Do you love comics? Saturday, June 22nd and Sunday, June 23rd the Ann Arbor District Library invites you to a totally free event: Kids Read Comics!  Learn, draw, meet cartoonists!  Can't make it to KRC?  Check out these great graphic works by some of KRC's featured artists:

Check out the Michigan Radio article, '5 Natural Gems Even Native Michiganders Don't Know About', and learn about some lesser-known attractions to visit during your travels around the state this summer. Visit one of those places, or tell us about another hidden gem you know about, and earn your My Mitten badge!

Geek n.

1. An unfashionable or socially inept person.
2. A person with an eccentric devotion to a particular interest: "A computer geek".

We have lots of books in our Children's Library starring geeks. And quite often, they are the heros. Check one out today.

Notes from an accidental band geek by Erin Dionne

NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley; illustrations by Ethen Beavers

Geek chic: the Zoey zone by Margie Palatini

The homework machine by Dan Gutman

Sixth-grade glommers, norks, and me by Lisa Papademetriou

Nerd girls: the rise of the dorkasaurus by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

These time-traveling adventures will keep you coming back for more...good thing they're part of a series!

Comic Book Superheroes have hit Hollywood in a big way! Check out these action-packed films full of our favorite heroes.

Marvel's the Avengers [videodisc] by Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures, a Marvel Studios production ; written and directed by Joss Whedon

Superman returns [videodisc] by Warner Bros. Pictures presents in association with Legendary Pictures in association with Bad Hat Harry

Thor [videodisc)] by Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present ; a Marvel Studios production

Spider-Man [videodisc] by Columbia Pictures presents a Marvel Enterprises/Laura Ziskin production

Captain America. The first avenger [videodisc] by Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present ; a Marvel Studios production

The games bible: over 300 games— the rules, the gear, the strategies by Leigh Anderson

365 unplugged family fun activities: a year's worth of ideas for TV-free, video-free, and computer game-free entertainment by Steve Bennett, Ruth Bennett

The family manager's guide to summer survival by Kathy Peel

I'm bored!: inspiring and imaginative ideas for hours of fun by Suzy Barratt and Polly Beard ; illustrated by Sam Holland

Fun on the run: 324 instant family activities by Cynthia L. Copeland ; illustrations by Sanford Hoffman

1001 more things to do with your kids by Caryl Waller Krueger

Wondering what special events are going on in Michigan this summer? If so, check out Pure Michigan's Special Events Calendar. This interactive calendar lets you search by date and event type (Fairs & Festivals, Exhibits & Shows, etc.) to find an event in Michigan that's just right for you! Find an event and earn your My Mitten badge by attending.

Planning a vacation or camping trip in Michigan this summer? Make sure you check out these great, simple tips from 'The Awesome Mitten' blog for making your trip more eco-friendly. Do your part in keeping our state clean and beautiful!

A mama for Owen by Marion Dane Bauer ; illustrated by John Butler

Owen & Mzee: the language of friendship by told by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Paula Kuhumbu ; with photographs by Peter Greste

Owen and Mzee: the true story of a remarkable friendship by told by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Paula Kahumbu ; photographs by Peter Greste

Tarra & Bella: the elephant and dog who became best friends by text and photography by Carol Buckley

Friends by written by Catherine Thimmesh

The monkey and the dove: and four other true stories of animal friendships by Jennifer S. Holland

Geeked about books and reading? For the most interested, a nonfiction selection of stories about authors or the inspiration for their work.

