Oh say can you read?

Somehow the Fourth of July is already upon us! It had seemed like Summer was never going to come and now it's just zipping right on by. The hot weather seems to have found us too which means it's the perfect time to stay inside where it's cool and read.
So, if you are in the mood for some festive reading but maybe aren't interested in getting bogged down by heavy history vibes, try these lighter mystery reads.
As a friendly reminder, the Library is closed on Thursday July 4th. Have a safe and happy holiday!

A Catered Fourth of July by Isis Crawford

Dead, White, and Blue by Carolyn Hart

Star Spangled Murder by Leslie Meier

Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson

Yankee Doodle Dead by Carolyn Hart

Red, White and Blue Murder by Bill Crider

A Universe of Stories: Summer Reading Recommendations for Adults

Does Summer have you spacing out?! Well last but not least, Adults, here's a little something to help take your Summer Reading to infinity and beyond!

Be sure to grab one of our super fun Bingo sheets to fill out as you read too. All you have to do is read or listen to five books that fit the categories in one line vertically, horizontally or diagonally and turn in your completed sheet by August 17th. Then, you can claim your prize: a book of your choice!

     

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 

The Martian by Andy Weir

Acorna: the Unicorn Girl by Anne McCaffrey

Decender: Tin Stars by Jeff Lemire

Red Rising by Pierce Brown




Galaxy Girls: 50 Amazing Stories of Women in Space by Libby Jackson

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

Life on Mars: What to Know Before We Go by David A. Weintraub

The Aliens Are Coming! by Ben Miller

The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Kopper

A Universe of Stories: Summer Reading Recommendations for Teens

School's out and even at the Library we have already been hearing "I'm bored, there's nothing to do." Well, Teens, here's some outta this world inspiration to keep your minds busy this Summer. Be sure to check out some of the stellar activities and events we have going on for Teens throughout the Summer too!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre

The Disasters by M.K. England

Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Beleza

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Dare Mighty Things by Heather Kaczynski

Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

App Review: Felt Board

App Name: Felt Board
Developer: Software Smoothie
Cost: $2.99
Available on iOS
Recommended for Preschool and Up

Felt boards are a classic storytime activity. The possibilities for learning are nearly endless – from math games to acting our nursery rhymes, children will engage with a wide variety of concepts. While the tactile experience of playing with felt is still enjoyable, this app captures the fun of the felt board without needing all the pieces making the app friendly for users on the go or for repeated use.

A Universe of Stories: Summer Reading Recommendations for Kids

Summer reading is officially under way! This year our theme is "A Universe of Stories". Kids, teens, and adults can all sign up to earn prizes for reading. Stop by the library to find out more!

Here are a few of our favorite books for young readers all about space in honor of this year's theme.

Picture Books

Gravity by Jason Chin
Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles by Philippe Cousteau, Deborah Hopkinson, and Meilo So
Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back: A Native American Year of Moons by Joseph Bruchac
If You Were the Moon by Laura Purdie Salas
Life on Mars by Jon Agee
Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers

Books for Beginner Readers

A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars by Seth Fishman
There's No Place Like Space: All About Our Solar System by Tish Rabe
There Was An Old Astronaut Who Swallowed the Moon by Lucille Colandro
Space Discoveries by Tamra Orr
Space Heroes by Hannah Dolan
Satellite Space Mission (Magic School Bus Rides Again series) by AnnMarie Anderson
When Sparks Fly: The True Story of Robert Goddard, Father of US Rocketry by Kristen Fulton


Books for Older Kids

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca
Hidden Figures: The Untold True Story of Four African-American Women Who Helped Launch Our Nation into Space by Margot Lee Shetterly
Who Was Neil Armstrong? by Roberta Edwards
Who Was Sally Ride? by Megan Stine
How Do You Burp in Space? And Other Tips Every Space Tourist Needs to Know by Susan E. Goodman
Who Was Galileo? by Patricia Demuth
Who Was Stephen Hawking? by Jim E. Gigliotti
What Is NASA? by Sarah Fabiny
Where Is Our Solar System? by Stephanie Sabol

App Review: Byron Barton Collection #1

App Name: Byron Barton Collection #1
Developer: Oceanhouse Media
Cost: $4.99
Available on iOS, Amazon, Windows, Google Play
Recommended for Preschool and Kindergarten

Byron Barton’s books are known for their simple style, introducing vocabulary with bright illustrations. This style is enhanced with the app and new readers who enjoy all things transportation will enjoy these books. The collection includes Planes, Trains, Boats, and Planes. Books are read out load and words zoom up and are spoken when objects are touched on the screen. This introduced new vocabulary and increases print awareness.

If you liked our Book Buddies reads, try these...

We've wrapped up another  year of Book Buddies, our book club for beginner readers in grades K-2. We meet once a month to read a book together and do fun activities based on the books. Sometimes we act out the stories, do science experiences, play games, or make art projects. It's always a lot of fun!

This year we read some great titles. Here are some read alikes for our book club selections from the 2018-2019 school year. Enjoy!

 

September - We read Alfie by Thrya Heder. If you liked it try Loretta's Gift by Pat Zietlow Miller. Both stories involve birthdays and finding the perfect gift.

November - We read Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick. If you liked it try Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik. Cross-hatched illustrations accompany both stories adding to the details young readers love to pour over. The short chapters and text are similar difficulty levels.

December - We read Noodleheads See the Future by Tedd Arnold. If you liked it try My Kite is Stuck! and Other Stories by Salina Yoon. A cast of animals or noodles get into silly problems.

 

January - We read Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell. If you liked it try Journey by Aaron Becker. Both books are nearly wordless, allowing readers to use their imagination and reading comprehension skills to tell the story.

February - We read When's My Birthday? by Julie Fogliano If you liked it try A Stick is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play by Marilyn Singer. Both books highlight joys of childhood - birthdays and play with lovely illustrations.

March - We read The Itchy Book by Leuyen Pham If you liked it try I Lost My Tooth! by Mo Willems. Both books have a cartoonish illustration style and humorous characters.

April - We read King and Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats by Dori Hillestad Butler. If you liked it try the Nate the Great series by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. Both beginner chapter book series feature young detectives.

May - We read My Friends Make Me Happy! by Jan Thomas. If you liked it try Ballet Cat by Bob Shea. Both easy readers are full of humor and bright illustrations.