Stuck Inside Again?

The end of winter is close, but it is not yet spring. While the wet and cold weather does not inspire outside play, it can inspire indoor fun! Visit the library to pick up some great ideas for inside activities. Try one of these ideas to bring a little sun to your February days!


Recycle some of your everyday items and let your child make a bright and cheery craft. Along with recycling tips there are 21 crafts to choose from. Great for a play date or just some one on one time there are directions for creating pins, puppets, frames and magnets. Take your pick! Click here for Earth Friendly Crafts.




Tea Party anyone? Parties aren't just for birthdays, they work well on gray February days as well. The Tea Party Book or Come to Tea will give you great ideas, games and recipes for throwing a tea party of your own. Have your children dress in their finest and invite a few friends over. Read Miss Spider's Tea Party or The Three Princesses before serving the grape jelly on crackers!


Sometimes you just want to move it, move it! The library is full of great music to share with your family. Did you know we have lots of Kidz Bop, Radio Disney and Raffi music on CD that are available for you to borrow? Besides movement activity music we also have lullabies, movie and TV soundtracks as well as sing-a-longs.

Visit the library and find some great ideas to bring some fun to your day!

2012 Caldecott Medal Announcement

On Monday, January 23^rd the authors and illustrators of this year’s best children’s books were celebrated. The 2012 Caldecott Awards were announced, as well as many other awards for children’s literature. The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually to the artist (illustrator) of the best children’s book of the year. Books that receive a Caldecott Honor were also considered for the top prize.

The 2012 Caldecott Medal is awarded to……

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Rashcka

This wordless storybook follows the life of a dog named Daisy and her beloved red ball. But when Daisy’s ball is damaged by another dog, will Daisy ever want to play again? Children will want to tell their version of the story over and over again.

Caldecott Honor Books:

Blackout by John Rocco

When everyone is too busy to play a board game, a boy goes to his room to play a video game by himself. But when the power goes off his family finds new ways to enjoy the night, their neighbors and each other!

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

In this story a young boy shares his grandfather's history through the topiaries his grandfather created. In the garden the topiaries mark each special event in his grandfather’s life, good and not so good. A sweet story about a boy’s love for his elderly grandfather and the gifts his grandfather passed on to him.

Me…Jane by Patrick McDonnell

A young girl named Jane and her stuffed monkey, Jubilee set out to investigate the world. She dreams of helping animals and going to Africa, and one day…. she does! This biographical introduction of Dr. Jane Goodall is set in a children’s book, but shows children that they too, can make their dreams come true!

The Chester County Library has copies of these award-winning titles and many others. Check them out @ your library!

Math and Science Programs for 4-6 year olds

Did you know that Chester County Library offers FREE science and math programs for children ages 4-6? The following are being held in February and March:

Mother Goose Asks "Why?"
Fridays - February 3-17, 2012
10:00-11:00 am or 1:00-2:00 pm
- This is a family literacy program for children ages 4-6 and their caregivers that uses picture books and fun hands-on activities to introduce science concepts to children.
- Each program is limited to 20 children for each session. Every child must be accompanied by a caregiver for each class. No siblings, please.
- You can register by going to our web site http://www.ccls.org/ -- Find an Event calendar -- Chester County Library -- February -- February 3 Mother Goose Asks Why? -- Register

You Can Count on Mother Goose
Fridays - March 2-16, 2012
10:00-11:00 am or 1:00-2:00 pm
- This is a family literacy program for children ages 4-6 and their caregivers that uses picture books and fun hands-on activities to introduce math concepts to children.
- Each program is limited to 20 children for each session. Every child must be accompanied by a caregiver for each class. No siblings, please.
- You can register by going to our web site http://www.ccls.org/ -- Find an Event calendar -- Chester County Library -- March -- March 2 You Can Count on Mother Goose --Register

If you have any questions, please call the Children's Reference Desk at Chester County Library at 610-280-2630.

