Weekly Challenge for July 3 - 8

To get you geared up and ready for the Sudoku tournament on July 10 @ 2, next week's challenge is a Sudoku puzzle. Good luck!
To make it easier to print from home, use the link under "Library Links" to the left, to download the file. Then you can stretch it if you need to.

Thought for the Week

Sorry I'm a day late with this, but last week I was 2 days early with the Weekly Challenge, so technically, in a twisted sort of way, I'm still a day ahead.

"In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but how many get through to you."

Mortimer J. Adler

As you're reading this summer, if a book really gets through to you, post a comment on it. Maybe we can get some on-line book discussions going that way.

New Book Review Form Available

Ok, I got it. You can now download the book review form in WordPad format that will let you type in the information rather than having to write it in by hand. See the link under Library Links to the right of this page. I'm leaving the link to the form that you can print and then hand-write the information in also, so make sure you get the one you want. Again, any problems with the form, let me know.
Keep reading!

Update on Teen Summer Reading

Wow! What a turnout we're getting for Teen Summer Reading! As of a few minutes ago 269 of you have registered for the program. Last year's total at the end of the summer was 253, so it's a new record. And more of you are coming in every day.
Program attendance has been phenomenal as well. A total of 51 teens attended the 2 tie-dye sessions, and 62 of you enjoyed yesterday's annual showing of our favorite cult classic movie (If you don't know what it was, see the hint in your Teen Scene brochure, or ask at the Information Desk.) If you missed it, don't worry, it will probably be back again next year.
If you haven't been in for a program, there's still lots of great stuff coming up. Check your brochure, or the Programs and Events part of the library's web site for more information, and get signed up! We love seeing you!

Book Review Form is Available On-Line

Ok folks, this isn't elegant, but in a pinch it will work for you. There is a link on the right side of this page under "Library Links" that will get you the summer reading book review form. When you click on the link, download it then print, rather than printing directly. You still need to write the info in by hand, but at least you can get the form from home. I'm working on a way to do it so that you can just type in the information. Keep checking back for that. If you have problems downloading the current please post a comment or e-mail describing exactly what went wrong and I'll try to fix it.

Book Review Forms On-Line

Several of you have asked me to put the Teen Summer Reading book review form on-line. Excellent idea! As soon as I figure out how to do it, you'll see it here. Keep checking back. I'm hoping to get the chance to play with that a little before the movie tomorrow. As soon as I can do it, you'll see it here. If you have any other ideas, please either post them here or e-mail me. Anything that I can do to make things easier for you guys, I'll do my best to do, just let me know what you want to see. That goes for program ideas as well - either for next summer or during the school year.

Weekly Challenge for June 26-July1

I'm posting this a little early this week, but if I don't do it now while I'm thinking about it I may forget.
OK, the last 2 weeks have been easy. This week's is a little tougher. Here it is:

Make 12 six-letter words by combining pairs of the three-letter groups below. None of the three-letter groups may be used more than once unless they appear more than once in the list below.

TER DOW ANT NER FAB MER
TLE MAT REA WIN HOL GLE
HEM BAN LOW TEA JUN SUM
DER RIC SER SHO BOT WER

Good luck! And remember, yes you may work together, or get help from family or friends.

What Mrs. N's Been Reading

I just finished (actually, it was last week, but I've been too busy to post) David Lubar's Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie. If you're in high school, about to enter high school, have ever gone to high school, or live in fear of starting high school, you'll be able to relate to Scott, the main character in this book. I'm not a guy, and it's been a few more than a few years since I was in high school, but I could relate and really enjoyed the book. Hey, any book that makes references to both Ender's Game and The Princess Bride (both the movie and the book - if you love the movie but haven't read the book you're missing out on a great one) can't be bad. Check it out!

Thought for the Week

Since I am running a summer reading program, the Thought for the Week this week, and probably for the next few weeks will be about books. This one is old, but I still smile every time I read it:

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."

Groucho Marx

If you aren't reading anything, what are you waiting for? Get in here and find a book. If you need suggestions, either see me, see the booklists in the YA area, or check out the book reviews binder in the YA area. Enjoy!

Next Teen Program - Tie Dye!

Our next teen program will be tie-dyeing. Sign up now for either Monday, June 19 at 7:00 pm or Tuesday, June 20 at 2:00 pm. Bring your own shirt, t-shirt, socks, whatever. We'll supply everything else. And thanks to the Friends of the Fredricksen, this program, as well as all of our teen programs this summer are free!
One note: Make sure that whatever you bring is all cotton, or some other natural fiber. Synthetics like polyester just don't take the dye. A 50/50 blend sort of works. The dye takes but it's pretty washed out. The best source of white cotton t-shirts is either a craft store, or your standard-issue Hanes, or Fruit of the Loom, men's undershirt.

