This is something to celebrate. Over a year ago there was talk of Providence Public Library closing four neighborhood branches. Thanks to a community effort the non-profit group, Providence Community Library, was formed and an agreement was reached with PPL to separate the downtown library from the nine neighborhood branches.

Keeping local libraries open and available to the public is something to celebrate. In honor of Providence Community Library’s 1st Birthday on July 1, let there be cake!

Celebrations & Cake-cutting at each neighborhood library. Check here for celebration details.

It’s time to sign the kids up (June 21st – July 2nd) for the awesome summer reading program at your neighborhood library. Sign-up deadlines  and details vary by branch.

The library encourages children to keep reading all summer long by sharing age-appropriate book recommendation and hosting a summer full of events and programs at libraries across the state.

Check out the developing Summer Reading Program listing of events and programs at the 9 Providence Community Library locations.

• Providence School Reading List

Visit the State of Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS) to find out what is happening state wide.

Special local events listed below.

Reviewed by Anika Denise

Mary Korr loves her dogs. You can see the pride on her face when she introduces Maggie and Elvis, her two handsome Portuguese water dogs. But for Ms. Korr—a writer and Rhode Island resident—her dogs have not only provided her family with years of joy and companionship, they became the inspiration for a children’s book series she’s creating with another Rhode Island-based artist, Cathren Housley.

“Winston The Water Dog,” the first of three books and one prequel, is based on the true adventures of a boy named Josh (Korr’s son) and his first dog, a Portuguese water dog named Winston.

Thanks to the Obama’s presidential pup, Bo, Portuguese water dogs have been enjoying a great deal of attention these days, and so Korr’s inspirational tale seems especially well-timed.

Set in Barrington, Rhode Island, it is the story of how Winston first comes to the boy, and an account of their early adventures together. The book also contains a mythic component—a simultaneous tale of the water dog’s grandfather, Bravo, who lives in a faraway land across the ocean. Bravo reappears throughout the book as a figure of courage whenever the little water dog becomes frightened.

Housley’s soft watercolor illustrations of Josh and his little pup romping playfully at the water’s edge are cheerful and sweetly drawn; and the juxtaposing of the fuzzy gray dream sequences involving Bravo are effective in telling the parallel stories.

Though the book’s length suggests a slightly older reading audience (5-9 years), Korr essentially creates little vignettes about Josh and Winston, and therefore it can work well as a read-aloud to younger children too, especially given all the charming drawings of Winston as an adorable furry puppy snuggled up sleeping or tail wagging, running through the grass.

As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Josh and Winston have a special bond. So special, they can actually speak to each other and understand.

“‘But do you know what’s really strange? I understand you when you woof.’ He opens his laptop and searches the dog website ‘Dogopedia.’ Wow, listen to this, Winston: Some dogs, especially ancient breeds, speak canis woofus. Children under 12 and those who love dogs can understand it. But only if they listen closely.’”

In addition to creating the next books in the series, Korr and Housley do “Woofin’ Workshops” for children ages 5 and up at local schools, libraries and museums. The workshops teach children how to create characters, thumbnail sketches, book maps and storyboards for a book. And the big bonus: They get to meet Elvis, Winston’s baby brother.

Book Reading:

• April 10: Books on the Square, Wayland Square, Providence, 11:30 a.m. book reading, signing, with special appearance by Elvis the Portuguese Water Dog.

Upcoming workshops:

• April 23: Barrington Public Library. Winston the Water Dog workshop with author and illustrator, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30. Gallery Room, second floor. Ages 5 and up. Registration required. Limited to 20.

• May 1: Attleboro Museum, 86 Park St., Attleboro, Mass. Workshop, 1 to 3 p.m. With Elvis the Water Dog.

• May 23: Providence Children’s Museum, 1 to 3 p.m. Author/illustrator workshop PJ Library event. With Elvis the Water Dog.

Anika Denise is the author of “Pigs Love Potatoes” and the forthcoming “Bella And Stella Come Home.”  She lives in Barrington, RI with her husband, Christopher – a children’s book illustrator – and their two daughters, ages 8 and 5.  Anika is also the host of Thursday morning story hours at Barrington Books.  You can read more of her children’s book reviews and story hour suggestions at www.bookmarks-ri.blogspot.com and at www.anikadenise.blogspot.com.  For information on her books, visit www.anikadenise.com.

Public schools are taking a break, and so is Kidoinfo. You’ll find there’s more than usual going on in Rhode Island this week! Way more than what’s listed here—consider yourself lucky if you’re staying close to home.

This list is the tip of the iceberg—check our events calendar for more.

Keep in mind: many venues will be more crowded than usual. It’s wise to call ahead to confirm ticket availability or to check for cancellations.

1. In our book, number one will always be RELAXING AT HOME, with no rushing for the bus, no misplaced homework pages, and plenty of time for pancakes and coloring.

2. PROVIDENCE CHILDREN’S FILM FESTIVAL. Long films, short films, animated ones and ones with real people. None made by Disney.

