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Category: Children

MAY 7, 2013

Wausau Story Time Changes for Summer

Summer is coming, and with it the Summer Library Program at MCPL!

The next couple of weeks the Wausau Headquarters children's department will be busy with school tours, so there will be no story times May 12th through June 9th at the Wausau Headquarters library.

Book Babies, Tales for Tots and Preschool Story Times will continue through summer with an adjusted schedule.

Beginning June 10th, join us for Sweet Dreams Story Time.
This story time will be offered every Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. throughout the summer. Come join the summer fun!

{{2013-06-09}}

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Categories: Children, Summer Reading Program, Storytimes

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APRIL 15, 2013

Children's Choice Book Awards!

Kids- Vote for your Favorite in the Children’s Choice Book Awards! Who do you think should be “2013 Author of the Year?” Jeff Kinney? Rick Riordan? Which book do you think should be “2013 Book of the Year?” Pete the Cat? Bad Kitty? Dork Diaries? Celebrate Children’s Book Week, May 13-19, by choosing your favorites! From now thru May 9^th kids can vote for their favorite author, illustrator and book. Your voice counts! To vote, use the link below and start by choosing your age category and vote for your favorites. Then visit the MCPL Wausau children’s department and receive your very own “I Voted” sticker. And join us on May 20^th for a Children’s Book Week celebration at 10:30am!

http://www.bookweekonline.com/voting
{{05/10/2013}}

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Categories: Children, Awards, Books

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MARCH 20, 2013

Spring Break at the Library

Spring Break at the Library!

Family LEGO Club

11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 26th

Families can create creative LEGO structures.

LEGOs and DUPLO blocks will be provided.

Movie Matinee

2 p.m. March 27th

Free children's movie matinee in our story time room.

DIY Crafts

11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 28th

Stop in and make your own creations. Supplies will be provided.

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Category: Children

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FEBRUARY 7, 2013

Rothschild Story Time Changes

Please note: Effective the week of February 18, 2013, Family Story Time at MCPL Rothschild will meet Tuesday and Friday mornings at 10:30am. (Previously, this story time met Wednesdays and Fridays at the same time.)

{{2013-02-28}}

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Categories: Children, Rothschild Branch

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FEBRUARY 6, 2013

February is Love Your Library Month!

Kids! Get into the festive book spirit and check out a "Mystery Book" found in the children's area at the Wausau Headquarters Library. The "mystery" is that you don't know what book it is until you check it out!
If you like, write a review or draw a picture about your "Mystery Book". A review sheet/drawing sheet is included. Return your book review or drawing to the children's desk at MCPL Headquarters and receive a nifty bookmark to save your place in the next book you read. Happy Reading!

{{2013-02-28}}

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Categories: Children, Books

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JANUARY 31, 2013

Easy Readers

At the Wausau, Marathon County Public Library location, books for children who are learning to read independently are now shelved together by authors' last names. Parents and children can now choose books that match their abilities using the following recommendations from the library children’s staff when choosing a reading level.

RED- beginning reader: simple short stories, with easy text, only a few words on each page and many pictures to help tell the story.
BLUE- emergent reader: books have one or two lines of text on each page with simple sentences and pictures to help tell the story.
GREEN- semi-fluent reader, these books have more complex story structures with a plot, more sentences to a page and more difficult vocabulary.
YELLOW- fluent reader: books with short chapters, more complex vocabulary and sentence structure, with few pictures.

These colors will appear on the spine of all easy reader books. Ask MCPL children’s staff for more details.

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Categories: Children, Books, Storytimes

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JANUARY 29, 2013

2013 Award Winners: Newbery, Caldecott, Seuss, and Printz

The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books for children and young adults this week. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the awards encourage original and creative work. Please note this is a partial listing. Use the link at the bottom of this post for a complete list.

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen -- Winner: Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children.

Creepy Carrots by Illustrated by Peter Brown, written by Aaron Reynolds -- Honor Book: Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children.

Extra Yarn by Illustrated by Jon Klassen, written by MarcBarnett -- Honor Book: Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children.

Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger -- Honor Book: Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children.

One Cool Friend by Illustrated by David Small, written by Toni Buzzeo -- Honor Book: Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children.

Sleep Like a Tiger by Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Mary Logue -- Honor Book: Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children.

Up, Tall and High! by Ethan Long -- Winner: Seuss Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book.

Let's Go For A Drive! by Mo Willems -- Honor Book: Seuss Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book.

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin and James Dean -- Honor Book: Seuss Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book.

Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover by Cece Bell -- Honor Book: Seuss Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate -- Winner: Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature.

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz -- Honor Book: Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature.

