Summer Reading Recommendations

It's hot outside this week. Beat the heat by curling up with a good book inside in the cool air. Check out Horn Book's 2014 Summer Reading recommendations.

Earn prizes for all that reading with the library's summer reading club. Starting on June 27, kids (entering pre-k through fifth grade) and their parents can log the minutes they read by clicking here! You can also log your reading by visiting the youth services department from June 27 - August 23.  

Raising A Reader

Read this article about steps you can take to help develop your young child as a reader. It is written by Michael Sullivan, a Family Literacy Specialist at the Tulsa City-County Library.

Parents today can feel a lot of pressure when it comes to reading. They know that children need to read well to succeed in school, thrive in a workforce changing so fast that all workers need to be learners, and to get the most out of their lives. Parents also know that their children will be tested early and often on reading skills. That has many parents wondering how to teach their children to read. But that isn’t really the question. Learning to read is actually a one-time process most kids accomplish in just a few years in school. But learning to read doesn’t do any good if the child doesn’t put that skill to use. The better question is, what can I do now to ensure my child will be a better reader later? (read more here...)

Book Buzz June, 2014

Toilet: How It Works by David Macaulay

Everyone knows what a toilet is for, but how many  people know how a toilet works? I mean how it really works – beyond the big flush that sends everything down the pipes. With this book you’ll learn where human waste comes from and where it goes.  From plumbing, to sewers, to water treatment plants, check this book out and all your bathroom questions will be answered! Alia (E Non-Fiction)

Amelia Bedelia Goes Wild by Herman Parish

Our good friend Amelia Bedelia is at it again.  After being home sick and not being able to go to the school field trip to the zoo, Amelia has a big idea.  A HUGE idea! She decides that she is going to turn her backyard into a wildlife experience.  With the help of her parents, friends, and teacher, Amelia Bedelia tries to put together a zoo of her own, with real live animals, some not so alive animals, and other fun activities where no animals are required! And why do the zoo and the news reporter show up at the Wildlife experience?  You will have to read it to find out!   
Jacquie (J Fiction)

The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. by Greg Pincus

Gregory K. is ending the school year on a downward spiral. He finds out his best friend in the whole world, Kelly, is moving away with her mother. He also lives in a family of math geniuses and learns that he may fail math for the year. His parents are called in to talk to him and his teacher about the math situation.  The worst part is, Gregory loves poetry and writing - he doesn't fit in with his family at all.  He ends up telling a few fibs, mainly so he doesn't hurt any feelings, but can he get everything under control?  
Kristin (J Fiction)

The Boy on the Porch by Sharon Creech

One day, a boy shows up on John and Marta’s porch with a note that reads “Plees taik kair of Jacob. He is agod good boy. Wil be bak wen we can.” Although John and Marta are quite confused, they begin to take care of Jacob, and find that he has an array of talents—like communicating with animals, painting (although his colors are a bit unique), and playing guitar beautifully. With the turn of each page we learn something new about Jacob and watch their strange family grow, until a man claiming to be Jacob’s father shows up—and John and Marta are heartbroken when he has to leave. This is a quiet but engaging book that readers of Patricia McLachlan and Katherine Paterson should try on for size. Best for readers 8 and up. Cassie (J Fiction)