August in the Children’s Room

Posted on 29 June 2024

PLEASE NOTE:

The children’s playspace will be closed from August 12th-August 25th for the Friends of the Grafton Public Library book sale. The limited children’s collection will be available, and we can order materials for you.

There will be no children’s programming in the last two weeks of August.

Support the Friends of the Grafton Public Library and stock up on some great items! Browse a selection of gently used books, games, DVDs and more, on Saturday, August 24th, 10:00am-3:00pm and Sunday, August 25th, 12:00pm-2:00pm. The sale will take place at the Grafton Public Library, 35 Grafton Common, Grafton MA 01519.

ATTENTION TEACHERS! We are offering 50% off ALL books so you can stock up on everything your classroom needs this school year. We will also be offering a bag sale on Sunday – fill a bag for $5.00!

Prices range from $0.50 – $2.00/book. Special pricing for collections. Payment accepted via cash, check, or PayPal (for purchases over $5 only).

Donations accepted Monday, August 12 through Friday, August 23. Donations of all gently used books, DVDs, CDs, games & complete puzzles will be accepted. Please no textbooks or heavily damaged items. Ask front desk staff where to drop off your items upon arrival.

To learn more please visit us at FACEBOOK.COM/GPLFRIENDS

Read to Bead is in full swing! Don’t have your packet yet? You can pick it up at the library! Need an extra tracking sheet? Download one here, or you can always pick one up at the Library.

When choosing a reading goal for your family, remember: you know your child best!

Tip: When choosing a goal, try to have it be enough of a stretch to create a real sense of accomplishment.

Track pages, chapters, books read or time spent- minutes or hours. For reluctant readers, start simple by aiming to read every day. Remember you can always adjust your goals as the summer progresses.

Once a row is filled, bring it to the library to redeem a token for our gumball machine! Our gumball machines give out beads so your child can create a unique summer reading necklace.

Keep filling rows for more tokens and beads. Earn special charms by attending Library Programs.

The summer slide refers to the learning loss that can occur when children are out of school for the summer, especially in their reading skills. It’s important to keep kids reading all summer long to maintain their progress and prevent this setback.

Whether it’s a comic book, a mystery novel, or even a favorite magazine, as long as they’re reading something, they’re keeping their minds active and engaged. Consistent reading helps children retain and even improve their literacy skills, setting them up for success when they return to school in the fall. Let’s make this summer a time for fun and growth through reading!

Break out of the box!

If your child has a required reading list, we can help you order the books that you need. If a title is older, there may be limited copies in our network, so please be patient if it takes a bit longer for us to find you a copy. If your reading list is recommended, not required, or if you’d like to try more modern or diverse books, we have some alternatives for you:

• The American Library Association has lists that are full of book titles to keep children engaged in reading throughout the summer.
• Check out these diverse books for kids and teens.
• Boston Public Library has a collection called Black Stories Matter!: Children’s Books by Black Authors and Illustrators.
• Use your Grafton Public Library card to log into Novelist to search for books by Lexile level.
• Have a reluctant reader? Try graphic novels!

There’s nothing better than choosing your own books. Come in and let your children browse the shelves. Summer is a great time to explore their interests. Are they interested in Minecraft? We have a book for that! How about rockets?

Remember, it doesn’t matter what your child reads, as long as they are reading!

Goodbye from Ms. Jen

After twelve wonderful years in the Grafton Public Library’s Children’s Room, the time has come for me to turn the page to a new chapter in my life. It’s with a mixture of joy, gratitude, and a touch of sadness that I say goodbye.

When I first started working at the Grafton Public Library, my own children were just 7 and 5 years old. Today, one is a senior in high school, and the other is a sophomore in college! Time flies when you’re having fun, and boy, did we have fun!

From the delightful chaos of Library Babies, to those first very small “Bank on Reading” sessions at Unibank, I’ve watched your children grow. I’ve loved helping them find that perfect book or celebrating their first official library card. Sharing in their literary adventures has been an absolute privilege. I’ll never forget all of those LEGO club creations, Halloween costumes, and New Years at Noon ball and/or balloon drops.

Thank you for the laughter, the stories, and the unforgettable memories. Keep reading, keep exploring, and always remember – the library is a place where magic happens!