Voices Of The Chathams

Thomas, 4th Grade, Reviews Eoin Colfer's "Artemis Fowl"

2009-10-26T21:30:00.003-04:00

Artemis Fowl is about a 12- year old criminal mastermind. His dad invested a lot of money into a failed market (transporting cola to Russia) so their fortune is not as big as it used to be. So when his father went missing, he took over the family and will do anything to regain his fortune, legal or illegal. He even tries to steal the fairies gold (in this book, fairies are real)! I like this book because you want to see if Artemis outsmarts the fairies. I think it’s a good read for 4^th and 5^th graders.

Ashley, 5th Grade, Reviews Lemony Snicket's "The Wide Window"

2009-10-25T21:05:00.002-04:00

The Wide Window is about three children named Violet, Klaus, and Sunny who have bad luck. Their parents died in a house fire so they ended up in the care of their Aunt Josephine. Aunt Josephine ends up living in a cave. Captain Sham forced her to leave so he could have the kids to himself. The kids spent their time with him as slaves trying to escape and reunite with their aunt.

My favorite part was when the kids found Aunt Josephine. I liked that section because they missed her and were worried sick. I love reunions!

My least favorite part was when Aunt Josephine had to pretend to jump out the window but ran out the front door instead.

I would recommed this book to kids like me who enjoy reading adventures.

Thomas, 5th Grade, Reviews "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban".

2009-10-20T21:51:00.009-04:00

Harry better watch out! The mass murderer Sirius Black is after him after breaking out of the wizard prison, Azkaban. This has never been done because it is guarded by dementors, evil creatures who suck the joy and happiness out of you. Most prisoners are driven mad from the lack of a happy memory! Twelve years prior Sirius betrayed Harry’s parents to Lord Voldemort, the most feared wizard ever! Now Harry is being hunted down by Black. Meanwhile at Hogwarts, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Remus Lupin is teaching the class how to deal with everything from boggarts to Red Caps. He even teaches Harry how to use the Patronus charm (the only known defense against dementors) after Harry encounters some dementors on school grounds. Professor Dumbledore was furious; he clearly stated that the dementors stay off school grounds. The dementors are at Hogwarts to protect the students against Sirius Black. But the dementors grew restless, they longed for fear, anger, and misery. That is what they feed off of. It’s their version of steak or chicken. In other words, food. The worst they can do is the Dementor’s Kiss. They suck your soul out of you! You’ll live, but you’ll be a shell, with no thoughts, feelings, etc. It’s a very good book. I would suggest it to 6^th , 7^th, and 8^th graders. I hope you’ll enjoy it!

Marina, 5th Grade - "My Trip to California"

2009-10-10T20:08:00.003-04:00

During the summer I went to California with my family. My uncle got married, and we were invited for a celebration brunch for his marriage. During the flight, I read more than 100 pages of "Twilight". It was great how I got to read so many pages. The flight was 6 hours and felt long, and I was glad when we arrived at my grandfather's house where we would stay.

The next day, we went to Hollywood. We saw the Kodak Theatre and Chinese Theatre. I thought it was so cool how movie stars put handprints in front of the Chinese Theatre. I recognized a few people I heard of, Shirley Temple, Jackie Cooper, and Warren Beatty. From there, we were able to see the "Hollywood" sign on the hills and we took many pictures.

On Saturday, we went to the Disneyland Hotel Goofy's restaurant, where the brunch was taken place. The restaurant was a buffet, and the food was delicious. After the meal, we went to Disneyland. I went on many rides. My 4 year - old brother was really scared of "Haunted Mansion", and he still whines about it!

The following day, my uncles and aunts and my cousin all came to my grandfather's house for a barbeque. Since I'm turning 11 on August 19th, they gave me a surprise birthday party. I thought it was wonderful having the whole family come together. I got a chess set, a DS game, and many more. It was a very fine day for me.

My grandfather has a book about my ancestors, and he told me that my family tree can be traced to a thousand years ago! I heard that my family was well known back then, and had a successful business. About 200 years ago, one of my ancestors tried to start a paper company in Japan. He bought a paper making machine from the US to be shipped to Japan, but the ship sank on the way and the business failed. I was sad to hear the story but was amazed at how my family started such a long time ago.

