Tomorrow is a big day for birthdays - both Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling get to celebrate! And you can celebrate with them. Check out a list of our available Harry Potter items, or if you like Harry Potter but want something new, take a look at these suggestions.

It's not to early to start thinking about going back to school in September. A new link on the PCCS page will connect parents and students to information about the upcoming school year. Find class list, bus routes, school supply suggestions, and open house schedules. So get your pencils out. Let the learning begin!

Hey Kids! It's hard to believe it's almost August already. This summer is really flying by! I'm having so much fun seeing all my friends at the library. I'll be really sad when you all go back to school. I wanted to tell you about my new friend. He's in the fish tank and really small. He's a baby snail! Right now he is mostly wiggly, squiggily and shell-less, but if you keep watching, he will grow his own new shell! He's pretty cool. Even though it doesn't look like they do much, snails are very interesting animals. If you're curious to find out more, there are lots of books about Snails here at the library! While you're at the fish tank, don't forget to wave to Nemo also. I don't want him to get jealous of Baby Snail's attention! Until next time,
Bear Hugs!
Thorndyke

Hey sports fans! It's time for you to stretch your craft muscles. You can make your own sports water bottle, jump rope and team pendant with the help of Nifty Thrifty Sports Crafts by Michele C. Hollow. Or, try your hand at making a space colony, a xylophone or a Stegosaurus-shaped shadow puppet with other books in the Nifty Thrity craft series for kids.

Want to teach your kids about living green? Not sure where to start? The Green Parent is a handy guide with helpful tips that show parents and kids how to live environmentally-friendly lives. With this book, you'll learn how to make a waste-free lunch, buy organic foods, give green gifts and much more. There are even hints for buying eco-friendly clothes and helping your pets be earth-friendly, too! Your family will be on the path to living a greener life in no time...you just might become the greenest family on the block!

You remembered to cancel the newspaper and mail delivery and to turn off the coffee pot and shut the garage door. What you forgot to do was...return your DVDs! Don't fret - you can renew library materials online at any time, from your hotel or vacation cottage. Or call (734-397-0999) during normal business hours to speak with someone at the Checkout Desk. (Our direct-dial automated renewal line is no longer available and the automated service will be discontinued September 1, 2009.)

In support of Cow Appreciation Day, celebrated on July 25th, break out your creative juices...let the milk of inspiration flow. In honor of our bovine friends, create a mosaic, paint a picture, write a narrative poem, or make up an interpretive dance! If you need some artistic reference, check out this handy website all about cow art! After all, how can you not love a cow?

While their parents may cringe at the sight of the orange and white striped construction barrels, little tykes get excited knowing this is their chance to see their favorite big trucks up close.  For a chance to see the big rigs up close without the hassle of stop and go traffic, head to bookshelf 13 in the Children's Library.  There in the J620's you'll find trucks of all kinds, a

A firewall that caused an interruption to our internet services last week will be replaced on Sunday, July 26. The maintenance will begin at 10 a.m. and is expected to take approximately 30 minutes. During this time, there will be no access to internet resources (including the library catalog.) We apologize for any inconvenience.

Beatrix Potter's birthday is July 28th, so spend this weekend celebrating! Beatrix Potter was an author, illustrator and environmentalist. You can check out one of her amazing books about Peter Rabbit and his friends, and while you're in the library see if you can spot her illustration hanging behind the Children's Reference Desk. If you're interested in learning more about Beatrix Potter and her work, take a look at The World of Peter Rabbit or the Beatrix Potter Society.

Did you know that Detroit was founded on July 24, 1701 by French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac? Commemorate the occasion with Madame Cadillac's Ghost by Janie Lynn Panagopoulos - a fun mystery about two kids left on their own to explore the Detroit Historical Museum (pictured left). If you get the chance, why not have your own adventure at the DHM? Admission is free during the month of July so it's definitely worth the trip!

Are you a passionate young person who wants to help the environment? Why not become an environmentalist? Check out these books on what an environmentalist does for the planet. Also, take a look at this eMagazine called Young Environmentalists for resources, tips and advice on making the planet a healthier place to live.

Have you ever considered how strange, scary, and weird school can be?! Well, your school is probably pretty normal compared to the schools in these hilarious stories, but then again, maybe not. Read for yourself and find out. You may need to start preparing for the next school year well in advance if you have to deal with any of these situations.

• My Weird School & My Weird School Daze by Dan Gutman
• Ghostville Elementary by Marcia Jones
• Louis Sachar's Wayside School stories

You've probably heard of Arthur, the aardvark star of many books by Marc Brown.  But before he came along, there was another Arthur out there - Arthur the chimpanzee! Arthur is the star of many easy-to-read books.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!  In case you missed National Ice Cream Day (July 19), don't  fear, the whole month of July is National Ice Cream Month!  So thank President Reagan for designating this month to a fun and nutritious food enjoyed by over 90% of the nation's population when you dig into that bowl of vanilla ice cream, the nation's favorite flavor.  To learn more about the history of ice cream read Marilyn Powell's Ice Cream: A History or make your own ice cream.  

Do you like the fuzzy look felt gives to purses, hats and scarves? Why not make your own fuzzy creation? Here are some books to help you get started. Remember, when you're knitting, crocheting or sewing your wool into a masterpiece, make it larger than you want the finished product to be. Wool shrinks when its wet!