July 18, 6:30-8:30 PM at the library. All ages. Scrabble on our insane 10x10-foot board.

Wednesday, July 11, 6:30-8:45 PM join us for our monthly meeting of the Animanga Club! We've got all sorts of zaniness in store from a raffle to trivia to our always popular "mystery anime." What is it this month? Sorry, no hints. Drop by and let your inner otaku run free.

Movie Challenge 1: watch two (or more) movies/tv shows involving… Robin Hood. There have been a gazillion remakes. Make a comment to this post ranking what you watched to earn a secret badge besides your Curtains Up (see comment example below).

The story of Robin Hood [videodisc] by Walt Disney

Robin Hood [videodisc]: men in tights by Twentieth Century Fox ; a Brooksfilms production ; in association with Gaumont

The adventures of Robin Hood [videodisc] by a First National picture

Wishbone [videodisc]: Paw prints of thieves by written by Adam Felber ; produced by Betty Buckley ; directed by Ben Vaughn

Did you know that June is the Great Outdoors Month. Blue skies, cool breezes and blue lakes abound in Michigan, so take advantage of this and take a long walk, ride a bike, or go swimming or golfing. The opportunities are endless. Share your experience on CYS and earn an appropriate badge.

Into board games like Settlers, Carcassonne, or Puerto Rico? Drop by Saturday, July 7 between Noon and 5:45 PM for our monthly Board Gaming League of Canton meeting. Play some of the hottest games and meet some new folks!

Tim Heller, avid chess player, hosts informal open play on the second and fourth Sundays of most months in the Community Room while providing instruction and pointers on improving your game. Beginners are welcome. The fourth Sunday of each month also includes a tournament by “Library Chess Clubs.” For tournament information and registration, please email clubchess@wowway.com

Maia and Alex Shibutani are ice dancers with dreams of attending the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. In 2011, the Shibutanis were the first ice dance team in U.S. history to win a medal (bronze) at the World Championships in their debut senior season. They also took the silver at the U.S. championships and at Four Continents Championships behind their training mates, 2010 Olympic Silver Medalists, Meryl Davis and Charlie White. While we are all still steeped in the London Olympics, hear what dedication and drive are needed to aspire to the Olympics and perform at championship levels from brother and sister team, Maia (18) and Alex (21) on Thursday, August 9 at 7:00 PM.

The Antebellum Period by James M. Volo and Dorothy Denneen Volo

Daily life during the Reformation by James M. Anderson

Daily life in Anglo-Saxon England by Sally Crawford

Daily life in the age of Charlemagne by John J. Butt

Conquer the cosmos: use astrology to attract the man, money, and happiness you deserve by Bridgett Walther

Conquer the crash: you can survive and prosper in a deflationary depression by Robert R. Prechter, Jr

Conquer the clutter: reclaim your space, reclaim your life

My boyfriends' dogs by Dandi Daley Mackall

The dust of 100 dogs by A.S. King

Inubaka: crazy for dogs. Vol. 1 by Yukiya Sakuragi

Ashes, ashes by Jo Treggiari

Teen books made into movies:

Nick & Norah's infinite playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

The princess diaries by Meg Cabot

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

It's often said that people fear public speaking more than death. While that's not exactly true, talking is front of people is a major fear — one you can conquer!

Places to Speak

• Canton Communicators Toastmasters club — Toastmasters is a great way to hone your speaking
• Speech classes at Wayne County Community College
• Spotlight Players — acting at the Village Theater

Other places often welcome speakers, such as conferences, meetup groups, places of worship, and even the library!

Books on Speaking

Speaking your way to success by Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts

Public speaking success in 20 minutes a day

Time machines provide a fun learning experience, a unique business opportunity, and a contrived way to manipulate your plot arc. Watch out, though — depending on the make and model you choose for your temporal vehicle, they can often be expensive to build and difficult to maintain. See below for several types of time machine, along with assembly instructions when available.

Hot Tub

The mechanism for how a hot tub can become a time machine isn't well-explained. However, if you acquire a hot tub and the chronological mechanism never works, at least you have a hot tub, right? For further instructions view:

Beginning June 23rd and every other Saturday ending August 18th, teens going into grades 7-12 can hone their creative writing skills. This five-week course (you must attend all weeks) will be taught by Linda Weatherford Papa, Instructional Designer at The University of Detroit Mercy.

Origami for everyone: beginner, intermediate, advanced by Didier Boursin

Origami zoo: 25 fun paper animal creations by Paul Jackson and Miri Golan; illustrations by Paul Jackson; photographs by Avi Valdman

The new encyclopedia of origami and papercraft techniques by Ayako Brodek; edited by Claire Waite Brown

In love with paper crafts by [editor-in-chief, Jennifer Schaerer]

The complete book of home crafts: projects for adventurous beginners by edited by Carine Tracanelli

Fun family crafts by Kelly Doust

Connect Your Summer is back and better than ever, and with it are 12 new badges. Click on the badges below to see the reading, program, and activity recommendations from our staff experts for how to earn each badge. Once you've completed an experience, claim the badge online for a chance at some great prizes:

Find out what life was like growing up in bygone days:

Big Russ and me: father and son: lessons of life by Tim Russert — South Buffalo, N.Y. in the 1950s

Defending Baltimore against enemy attack: a boyhood year during World War II by Charles Osgood — Baltimore in the 1940s

A girl named Zippy: growing up small in Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel — Mooreland, Indiana in the 1960s

Take a walk back in history to the New York City of the 1870s, '80s and '90s where you will encounter the Astors and Vanderbilts, Diamond Jim Brady, Boss Tweed, Stanford White, and Teddy Roosevelt:

American passage: the history of Ellis Island by Vincent J. Cannato

The architect of desire: beauty and danger in the Stanford White family by Suzannah Lessard

The blizzard of '88 by Mary Cable