT OF THE HOUSE: Whenever you can, take your children on field trips to museums, concerts, plays, parks, colleges, and sporting events. Everywhere we go can be an event and a learning opportunity. Read billboards and signs on the way, brochures and catalogs, playbills and maps. The more they experience, the more they will be able to connect with the stories they read.

9. LOVE YOUR BOOKS AND YOUR LIBRARY: Set a good example by having books around and let your kids see you reading. Make regular visits to your library for a steady supply of books or magazines to read. Get your child their very own library card to give them ownership of their own reading experience. Studies have shown that schools with well-stocked libraries and knowledgeable librarians have higher reading scores, so support your school libraries, too!

10. LOOK FOR OLDIES BUT GOODIES: Mix up the latest greatest books like Harry Potter or the “Diary of a wimpy kid” series with books that have stood the test of time. If a book in your childhood really touched you, whether it was “Charlotte’s web” by E.B. White or “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak, share them with the young readers in your life.

11. LOOK FOR WHAT'S NEXT: When your child finds an author or series they love, they’ll eagerly grab the next one. Series books like “Lemony Snicket” or “Nancy Drew” allow children to enjoy a successful reading experience. Kids get to know a set of characters who become dear friends. Use series books as a bridge to other books on the same theme or subject or by the same author. We want to see our kids grow as readers, and we’re grateful to authors for dreaming up so many plots to keep them enthralled.

12. TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS: Parents are the first book selectors for their children. If you liked a book, the child in your life probably will too. But don’t be offended if one of your suggestions doesn’t work out; just try another one. You can also stash books around for your kids to discover on their own. Check out the Sno-Isle Kids web page for booklists we’ve put together, or talk to a librarian at the Information Desk. We’re always on the lookout for good books!

Adapted from Judy Freeman’s blog

What's in a Label?

2009-09-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

As more and more people are becoming increasingly concerned about where their food comes from and how it is actually produced, a veritable landslide of new labels (also known as certification seals) has hit the packaging of many items in the marketplace. If you're feeling confused about the meaning behind the labels; most, if not all of the organizations, alliances or governmental agencies have a website that can provide you with extensive information about what the label means, who's behind it and what types of products that typically may feature the labeling.

On the other hand, it you're a one-stop shopper, you may want to visit http://www.easywaystogogreen.com/green-guides/guide-to-green-symbols/ for a quick-n-easy guide to many of the labels commonly referred to as eco-green. With health and environmental claims popping up on more and more items, it's good to be informed before you buy. And when you as a consumer come across a certification seal you've never seen before, getting the scoop on what the label actually means and whether or not the story behind it is trustworthy helps you to spend your money in ways that coincide with your concerns. Making informed choices isn't always easy, but your local library can help you make sense of the growing maze of eco-green information.

Art Instruction

2009-09-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

Besides providing wonderful books, music and videos, Sno-Isle Libraries also offer entertaining and instructional programs. On September 21st the Marysville Library will host a Hanji Art Workshop at 3:00 pm. Sebastian & Young Ok Kim will teach this traditional paper art form which originates in Korea.

This class is being promoted as an adult program, but children over seven may participate as well. Registration is required, so please call the Marysville Library at (360) 658-5000 or visit the Information Desk to register.

Mark

Reading to children: What’s in it for me?

2009-08-28T17:50:00.000-07:00

Literacy advocates, education professionals and librarians tirelessly promote the value of reading aloud to your child to benefit your child’s reading abilities and desires. It is the best way to encourage a love of reading, and helps develop the skills children need when they learn to read on their own.

Yet have you ever thought that reading to the child in your life gives benefits to you as well? Read to the child in your life, and reap the following benefits:

1. Star in a performance with a rapt and appreciative audience. With your child gasping or laughing at all the good parts in the story, you’re the star of the show!

2. Cuddle time! Even your bigger kids who would normally sneer at cuddling with you, will take the reading-time opportunity to be physically close.

3. Connect with your children with some serious one-on-one time. Both of you give each other your undivided attention, which can lead to:

4. Springboards to life lessons and discussions. The stories can start some good discussions about family values. If you read a wide range of books, you can end up discussing sex, love, war, divorce, and other thorny issues that are otherwise hard to bring up on their own in casual conversation.

5. Taking a few minutes every day to read to your child gives you a break from the frenetic rat-race pace of your day. It’s a chance to slow down for a moment, stop worrying, and get a new perspective.

6. It’s entertainment! You’re standing in line or waiting somewhere, and what do your kids do? If you bring out a book and read aloud to them, they’re not fighting each other out of boredom. So much more pleasant for everybody!

7. Share a cheap adventure! We can’t all have travel the world, but everybody in my family has traveled to a certain boarding school called Hogwarts and shared (un)common adventures there. We share the vicarious thrill of adventures we otherwise wouldn’t be able to in real life.

So don’t just read aloud to your children out of a sense of duty. Yes you’re teaching them the enjoyment and even skills of reading, but you’re also gaining benefits yourself.

Enjoy!

-Kathy

Source: http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/weblog/2009/08/the-family-that-reads-together-aka-whats-in-it-for-me.html

Books About Books - What Could be Better?

