Do you love comics? Saturday, June 22nd and Sunday, June 23rd the Ann Arbor District Library invites you to a totally free event: Kids Read Comics!  Learn, draw, meet cartoonists!  Can't make it to KRC?  Check out these great graphic works by some of KRC's featured artists:

These time-traveling adventures will keep you coming back for more...good thing they're part of a series!

The games bible: over 300 games— the rules, the gear, the strategies by Leigh Anderson

365 unplugged family fun activities: a year's worth of ideas for TV-free, video-free, and computer game-free entertainment by Steve Bennett, Ruth Bennett

The family manager's guide to summer survival by Kathy Peel

I'm bored!: inspiring and imaginative ideas for hours of fun by Suzy Barratt and Polly Beard ; illustrated by Sam Holland

Fun on the run: 324 instant family activities by Cynthia L. Copeland ; illustrations by Sanford Hoffman

1001 more things to do with your kids by Caryl Waller Krueger

Wondering what special events are going on in Michigan this summer? If so, check out Pure Michigan's Special Events Calendar. This interactive calendar lets you search by date and event type (Fairs & Festivals, Exhibits & Shows, etc.) to find an event in Michigan that's just right for you! Find an event and earn your My Mitten badge by attending.

Have you ever wondered how the Sleeping Bear Dunes got their name? Or how Mackinac Island came to be? If so, check out these books on Michigan myths, legends, and folklore and earn your 'My Mitten' badge.

The legend of the Petoskey stone by Kathy-jo Wargin ; illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen

The legend of Leelanau by written by Kathy-Jo Wargin ; illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen

The legend of Mackinac Island by Kathy-jo Wargin ; illustrations by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen

The legend of sleeping bear by text by Kathy-jo Wargin ; illustrations by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen

Clever Beatrice by written by Margaret Willey ; illustrated by Heather McWhorter

Travel back in time to various points in Michigan history with these historical fiction novels:

Bud, not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

The mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

The log cabin wedding by Ellen Howard ; illustrated by Ronald Himler

Willow Run by Patricia Reilly Giff

The locked garden by Gloria Whelan

The sign of the sinister sorcerer by Brad Strickland

The shadow of the wolf by Gloria Whelan ; illustrated by Tony Meers

Ellie McDoodle: have pen, will travel by Ruth McNally Barshaw

Mom for mayor by Nancy Edwards ; illustrated by Michael Chesworth

Sparrow Road by Sheila O'Connor

Gator on the loose! by Sue Stauffacher ; illustrated by Priscilla Lamont

The Danger Box by Blue Balliett

Hidden by Helen Frost

The batboy by Mike Lupica

Planning a vacation or camping trip in Michigan this summer? Make sure you check out these great, simple tips from 'The Awesome Mitten' blog for making your trip more eco-friendly. Do your part in keeping our state clean and beautiful!

Every year, the Library of Michigan selects a special book for its 'Michigan Reads! One State, One Children's Book' program. These books are great for sharing with preschoolers and other members of the family! This summer, earn your My Mitten badge by checking out some of the great book selections from this program.

2013:

Woolbur by Leslie Helakoski ; illustrated by Lee Harper

2012:

Moose on the loose by Kathy-jo Wargin ; illustrated by John Bendall-Brunello

2011:

Memoirs of a goldfish by Devin Scillian ; and illustrated by Tim Bowers

2010:

The runaway garden: a delicious story that's good for you, too! by Jeffery L. Schatzer ; illustrations by Jeffrey Ebbeler

2009:

The pout-pout fish by Deborah Diesen ; pictures by Dan Hanna

2008:

Check out the Michigan Radio article, '5 Natural Gems Even Native Michiganders Don't Know About', and learn about some lesser-known attractions to visit during your travels around the state this summer. Visit one of those places, or tell us about another hidden gem you know about, and earn your My Mitten badge!

Geek n.

1. An unfashionable or socially inept person.
2. A person with an eccentric devotion to a particular interest: "A computer geek".

We have lots of books in our Children's Library starring geeks. And quite often, they are the heros. Check one out today.

