Both Circle Times are canceled for Tuesday, Dec. 30. Circle Time will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 6, with Mr. Gabe leading both the 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. programs. Mark your calendars!
Bad Kitty, beautiful and strange robotic birds, a twisty mystery, and the mighty Ares.
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m..
Nick Bruel, author/artist of the best-selling Bad Kitty books for kids, will present the newest book in the series, Puppy's Big Day. Bruel also will unveil his new picture book, A Wonderful Year, and demonstrate his drawing techniques.
Thursday, Jan. 22, 7:30 p.m..
Kate Samworth, author/artist of Aviary Wonders, Inc., an award-winning picture book, will talk about her work. Samworth's book is both singular and beautifully-illustrated as it presents a possible future where many bird species have become extinct. The book, geared towards older kids, teens and adults, has been praised by critics, and won the first-ever Kirkus Prize for Young Readers. | Washington Post review | Book Trailer | Publisher's Weekly interview.
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m..
Best-selling kids' author Gordon Korman will present his newest book, Masterminds. The book already has gotten critical praise, with Booklist noting: 'The compelling, twisty mystery has a truly gratifying payoff, and the emotional depth of the characters, not to mention the steadily building pace, will keep readers engaged to the final page, which happily lays the groundwork for a sequel.'
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Thursday, Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m.
Graphic novelist George O'Connor returns to Takoma Park to unveil Ares, the latest (#7) in his popular Olympians series. O'Connor also will do a drawing demonstration.
For all these events Politics & Prose Bookstore will be selling the authors' books, but no purchases are required to attend these free programs.
See a few clips from our great 5 (turned out to be 6) author night.
Keep your kids reading over the holidays with our WinterQuest reading game! Come in to register, pick up a character, gameboard and story, and then start reading. It's as simple at that! Any and all books count: books checked out from our library, books you own, audiobooks, books you read to your kids, and e-books, including those from Starwalk Kids Media and Tumblebooks that can be found on the library's website. There's just one goal here -- to have fun reading over the holidays! We'll conclude WinterQuest on Thursday Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. with a party featuring lemonade, cookies and free books. Thanks to the Friends of the Takoma Park Maryland Library for funding our second annual WinterQuest program, and thanks to library assistant Dave Burbank for creating the art and story for WinterQuest.
Join us at 3 p.m. today, Saturday Dec. 20, for our fifth annual Holiday Sing-a-Long. Local musician Wendy Lanxner and her young guitar students will lead us in songs of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. All ages welcome at this fun event!
Please join us on Sunday, Dec. 21 for winter crafts, including card-making, winter-themed scratch art, winter-themed necklaces, and more!
This program is for children of all ages and will run from 2:00-4:00.
Please join us on Thursday December 18 at 6:30 p.m. for our annual Winter Solstice celebration. Musician Bill Jenkins will get things started with a drumming circle; he'll have plenty of percussion instruments for all participants. Then, at 7:30 p.m., the Foggy Bottom Morris Men will swoop in with their songs, stories, and good cheer. Come for some or all of this celebration, which has taken place each year for more than two decades. No registration necessary, and all ages are welcome. Thanks to the Friends of the Takoma Park Library for sponsoring this program.
Each December, I’m asked by kids and parents for a list of my favorite books published in that year. Putting together such a list is both fun and challenging. I read so many good books for kids and teens that it can be hard to keep the list a manageable size!
So here’s this year’s list. Please keep in mind that I’m not saying these books were the best of the year, just that they were some of my favorites. And don’t forget that I’m always happy to try to match a book with a reader – it’s definitely one of the best parts of my job. — KAM
Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, illustrated by 2013 Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen and written by Mac Barnett, who wrote Klassen’s 2013 Caldecott Honor book, Extra Yarn (ages 3-7)
Watch the book trailer.
The Baby Tree, written and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, noted for her work with the Measles-Rubella Initiative (ages 3-6)
My Teacher Is a Monster, written and illustrated by Peter Brown (ages 4-7)
Watch Peter Brown at the National Book Festival.
Where’s Mommy?, written by Beverly Donofrio and illustrated by Barbara McClintock (ages 3-6)
The Farmer and the Clown, written and illustrated by Marla Frazee (ages 4-7)
Time for Bed, Fred, written and illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail (ages 3-6); it was selected as one of the New York Times Best Illustrated books this year.
