Need ideas for Halloween costumes and don't feel like spending tons of money on store-bought fare? You may want to consider making your own costume with one of our helpful instructional books. Even those of us who can't sew will find the instructions in books like The Most Excellent Book of Dress Up or Glue & Go Costumes for Kids easy and fun!

The month of October is truly a special one. Why, you ask? During October 1-31st, we are celebrating Squirrel Awareness Month. There are so many great ways you can be a part of Squirrel Awareness Month, including checking out some of our fabulous art books. You could make crocheted squirrels, paintings of squirrels, ceramic squirrels, or squirrel collages. So let your inner squirrel run wild and have fun being creative!

In the mood for another daring and delightful dragon tale? Check out some of our new arrivals: Dragon Kiss (E.D. Baker), City of Fire (L. Yep), The Runaway Dragon (K. Coombs), or Silver Dragon Codex (R.D. Henham). No need to wait for a great dragon story if these aren't available either. There are many other recent dragon delights. Eragon move over! Dozens of dragons are on your tail.

One of my favorite things to do in October is curl up with a spooky story. That's why I'm really enjoying Gary Blackwood's Unsolved History series. These books feature true stories of mysterious deaths and unexplainable events throughout history. Full of possible conspiracies and fascinating characters, these books are sure to send a chill down your spine. Stop by the Children's Department's New Book shelf today to check out this series!

Hey Kids!
Well, you voted, and the results are in! Now you need to come to the Library to check out my cool Halloween costume! "Wizard" won with a whopping 30 votes. "Superhero" came a distant second with 11 votes. And there was even a write in vote for "Princess". Hmmmm, Royalty could be a good costume for next year. I like the sound of King Thorndyke. Thanks for all your votes--in the library and online! And don't forget to wear your Halloween costume to the library too, 'cause I want to see them! Now I just need to practice my magic words. Abracadabra, Abracazoom! Until next time,
Bear Hugs!
Thorndyke.

Check out some easy-to-read Halloween titles from the library today. Here are a few suggestions below. Happy reading!




Orange You Glad It's Halloween, Amber Brown?
Happy Halloween, Gus!
Sam's First Halloween
Halloween Knight
The Littles and the Scary Halloween
The Halloween Parade

Children in kindergarten - second grade are invited to listen to some yummy stories and create some delicious snacks. Register online today.
Program Date: Thursday, October 15, 7:00-7:45PM

In celebration of Banned Books Week, these books were some of the most frequently challenged in 2008.

• And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson
• His Dark Materials (trilogy) by Phillip Pullman
• Forever by Judy Blume
• TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series) by Lauren Myracle
• Scary Stories (series) by Alvin Schwartz

Banned Books Week takes place annually on the last week of September. It is a celebration of our freedom to read and the importance of our First Amendment right. Celebrate this week by reading a banned book or participating in one of the many banned books activities!

Fire safety week is Oct 4th through the 10th. This year the focus in on burn awareness and prevention. There are several web sites with crafts, games and activities for children and information for adults as well.

There are a number of books in the library about home and fire safety.  One of these is Fire safety,  a juvenile nonfiction by Lucia Raatma.

Hey, parents and kids! Join us October 1st from 7:00-8:00 PM in the Community Room for an evening of gaming for families with children ages 5-12. No registration required.

Get together with other first graders and talk about a great book! Register online today, then check out the book at the Children’s Desk.
Program Date and Time: Thursday, October 8, 5:00-5:45PM
Book Title: Young Cam Jansen and the Missing Cookie  by: David Adler

That familiar nip is in the air again. Thoughts are beginning to turn to pumpkins, apples, and doughnuts. Here are some fun picture books to curl up with as we begin these blustery fall days:
Patty's Pumpkin Patch
Maple Syrup Season
The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree
Apple Cider Making Days
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?

Eleven-year-old sleuths Alex Parakeet and his best friend, Yasmeen, are on a new case; a yummy one. The only copy of a valuable recipe has disappeared from the Parakeet kitchen days before Alex's father is scheduled to appear on a TV cooking show. Since word has gotten out that a celebrity chef will be filming a "tailgate" special from the college's parking lot before the big Thanksgiving weekend game, plenty of locals are plotting to get on TV. Could a neighbor or even a friend have gone so far as to steal the recipe, hoping to get Mr. Parakeet's spot? Find out by reading the new Chickadee Court Mystery - Who Stole Grandma's Million-Dollar Pumpkin Pie? (Martha Freeman). Martha is known for her humorous novels for children and young adults.

Hi friends! If you are looking for laughs that will shake your belly and tickle your toes, try our great selection of humorous poetry! We have gaggles of giggles from author Jeff Foxworthy, stacks of side splitting fun with Shel Silverstein, and barrels of buffoonery from Brod Bagert. Check out our charming selection by clicking here.

Looking for more stories about kids working to protect our environment? You might find them in unexpected places. If you are a Fantasy Fiction fan try The Companions Quartet series by Julia Golding. If you like Realistic Fiction, try Night of the Spadefoot Toads by Bill Harley and Operation Redwood by Susannah T. French. If you like adventure, you might find Raining Sardines by Enrique Flores-Galbis exciting and full of suspense. You see, there are lots of possibilities when it comes to "green" reads. Enjoy!

You've probably noticed our lovely new shelving for new books in the children's area. Here are a few of the fun new picture books that you can find there:
Please Don't Tease Tootsie - a cute little story about being nice to your pets.
Catfish Kate and the Sweet Swamp Band - a funny lesson about compromise.
Happy Hector A Tilly and Friends Book - about sharing time with friends, even when you want them all to yourself.
Flip, Flap, Fly! - a gentle story about different kinds of animal babies and how their mommies help them.

In recent years, Hasbro came up with the cool idea of publishing some of its popular board games in "library" editions. Now you can get some of your favorite games in compact boxes that look like books and fit right on your shelves!

Explore sensory activities, puzzles, and nesting and matching games with your child ages birth to 5. Caregivers must remain in the room. No registration required.

Program Dates and Times (September 14 - October 24):
Mondays - Fridays, 10:30 - 11am
Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, 1:30 - 2pm
Monday - Wednesday, 7:30 - 8pm

Our copies of Salem High School's Footsteps in History have arrived! Written by students in Darrin Silvester's Michigan History Class, the book tells a fascinating story inspired by the Shearer Cemetery in Plymouth. Dedicated to the children of the Plymouth-Canton community, this is a wonderful story to share with elementary-aged children. Look for the book in the New Book section behind the Children's reference desk.