Lego League Launch!

Lego League

Our First Lego League is a Success!

Tuesday evening we hosted our first Lego League with great success. Our participants spent the hour building, creating, and collaborating with peers. Many were excited to find that OBPL has various books available on Lego creations that they could check out for their own use.

The December theme was: Transportation

We had a lot of fun and ended with creations of all kinds. 

Be sure to sign up today for our January Lego League! 

January 14th at 6:30-7:30 pm, ages 4 & up.

Registration is Required!

Posted by Miss Stephanie

  

January-February Programming

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND 

Traveling World of Reptiles

Saturday, January 23

@1pm

Join us for an up-close, live, and extremely "hands-on" experience as you learn about reptiles and amphibians from around the world. An enjoyable experience for all ages!

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND 

Young Artists Workshop

Saturday, February 20th

@1pm

Ages 8-13

After learning about the process of dying fabrics, artists will draw with wax crayon and apply watercolors. We'll learn wet-in-wet painting and texturizing techniques. 

Registration required

Lego League *New

January 14th & February 11th

6:30-7:30pm

Ages 4 & up

Help us kick off our new Lego Building Club. Each month we will let our creativity run wild and incorporate STEM skills into our builds. There will be Lego building books available to help spark ideas. 

Registration Required! Groups of 1-4 people. 

Maker's Workshops

Make Your Own Soap

Saturday, January 9th

1pm

Ages 5 & up

Come be a part of a maker's workshop where you have the opportunity to make soap...all by yourself! We will be showing students how to produce, color, and shape your very own bar of soap. Each bar of soap will contain a special creature inside. Please join us for this unique workshop experience. 

Sand Art Fun

Saturday, February 13th

1pm

Grades 2 & Up

Would you like to be on a beach or escape to some place warm? Well, we

cannot provide the beach or the sun, but we do have sand! Take a break from the cold and join us in making beautiful colored sand designs. Fill small containers in various shapes with multicolored sand.

Storytime Schedule

**Registration is Required for all Storytimes

Toddling 2s & 3s

Thursdays at 10:30 am

January 14, 21, 28, February 4, 11, 18

Your two or three year old will surely enjoy this interactive storytime that includes marvelous books, flannel boards, music, and a simple craft. Children must be age 2 by January 1, 2016. Parents must accompany their child in this program.

Fantastic 4s & 5s

Tuesdays at 4:30 pm

January 12, 19, 26, February 2, 9, 16

We will wiggle and giggle in this fun-filled storytime. Activities, crafts, music, and lively stories strengthen early reading skills. Children must be age 4 by January 1, 2015.

Storytime Art - Grades K-2

Wednesdays at 4:30 pm

January 13, 20, 27, February 3, 10, 17

Are you nuts about books and art? Then join us for this creative story time. We will read a story and then do an art project inspired by the book.

Book Discussions

Do you like reading a good book and then sharing it with others? Not only will we talk about the stories and characters, but we will also discover fun facts about each book as well as the authors. Snacks will be provided. See the Circulation Desk for a copy of the book a few weeks prior to each session. Recommended for Grades 5 and Up

Greenglass House

By Kate Milford

Thursday, January 28th

4:30 pm.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

By Gennifer Choldenko

Thursday, February 25th

4:30 pm.  

Call 1-630-368-7733 to sign up!

A Blizzard of Books

A Blizzard of Books

Sign-up for Winter Reading beginning December 20th! 

Spend some time over winter break reading or listening to books and come by the library with your reading logs for prizes along the way! 

Audiobooks are available to check out for free and can be applied towards winter reading logs! Check them out directly at Oak Brook Public Library or from the OBPL website as an e-download. 

A Blizzard of [Audio]Books video created by Miss Stephanie. 

Goodreads Choice Awards 2015--MD's Favorite Finalists

Every year I look forward to the goodreads choice awards. For those of you who don't know, goodreads is a website where you can keep track of books you have read, and you can recommend books to your friends.* Although my favorite picture book of the year (and my favorite chapter book of the year) were not chosen as the final winners, my favorites did make it into the top ten. So, here are my favorite children's books of 2015.

Picture Books

Red: A Crayon's Story, by Micheal Hall

Red: A Crayon's Story is the tale of a crayon that is labeled "red" but is in fact blue. This difference causes some problems when red crayon is needed to draw some red things, like ripe summer strawberries. But as you can guess...they come out blue.

Below, red crayon tries to make a red ant. But alas! It comes out as a blue ant. 