2009-08-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

OK, maybe this is about as nerdy as it gets but there are reasons people become librarians. One of my all time favorite reads is the introduction to Webster's Third New International Dictionary. These pages at the front of this reference standard turned a key to the world of knowledge for me like nothing else. Well maybe the intro to the Library of Congress Subject Headings, but I'll save that story for another posting.

One of my favorite sources for new cool books to read is Booklist Magazine published by the American Library Association. You can browse the current Booklist edition online. This month there is a great list of books about books featuring The Book of William: How Shakespeare's First Folio Conquered the world by Paul Collins.

Now this list looks like some fun summer reading that could last well into the winter.

Eric

Where can I get reliable health information?

2009-07-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

News these days is full of Obama’s attempt to change U.S. health care system. No matter what your views on this, everybody on occasion needs to find out more about health problems they may be experiencing. But how do you find reliable sites? Here are three sites put out by different government agencies that are full of information about health issues:

www.healthfinder.gov is an excellent resource for your overall health in everyday language. Find personalized health recommendations for your age and gender, find a local health provider or clinic, or search an encyclopedia with over 1600 topics. Get tips to stay healthy yourself, keep your children growing healthy, or even finding low cost health care. Worried about Swine flu or immunizations or need nutrition tips? This is a great place to start.

cdc.gov/ (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is another excellent resource, and more in-depth than the first site. Need information on staying healthy while traveling? Concerned about how your environment is impacting your health? Need data about smoking or autism? This is the place for you.

nih.gov (National Institutes of Health) gives you access to the latest research being done. Want to find out the latest government policy on stem cells? Want to find clinical trials? This is the site to find that information. Under the health tab, choose a body system and then a disease, and it will give links not only to general descriptions of the condition, but also to the specific governmental organizations that concern themselves with that condition. This is the site with the most in-depth information in the most technical language.

www.drweil.com If you’re more interested in more alternative approaches to healthy living, or want something that isn’t put out by the government, Dr Andrew Weill is famous for approaching alternative therapies with an open yet testing mind. His website gives the latest in promoting a healthy, long life.

Of course, at the library we have a whole sections devoted to how your body works, your health, fitness, and various specific diseases. Search our catalog, or ask us at the information desk and we’ll help you find just what you’re looking for!

-Kathy

Good Books in a Nutshell

2009-07-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

ZARAFA: a giraffe's true story, from deep in Africa to the heart of Paris----Michael Allin
In 1827 a giraffe walked across France. Thousands came to see her all along the route. True story.

THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE----Alan Bradley
An 11-year old expert on poisons solves a mysterious death and learns something about
stamps.

WICKED PLANTS: the weed that killed Lincoln's mother and other botranical atrocities----Amy Stewart
The above mentioned 11-year old would love this book. Others should be careful while
in the garden.

THREE BAGS FULL: a sheep detective story----Leonie Swann
Find out just what sheep think about while munching grass and, more hilariously, what
they think of humans.

IDIOT AMERICA: how stupidity became a virtue in the Land of the Free----Charles P.
Pierce
Prepare for your jaw to drop!!

THE EARTH MOVED: on the remarkable achievements of earthworms----Amy Stewart
Admit it! You're a little bit disappointed it's about earthworms.

A CARRION DEATH----Michael Stanley
A detective mystery set in Botswana, but definitely not in Alexander McCall Smith's
Botswana.

A GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF EAST AFRICA----Nicholas Drayson
This is not a guide to the birds of east Africa. It is a sweet and very funny romance between birdwatchers in Kenya.

Here are eight titles that, in my humble opinion, are good, informative, worthwhile and entertaining books. I promise!

Get Inspired—Learn Something New—Make a Life Change!

2009-07-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

The economy being what it is, maintaining a positive attitude in the face of daily doses of depressing economic news is essential for one’s overall health and well being, but let’s face it, it can be difficult. And actually getting motivated to make even small changes in your life for the better can be a real challenge. Even so, ideas and inspiration are as close as your nearest public library.

Have you always wanted to meditate or do yoga, but just never quite got the hang of it? For many years, yoga and meditation were often considered to be New Age ladidah, but clinical studies have repeatedly shown that the mind and the body’s systems experience a measurable level of calm and tranquility during meditation sessions. And even a moderate practice of simple yoga asanas (or poses) can bring about deep relaxation and a reduction in individual stress levels. Who couldn’t use a bit of stress reduction nowadays?!

If you think that meditation is sitting uncomfortably on a pillow with your legs contorted, think again. There are nearly as many ways to meditate as there are people who do or want to meditate. For instance, if sitting still is hard for you, try walking meditation. Thich Nhat Hanh’s Walking Meditation is a wonderful little book that gives you just the right amount of encouragement to get out and start walking and achieve a level of peace in the process.

Do your eyes cross just looking at some of the pretzel-like positions possible with yoga? Relax, Sno-Isle Libraries has a wide variety of beginner books and DVDs for all ages, so it’s easy to find just the right movements that can help you stretch your way toward serenity and flexibility. There are even yoga books that can be used with babies and toddlers!