3. ICE SKATE in Providence or Newport or at your neighborhood’s smoothest frozen body of water.

4. NEWPORT WINTER FESTIVAL—going on all week, with special events for children February 14th & 15th.

5. MAKE VALENTINES check the events calendar for cookie decorating and card making options or get crafty at your kitchen table.

6. INVESTIGATE BITE WEEK at Mystic Aquarium. Chomp!

7. LIVE ENTERTAINMENT all week long at Buttonwood Park Zoo—including Toe Jam Puppet Band on Monday—and it’s all FREE with zoo admission.

8. THE AUDUBON SOCIETY has richly varied special events for young naturalists all week.

9. FLIP BOOKS, STUFFED CREATURES, ARCHITECTURE and more! Classes for kids at Warren Art Spot.

10. LIBRARY TIME. Visit your favorite branch or explore a new one. Free. Many libraries have special activities planned for vacation week.

What will you and your family choose? Share your favorite places to go, things to do, and ways to enjoy a week of wintry togetherness. We love your comments and depend on them for great ideas.

The Rhode Island Center for the Book at Providence Public Library announces the 2010 title in this year’s statewide read project.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

About This Year’s Book

Written with warmth and humor, the novel begins in 1946 beneath the hovering WWII cloud of departed German troops who had occupied the island of Guernsey, one of the UK Channel Islands. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society affirms the power of books and their ability to sustain people in difficult times. It transports us, as is the nature of good books, and carries us away, improbabilities and internal logic notwithstanding.  It also revives the lost art of letter writing, empowered by deeply human characters who literally leap out from the pages as they contrast a dark period in history with wit and wisdom, and in doing so, demonstrate the power of the human spirit.

Author Mary Ann Shaffer, a librarian and editor, nurtured the tale about Guernsey for 20 years before committing pen to paper. Sadly, Ms. Shaffer passed away in February, 2008 before the final edits to the manuscript were complete.  She asked her niece, Annie Barrows, to complete the revisions. Annie Barrows, author of the popular children’s series Ivy & Bean and The Magic Half, nominated for the 2010 Rhode Island Children’s Book Award, has agreed to come to Rhode Island for the project’s finale in May.
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Looking for something to do with your kids during vacation? Here’s my Top Ten List of things to do – many are Free and Cheap. Check the Kidoinfo calendar, Winter Guide and blog for more ideas.

1. Host a crafternoon. Have kids (and parent) bring a shoebox filled with stickers, magazines, ribbons, rubber stamps, glue sticks and scissors. (Crafty ideas: Make books, paper bead necklaces, collage bookmarks, puppets, treasure box…) (Free / Cheap)

2. Go ice skating outdoors at the River Island Ice Skating Rink in Woonsocket. (Free / Cheap)

3. Book a Rhode Trip. Visit a new library with your children. (Free / Cheap)

4. Animal Power. See what the animals are doing this time of year at Roger Williams Park Zoo. (half-price admission)*

5. Read the Biggest, Best Snowman than build the biggest, best snowman ever. Find more winter book ideas here. (Free / Cheap)

6. Set up a playdate swap with a friend. (Free / Cheap)

7. All aboard. Take the commuter train to Boston. Plan a trip to the Museum of Science in Boston to see the Harry Potter exhibit.

6. Check out classic movies from your local library; Red Balloon, Yellow Submarine, Singing in the Rain, Charlie Chaplin. (Free / Cheap)

9. Building Blocks. Build a castle, city or rocketship using all of your Legos. (Free / Cheap)

10. Bundle up and head out on a winter hike. Explore a wildlife refuge. Try it with snowshoes. (Free / Cheap)

* Get passes from the library.

After an extensive national search for a library director, Providence Community Library has hired Rhode Island native Ann A. Robinson to supervise its new nine-library system, formerly part of Providence Public Library.

Having most recently served as the Associate Head Librarian of the Worcester Public Library for eight years, Robinson has experience working in a city similar to Providence in size and diversity of population.

A graduate of Clark University, Robinson earned her library degree at Simmons College and was a social worker for a decade before beginning her library career in 1987 as director of the Bancroft Memorial Library in Hopedale, Massachusetts. Over the next twenty years, she gained considerable experience in many areas of library administration as she moved to progressively larger cities with more complex library systems.

Maureen Romans, co-chair of the PCL Search committee that recommended Robinson to the PCL Board, commented, “Despite receiving applications from across the country, we found Ann Robinson to be the person best suited for Providence. We are delighted that she is from the area and will understand our needs.” Robinson was raised in Pawtucket, and her family moved to Providence in 1971. Robinson reflected, “In the early 1980s I had the pleasure of introducing my two-year-old niece to the Rochambeau Library and was thrilled when she wanted to return over and over again.”

“I look forward to working with Ms. Robinson and the Providence Community Library as we preserve the core mission of the former Providence Public Library” said Mayor David N. Cicilline. This work is tremendously important to the residents of Providence and especially our children.”

