If your child has not yet registered for the Summer Reading Program, there is still time to do so. If your child has already registered, remember that the program ends on August 11^th so make sure your little one meets his or her reading goal before then. Once your child has read enough books to fulfill his or her goal, bring the game sheet to the Youth Room to get registered for the grand prize drawing and get a ticket for the Book Bash! Only those with a ticket will be able to enter and choose a book from the thousands of titles filling the Story Room from August 13 – 25. So, keep working hard and don’t forget to DREAM BIG – READ!

Summer is winding down but there is still time for travel and fun. Marian has some on-the-road suggestions she thinks you will enjoy.

Tim Egan has written an engaging series of books for young readers about Dodsworth and the duck. Traveling with a duck is always full of surprises. Will Dodsworth ever have a peaceful vacation? Catch up with him in Dodsworth in London, Dodsworth in New York, Dodsworth in Paris, and Dodsworth in Rome.

It's Vacation Time by Lerryn Korda proves you can go on vacation just about anywhere in this clever story for young children. All you have to do is pack - and unpack - the perfect suitcase!

Are you taking a car trip and need an audio book the entire family will enjoy? The Penderwicks: a Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall is perfect. This is a charming old-fashioned story that seems both fresh and familiar. It is a gentle tale of closely-knit families and innocent fun.

Do you have a summer vacation coming up? If so, audio books are a great resource to keep children entertained. We have several popular titles available on CD for long car trips. You can also download something from our eLibrary at www.ebtpl.org and transfer it to an iPod or other device. Kids love listening to new titles and old favorites and audio books count toward summer reading goals. Even if you are not heading out of town, audio books are a fun way to use technology to get children excited about reading.

This month marks the 75th anniversary of the disappearance of Amelia Earhart.  The Earhart Project is leading an expedition on the disappearance on Nikumaroro Island in the Republic of Kiribati.  They will be doing testing and looking for clues.  We have many books on Amelia, so you might want to sharpen your memory on her life and her dreams of flying.  Get ready for some news coming soon from The Earhart Project, as they begin their adventures on July 2, 2012!

Bloomfield Township Public Library has a vast selection of golf books and instructional DVDs.  Check out these great resources first before taking expensive lessons.  Tips from the pro's are always helpful!  Learn the proper swing, the perfect grip, and how to fix a divot!  We also have subscriptions to Golf Digest and Golf Magazine.  Let the Library help you learn a whole new sport or improve the game you have been playing a lifetime!

On Friday, August 3 at 7:30 p.m. the Paul Vornhagen Swing Band will be in concert at the Bloomfield Township Public Library.  Come swing to a concert of big band era standards.  Everyone is welcome to attend this free concert.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
Links to watch past concerts online

If you are beginning to write your own memoirs, consider joining the Memoir Writers' Group at Bloomfield Township Public Library.  The group meets at 1 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of every month in  Meeting Room 1 of our Lower Level.  You can read some of their work on our website.  We also have great books to get you started in your new endeavor!

We are excited to introduce you to our new electronic newsletter that will bring you important information from the Bloomfield Township Public Library Youth Room. We will use this publication to highlight programs your little ones will not want to miss, inform you of special collections to browse, make recommendations of our favorite materials and more. If you would like to continue receiving this eNewsletter, please click here to sign up.

We are pleased to use this first issue of this newsletter to encourage you to sign up for our Summer Reading program! Children ages birth through eighth grade are invited to DREAM BIG – READ! All participants set their own reading goal. Every child who reaches his or her goal wins a prize and is entered into the grand prize drawing. As they work toward their goal, children can attend cool programs, enter weekly drawings, and discover a world of excitement at the library! Our kick-off event is Monday, June 11, 6:00pm – 8:00pm. It is an evening filled with crafts, games and fun for the whole family. You can see our entire calendar of events here. We look forward to seeing you this summer and don’t forget to DREAM BIG – READ!

Packed with books specifically targeting emergent readers, the Beginning to Read section is exactly what you need to keep your new bookworm excited over the summer. From sounding out words all the way to starting chapter books, new readers are sure to find just what they are looking for. They can discover Fly Guy, laugh with Amelia Bedelia, have tea with Fancy Nancy and solve mysteries with Nate the Great as they embrace their love of reading.

Does your beginning reader enjoy the computer? If so, Tumblebooks are an excellent way to encourage a love of reading. These animated, talking picture books are available to anyone with a Bloomfield Township Library Card. Children can read the book on their own or choose to have the computer read the story out loud. After reading the books, children can play interactive games relating to the story.  Several of the titles in the Tumblebook Library recently became compatible with iPads making this resource even more accessible to all. Anyone with a Bloomfield Township Public Library card can access Tumblebooks by clicking the Read, Watch, Listen tab on the youth page of our website.

This month Miss Amy is celebrating the Youth Room Bears - Abercrombie, Cecil and Ebeneezer, who were a 20th anniversary present from the Friends of the Library -  by telling you about some of her favorite bear-themed items available for check out.

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman is the first of a charming series. In this story, all of the animals decide to have a party on a cold night. They choose a sleeping bear’s cave for the festivities. When Bear wakes up, he is sad to have missed all the fun. Later titles in the series follow Bear and his friends as they embark on adventures children will be very familiar with. They include Bear Feels Scared, Bear’s Loose Tooth and the upcoming release, Bear Says Thanks. Be sure to check these out for sweet read that both children and adults will love.

I cannot resist a classic! Stop by our media department to find the Berenstain Bears on DVD. Summer is the perfect time to introduce Papa, Mama, Brother and Sister Bear to a new generation. With plenty of mischief, a dash of mishap, and an important lesson packed into each disc, you can be sure your kids will love the Berenstains as much as you did.

Kinectimals Now with Bears is a video game for the Xbox 360 Kinect system. Children and adults can enjoy interacting with the bears and other animals in the game. Pet them, teach them to fetch, climb a tree with them – these bears are always ready to play!

Celebrations of 60 years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign will be held June 2-5, 2012.  This occasion will be marked by a Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant June 3, 2012, when the Queen's barge leads a seven-mile-long flotilla of 1,000 vessels decorated in Union Jacks and streamers through London down the Thames River.  You may not be able to attend, but you most certainly can check out books from the library all about Queen Elizabeth II, her family and travel books about London.  London will be hosting the Olympics from July 27 - August 12, 2012.  This is certainly the time to research all you ever wanted to know about London! 

Looking for that  next great read?  Try one of these titles!

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman.  After the untimely death of her mother, CeeCee has to move to her great Aunt Tootie's home. She finds strength and wisdom along the way as she learns all about life. 

The Paris wife by Paula Mclain.   Follow Ernest and Hadley Hemingway from America, to Paris in this fictionalized account of their lives.  Ernest is the budding writer and Haldey his most important confidant.  Find out how Hadley became known as Ernest's Paris wife.

A man in full by Tom Wolfe.  In Atlanta, Georgia  Charles Croker, once a college football star, now a late-middle-age conglomerate king whose outsized ego has at last hit up against reality.  Charlie has a 29,000-acre quail-shooting plantation, a young demanding wife and a staggering load of debt. 

You can find our Five Star Fiction and other Summer Reading brochures in the Adult Services Summer Reading display.

The Library offers outstanding travel, hiking and biking travel books for Michigan.  Stop by the Adult Services Desk and ask a Librarian to show you where these are located.  Be careful on the road and enjoy the view!