Check It Out » Kids & Families

As American as Apple Pie: MMoCA and MPL

Alicia — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:15:33 +0000

Apple Pie: Symbols of Americana in the permanent collection at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) features more than 80 paintings, photographs, prints, and objects that address American identity through imagery ranging from big cars and hamburger joints to cowboys and fields of corn. Books from the Madison Public Library - about art and the American spirit - are currently on display in the MMoCA Kids Learning Center, and available for families to use while viewing the display. The exhibit will be on display through Sunday, April 11.

Looking for more books about American art? Check out our Americana companion booklist for the exhibit. See more children’s programs at MMoCA.

Take the National Financial Capability Challenge!

Alicia — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:26:40 +0000

Help high-school students to take control of their financial futures! The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Education have teamed up to launch the National Financial Capability Challenge for 2010, an awards program designed to engage teachers in teaching personal financial fitness, and to increase the financial knowledge of high-school aged students across the country. Encourage your high-school teachers to register for the challenge by visiting challenge.treas.gov prior to March 14th.They’ll receive access to educational materials and a toolkit to help students prepare to make smart financial decisions. An online challenge exam can be administered anytime between March 15 - April 9, and top performers from all schools will be nationally recognized. Spread the word in your community by posting a flier, and ask your teachers to participate in the Challenge!

Looking for more information on personal finances for teens? Check out the Teen Finance Series, with information about savings, credit, debt, finding money for college, and more.

Teens: Create the 2010 Summer Reading Video!

Alicia — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:25:49 +0000

Lights, camera, library! Want to show off your creative talent and your love of reading? The Library has a new Flip Video Camera, and we want for you to show us how we should use it and help create a video advertisement for the 2010 Summer Library Program. We’ll be hosting five events in early March for you to film your masterpiece at the library with our camera. Or, if you’ve got your own digital video camera, you can shoot a short on your own and share it with us online. Be sure to register if you’d like to use our camera; space is limited, and we want for everybody to be able to bring their vision of reading fun to life! Registration opens the week of February 22.

Monday, March 8, 4 - 6 p.m. at the Pinney Branch - Register online or call 224-7100
Tuesday, March 9, 4 - 6 p.m. at the Sequoya Branch - Register online or call 266-6385
Wednesday, March 10, 3:30 - 6 p.m. at the Lakeview Branch - Register online or call 246-4547
Thursday, March 11, 6 - 8 p.m. at the Alicia Ashman Branch - Register online or call 824-1780
Saturday, March 13, 1 - 3 p.m. at the South Madison Branch - Register online or call 266-6395

If you’d like to make your movie on your own, upload it to YouTube and send us the link at MadisonTeens@Gmail.com

Three WYSO Ensemble Performances at the Library

Alicia — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:39:20 +0000

The Madison Public Library is pleased to welcome ensembles from the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras (WYSO) in three performances at Madison Libraries during February and March.

WYSO provides young musicians in southern Wisconsin with opportunities in musical excellence; musical groups include three full orchestras and a string orchestra, a chamber music program, a harp program, a percussion ensemble, and a brass choir program. To supplement the educational experience of its orchestra members. WYSO also offers a number of opportunities for members to participate in small ensembles. Chamber music ensembles will be appearing at these three Madison Public Library locations for free performances of classical music, open to the public.

Saturday, February 13, 3 p.m. at the Sequoya Branch
Saturday, March 6, 3 p.m. at the Alicia Ashman Branch
Saturday, March 20, 3 p.m. at the Pinney Branch

Join us and the WYSO Ambassadors for an afternoon of beautiful music!

Have a Heart: Valentine’s Crafts and Fun

Alicia — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:04:08 +0000

Join us at upcoming Valentine Cards and Candy Sushi workshops for kids. Make a one-of-a-kind card with glitter, stickers, and sparkles & create some sweet candy sushi for someone special. All supplies provided!

Friday, February 5, 3:30 p.m. at the Lakeview Branch - Register online or call 246-4547 (ages 5 - 14)

Monday, February 8, 4:00 p.m. at the Sequoya Branch - Register online or call 266-6385 (ages 10 and up)

Wednesday, Feburary 10, 3:30 p.m. at the Hawthorne Branch - Register online or call 246-4548 (ages K - 5)

Thursday, Feburary 11, 3:30 p.m. at the Pinney Branch (ages 5 and up)

Saturday, Feburary 13, 2:00 p.m. at the Alicia Ashman Branch - Register online or call 824-1780 (grades K - 12)

Get in the Valentine’s spirit with these “sweet” books about the holiday and gift ideas!

Valentine’s Day by Katherine Imler - Learn the history of the holiday
Word Bird’s Valentine’s Day Words - New readers will love learning words associated with Valentine’s Day with Word Bird and friends.
Valentines: Cards and Crafts from the Heart by Thiranut Boonyadhistarn - Make fun gifts for loved ones.
Valentine Surprise by Corinne Demas - Lily wants to make a Valentine heart for her Mom, but none of them turn out quite right!

New Booklists Delivered Straight to Your Inbox

Alicia — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:18:05 +0000

Next week, we’ll be introducing two new e-newsletter booklists: Anime, Graphic Novels and Manga; and Art of the Picture Book. Both lists compliment Dane County Collection Grants from the Madison Community Foundation. Sign up to receive news about new additions to the collections, as well as upcoming events and items of interest.

