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Ages 5-11

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Blog Post

Meet 2016 “It’s All Write!” Guest Speaker: Patrick Flores-Scott!

by BugsAndSlugs

Patrick Flores-Scott is the guest speaker at this year's "It’s All Write!” Teen Short Story Contest Final Celebration and the author of the award winning novel, Jumped In. In Mr Flores-Scott's debut novel, the protagonist, Sam, is intent on slacking his way through high school until a love of music and poetry spark an unlikely friendship with Luis - the undisputed scariest kid in school. Jumped In was named to the 2014 YALSA best fiction for young adults list and was a finalist in the Michigan Great Lakes - Great Books competition for 2016.

For more about Patrick Flores-Scott, check out his blog, watch for his new novel American Road Trip coming in January, 2017, and celebrate all the “It’s All Write!” contestants while the top nine finalists are announced on Sunday June 12, 2016 from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm in the Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room!

Stay tuned to find out the winners of the 2016 “It’s All Write!” Teen Short Story Contest!

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Meet 2016 “It’s All Write!” Judge #8 - Adi Alsaid!

by BugsAndSlugs

The final judge for this year's “It’s All Write!” Teen Short Story Contest is Adi Alsaid! Adi was born and raised in Mexico. He currently lives in Mexico City, where he writes and coaches basketball.

Adi Alsaid is the author of two YA novels Let's Get Lost, the story of a 17 yr old girl who travels cross-country and touches the lives of four strangers, and Never Always Sometimes, about teenage friends Dave and Julia, and their discovery that avoiding all the clichés can mean missing out on some of the best parts of high school.

Adi Alsaid is also working on a third and still untitled YA novel, due to be released in 2017!

Up Next: Patrick Flores-Scott, this year’s guest speaker for the “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest final celebration on June 12th!

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Blog Post

PreK Bits - “O” is for Owl

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel presented stories with Owls in Preschool Storytime.

LITTLE OWL LOST ... fell out of her tree and lost her mommy. Squirrel came to help out ....
Banjo Betsy accompanied the action song "Wake Up You Sleepy Heads"
OL' MAMA SQUIRREL ... is an experienced mama and she does not let anything near her nest. Especially not the owl!

For more Owl stories try these favorites:
I’M NOT READY! and I’M NOT CUTE! by Jonathan Allen … a baby owl who expresses definite opinions.
OWL BABIES ... sit in a tree waiting for mama to come home .... and she always does.
GOOD NIGHT OWL ... a story full of bird songs as owl tries to sleep.
HOOT And PEEP ... a big sibling owl shows the younger sibling how things work ...
OWL BOY ... wants to live like an owl and do what owls do.
HOOT OWL: Master Of Disguise ... you need to try many things to catch a meal.
LITTLE OWL'S DAY ... and how to spend a day.
TOO TALL HOUSES ... a parable.
BARN OWLS ... a book of true facts.
Hoot!

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Blog Post

Camp Scholarships Still Available!

by Beth Manuel

Do you know a young person who would be interested in having a camp experience this summer? If so, now is the time to complete a campership application on behalf of a child who has dreamed of the opportunity to go away to camp. The Washtenaw County Camp Placement Association believes that attending a summer resident camp is a unique life experience that provides children an opportunity for growth in social, emotional and physical well-being. Their mission is to connect at-risk youth to camps through community support. WCPA is the only camping program that accepts referrals from teachers and counselors in all Washtenaw county schools, as well as human service agencies throughout the county. Applicants must be entering Grades 5 through 12 in the fall following camp. WCPA takes referrals and applications throughout the summer-please keep this opportunity in mind for kids who could use it.

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PreK Bits - "N" is for "No" and "not" and "now" ... but can you get to "Yes!"

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel presented stories of “NO!” in Preschool Storytime @ Malletts Creek.
Oh NO! I MADE A MISTAKE ... a sequence of rhyming words.
Oh NO! “I Dropped My Nose” ... what do you do? Pick it up! ... and put it back on your face!
Oh NO! THERE’S A MOUSE IN The HOUSE ... "Can it stay?"

For more seriously “NO” stories try these favorites:
OH, NO! ... one by one the animals fall into a big hole. Can They get out?
OH NO, GEORGE! ... George, the dog, makes many mistakes.
NO DOGS ALLOWED!
NO BATH! NO CAKE! Polly’s Pirate Party
NO JUMPING ON THE BED ... and the consequences from jumping!
ALAN’S BIG SCARY TEETH
THE BOOK WITH NO PICTURES
YES DAY ! ... for a very good day after all those NOs.

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Meet 2016 “It’s All Write!” Judge #7: Kashmira Sheth!

by BugsAndSlugs

Kashmira Sheth is the author of two award winning teen novels Keeping Corner and Koyal Dark, Mango Sweet.