Bomb: The Race to Build - And Steal - the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin -- Honor Book: Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature.

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage -- Honor Book: Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature.

In Darkness by Nick Lake -- Winner: Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz -- Honor Book: Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults.

Code name Verity by Elizabeth Wein -- Honor Book: Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults.

Dodger by Terry Pratchett -- Honor Book: Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults.

The White Bicycle by Beverly Brenna -- Honor Book: Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults.

www.ala.org/newws/pr?id=12298

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Categories: Awards, Teen Zone, Children

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JANUARY 15, 2013

Rainbow Fish & Tween Reading Clubs

Attention kids! Join the MCPL Rainbow Fish and Tween Reading Clubs any time, now thru April. Pick up a club card at the Children's Desk in the Wausau Library. Each time you check-out library materials get your card punched at the Wausau children's desk. When you have 5 punches you will be able choose a prize from our Treasure Chest. In addition, children 2nd grade and under, will be able to put their name on a scale to add to the fish mural in the children's department and 3rd thru 5th graders will be able to add their name to the ocean map in the Tween Scene. Cards can be punched thru April 26th,
so join now!!!
{{2013-06-01}}

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Categories: Children, Book Clubs, Storytimes

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JANUARY 8, 2013

Aquarium now open in Wausau!

We have fish! The saltwater aquarium in the children's department at the MCPL Wausau Headquarters is now open to the public. Stop by and check it out, or visit our aquarium photo album on Facebook.{{2013-01-22}}

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Category: Children

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DECEMBER 28, 2012

Wausau Story Time Changes

Change in the scheduled time for Book Babies Story Time!

To provide a quality story time that specifically addresses the developmental needs of children from birth to 23 months, we are offering one story time session at 10:00 a.m. on Monday mornings.

Change in Tuesday's Story Time!

Story time for two-year-olds will now include three-year-olds and is renamed, "Tales for Tots". Most two-year-olds and three-year-olds share the same developmental milestones. According to www.usa.gov, developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. (http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/toddlers2.html) In our efforts to provide quality story time and foster the language skills and learning skills of two-year-olds and three-year-olds, we are combining these ages into a story time called "Tales for Tots"! The scheduled time for the newly named "Tales for Tots" will remain the same on Tuesdays at 9:45 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Other Story Times

Preschool Story Time schedule remains the same. It is offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.

Family Story Time schedule remains the same on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.

"Play and Learn" Story Time will continue to be offered on Fridays at 9:30 a.m.

"Sweet Dreams" Story Time on Monday evenings has ended for the season. It will resume in the summer. Watch for it then!
{{2013-03-31}}

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Categories: Children, Storytimes

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DECEMBER 5, 2012

Book Bundles

Due to the holiday season, Marathon County Public Library will have a break in story times. No need to worry though, Book Bundles are here! By checking out a Book Bundle, you can put on an educational story time for your children at home.

Each Book Bundle has a set of three themed books and an accessory sheet. The accessory sheets have suggested songs, fingerplays, and early literacy activities that match the theme of the books. Some themes we have include “Bears and Hibernation,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Under the Sea,” and many more.

Book Bundles are currently located near the picture books and “favorite characters” shelf in the Wausau Children's Department. Simply pick out a theme and check it out at the Children's Desk. We ask that you return the three books and accessory sheet to the Children's Desk as well.

Storytimes will resume in January, but until then keep your children excited about reading and learning with Book Bundles!

{{2013-01-01}}

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Categories: Children, Books

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NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Holiday Story Time Breaks

To accommodate the upcoming holidays, there will be short breaks in our regular story time schedule over the next few months, as follows:

	last meets	resumes
Wausau	12/15	1/2
Athens	12/18	1/8
Edgar	12/20	1/10
Hatley	12/18	1/8
Marathon City	12/20	1/10
Mosinee	12/19 **	1/9
Rothschild	12/21 *	1/4
Spencer	12/19	1/16
Stratford	12/19	1/9

* The Rothschild story time on 12/28 will still meet.
** Also, the Mosinee story time on 11/21 won’t meet

(from the MCPL Newsletter, Nov. 2012-Jan. 2013) {{2013-01-01}}

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Categories: Children, Storytimes, Newsletter

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NOVEMBER 3, 2012

Nintendo Wii @ the Library!

Nintendo Wii is now available for students 8-12 years old in the Tween Scene at the Wausau Library! The new gaming system offers tweens a new way to learn and experience gaming.

"Why do libraries celebrate gaming? Library gaming programs encourage interaction between patrons of all ages and cultures. As games have evolved over the years to become more dynamic – requiring more interaction and socialization amongst players – so have libraries, by re-energizing themselves as community learning centers. Libraries still provide traditional services, but continue to change by offering new formats like video games and programs like family gaming nights...." states the American Library Association at http://ngd.ala.org

So, you're ready to play the Wii--it's easy!

