Yes, 23,969 kids have participated in Catch the Reading Bug this summer! Wow! Tomorrow, August 1, is our big, no, our really big Catch the Reading Bug party at Memorial Park, 10am-1pm! We’ll be near the intersection of Hancock and Costilla (go east on Costilla). We hope to see you there! The Monument Branch party will be next week, July 25, 10:30am-12:30pm, and will be held in Palmer Lake in the park next to the Palmer Lake Branch. Now, if you haven’t gotten your reading prizes yet, you have until next Thursday, August 7, to finish up and get to your nearest branch to collect your well-earned prizes (some prizes may not be available anymore). The Bonus Bug drawing will take place next week also, probably on Tues., August 5. Fantastic reading everyone (or listening if you’re too young to read this.)

Have you seen Kit Kittredge: An American Girl? It’s the first “American Girl” to hit theatres. I haven’t seen it but I hear it’s a good movie, even if I’ve never owned an American Girl doll. Kit is a girl living in the 1930s (who would love to be a reporter) that is suddenly thrown into the very real situation of seeing her Dad lose his business and paycheck. Dad goes to another city to find a job, Mom takes in boarders to help with the rent. Katie, who’s 11, saw the Kit movie and said that it was “really good and a mystery that’s fun, funny and touching.” Katie is hoping there wil be a movie about Addy next, or maybe Julie. Which American Girl character would you like to see made into a movie?

“ebooks for ekids”, that’s Tumblebooks. Tumblebooks lives on our Kids Web and is a fun way to read a book, whether it’s a picture book, chapter book or even a classic. You can read books in Spanish or French too. Today I played a game on Tumblebooks. It was called Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! and I was doing pretty well on the 10th level before I had to get back to work (ok, so it was a game of Concentration not Super Smash Bros. Brawl). Anyway, next time you can’t get a book at the library because it’s checked out, go to Tumblebooks and maybe you’ll find a book to read or listen to there: Anne of Green Gables, Black Beauty, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Little Women are a few of the titles you can find in the Tumble Readables section and there’s even more titles in the Audio Books section. Check it out! (without really, you know, checking anything out.)

Wow. 21,276 kids reading and listening to books. Don’t forget, you can tell us about your favorite books here–we’d love to hear your reviews! I read The Prince of Underwhere last week. It’s funny if you’re a fan of The Adventures of Captain Underpants or The Day my Butt went Psycho!

11,136 kids have signed up for Catch the Reading Bug and it’s not even a week old! Our free summer programming begins this week; just look at our events calendar under “Programs” on the Catch the Reading Bug web page. Don’t forget to tell us about the good books you’re reading or the fun stuff you’re doing……..(fill in comment box below).

Catch the Reading Bug starts today! You can register online at our ppld.org site or visit your nearest PPLD branch and we’ll register you and your brothers and sisters and friends. Once you register, you’ll get a sticker or tatoo and a gamecard. Bring the gamecard in every time you want to collect a prize. Our Catch the Reading Bug webpage has other stuff to do also. There are lots of fun links about bugs, online bug games and an original online story called, Don’t Bug Me, that will unfold week by week through the summer. And don’t forget this Kids Blog! We’d like to hear about what you’re reading and if you liked it or not. And when you’re not reading, we’d like to hear about your summer fun. Does it include bugs?

Like skateboarding? Hiking? Camping? Walking? Any activity outdoors? Kids, ages 7-13, are invited to write about your favorite book that involves any fun activity outdoors,(fiction or non-fiction). You’ll write a short book review (please include title and author of book) here on our Kids’ Blog! Just write it in the comment box below! Easy. (We won’t use your email for anything except prize notification and it doesn’t show up on the blog, we just need it for the comment to work. Also, if you want us to notify you by phone if you’ve won, please include your phone number at the end of your book review, it won’t show up on the blog either.)

We will randomly choose a name from all the entries and that person will receive a $25 bookstore gift certificate. The winner will be notified and the prize awarded at the Ramp’d 4 Reading all-day sports expo on May 25. This free expo will be at 1466 West Garden of the God Road from 9:00am to 5:00 pm and will feature a skateboard demonstration by the Team Red Bull Athletes as well as a competition for all skating levels and ages. You’ll have a chance to win a custom built skateboard ramp! Plus, you and your parents can also bid on a hand-painted skateboard deck during a silent auction!

All proceeds will benefit the Children’s Literacy Center.

Here is the last winning poem by Devon Walden, age 10. Hope you had a wonderful National Poetry Month (April)!

Music is My Heartbeat
by Devon Walden

when I hear the beat
I get to my feet
‘cause I just can’t stop
the urge to hop
I got rhythm deep down inside
this is somethin’ that I just can’t hide
twistin’ and turnin’ on the dance floor
got to keep movin’, I need more
music moves my soul
like jello in a bowl
music moves my spirit
everyone can hear it
my feet are skippin’, barely touchin’ the ground
my jivey jumps bring people around
they gather together to see my moves
they’re all watchin’ to see my grooves
music makes me feel so free
for music is a part of me

Here is a winning poem by Andie Turner, age 10 :

Piano Progression
by Andie Turner

Gently my hands hit the keys,
Playing notes like a soft breeze,
Here comes a rest,
I take a breath,
For me, music does please.

As I start another measure,
I start to feel a certain pleasure.
This note’s a G,
Here comes a B,
Hate these sounds? I will never.

My legs are swaying to the beat,
This rhythm is a treat.
Staccato now,
Legato, wow!
My hands are starting to feel the heat.

The time has come to finish the piece,
The audience applauds in a music feast.
Then I stand,
Music in my hand,
I’m happy to play and hope to never cease.

Here’s another winning poem. This one is by TJ Smith, age 10:

ELVIS
By TJ Smith

My grandpa and I love the king
His songs all night we love to sing
The jukebox is blasting hound dog man
Don’t be cruel, we are such fans
To his music we love to dance
It makes us wiggle in our pants
When he took the stage the girls would scream
And oh how their hearts would melt like ice cream
The music of Elvis was so great
He broke through the Rock and Roll gate
Rock and Roll has a great beat and such
Well I am all shook up, so thank you thank you very much.