Update on the broken doors

You might remember this post from the other day, explaining what in the library IS and IS NOT a toy.

I also mentioned that our new automatic sliding doors were broken.

I got a couple of comments - one of which said that breaking the doors would be impossible for a 6 year old.

Turns out, we're both right. It seems that our brand new automatic sliding doors are also 'breakaway' doors, so in case of a power outage, we would still be able to open the doors. Well, the 6 year old had managed to put the door off it's track, therefore causing it to not open and shut automatically as it is supposed to. Broken, yet NOT broken.

You'd think that the powers that be would have informed us of the 'breakaway' feature.

Anyway, the doors are now fixed and all is well in my brand new fabulous library.

Not a toy

At my new library, there happen to be a TON of new things for the kids to play with. For instance, we have a doll house and globe...


some manipulatives...


an AWESOME felt vegetable and flower garden...


and a 'book drop.'


One thing that we have in our library that is NOT A TOY...

THE FRONT DOOR.

That's right, kids, the doors are NOT TOYS. I don't know what kind of place you live in, but your grown-up should have taught you this very important lesson.

The other day, I look up from the information desk to see a youngen of about 6 years old, tugging on the automatic sliding doors, pulling them shut. His grown-ups (THREE of them!!!) were all standing in front of him, just watching him.

I ran (*read: walked with a quickness, because one should not run in the library) over to the family and told the boy that the doors were not toys, and we needed to be careful in the library. None of the grown-ups said ANYTHING. They continued out the door and didn't even look back at me.

That's when I turned around and realized that the automatic sliding doors to my brand new library were now...broken. Nice.

Going for a ride

Time for another Monday Toddler Story time post!! My numbers for Toddler Time have skyrocketed, and I am SO excited about that!! This one was a good one - lots of room for interaction and audience participation!! I dubbed this story time 'going for a ride!'

Opening Song: If You're Happy and You Know It from Favorite Children's Songs CD.


Book: Clip-Clop by Nicola Smee


Rhyme: This Little Piggy

Book: Meeow and the Little Chairs by Sebastien Braun


Song: I'm a Little Teapot

Book: Who is Driving? by Leo Timmers


Interactive Playtime

First Monday

Happy Monday, y'all!!! I have to apologize - it's been a crazy couple of weeks here in library-land. But, I think we're back on track!!! This is a Toddler Story time that I did last week - as you can see I'm a little behind in my blogging!! Anyway - this was our first story time in our brand new space - and it was AWESOME!!!

Opening Song: If You're Happy and You Know It from Favorite Children's Songs CD.


Book: Book! by Kristine O'Connell George


Rhyme: Humpty Dumpty

Book: Whose Baby Am I? by John Butler


Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider

Book: Baby, Baby, Baby by Marilyn Janovitz


Interactive Playtime

Jane Was Here by Sarah Kernochan - Review and Giveaway!!

I have been meaning to write this review for weeks. In fact, I read the book in one sitting on a random day off weeks ago, but have since been (excuse, excuse, excuse, excuse), and have not had a chance to write the review.

Seriously, though - this summer has been insane. I have had a crazy number of visitors, my library moved in to a spankin' new building (did I mention that? Yeah - it's been an intense couple of weeks!), and since the move, our numbers at work have more than tripled. I've been running around like a crazy librarian, and have totally slacked off on my blogging and reviewing duties. Please forgive.

Back to the task at hand, though. As I said, I read Jane Was Here by Sarah Kernochan in one sitting.

From the Book Jacket:

A mysterious young woman calling herself Jane turns up in a small New England town. She claims a fragmentary memory of growing up in this place, yet she has never been here before in her life. Upon her arrival, strange and alarming things begin happening to some of the town's inhabitants. As Jane's memories awaken piece by piece, they carry her back to a long-buried secret, while the townspeople hurtle forward to a horrific event when past and present finally collide.

Now isn't that an intriguing synopsis? That is what initially grabbed me when I decided to review this novel. Ms. Kernochan, a screen writer known for such films as What Lies Beneath, knows how to paint an amazing, and sometimes creepy, picture.

While I don't know if I really felt a lot for the characters, they all played a significant part in the story. It felt to me like everything was intertwined and all the characters intersected not only in the present, but in the past as well. The whole idea of reincarnation and past lives is really intriguing to me, and this book really dives in to one woman's search for answers about her past life.

And, since Ms. Kernochan is a film writer, I can totally see how it would translate into an awesome movie. There were some great twists, and it really kept me guessing to the end. Who knows, we just might see it one day!

But, if that happens, then I want you to be prepared!! I'm going to give away a copy of Jane Was Here to one lucky reader!!! All you have to do is fill out the form below by Thursday, July 28, and I'll pick a winner using Random.org on Friday, July 29!!! And, what the heck, let's include International readers as well!!! Good luck, everyone!!!

Also, a big thank you to Kelley and Hall Book Publicity for sending me a copy of this book!!!

And the winner is...

First of all, I have to apologize for not announcing the winner to my War and Watermelon giveaway sooner!! I can't believe I'm a week late with this!! In my defense, work has been terribly crazy, and I haven't even had a chance to breathe. Not to mention I had some amazing friends in town this past weekend and didn't do much more than sit by the pool, enjoy some adult beverages and ROCK OUT to Poison and Motley Crue (insert 'rock out' face here!).


Did I mention we were 3rd row...from the back?!?! Yeah - STILL AWESOME!!!!!

Anyway, excuses, excuses. But we now have a winner - HOOOORAY!!!

Congratulations to Ann!!!!

I've sent you an email requesting your snail mail address, and I'll forward it on to the publisher. Thanks again to everyone who entered - I hope to have another giveaway soon!!!

Winner was chosen using Random.org Sequence Generator.