I had a lot of great times at California, and I wish that I could go back there some time again!

High School Student Lauren ReviewsHarry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: The Movie

2009-10-02T19:22:00.004-04:00

A Critical Approach

I absolutely love the Harry Potter series! However, when a movie is made from a book, I become a little apprehensive. I am one of those people who love this series so much, that I get upset when parts are eliminated, modified or lacking the detail from the book. One part that I did not like was in the beginning where the director changed the way Harry went to the Burrow. Also, the movie left out the part where Harry was asked by the Minister of Magic to become the “poster child” for the Ministry. I felt that was an important subject since it showed how the Ministry felt badly for accusing Harry of lying the previous year and wanted the public not to look unfavorably upon its governing body. The movie went too quickly when discussing many key parts of the school year. The discovery of horcruxes and investigating the memories surrounding them were not giving those crucial parts of the story justice. In conclusion, I believe this movie was one of the better ones in the series to date. I anticipate the final two movies. Since the last book of the series will be made into two separate movies, hopefully, there will be enough opportunity to tell the story without leaving anything out. Only a year and a half until then!

Alexis, 3rd Grade - "My Independence Day Float"

2009-09-20T18:18:00.002-04:00

If I were to have my own float in the Chatham Fourth of July Parade...well it would be totally awesome. I have already designed an Independence Day float in my mind. There would be a tall green Statue of Liberty with two bright stars next to her. Behind the statue there would be a big poster board representing the U.S. A with the word FREEDOM on it. On the bottom it would have red, white and blue stripes. Miley Cyrus would be on the float singing God Bless America while red spot lights illuminate her body. Like I said...it would be awesome!

Jacqueleen Reviews "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie"

2009-09-11T14:55:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite books of all time is Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. This book is about Alex, the main character, and his journey through the rough time of his brother fighting leukemia, which is a type of cancer. You probably assume that this book is serious, but it’s not. There are lots of sections where this book is very funny, and you can’t help but to laugh out loud! In the end Alex ends up raising money to help his brother, and learns that even the toughest of tough times can always turn around in a blink of an eye. I enjoyed this book very much because it teaches you a very valuable lesson, it teaches you a whole lot about one of the most serious cancers, and it’s extremely humorous!

Photograph Taken By Jaime Sabonya

Elementary School Student Shobhit Writes About Books

2009-08-30T13:30:00.003-04:00

I like to read books

I love to read them all

They are so nice to read

When I get books

I read them all

I never stop

Sean, Caitlin & Ashlynn Write About "Book Buddies"

2009-08-27T22:23:00.003-04:00

Sean - First Grader

I really loved the buddy reading program. I got to read to a fourth grader. He was really funny. I really liked when he read to me too.

Caitlin - First Grader

I liked the reading buddy program I liked reading to the older girls.

Ashlynn - First Grader

I liked the reading buddy program I got to read to my neighbor Madison. It was fun we took turns reading.

Fashion Trends by High School Student Lauren

2009-08-27T22:18:00.009-04:00

With fall approaching and school starting soon it is time to do one of my favorite things: shopping! This season there are many great trends to follow. One of my favorites is ankle boots. They can make any plain outfit look chic. You can pair them with skinny jeans or a cute skirt with leggings or tights. A great outfit to pair ankle boots with is colored skinny jeans. The “it” colors for jeans this year are grey, black, and dark blue. For skirts this season the best type to get are mini. Get anything mini that is a solid color so you can pair it with a funky graphic t-shirt or top. For tops this year, fashion is going grunge and 80’s. Graphic t-shirts with bands on the fronts or edgy designs will make any outfit. The shirts this season are also loose. A loose white t-shirt paired with black jeans and ankle boots will have you set. For outerwear a leather jacket in either black or dark brown is a must. A leather jacket will work with any outfit. It is very stylish and will make you look great too. Wait! You have to remember to accessorize. The hot trends this season are fedoras, oversized leather bags and lots of jewelry. Fedoras are great hats that come in many styles and colors. Purses this season are huge and come in different colors of leather so it will be easy for you to find one to complete any look. Necklaces are multi-chained in either gold or silver with colored stones. For bracelets: bangles, bangles, and more bangles in all different colors and styles. With these trends you will be able to rock out this season of fashion.