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To commemorate the transfer of library operations from Providence Public Library to Providence Community Library (PCL) on July 1, local libraries will be marking this historic event, with celebrations at each of the nine libraries. To start, a day of amnesty has been declared on library fines, meaning that overdue books owned by the nine libraries can be returned without charge. Ribbons will be cut to open each building that day, and books will ceremonially be relayed from neighborhood to neighborhood over the course of the afternoon. The relay kicks off at the Knight Memorial branch at 2:30 pm, traveling counter-clockwise around the city and arriving back on Elmwood Avenue at 7:00 pm. Commemorative T-shirts will also be for sale at every library.

Additionally, each branch planned its own celebration for the day. The activities will include karaoke at Olneyville Library, origami lessons at Rochambeau and a cookout at Smith Hill. “This is an exciting day for the city of Providence,” says Matthew Lawrence, one of the organizers of the celebrations. “It’s also a great opportunity for people to rediscover their neighborhood libraries, and a chance for each neighborhood to show off for an afternoon.”

Please join the library celebrations today!

Fox Point: Live music inside and outside, kids’ crafts, and food, from 5-7pm.  This event will be taking place, weather permitting, in the courtyard in front of the library, and will last beyond the library’s scheduled closing hour.

Knight Memorial: Potluck from 6-7:30.

Mount Pleasant: Refreshments and kids’ events from 4-6.

Olneyville: Karaoke party from 5-7:30.

Rochambeau: Party in front of the library from 3-5:30.  Live music, origami demonstrations, and food.

Smith Hill: A cookout in the back garden and kids’ programs inside, from 4-7pm.  Food donated by Councilman Hassett.

South Providence: Party from 3-6.  Councilman Aponte will be providing hamburgers, the street will be blocked off, and a police horse will relay a book from South Providence to Fox Point at 3:30.

Wanskuck: Planting in front of the library, beginning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1. Refreshments will follow.

Washington Park: A Bigfoot film festival, debate and popcorn, starting at 2.

Providence Public Library Outlines Schedule for Central Library Operation

Beginning July 1, 2009, the Central Library of the Providence Public Library (PPL) and the nine city-wide neighborhood library branches will be operated independently. As of this date, the City of Providence and the newly formed Providence Community Library will take over operation of the city’s neighborhood branches. PPL will continue to operate the downtown Central Library and the Statewide Reference Resource Center at 150 Empire Street. Central Library services and resources will be fully accessible.

Providence Community Library and many of the Friends’ groups at library branches are planning special events to celebrate this reorganization that guarantee all library branches will remain open. We will post events as we hear about them. If you would like to help, volunteer, or donate items needed to help Providence Community Library, please contact them.

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The Summer Reading Program, sponsored by the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS), is a cooperative effort among the public libraries in Rhode Island to promote reading during the summer school vacation. The program encourages reading for pleasure, the development of positive attitudes about the public library, and provides constructive activities during the long break from school. Eligible children include preschoolers whose parents read aloud to them to sixth graders.

The Summer Reading Program varies in specifics from library to library but in general incentives are provided to encourage children to read a book each week such as weekly raffles, free admission passes to 13 places like the Roger Williams Park Zoo and the Providence Children’s Museum for each book read, and prizes and a party at the end. There will be approximately 240 FREE performances this year by storytellers, entertainers and educators, along with crafts, activity sheets, and many special theme-related events to encourage continued participation throughout the summer.

Children are encouraged to sign up at their local library branches beginning the week of June 22. Sign up dates may vary between libraries.

Details:
• Rhode Island:
For the complete statewide summer reading program schedule, visit Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS).

• Providence:
Providence Public Library Summer Reading Program begins June 22 with sign-ups at individual branch libraries and a complete line-up of activities and events through mid-August. For complete program descriptions and schedule of activities and events, click here for 2009 Summer Reading updates.

• Summer Reading Program Performer Schedule
This years performers include: Julie Garnett, The Great Baldini, Katie Latimer-Palmer, Mad Science, Carolyn Martino, Ronald McDonald, Keith Munslow, Napua O’Polynesia
There will be approximately 240 performances. Events are free but some libraries require pre-registration to attend events or hold them at an alternative location. Please check with individual libraries for more complete information.

• Performance Schedule for all of Rhode Island
• Performance Schedule for Providence Branches

• Summer Reading Lists 2009
Providence School Department Lists, K-8 (Click here)

• Artwork for “Be Creative @ Your Library”
David Catrow created the artwork for “Be Creative @ Your Library” this year. “Quirky,” “offbeat,” “wonderfully weird,” “flamboyant caricatures,” “eccentric characters,”— these are just a few ways reviewers describe David Catrow’s picture book illustrations. Catrow, who is also an award-winning editorial cartoonist, has collaborated with a number of award-winning children’s authors, including Kathryn Lasky, Robert D. San Souci, and Karen Beaumont over the past two decades illustrating dozens of picture books that have delighted children and their parents. He lives in Springfield, Ohio.

A sampling of books illustrated by David Catrow: I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont; She’s Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head by Kathryn Lasky; I Wanna Iguana by Karen Orloff; Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs by Alan Katz; Plantzilla by Jerdine Nolan; The Boy Who Wouldn’t Share by Mike Reiss; and Cinderella Skeleton by Robert D. San Souci.