Tuesday Storytimes for May

Join Miss Jennifer at the library every Tuesday for preschool storytime. Preschool storytime meets at 10:30 a.m. and is geared for ages 2-5, but siblings are always welcome. Each session consists of 20-25 minutes of stories, songs, and action rhymes followed by a craft. No registration is required. Here are the themes for this month: May 3: Miss Jennifer's Favorites May 10: Monsters May 17: Dogs May 24: Yummy Dessert There will be no storytime on May 31.

Guest Reviewer Alec

Title: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Author: Jeff Kinney Summary: Greg records his sixth grade experiences in a middle school where he and his best friend, Rowley, undersized weaklings amid boys who need to shave twice daily, hope just to survive, but when Rowley grows more popular, Greg must take drastic measures to save their friendship. Alec Says: I liked it because he put good detail in it and you could feel the way he felt in the story.

New DVDs Available

Our DVD collection is ever-expanding, and we have been adding a lot of new award winning titles to the collection. Here are just a few of the movies and documentaries we have in our collection. 127 Hours Black Swan Tangled The King's Speech The Chronicles of Narnia the Voyage of the Dawn Treader Tron: Legacy Inside Job Restrepo If a title is checked out, just put it on hold and we will let you know as soon as it becomes available.

Games for Grownups

We're having a board game day for adults on Sunday, May 1! Play an old favorite, or learn a new game. Games will be provided, but feel free to bring one along and teach it to others. The program will meet from noon to 4:00 pm. Come on down and bring a friend!

New Puppets!

We recently updated our puppet collection here at the library. We replaced old, worn out bags with much nicer and sturdier ones. We also purchased new books for the kits and several new puppets for kids of all ages to enjoy. Some of our new puppets include a shark, an owl, a dog, a cat, a fox, and a hedgehog. Here are some of our new friends waiting to go home with a lucky kid!

Guest Reviewer Kassi

Title: New Moon Author: Stephenie Meyer Summary: When the Cullens, including her beloved Edward, leave Forks rather than risk revealing that they are vampires, it is almost too much for eighteen-year-old Bella to bear, but she finds solace in her friend Jacob until he is drawn into a "cult" and changes in terrible ways. Kassi Says: I liked the book. I really thought that it was a fun book to read. Thumbs up!

Celebrate Earth Day!

Today is Earth Day! Celebrate the occasion by being green at the library. If you have books, movies, puzzles, or CDs sitting around your house that you don't use anymore, bring them over to the library. We accept donations year round to add to our collection or give to the Friends of the Library to sell at their book sale. This is also the time of year that we collect items for our library garage sale. We will take all items except for clothing and mattresses. Do some spring cleaning and help the library at the same time. Donating used materials is one of the easiest ways to prevent waste and be green!

Guest Reviewer Marcus

Title: Eighth Grade Bites Author: Heather Brewer Summary: For thirteen years, Vlad, aided by his aunt and best friend, has kept secret that he is half-vampire, but when his missing teacher is replaced by a sinister substitute, he learns that there is more to being a vampire, and to his parents' deaths, than he could have guessed. Marcus Says: I liked the idea of a half human, half vampire and it was also great because of the funny action.

Early Out Library Special Coming This Week

The last early out library program of the year is on Friday and tomorrow (Wednesday) is the last day to sign up!

Who: 1st and 2nd graders When: Friday, April 22 11:30 am--1:00 pm What: Inside the Earth Collages

Parents must register their kids and have a permission slip turned in by the time the library closes on Wednesday in order to attend. Sign up soon before it is full!

Tax Time is Almost Here...

Normally April 15 is the day when everyone is scrambling to mail in their tax forms. Luckily, this year you have a few extra days to get your taxes finished. The official date for taxes this year is Monday, April 18. So, if you are still finishing things up (or just getting started) we have forms and instruction booklets here at the library. If there is a form you cannot find, just ask a staff person and they will help you get a copy of it.

Exciting New Cake Pans!

