Animated movies, done by hand or computer, are beautiful to watch.  Not only does the story draw you in, but the blasts of color that illustrate the action going on. We have some wonderful books on art in our favorite movies. Here are a few you won't want to miss:

• The Art of Brave by Jenny Lerew
• The Art of Thor by Matthew K. Manning
• The Art of the Pirates of the Carribbean: On Stranger Tides by Michael Singer
• The Art of Dreamworks' Shrek Forever After by Jerry Schmitz 
• The Art of Toy Story 3 by Charles Solomon

Join us on Thursday, May 17 at 7:00 PM as we welcome local authors to share their craft, their insights and their books. We have everything from children's to fitness to romance, real-life adventure, a novel and self-help books to satisfy everyone's interest. Refreshments will be provided as you peruse the individual authors' tables and discuss their books with them. This event is made possible in part from a grant from the Michigan Center for the Book.

Join the Starfish Family Services on Thursday, June 7 from 9:45-11:30 AM as they show how to make nursery rhymes interactive and engaging all the while stressing the importance of phonological awareness in preschoolers.  This program is developed for parents, day care providers, and family caregivers and will take place in conjunction with our Thursday morning Family Storytime/ABC Activity time.  Free childcare is offered during this program by Starfish's licensed day care providers. 

Maurice Sendak, children's book author and illustrator, has passed away at the age of 83. Best known for his Caldecott Medal-winning book Where The Wild Things Are, which was also adapted into a major motion picture in 2009, Sendak wrote and illustrated many other well-known books in his 60-year career, including Outside Over There and In The Night Kitchen.

Children ages 4-9 with a caregiver are invited to join us Thursday, May 10 from 7:00-8:00 PM for an evening concert featuring local musicians, New Horizons. Experience the wonder of hearing music, learn about the joys of making music, and see different musical instruments. Refreshments will be served and each family will receive one book to take home. This program is funded by the Target Store Early Childhood Reading Grant and the Friends of the Canton Public Library. Registration begins April 26 at 9:00 AM.

Do you enjoy historical fiction? Do you also enjoy reading a good picture book? The library has a variety of excellent picture books that take place in the past. Let the suggestions below transport you to another time and place with their moving storylines and wonderful illustrations.

Train to Somewhere by Eve Bunting; illustrated by Ronald Himler

Mind your manners, Alice Roosevelt! by written by Leslie Kimmelman and illustrated by Adam Gustavson

Parents, grandparents and caregivers, join the professionals from Starfish Family Services as they discuss the benefits to keeping a daily routine and providing a predictable social frame for your young children. The program takes place on Monday, May 7 from 6:30-8:30 PM. Starfish Family Services also provides licensed daycare providers to watch over your children as you attend the workshop.

Everyone knows Mickey Mouse and his pals. Toddlers. Kids. Teens. Parents. Grandparents. These classic cartoons can be enjoyed by families on a multigenerational level. Canton Public Library owns a few collection of cartoons that the older crowd will remember and the younger crowd will think are new.

It's a small world of fun! Vol. 1 [videodisc] — This four volumn set of DVDs includes classic Disney shorts with an international flair. You will find Mickey and his friends here as well as other classic shorts like Peter and the Wolf, The Little House, and the Reluctant Dragon.

NHS students are here to provide 3rd-12th graders free homework help. If you are interested in getting tutored:

• You must be in 3^rd through 12^th grade
• If you are under 12, your parent must remain in the library
• You must bring the assignment and any other needed materials

Days and Times

• Monday from 6:00-8:00 PM by the Teen Desk
• Tuesday from 6:00-8:00 PM by the Teen Desk
• Wednesday from 6:00-8:00 PM at Plymouth District Library
• Thursday from 6:00-8:00 PM by the Teen Desk
• Thursday from 6:00-8:00 PM at Plymouth District Library

*Tutors will not be here during snow days or the holiday breaks, they need a break too! The last day for tutoring is May 31st.

Do you love looking at the illustrations in a picture book? Did you know there is an award that is given out yearly for just that? It's true! The Caldecott Winners are chosen based on their beautiful and artistic illustrations. We have an extensive collection of them in our Children's Department. Try one out today!

Join us Saturday, May 12, 2012 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM as we explore the act of Going Green! We will have the chance to learn about the plants that are all around us and get to plant a flower of your very own to take home and nurture. This program is open to kids in grades Kindergarten through 3rd grade accompanied by a caregiver. See you there!  Registration will begin April 26, 9:00 AM. 

If you're looking for a picture book about Michigan, or one that takes place in Michigan, we have you covered. Here's a list of fun picture books from the "mitten state."

M is for mitten: the Michigan alphabet book by Annie Appleford; illustrated by Michael Monroe

Gitchi Gumee by written by Anne Margaret Lewis; illustrated by Kathleen Chaney Fritz

Rascal makes mischief on Mackinac Island by Cynthia Furlong Reynolds; illustrated by Darrin Brege

The series, The 39 Clues, will be temporarily unavailable while changes are made to reflect its new shelf location in J Fiction. Because there are multiple authors it will be shelved by the title of the series:

J Fiction Thirtynine

Thank you, again, for your patience and understanding during this process.

Did you hear about Chicago White Sox pitcher Philip Humber's perfect game on Saturday? A perfect game is when a pitcher faces 27 batters and there are no runs, no hits, no errors, and nobody left on base. It is a feat only accomplished 21 times in Major League Baseball history. It has been accomplished only once in Little League World Series history. You can relive that event in:

The perfect game [videodisc] — A team of poor Mexican boys, smaller than most of the boys they played against, tackle visa problems, prejudices and team dynamics on their way to the World Series. It would make a great pick for your next family movie night.

Celebrate the season by picking up an easy-to-read book about springtime. You can find the books listed below in the Readers section in the Children's Department. Happy spring!

Springtime in Bugland! by David A. Carter

Happy go Ducky by cover illustration by Jackie Urbanovic ; story by Lori Haskins Houran ; pictures by Joe Mathieu

The Organization for Bat Conservation visited the library on Earth Day to kick-off our Earth Week celebrations. Mr. Chad presented their Animal Adaptations program and brought over a number of furry and feathered friends. Check out our slideshow.

The votes have been tallied, and we're pleased to announce that Teddy Carnival is the winning name in our Name the Fish contest! Thank you to everyone who participated in our contest, and congratulations to Maya K. for suggesting the name that received the most votes from library staff.