Kids

Kids are welcome @ your library®. We want to welcome you and keep you coming back! How? …with great books, magazines, DVDs and videos, CD’s, computer programs and service! Pre-school and school-age children will enjoy the various programs available to them. Read on to find out more about our free programs and services.

Click on a link below to learn more about:

Central Library in Market Square

Books \‘n\’ stuff (Collections)

Staff Picks

• SpongeBob Squarepants – Hoedown Showdown by Kelli Chipponeri

• Discover the Planets by Cynthia Pratt Nicolson

Junior Fiction:

• Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard
• Akimbo and the Lions by Alexander McCall Smith
• The Strange Voyage of the Raconteur by J. C. Mills
• Leslie McFarlane’s Hockey Stories by Leslie McFarlane
• Dragon Booster – Release the Dragon by James Gelsey

• Dragon Booster – The Choosing by James Gelsey

Junior Non-Fiction:

• 1000 Facts on Rocks and Minerals: Rocks, Gems, Crystals, Formation and Mineral Resources by Chris and Helen Pellant
• 1000 Facts on Oceans: Ocean Features, Tides, Shores, Marine Life, Ships and Boats by Clint Twist
• Sieur de La Salle: New World Adventurer by John Zronik
• A Story of Courage: Laura Secord by Janet Lunn
• Steven Spielberg by Wil Mara
• A Harvest of Color by Melanie Eclare
• Terry Fox: A Story of Hope by Maxine Trottier
• Switched On, Flushed Down, Tossed out: Investigating the Hidden Workings of Your Home by Trudee Romanek
• A Day at the Apple Orchard by Megan Faulkner and Adam Krawesky
• The Universe: To the Limits of Space and Time by Dr. Erich Uebelacker

• The Jumbo Book of Needlecrafts by Judy Ann Sadler

Junior Picture Books:

• Happy Baby Colors by Roger Priddy
• Theo and the Threads by Lynne Sawford-Gentner
• The Secret by Lindsay Barrett George
• Off We Go! by Beverley Abramson
• It’s About Time by Stuart J. Murphy

• The Book of ZZZ’s by Arlene Alda

Pick-a-program

Babies in the Library – Finger plays, knee bounces, lap rhymes and books for babies make up this free half hour program for newborns to 18 month olds and their caregivers. Promotes language development, an early love of reading and a love of play. Pre-registration required – phone 643-7239

Toddler time – Four weeks of nursery rhymes, songs, activities, and stories for toddlers and their adults. Please call 643-7239 to pre-register

Hackmatack Book Club – Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award is a literary program for young readers in grades 4 to 6 that gives them the opportunity to vote for their favourite fiction and non-fiction books from those competing for the Children’s Choice Book Award for Atlantic Canada. Participants in this club include children who enjoy reading and have a wide range of interests as well as those who want to learn how to improve their reading skills. Register in person or phone 643-7239.

Dear Author Contest for Grade Nine Students – Each February all the libraries in the Saint John Library Region promote the Dear Author contest through the area high schools. Write a letter to your favourite author and get it published in the Telegraph Journal and win a gift certificate from Coles. There are ten winners each year who are celebrated at a special reception. Please call the library at 643-7239 for more information.

Ask a Librarian

Surf the Internet (computers for public use)

For Grown-ups (children’s collections, programs and resources)

• Library Tours/Visits to the Community. Group tours and visits explore the wonders of the Children’s collections and provide a unique and accessible way of discovering the wealth of information and services available. As with all our programs, tours are free and may be arranged directly with the staff. Targeted groups include schools, day-cares, summer camps, community centres, clubs and organizations. Call 643-7239 to book a date and time.

• Resources for Teachers, Homeschoolers, Community Centres and Day Cares. Ask us about library tours, book deposits, visits to your group, and educator loans. The story-tent provides summer-time support to reluctant or challenged readers in Saint John’s North End. The Computer Training Centre can be reserved for group use. Dear Author and Hackmatack programs may be offered in classrooms. Call 643-7239 for more information.

• Parents’ Shelf. Check out this collection of print resources dealing with a variety of parenting issues, from death and divorce to sibling rivalry and potty-training.

    

East Branch

Enjoy our monthly rotating murals, preschool toys and permanent summer mural on the back wall of the youth section. Would you rather be in cyberspace? Check out our computer access! We have seven computers available for up to one hour. Please call the library at 643-7250 for more information on booking a computer and time limits.

Programs

Preschool Storytime – Come hear theme based stories, songs, finger plays, make a craft and have lots of fun! – every Thursday from 10:30 – 11am.

Family Drop-In program – Books and activity sheets are based on a theme that changes weekly for parents/caregivers and children to share. Available any time the library is open.