Storytime Leader Robert Carter Writes About Audio Books

2009-08-24T19:48:00.008-04:00

During the summer, many people look forward to enjoying a good book on the beach. My family anticipates enjoying a good book in the car. On past road trips to Maryland and Maine, we've laughed as we listened to Stockard Channing's wonderfully funny readings of the Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary. My children actually groaned when we arrived home before the end of Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass (performedby a full cast). But our favorite was probably Jim Dale's reading of Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. The Starcatcher books are hilarious and engrossing adventure tales about the origins of Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, and Captain Hook. They are certainly delightful books on their own, but Jim Dale's vocal characterizations bring them to sparkling life. If you've ever listened to Mr. Dale reading any of the Harry Potter books, you'll know that you often forget you're listening to only one man reading all the different parts.

So if you're planning a long car trip this summer, check out the audio book section of the children's library. Not only will they help the miles melt away, they're something the whole family can enjoy together. Even a storytime reader likes to have a book read to him every now and then.

4th Grader Catherine's Poem "Library"

2009-08-23T22:14:00.003-04:00

Library

This is the library where books call out to you.

"Come read me, come read me,"

They call out to toddlers too.

There is even a corner with soft comfy chairs

This is the library where everyone cares.

They have programs to encourage you to read.

This is the library you definitely need!

This perfect library is...

The Library of the Chatham's!!!!!!!

5th Grader Emilie's Entry - Photography Contest

2009-08-18T20:55:00.004-04:00

Middle School Student Elizabeth Writes About Her Favorite Books

2009-08-16T20:23:00.003-04:00

One of the things I love about the library is discovering the books of authors I have never read before. When I was younger, I got the book Ginger Pye for Christmas. I read it and absolutely loved it; it had an interesting plot and was very well written. When I finished reading it, I decided to go to the library to see if the author, Eleanor Estes, had any other books. When I got there, I saw she had written many books, and over the course of a few months, I ended up checking them all out and reading each of them. I'm glad I discoverd these books, as I still consider Ginger Pye and some of Estes' other works my favorite books.

Photograph Taken By Alice Roche

2009-08-14T14:08:00.004-04:00

Fablehaven stars Kendra and Seth, two children who are sent to stay with their grandparents for part of their summer vacation while their parents are away. When they arrive on their grandfather's enormous property, he leaves them with a puzzle and a warning to stay out of the woods. Kendra focuses on solving the puzzle while Seth breaks the rules and enters the forest, and together they discover that their grandfather's land is actually a preserve for magical creatures like fairies, satyrs, and witches.

Fablehaven has been compared to Harry Potter; both have children discover that there is a magic hidden from most people. However, the two series aren't really that similar. Fablehaven follows both children equally, even while they are apart, though the story focuses more on Kendra towards the end. Seth is actually the cause of most of the trouble in the book, while Kendra, her grandparents, and their housekeeper try to fix his mistake.

The story is open for sequels, but doesn't end on a cliffhanger. There is much more of Fablehaven that can be explored, and the book has several sequels already. The story is fun and has some surprising twists, and I can recommend it to people interested in fantasy.

Photography by Jaime Sabonya

"Read" - A Poem by Alexis, 3rd Grade

2009-08-13T21:18:00.005-04:00

Reading…… yes reading is really fun; you can even read

with someone…. come on reading is fun

so don’t watch TV just go to your favorite library

at the library you could read about your favorite author

reading yes reading is really fun

so go ahead and read with someone you love.

Chris, 10th Grade, Writes About Summer @ Library

2009-08-11T19:41:00.005-04:00

Summers for me often consist of tennis camp and a lot of video games, things that can get old fast. But, when I was little I would go to the library almost every day and take part in the different activities that would be going on there. From what I can remember, I had a lot of fun. I recently started volunteering here at the library and the children’s center. Watching the kids play on the computers and learn to read is a real joy! I really like how they can make fun out of anything! All of this makes me wish that I was one of them playing on the computers and doing the arts and crafts. Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to see more of these kids as I get to volunteer at more of these events over the course of the summer. These are things that do not ‘get old fast.’

