Are you a fan of Roald Dahl? He wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, BFG…all of these have been movies (although we need a new BFG version). Anyway, Fantastic Mr. Fox is coming to theaters Nov. 25! And what happens around our library branches before a new kids’ movie? We have our Read-it-Before-You-See-It programs for older kids, ages 9 and up! We do lots of fun activities, eat popcorn, and even have a drawing for a free movie ticket! Here’s the schedule of our Fantastic Mr. Fox programs:

• Monument Branch: Fri., Nov. 6 at 4:15 p.m.
• East Library: Fri., Nov. 13 at 5 p.m.
• Fountain Branch: Wed., Nov. 18 at 4 p.m.

This program for tweens was presented by the Space Foundation as part of All Pikes Peak Reads 2009. 10 kids ages 9 – 12, and parents as well, had loads of fun designing and building a lander similar to NASA’s Altair lander that would absorb enough shock to protect its three astronauts (in this case, three mini-marshmallows). Altair is the proposed Lunar lander that will land astronauts on the moon. It is being built by NASA as part of the Constellation program.

A hapless inventor (world-class clown Jim Jackson of the Manitou Arts Theater) dreams of traveling to space and sets out to build a rocket ship in A Nose for Space. The “Rube Goldberg” rocket Machine will be constructed on stage as the show explores all of the necessary and not so necessary items needed for space travel. Benjamin Pratt will provide lively space age music for this All Pikes Peak Reads 2009 program.

For audiences in grades K – 5, with scientific content about space, solar system, the moon, and astronauts.

• Sat., Sept. 26 at 1:30 p.m. – Ruth Holley Branch, 685 N. Murray Blvd.
• Sun., Sept. 27 at 1:30 p.m. – Sand Creek Branch, 1821 S. Academy Blvd.
• Sat., Oct. 10 at 1:30 p.m. – Monument Branch, 1706 Lake Woodmoor Dr.
• Sun., Oct. 11 at 2 p.m. – East Library, 5550 N. Union Blvd.
• Sat., Oct. 17 at 1:30 p.m. – Cheyenne Mountain Branch, 1785 S. 8th St.
• Sun., Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. – Penrose Library, 20 N. Cascade Ave.

Join Mitchell High School’s Science Department and PPLD’s Children’s department as they present folktales shown and told as you have never heard them before. Enjoy such tales as Her Seven Brothers, a Cheyenne tale about the origin of the Big Dipper and The Colossal Pumpkin, an African tale about the origin of the stars and moon. Storytelling will be open to school-age children. This program is part of All Pikes Peak Reads 2009.

• When: Wed., Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m.
• Where: Mitchell High School, 1205 Potter Dr.

Tweens! Check out our Read-it-Before-You-See-It programs this fall. When a new movie about a children’s or tween book comes out in the theatres we celebrate with Read-it-Before-You-See-It programs. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is coming out Sept. 18, so we will highlight the book (it’s short so we’ll read it together and talk about it) with games, activities, crafts, and food. Will the movie be as good as the book?? Look for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs at these library branches:
Sept. 11, 4-5 pm at Fountain Branch
Sept. 18, 4:30-5:30 pm at East Library
Sept. 23, 4:15-5:15 pm at Monument Branch
Sept. 25, 4-5 pm at Briargate Branch

You can watch a preview for the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movie by clicking here.

What a summer… 23,538 kids and babies were part of Be Creative @ Your Library, our reading program. Did you do it? Cool. And then there’s today: school, well, at least for lots of kids. What is your best memory of this summer? Mine would be…pool and swimming with my kids. Ahhhhh, a perfect summer memory.

It’s here, yay! There’s nothing like a new Harry Potter movie! Ok, well, maybe a new Harry Potter book would be better. I heard the final movie will be split into two parts. Ouch. But at least it makes the joy last longer. See the “Harry Potter Questions & Answers” blog entry. The questions are really good and I enjoy finding the answers! Enjoy the movie! (I did.) Plus, here’s a great website about everything Harry Potter.

Hey Tweens (ages 9-12): You have even more fun events coming this month: July 15 is So You Want to be a Rock Star . Songwriter Andy Hackbarth will hold a writing music workshop at the East Library at 2pm. Plus, you can still catch a Tye-Dye Tween program at Penrose Library (tomorrow, July 8, 2pm) or next week : Sand Creek Branch (July13), Rockrimmon Branch (July 14), Cheyenne Mountain Branch (July 16), Ruth Holley Branch (July 21) and Briargate Branch (July 22)! Hey, did you see the rockets go off this week with Science Matters and their Radical Rockets programs!? Today is the last rocket program for tweens at the East Library, 2pm.
And if you made a foil superhero at our tween programs in June, check out our slide show of Superheroes!

The Missoula Children’s Theatre, the nation’s largest touring children’s theatre, will offer these free workshops for children this summer at Pikes Peak Library District. They are funded by the Kirkpatrick Family Fund. Registration is required; call 684-9342 or register online through the links below.

July 21, 4:30 p.m. at Ute Pass Branch, 8010 Severy Road in Cascade
Chameleon Improv (Children entering grades 3-12)
Learn to act without a script. This workshop is for young actors of all levels. Registration is limited to 60 participants. Register by clicking here.

July 22, 4 p.m. at Sand Creek Branch, 1821 S. Academy Blvd.
Mime Your Own Business (Children entering grades 9-12)
Learn the art of mime by exploring mime techniques and performance. Registration is limited to 30 participants. Register by clicking here.

July 23, 4:30 p.m. at Ute Pass Branch, 8010 Severy Road in Cascade
Let’s Make Up (Children entering grades 1-12)
This participatory workshop teaches students of all ages corrective, old age, and fantasy make-up. Registration is limited to 60 participants. Register by clicking here.

For more information, read the blog below.