Family Story Time – Every Saturday from 10:30 to 11am. Come and hear theme based stories, songs and finger plays, make a craft and have lots of fun!

Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award book club – An Atlantic Canadian book award for which children in grade 4 – 6 choose their favourite books. Meetings are the first Wednesday of every month from 6 – 7pm.

Summer Reading Club – For children of all ages to log the amount of books, internet sites and comics they are reading during July and August. Weekly programs based on the year’s theme are held where you may play games, make crafts, hear stories, and have fun!

Young volunteers – Ages 12 and up. Are you enthusiastic and reliable? Come find out how the library works and gain valuable experience. There are a variety of tasks you may assist with. Please call the library at 643-7250 for more information.

Dear Author contest – For grade 9 students – Each February all the libraries in the Saint John Library Region promote the Dear Author contest through the area high schools. Write a letter to your favourite author and get it published in the Telegraph Journal and win a gift certificate from Coles. There are ten winners each year who are celebrated at a special reception. Please call all the library at 643-7250 for more information.

Other programs – Seasonal programs, puppet shows and author visits happen throughout the year. Call the library at 643-7250 to find out what is upcoming!

Tours and Visits

Structured Class and Day-care visits to the library – Please book in advance at 643-7250. We’ll show you all about this great big sharing place, read some stories and do a craft, too. For older students, instruction on how to find information from the library catalogue is available.

Drop-by class and day-care visits to the library – These are welcomed and encouraged. Enjoy the children’s area with its books, activity sheets and toys.

West Branch

Programs

Pre-school Storytime – Reading stories, singing songs, finger plays and a craft make up this program for 3 to 5 year olds. Caregivers are encouraged to stay with their children. Promotes language development and a love of reading. No registration required. Fridays 10:30 – 11:00 am

Babies in the Library – Finger plays, knee bounces, lap rhymes and books for babies make up this half hour program for newborns to 18 month olds and their caregivers. Promotes language development, an early love of reading and a love of play. Pre-registration needed.

Time for Tots – An energetic program for active toddlers, including songs, walks, rhymes and rhythms, a story and colouring. Promotes language development and love of reading in a fun way. Pre-registration needed.

Family Drop-In – Parents and children are encouraged to drop by the West Branch Library at any time to read, and have fun colouring, making a simple craft or solving puzzle sheets together. This self-directed program has a different theme every week. Take as long as you want – the space is yours to enjoy as a family. For all ages.

Summer Reading Club – Reading, crafts, new friends and entertainment for kids of all ages. This province-wide program, based on a different theme each year, provides reading fun and challenges throughout the summer. Kids are provided with reading logs and bookmarks, and can choose from a variety of activities offered each week. Programs vary according to age group from story-time; preschool storytime K to 3 Word Warriers; grade 4 + Extreme ACs; and Young Volunteers (age 12 +). A cool way to keep reading over the summer and have fun.

Hackmatack Book Club – Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award is a literary program for young readers in grades 4 to 6 that gives them the opportunity to vote for their favourite fiction and non-fiction books from those competing for the Children’s Choice Book Award for Atlantic Canada. Participants in this club include children who enjoy reading and have a wide range of interests as well as those who want to learn how to improve their reading skills. Meets the second Thursday evening of every month, starting October 12. Please pre-register.

Young Volunteers – Ages 12 and up. Are you enthusiastic, reliable and eager to learn new things? Want to be first in your class to know where to find the latest great novel or look for resources for school assignments. Come find out how the library works and gain valuable experience. You can learn to shelve books and shelf read and to help prepare for children’s programs.

Dear Author Contest for Grade Nine Students – Each February all the libraries in the Saint John Library Region promote the Dear Author contest through the area high schools. Write a letter to your favourite author and get it published in the Telegraph Journal and win a gift certificate from Coles. There are ten winners each year who are celebrated at a special reception. For more information, please call 643-7260.

Other Programs – We offer seasonal programs at Christmas, and during March break and summer holidays. Other special programs, such as puppet shows or author readings, happen throughout the year.

Computers for Public Use – West Branch has six public access computers. Two are dedicated to email and have limits of fifteen minutes each. Four can be booked for a half hour or an hour at a time and have lots of children’s games installed. The computers are here for both homework projects and entertainment. Drop by, or if you want to be assured of a spot, book your time in advance at 643-7260. You will be asked to show your library card, so try not to forget it.

Parents please note our computers offer filter-free access to the Internet and the responsibility for a child’s use of the Internet rests solely with the parent or guardian.

Tours and Visits

Library Visits to Schools – Staff at West Branch will try, as time permits, to visit school classes promoting the library and a love of books and reading. Please call 643-7260 to make arrangements