Photograph taken by Alice Roche, Children's Department Staff Member.

Julia's Entry for Our Photography Contest

2009-08-08T21:37:00.004-04:00

Tear - a Poem by 5th Grader Ashley

2009-08-06T16:49:00.007-04:00

A raindrop falling down the roof

not knowing where to go

I know what it feels like

a tender tear falling down my face

all I want you to do is save me too

I need someone to be with me before I fall

Like a tear drop

Anthony's Entries - Photography Contest

2009-08-05T09:11:00.002-04:00

Yanik, Niklas & Lena on Chess at the Library

2009-08-03T19:55:00.003-04:00

Chess at the Chatham library was great! Every time we learned something new like checkmate, check, castling and more. At the very last class the teacher played against all the players which was a terrific practice. The only disadvantage was, that you sometimes had to wait too long for your turn. Maybe one could increase the number of teachers!! And overall by letting us compete against other players more often, would be even more fun! We definitely want to go next year again and we wish it would be on more often.

Chatham Residents Anusha and Nishita Spend a Year in India

2009-08-02T09:47:00.000-04:00

Ed.'s Note: Chatham residents Nishita and Anusha spent the past school year in New Delhi, India. Here are their thoughts on their experience.

Nishita, 4th Grade

My India experience was great! I loved India a lot. School was a little hard but I made many friends. I really missed the libraries over there. There were no libraries at all except a small one at our school! In India we lived in Noida, a suburb of Delhi the capital. We had a maid and a driver over there so it made things way easier. In my apartment you could go downstairs and all your friends would be there. India is an amazing place and I miss it a lot! But I can’t wait to visit the Chatham Library again!

Anusha, 9th Grade

When my parents announced that we were moving to India for a year, the last thing I thought I would miss was the library. I didn’t want to move halfway around the world, thousands of miles away from my friends. I also didn’t want to miss my first year of high school. When I first arrived in India, I was nervous about making new friends and going to a new school, where many kids conversed in Hindi, a language I barely knew. But after a few weeks, I was settled into my new life in India. I had a whole group of friends, school was enjoyable and I didn’t have too much homework. It was then that I decided to make my first visit to the school library. I was used to school libraries that were large, spacious and packed with books but this one was barely the size of a classroom, and contained about one bookcase full of fiction. The remaining books were either reference books or textbooks. When I told my parents about my school library, they started to look for a public library. However, there wasn’t a single one in the city. Some bookstores had small libraries, but the books were limited and often in bad condition, not to mention that there was a hefty payment due every month. So my sister and I had to resort to buying any books we wanted to read. I had a chance to read some Indian authors as well. Overall, I had a great time in India at my new school with my new friends. However, one of the first things I did after joining Chatham High in May was visit the library; and I must say, the one thing I missed the most was the library.

Photograph of Children's Room Globe by Storytime Leader Robert Carter

Some Pictures From Our Photography Contest - 1

2009-08-01T20:52:00.003-04:00

Our contest was for students 3rd grade and up. These photographs were by Anna.

High School Student Anthony Writes About His favorite Books

2009-07-31T22:35:00.004-04:00

Right now, I am reading "The Steel Wave, A Novel of World War II," by Jeff Shaara. It's a good book. I have read Shaara's "To The Last Man," and "The Rising Tide," as well. I like these books because he makes history interesting. Besides historical fiction I also like action books by Tom Clancy or Vince Flynn. These are long and complex books where several seemingly unrelated incidents come together and make a complete story. Vince Flynn's main character is Mitch Rapp, a CIA operative. Tom Clancy's protagonist is Jack Ryan, a military man who becomes president. These books hold my interest because they have complex plots and lots of action

4th Grader Patrick Reviews "Deadly Waters"

2009-07-29T22:17:00.004-04:00

Deadly Waters

By: Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson

My favorite book is Deadly Waters, because it is a mystery, it always keeps you guessing, it teaches me about manatees in a way that I can understand, and there is one surprise after another. My favorite part was when they figured out what was making the manatees sick. My least favorite part was when Gordon stole Jack’s very expensive camera.