Notes from an accidental band geek by Erin Dionne

NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley; illustrations by Ethen Beavers

Geek chic: the Zoey zone by Margie Palatini

The homework machine by Dan Gutman

Sixth-grade glommers, norks, and me by Lisa Papademetriou

Nerd girls: the rise of the dorkasaurus by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

Use the library's collection to learn a new game, then try out your new skills and share your experience to earn your Game On badge. Explore sports, board games, or even card games. A few suggestions to get you going:

The big book of rules: board games, kids'games, card games, from backgammon and bocce to tiddlywinks and stickball by Stephanie Spadaccini ; illustrated by John Farnsworth

The book of rules: a visual guide to the laws of every commonly played sport and game

The New complete Hoyle: the authoritative guide to the official rules of all popular games of skill and chance by Alfred H. Morehead, Richard L. Frey, Geoffrey Mott- Smith

Hoyle's modern encyclopedia of card games; rules of all the basic games and popular variations, by Walter B. Gibson by Gibson, Walter Brown, 1897-

Good sports by Jack Prelutsky ; illustrated by Chris Raschka

Lay-ups and long shots: an anthology of short stories by Joseph Bruchac, Lynea Bowdish, David Lubar, Terry Trueman, C.S. Perryess, Dorian Cirrone, Jamie McEwan, Max Elliot Anderson, Peggy Duffy

The Million Dollar Kick by Dan Gutman

The girl who threw butterflies by Mick Cochrane

The rivalry: mystery at the Army-Navy game by John Feinstein

Pop by Gordon Korman

Sports jokes to tickle your funny bone by Stew Thornley

Bones never lie: how forensics helps solve history's mysteries by Elizabeth MacLeod

The mystery of Darwin's frog by Marty Crump ; illustrations by Steve Jenkins and Edel Rodriguez

Forensics and modern disasters by written by Rebecca Stefoff

The discovery and mystery of a dinosaur named Jane by Judith Williams

The case of the vanishing golden frogs: a scientific mystery by Sandra Markle

Enigmatic events by Gary L. Blackwood

When is a planet not a planet?: the story of Pluto by Elaine Scott

Harlem's little blackbird by Renée Watson ; illustrated by Christian Robinson

Mister and Lady Day: Billie Holiday and the dog who loved her by Amy Novesky ; illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton

The extraordinary music of Mr.

You can celebrate Get Outdoors Month all summer long. The official celebration takes place in June, but you can find activities to celebrate going outdoors throughout our Connect Your Summer experience. Use library materials to learn a new outdoor sport, plan an outdoor adventure, or just to find a great book to take outside. Share your experience to earn a badge.

During the month of June, check out our Great Outdoors Month display in the Tween Scene (pictured).

Early Chapter Books

Nate the Great and the lost list by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat ; illustrated by Marc Simont

Cam Jansen and the mystery at the haunted house by David A. Adler ; illustrated by Susanna Natti

Princess mix-up mystery by Carolyn Keene ; illustrated by Macky Pamintuan

The deadly dungeon by Ron Roy ; illustrated by John Steven Gurney

The case of the double trouble detectives by James Preller ; illustrated by Jamie Smith ; cover illustration by R.W. Alley

Robot rumble by Franklin W. Dixon ; illustrated by Scott Burroughs

Middle Chapter Books

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny— detectives extraordinaire! by Mrs.

If you're into browsing, try using the Dewey Decimal System to find a book for your Game On badge. For nonfiction sporting selections, in both the Adult and Children's Departments, check the 796s for sport books. Use our endcaps to find the right number. Discover a good-looking read, and then share your thoughts after you've read it to earn your Game On badge.

A mama for Owen by Marion Dane Bauer ; illustrated by John Butler

Owen & Mzee: the language of friendship by told by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Paula Kuhumbu ; with photographs by Peter Greste

Owen and Mzee: the true story of a remarkable friendship by told by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Paula Kahumbu ; photographs by Peter Greste

Tarra & Bella: the elephant and dog who became best friends by text and photography by Carol Buckley

Friends by written by Catherine Thimmesh

The monkey and the dove: and four other true stories of animal friendships by Jennifer S. Holland

Becoming Babe Ruth by Matt Tavares

Mighty Jackie: the strike out queen by Marissa Moss ; illustrated by C.F. Payne

Lipman Pike: America's first home run king by Richard Michelson ; and illustrated by Zachary Pullen

Black Jack: the ballad of Jack Johnson by Charles R. Smith Jr. ; illustrated by Shane W. Evans

You never heard of Willie Mays?! by written by Jonah Winter ; illustrated by Terry Widener

Brothers at bat: the true story of an amazing all-brother baseball team by written by Audrey Vernick ; illustrated by Steven Salerno