Pick of the Week: Cutest Critter

The Cutest Critter by Marion Dane Bauer, photography by Stan Tekiela

"Who is the cutest critter in the land?" asks Marion Dane Bauer's latest book. Stan Tekiela's photographs show us adorable baby bears, wolves, raccoons, fawns, lynx kittens, and more. But when we see a human mother swing her toddler up into the air, we know the real answer to the question - you! This is a beautiful book to ooh and ahh over and share with the little one in your life!

Curious George Summer Reading Program: Time to Pick Up Your Free Book!

Calling All Curious Readers! If your child has been participating in the Curious? Read! Curious George Summer Reading Program this summer and you've completed the gameboard, it's time to head to the Corvallis Library to pick up your child's free book and certificate! We've got new board books, picture books, and early readers to choose from! Congratulations Curious Readers! Books will be available to be picked up through September 11th, 2010.

Picks of the Week

Too Many Fairies: a Celtic Tale retold by Margaret Read MacDonald, illustrated by Susan Mitchell (Marshall Cavendish, 2010)

Once upon a time there was an old woman who despised doing chores. But then one day some fairies show up and they are amazing! They clean the dishes - clankety clankety clankety. They sweep the house, make the bed, and they even help her with her knitting. But once everything is clean and done, the fairies don't know what to do...so they destroy everything and start again! This very quickly drives the old woman crazy and she is determined to get rid of the fairies. But how?

What If? by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Roaring Book Press, 2010)

What if a boy found a beach ball and kicked it into the ocean? What if two seals found it and began to play? What if a third seal appeared on the beach looking for a friend? Enjoy this visit to the beach and the chance to guess what happens when different choices are made. (Summary courtesy of Syndetics) Another beautiful offering by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (First the Egg, One Boy, and the Dog and Bear series).

 Where is Catkin? by Janet Lord, illustrated by Julie Paschkis (Peachtree, 2010)

Julie Paschkis' bright, attractive folk-art style illustrations depict Catkin, who "jumps off Amy's lap and climbs over the wall." Catkin goes on the prowl after a variety of creatures. Each new page invites listeners and viewers to pour over the illustration to find what Catkin is chasing. When Catkin's chase ends up, up, up in the highest branches of a tree, how will he get down?

Dinosaur Days of Summer

Dinosaur Days of Summer

Image credit: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/images/reading_dinosaur.gif

Join us for some Dino Fun!!

August 16 at 10:00 a.m. ~ August 22, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. in Downtown Corvallis

This week long kids' event is based on the book "When Dinosaurs Came with Everything" by Elise Broach. The book tells the story of a boy and his mom who discover that real dinosaurs are being given away by each business they visit...and downtown businesses are going to duplicate that DINOSAUR FUN all over Downtown Corvallis!

Get a FREE Dinosaur Surprise and enter to win a FREE copy of the book! For Kids ages birth  12.

Visit the participating businesses between 8/16/10 and 8/22/10 at 5:30 p.m. and get a Dinosaur Surprise! Pick up a card & get it stamped at each business. After you've collected all the stamps, fill out the back of the card, and return it to one of the businesses to enter to win a FREE BOOK!

Participating Businesses:

• Budget Blinds
• Gracewinds Music
• Grass Roots Books & Music
• Great Harvest
• Greenbelt Land Trust
• Inkwell
• InsideOut Garden Visions
• Kid Shop
• Peak Sports
• Many Hands Trading
• Twig
• Sibling Revelry

Need more info? Call Krista from MOM Magazine at 541-231-6523 or the Downtown Corvallis Association at 541-754-6624. Sponsored by MOM Magazine, Corvallis Fall Festival, the Downtown Corvallis Association & the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library.

Curt Nelson, Illusionist at the Library on Wednesday

Join us for a fun program for kids at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library on
Wednesday, August 18th, at 3:30 p.m. and again at 7:00 p.m.

Illusionist Curt Nelson will be  performing Set Sail: a high-seas adventure using books, magic tricks, puppets, storytelling, music, and audience participation!
Come cool of at the library with this fun kids program! For more info, call 541-766-6794.

Pick of the Week: The Inside Tree

The Inside Tree by Linda Smith, illustrated by David Parkins (HarperCollins, 2010)

Mr. Potter lives alone in a small house - just the right size for him and his teapot. His small yard is just the right size for his dog and a terrific tree. It's a perfect, cozy arrangement that Mr. Potter enjoys. But the one night, Mr. Potter decides to bring the dog inside the house. Then he decides to bring the tree inside as well...and that begins a series of events with all kinds of funny and undesirable results. The tree begins to grow bigger and bigger, so Mr. Potter cuts a hole in his ceiling to accommodate it. All is well until it starts to rain outside and the house floods - floating Mr. Potter and his cozy chair right out the door and into the yard. So, Mr. Potter brings his chair and his teapot into the barn and creates a new cozy space - "just like old times." A few weeks later, Mr. Potter looks outside his barn window and sees a lonely cow. When he considers bringing the cow inside, his dog gives him a quick nip from behind and Mr. Potter sighs, "Perhaps it was not such a good idea after all." This is an amusing tale about a naive but goodhearted man that will be a joy to read aloud.

Sidewalk Chalk: summer fun

Some of the best summer memories can consist of a few pieces of sidewalk chalk and a lot of imagination! Get inspired with these books:

Sidewalk Chalk: Outdoor Fun and Games by Jamie Kyle McGillian 

Suggests games and activities to play with chalk on sidewalks and in playgrounds. Includes instructions for making chalk.

Chalk by Bill Thomson

A wordless picture book about three children who go to a park on a rainy day, find some chalk, and draw pictures that come to life.

A Piece of Chalk by Jennifer A. Ericsson, illustrated by Michelle Shapiro
A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES in an ordinary box of chalk...What would you do with a brand new box of chalk, and a whole driveway as your chalkboard? What would you draw? This little girl draws a red brick wall for starters, then a yellow sun, a brown bird and more. Watch her create a magical picture, as she adds details with each turn of the page. But what happens when a gray cloud rolls in, and rain turns her creation into a colored puddle? With delightful artwork and a deceptively simple text, this picture book perfectly captures a child's creativity, and resilience.  (summary courtesy of Syndetics, Inc.)

Pick of the Week: Petit, the Monster

Petit, the Monster by Isol, translated by Elisa Amado (Groundwood Books, English translation c. 2010)

Petit is a good boy who sometimes chooses to display bad behavior. Sounds like most children, right? "His mother asks him, "How can such a good boy sometimes do such bad things?" Good question...and Petit just doesn't know the answer, because it's a difficult question to answer (especially if you're a kid). So, he takes a look at ways he acts both good and bad and he comes up with an answer for his mother. Kids are sure to relate to this book from Argentine children's author and illustrator Isol.

Children's Music Program this Week: Eric Herman

Eric Herman in Concert

Corvallis-Benton County Public Library

Main Meeting Room

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

3:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

This family concert is free!