The Brontë sisters: the brief lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne by Catherine Reef

The trouble begins at 8: a life of Mark Twain in the wild, wild West by Sid Fleischman

Marooned: the strange but true adventures of Alexander Selkirk, the real Robinson Crusoe by Robert Kraske ; illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker

C.S. Lewis: the man behind Narnia by Beatrice Gormley

Knucklehead: tall tales and mostly true stories of growing up Scieszka by Jon Scieszka

Becoming Babe Ruth by Matt Tavares

Mighty Jackie: the strike out queen by Marissa Moss ; illustrated by C.F. Payne

Lipman Pike: America's first home run king by Richard Michelson ; and illustrated by Zachary Pullen

Black Jack: the ballad of Jack Johnson by Charles R. Smith Jr. ; illustrated by Shane W. Evans

You never heard of Willie Mays?! by written by Jonah Winter ; illustrated by Terry Widener

Brothers at bat: the true story of an amazing all-brother baseball team by written by Audrey Vernick ; illustrated by Steven Salerno

Tag, toss & run: 40 classic lawn games by Paul Tukey & Victoria Rowell

The adventurous book of outdoor games: classic fun for daring boys and girls by Scott Strother

The kids' guide to classic games by Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt

Activities on the go: one-on-one fun for kids and adults by edited by Kate Brielmaier

Lazy days of summer by Judy Young and illustrated by Kathy O'Malley

Let's go outside!: outdoor activities and projects to get you and your kids closer to nature by Jennifer Ward ; illustrations by Susie Ghahremani

Use the library's collection to learn a new game, then try out your new skills and share your experience to earn your Game On badge. Explore sports, board games, or even card games. A few suggestions to get you going:

The big book of rules: board games, kids'games, card games, from backgammon and bocce to tiddlywinks and stickball by Stephanie Spadaccini ; illustrated by John Farnsworth

The book of rules: a visual guide to the laws of every commonly played sport and game

The New complete Hoyle: the authoritative guide to the official rules of all popular games of skill and chance by Alfred H. Morehead, Richard L. Frey, Geoffrey Mott- Smith

Hoyle's modern encyclopedia of card games; rules of all the basic games and popular variations, by Walter B. Gibson by Gibson, Walter Brown, 1897-

Good sports by Jack Prelutsky ; illustrated by Chris Raschka

Lay-ups and long shots: an anthology of short stories by Joseph Bruchac, Lynea Bowdish, David Lubar, Terry Trueman, C.S. Perryess, Dorian Cirrone, Jamie McEwan, Max Elliot Anderson, Peggy Duffy

The Million Dollar Kick by Dan Gutman

The girl who threw butterflies by Mick Cochrane

The rivalry: mystery at the Army-Navy game by John Feinstein

Pop by Gordon Korman

Sports jokes to tickle your funny bone by Stew Thornley

Bones never lie: how forensics helps solve history's mysteries by Elizabeth MacLeod

The mystery of Darwin's frog by Marty Crump ; illustrations by Steve Jenkins and Edel Rodriguez

Forensics and modern disasters by written by Rebecca Stefoff

The discovery and mystery of a dinosaur named Jane by Judith Williams

The case of the vanishing golden frogs: a scientific mystery by Sandra Markle

Enigmatic events by Gary L. Blackwood

When is a planet not a planet?: the story of Pluto by Elaine Scott

Harlem's little blackbird by Renée Watson ; illustrated by Christian Robinson

Mister and Lady Day: Billie Holiday and the dog who loved her by Amy Novesky ; illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton

The extraordinary music of Mr.

You can celebrate Get Outdoors Month all summer long. The official celebration takes place in June, but you can find activities to celebrate going outdoors throughout our Connect Your Summer experience. Use library materials to learn a new outdoor sport, plan an outdoor adventure, or just to find a great book to take outside. Share your experience to earn a badge.

During the month of June, check out our Great Outdoors Month display in the Tween Scene (pictured).

The secret cellar by Michael D. Beil

It happened on a train by Mac Barnett ; illustrations by Adam Rex

The secret in the old attic by Carolyn Keene

The Hardy Boys, undercover brothers. Vol. 17. Word up! by Scott Lobdell, writer ; Paulo Henrique Marcondes, artist ; based on the series by Franklin W.

If you're into browsing, try using the Dewey Decimal System to find a book for your Game On badge. For nonfiction sporting selections, in both the Adult and Children's Departments, check the 796s for sport books. Use our endcaps to find the right number. Discover a good-looking read, and then share your thoughts after you've read it to earn your Game On badge.