Tweens must give their library card to staff at the children's desk.
Staff will provide tweens with the equipment needed to play.
Play is limited to 1/2 hour sessions.
Tweens return the Wii equipment to the children's desk when they are finished.

Stop by the Tween Scene at the Wausau Library to play and learn on the Nintendo Wii.

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Categories: Children, technology, Teen Zone

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OCTOBER 26, 2012

Kids VOTE!

The Winner is Duck!!! Hey kids- Your parents weren't the only ones that had a chance to vote. 367 Marathon County kids voted for "President" in the MCPL Children's area in Wausau. 2 library books were up for election "Grace for President" by Kelly DiPucchio and "Duck for President" by Doreen Cronin. Duck won by a landslide with 229 votes to 138 votes for Grace. Thank you to all of the kids that voted! {{11-11-12}}

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Categories: Children, Government Information, Awards

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SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Check out the Tween Scene!

A special area with books, computers and resources for kids in grades 3-5.

With the ongoing success of TeenZone and further improvements in the Children’s Department, the Wausau library is developing an area and programming for members of an age group who often feel left out: tweens.

Tweens are in that awkward time of life when they are no longer just children, but not quite teenagers. We’ve defined them as ‘children in third, fourth or fifth grade.’

The Tween Scene features colorful artwork, a carefully selected collection of books, computers, funky furniture and a gaming station. Our goal is to provide a safe and engaging place for tweens to read, do homework, play games or just relax.

In addition to the new area, a variety of tween events are planned, including Roald Dahl Day (9/25), Tween LEGO® Club (first mtg.: 10/9), Scary Stories Told in the Dark (10/30), Tween Game Night (11/27) and more. These programs will help tweens build self-esteem, make friends and learn something new. If you have suggestions for future events, we’d love to hear them; please contact us!

Next time you are at the Wausau library, check out the Tween Scene! It’s on the first floor in the southwest corner of the Children’s Department.

(from the MCPL Newsletter, Sept.-Nov. 2012)

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Categories: Children, Newsletter

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AUGUST 24, 2012

BeeHive Books!

What's all the Bzzzz about? BeeHive Books in the Tween Scene! Are you looking for a good book to read and don't know where to start? We suggest trying a book with a beehive on the spine. If you are a kid who typically doesn't like to read, there is a good chance you will like these books. BeeHive books have an attractive appearance, clear vocabulary, a high interest hook within the first 10 pages, well-defined characters, humor and an interesting, action packed plot. Ask at the Wausau Library Children's Desk for more information or start looking for a BeeHive book only found in the Tween Scene.

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Categories: Books, Reading, Children

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JULY 14, 2012

100 Books to Read Before Kindergarten

This list is modified from the New York Public Library's "100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know."