What about watercolors or knitting, woodcarving or a radically new approach to eating? Did you know that most foods lose their nutritional value when cooked at a temperature of more than 104? Do you long to clear your clutter, Feng Shui your garden or learn a new language? If you can name your interest, the library can provide you with materials that will be just perfect for enabling you to take the next step in the process of actually changing your life. And since our lives are changed by so many things that we have little or no control over, why not take charge and actively choose the ways in which you want to see your life change? It could be as simple as visiting the library. What are you waiting for?

The search for the next great song

2009-06-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

I am continually on a search-I would even say a quest- for new music. What will be the next artist or group that will totally fit my personality? What song will be my next favorite? What album will replace my old standby in the car stereo?

And to find out, I go to a variety of sources. I ask my friends, I scan the shelves of music stores and libraries, and then I peruse the world wide web.

One website that has a good mix of music genres is AllMusic . Here I can spend an abundant amount of my free time finding not only jazz, but every sub-genre of jazz to impress my jazz-loving friends. Or pop. Or rock. Or country. The list is just about endless.

Another place I visit on my internet stroll is Rolling Stone’s website. Here I can check out new releases and album art, as well as read articles on some old favorite groups, or learn about new ones.

Entertainment Weekly, aside from its movies and movie star info, has a pretty good music review page. Album art, photo galleries and news briefs are also included. And it's great when I'm in the mood for music, but still want to catch the latest star news, too.

When I just want to hear similar groups or songs to what I know I already love, I turn to Pandora, on online radio-type website that takes my preference and then streams music that is similar. So not only do I get to find new grooves, I get to listen to them too.

I’d love to share more, but I’m on a time crunch for finding a great new group to listen to this weekend. Will it be Bibio, Jill Sobule, or someone currently unknown?

I can’t wait to find out.

-Mamie

Overview of what the library can do for you

2009-06-18T15:22:00.000-07:00

If you are reading this blog, you are already probably a library fan and regular user. But you may not know all the ways the library can help you in particular and the earth in general. Recently Dawn Rutherford, Sno-Isle's Teen Services Coordinator, spoke about libraries at Ignite, where people from many different organizations and groups talk for five minutes about how they help this community. Dawn clocked in at about six minutes, but check her video out to see if you already use all of the library services she mentions. My favorite quote: "If you're not using libraries, you're wasting your tax dollars."

-Kathy

Making a computer reservation

2009-06-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

Imagine when you come to the library to use a computer, you just cannot find the computer that is available for you right now. What would you do?

Wait and see which one will be available first.
Make a reservation at the catalog computer.
Come back later.

Our recommendation for you to do is No. 2.

When you make a computer reservation, you can choose either the first available computer or one that is available at the certain time you would prefer. You can do this from any of our 8 Catalog, Database, Reservation computers at the Marysville Library or any computers that have an internet access at home, school, and work.

Just go to our homepage http://www.sno-isle.org/page/?ID=1 and click on "How do I reserve a computer?" on the top right corner. Once you go to the "Reserve a computer" page, just follow the directions. All you need is your library card number and your pin number (last four digits of your phone number).

The wait time depends on the time of the day but we often see our patrons only having to wait for 5 - 10 minutes. Make sure to log in to your computer within 5 minutes of your reservation time, otherwise your reservation will be cancelled automatically. While you wait, please browse though our fabulous book collection.

Yoko

Summer Reading Program-Get Creative @ your Library!

2009-06-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

As summer approaches, how do you keep the children in your life entertained and out of mischief? At the Marysville Library, we are doing our part to help you through the Summer Reading Program, with a theme of “Be Creative @ Your Library” for children, and “Express Yourself” for teens.

What can your children do? We make it very easy to sign up: all you have to do is come in and pick up the reading log, or go online. Pick a goal of how much they think they can read this summer, either in minutes per day or number of books. Each child who signs up also gets two free tickets to the Aquasox baseball team! Then starting on June 28 they can bring in the reading log each week for five weeks and get a prize. If your child wants to stretch themselves, we even have an activity sheet. If they do all the activities on the sheet, they get to pick out a free paperback book.

What else can your children do? We have some great programs lined up, kicking off with musician/entertainer Bonnie Phipps performing a “Patchwork quilt of rhythm, rhyme, story and song” on June 20. We’ll have a variety of creative programs on Tuesdays at 11 starting on June 23: exploring art and music throughout the world, button-making, transforming trash to treasure, the science of art, exploring art styles, and even playing with Legos. Finally, your child has the opportunity to make their very own toy with toymaker Rick Hartman on August 4th.

We have lots of other programs going on throughout the summer for teens, younger children, and even adults. Come fight the summer doldrums and check us out!

-Kathy

More Mysteries--------

2009-05-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

Now that we've all read "The Maltese Falcon" for The Big Read in Snohomish and Island counties, a lot of you readers may just want to continue exploring this diverse genre.
The first place to start is our own web page (under Books and Novelist). But take a look at these few of the many, many mystery web sites on the internet.

http://www.mysterynet.com/

www.mysteryinkonline.com

www.mysteryreaders.org

http://www.iloveagoodmystery.com/

www.mysteryfile.com

www.stopyourekillingme.com

www.cozy-mystery.com

www.seattlemystery.com

www.amazon.com

HAVE FUN!