A young fan.
Once Upon the Alphabet, written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers (ages 4-8)
A peek inside.
The Iridescence of Birds, a book about artist Henri Matisse written by Newbery Medalist Patricia MacLachlan and illustrated by Hadley Hooper (ages 4-7)
Gaston, written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by Christian Robinson
The illustrator talks about the book.
Mix It Up!, written and illustrated by Hervé Tullet, of Press Here fame (ages 3-7)
Tullet talks about his book.
Bad Bye, Good Bye, written by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Jonathan Bean (ages 4-7)
LeRoy Ninker Saddles Up, written by Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
DiCamillo at the National Book Festival.
Visiting Takoma Park.
Digby O’Day in the Fast Lane, written and illustrated by Shirley Hughes and Clara Vuillamy
Dory Fantasmagory, written by Abby Hanlon
The Madman of Piney Woods, written by Newbery Medalist Christopher Paul Curtis
Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
Rain Reign by Ann Martin
The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel
The book trailer.
Nuts To You, written and illustrated by Newbery Medalist Lynne Rae Perkins
Revolution, written by Deborah Wiles
Wiles reads at the National Book Awards finalists reading.
We Were Liars, written by E. Lockhart
Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern
Eliot Schrefer's Threatened
Schrefer reads at the National Book Awards finalists reading.
Noggin, written by Printz Award winner John Cory Whaley
Book trailer.
Whaley reads at the National Book Awards finalists reading.
El Deafo, written and illustrated by Cece Bell (ages 8-12)
Bell and Telgemeier together.
The Dumbest Idea Ever, written and illustrated by Jimmy Gownley (ages 8-12)
The book trailer.
The Return of Zita the Space Girl, written and illustrated by Ben Hatke
The book trailer.
Benny and Penny in Lost and Found, written and illustrated by Geoffrey Hayes (comics-style beginning reader, ages 4-7)
Hayes reads from another Benny Penny book.
Aphrodite, written and illustrated by George O’Connor
A visit to the author's studio.
This One Summer, written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki (ages 12 up)
The illustrator discusses the book.
Sisters, written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier (ages 8-12)
The author discusses the book.
Ashley Bryan’s Puppets, written by Ashley Bryan (ages 7 up)
The puppets in Ashley Bryan's home.
The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus, written by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet (ages 7-10)
Book trailer.
Eyes Wide Open: Going Behind the Environmental Headlines, written by Newbery Medalist Paul Fleischman (ages 10 up)
An interview with the author.
The Family Romanov, written by Candace Fleming (ages 10 up)
Book trailer.
Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out, written by Susan Kuklin (ages 12 up)
A noisy interview with the author.
Chasing Cheetahs, written by Sibert Medalist Sy Montgomery, with photographs by Nic Bishop
The author at home.
Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker, written by Patricia Hruby Powell and illustrated by Christian Robinson
Book trailer.
Port Chicago 50, written by Steve Sheinkin (ages 10 up)
Sheinkin reads at the National Book Awards finalists reading.
Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation, written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh
(ages 7-10)
Sylvia Mendez herself.
Brown Girl Dreaming, written by Jacqueline Woodson (this book won the 2014 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature)
Woodson reads at the National Book Awards finalists reading.
Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems, selected by Paul Janeczko and illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Hi, Koo!: A Year of Seasons, written and illustrated by Jon Muth
LEGO Club is Sunday, December 7 from 1:30-3:00.
You may register online to receive updated information on this and further sessions. You may also drop in and play.
Some months we have a theme for kids to try out.
We also have many LEGO books and LEGO Club Magazine that kids can use for inspiration.
The American Library Association's (ALA's) Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has partnered with LEGO to provide a digital toolkit to inspire creating, playing, making, and sharing. Children learn and have fun while they share, play, and build with LEGO in the library.
For kids ages 5-12
Please don't bring your own LEGO! We have plenty of LEGO for everyone to use.
We are always looking for students to help out with the LEGO program for SSL hours
Thank you to the Friends of the Takoma Park Maryland Library for generously supplying us with the materials for this event!
THE LIBRARY IS A DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF TAKOMA PARK
