For Kids & Teens

Summer reading is in full swing in the Children’ Department.  Every day there are lots of kids here filling out "Lucky Library Lover" contest entries, guessing the number of stars in the jar, attending great programs, checking out the iPads, reading and hanging out.  The stairwell looks great filled with the beds that the kids have colorfully decorated.   Almost 600 kids have signed up for the program so far, but it’s not too late!  Sign up your kids online and then stop by the library so they can decorate a bed, and enter our contests.   Remember to log all of the books your child reads (or listens to).   The more books logged, the more chances to win! 

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Eric is sure there’s a scientific explanation for the glowing mushrooms in the woods behind his house. And there’s an explanation for the mushrooms creeping into his backyard. And through the floorboards in the house. And over the football field. There’s not a place in town that isn’t covered in the luminescent fungus—and it might not be the first time the mushrooms have swallowed a town.

Congratulations to Spencer Bagtaz, winner of the Kindergarten Backpack drawing.  Spencer’s entry was randomly selected from all entries from children who registered for kindergarten and obtained new or used their own library cards.   The backpack was filled with books, school supplies and other goodies.  Thanks for the Friends of the Library for funding the backpack and its contents.

All future kindergarteners are encouraged to participate in the Summer Reading Program!  Sign up online and then stop by the library to decorate a paper bed that will hang in the hall, pick up your stamp sheet,  enter the Stars guessing contest and the Lucky Library Lover contest! 

We in the Children’s Room are delighted to have 2 iPads available for use in the library.   They have been preloaded with lots of great apps.  Toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy having an interactive book shared with them—try Planes by Byron Barton, Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton or Five Little Monkeys Go Shopping by Eileen Christelow.    For school aged kids, there are the math apps  Motion Math and AB Math, language learning apps such as Little Pim Spanish, fun games like the popular Angry Birds Space,  and Puzzle Pop, and other cool apps like Star Walk, Building Titanic and Numberlys. 

Kids under age 14 must have a parent or guardian sign the Table In-House Borrowing Agreement before checking out the iPad.  Thank you to the Friends of the Library and the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation for supporting the purchase of the iPads.