Chatham's Budding Photographers

2009-07-26T13:39:00.012-04:00

The Library of The Chathams held a photography contest for 3rd to 6th graders. These were the prize-winning entries.

Best in Show
Jayathi, 5th Grade

Second Place
Marina, 4th Grade

Third Place
Bonnie, 4th Grade

"To the Library" by First Grader Leighton

2009-07-26T09:33:00.005-04:00

I like going to the library because there are a lot of books there and I like to read. I like to read because it's fun to feel like you're inside a story. My favorite books are chapter books about made-up things, like The Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke. My Daddy reads it to me before I go to bed. I also like the series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which I read myself, because they are funny books and sometimes they are scary. Percy Jackson is the son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. He has to go on quests, like looking for Zeus's most powerful lightening bolt because the other gods think he stole it. I think other kids would like these books because they are exciting to read.

4th Grader Elyzia Reviews "Time Stops for No Mouse"

2009-07-22T21:31:00.001-04:00

Time Stops For no Mouse, by Michael Hoeye, is an adventure story. There is a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story is about Hermux Tantamoq, who is a watchmaker. Hermux is also a mouse, and so adventures are pretty big for him. One lonely day, a beautiful, young, adventurous mouse named Mrs. Perflinger, comes in with a badly broken watch. She says she needs it to keep perfect time because every second counts. The story gets exciting when Mrs. Perflinger, the love of his life leaves, never comes back, and he finds out that Mrs. Perflinger was kidnapped! Hermux, the witty mouse goes on the adventure of his life! Once you read Time Stops For no Mouse, you’ll want to read the whole series!

Two Views on "Battle of the Books"

2009-07-20T21:00:00.039-04:00

Amanda, 5th Grade

The battle of the books is a program, that I would like to continue next year. It helped me to read different styles of books that normally I wouldn’t pick off the shelf. I didn’t know how good an author Michael Morpurgo was until I read Kensuke’s Kingdom for my team. Battle of the Books also helped me realize how important team work is for a competition. In the home room battle some of the teams performed poorly because certain members didn’t read their books. My team made it to the final round! Then we realized one of our team mates was sick that day. Everyone kept pressuring me to find the answers since I was the captain of our team. We did not move up to the national battle because we were relying on that person to read his books and be there. It wasn’t his fault that he was sick but it was hard to succeed without him. So, to sum it all up, Battle of the books helped me learn to try new things, be a leader and that teamwork is very, very, very important.

Elizabeth, 7th Grade

Not too long ago, my school held its annual "Battle of the Books" competition. Battle of the Books is a contest in which students make up teams of about four to six people, and then they read all of the books on a list. Then, once a week during lunch, the students who are on the teams meet with each other and have a competition to see who can answer the most questions about the books. A question would be like this: "In which book does the main character make up an imaginary camp called "Camp fun and Games"? Answer: Holes by Louis Sachar. All of these practice competitions at my school build up to the final, interschool contest. I was in the number one Battle of the Books team for my grade, so we got to participate in the ultimate contest. We competed against many other teams from different schools. My team was in the top two, and at the end of the competition, we brought home a second place trophy. Battle of the Books is a competition that all students do in Lafayette, but it is a voluntary club in the middle school. Battle of the books is very fun because you are with your friends,and it also introduces you to new books. Some of this year's seventh grade books for the Battle of the Books were:

- They Cage the Animals at Night by Jennings M. Burch
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
- Hoot by Carl Hiaason
- Travel Team by Mike Lupica

If you're a kid, think about joining this club!

"In Praise of Chatham" by Elementary School Student Catherine

2009-07-19T08:17:00.005-04:00

Chatham

Pretty, friends, grass

Run around, jumproping

Happy, inviting, free, safe, great

Small town

Photograph by Co-ordinating Library Assistant Jaime Sabonya

High School Student & Summer Staff Member Corinne Reviews the Movie Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince

2009-07-16T17:52:00.009-04:00

Though the books have ended, Potter fans can still get together in celebration for the movies. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince just came out in theaters, and will be out in IMAX 3-D later this month. But how does the movie compare to the book?