Container Gardening

2009-05-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

With the economy still in a slump and summer right around the corner, there couldn't be a better time to have a backyard garden. But what if your yard is postage-stamp sized or what if you live in an apartment with no yard to transform into veggie-growing space? Fear not, there's always the patio! And lovely containers spilling over with the fruits of your labor have the added bonus of seasonal decoration for patios and decks alike. Local nurseries, department stores and many grocery outlets are currently chock-a-block with potting soil, fertilizer, seeds, bedding plants, planters, garden gloves--everything you need to plant a container garden. To find inspiration for planning your patio garden, stop by your local Sno-Isle library to see a list of the many titles available and then choose one or two or more that provide you with the best ideas for the approach you want to take and the effect you wish to achieve.

You can also view what the library has to offer from the comfort of your own home. With access to the Internet, the world of container gardening is at your fingertips. Simply visit the Sno-Isle Libraries website located at http://www.sno-isle.org/ and then search the Traditional Catalog by keyword using patio gardens or container gardening. The choices are many and include books loaded with full color photos, easy-to-follow design ideas and step-by-step techniques for establishing a container garden, whether your interest is in vegetables, herbs or flowers. So what are you waiting for? Put your library card to good use getting just the right books for your project and then go out and get your hands dirty!

What is the role of the library in the Marysville community?

2009-05-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

I was reading a blog called “The librarian is IN”, and she says that “(libraries) really are becoming the help center for our communities - we seem to be the one place where customer service isn’t exclusively available via an annoying phone tree or the web.” People can call us and get a real person, or walk up to any employee in person for help. Just yesterday I was talking with a co-worker about the same thing: we really want to help the people who walk through the library doors find what they need or want to know.

In addition to being a community help center, the library is a school to some people in Marysville. We ourselves teach patrons about resources like our on-line databases or downloadable books, and how to use our catalog. But others meet with their tutors, do their homework, or use the computers to access their distance learning classes. I regularly give tours of the library to classes that come from the schools, and we have frequent storytimes to teach younger children pre-reading skills. This is a very traditional role for the library.

Many people use bookstores or cafes to be their office. The library is my office, of course, but I like to think that we could be yours, too. We have computers and Wi-Fi, support and information at your fingertips. We have a quiet area, comfortable chairs or tables and a small room for private meetings. We even have new vending machines that sell coffee and snacks.

We are a Help Center, a school, a teen hangout and an office. Others in the community use us as a video rental store, arts and crafts studio, collections warehouse, arcade, tax resource, art gallery, homeless shelter, travel agency, neutral meeting site and more.

What is the library to you?

To Call a House a Home

2009-05-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

Looking for your first house? In need of programs to help you keep the house you’re in?

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development may be just the place for you to get started. Check out their website to find information by state, first-time homebuyer programs, grant information and more.

The United States Department of Agriculture has programs for rural housing. Check out their website to learn more about their programs and eligibility requirements.

The Washington Homeownership Center is a non-profit agency that offers information and programs for first time homebuyers in Washington state. Check out their website for more information.

The library has a variety of books available on topics surrounding homeownership. Search our traditional or visual catalogs to get started.

Mamie

The Power of Programs

2009-04-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

The power of Programs and what we bring to the table for the many tasks you need completed

What’s available when you log into our public PC’s. When you walk into the library and go to sit down at the public work station it’s good to know what’s available. I’m here to tell you we have many programs at the click of a button ready to assist you in getting your work done. Our Public PC’s have Windows XP loaded on them. Here is a list of programs that are available on our public PC’s.

Internet

Internet Explorer 7-Used for viewing content on the internet

Microsoft office 2007

Microsoft Word-Used for viewing, editing, and creating documents

Microsoft Excel-Create and format spreadsheets

Microsoft Power point-for creating dynamic presentations

Microsoft Publisher-create, personalize, and share publications

Readers/Maps

Adobe reader 8.0 -Viewing PDF file

Google earth -Looking at maps

Extras

Magnifier - Enlarging text
Picture manager -Viewing picture files
Screen size - Change the screen size to a higher or lower resolution
Volume control –for turning up, down, or muting the volume

Windows media player 11-Allows you to put in music CD’s to listen to. Headphones can be found at the workstation or you can bring your own in to use.

Tech liaisons are available to help with questions about these programs and the computer they are on.

Brian F – Tech Liaison, Marysville Library

Boy reads

2009-04-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

Recently I read “Connecting Boys with Books 2: Closing the Reading Gap” by Michael Sullivan, and found it fascinating. Here is a summary of what it concluded:

Boys are more likely to be reluctant readers than girls, usually starting around middle school or before. In part, this is because of the way boys’ brains are structured, but also because many boys don’t see real men as readers. Boys use less of their brains than girls do when reading, so they need more stimulation to keep their interest.

So what can you as a parent do to help keep your boy interested in reading?