Anime, Graphic Novels and Manga: Complimenting the Comics & Anime Collection, housed at the Alicia Ashman Branch, this newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the best new additions to the collection, hand picked by the librarian who selects graphic novels for the Madison Public Library. The first edition highlights noteworthy titles of 2009.

Art of the Picture Book: Complimenting the Art of the Picture Book Collection, housed at the Sequoya Branch, this newsletter highlights new additions to this collection of the finest in childrens’ book illustration.

If you are interested in receiving other email newsletters, please visit our Subscription Page to sign up for additional lists.

Celebrating Youth 2010

Tana — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:30:40 +0000

Madison Public Library will have a booth at Wisconsin Youth Company’s annual Celebrating Youth event at the Monona Terrace on Sunday, January 31. The event takes place from 11am - 5pm and is free to the public though donations are welcome.

Stop by to find out about upcoming library programs and pick up a Library Kidspages program flyer and a library tattoo or put your name in a drawing for a $25 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble bookstores and a Madison Public Library “Lilly” book bag. Hope to see you there!

Youth Book Awards Announced

Molly — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:56:28 +0000

The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, audiobooks and video for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Boston on Monday. Place holds on copies of the award-winning books available at the library:

John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature - When You Reach Me written by Rebecca Stead.*
Randolph Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children - The Lion & the Mouse illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney,
Mildred L. Batchelder Award to the publisher of the outstanding translated book - A Faraway Island written by Annika Thor.
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for author and illustrator of distinguished beginning reader book - Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!: A Toon Book written and illustrated by Geoffrey Hayes.
Pura Belpré Author Award (cosponsored by REFORMA) for outstanding writing by a Latino author - Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez.
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award (cosponsored by REFORMA) for outstanding illustration by a Latino artist - Book Fiesta! Celebrate Children’s Book Day/Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros illustrated by Rafael López and written by Pat Mora.
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for outstanding book of information - Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream written by Tanya Lee Stone.
Carnegie Medal for excellence in children’s video - Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! produced by Paul R. Gagne, Weston Woods Studios, and Mo Willems.
Michael L. Printz Award for literary excellence in young adult literature - Going Bovine by Libby Bray.
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction - Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman.
Odyssey Award (cosponsored with ALSC) for outstanding audio book - Louise: The Adventures of a Chicken written by Kate DiCamillo.
Coretta Scott King Author Award for outstanding writing by an African American author - Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshall written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson.
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for outstanding illustrations by an African American artist - My People illustrated with photographs by Charles R. Smith, Jr. written by Langston Hughes.

For a complete list of winners and honors, visit the American Library Association press center.

*reviewed on MADreads.

Penguins are Cool!

Molly — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:57:02 +0000

January 20th is Penguin Awareness Day. This is a great opportunity to celebrate and learn more about our black and white friends from Antarctica. Refer to the library’s Penguin Awareness Day Booklist to find books and movies for kids and adults featuring these fun birds.

If you are looking for more resources that focus on penguins, Crayola.com has coloring sheets, crafts for kids and sample lesson plans to use in conjunction with Penguin Awareness Day.

Art of the Picture Book: Meet Author/Illustrators Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek

Tana — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 19:45:12 +0000

Meet award-winning author/illustrator team Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek at the Sequoya Branch Library on Sunday, January 24 at 1 p.m., where they will discuss writing and illustrating children’s picture books. Their most recent picture book, Birds (2009), delightfully bridges the gap between concept books and longer narrative stories for children, and was recently named a 2010 Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book. Henkes is the author of more than 25 books for children, including Caldecott Medal winner Kitten’s First Full Moon (2005) and several books featuring Lilly and other mouse characters, including Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse (1996) and Julius, the Baby of the World (1989). Dronzek is a painter whose work has been exhibited nationally and an award-winning children’s book illustrator who previously collaborated with her husband on Oh! (1999).

This is an adult event, but older children are welcome to listen. The event is the last in a series of author events in support of the Sequoya Endowment Campaign through the Madison Public Library Foundation with assistance from the Madison Community Foundation. Through the establishment of the Sequoya Branch Endowment, Madison Public Library Foundation will be able to give earnings on the endowment to the Sequoya Branch Library on an ongoing basis for programs and resources.

The Sequoya Branch is also a recipient of a three-year Madison Community Foundation library collection grant dedicated to the Art of the Picture Book. In addition to adding to Sequoya’s fine collection of picture books (including Caldecott and other medal winners and honor books), a series of programs celebrating picture book art and artists are scheduled for this winter.

Art of the Picture Book: Making pictures in the style of Denise Fleming.
Children ages 5 and up use paper-making techniques to create pictures.

Sequoya Library, January 11, 3:30-5:30 p.m. - see pictures on Flickr
Lakeview Library, January 22, 2-3 p.m. - call 246-4547 to register.

The Art of the Picture Book: Making pictures in the style of Eric Carle (two parts).
Kids age 5 and up will use paint to prepare papers (part one) that will be used to create the Eric Carle-style pictures (part two).

Sequoya Branch
Part One, February 13, 10-11 a.m. and Part Two, February 15, 3:30-4:30 p.m. - Call 266-6385 or register online beginning 1/30 for both parts.

Alicia Ashman Branch
Part One, March 30, 1-2 p.m. and Part Two, March 31, 1-2 p.m. - Call 824-1780 or register online beginning 3/16 to register for both parts.