Summer Reading

Summer reading is quickly drawing to a close - the summer reading outdoor fair is less than a week away! On Wednesday, August 17th all summer readers are invited to come celebrate another fantastic summer at our outdoor fair held in Aquidneck Park adjacent to the library. The fair begins at 10:30am sharp with a storytelling performance by Loren Spears. The fair also features the final puppet workshop of the season, food, crafts and fun! Everyone who has completed their summer reading will receive their certificate, toy prize, free book and ice cream coupon. We'll also hold the drawings for grand prize winners! It's a terrific event you don't want to miss!

In order to fully take advantage of all we have to offer, finish logging your summer reading today! Readers must log 6 books by August 17th in order to complete the program. Log your books in person at the library, call us on the phone with titles (which we will write down for you! - 401-847-8720 ext. 204) or, if you've set up an online account, log your books online! (http://host.evanced.info/newport/sr/homepage.asp)

Hope to see you at the fair!

Summer Books...What to Read?

If you are looking for a great book to read this summer, browse one of our recommended summer reading lists. The lists are organized by grade level and are available for printing on our summer reading website. Here are just a few suggestions from the 3rd and 4th grade reading list:

Akimbo and the Elephants by Alex McCall Smith

Ten-year-old Akimbo lives on a game preserve in Africa. His father is the head ranger, and Akimbo is eager to help him whenever he can—even if it means getting into some pretty dangerous situations. In Akimbo and the Elephants, ivory poachers are killing grown elephants for their tusks and leaving the calves to die. When the authorities fail to turn up new leads, Akimbo sets out to save the elephants by posing as a hunter himself.

Star Maker by Laurence Yep

With the help of his popular Uncle Chester, a young Chinese American boy tries hard to fulfill a promise to have firecrackers for everyone on the Chinese New Year in 1954. Includes an afterword with information about the Chinese customs portrayed in the story.

P is for Passport by Devin Scillian

A passport and rhyming text celebrate the author's adventures discovering differences as well as similarities, from "A" for the variety of animals that populate the planet to "Z" for the time zones that mark the days around the world.

Tween Summer Reading Activities

For the second year in a row, the Children's Department will be hosting special Friday afternoon activities for Tweens, ages 9 - 12, who are registered for the children's summer reading program. Ms. Barbara and I will be doing some very exciting things this summer including a book discussion of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin, a matinee of Alice in Wonderland (the 2010 version starring Johnny Depp) and many cultural craft projects celebrating our One World, Many Stories theme! For a complete list of the Friday activities and more information about the Tween program, visit our website. Tween activities begin on Friday, July 8th and continue through Friday, August 12th. No registration is required for the individual activities - just sign up for summer reading. We hope to see you there!

Summer Reading: One World, Many Stories

Summer Reading kicks-off on Saturday, June 25th at 10:30am with a storytelling performance by Chris Kavi Carbone. It's a celebration of Italy through story and song. Come along on a magic gondola of the imagination - with guitar, mandolin and voice.

June 25th is also the first day you can begin logging your reading in your paper reading log (at the library) or in your online reading log.

Register NOW for summer reading! You don't want to miss any of the fun we have planned for this summer. Register by visiting the children's desk, calling 401-847-8720 ext. 204 or going online.

Summer Reading Preview

This year's Summer Reading Program is "One World, Many Stories." We'll be reading and learning about different people and places around the world and it should be a lot of fun! We'll even be corresponding with kids in Puerto Rico, Singapore and the Isle of Man.

The program will begin on Saturday, June 25th with a performance by Chris Kavi Carbone who will take us on a journey to Italy through story and song. Other exciting summer performers include Dave Marchetti's Animals Experiences and storytellers Diane Edgecomb (world folktales), Shanti Muthu (dance, yoga and stories from India) and Michelle Bach-Coulibaly (stories from Mali through dance and music). We'll also have a visit from The Pinata Center where you'll learn all about pinatas from Guatemala and even have the chance to make one to bring home!

The summer will also feature puppet workshops and puppet camp (the first week of August) and special Friday afternoon activities for Tweens (ages 9 - 12).

The program will conclude on Wednesday, August 17th with our annual Summer Reading Outdoor Fair featuring a storytelling performance by Loren Spears (Narragansett stories).

We're now accepting registrations in person at the Children's Desk and online. And watch the Newport Public Library's website for the unveiling of the summer reading website on the Kids Pages coming soon!

Hope to see you all this summer!