Model reading. Especially if you are a grown male, you are a role model showing men as readers.
Have books, magazines and other reading material around the house. Show by your actions that reading is important.
Read to your boy. Yes, he knows how to read, but boys especially love to listen to the stories. Explore books that he likes, and make reading to him part of your daily ritual into his teens.
Because boys’ brains need more stimulation than girls’ brains, believe your boy when he tells you he can do his homework better while listening to music.
Boys need to tie what they read to the real world. So for instance if he’s reading a survival story, take him for a hike in the wilderness. Or if he’s reading a story set on the ocean, get him a model ship as a present.
Boys have slightly different reading tastes than girls do. Unlike girls, they think books about relationships or character growth are boring. Instead, they go for books with lots of action. They go for books with humor, especially slapstick. They tend to read edgier books. And they read lots of non-fiction. Non-fiction is excellent reading for boys because they can tie it to real world experiences, and in general it provides more pictures, giving them the extra brain stimulation that they need.

For specific examples of books the boy in your life might like, come in and talk with us at the Information Desk!

-Kathy

Friends Book Shop Grand Opening

2009-04-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

On April 13, the Friends of the Marysville Library opened their new Book Shop inside the library. The shop sells used books that have been donated by members of the community. All of the proceeds go to support programs and enhancements at the Marysville Library. For more information about the group, check out their web page and consider joining or making a contribution.

Also new to the library is the addition of some vending machines to the lobby area. The Friends Totem Cafe is a work under construction. In addition to the machines, the proceeds from which benefit the Friends of the Marysville Library, is the return of the totem pole created by the Quil Ceda Carvers. This totem pole was a featured piece of art inside the library for many years. In the future the lobby will have cafe tables and chairs and a sign designed by local teens.

What I believe: Everybody can be a reader

2009-04-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

As a Children’s Librarian and lifelong enthusiastic reader, I am motivated by several fundamentals, based on actual research (ask me at the Information desk, and I’ll look it up for you):

· The ability to read fluently has multiple benefits that filter throughout a person’s life.
· The more a person reads, the better they will be; quantity trumps quality
· Every book it’s reader, every reader his/her book (S.R. Ranganathan)
· Listening to books counts as reading

What does this mean? It means I believe that everybody, no matter how reluctant a reader, has a book that will appeal to them: they just have to find it. If a child has a book that they are interested in, no matter the quality of writing or (to an extent) the level of writing, they will read it and consequently improve their reading ability. Even if a particular book doesn't touch me in any way, if it touches someone else, it is the perfect book for them at that moment. And if they are motivated to read because of interest, they will read more than if they are forced to read despite a lack of interest.

Listening to books, whether as an audiobook or having a parent read to their child has been demonstrated to grow the brain and various reading skills in the exact same way that reading the written word does, with the exception of spelling skills. Research has found that all reading has benefits, whether it is as in a book, part of a video game, on the internet, in a magazine, or even texting. Yes, really!

It is my job and challenge as a librarian to help people find the books they will be interested in, so that they will read (or listen) because they want to-and gain the benefits of reading while they are at it.

-Kathy

National Poetry Month

2009-03-31T15:40:00.000-07:00

April is National Poetry Month and is, appropriately, this month's special book display at the Marysville library.
For 5,000 years, in every era of civilization and in every culture, there has been poetry. We can rediscover Tennyson, Dickinson, Chaucer and Sandburg. We can discover LiPo, Neruda, Sappho and Sandra Cisneros. There is a reason why "Beowulf" (probably written in the early 8th century) spent weeks on the New York Times bestseller list with Seamus Heaney's gripping new translation. There is a reason your kids love Shel Silverstein...and you will too. There are love poems, war poems, dog poems and "Good Poems" (selected by Garrison Keillor for recitation on his radio show "The Writers Almanac"). Poems can take days to recite (the Mahabharata) or a few seconds (haiku): can produce guffaws (Edward Lear) and tears (Wilfred Owen); can charm a child ("Poems for the Very Young") and remind you why you married ("The 100 Best Love Poems of all Time"); can...well, you get the picture.
Poetry from differnet countries, cultures and times can help us make a connection, an understanding of ourselves and others. Just as Chaucer's travelers set off in the month of April on their wonderful adventure, so may you.

National Library Workers Day

2009-03-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, April 14 is going to be recognized by the American Library Association as National Library Workers Day. Here is a fun website that tells you all about it. As someone who reads this blog, you are already a Marysville Library fan.

Do you have a favorite library worker? Did someone go out of their way to help you? Does someone at the library always make your day whenever you come in? Please nominate your favorite library worker and tell the world how great they are.

-Kathy

I Want a Book Like. . .

2009-03-24T09:56:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you read a book that was so terrific you couldn't wait to get your hands on another one just like it? Luckily, finding titles that are similar to those you have enjoyed is only a few mouse clicks away with a computer and access to the Internet. Beginning with the Sno-Isle website (http://www.sno-isle.org/), hover your mouse over the Research Tools tab, click on Databases and Research, then choose the subject category of Arts and Humanities. Scroll down in that list and click on Novelist Plus. This handy resource allows you to find author and title read-alikes and can open up a whole new world of possibility based on a favorite read.

Amazon.com is commonly used to purchase books, but you can also use the "customers who bought this item also bought. . . " feature to see what other like-minded readers are choosing. And oftentimes at the end of an author search, you can find similar titles/authors that match the subject category of the book you couldn't put down.

