Tween Ice Cream Party

Thanks to all the Tweens who attended the Friday activities and read and recorded their summer reading!  16 of you attended our ice cream party last Thursday, August 15th and we thank you for coming. Ms. Barbara and I had a great time and hope you enjoyed your delicious ice cream sundaes, free chapter book and Dig Into Reading library card holder.

A special THANK YOU to Ben & Jerry's on Thames Street for donating the vanilla ice cream for our party. Best ice cream ever!

Tween Ice Cream Party

Tweens, ages 9 – 12, who attended at least 1 Friday morning activity this summer AND read and recorded at least 3 books in their summer reading logs (at the Children’s Desk or online) are eligible to attend our Tween ice cream party on Thursday, August 15th @ 3:00pm.  Come celebrate summer reading and receive a free book and party favor.  No registration is required.  Held in the John Clarke Children’s Program Room.

Dig Into Ancient Rome

Tweens, ages 9 - 12, are invited to Dig Into Ancient Rome on Friday, August 9th at 11:00am.  Make a roman-inspired mosaic coaster using multi-colored beans.  No registration is required however Tweens should be signed up for summer reading to attend.  Held in the John Clarke Children's Program Room.

Tween Movie Votes

Thanks to all the Tweens who voted for the Tween movie!  We received 121 votes online and at the Children's Desk.  Here's how the numbers ended up:

National Treasure = 16 votes

The Borrowers = 22 votes

Journey to the Center of the Earth = 38 votes

Gnomeo & Juliet = 45 votes

The winning movie was shown yesterday at 10:30am.  Hope you all enjoyed the the show!

Tween Movie

The votes are in and the winning movie with is.....Gnomeo & Juliet!

Come inside and watch Gnomeo & Juliet with us TODAY at 10:30am in the lower level program room.  Open to Tweens ages 9 - 12 years old.

Tween Movie and Activity

Get in your last minute votes for the Tween movie!  Vote at the Tween Kiosk (in front of the children's desk) or online for which movie you'd like to see on Friday, August 2nd at 10:30am!  Votes will be accepted until Thursday, August 1st at 5:00pm.  Ages 9 - 12 only.

Dig Into Ancient Greece and make a golden treasure box inspired by King Midas on Friday, July 26th at 11:00am.  No registration is required however Tweens should be signed up for the children's summer reading program to attend.  Ages 9 - 12 only.

Find out about all the Tween activities taking place this summer at the library.

Tween Activity: The Spindlers

Don't forget, this Friday, July 19th @ 11:00am, Tweens are invited to a book discussion of The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver!  Come for a discussion and related activity.  No registration is required however Tweens should be signed up for the children's summer reading program to attend.

For all you last minute readers, copies of the book are still available at the Children's Desk! Read and come talk about this terrific fantasy chapter book with us!

Accompanied by an eccentric, human-sized rat, Liza embarks on a perilous quest through an underground realm to save her brother Patrick, whose soul has been stolen by the evilest of creatures--the spider-like spindlers.

Tween Reading Recommendations - Part 2

Still looking for a good book to read?  Check out one of these new chapter books today!

Winterling by Sarah Prineas

Spirited young Fer travels through the Way to a magical world in which beings part human and part animal serve an evil ruler known as the Lady, and where she hopes to learn about her long-lost parents and her own identitiy.

Wednesdays in the Tower by Jessica Day George

After discovering a giant egg in the magical Castle Glower, Princess Celie agrees to care for the egg and what creature it hatches.

P.S. Be Eleven by Rita Williams-Garcia

Eleven-year-old Brooklyn girl Delphine feels overwhelmed with worries and responsibilities. She's just started sixth grade and is self-conscious about being the tallest girl in the class, and nervous about her first school dance. She's supposed to be watching her sisters, but Fern and Vonetta are hard to control. Her uncle Darnell is home from Vietnam and seems different. And her pa has a girlfriend. At least Delphine can write to her mother in Oakland, California, for advice. But why does her mother tell her to 'be eleven' when Delphine is now twelve?

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

Relates the tale of Rumpelstiltskin's childhood and youth, explaining why his name is so important, how he is able to spin straw into gold, and why a first-born child is his reward for helping the miller's daughter-turned-queen.

Mistakes Were Made by Stephan Pastis

Meet Timmy Failure, the founder, president, and CEO of the best detective agency in town, probably the nation. And his lazy sidekick, Total, a 1,500-pound polar bear.

Tween Activity: The Spindlers

Don't forget that next Friday's Tween activity is a book discussion of The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver!  Copies of the book are available at the Children's Desk and there's still time to read it if you haven't yet.  Read and then come for a great discussion and related activity.  No registration is required for this free activity however Tweens should be signed up for Dig Into Reading to attend.  Held in the John Clarke Children's Program Room.  Ages 9 - 12. 

Accompanied by an eccentric, human-sized rat, Liza embarks on a perilous quest through an underground realm to save her brother Patrick, whose soul has been stolen by the evilest of creatures--the spider-like spindlers.

