Program Registration Now Open!

Registration is now open for some wonderful February programs!

Sign up for the Valentine Chocolate Party taking place on Tuesday, February 10th at 4:00pm.  Kids ages 6 - 12 are invited to come make a variety of Valentine crafts and enjoy hot chocolate and candy treats! 

Tweens, ages 8 - 12, are welcome to attend a Sweet Treats program on Saturday, February 14th at 11:00am.  Make candy apple creations and other fun sweet treats.

Kids ages 5-10 can sign up to celebrate the Chinese New Year with crafts on Thursday, February 19th at 2:30pm (school vacation week).  Make a variety of Chinese New Year crafts.

All library programs are free and all materials are provided.  To register for any or all of these programs, visit the Children's Desk or call 847-8720 ext. 204.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Today is officially the beginning of Chinese New Year and 2013 is The Year of the Snake!

Learn all about The Year of the Snake and work on some crafts and activities to celebrate!

Read books about the holiday including:

Celebrate Chinese New Year: With Fireworks, Dragons, and Lanterns by Carolyn Otto

Learn how Chinese people everywhere ring in the new and ring out the old.  For two joyous weeks red is all around. The color represents luck and happiness. Children receive money wrapped in red paper, and friends and loved ones exchange poems written on red paper. The Chinese New Year is also an opportunity to remember ancestors, and to wish peace and happiness to friends and family. The holiday ends with the Festival of Lanterns, as many large communities stage the famous Dragon Dance. Fireworks, parades, lanterns, presents, and feasts: these are some of the joys experienced by all who observe Chinese New Year.

Happy New Year!: Kung-hsi fa-ts'ai! by Demi

Examines the customs, traditions, foods, and lore associated with the celebration of Chinese New Year.

February Book

The February Book Buddies book will be... The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin!  We will meet to discuss the book and have a Chinese New Year celebration on Monday, February 25th @ 3:30pm.  Hope to see you all there!

Registration is required. If you would like to join Book Buddies (for readers in grades 3 - 6) we would love to have you! To sign up, call the Children's Desk at 401-847-8720 ext. 204 or email me at cgould@newportlibraryri.org.

Frustrated at her seeming lack of talent for anything, a young Taiwanese American girl sets out to apply the lessons of the Chinese Year of the Dog, those of making best friends and finding oneself, to her own life.

Copies of the book are available at the Children's Desk.

Chinese Firecracker Crafts

In The Star Maker, 8-year-old Artie promises his family that he'll have firecrackers for everyone on the Chinese New Year in 1954. This promise is almost impossible for him to fulfill since firecrackers were so expensive at that time. However, with the help of his Uncle Chester, Artie just might be able to keep his word....

We'll be making Chinese firecrackers at our meeting on January 23rd (Chinese New Year 2012!) but if you'd like to practice and make some in advance, here are a couple of great websites to visit:

Author Grace Lin has a terrific blog and last year she posted a fantastic Chinese Firecracker Craft (this is the one we'll be doing at our meeting).

Kaboose also has a great Red Firecracker craft that shouldn't be too difficult to make.

If you'd rather something different, try making Dragons on Parade, perfect since 2012 is the Year of the Dragon.