If both of the above attempts fail to produce reading material to your liking, you can troll the depths of the Internet using Google.com and a simple word-search string. Try using the phrase if you liked followed by the title or author. The word readalike/s paired with an author or title is also useful for retrieving lists of similar titles or authors. And if you want certain search terms to stay together in the results, be sure to use quotation marks.

But for those of you who prefer to interact with a live person for reading recommendations, there's always your local library, where staff members are not only personally well-read, but also adept at using all available resources to get just the right book into your hands.

Happy Reading!

A Little Creativity...

2009-03-04T10:53:00.000-08:00

Just as most Americans are currently watching their wallet and trying to cut out unnecessary expenses, I also continually try to find ways that I can save a buck or two. One thing I've found that was an easy money-saving fix is greeting cards. By using some leftover scrapbooking materials, markers, magazine clippings and other fun remnants I've been able to create fun, unique and very personal greeting and thank-you cards for friends and family.

Whether you need help getting started, or just for inspiration, the library has a varied and exciting collection of greeting card books to help you create that perfect card.

Create a Card with stickers, stencils and stamps by Stephanie Weightman offers ideas for beautiful, simple cards for any occassion. Full color photos and descriptions of steps allows you to easily follow along.

Quick & Clever Instant Cards: over 100 fast-to-make handmade designs and ideas by Julie Hickey includes ideas for a variety of card types, sizes and shapes. Full color photos included.

If you want to go beyond just cards and include gift wrap and more you may want to try out Paula Pascual's Creative Cards: 40 projects for handmade invitations, greeting cards, gift wrap and more. Full color photos show steps, worksheets and budget/shopping lists are also included. A fun way to personalize a party or a birthday gift.

Or if you just want that "wow" factor, try pop-up cards. Jo F. Mathieson's Pop-Up Cards: 19 spectacular 3D greeting cards. Fun, whimsical designs for a variety of occassions including new baby, new driver, birthday, wedding and thinking of you. Full color photos and detailed instructions will help you make greeting cards that your friends and family will remember.

Another place to get ideas and inspiration is the internet. Joann Fabric & Craft stores have a projects section that includes cardmaking. Click here to check it out. Or try Michael's Arts & Crafts store card idea page here.

So whether you're trying to save a dime or just want another way to show your friends and family you care and use your creativity, try a home-made greeting card---and stop by the library to find books, ideas and inspiration!

Technical Liaisons

2009-02-23T16:32:00.000-08:00

Libraries used to be big buildings full of books. Nowadays computers and other technology are a big part of the service provided at the library.

Marysville Library has 3 staff members called Technical Liaisons. We do our best to solve technical issues with the computers, printers, copier and other technology issues. We are usually successful, but we also have the whole Sno-Isle Information Technology staff behind us. When we need more help we can enlist their assistance in solving problems not only for public users but for staff as well.

If you are interested in technology be sure to take a look at the Techies information under Popular Topics on the Sno-Isle Homepage.

Remember to ask staff for help whether you are looking for a book or need to open a file on your flash drive.

Libraries Are More Important Than Ever

2009-02-15T13:40:00.000-08:00

In the last few weeks we have seen magazine articles, TV news stories, and newspaper editorials all confirming something we here at the library have been experiencing: libraries are more important to our communities than ever.

Communities need and are using their libraries for lots of things. Libraries help the newly unemployed navigate online job applications. For many people who haven't had to update a resume or fill out an application in recent years, the ways these are done have completely changed. Many places only accept electronic application submissions and a resume can often be attached. If these aren't skills you have had to develop, your library with its high-speed internet and Wi-Fi access is one place to learn.

People are also looking for alternatives to expensive cable TV and movie renting outlets. With a library card, people have access to a wide variety of entertainment options at no cost.

Libraries exist to support the community; and people in our community are making great use of their library. Read the articles that appeared in the Everett Herald recently by clicking the links below.

Public Libraries: Still A Haven of Discovery 02.11.09

Libraries' Popularity Rises as Economy Sinks by David Chircop 02.05.09

--Eric

Friends of the library

2009-02-10T13:57:00.000-08:00

Who are the “Friends of the library”, and what do they do? They are an organization made up of people who care about Marysville Library enough to raise money to help the Marysville staff put on programs. Did you participate in our challenge to the Marysville community last summer to read 2000 books for Ethiopia Reads? The money came from the Friends of the Library.

One of the main ways they raise the money to support the library is by selling books that people donate, but they raise funds in other ways as well. They meet at 1pm in the large meeting room on the third Thursday of every month, and welcome anybody who cares about our library. The first 20-30 minutes are the business meeting, and then they break for snacks and socializing. They finish by listening to a presentation on local Marysville happenings. If you have ever come to one of our programs, or have ever brought your children to one of our programs, or your teens have participated in our programs, you have benefitted from our Friends! Please come, be a part, and have a voice!