Dig Into Gardening

Dig Into Gardening and find your green thumb on Friday, July 12th @ 11:00am.  Tweens, ages 9 - 12, who are signed up for Dig Into Reading, are invited to paint a clay pot and plant a flower.  No registration is required for this free program held in the John Clarke Children's Program Room.

Dig Into Ancient Egypt

The first Tween Activity will be held this Friday, July 5th @ 11:00am in the John Clarke Children's Program Room.  Come Dig Into Ancient Egypt with us and make a cartouche pendant of your name!  An Egyptian "cartouche" is an oblong or oval symbol, which was drawn to contain the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics that spelled out the name of a King or Queen.  These can be found on Egyptian monuments.  No registration is required however Tweens who attend should be registered for the Children's Summer Reading Program, Dig Into Reading.  Ages 9 - 12.

Tween Reading Recommendations

Wondering what to read for summer reading?  There are a lot of terrific books that fit our "Dig Into Reading" theme.  Here are a few you might like to read...

The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver - come for the book discussion on Friday, July 19th @ 11:00am!

Accompanied by an eccentric, human-sized rat, Liza embarks on a perilous quest through an underground realm to save her brother Patrick, whose soul has been stolen by the evilest of creatures--the spider-like spindlers.

Leepike Ridge by N.D. Wilson

While his widowed mother continues to search for him, eleven-year-old Tom, presumed dead after drifting away down a river, finds himself trapped in a series of underground caves with another survivor and a dog, and pursued by murderous treasure-hunters.

Olivia Kidney and the Secret Beneath the City by Ellen Potter

While preparing for her participation in the princepessa's wedding, adjusting to being a student at a school for the arts, and dealing with surprise visitors at home, twelve-year-old Olivia ventures into the New York City subway tunnels in search of a man who might help her friend Frannie.

City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions.

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R.L. LaFevers

Twelve-year-old Theo uses arcane knowledge and her own special talent when she encounters two secret societies, one sworn to protect the world from ancient Egyptian magic and one planning to harness it to bring chaos to the world, both of which want a valuable artifact stolen from the London museum for which her parents work.

First Light by Rebecca Stead

When twelve-year-old Peter and his family arrive in Greenland for his father's research, he stumbles upon a secret his mother has been hiding from him all his life, and begins an adventure he never imagines possible.

Check out the Tween Kiosk in front of the Children's Desk for all of these books and many more!

Tween Activity: Summer Movie

Beat the summer heat with a movie @ the library!  Another of the Tween Friday activities this summer will be a movie chosen by you.  Tweens, ages 9 - 12, who are registered for the Children's Summer Reading Program, "Dig Into Reading," are asked to vote for which movie they would like to see on Friday, August 2nd @ 10:30am in the lower level program room.  Vote for one of 4 popular movies (find out all about them on our website):

National Treasure (2004) - Rated PG

Gnomeo and Juliet (2011) - Rated G

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) - Rated PG

The Borrowers (1998) - Rated PG

Voting begins on Monday, June 24th and continues until 5:00pm on Thursday, August 1st.  Vote in a poll on our website or at the Tween Kiosk (in front of the Children's Desk).  The movie with the most votes will be the one we watch!

Tween Friday Activity: The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

On Friday, July 19th at 11:00am, Tweens will meet to discuss Lauren Oliver's The Spindlers for our Tween activity.  Read The Spindlers ahead of time and come for a book discussion and related activity! 

In The Spindlers, Liza, accompanied by an eccentric, human-sized rat, embarks on a perilous quest through an underground realm to save her brother Patrick, whose soul has been stolen by the evilest of creatures--the spider-like spindlers.

Copies of the book are available at the Children's Desk.  This is a Tween activitiy for kids ages 9 - 12 only.  No registration is required.  Held in the John Clarke Children's Program Room

Visit the Tween Summer Reading webpage for information about all the Tween activities this summer.

Summer Reading Tween Activities

Again this summer, we are inviting Tweens, ages 9 - 12, who are registered for the Children's Summer Reading Program (Dig Into Reading) to special Friday morning activities.  No registration is required to attend.

Friday, July 5th, 11:00am - 12:00pm: Dig Into Ancient Egypt!  Make a Cartouche Pendant.  Held in the John Clarke Children's Program Room.

Friday, July 12th, 11:00am - 12:00pm: Dig Into Gardening!  Paint a pot and plant a flower.  Held in the John Clarke Children's Program Room.

Friday, July 19th, 11:00am - 12:00pm: Dig Into a Good Book!  Read The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver and come for a book discussion and related activity.  Held in the John Clarke Children's Program Room.

Friday, July 26th, 11:00am - 12:00pm: Dig Into a Ancient Greece!  Make a golden treasure box in the spirit of King Midas.  Held in the John Clarke Children's Program Room.

Friday, August 2nd, 10:30am: Dig Into a Summer Movie!  Vote for which movie you'd like to see at the Tween Kiosk (in front of the children's desk) or online.  Choose one of 4 popular movies.  Held in the lower level program room.

Friday, August 9th, 11:00am - 12:00pm: Dig Into Ancient Rome!  Make a roman mosaic coaster.  Held in the John Clarke Children's Program Room.

For more information about the Tween program visit the kids summer reading website.