Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Election Links to Explore



The final Presidential Debate aired last night and voting is only two weeks (less than that now) away. Do you want to explore more about elections? You've come to the right place!

First, be sure to stop by and check out the display pictured to your left where we are featuring books on elections, the various parties (political parties), and books on Presidents at Blue Bell. You'll never know what you learn from a book about the Presidents or the elections.

Now, below are some kid-friendly sites that you can explore. The sites were included based on how informative they were as well as fun. Some aren't nearly as much fun as others, but the information was just too good to pass up.

For Kids

PBS Kids: TheDemocracy Project - Explore information about the election from learning about the candidates to printing posters as well as enjoy facts from previous elections by traveling the “Voting Time Machine” This is perfectly designed for kids with awesome graphics, animation, and information. (Grades K-12)

Ben’s Guide to U.S.Government for Kids - A more "wordy" resource compared to others resources out there but is a great starting point to understanding elections, how candidates become candidates, and what happens on election day. (Grades 9-12)

Time for Kids:Election 2012 - Voice your thoughts on election issues, learn about current election news, and study information about the candidates. (Grades 3-9)

Fans of infographics (those really neat images that have a start here, read fact, move on) will enjoy this page. Bite sized pieces of information explain how one becomes President as well as the election process in simple language (Grades K-5)


For Parents & Educators

These two resources link you to even more resources!

USA.Gov – Learn aboutElections and Voting: A collection of resources that the government gathered for you that you can use with your children to help them better understand the election.

NeverEndingSearch –Election Resources to Share: Another collection of resources, from a secondary level school librarian in the area, that you can use with your children to help them better understand the election. The resources collected here are more appropriate for a secondary level classroom.

Let us know if there are more links to include in the comments.

Keep on reading!

Friday, October 19, 2012

New Kids Reads (Oct. 19)

After a few weeks of not very many new books, we have a lot of new books hitting the shelves! Be sure to check Wowbrary for the full listing of books we got this week. This is only the sampling that is going to the shelves today.

Board Books
Picture Books
  • Ollie's School Day : a Yes-and-No Book by Stephanie Calmenson; illustrated by Abby Carter - JJ CAL Asks the reader a series of yes or no questions as Ollie gets dressed, spends a day at school, and returns home
  • Valentine and His Violin by Philip Hopman - JJ HOP Valentine believes he is good at playing the violin, and although the sounds he makes are more noise than music, he does have a special skill
Chapter Books
Non-Fiction
Graphic Novels

Parent-Teacher

Thursday, October 11, 2012

New Kids Reads (Oct. 11)

New stuff found their way to the shelves today!

New Picture Books
New Chapter Books
All titles are click-able and will take you to the catalog.

Keep on Reading!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Star Wars Reads Day!

Star Wars Fans unite! We now have two special Star Wars Days now to celebrate! One day happens in May (May the 4th, get it?) and is a somewhat unofficial tradition, but now we have a day in October: Today! October 6th is Star Wars Reads Day. Today is the perfect day to grab a Star Wars themed book (from your library), curl up in your favorite reading spot (today you can be indoor or outdoor) and read a new or old favorite Star Wars book. Surprisingly, we have a lot of great Star Wars books on the shelves today and you can find our display for a selected few as well as some awesome activities.

Star Wars Display at Blue Bell
Check out our display at Blue Bell today!

Let us help you find the droids, er, books, you're looking for!

Keep on Reading!
Miss Tegan

PS: Stay tuned for a VERY SPECIAL Star Wars Day on March 2nd with special appearances by Storm Troopers and maybe Darth Vader. Mark your calendar now.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

New Kids Reads (October 4)

We have a few new books for kids this week. Don't worry though. I've been told next week there will be a lot more books hitting the shelves. Check them out! As usual, the titles are clickable and take you to the catalog.

New Chapter Books
New Non-Fiction
Keep on reading!