-Kathy

Big6 Homework Helper

2009-02-03T09:29:00.000-08:00

Are you or a child in your life overwhelmed with a big homework assignment? Here are six basic steps to help you or your child approach a big assignment:

1. What is the assignment? What does the end product need to look like?
2. What information do you need? What don’t you know that you need to?
3. Where can you get the information? Can you get it online, or in a book, or should you ask an expert?
4. Get what you need to complete the assignment.
5. Do it!
6. Did you complete the assignment? What worked, what didn’t?
Genius level: How could you make it better?

Here’s an example of the six steps:
1. Assignment: Make a delicious ice cream sundae
2. Need: Bowl, spoon, ice cream, toppings, recipe, demo
3. Where: In the kitchen, maybe with a trip to the grocery store
4. Go to the store if needed, and pull other items from the freezer and cupboards
5. Make your delicious ice cream sundae.
6. Taste test: What tastes good, what didn’t you like?
Genius level: What could you do to make it taste/look better?

These Big6 steps will help you approach any big project without being overwhelmed, whether you're in school or at a job. We would love to help you with steps 2, 3, and 4; check us out at the Information Desk!

-Kathy

IRS FORMS AT THE LIBRARY

2009-01-30T11:01:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows what happens at this time of the year. We're here to help. We have the most frequently requested forms and booklets and we can print out most of the other forms for you. Or you can go to www.irs.gov and print out the forms for yourself. And Snohomish County has an IRS office. It's located in Everett at 3020 Rucker Ave. and the phone number is 425-304-1656. They have all the forms and they provide tax help.
Thanks to AARP, the Marysville library (and some of the other branches in our system) offer free tax help primarily for the elderly and lower income tax payer. Appointments can be made by phone (360-658-5000) or in person at the customer service desk.
April 15th will come faster than you think!

2009-01-26T10:22:00.001-08:00

Walk into any elementary school and stroll down the halls and what you will see in every direction is imagination in full bloom. From the sophisticated use of watercolors, the whimsical splash of pastels or the spontaneous sculpting with recycled material to the rather magical technique of blending crayon and paint, artistic endeavors at the hands of children are inspiring and genuinely a sight to behold.
The Marysville Library has for years been a display site for student art. Submissions for the annual Reflections art competition can be viewed at the library in December and January of each year and rotating displays of artistic creativity lend a colorful and vibrant ambiance to the Children's area of the library.

Currently for your viewing pleasure are parrots rendered in a combination of crayon, watercolor and oil pastel. Crafted by Mrs. Schmid'ts third grade students from Allen Creek Elementary, the parrots will delight the senses and may even inspire you to create a work of art with your own children.

A wide variety of books about crafting and artistic technique is available at your nearest Sno-Isle Library, so stop by soon or visit www.sno-isle.org for a comprehensive view of the many resources located throughout the two-county system of libraries.

Small Engine Repair

2009-01-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

A few days ago when I was shoveling snow off my neighbor's driveway as well as my own, I thought back to my days growing up in the Southern California mountains. I lived on a campground and worked on the maintenance crew, so each winter I got to fire up the snowblower and clear the countless paths and driveways and doorways for the numerous guests. Every so often the machine would jam (which I would clear with a stick, having learned a valuable lesson from my father's 9-fingered friend) or it would break down, and I often would have no idea how to fix it. I would then haul it back to the shop and have one of the mechanics work on it, which was a little humiliating when the repair required only a slight adjustment. How I wished I had access to a manual. Perhaps because of these humbling experiences along with other outdoor power equipment episodes of ineptitude (with lawn mowers, chainsaws, weedwhackers, etc.), I became a librarian.

Recently Sno-Isle subscribed to an online database which might have altered the course of my life had I had access to it back then. EBSCO's Small Engine Repair Reference Center is a full-text database containing repair manuals for hundreds of small engine machines and their supporting components. Coverage ranges from routine maintenance to extensive repairs involving engine transmission disassembly. You can find information on motorcycles, jet skis, snowmobiles, tractors, ATVs, boats, generators, and all types of yard equipment.

So the next time you're stranded out on the back forty on your stalled John Deere, whip out your Blackberry, logon to the Sno-Isle web site, click on the Small Engine Repair link under Research Tools > Automotive, type in your memorized library card number, locate your tractor model and impress the heck out of Bessie.

Stuff for Teens

2009-01-13T16:23:00.000-08:00

You probably already know that the library offers great storytime programs for kids. In fact, one of your favorite library memories may be attending a storytime yourself as a child. But did you know there is also an active teen program here in Marysville? Before I can tell you more about that, let me introduce myself. I’m Laura Tilman, the teen services librarian at the Marysville Library and I’m pretty sure I have the best job in the world!

2008 was a great year for Teens here at the library and 2009 is going to be even better! Here’s a look at some of the stuff coming up.

Teen Mondays
January 12, 26, February 9, 23
3:00-5:30

Many of you may already know about the Teen Monday programs we started last year. Every other Monday afternoon we show a movie or have open gaming with Rock Band, DDR, Guitar Hero, Super Smash Brothers, and Wii Sports. Teen Mondays are going to get even better in 2009 as we add Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero World Tour, MarioKart, and a brand new Karaoke Machine!

