Welcome!

Welcome to the MPL Children's Blog! Here we'll be posting info on programming, books, new children's materials and links to other sites for kids and parents!

Check back regularly for new posts (you don't want to miss out!)

Friday, July 29, 2011

Ronald McDonald's Reading Adventure Show

Have a world of fun throughout “Ronald McDonald’s Reading Adventure Show!” This exciting adventure will inspire readers to discover “Book Time” each day.

This 30 minute show is filled with adventure, magic, discovery, audience participation and reading fun.



When: Tuesday, August 9th
Time: 11:00am
Where: Library Program Room

For FREE tickets, please call or visit the Children's Room at 846-1573

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Signed up for Summer Reading? Fill in your reading log!

We are almost into Week 5 of our Summer Reading Program, "One World, Many Stories", and that means we have only 2 more weeks till our Summer Reading Finale Party on Wednesday, August 17th at 11am with magician "The Great Baldini".

To receive a reading certificate, prize bag, and free book on that day, make sure to visit the library before the August 17th deadline to fill in your reading log of the books that you have read.  

If you aren't able to make it that day, you will have until September 1st to pick up your prize bag and complete your reading log.  While visiting the library you can also pick up coupons for free child admittance to local area attractions, free tickets to upcoming programs, and of course, all the books, magazines, audiobooks, and DVDs that we have to offer!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Animal Experiences

Animal Experiences with Dave Marchetti is the most hands on animal program you're likely to ever see. With over 20 animals- including turtles, snakes, lizards, amphibians, and even an alligator-there is something everyone will like. Dave's program runs about an hour with plenty of time for his audience to handle the animals on their own. From Wally the gator to Buddy the chinchilla his animals love attention.




When: Tuesday, August 2nd

Time: 2:00 pm

Where: Library Program Room 



For FREE tickets, please call or visit the Children's Room at 846-1573

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Read to Feed

For this summer's reading program, as part of our "One World, Many Stories" reading theme, we wanted to partner with Heifer International in their "Read to Feed" campaign.  With the support of our Middletown Friends of the Library organization who are sponsoring this campaign, we chose four animals from the Heifer "gift catalog"  that children can vote towards donating money to.

The animals that were chosen were a flock of chicks, a water buffalo, a hive of honeybees, and a goat.  For every book that a child reads, they get a marble to vote with.  The more books they read, the more votes they get!

The animal with the most votes wins, and the Friends will then donate money to Heifer International for the purchase of that animal.  These animals are then sent to poverty stricken villages around the world to help struggling families earn an income and provide sustenance.

Since we have just reached the half-way mark in our summer reading program, lets see how the votes are tallying up so far:


Flock of Chicks - 210 votes





Water Buffalo - 136 votes





Goat - 117 votes




Honeybees - 107 votes






Total votes and books read so far...570 books!  Keep reading, and we can reach 1,000 books read!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Narragansett Stories

Join us for "Narragansett Stories of My Grandmother" with Loren Spears.  This program will feature Native storytelling, oral history, music & dance focusing on the Narragansett People. There will be a variety of Native cultural items to share, opportunity for questions and answers, as well as participation in the program.

When: Monday, July 25th

Time: 2:00 pm

Where: Library Program Room

For FREE tickets, please call or visit the Children's Department at 846-1573


Thursday, July 14, 2011

Storytimes


Preschool and Toddler storytimes will resume in September, 2011.  Days, times, and registration for the storytime schedule will be posted in late August. 

For now, please visit the library to enjoy all that we have to offer in our summer reading program, "One World, Many Stories", which runs until August 17th!  Our summer reading program is open to children in PreK to those entering 6th grade.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

All-Star Reading Team

Would you like to win 4 tickets to a Pawtucket Red Sox game?  How about 4 tickets to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida?!  Then visit the library with your child to become a member of the All-Star Reading Team for a chance to win these prizes.






What is the All-star Reading Team?
It's a cool way to stay in the reading game even when you're out of school!  By playing the game, you can win cool prizes for you and your family!

