Friday, January 27, 2012

In memoriam

Perrot Library staff warmly remember our beloved librarians, Kathy Krasniewicz and Kate McClelland, today on the eve of the third anniversary of their deaths.


An illustration of Kathy and Kate by award-winning children's author and illustrator Brian Selznick, which is displayed in Perrot's children's wing

2012 Children's Literary Award Winners

The winners of the 2012 major literary awards for children were recently announced at the American Library Association's Midwinter Conference in Dallas.
[Click on each title to view in the catalog and to place a hold.]


Caldecott Medal Winner
A BALL FOR DAISY, illustrated by Chris Raschka
Any child who has ever had a beloved toy break will relate to Daisy's anguish when her favorite ball is destroyed by a bigger dog. This wordless picture book explores the joy and sadness that having a special toy can bring. 


Newbery Medal Winner
DEAD END IN NORVELT, by Jack Gantos
Twelve-year-old Jack's plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is "grounded for life" by his feuding parents, and whose nose spews bad blood at every little shock he gets. But plenty of excitement (and shocks) are coming Jack's way once his mom loans him out to help a fiesty old neighbor with a most unusual chore-- typewriting obituaries filled with stories about the people who founded his utopian town. Endlessly surprising, this sly, sharp-edged narrative makes readers laugh out loud at the most unexpected things in a dead-funny depiction of growing up in a slightly off-kilter place where the past is present, the present is confusing, and the future is completely up in the air.

 
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
HEART AND SOUL: THE STORY OF AMERICAN AND AFRICAN AMERICANS, written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson
This is the story of the men, women, and children who toiled in the hot sun picking cotton for their masters; it’s about the America ripped in two by Jim Crow laws; it’s about the brothers and sisters of all colors who rallied against those who would dare bar a child from an education. It’s a story of discrimination and broken promises, determination and triumphs.


Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
UNDERGROUND: FINDING THE LIGHT TO FREEDOM, written and illustrated by Shane W. Evans
A pivotal moment in American history is shared with young readers by following a slave family's escape to the North by crawling on the ground, running barefoot through the woods, sleeping beneath bushes, and eventually reaching freedom.


Geisel Award Winner (for beginning readers)
TALES FOR VERY PICKY EATERS, written and illustrated by Josh Schneider
James is a very picky eater. His dad has to get creativ in order to get James to eat foods he thinks he doesn’t like. He presents James with a series of outlandish scenarios packed with fanciful and gross details-- like pre-chewed gum as an alternative to broccoli and lumpy oatmeal that grows so big it eats the dog-- in an effort to get James to eat. But it is eventually James himself who discovers that some foods are not so bad, after all, if you’re willing to give them a try.


Sibert Award Winner (for non-fiction)
BALLOONS OVER BROADWAY: THE TRUE STORY OF THE PUPPETEER OF MACY'S PARADE, written and illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Who invented the first balloons for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? Meet Tony Sarg, puppeteer extraordinaire! Everyone's a New Yorker on Thanksgiving Day, when young and old rise early to see what giant new balloons will fill the skies. Who first invented these “upside-down puppets”? Melissa Sweet tells the story of Tony Sarg, capturing his genius, his dedication, his zest for play, and his long-lasting gift to America-- the inspired helium balloons that would become the trademark of Macy's Parade.

For the complete list of this year's award winners and honor books, take a look at the ALA website.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Greenwich Reads Together 2012: Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers

Greenwich Reads Together is a community-wide reading experience which engages all of Greenwich in exploring a single book. Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers, is the book that has been chosen as the 2012 selection for Greenwich Reads Together. The Book Selection Committee, composed of Greenwich Library staff from across several departments, focused on selecting the one book that will span the community in appeal and will lend itself to engaging public programs.


When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a prosperous Syrian-American and father of four, chose to stay through the storm to protect his house and contracting business. In the days after, he traveled the flooded streets in a secondhand canoe, passing on supplies and helping those he could. But, on September 6, 2005, Zeitoun abruptly disappeared. Eggers's riveting nonfiction book, three years in the making, explores Zeitoun's roots in Syria, his marriage to Kathy—an American who converted to Islam—and their children, and the surreal atmosphere (in New Orleans and the United States generally) in which what happened to Abdulrahman Zeitoun became possible.


 
Visit Greenwich Library's website for more information on the book.

Tax Forms Available at the Library

Perrot has copies of both federal and state income tax forms available (ask at the Reference Desk).

Or, you can get tax forms online here:
Tax help and information:

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Kate McClelland and Kathy Krasniewicz Memorial Scholarship to the ALA Annual Conference

Random House Children's Books continues to honor the memories of Perrot's beloved librarians, Kate McClelland and Kathy Krasniewicz, with their annual scholarship for a new or student librarian to attend the American Library Association Annual Conference.

From Random House's Website:

ALA Members: In 500 words or less, tell us about a new librarian or library student who has never attended an ALA Annual Conference, and in whom you see great devotion to the library community and promise in the field. Tell us how he/she would benefit from attending the ALA Annual Conference. The new librarian/library student could win a trip to attend the 2012 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, California.

More information, as well as the application, are available at this website: http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/the-kate-mcclelland-and-kathy-krasniewicz-memorial-scholarship/

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Upcoming Event: Four Steps to a Healthy Immune System, with Dr. Susan Blum

Perrot Memorial Library presents
FOUR STEPS TO A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM
with Dr. Susan Blum

Dr. Susan Blum
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012, at 7:30 PM

Do you wonder why you or your family members get sick all the time? Or do you have one of the many autoimmune conditions, such as thyroiditis, inflammatory arthritis, or food sensitivities? Dr. Susan Blum, an assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Preventative Medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, will address these questions and will explain the workings of the immune system and what it needs to function at its best. She will examine the four main sources of immune problems and what you can do to fix them.

A true pioneer in Functional Medicine and founder of The Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, New York, Dr. Blum’s mission for personalized medicine is paramount for treatment and prevention. The Center focuses on the comprehensive integration of Functional Medicine, Mind-Body Medicine, and Nutritional Medicine. She completed her Internal Medicine training at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital, her residency in Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, and is Board Certified in Preventive Medicine. She received her Masters in Public Health at Columbia University, and her training in Functional Medicine from The Institute for Functional Medicine in Gig Harbor, Washington. Her work has been covered widely in national news and health media and she will be appearing on The Dr. Oz Show on January 13th, 2012.

Spaces Still Available in Our Spotlight Program for 2nd and 3rd Graders

Spotlight, our after-school story and crafts program for 2nd and 3rd graders, still has spaces available for the winter/spring session! The theme for this session is Read All About It. The program meets Wednesdays from  4 PM-5 PM on January 25th, February 1st, February 8th, February 29th, and March 7th.

Please call the Youth Services Desk (203-637-8802) to sign up your child!