Study Lounge
Thursdays
January 15, February 12, 19, 20
3:00-5:00

Got homework? Get it done at the library! Extra laptops and help available at our Study Lounge. Perfect for group projects! If you need a break, pick up one of our board games, or use the time to hang out with your friends.

Altered Objects
Wednesdays
January 28, February 25, March 25
6:30-8:30

For all of you who enjoyed our summer craft programs (summer spa, button making, duct tape crafts, green teens) this new series is for you! Each month we will be taking stuff you can find around the house and turning it into something cool and new! In January, we’ll make jewelry out of things you find in a hardware store. In February turn juice pouches into a new bag and in March make speakers for your iPod or MP3 player. We provide all the supplies, all you need is your creativity! Please sign up for these programs so we have an idea of how much to get.

Teen Book Club
Wednesday
February 11
6:30-7:30

In 2009 we are going to try starting a book club just for teens--this means we will get to read and talk about the books you like! And you can be part of it right from the start! Come to this planning meeting to help choose the books you want to read, pick a name and make all the other important decisions. Then, join us March 11 as we discuss our first selection over pizza.

Make Your Own Chocolate!
Saturday
February 14
1:00-3:00

Back by popular demand…this year’s Make Your Own Chocolate will be better than ever! More colored chocolate, new candy molds and more gift ideas! Come make a last minute Valentine’s gift for someone special or make some chocolate to eat yourself! Either way, it will be a tasty afternoon! We don’t want to run out of chocolate, so make sure you sign up for this one!

If you want to be involved in planning the programs happening here at the library, join our Teen Advisory Group (you can get a free t-shirt). Our next meeting is this Saturday, January 17 @ 2:00 and new members are always welcome! Come check it out!

So there you go! That’s just the start of what’s happening in 2009. Be on the look out for some exciting after-hours programs and a special gaming tournament against Lynnwood (we’re still working out the details...but I’m pretty sure Marysville can win!)

You can find out more information about programs for all ages on our website, www.sno-isle.org and click on "Events and Programs".

Winter Car Care

2009-01-07T15:38:00.001-08:00

With the past winter storm and its wintry road conditions, I had a lot of care-car questions come to mind. Do I have chains in the trunk? How do I use them? What should I have in my car in case of emergency? What do I do if my front window ices over while I'm driving?

The Weather Channel offers driving safety tips based on the current weather for your location--simply enter the desired zip code and get the current weather as well as driving tips for those conditions. Discovery's HowStuffWorks website offers Top 10 Car Winterizing Tips to get your car ready for the weather.

Before you head out on wintry roads, consider checking out the Washington Department of Transportation's website where you can find information on traffic, travel conditions on the passes, as well as winter travel tips and information.

Keep warm & safe driving!

So what is a book, anyway?

2008-12-15T15:43:00.000-08:00

Having a librarian ask what a book is may make you do a double-take, but really, what is a book? Many hundreds of years ago it meant a scroll. Slightly more recently, it meant a hand-written, illuminated manuscript on vellum. Right now, the Marysville library is filled with printed, bound paper items that just about everybody agrees can be called books.

But what about the audio versions on CD’s of those printed books that also fill our shelves? Instead of reading the book, people listen to them - which can be a boon on car trips and for otherwise intelligent people with poor reading skills. I think they’re books, but one time I heard that a teacher was mad at a librarian for encouraging students to listen to audio books because she didn't think they counted as books.

Then the Sno-Isle system has so-called eBooks that aren’t attached to a physical item at all. If you follow our website (http://www.sno-isle.org) to the Research Tools/Databases page, you’ll see links to databases and eBooks. You can research or read all about your area of interest while never leaving your closest link to the Internet. Do those count as books?

Finally, Sno-Isle has a whole collection of downloadable audio books that you can listen to on your computer or favorite MP3 player. Just follow our website (http://www.sno-isle.org) to the Books/Overdrive digital media page for a complete listing. You can check them out, put holds on your favorites, listen, renew them, and even have them returned without ever touching anything from the library.

So if you don’t have to trek for miles through snow and ice and dark of night to unroll your favorite scroll at the library, is it still a book? What makes it a book or not a book?

-Kathy

Cats in the library

2008-12-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

Librarians stereotypically are cat ladies, and the recent best-seller, “Dewey: the small-town library cat who touched the world” by Vicki Myron shows a good example.

But I am proud to announce that there is now some truth to that statement here at the Marysville library. As part of a recent bequest by our late patron Gellerson, we have had installed two art projects: beautiful stained glass titled “Dewey Digital” by Jack Archibald around the front doors, and seven bronze “Library Cats” by Carapace Arts around the library interior. Mark Stevenson and Sarah Ohman are the artists behind Carapace Arts. The idea behind the cats is that one cat lives at the library, just like the above book, so for the most part you can only see one of the sculptures at a time. They are very friendly cats in a variety of catty poses. I have witnessed that they invite even the burliest of individuals to stroke and pet them.

On Thursday, December 11 we will be holding an artist’s reception 5-7pm here to celebrate the new artwork and visit with the artists, and we invite the whole Marysville community to come celebrate with us.

The next time you are in the library, either at the artist reception or not, wander around and see if you can and pet find all seven!

-Kathy