We have been very lucky here at the library and have had several fantastic cake pan donations. Some new ones added to the collection include Hello Kitty, Hannah Montana, and a tractor cake pan. We also purchased a Lightning McQueen cake pan from the movie Cars so people can celebrate the new movie coming out this summer. So come to the library to check out a cake pan and get decorating!

Guest Reviewer Erin

Title: The Lightning Thief Author: Rick Riordan Summary: After learning that he is the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, twelve-year-old Percy is sent to a summer camp for demigods like himself, and joins his new friends on a quest to prevent a war between the gods. Erin Says: The book was filled with on-your-toes action. There was also major suspense/mystery. I loved this book!

National Library Week

This week, from April 10-16 is National Library Week. The first National Library Week was observed all the way back in 1958. Since then, the American Library Association and libraries across the country use this week to promote library use. All types of libraries across the country recognize this week. So do your part in celebrating libraries this week. Stop on in and grab a book or a movie. And make sure to thank the Solon City Council and the Johnson County Board of Supervisors for supporting our fine facility.

It's National Volunteer Week

April 10-16 is National Volunteer Week. Our library depends so much on the help we receive from volunteers. Many of the things we do here everyday couldn't be accomplished without their help. So from all of the staff at the library, we want to say a big "Thank You!" to all of our hardworking library volunteers.

Last Early Out Program of the School Year

The last early out library program of the school year will take place on Friday, April 22 for first and second graders. The kids will get out of school at 11:30 am and the library staff will be there to walk them to the library. After eating their sack lunches, we will all make "Inside the Earth" collages to celebrate Earth Day! The program will end at 1:00 pm. Students must register in advance and parents need to sign a permission form for their child to be able to attend. These programs fill up fast, so stop in soon to sign up. The last day to sign up is Wednesday, April 20. More information is available at the library.

Guest Reviewer Zach

Title: Skeleton Key Author: Anthony Horowitz Summary: Reluctant teenage spy Alex Rider, on a routine mission at the Wimbledon tennis championships, gets caught up in Chinese gangs, illegal nuclear weapons, and the suspect plans of his Russian host, General Sarov. Zach Says: I liked this book because it was very unpredictable and there was a lot of action. My favorite part was when Alex killed Conrad with a giant magnet.

April is National Poetry Month

April is a great chance to brush up on your knowledge of poetry. We have everything you need to get started at the library. We have poetry anthologies, biographies of poets, children's poetry, and even books that show you how to write your own poems. So whether you are a fan of Emily Dickinson, Jack Prelutsky, Shel Silverstain, or Maya Angelou we have something here for you.

Book Boxes For Troops

The Friends of the Solon Library has teamed up with the Solon American Legion Auxiliary to send book boxes to local troops serving overseas. They are sending one box a month filled with recent paperbacks, hard candy, as well as some CDs and DVDs. Donations of paperback books, puzzle books, movies, music CDs, candy or decks of cards may be left at the library specifically for the troop boxes. You may also make a monetary donation for postage costs so that an extra box can be sent during the month. Ink pens and chap stick are also great items to fill up the smaller spaces. We've had a great response from patrons so far, so thank you to everyone who has already donated!

Staff Picks Display

Have you ever wondered what a librarian's favorite books might be? Starting this week you can come to the library and see favorite books from all of our staff members on display. There is a wide range of selections from all categories in the library including adult fiction, young adult fiction, juvenile nonfiction, and picture books to name a few. The display will be refreshed continually while it is up, so feel free to take them off the table. Who knows? Maybe you will find a new favorite as well.

Tuesday Storytimes for April

Join Miss Jennifer at the library every Tuesday for preschool storytime. Preschool storytime meets at 10:30 a.m. and is geared for ages 2-5, but siblings are always welcome. Each session consists of 20-25 minutes of stories, songs, and action rhymes followed by a craft. No registration is required. Here are the themes for April: April 5: Ducks April 12: Plants April 19: Messy and Clean April 26: Fish