Many people are against making any changes when adapting a book into a movie, but something has to be cut when you try to make a 600-page book into a 2-and-a-half hour movie. I think the book was shortened pretty well- and, most importantly, the movie still makes sense to people who haven't read the book. Two of my friends did not read the book before seeing the movie, and they followed the plot of the movie without much trouble. The movie focuses mostly on the romances found in the book, and I was surprised with how much they kept in. The main plot seems to take a backseat- in the book, we see a lot about Voldemort's past by looking at other people's memories, and Harry and Dumbledore try to learn as much as they can about their enemy. In the movie, we only see two of these memories. Still, the movie didn't drag anything out- everything that was left in the movie was at the very least entertaining.

The movie itself has very good special effects. Harry's first trip into the memories looks very cool, with mist and shadowy shapes surrounding the main memory. There's a scene in the beginning of the movie where a broken room is fixed around Harry, with books and broken glass flying around him. The scene in the cave towards the end is as scary as it sounds in the book. During one particularly emotional scene, the sound is muted and everything is slowed down, as if Harry is not sure if the events are real or a dream.

The movie is both funny and exciting, funnier than I thought it would be. There were some differences between the book and the movie- many scenes were left out, a few new scenes were added in, some plots are simplified- but I think the changes make the movie shorter and easier to follow. Personally, I think this was one of the better Harry Potter adaptations, but either way, we greatly look foreward to the next movie.

Mural Painting of Harry Potter by Michael Rex

Book Buddies- A Library Program

2009-07-14T19:25:00.013-04:00

Book Buddies was a program we had in the Spring. Kindergartners and first graders honed their reading skills by reading to older boys and girls.

Older Buddy Tommy, 4^th Grade

Book Buddies is a program where little buddies (usually 5 or 6 year olds) come in and read to older kids (usually 4^th or 5^th graders). The way it helps the little buddies is that the older buddies listen and help the little buddies if they cannot read a word. But it isn’t just the little kids reading. The older buddies read to the younger buddies as well. This is basically a Book Buddies session, the little buddy comes in, then he/she reads a book, then I read a book to him/her.

I think it is fun because you get to meet a new buddy each week.

* * *

Older Buddy Olivia, 6^th Grade

I liked being an older buddy because it was fun watching your younger buddy improve on his/her reading. It’s fun because you get to pick out books that you think your younger buddy will like. I guess I picked out all the right books because my younger buddy was awesome and loved the books I read. Your younger buddy looks up to you and listens to you when you read. I would definitely be an older buddy again!! :-)

* * *

Younger Buddy Samantha, KG

What did you like about the Book Buddies Program?

Reading with Olivia because she was nice

What was your favorite book and why did you like it?

Sea Chest. It was about a grandma when she was a little girl. She found a sea chest and inside was a baby who she named Seaborne.

Thanks for a great program.

* * *

Younger Buddy, Maya, KG

I really liked Book Buddies. My favorite part was reading the books and seeing all the different books every week.

Fourth Grader Madison Reviews Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are"

2009-07-12T22:11:00.007-04:00

My favorite book is Where the Wild Things Are, because it is so imaginative, and the illustrations are really descriptive. I also like it because it tells what is happening on the whole page and not just part of the page. My favorite part of the story was when Max’s room transformed into the forest. My least favorite part was when Max got tired of living with the Wild Things and being king of them and wanted to go home. Over all it was a really good book!

Photograph by Alice Roche, Children's Department Staff Member.

Fourth Grader Jessica Reviews "The Talented Clementine"

2009-07-11T21:09:00.012-04:00

The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker is a story about a girl named Clementine who runs into a problem. Her class is having a talent show and she has no talent! Clementine goes to her friend Margaret and asks her for an easy talent. Margaret goes through all of her talents and when she comes to tap dancing she lets Clementine try it out. Clementine makes her own tap dancing shoes out of beer bottle caps and gets in trouble for all of her creativity! Clementine also tries to bring her brother on a leash because she can really make him smile but that doesn’t work. What will Clementine do?! Once that problem’s solved you’ll want to read all books in the Clementine series!