1. Hug – Jez Alborough
2. Old Black Fly – Jim Aylesworth
3. Ten, Nine, Eight – Molly Bang
4. Machines at Work – Byron Barton
5. Madeline – Ludwig Bemelmans
6. The Mitten: a Ukrainian Folktale – Jan Brett
7. Goodnight Moon – Margaret Wise Brown
8. Bad Kitty – Nick Bruel
9. Mr. Gumpy’s Outing – John Bunting
10. Little Cloud – Eric Carle
11. The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Eric Carle
12. Maisy Goes to the Library – Lucy Cousins
13. Ten Black Dots – Donald Crews
14. Freight Train – Donald Crews
15. Click Clack, Moo: Cows That Type – Doreen Cronin
16. Good Dog, Carl – Alexandra Day
17. Jamberry – Bruce Degen
18. Gossie – Olivier Dunrea
19. Are You My Mother – P.D. Eastman
20. Go, Dog, Go – P.D. Eastman
21. Eating the Alphabet – Lois Ehlert
22. Planting a Rainbow – Lois Ehlert
23. Color Zoo – Lois Ehlert
24. Go Away, Big Green Monster – Ed Emberly
25. Olivia – Ian Falconer
26. Bark, George – Jules Feiffer
27. Lunch – Denise Fleming
28. In the Tall, Tall Grass – Denise Fleming
29. Mama Cat Has Three Kittens – Denise Fleming
30. Corduroy – Don Freeman
31. Millions of Cats – Wanda Gag
32. The Three Bears – Paul Galdone
33. Is Your Mama a Llama? – Deborah Guarino
34. Kitten’s First Full Moon – Kevin Henkes
35. Off to School, Baby Duck! – Amy Hest
36. Where’s Spot? – Eric Hill
37. Bread and Jam for Frances – Russell Hoban
38. Rosie’s Walk – Pat Hutchins
39. Julius – Angela Johnson
40. Harold and the Purple Crayon – Crockett Johnson
41. Henry Hikes to Fitchburg – D.B. Johnson
42. Hello, Goodbye Window – Norton Juster
43. The Snowy Day – Ezra Jack Keats
44. Whistle for Willie – Ezra Jack Keats
45. Leo the Late Bloomer – Robert Kraus
46. The Carrot Seed – Ruth Krauss
47. The Story of Ferdinand – Munro Leaf
48. Tacky the Penguin – Helen Lester
49.Swimmy – Leo Lionni
50. Froggy Gets Dressed – Jonathan London
51. George and Martha – James Marshall
52. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? – Bill Martin
53. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom – Bill Martin
54. The Squeaky Door – Margaret Read McDonald
55. Goin’ Someplace Special – Patricia McKissack
56. Martha Speaks – Susan Meddaugh
57. Favorite Nursery Rhymes from Mother Goose – Scott Gustafson
58. I Kissed the Baby! – Mary Murphy
59. The Jacket I Wear in the Snow – Shirley Neitzel
60. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie – Laura Numeroff
61. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt – Helen Oxenbury
62. Jazz Baby – Lisa Wheeler
63. The Tale of Peter Rabbit – Beatrix Potter
64. Goodnight Gorilla – Peggy Rathmann
65. Officer Buckle and Gloria – Peggy Rathmann
66. Curious George – H.A. Rey
67. My Friend Rabbit – Eric Rohmann
68. The Line-up Book – Mariabina Russo
69. First the Egg – Laura Vaccaro Seeger
70. Where the Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak
71. Hop On Pop – Dr. Seuss
72. One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish – Dr.Seuss
73. Duck on a Bike – David Shannon
74. No, David! – David Shannon
75. It Looked Like Spilt Milk – Charles G. Shaw
76. Sheep in a Jeep – Nancy E. Shaw
77. Come Along Daisy – Jane Simmons
78. The Stray Dog – Marc Simont
79. Fire Truck – Peter Sis
80. Caps for Sale – Esphyr Slobodkina
81. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble – William Steig
82. Dinosaur Roar – Paul Stickland
83. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly – Simms Taback
84. Have You Seen My Duckling? – Nancy Tafuri
85. Polar Express – Chris Van Allsburg
86. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day – Judith Viorst
87. Ira Sleeps Over – Bernard Waber
88. Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile – Bernard Waber
89. Mouse Paint – Ellen Stoll Walsh
90. Tuesday – David Wiesner
91. Max Cleans Up – Rosemary Wells
92. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus – Mo Willems
93. Knuffle Bunny – Mo Willems
94. I Went Walking – Sue Williams
95. A Chair for My Mother – Vera B. Williams
96. The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, & the Big Hungry Bear – Audrey Wood
97. The Napping House – Audrey Wood
98. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? – Jane Yolen
99. Trashy Town – Andrea Zimmerman
100. Harry the Dirty Dog – Gene Zion

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Categories: Children, Reading Recommendations

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JULY 9, 2012

Update: Story Times

Several locations ended their story times in May. The dates these story times will resume are noted below. Ongoing story times are also included. For the most up-to-date information throughout the year, visit www.mcpl.us/childrens/storytimes

Family Story Time (all ages)
· MCPL Wausau - Sat., 10:30am (starts 9/22)
· MCPL Athens - Tue., 10:00am (starts 9/18)
· MCPL Edgar - Thu., 9:30am (starts 9/13)
· MCPL Hatley - Tue., 10:30am (ongoing)
· MCPL Marathon City - Thu., 10:00am (starts 9/13)
· MCPL Mosinee - Wed., 10:00am (starts 9/12)
· MCPL Rothschild - Wed., 10:30am (ongoing)
· MCPL Spencer - Wed., 10:00am (starts 9/5/12)
· MCPL Stratford - Wed., 10:15am (starts 9/12)

"Sweet Dreams" Family Story Time
· MCPL Wausau - Mon., 6:30pm (ongoing)

"Play & Learn" Family Story Time
· MCPL Wausau - Fri., 9:30am (ongoing)

Preschool Story Time (3-5 years old)
· MCPL Wausau - Wed. & Thu., 10:30am (ongoing)

Tales for Twos (24-35 months old)
· MCPL Wausau - Tue., 9:45am & 10:30am (ongoing)

Book Babies (0-23 months old)
· MCPL Wausau- Mon., 9:45am & 10:30am (ongoing)

