COMING IN OCTOBER!!

We have so many fun things going on in October---of course, all of our storyhour sessions are ongoing, but it's also time for our monthly book clubs to begin!

The Great Stone Face Reviewer's Club, for 5th and 6th graders, will meet on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm. We choose books from a master list of brand new fiction, and then get together to have a spirited discussion on our likes and dislikes. For our first meeting, on October 5, we'll be talking about the reading we did over the summer, and then listening to Miss Sarah "booktalk" the new master list. From then on, Miss Sarah does most of the listening while the club members talk! Please join us--we have a lot of fun!

Our 'Junior Bookclub' is for kids in grades 2-4. It's a child/parent club, so adults and children gather on the second Wednesday of each month (at 6:30) for a book-related activity, some discussion, and, of course, a snack or two! For our first meeting, we'll be bringing in favorite books that we read over the summer, and then I'll announce the book we'll be reading as a group, for discussion next month. If you haven't tried this before, please consider joining us--we have lots of fun, and we explore some wonderful books together.

HIDE-AND-SEEK GEO-CACHING EVENT
This month we also have a special "book-club event" planned. We will be reading the book Hide and Seek by Katy Grant (one of the 2011-2012 Great Stone Face List choices). This exciting adventure story was a favorite with out Great Stone Face Club last year, and features a boy who loves to go Geo-caching. Not sure what geo-caching is? Read the book and find out---then join us on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 10:00 to discuss the book and learn a little about geo-caching. Then we'll go out into the woods and see if we can find a real geo-cache right here in Amherst! For kids ages 9 and up.




And don't forget our 2nd annual Not-So-Scary Halloween Party---this year, featuring our favorite musician, Steve Blunt, with some not-so-scary Halloween tunes! Everyone is welcome to this performance on Thursday, Oct.27 at 3:30pm. We encourage everyone to come in costume and be ready for a not-so-spooky good time!

STORYTIMES IN FULL SWING!

It's September, and there are stories in the air! Yes, fall storytimes began this week here in Amherst, with "cats" as the theme for our Toddler and Book Bunch groups. Here is Miss Sue with her group of 3-6-year olds, demonstrating this week's craft, a KittyMask. If you and your child would like to join us, please do! Our Toddler Time(2 and 3 year olds) is on Tuesday mornings at 10:00, our Book Bunch groups(3-6 year-olds) meet on Wednesdays at 1:00pm and Thursdays at 10:00am, and we have a Baby Listeners group (newborn-2yrs.) on Fridays at 10:30am. Pre-registration is not required.

Are books becoming obsolete?

The world is a rapidly changing place, that's for sure. Sometimes, as a librarian who has watched the birth of the internet, and the evolution of the e-book, I wonder how things will look in another 20 years....
...but I confess, I really hope there's always a place in this world for a child, a mom, and a good book for them to cuddle up with.