School Visit Books-- Get some great recommendations!

During the month of May 2015, our Youth Services librarian, Mrs. Jarombek, visited 4th- and 5th-grade classes at local elementary schools to talk about new and exciting books and to promote our summer reading program and book clubs for kids.

Check out the full list for some great book recommendations!

Register Now for Summer Programs in Youth Services

Registration for Youth Services' Summer 2015 Program Session is going on now through Saturday, June 20th. [View the summer program schedule]

Our preschool programs are drop-in during the summer, but registration is still required for our Stuff & Nonsense (for kids entering 1st grade), and Spotlight (for kids entering 2nd/3rd/4th grade) programs, as well as our special Code a Story program (for kids entering 4th/5th/6th grade).

• Our program registration is by lottery
• You must have an active library card in good standing to register
• Obtain a registration postcard for the program of your choice from the Youth Services Circulation Desk
• Fill out ALL of the required information. Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Address the reverse of the card to yourself
• Affix a first-class stamp (49¢)
• Drop off your card at the Youth Services Desk by June 20th
• Registration cards will be mailed back to you a few days after the close of registration with your registration status

Questions? Please give us a call at 203-637-8802, or comment on this post.

Greenwich Reads Together 2015: Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has been chosen as the Greenwich Reads Together selection for 2015. Greenwich Reads Together is a community-wide reading experience which engages all of Greenwich in exploring a single book, culminating in a month-long series of special events and programs in the fall.

Americanah is a powerful, tender story of race and identity, unfolding across three continents.Ifemelu and Obinze are young and in love when they depart military-ruled Nigeria for the West. Self-assured Ifemelu heads for America, where despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple with what it means to be black for the first time. Quiet, thoughtful Obinze had hoped to join her, but with post-9/11 America closed to him, he instead plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. Fifteen years later, they reunite in a newly democratic Nigeria, and reignite their passion—for each other and for their homeland.

Visit Greenwich Library's website for more information.

Teens: Looking for a summer volunteer opportunity?

. . .Perrot needs you! Perrot is looking for teen volunteers for its Youth Services department to help run the summer reading program for kids.

Who can be a Perrot Library Summer Teen Volunteer?
Anyone who is going into Grades 7 and up, and who can volunteer at least 5 hours during the summer.

When do volunteers work?
From June 22nd to July 31st, whenever the library is open. You can set your own schedule and sign up for shifts during mornings, afternoons, or evenings.

Why volunteer?
• To help others
• To learn job skills
• To earn community service hours
• To meet other teens and have fun!

How do I become a Summer Teen Volunteer?
Easy! Just pick up an application at the Youth Services Desk (or download one here- PDF), have a parent or guardian sign it, and drop it off.

How do I learn what to do?
All volunteers must attend a 30-minute training session in June where we’ll teach you everything you need to know. (Even if you volunteered last summer, you must attend this year's training session.)

Have more questions?
Please call Kathy Jarombek, Director of Youth Services, at 203-637-8802.

Upcoming Event: You Wrote a Book-- Now What? (Rescheduled date)

Upcoming Event: You Wrote a Book-- Now What?

Wednesday, May 20th, 2015

7:30 PM

Radcliffe Children's Wing

Get an insider's view of book publishing with literary agent Jan L. Kardys, and award-winning self-published author, Jeanne E. Rogers. They will share their years of experience on such topics as developing a concept, writing a manuscript, editing, finding a literary agent, negotiating a publishing agreement, permissions, royalties, special sales, and subsidiary rights and marketing. They will also discuss how to utilize the most cutting-edge technologies and social media services to increase visibility to literary agents, publishers, and readers alike.

