Next week, May 11-17, is Children's Book Week!  Librarians will be dressing as different children's book characters, and you are welcome to join the fun.  I've got three different costumes ready to go for next week - it was really hard to choose my favorites!  Spend the weekend working on your costume, or celebrating with this year's featured children's book character, Olivia, by reading some of her books. 

V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day, commemorates the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allied forces towards the end of WWII. But the joy seen in this photo was dampened by the memory of fallen comrades and the ongoing war in the Pacific. If you don't have grandparents to share their memories with you about this tragic war, many moving stories available at the library will help you appreciate what this time was like.

Spring is the perfect time to learn about one of the worlds oldest occupations: farming. Check out these informational books about how to do it, or stop by the Canton Farmer's Market, Sundays from 10am to 2pm, to chat with real farmers and pick up fresh fruits, vegetables and other treats.

Hey kids! It’s Thorndyke again. Next week is going to be a great week at the library. Know why? Because it’s Children’s Book Week! The librarians are so very excited. They are going to dress like their favorite book characters all week, which explains why you’ll see them looking sillier than usual. I’m planning on getting in on the fun too, but I still have to think of a costume. I’d love your suggestions! And we’d love for you to tell us who your favorite book characters are too—you could even dress like them! Don't worry. If you can’t make it to the library next week, we’ll have pictures of the great costumes up in the library! Man, CPL’s such a fun place!
Bear Hugs!,
Thorndyke

The popular TRACES traveling buseum makes a return trip to CPL on May 22 from 9 a.m. to noon with the story of 372,000 German POWs held in U.S. Army-operated work camps in the Midwest during World War II. Learn how these men worked alongside U.S. citizen German immigrants to build roads, harvest crops and roof barns. Some POWs returned to the Midwest after the war to live.

Beginning Saturday, April 18, register your family for our 3rd annual Family Fairy House program!  This year, the program will be held Saturday, May 2 from 11am-12pm.  If the weather cooperates, we'll trek behind the library to build all natural fairy houses on the grounds.  Please bring your own supply of building materials: bark, dried flowers, leaves, pine cones, seed pods, shells, etc.  We will have a limited supply on hand to share. 

Guess what Bat-fans...our hero, Batman, first put fear in the hearts of the notorious criminals of Gotham City 70 years ago today! Holy time flies Batman! If you are in need of a bat-fix until another movie comes out, check out the awesome graphic novels, movies, nonfiction encyclopedias, and cartoons we have here at the library. Hold on to your hats fellow bat-o-philes, the ride has been a wild one so far...what could be up the sleeve of Gotham's sleekest knight? Can't wait for the next 70 years to find out!

Did you know that May 1st marks the beginning of the 30th Annual Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month? Celebrate by checking out a great read like Half and Half by Lensey Namioka. Or mark the occasion by attending the CPL's Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month program on Tuesday, May 5, from 6-8pm. We'll have different kinds of traditional Asian snacks for you to sample, a variety of dance performances to see, henna, and more!  

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with crafts! Visit Kaboose to learn how to make a foam mariachi guitar, a clothespin doll and the Mexican flag. For library materials related to the holiday click here.

We're celebrating FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! Come to the Children's Desk on Saturday, May 2 any time between 9am to 6pm and pick up your free comic book, compliments of Comic City. After you get your comic, head down to Comic City for an appearance of the Great Lakes Garrison of the Star Wars 501st Legion! From 10am to 2pm you can take your picture with members of the biggest Imperial Star Wars costuming group in the world.

International Astronomy Day is observed on a Saturday near the first quarter moon between mid-April and mid-May. This year it will fall on May 2nd. To learn more contact Gary Tomlinson who is located in Comstock Park, MI or visit the website sponsored by Astronomy Day Headquarters. Great biographies on the most famous astronomers are available at the library, as well as many informative books on outer space. Have fun exploring the realms which inspired such Sci-Fi hits Star Wars and Star Trek!

Come and enjoy music and stories from Russia! Join us in the Community Room on Saturday, May 9th at 2pm for sounds from the balalaika and other traditional instruments played by Aleksandr "Sasha" Chernyak. He promises to take us all on a trip through Russia with music. This program is open to the entire family. Registration is now open.

If you've got a yen for Celtic folk music with a populist bent (think Ewan MacColl, Mick Moloney or Tommy Makem), two new CDs by famed area musician Terry Murphy will help satisfy your craving. You'll find Freeborn Man and Terry Murphy in the Folk & Ethnic section.

In honor of Shakespeare's birthday, why not pick up a great read dealing with the theater?

Tomorrow is the beginning of National Dance Week, so get ready to celebrate from April 24 to May 3! Break into spontaneous dance moves, learn more about dancing, or share a dancing story of your own by commenting on this post. In just a few more weeks I’ll have my own tap shoes on and join the recital madness, and while not everyone is going to be on stage, anyone can grab a good dance read!

The weather is getting warmer and children are eager to play outside.  Their curiosity often leads them to investigate all the little critters crawling about, and sometimes a bug or two might even make its way home with them.  Then what do you do?  The Animal Planet Pet Care series has a book Bugs as Pets which tells you how to house and properly care for your new "pet". 

Have you heard about the 50 States Project?  Throughout the upcoming year 50 photographers, one for each of the 50 States, will photograph the State where they live. Every two months each photographer will be sent an assignment by e-mail, they then have two months to produce one image in response. The images must represent both their style and the State in which they live. January's assignment was People and photos from around the country can now be seen online.

If you are considering a new addition to your family, the library is a great place to start. We have many books available to help you select a pet for your family. The Animal Planet Pet Care series has books on dogs, cats, hamsters, birds, fish and even bugs as pets!

Just in time for Earth Day, the first release from the Disneynature series opens today.