Gaming in public libraries is all the rage, and for many reasons, including the most important one...It's just plain fun! Check out ilovelibraries.org if you're having a hard time making the connection between games and the library. There was even a National Gaming Day held at libraries nationwide last month, with simultaneous video game tournaments and board games enjoyed by all.

We've been hosting gaming events regularly here at West Valley Branch Library for well over three years now, with our monthly Game On! parties for teens and various events for kids and teens during our Summer Reading Celebration and other times of the year. You can join in the fun at our next scheduled event, a Wii Tournament for Kids & Teens on Thursday, Dec. 23 at 4pm in the West Valley Branch Library's Community Room. Many students will be on Winter Break, so it's a great opportunity to get away from some of the pre-holiday stress at the mall or perhaps take a break from those chores or homework projects at home! Play some classic board games or enter the Wii Tournament for a chance to win a prize.

Stay tuned for more gaming events at West Valley in 2011, including another Wii Tournament scheduled for Jan. 19 at 3:30pm. Let the games begin!

Kevin Henkes and his wife, Laura Dronzek, team up to create Oh! a delightful winter story.   After a night snowfall, the ground is covered in white.   A squirrel, a rabbit, a cat, a dog, and two children all want to play in the soft snow.   This is a nice, simple book for beginning readers.  It is also a great read-aloud for younger children.  Kevin’s website has information about some of his books as well as coloring pages and other activities. 

This charming story of a peddler, lots and lots of caps and a tree full of mischievous monkeys has become a treasured classic. Caps for Sale, by Esphyr Slobodkina continues to appeal to generations of children since its first publication in 1940. Monkeys, hats, silliness, suspense, drama and a surprise ending make this book fun to read and share. The crisp illustrations are handsome and timeless. Read Caps for Sale just once and you will find yourself wanting to read it again and again and again. Also, check out the sequel:  Circus Caps for Sale.

Cat the Cat, Who Is That? by Mo Willems is a great book for kids who are learning to read. Cat the Cat introduces us to all of her friends like Mouse, Duck, Fish, and to a special new friend at the end of the book. It is a good book to share with a beginning reader as it has many words that are repetitive and also basic words like cat, fish, etc. It uses many words that sound similar and the illustrations are not complex. Try looking for the pigeon, he’s seems to pop up when you’re least expecting him. Also check out this great presentation by the author.

Stone Soup by Marcia Brown is probably my favorite fairy tale.  The book is based on the old French tale about soldiers who trick miserly villagers into making them a feast.  The story has a very satisfying ending.  Unfortunately, unlike the fairy tale I did not feel so jolly after making and eating my own version of stone soup when I was five. 

On January 22, 2011 at 3:00PM a new program is coming to the Children's Room of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library called "STUFF"! "STUFF" is a program designed for children of all ages. It's about the stuff we keep around and all the different "Stuff" we can create from it. We'll be using found materials in creative, and most of all fun ways. Some projects will include making murals for decorating the Children's Room, creating masks to celebrate Mardi Gras and much much more!