Upcoming Event: Courtney Maum, Author of I AM HAVING SO MUCH FUN HERE WITHOUT YOU

Upcoming Event: 

Courtney Maum, author of I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You

Wednesday, May 6th, 2015

7:30 PM

Radcliffe Children's Wing

In Courtney Maum's sensuous, funny, and honest novel, I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You, a failed monogamist attempts to earn his wife's forgiveness, while ultimately seeking to answer the question: Is it really possible to fall back in love with your spouse? Skillfully balancing biting wit with deep emotional undercurrent, Maum, a Greenwich Academy alumnus, has created the perfect portrait of an imperfect family-- and a sophisticated, stunning ready for men and women alike.

For more about Ms. Maum, who used to study at Perrot Library as a child, check out this Greenwich Post article: Debut novel leads writer to a familiar spot

Upcoming Event: No Parent Left Behind- What's Really on the Minds of Greenwich Middle School Girls?

The Junior League of Greenwich and Perrot Memorial Library 

present the discussion panel:

NO PARENT LEFT BEHIND: WHAT'S REALLY ON THE MINDS OF GREENWICH MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS?

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015

7:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Perrot Memorial Library

Experts in the field of counseling and social media held full-day sessions with over 200 girls ages 11 and 12 years old on friendships, self-esteem, morality, decision-making, and social media. Hear what the girls had to say and learn how you can partner with them as they embark upon a new and sometimes challenging phase in their lives. 

Panel discussion featuring:

Meredith Gold, Domestic Abuse Services, YWCA

Tori Aiello, Coach/Trainer at the Speech Improvement Company, Inc.

Sara W. Rawson, Occupational Therapist

Beth O'Malley, Licensed Clinical Social Worker 

Jenny Byxbee, Youth Services Coordinator at the United Way

Youth Services Summer Program Schedule Now Available

The Youth Services Summer 2015 Program Schedule is now available!

Please note that during our summer program session, all of our preschool programs are DROP-IN, and most are limited to the first 20 children and their caregivers to sign in before each program. Our Stuff & Nonsense, Spotlight, and new Code a Story programs will be by registration only.

Pick up a registration postcard for the program of your choice from the Youth Services Circulation Desk, beginning on Tuesday, May 26th, 2015. Don't forget to bring a stamp! The registration period closes at 5 PM on Saturday, June 20th, 2014. Our programs are selected by lottery. You may view our complete registration instructions online and see descriptions of our program offerings.

If you have questions about our programs or registration process, please comment on this post, or give us a call at 203-637-8802.

YCC's Favorite Book of 2014/2015 Is...

The Young Critics' Club (YCC), Perrot's book club for 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-graders, has declared that its favorite book of 2014/2015 is....

WHEN
by Victoria Laurie
Maddie Fynn is a shy high school junior, cursed with an eerie intuitive ability: she sees a series of unique digits hovering above the foreheads of each person she encounters. Her earliest memories are marked by these numbers, but it takes her father's premature death for Maddie to realize that these numbers are actually death dates. Forced by her alcoholic mother to use her ability to make extra money, Maddie identifies the quickly approaching death date of one client's young son, but because her ability only allows her to see the when and not the how, she is unable to offer any more insight. When the boy goes missing on that exact date, law enforcement turns to Maddie. Soon, she is entangled in a homicide investigation, and more young people disappear and are later found murdered. A suspect for the investigation, a target for the murderer, and attracting the attentions of a mysterious young admirer who may be connected to it all, Maddie's whole existence is about to be turned upside down. Can she right things before it's too late?

See the rest of YCC's favorite books from 2014/2015!

What We're Reading at Perrot: Book Recommendations from our Reference Desk

What We're Reading at Perrot

FAMILY LIFE, BY AKHIL SHARMA
[Fiction] Akhil Sharma’s small but powerful novel is the semi-autobiographical story of a family who emigrates from India to Queens, N.Y. Filled with dreams of a better life and opportunities for their two young sons, the parents are hard-working and self-sacrificing. When tragedy strikes the older son, the impact on everyone in the family is enormous. We experience first-hand the pain of the parents as well as the emotional yearning of the other brother, whose efforts to secure his parents’ attention go unheeded. Told through the eyes of this younger son, Family Life is a universal story of love, loss, and survival.

