CONCRETE POETRY

What is it? Concrete poetry is different from regular poems. Some concrete poems are just a few words, or even one word written in letters to suggest the shape of what the poem is about. Some concrete poems use individual letters or colors, shapes, or sizes to give more meaning to the poem.
Where can you see it? Visit the Children's Section of the Beaverton City Library. Look for the large bulletin boards. You will find these poems and more:
"The Concrete Cat" by Dorthi Charles
"Popsicle" by Joan Bransfield Graham
"A Seeing Poem" by Robert Froman
We got the idea from a wonderful book, A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems, written by Paul B. Janeczko and illustrated by Chris Raschka. Our awesome volunteer display artist, Aubrey, painstakingly enlarged and traced the poetry onto bold background colors.
What can you do to create your own concrete poetry? Borrow A Poke in the I or another concrete or shape poetry book from the library. Get ideas for writing and illustrating some very unusual and eye-catching poetry! (AB)

Read more »

Posted in: Creativity,Poetry

Mud-O-Rama

Spring has been (so far) cold, wet and rainy. That means mud. The only thing more fun than playing in the mud? Reading stories about it!












Mud by May Lyn Ray
An ode to the thawing of the earth after the long winter.

Check our catalog for this title.

Mud Tacos by Mario Lopez and Marissa Lopez Wong
Let's make mud tacos out in the backyard. Yum!

Check our catalog for this title.

The Mud Fairy by Amy Young
Can Emmalina the fairy earn her wings by playing with the frogs in the mud?

Check our catalog for this title.

Stuck in the Mud by Jane Clarke
Little chick needs lots of help after getting stuck in the barnyard mud.


Check our catalog for this title.

I'm Dirty by Kate and Jim McMullan
It's a backhoe's duty to get dirty.

Check our catalog for this title.

-gw-

Read more »

Posted in: Picture Books

Heartsong Yoga at the Beaverton City Library, Monday, April 12, 2010

Heartsong Yoga will be here on Monday, April 12, 2010 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. to teach some basic yoga moves for children and their parents. This program is for children in grades two through five and an accompanying adult. If you are interested in finding out about yoga and learning some basic postures, please phone (503)350-3600 to register or stop by the Children's Desk on the first floor of library to sign-up for this event. We hope to see you there. -gw-

Read more »

Posted in: Special Programs

Chapter Book Chips - "The Fast and the Furriest" by Andy Behrens

Twelve-year-old Kevin Pugh is the son of a former Chicago Bears star football player. Unfortunately, Kevin is not a chip off the old block. He is much better at gaming with Madden football than playing the real game. His dog, Cromwell, is a couch potato too. One day, while lying on the couch, Kevin and Cromwell watch a dog agility contest on TV. Cromwell is mesmerized by the event and this is the beginning of new chapter in Kevin and Cromwell's life. They enroll in Paw Patch, a dog agility training school. And they meet Elka, Paw Patch's slightly mystic trainer. Over the summer, the two begin their transformation from loafers to athletes. And when Paw Patch holds its' yearly dog agility championship, Kevin and Cromwell surprise everyone. But the race isn't over yet. Will they succeed beyond even their wildest dreams? Read, "The Fast and the Furriest" to find out. A great sports book for fifth and sixth graders. And a great story for dog lovers too. -gw-

Check our catalog for this title.

Read more »

Posted in: Chapter Book Chips

Lightning Thief still checked out??

Try one of these other great titles that weave together modern stories with classic mythology.


Odd and the Frost Giants
J Gaiman, N.

A twelve-year-old, Norwegian boy named Odd is lead on a journey in which he must save three Norse gods and face the dreaded Frost Giant.

Find this title in our catalog



The Beautiful Stories of Life: six Greek myths, retold
J 398.2093 RYL

Rylant puts a modern twist on the stories of Pandora, Persephone, Pschye, Orpheus, Pygmalion, and Narcissus.

Find this title in our catalog

The One-eyed Giant

j 883 OSB

The first book in Mary Pope Osborne's Tales From the Odyssey series.

Odysseus begins his long journey home following the Trojan War and encounters danger after danger along the way.

Find this title in our catalog

Pandora Gets Jealous

J Hennesy

Thirteen-year-old Pandora, Pandy for short, knows she is in trouble when the box her father Zeus gave her is accidentally opened during a her high school presentation.

Find this title in our catalog

-cm

Read more »

Posted in: Staff Favorites

Hooray for Spring!

Spring is finally here! Celebrate the season by reading a new picture book from the Beaverton City Library.

Waiting Out the Storm by JoAnn Early Macken
Mama makes it better when the thunder and lightning come.

Check our catalog for this title.

Seven Hungry Babies by Candace Fleming
Mama Bird is busy with seven hungry mouths to feed.

Check our catalog for this title.

My Garden by Kevin Henkes
Lovely pictures add to the story of some unusual things that grow in this garden.

Check our catalog for this title.

Ooh La La Polka-Dot Boots by Ellen Olson-Brown

Polka-dots and boots ... the perfect combination!

Check our catalog for this title.

Wee Little Bunny by Lauren Thompson
Bunny's busy day in the meadow.

Check our catalog for this title.

-gw-

Read more »

Posted in: Picture Books

Falling In

Falling In

by Frances O'Roarke Dowell (Children's New books)(J Dowell)(2010)

Isabelle Bean is no ordinary 6th grader. She's a dreamy girl, whose thoughts are rarely on the matter at hand. She's just eccentric enough that the other kids keep their distance. To Isabelle, life is too mundane, there's just not enough magic.

Her ordinary life suddenly changes when she follows a mouse and subsequently "falls in" to another realm. Tales of a witch in this new place send her on the trail to find this so-called witch. All the other children are running away, but not Isabelle. She and a girl she befriends along the way, wind up at an old woman's house, who lives in the woods. She and the other girl, Hen, stay with the woman and learn herbal healing techniques.

It's not long before Isabelle discovers that the woman IS the witch, except she's not really a witch. It's up to Isabelle to dispell the rumor that there is a witch-which then leads to everyone thinking that she is the witch!

You'll have to read the book to find out if she can persuade everyone that there is no witch! -SC-

Check our catalog for this title.

Read more »

Posted in: Fiction,New Book Review