A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka is the Caldecott medal winner for 2012.  The award, named for nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott, is given every year by the American Library Association to the artist of the best American picture book for children.  Three honor books were also named:  Blackout, by John Rocco; Grandpa Green, by Lane Smith; and Me . . . Jane, by Patrick McDonnell.

Chris Raschka is no stranger to the Caldecott.  He won the coveted top spot with The Hello, Goodbye Window in 2006 and an honor medal in 1994 for Yo! Yes?  Mr. Raschka has also illustrated the works of other writers, including Norton Juster, Jack Prelutsky and Sharon Creech.

You can find these and more books illustrated by Chris Raschka through the library’s catalog.  A complete list of past Caldecott winners can be found on the American Library Association’s website.

For more information about materials or events @ your library®, call (813) 273-3652 or visit http://www.hcplc.org/.

The Chinese calendar marks each new year with the characteristics of one of the 12 zodiacal animals (seen below).  2012 will be the year of the dragon and is considered particularly lucky.  If your child is interested to know under which zodiac animal their birthday falls, they can locate their birth year on this chart (click image to enlarge):

Clip art © by Dixie Allan, 
http://webclipart.about.com

Traditions of the Chinese New Year include house-cleaning, focusing on home and family, posting lucky messages on household entryways, and setting off firecrackers to frighten away evil spirits.  Many children receive gifts of money wrapped in red paper. 

Children at the Upper Tampa Bay Regional Public Library had the opportunity last week to take part in the celebration.  They used Microsoft Publisher to create Chinese paper lanterns:

Here are some additional Spring Festival/New Year Resources:

• Suggested websites and children’s books about the Chinese New Year available from the library
• Spring Festival information from the China Internet Information Center

For more information about this and other FREE programs @ your library®, call (813) 273-3652 or visit http://www.hcplc.org/.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012!

It’s never too early to start planning for college.  One financial goal that many parents share is a college education for their children. With education costs increasing at a faster rate than general inflation, saving for college can be a daunting task. You can, however, pursue this important financial goal by establishing a college fund and taking action today.

The Town ‘N Country Regional Library is hosting a MetLife-sponsored College Planning Seminar next Thursday, January 26 from 6:30-7:45p.m.  This class will focus on current and future college costs, sources of funds, financial aid, scholarships, loans and other investment options.

For more information about this and other FREE programs @ your library®, call (813) 273-3652 or visit http://www.hcplc.org/.

Someone is in Rabbit’s house and won’t let him in!   Some of his bigger animal friends try to help him, but only make matters worse.  Audience members will learn that problems are not always solved by those with size and strength. 

If you want to find out who finally helps Rabbit, come check out another entertaining puppet show by the Creative Arts Theater, part of the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department.  The show, an African Trickster tale,  is based on the book by the same name written by Verna Aardema.

Find out when this play is coming to a library near you by checking out our events calendar.  The Creative Arts Theater will be performing several different plays throughout the year, so stay tuned for more information!

For more information about this and other FREE programs @ your library®, call (813) 273-3652 or visit http://www.hcplc.org/.

As the Tampa Bay area gears up for Gasparilla festivities, your kids can join in the fun at the John F. Germany Library’s annual Pirates and Princesses Party taking place this Saturday, January 14  from 2-3 p.m. 

With guest storyteller, Katie Adams leading the way, children can listen to pirate tales and get crafty decorating a crown or pirate hat.

Pirate and princess costumes are encouraged, so come dressed to impress!  Click here for location and parking information for the John F. Germany Public Library.

For more information about this and other FREE programs @ your library®, call (813) 273-3652 or visit http://www.hcplc.org/.

Just imagine those times when your kids are forced to sit and wait, i.e. the Dr.’s office, the grocery store, the bus stop, etc.  If you have an iPhone or iPad and a library card, you now have access to a new form of mobile entertainment to help cure their wiggles!

Kids love technology and if they enjoy viewing Tumblebooks on the computer, they are going to love being able to watch the almost 50 titles that are now available for the iPad and iPhone!  In addition to the direct link above, Tumblebooks for iPad/iPhone can be accessed from the library’s website from a link located near the bottom of the eBooks page.

We are excited to offer this addition to an already great service and hope you will enjoy this new way to access these kid-friendly materials! 

If you are new to Tumblebooks and would like to learn more, you can take a virtual tour of this great resource that is available to all of our cardholders.

You’ll be glad this elf isn’t heading back to the North Pole just because the holidays are over!

Library Elf is a service that helps send reminders about library items that are almost due, overdue or on hold and ready for pickup.  It is especially helpful for families with children who have multiple library cards in one household because it consolidates the accounts into one place for review.

Registration is free and easy for Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library cardholders– all you need is your email address, library card number and its PIN (usually the last four digits of your phone number).  Library Elf allows full customization of notifications and includes the option to receive messages via email, text message, and RSS feed.  You also get to decide how far in advance of due dates and how often reminders will be sent (up to seven days advance notice, weekly notice or everyday reminders).

If you are looking for a way to simplify your household’s library accounts, give Library Elf a try today!

Stumped by a homework question?  Need some subject-specific support?  Tutor.com has the resources you and your child need to find the answer!

The Tutor.com service provides thousands of lessons, worksheets, study guides and videos to help your student toward success.  It even allows students to connect with a live tutor for one-to-one help.

And Tutor.com isn’t just for young children.  For older kids, there are test prep resources (SAT, ACT, FCAT, GED, etc.) in addition to homework help.  For adults, this service provides career assistance, such as resumé and cover letter-writing help as well as parenting tips and advice for helping children with their homework.  This resource is available for free through your library, so click on the image below and give it a try today!

Games are a staple of childhood.
Whether your kids are into classic table-top games or fast-paced video games, the library has their interests covered.  Start the new year off with some fun and check out gaming events happening at the library this month! 

Have a young reader at home?　 The Association for Library Service to Children, a divison of the American Library Association has just released a “Great Early Elementary Reads” book list that is full of ideas for beginning readers. 

Many of these titles are available at the library, so if you see a title that sounds interesting, just plug it into our online catalog to check availability.  These books were published between 2009 and 2011 and many are part of a larger series that young readers may also enjoy.  Our Youth Services Librarians are also a great resource for choosing books.  We encourage you to come into the library to talk to one today and get some great ideas for your favorite young reader!