See the rest of our list of recommendations!

Y2C2's Favorite Book of 2014/2015 Is...

The Young Young Critics' Club (Y2C2), Perrot's book club for 4th- and 5th-graders, has declared that its favorite book of 2014/2015 is...

THE MARK OF THE DRAGONFLY, by Jaleigh Johnson

Piper has never seen the Mark of the Dragonfly until she finds the girl amid the wreckage of a caravan in the Meteor Fields. The girl doesn't remember a thing about her life, but the intricate tattoo on her arm is proof that she's from the Dragonfly Territories and that she's protected by the king. Which means a reward for Piper if she can get the girl home. The one sure way to the Territories is the 401, a great old beauty of a train. But a ticket costs more coin than Piper could make in a year. And stowing away is a difficult prospect-- everyone knows that getting past the peculiar green-eyed boy who stands guard is nearly impossible. Life for Piper just turned dangerous. A little bit magical. And very exciting, if she can manage to survive the journey.

See the rest of Y2C2's favorite books for some great picks!

Winners of the Semi-Annual Y2C2 Jeopardy Tournament

Golden Y Award Winners, Spring 2015

CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of the Semi-Annual Young Young Critics' Club (Y2C2) Jeopardy Tournament!

The winning team, The Books 2.0 (L-R):  Pip, Alexis, Simon, and Tristan

They are the current holders of the coveted Wonderful Golden "Y" Award! The winners have demonstrated their mastery of trivia questions related to the books that the Young Young Critics' Club (our book club for 4th- and 5th-graders) has read during the past year. (Yes, it looks like a lobster, but trust us, it’s also a wonderful golden ‘Y’-- stop by the Youth Services Department and see for yourself!)

Upcoming Family Event: Nappy's Puppets presents Father Goose's Tales

Nappy's Puppets Presents: Father Goose's Tales

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015, at 2 PM

For families with children ages 2 and up

FREE TICKETS REQUIRED- SIGN UP NOW AT THE YOUTH SERVICES DESK!

Mother Goose has taken the day off and Father Goose must do all her chores, including the storytelling! Try as he might, Father Goose just can't get the stories right. Father Goose's Tales is a modern retelling of nursery rhymes, stories and children's songs, featuring the ancient art of shadow puppets, that will entertain the whole family.

Jim Napolitano, or "Uncle Nappy" to his fans, is a native of Milford, Connecticut, and a graduate of the University of Connecticut's Puppet Arts Program. After completion of his degree, Jim worked with Bits 'N' Pieces Puppet Theatre of Tampa Bay, Florida, performing around the country and around the world.

Jim's puppetry work can be seen on the PBS show Between The Lions. Other television credits include: The Book Of Pooh, The Weinerville Chanukah Special, A Show of Hands, and Stick Stickly. Jim has also worked on programs for Scholastic Home Video and HBO Pictures.

Upcoming Event: Perrot Poetry Slam

Upcoming Event: Perrot Library Poetry Slam

Sunday, April 26th, 2015

2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Radcliffe Children's Wing

Join us in celebrating National Poetry Month at the Perrot Library Poetry Slam! Bring a poem of your own, or a favorite written by someone else, to read at our open mike. All ages welcome.

Upcoming Event: The European Painting Curator's Profession: An Inside View, with Maryan W. Ainsworth

Upcoming Event: The European Painting Curator's Profession: 

An Inside View, with Maryan W. Ainsworth

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015

7:30 PM

Radcliffe Children's Wing

From acquisitions, to exhibitions, to special projects-- such as serving on the expert's committee for the restoration of Van Eyck's Ghent Altarpiece-- come along and "shadow" Maryan Ainsworth as she discusses what is in a day's work in her role as Curator of European Paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

For more about Ms. Ainsworth, an Old Greenwich resident, take a look at this 2011 interview from the Greenwich Time: The curator: Old Greenwich resident Maryan Ainsworth sure knows how to put on a show