Photograph by Alice Roche, Children's Department Staff Member.

In Praise of Itunes By Lauren, 12th Grade

2009-07-08T21:40:00.002-04:00

Everyone loves music. There are so many genres that interest all different people. Itunes helps finding new music really easy. On iTunes, there are over 30 different genres and many ways to search for your favorite songs. ITunes is great since it has many features that are customized to you based on the music in your itunes library. This feature is great since because of it I have discovered new artists and songs that I love but never would have noticed before. But iTunes is not only for music; you can rent movies, watch TV shows, and download apps for your iPod touch or iPhone. The movie rentals are great since it cost the same as a movie rental from other places but you can watch it on your iPod. Plus you also have 30 days to start watching your rental and 24 hours from once you start the movie to watch it. I have used this cool feature three times and it is great since I was able to see the movies I wanted without having to go to the store and rent them. With the click of my mouse I was able to download them and put them on my iPod. Another one of my favorite features is the app store. It is great because the free apps are most of the time the best. You can download apps that pertain to anything you can imagine. I suggest you download Lemonade Tycoon and Iheartradio. Lemonade Tycoon is an addicting game where you try to build a Lemonade business starting off with one neighborhood lemonade stand. Iheartradio is app that features over 500 radio stations from across the country. It has all the popular ones like Z100 with stations from all different genres. ITunes has changed so much in the last 5 years. I am glad to be able to experiences all the changes it making to make mmusic, movie, TV, and app life more pleasant.

Phaeton and the Chariot of the Sun God

2009-07-06T23:10:00.002-04:00

By Jayati, 5th Grade

Phaeton, the son of Helios was teased
For no one believed
That he was the sun god's son.
So Phaeton went to his father’s palace
To get his promise that he was his father.

Helios said he was Phaeton’s father
And to prove it, he promised him anything.
Phaeton wanted to drive his father’s chariot across the sky
He pleaded with his father
Until he obtained permission to drive the chariot.

Helios was unhappy.
His promise he tried to avoid
Phaeton was filled with delight,
He wore his father’s crown of sunbeams,
And the salve to protect him from heat.

He listened not to his father’s instructions.
He was impatient to be away,
He believed that he could drive the chariot across the sky
But his unskillful hands lead the horses astray
The chariot veered away from its path.

The chariot approached the constellations
Who were warmed by the sunbeams
They woke up infuriated and
Lumbered about the heavens
The snake, the bear and the scorpion.

Phaeton dropped the reins
The fiery horses bounded everywhere
They crashed into the stars
And spread the fire on Earth
And the moon, skies, and all else.

Everyone tried to escape the fire
Mother Earth, set aflame, cried out to Jupiter,
“Hurl your lightning bolts and end this scorching death”
And then spoke no longer for she was being choked
By smoke and flames caused by Phaeton.

Hypnotized Jupiter was roused when he saw Mother Earth dying
He rolled thunder and lifted a colossal bolt of lightning
And flung it through the sky where it struck the chariot
Fire put out fire and flame put out flame
The horses leapt free.

Phaeton plummeted out of the sky
His hair was an inferno
Like a shooting star he looked
And fell into a river deceased
Away from his mother and home.

Helios did not drive his chariot
As he was mourning his son
Jupiter went to see him
He said mother earth needed Helios’s heat
And Helios sorrowfully drove across the sky.

Photo courtesy of Free-Clipart-Pictures.net.

The Art of Paper Marbleizing by Luke, 5th Grade

2009-07-03T10:25:00.014-04:00

Last summer my sister and I went to the Marbleizing Summer Class at the library; we enjoyed it so much that we bought our own supplies, and we made some Marbleizing stationary and decided to set up a stand to sell our stationary in Schroon Lake, NY. Many people came and bought the art paper, so we sold more the next day and called it “Marvelous Marbleizing”. If you like art or just want to make some cool paper you should come to the Marbleizing class this summer at the library.

Photograph by Fifth Grader Luke.

