Children’s Room

Valentine’s Day – Did You Know?

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“More than two thousand years ago, a holiday similar to Valentine’s Day was celebrated in Rome. But in those times the Romans did not call it Valentine’s Day.  They called the holiday Lupercalia.  Lupercalia means ‘feasts of Lupercus’”. “Celebrations of Valentine’s Day spread to other countries.  During the Middle Ages, people in England believed that birds returned from the south to choose their mates around February 14.  So Valentine’s Day seemed like a perfect time to choose a sweetheart.” “In Italy, young men and women gathered together in flower gardens on Valentine’s Day to listen to music and poetry.  In …

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Non-Fiction for Children!

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One of the unexpected advantages of incorporating books from the now closed satellite library at the Boys & Girls Club is the wonderful non-fiction titles that have moved over.  We had shared two major Scholastic collections, “A Wicked History” and “You Wouldn’t Want to Be . . .” These are both historical sets that have been extremely popular.   Non-fiction books for children have changed dramatically in the last few decades.  Many incorporate colorful illustrations and text that is not only very readable but fascinating as well – as in “hard to put down”   Come in and check out …

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Saturday at the library!

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The Gardiner Public Library is a great place to spend your winter!  The library staff wants you to spend some time enjoying the great programs we have booked.  Last Saturday the library was bustling in all the rooms.  We had Story Hour up in our Children’s Room.  We offer Saturday Story Hour the first Saturday of every month and Babies Love Babies Play Time every Friday from 10-11AM.  We had a Henna Happy Hour in our teen section and we also scheduled a Fireside Chat with State Representative, Gay Grant.  Look for more of these chats in the future. Are …

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Marcel Marceau

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It is always enlightening to learn something about a person which changes ones entire perspective about who that individual truly was. My perception of the legendary mime, Marcel Marceau, was that of a talented performer who’d enjoyed a long career of entertaining audiences around the world.  And although this was correct, he was so much more.  Born Marcel Mangel, a Jew, in Strasbourg, France, he joined the French underground during WW II and was instrumental in rescuing hundreds of Jewish children by leading them out of France over the high Alps to the safety of Switzerland. He also altered the …

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Children’s Room isn’t for children any more!

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This is for those adults who do not adventure up into the children’s room, thinking there is nothing there for them. Do I have an author for you! Phillip Hoose is an amazing children’s writer who lives in Portland, Maine. He has a list of books that he have been published and one that stands out in the library world is The Race to Save the Lord God Bird (2004). This book received the Lupine Award, an award given to an outstanding children’s book with a Maine connection. Phillip Hoose has a new book coming out in July 2012 that …

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From the Children’s Room

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Several months ago the Children’s Room started a 1stSaturday of each month story hour. Time 10 AM to 10:30AM New books are introduced with an old favorite added in now & then. Come join us June 2nd for our next Saturday story hour. The American Library Conference has been held in New Orleans several times in the past so when I read a review for a book about Jean Lafitte, the hero of New Orleans I was curious. Jean was raised by his Jewish grandmother after his mother died and from her he learned how their family suffered for practicing …

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