Pics From Keychain Program

41 of you had a great time Monday evening and Tuesday afternoon making custom keychains and gift bags. If you weren't there, here's what you missed.

Weekly Challenge for June 19-24

Here's next week's Weekly Challenge:
Bring in a brochure, menu, newspaper ad, or printout from the web page of any 3 of prize sponsors and show them to a member of the Reference staff.
Hint: Look on the back side of the yellow paper in your registration packet that had the rules on it.
Also, if you happen to visit any of our prize sponsors, please thank them for donating prizes. The program wouldn't be the same without them.

New Way to Get the Weekly Challenge

I had a DUH moment this morning. You know what I mean - when you have a brilliant idea, but it was so painfully obvious you really should have thought of it much sooner. Some of you can only get into the library once a week or so and sometimes have trouble getting the Weekly Challenge in. Why not have them posted on this site a bit ahead of time? Duh! Because I didn't think of that until this morning. So for the remainder of the summer, I'll post the next week's Weekly Challenge here on Wednesdays (or when I remember). That'll give you plenty of time to solve it, do it, work up the nerve to do it (that one will be the week of July 17th), or whatever in plenty of time. So here's this week's:

Do the following for any member of the Reference Staff:

Take 3 cups (cups will be available to use at the Information Desk) and line them up in a row. Turn the first and third cups upside down, but leave the middle cup right side up.
Your task is to get all of the cups right side up, but you must follow these rules:

• You must make exactly 3 moves - no more, no less.
• For each move, you must turn over two cups at a time - never one at a time.

Good luck! Remember, you get at least one chance in the weekly prize drawing for doing each week's Weekly Challenge.

More New YA Series Books

Some additions to some popular series (True Colors, Fear Street, and The Unseen to name a few) have come in in the last couple of weeks. For details go to http://newyabooks.blogspot.com/2006/06/more-ya-series-books.html
Check the shelves or put a hold on 'em.

Skeletry Program a Big Hit

If you missed last night's Teen Summer Reading Program kick-off program on the art of skeletry you missed a good one!

Fr. Michael Rothan gave a wonderful talk about how he got into the skeletry business, as well as how it's done. He had some great video footage that he shared with us as well as some examples of his work (see the photo of the 2-headed calf.) Then the really cool part began, when he got out a large snapping turtle that we all got to help him open up! A few squeamish adults left the room at that point, but even with 34 kids in attendance, everyone else who wanted to help with the dissection had the opportunity to do so. Everyone was so into it that the only slight problem we had was keeping everyone back far enough away from the table so that others could see what was going on.

Fr. Rothan, if you see this, please post a comment with the correct scientific term for skeletry. Skeletry, I can remember, but I've already forgotten the long technical term, and I know there are kids who would like to know.

Thought for the Week

This week's Thought for the Week is dedicated to the Class of 2006.

"There are no passengers on the Spaceship Earth. We are all crew."

Marshall McLuhan

You all have tremendous potential (I know, I know, you'll be hearing that all week, but it's true.) Your mission now is to get out there and figure out how best to use it. Good luck!

Teen Summer Reading Programs in June

The Art of Skeletry Thursday, June 8 @ 7
Keychains Monday, June 12 @ 7 or Tuesday, June 13 @ 2
Teen Movie Wednesday, June 14 @ 2
Tie Dye Monday, June 19 @ 7 or Tuesday, June 20 @ 2
Teen Movie Wednesday, June 21 @ 2
Digital Photography Friday, June 23 and 30 @ 2
Video Game Tournament and Game Day Monday, June 26 @ 2
Summer Drinks Tuesday, June 27 @ 7
Anime Night Tuesday, June 27 @ 7
Teen Movie Wednesday, June 28 @ 2

See link to library website for more details.

Teen Summer Reading Registration Has Begun!

Registration for the Teen Summer Reading Program just kicked off yesterday and already we have over 30 teens signed up! If you haven't stopped in yet, where have you been?! Actually, no hurry. We'll be taking registrations for the next several weeks, but you might want to get in and get signed up asap to get in on some of the great programs we have lined up. Check out today's other post on this blog for dates, times and titles of this month's programs and got to the library's website's Programs and Events section (link is on the right hand side of this blog under Library Links) for more details. But don't wait too long! Get in here and get signed up!