Hugo Cabret on the Big Screen

Attention, all Hugo Cabret fans! A Martin Scorsese-directed adaptation of Brian Selznick's stunning book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, is coming to the big screen on November 23rd. Here's the plot: Twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan who lives and repairs clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toy seller and his goddaughter. Hugo and the girl team up to solve a mystery involving his late father, the toy seller and a heart-shaped lock.

Asa Butterfield stars as Hugo, and other cast members include Chloe Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jude Law and Christopher Lee. I saw a preview of this movie a few weeks ago, and the scenery and special effects are spectacular! If anyone sees this movie, I would love to hear from you. Looking forward to this one!

Meet the Musicians at CC Library!

Did you ever wish you could meet the creators of some of the greatest music of all time? Now you can! Come to Chester County Library for Meet the Musicians, which is a series of three programs for children in first grade and older:

MEET BEETHOVEN
Friday, November 11, 2011
7:00-8:00 pm
Chester County Library - Struble Room
Learn how Ludwig van Beethoven's revolutionary expression of emotions in his works broke away from the elegant and refined music of his predecessors, producing some of the most stormy and beautifully moving music ever written. The story poignantly portrays Beethoven's struggles with an unhappy childhood and the onset of deafness, as well as his valiant triumph over these obstacles.

MEET MOZART
Friday, January 13, 2012
7:00-8:00 pm
Chester County Library - Struble Room
Discover the tragic and colorful life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This child prodigy, prolific composer and embodiment of the Classical era was never fully appreciated in his own lifetime. The delightful and charming melodies of Mozart are revealed in excerpts of his symphonies, operas, piano concertos, chamber music and piano solos. His music remains among the most cherished possessions of our time.

MEET JOPLIN
Friday, March 9, 2012
7:00-8:00 pm
Chester County Library - Struble Room
Listen to the toe-tapping syncopations of Scott Joplin's Ragtime music and explore what life was like, socially and personally, for a black man of his talents during the turn of the 20th century. The "King of Ragtime" drew on West African rhythms, European harmonies and plantation songs to create a new and distinctly American genre. Dennis Kobray portrays a student and friend of the composer.

You can register for these events by going to http://www.ccls.org/ and clicking on the Find an Event icon. For more information, call the Youth Services Department at 610-280-2630.

Little Golden Books - 2 billion and counting!

Believe it or not, this September marks the 69th anniversary of the publication of the Little Golden Book, The Poky Little Puppy! Since 1942, it has sold more than 14 million copies, and it remains popular today.

I remember Little Golden Books from my childhood -- The Little Red Hen was a favorite. But where did it all begin? The first Golden Books were printed in 1942 by the West Side Printing Company in Racine County, Wisconsin. The first 12 books were hardbound, 24 pages long, and cost 25 cents each. A variety of authors and illustrators have contributed to these books, including Margaret Wise Brown, Mercer Mayer, Richard Scarry and many Disney artists. To date, more than 2 billion Golden Books have been printed!

Besides The Poky Little Puppy, other best-sellers include Tootle by Gertrude Crampton, The Saggy Baggy Elephant by Kathryn and Byron Jackson, Scuffy the Tugboat by Gertrude Crampton, and Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt. In 2001, Golden Books launched Little Golden Book Classics, which are reprints of old favorites such as The Good Humor Man, The Poky Little Puppy, Seven Little Postmen and The Shy Little Kitten.

If you ever want to locate a Little Golden Book but can't remember the title, you can register on the Collecting Little Golden Books Forum and ask a question. It's a great resource for finding all things Golden!

Lisa U.
Chester County Library

Book Review: Ducks in a Row

Ducks in a Row is a story by Lori Haskins Houran that is based on Jackie Urbanovic's unforgettable Max the Duck character. This I Can Read Level 1 book opens with Max relaxing at home with his friends. He realizes that everyone has something to do, and he doesn't. Max wants to feel needed, but no one wants his help with anything!

Then his three aunts stop by to visit before the first snowfall sends them flying south for the winter. Suddenly Max is in demand! Before long, he can hardly wait to get back to relaxing.

This book's colorful illustrations hilariously depict Max's emotions and frenetic movement throughout the story, and the cast of characters adds to the hilarity. This book's worth a look!

Lisa U., Chester County Library