How do you become an All-Star Reader?
1.  If you are a Rhode Island resident between the ages of 6 and 12, and you have completed your local Rhode Island public library's "One World, Many Stories" Summer Reading Program, you may enter to win a great prize.

2.  Pick up the entry form from the library.  On the back of the entry form, write a paragraph, poem, or draw a picture that answers the question: What was your favorite book this summer and why?"  Be creative!

3.  Return the completed  entry form in person to your local library no later than 2:00 pm on August 10, 2011.  There will be one "designated hitter" randomly selected from each library across the state to win 4 tickets to the Pawtucket Red Sox game on Monday, August 22nd, 2011 at 7:05 pm at McCoy Stadium. 

At the game, one lucky All-Star Reader will be randomly selected to win the grand prize of a trip for four to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.  The trip includes airfare vouchers for four people, four nights hotel accommodations and four five-day passes to Walt disney World in Orlando, Florida.

So visit the library today to pick up your entry form!

Brought to you in cooperation with the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services.  Complete sweepstakes rules are available at McCoy Stadium and at all participating Rhode Island Public libraries.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Summer Reading Raffle!

Here at the library, we like to give kids something to get excited about during the Summer Reading Program.  Besides the Reading Certificate and prize bag that children receive at the end of the program for completing their reading goals, we also have a weekly raffle that children can enter to win if they have registered for the reading program.  

These gift cards help support local businesses and are a sweet reward for our readers!  If you haven't yet registered for the summer reading program, there is still plenty of time!  So stop by the library and start your reading adventure with "One World, Many Stories".

We would also like to specially thank the Friends of the Library for sponsoring all of our programs and prizes!


Weekly Raffle Prizes:


Week 1:  $10 gift card to Frosty Freez

Week 2: $10 gift card to Island Books

Week 3:  $10 gift card to Sweet Berry Farm

Week 4: $10 gift card to Newport Creamery

Week 5: $10 gift card to Frosty Freez

Week 6: $10 gift card to Carmella's Pizzeria

Week 7: $10 gift card to Island Books

Saturday, July 9, 2011

One World, Many Stories, Songs and Smiles


A smile says, “Hello,” in any foreign land and kids will be full of smiles from the beginning of this program to its conclusion. Greg uses songs and stories that will get the audience up and involved with the performance.

During the show, Greg introduces fun stories, songs, and musical games from around the world. This show is very fast paced as the songs and activities move quickly to cover many parts of the world. 

Greg brings out his musical "SHOW and TELL" of folk instruments from around the world and talks about the cultural origins of today’s “American” instruments. These are hands on instruments and every kid gets to play something. 


When: Thursday, July 14th
Time: 11:00 am 
Where:  Library Program Room

Pick up your FREE tickets in the Children’s Room 
or call 846-1573 to reserve your tickets.


“Andiamo Tutti!” Celebrating Italy in Story and Song with Christopher Kavi Carbone

Come along with Christopher Kavi Carbone as we travel to the country of Italy, on a Magic Gondola of the Imagination!


Through interactive Storie e Canzoni (Storytelling & Songs) we will enjoy an Abbondanza of smiles & wisdom from this beloved land.

Andiamo, Tutti! – Come along, Everyone! 
With guitar, mandolin and everyone’s voices too, a variety of instruments and music will accompany us along the way. 

When: Monday, July 11th
 Time: 11:00 am 
Where: Library Program Room 

Pick up your FREE tickets in the Children’s Room 
or call 846-1573 to reserve your tickets.


Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Sand Art with RIMOSA at the Library

RIMOSA's Sand Art Table
Observe.  Explore. Create.
with RIMOSA

During the month of July, a sand art table from the Rhode Island Museum of Science and Art's (RIMOSA) traveling exhibit "Metamorphosis" will be on display and available to children to create with in the Children's Room.



Patterns on the Sand Table


With this hands-on exhibit, children can manipulate the colorful purple and green sand with paintbrushes, scoops, and their hands to create designs and patterns.  It's a great sensory experience!






Visit the Children's Room to See What You Can Create!

Pour, brush, design, look, create, and repeat!