It’s nearly October and we are already well into our fall programs, all listed on our website and in our new fall program guide, “At Your Library.” Has September really whizzed by so fast?
This coming month also promises to be a busy month! The Purple Lights Nights tree lighting ceremony will be Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. and artwork “Happy Families” by students at The Art Machine will be revealed.
Speaking of art, our annual month-long “Create-A-Creature” contest is back for its third year!
We’re asking creative people of all ages to help us decorate for Halloween by entering their best paper, clay, mixed medium creature creations to display at the library. Prizes will be awarded in several categories and winners announced on Oct. 31. Very spooky!
We’ll also have a variety of presenters in the soon-to-be-rainy evenings from military genealogy (Oct. 3) and a celebration of Canadian women (Oct. 17) to a history of the Fraser-Hope Bridge (Oct. 23).
That’s a quick summary of the programs for grown-ups at the library. We also do children’s story times, both at the library and in the community.
In fact, Krackle the Library Crow has been out and about with me already this fall enjoying his daycare visits and generally getting into mischief.
Last week he was at the daycare in Silver Creek with his buddy, Book Bunny. A good time was had by all. Especially me.
You may have already guessed it. I really do enjoy story time. All the eager faces, each one attentive and ready to get lost in the story. Moreover, puppets rock!
There are so many terrific children’s picture books. And here’s a very, very small sampling:
• The Wonderful Book by Leonid Gore – A lost book transforms into a hat, a bed, and a table and then is found by a little boy who, after reading the story, exclaims “What a wonderful book!”
• Monster Mash by David Catrow – Bobby Pickett and Leonard Capizzi’s classic novelty song from the 1960s comes to life with some truly lively illustrations – a sure Halloween hit!
• Oh No, George by Chris Haughton – George is a good dog faced with oh-so-many temptations. I love this book because it deals with the important developmental task of self-regulation. The illustrations are fabulous and the story hilarious.
And coming soon – Eric Litwin’s latest, Pete the Cat Saves Christmas! In case you missed it, Pete the Cat I Love my White Shoes was an instant favourite here in Hope a few years ago.
Litwin has also written Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons and Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes. I can hardly wait to see this new book!
And by the way, you can visit Hope Library’s very own Pete the Cat … at the library!
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On the nightstand: Just finished Joyner’s Dream by Canadian writer, Sylvia Tyson. This is the story of the Joyner family from England in the 1780s to present day Toronto, written in a family journal form. What a great story this was!
Also, The Western Lit Survival Kit: An Irreverent Guide to the Classics, from Homer to Faulkner by Sandra Newman. The title about says it all.
Also, War Horse by Michael Morpurgo. After seeing Spielberg’s movie War Horse and the DVD War Horses of WWI (both available at the library), I’m anticipating a good read!