Calling all kindergarteners through 5th graders to take a glimpse at a Yo-Yo master. Come to the Pittsfield Branch at 11 AM Wednesday, July 30 for a great show with YoJake. During National Turn Off the TV week, YoJake picked up a yo-yo and has not been able to put it down since. See the latest yo-yo tricks and skills from someone who has competed all around the nation! Extreme yo-yoing is not just "walk the dog" any longer!

Learn your own crazy yo-yo moves from these cool books:
Awesome Yo-Yo Tricks by Shar Levine
Yo-Yo’s: Tricks to Amaze Your Friends by Ingrid Roper

Float through fairy dust to the Downtown Ann Arbor District Library on Sunday, July 27th at 2:00 pm for fairytale storytime and fairy treats. You can make a sparkly bookmark and create a fanciful garden for the wee folk but whatever you do, don't forget to stop at the fairy door and see the new sign the fairies put up!

The July 23 program at the Downtown Library, The Waters of Michigan with Authors Dave Dempsey and David Lubbers, has been cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control. We apologize for the inconvenience.

If Ann Arbor's Art Fairs and Summer Festival weren't enough, you'll have another chance to look at art, listen to music, and eat elephant ears this Friday and Saturday, July 25-26, at the Chelsea SummerFest. Now in its 30th year, the SummerFest includes ARTicipation, a juried art show and art activities for kids; a variety of musical events at three different stages; an antique car show; and plenty of activities for kids, including a Pet Parade and tours of the Teddy Bear Factory. On top of that, the Chelsea Toy Museum makes its debut this weekend.

In case you think chess is just for brainy nerds, check out the Hip-Hop Chess Federation and wuchess.com. While the Hip Hop Chess Federation provides an environment in which individuals “interact, play and develop life strategy skills with people they perceive as mentors”, WuChess offers the “worlds first online chess and Hip-Hop community”.

So in the words of these groups, “get your learn on” at Chesstastic, Sunday, July 20, 1-4 p.m., Pittsfield Branch. We invite you to play just for the joy of “flexin’ ya mentals”.

Join us for Playgroups and Preschool Storytimes at the Traverwood Branch.

Playgroups will occur on Fridays; July 18, July 25 and August 1; 10:30-11:30 am.

Preschool Storytimes will occur on Thursdays; July 17, July 24, and July 31; 10:00-10:30 am.

Playgroups are times for babies up to 24 months to gather and play with their grownups. These sessions include 15 minutes of stories, rhymes and songs, followed by open playgroup. No older siblings please.

Preschool Storytimes are 30 minutes of stories and songs for listeners age two and up, accompanied by an adult. Siblings are welcome.

The fall Storytime/Playgroup series will begin in September.

Come to The Henry Ford July 2-5 at 6pm and celebrate with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra! This year is the 16th annual "Salute to America" at the Henry Ford. Come when the gates open, get a good seat and even enjoy a picnic from home. The evening is then filled with patriotic marches and a tribute to our veterans of all ages. The night ends with the 1812 Overture along with a fireworks show and a real cannon! Check out the website for ticket information and celebrate our independence. Read about Greenfield Village in A home for our heritage : the building and growth of Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum, 1929-1979.

Experience the rich culture of Cape Verde, a collection of small islands off the coast of Senegal with the sultry voice and music of Mayra Andrade who will be at the Ark this Friday, June 27. Andrade sings in French, Portuguese and her native Creole. Following in the tradition of acclaimed Brazilian singer, Cesaria Evoria, she epitomizes the emergence of new world music.

Register now for Library Lego League! Visit any public service desk or call 327-4200 to reserve your spot on one of the four Lego building days: 7/24, 7/31, 8/7, or 8/14.

In teams of four, participants will spend all day, from 10-4 PM, building a robot out of Mindstorms NXT kits in the Downtown Library Multipurpose Room. Teams will face a challenge of the day, where they will have to program their robot to complete a certain task. The top three teams will win prizes, while everyone will leave with a participation ribbon. Pizza will be provided.

Join us at the library for a fun-filled day. Be sure to sign up because space is limited. Check out the L3 Blog to find fellow NXT enthusiasts. See you there!

To brush up on Mindstorms, check out these books: The unofficial LEGO Mindstorms NXT inventor's guide, Building robots with Lego Mindstorms : the ultimate tool for Mindstorms maniacs! and Creative projects with LEGO mindstorms.