If you haven't had the opportunity to see any of Shakespeare's tales brought to life recently, you won't want to miss the chance to see "Macbeth" as done by Shakespeare on Tour!

You will become entranced the gripping tale of the tragic consequences of misguided ambition. The five member cast plays all of the roles convincingly, as they quick-change from scene to scene, often speaking directly to the audience, further drawing them into to the magic of the misty heaths, the brutal actions, and the bloody politics of old Scotland. The believability of the play is enhanced by the careful use of music and sound effects, and the spare use of props and simple costume changes. The script is a 55 minute adaptation of Macbeth, performed in Shakespeare's original text, that was created by director Rebecca J. Ennals.
 

Please check their web site to see when their next performances will be!

WE NEED LEGOS!!

The Cambrian Branch Library is starting a new Lego Club on Wednesday, August 24, from 4:00-5:00 p.m. This will give children the opportunity to play and create with LOTS of legos, instead with just the limited number that come in most kits. They can either work on their own creations, or build as a team. For those who prefer to work with a plan, we will make sure to have some templates available. But to make the new Lego Club a success, we need to have more legos than we currently have. If you have any to spare, please consider donating them to the Cambrian Library for our new club.

Legos aren’t just fun to play with, but they are also beneficial for encouraging creativity, cooperative play, fine motor skills, developing planning skills, and helping to focus concentration. People have long recognized the benefits of building with blocks, but in recent years, there have been articles on the benefits of lego building for children with autism too.

If you would like to see another Lego Club already in action, check out Legos @ the Library at the West Valley Branch Library on Friday afternoons at 4:00 p.m.

Check out our books on Legos, too.

If you haven't seen Jamie Coventry yet, you should make the effort to find an upcoming event.  He's energetic and musical, dextrous and funny!  During his performance, he uses a variety of props, most of which have been recycled.  He's great about involving the audience - even getting several children to maintain twirling plates, while he lays down more and more complex rhythms with his voice and harmonicas.

Speaking of harmonicas, Jamie brings several with him to the performance.  I learned more about harmonicas just by watching him play and talk about them, than I have ever known before! 

Have you ever wondered where all of the words came from that lie, mostly unread, in our dictionaries?  Have you ever made the mistake of asking your teacher that question?  That's what Nick Allen does on the first day of 5th grade, in the book, Frindle, by Andrew Clements.  And, as expected, Nick has to deliver a report on dictionaries and how words are added to it.  Unexpectedly, Nick takes up the challenge.  He decides to change the name of a pen, Pen, to Frindle.  It starts slowly in 5th grade, but gathers steam until the entire school is using the word, then the other schools in town, then the stores, and the parents and teachers, and then a newspaper picks up the story of Frindle...

So what words do you think need to be added to our dictionaries?  Can you think of any words that have been added since you were born?  I have seen "Compact Disk," "Laptop," and "Cell Phone," among others, added in just the past couple of decades.  Language is fluid and growing, and we all have a right to add to its richness.  That is the major message of Frindle.  So take up the challenge, look for the next library to host a Book Adventure on Frindle, and learn how fun words can be.

It's that time of year when parents are looking for schools for their new kindergartners - but it their kindergartner really ready for school?  Many parents are opting to delay their child's entry into kindergarten by a year based on the recommendations of the teachers.  One of the most important of the skills and abilities that your child should have before they enter kindergarten for the first time is to be able to sit still for at least 5-10 minutes.  Bringing your child to storytime may serve as a useful gauge to see if they can cooperate with other children, can sit for longer than 5 minutes, can listen to a book, and can follow instructions - all of which are skills necessary for a successful time in kindergarten.