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Thursday, September 30, 2010

October is Book Group Month - Check out our book groups or start your own!




The Bridgewater Library offers a variety of Book Groups for Children (and Adults, if parents want to do something for themselves!)  Or, if you’d like to make your own group, librarians are delighted to share ideas and show guides to help you get started. We also have children’s book discussion book bags available – each contains 10 copies of one title plus a book discussion guide.  Come by the Youth Services Reference Desk to find out more!

A reminder -- the library book sale continues this weekend (Friday Oct.1-Sunday Oct 3rd).  Hours: 9:30-4:30 Friday & Saturday, 1:30-4:30 Sunday.

@ the Library: Programs

Like to read?  Want to discuss books with others?  The Bridgewater Library offers a number of book discussion groups each month. 

Rocket Readers   Limited to grades 1 - 3 Registration Required
An exciting program for brand new readers! At each program we will discuss a book, play some games and create a “book-tiful” craft related to the story. Students should read the book prior to the program. Copies of the book will be available at the Youth Services Reference Desk. Pick up a copy when you register. Please, bring the book to the program.
Tuesday, October 26 from 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Registration begins October 12
Nate the Great stumbles upon another mystery!
This one involves a missing recipe for some delicious monster cookies!
Join us as we piece together the clues and help him clean up the mess!


Chapter Book Club   Limited to grades 3 – 4   Registration required
Calling all 3rd and 4th graders who enjoy books. If you love to read chapter books but not ready for the older stuff yet, this is the book club for you!  Parents or caregivers of participants are welcome to join in the discussion.  There are enough copies for all participants especially if you reserve the book early. If you have a hard time getting a copy, please check with the youth services librarian at the desk.
Wednesday, October 20 from 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
This delicious tale has all the ingredients of a terrific read: forgiveness, light, love, and soup. Despereaux is a tiny mouse with huge ears, and he lives in the castle with his family. In the castle lives a beautiful young princess and Despereaux vows to honor her. But his unmouselike behavior gets him banished to the dungeon, where a swarm of rats kill whoever falls into their clutches. Will Despereaux save his beloved princess? And what parts do the soup and the spool of thread play in this enchanting tale?


Talk It Up: Book Discussion Group  Limited to students in grades 5 - 8 Registration Required
If you love to read and talk about books, you are cordially invited to an hour of book talk and friendly company. Parents and parent substitutes are welcome to join in the discussion.
Tuesday, October 26 from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
The orphanage at Delphi Keep is a great place for Ian and Theodosia to grow up. They love exploring the tunnels all around the White Cliffs of Dover. One day, they happen upon a silver box in one of them and when Ian wedges it free from the sand, a vicious hell-hound, the servant of an evil sorcerer, begins to chase them and they must unravel the meaning behind the scroll of Dover cavern before darkness falls on the world.

To find out about adult book clubs or other children's & teen programs, check our online calendar.

@ the Library: Materials

The Bridgewater Library offers more than two dozen children’s book discussion kits, consisting of 10 copies of the book plus a discussion guide.  A list of these can be found by searching “Juvenile Book Discussion Kit” under series in our catalog.  Each can be reserved and circulates for 6 weeks.   If you’d like a little help getting a book discussion group started, here are some suggested titles – don’t hesitate to ask the librarians for additional titles and book recommendations:



The kids' book club : lively reading and activities for grades 1-3 / Desiree Webber and Sandy Shropshire ; illustrated by Sandy Shropshire.  Juvenile Professional  028.55 WEB


Around the Community:

Raritan Valley Community College offers several series which feature dramatizations of books. 
For children, check out their Sampler Series upcoming book-related programs include “A Christmas Carol” on November 27th, “Duck for President, Fancy Nancy and Other Story Books” on February 6th, “The Berenstain Bears” on April 16th, and “Room on the Broom” on April 30th.

For Middle Graders, Teens & Adults, they have Tuesdays with Stories  -- These are offered at noon & 7 p.m. upcoming events include “Three Cups of Tea” on October 19th, and “The Giver” on November 16th.  In addition, they are showing “The Diary of Anne Frank” on Friday October 8th at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.  (Daytime performances are listed under School-Time Performances below.)

They also have a School Time Performance Series  – perfect for field trips & home-schooling families.

Let Your Fingers Do (More) Walking:

Looking for book suggestions for your book club?  Have a title and want to see if there is a discussion guide available?  Looking for curriculum ideas for a title? Want to find read-alikes for a favorite title or author?  Want some recommended reading in a particular genre or subject?  Have a concept or issue that you want to explain to your child through books?

Somerset County Library subscribes to Novelist K-8 Plus --  a literature database which can help you all these things and many more! You can find it by going to the library home page highlighting the “online resources” tab at the top and clicking on “literature resources” – then scroll down to Novelist K-8 Plus.  If you are accessing it from home, you will be required to enter your barcode here.  Check out the “For Parents” note on the right-hand side, the recommended reading lists on the left, or type in a favorite title in the search box and see if a booktalk or read-alike list is available (select the “lists & articles” tab atop the results list.)  A librarian will be happy to show you more ways to use this powerful Reader’s Advisory tool – stop by the Youth Services Reference Desk and ask!

Around our Area:

Sunday, Oct. 3rd 10:30-4:30  Lord Sterling 1770's Festival  
Spend the day with Historical Reinactors at Lord Sterling's former estate in Basking Ridge.

& coming up next weekend  Weekend Journey to the Past
During the two-day period, twenty-six of the County's significant historic sites will be open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday and 12:00 am to 5:00 pm on Sunday. Many of the sites have planned special exhibits, programs, and tours. Admission and parking at each site are free.


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