I like this story because it has very creative, and charming illustrations. It also contains a well-written narrative. I think many people, big and small, can relate to red crayon's struggle, as he may be labeled as one thing by everyone else, but deep inside he is something different. Like red crayon, we all need help to learn how to accept and love unique parts of ourselves. 

Juvenile Book 

The Marvels, written & illustrated by Brian Selznick

There are few books as trail-blazing and unique as Brian Selznick's The Marvels. The first part of the book is composed of hundreds of breath-taking illustrations, which tell the story of several generations in the Marvel family. 

Here, have a look-see:

After these illustrations, begins the story of a boy in the 1990's, as he runs away from school to look for his uncle. This young boy, Joseph Jervis, learns about his family history---and perhaps, even more about himself. At his uncle's strange and glorious home, clues unfold as to where Joseph's family has come from, and perhaps, the avenues in which Joseph can escape his stifling life. 

And yes, without revealing any more of the plot, this book was incredibly moving. One that I am glad to hear several other youth-lit aficionados got teary-eyed over.**

So, those were my top goodreads picks. As I said, they did not win the goodreads choice awards for 2015, but that's okay. 

After all, that's what librarians do: we spread the books. 

MD

*Goodreads: Think Facebook meets your own personal library, but with no wedding photos, or uncle Bill's political opinions.

**Let's be honest with ourselves, we sobbed and there's no denying it.

December Programming

Here are some upcoming programs we have scheduled for December. Call us at 1-630-368-7733 to register. We hope to hear from you!

Maker's Workshops

Snowman Luminary Candle
Saturday, December 12 @1 pm
Looking for a great winder gift for a family member, or friend? Need the space and supplies to do it? We are happy to announce another maker's workshop, where we will be creating a snowman luminary candle holder.
Registration required. Ages 5 and Up.

Create a Craft
Drop in and make winter-related crafts to take home. All ages welcome.
11:00-2:00pm on December 21, 22, 23, and 28
Youth service program room. Walk-ins welcome.

New Program! 

Lego League

Tuesday, December 15th
6:30-7:30pm
Ages 4 & Up

Registration required.

Sign up in groups of 1-4 people. 

We are excited to announce our new Lego League. This monthly program will allow participants to build, create, and grow. Each month will have a new theme with resources available for building ideas. This program will help build STEM skills, creativity, and group thinking.

Storytimes

Toddling Twos and Threes
Thursdays @ 10:30 am
December 3, 10, and 17

Your two year old will surely enjoy this interactive storytime that includes marvelous books, flannel boards, music, and a simple craft. Children must be age 2 by November 1, 2015. Parents accompany child in this program.
Registration required.

Grades K-2 Storytime Art
Wednesdays @ 4:30 pm
December 2, 9, and 16
Are you nuts about books and art? then join us for this creative story time. We will read a story and then do an art/craft project inspired by the book,
Registration required.

Book Club
Thursday, December 17 @ 4:30 pm
Book discussion and snacks.
This month's book: "When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead.

Bingo
Tuesday, December 29 @ 3pm
Bingo session with some great prizes.

All ages. Walk-ins welcome.

And if you want to save these dates to your phone calendar, check the google calendar of events on our sidebar!

YS Staff

Let your creativity run wild

New Program! 

Lego League

Tuesday, December 15th
6:30-7:30pm
Ages 4 & Up

Registration required.

Sign up in groups of 1-4 people. 

We are excited to announce our new Lego League. This monthly program will allow participants to build, create, and grow. Each month will have a new theme with resources available for building ideas. This program will help build STEM skills, creativity, and group thinking.

Posted by Stephanie.

Halloween Party, 2015

Our annual Youth Service Halloween party is a highly-anticipated event. And because of that, us youth service librarians spend a lot of time thinking about it, and preparing for it. 

To give you an idea, here is a picture of me, pre-party:

The excitement was real. 

In kicking off the party, we had some games, crafts, and some excellent volunteers to help us out:

Next we had another Halloween party favorite. Wrap-A-Librarian.

Here Miss Theresa is showing strategic methods in mummy making:

And so, the wrapping commenced: 

What is that....? Our mummy is coming alive?

Balloons were released, and then there was trick-or-treating around the library. 

Special thanks to our volunteers who made this event possible, and master of events, Miss Theresa. Also, special thanks to Librarian Melissa, who took on the highly claustrophobic task of being our resident mummy librarian. Your bravery made for some fun times. 

This is a photograph of me, at the end of the party:

To Good Times, 

Librarian MD.