(from the MCPL Newsletter, July-Sept. 2012)

{{2012-07-01}}

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Categories: Newsletter, Children

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JUNE 27, 2012

Start and Keep Children Reading

Start reading to your child early; read board and picture books to your baby, repeat nursery rhymes, and sing and talk to them often.
Set aside some special time daily to read to your child separately and together with your family.
Ask your child questions about books that they are reading; read the same book and discuss it with them.
Get them hooked on books in a series; there are lots of good series books, like the Magic Tree House series, that will keep them interested and reading for a long time (48^th book to be released this July)
Discover what type of books they like and help them find similar books and authors.
Find books and magazine articles about anything that your child is interested in—even reluctant readers or children who struggle with reading will want to read about their favorite sports star, movie character or activity.
A love of reading and learning is contagious. When children see you reading and visiting your library often they will want to also.
Give children free rein with their reading choices; allow them to read widely and freely.
Place books in a special place in your home; buy books for children as a part of their holiday and birthday gifts and encourage relatives and friends to do the same.
Make reading a fun activity; encourage your children to select books at their reading level and interest.
Encourage your children to participate in fun reading clubs, like the Summer Library Program @your library.

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Categories: Children, Summer Reading Program

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JUNE 5, 2012

Find books at your child's reading level

Finding books at the right level is key to reading enjoyment and enrichment. Here are a few tips:

Use the five-finger rule.
Have your child open the book to any page and start reading. Hold up one finger for every word your child does not know or has trouble pronouncing. When you have finished the page, look at the number of fingers you have up. Zero to one finger means that the book may be too easy for your child. Two to three fingers means that the book is at your child’s level. Four fingers means the book may be challenging for your child. Five fingers mean that the book may be too frustrating for your child at this time.

If you would like a list of books at your child’s individual level, we recommend using our online resource: Novelist K-8.This resource is available through MCPL’s website from anywhere you have internet access at http://mcpl.us/research/online/?resource=NoveListK8

Novelist K-8 uses Lexile ratings to measure the difficulty of a book based on word frequency and sentence length. (For more information about Lexiles, click here.) Please note, that lexile level does not take into account the appropriateness of the subject matter or content of a book, only the difficulty of the text.

Most schools in the area use the guided reading method and corresponding letters to measure a student’s reading level. If you know your child’s guided reading level, you can use this chart from Scholastic to convert the guided reading level to a Lexile number. If you do not know your child’s guided reading level, you can search Novelist K-8 for a book your child has already read and use that book’s Lexile to determine an appropriate Lexile range for your child.

Once you know your child’s Lexile range, use the Advanced Search in Novelist K-8 to generate a list of books. Here’s how:

Go to Novelist K-8 http://mcpl.us/research/online/?resource=NoveListK8
Click on “Advanced Search” below the search bar.
On the Advanced Search page, you can either choose from the “Lexile Range” drop down menu on the left.
Click on search in the bottom left corner of your screen.

If the list is too large, use the menus in the left column of the page to narrow your search by genre, storyline, pace, tone, and subject. You may also see titles that are not age appropriate for your child. Use the menu in the right column to limit your search to items in the correct age range.

MCPL staff are happy to help you find books for your child and learn more about Novelist K-8. All you need to do is ask!

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Categories: Children, Novelist K-8, Reading Level

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MAY 16, 2012

Dream Big--Read!

Dreams and wishes and sleepy-time kisses! It’s Dream Big-Read, the Summer Library Program @ your MCPL library. We have so much fun planned this summer for kids, teens and families that you just have to stop in, grab some good reading and go to a program or two.

Visiting a Marathon County library near you this summer are musicians/songwriters Tom Pease and Rich Baumann, juggler Bob Kann, the Raptor Education Group with large raptor birds, magician Professor Marvel a.k.a. Rob Halbrook, and more. You can also join us for a pool party at Memorial Park, meet us at the ballpark for a Woodchucks game, read to (and pet) therapy dogs, do some dreamy crafts, and bring the family (in your “jammies” if you wish) for a Sweet Dreams storytime on Monday nights 6:30pm @ MCPL Wausau (begins June 4).

If you are a teen (completed grades 6-12), we also have a special reading club and programs just for you--a scavenger hunt, art party, tie dye t-shirts, martial arts demonstration, mad science night, improv comedy and more are planned Tuesday nights at 6:00pm @MCPL Wausau.

And don’t forget to read this summer and submit reading tickets @ your local MCPL. Teens earn rewards by submitting reading tickets online or writing book reviews. Monthly drawings for prizes will be held.

The Summer Library Program begins on June 3. A complete list of Summer programs is online.