Before she began writing, Kashmira Sheth had many jobs, including working in a bakery, catching corn flea beetles, using microbiology to test food for bacterial counts and pathogens, choreographing and performing Indian dances and running a dance school. When asked what she would tell someone that wishes to become a writer, Ms. Sheth gave three pieces of advice:

  • Read, read and read some more.
  • Learn another language or two.
  • Write something every day - even if it's just your thoughts.

For more about Kashmira Sheth, visit her webpage, and stay tuned for updates about the “It’s All Write!” Teen Short Story Contest Judges!

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Blog Post

PreK Bits - "M" is for Mouse

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel presented mouse stories at Preschool Storytime.
IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE … It’s a lo-o-o-ong way back … to the beginning.
Ms. Betsy played mountain dulimer and led "Here We Go Zoodio" for an action event.
15 ANIMALS … and there IS a mouse in it!

For more mouse adventures try these favorites:
MOUSE MESS … a story of snacks.
MOUSE PAINT … and more classic mice from Ellen Stoll Walsh.
MOUSE WAS MAD … a story of temper.
THE MOUSE WHO REACHED THE SKY … a story of teamwork and unexpected reward.
CHRYSANTHEMUM ... and more classic mice from Kevin Henkes.
OOPS! POUNCE! QUICK! RUN! … an alphabet caper.
BUILDER MOUSE … an engineering story.
HERMELIN THE DETECTIVE MOUSE … a story of lost items.
THE MOUSE MANSION … a story illustrated in great detail.
A LIBRARY BOOK FOR BEAR … and more stories of the Bear + Mouse pair from Bonny Becker.
ALEXANDER AND THE WIND-UP MOUSE ... a classic story from Leo Lionni.

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Blog Post

Meet 2016 “It’s All Write!” Judge #6: Tracy Bilen!

by BugsAndSlugs

Tracy Bilen is the YA author of What She Left Behind, the story of sixteen-year-old Sara, whose mother goes missing before they can move to a new town to escape Sara's physically abusive father. Ms. Bilen is a high school French and Spanish teacher in Michigan, where she lives with her husband and children. Tracy studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and taught Spanish at a high school ski academy. She loves biking, traveling, and red velvet cake. When asked about her favorite word, Tracy declared, “Plethora. Because it’s the first fancy word I ever learned. I don’t ever say it out loud, but I THINK it a lot.”

Want to learn more about Tracy Bilen's favorite things and get some advice on starting out as a writer? Check out her blog and stay tuned for more information about the “It’s All Write!” Teen Short Story Contest Judges!

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Blog Post

PreK Bits - "L" is for little (and LARGE)

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel and Ms. Allison brought to Preschool Storytime ... little creatures you may never see.
BIG little is a sorting activity to show size differences. After all ... you need to know what little is before you can look for it!
A BED JUST SO has a "Hudgin" who won’t let the Tailor sleep.
“The Goblin Story” is one story in the beginning Reader LITTLE BEAR’S VISIT.

For more stories of teeny tiny very little creatures try these favorites (note: where there is something little, there is also something LARGE):
The HINKY PINK ... a different version of the "Hudgin story" above.
TEENY TINY by Jill Bennett.
DIG IN! … for little things you find when you dig down in the ground.
HORTON HEARS A WHO by Dr. Seuss ... after all ... a Who needs to be heard too.
The WOMAN WHO FLUMMOXED The FAIRIES by Heather Forest.
IMAGINE YOU’RE A FAIRY ... don't forget your wings!
The TIPTOE GUIDE TO TRACKING FAIRIES by Ammi-Joan Paquette.
HOME SWEET HOME: a little book of fairy dwellings that have been made by people.
The ELVES And The SHOEMAKER ... when you need a bit of magic.
LITTLE HOUSES: a counting book by Helen Musselwhite.
SUCH A LITTLE MOUSE by Alice Schertle.

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Blog Post

Meet “It’s All Write!” 2016 Judge #5: Kevin Emerson!

by BugsAndSlugs

Kevin Emerson is the author of twelve novels, including the Exile series books: Exile, Encore to an Empty Room and the series conclusion, coming in August 2016, Finding Abby Road.

School Library Journal declared that Emerson's Atlanteans series, "...reads like a combination of Star Trek, Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief, and Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games... The plot twists around like a vine, blending mythology, technology, pandemics, violence, and excitement."

Kevin Emerson is a singer, drummer, and guitarist and has played in bands since high school. He has toured across the country and in Europe and the UK and now lives in Seattle, one of the best music cities in the world. Learn more about Kevin on his blog and stay tuned for more information about the 2016 “It’s All Write!” Teen Short Story Contest Judges!