A Tribute to Our Volunteers by High School Student & Summer Staff Member Corinne

2009-07-03T09:57:00.012-04:00

Volunteers are essential to the summer reading program- the program would be impossible to run if we didn’t have the help of the volunteers. I feel the volunteers deserve a special thank you- some of them will attend the picnic or the volunteer pizza party, but many will not get anything for their hard work besides a sense of satisfaction and, hopefully, some fun.

The volunteers do not just listen to the book reports. Some also keep the library tidy and help shelve books. Many volunteers suggest reading materials to patrons at the library and draw members to the reading club. Most volunteers participated in the program themselves when they were younger, so they know how essential the volunteers are.

So, thank you in advance to any and all volunteers this summer- the program couldn’t work without you.

Photograph by Alice Roche, Saturday Staff Member

Lego Creations by Kindergartner Peter

2009-06-30T23:10:00.006-04:00

Peter is six years old. He has been building with Legos since the age of four. He loves to combine new Lego sets with older sets that belonged to his father when he was a boy. Peter was inspired to build the aircraft carrier and army vehicles after visiting the U.S.S. Intrepid museum in New York City. He spent roughly one week building the air craft carrier. Both children and adults have enjoyed Peter's interpretation of Army and Navy vehicles.

Photographs by Jaime Sabonya, Co-ordinating Library Assistant.

Can You Spot These Items @ The Library?

2009-06-28T09:22:00.008-04:00

Photographs by Jaime Sabonya, Co-Ordinating Library Assistant.

Owen and Paul Review John Flanagan's "Ranger's Apprentice" Series

2009-06-26T21:55:00.021-04:00

4th Grader Owen Comments On Book One: The Ruins of Gorlan

Looking for an adventurous, action-packed book? This exciting story is about an agile, young Ranger apprentice named Will and his master, Halt, a mysterious person who guards Castle Redmont. The two Rangers must defeat the evil Morgarath before he destroys the Kingdom of Araluen. They get help from Will's former wardmates: Horace, a strong student of Battleschool; Jenny, a cook-in-training who's food is delicious already; George, a skinny boy who's place is at Scribeschool; and Alyss, a tall girl who was promised early that she would become part of the Diplomatic Service. It combines Eragon and the Lord of the Rings trilogy and adds a little bit of young King Arthur. I would give this book four and a half out of five stars and it is one of my top-10 favorite books. To conclude, if I liked the book, you probably will too.

4th Grader Paul Writes About The Ranger’s Apprentice Series

I enjoy the series, “Ranger’s Apprentice,” by John Flanagan. I have to use interlibrary loan to get them because they’re always out. The books’ main character is Will, who is apprenticed to Halt. A Ranger is a medieval spy that is good with a bow and arrow. Will learns how to use a bow and how to move unseen. I have read the first three books and almost finished the fourth. My favorite of the four so far is the fourth book, “The Battle for Skandia.” It is exciting and when Halt finds Will in Skandia, the Skandians and the Rangers have to make an alliance to fight the Temujai. You should read the first book, “The Ruins of Gorlan,” when you get a chance.

Photograph of Book Cover by Storytime Leader Robert Carter.

Welcome To Our Blog!

2009-06-23T22:04:00.020-04:00

Hello Everyone! Welcome to our special summer Children’s Department blog where we hope to give you information on a variety of topics. Our young patrons will be writing blog posts on everything from book reviews to original poetry. Some will be writing about other materials that we have in the library, like audio books. Others will write about programs like iTunes, or about library programs that they have attended. Actually, the topics that people can write about are unlimited because our Reading Club theme this year is “Be Creative @ Your Library.” Our goal is to post every other day, so consider subscribing to our blog by adding us to your favorite RSS reader (like the Google Reader).

We also look forward to seeing you at the library and hope you will join our Reading Club. As you know, we have everyone from pre-school to high school in our club. It’s really a lot of fun talking about books and listening to others talk about them.

Also, you should know that we have a wide range of other programs that you may wish to attend this summer which range from chess and photography workshops to programs on art and science.

So visit us often -- whether online or in person -- the Children's Department is the place to be!

Photo taken by Alice Roche, Children's Department Staff Member.