I'd like to extend a special THANK YOU to library volunteers Shelley Theodore, Maria Salazar, and Crystal Lepper for helping me process lots of new books. With their help we added 92 new books to the library's collection in October!

Two third grade boys looking for books on Destiny and discovering they're lost ...

Boy 1: [sigh] Some people just don't respect books.
Boy 2: [nodding] Yeah, I know!

Although I lament the fact the books are lost, I couldn't help but smile at their conversation. It warms my heart that there are students who are very protective of books and our library.

First Book, South Bay/LA is asking for your help to provide books to low income children in the Los Angeles area. 

When you purchase items (books, Nooks, toys, etc.) on October 20 at Barnes & Noble stores, 10~15% of your purchase price will go to First Book, South Bay/LA so they can provide free books to children. You must use the ID number 10875524 at the time of purchase to have your purchase credited to First Book. You can also use the same code online from October 20th through the 25th.

Thank you for your support in increasing literacy and helping to spread the love of reading to all children!

It is the 161st anniversary of the publication of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick. It was first published on October 18, 1851 in London as The Whale. A month later, it was published in New York as Moby-Dick.

Herman Melville is considered a great American author. Although he was born into a fairly wealthy New York City family, Melville spent considerable time on whaling ships. His sea-faring experiences in the South Seas lent realism to his future novels. 

Read: Moby-Dick adapted by Shirley Bogart (FIC MEL); Salt Water Taffy: Caldera's Revenge, Parts 1 and 2 by Matthew Loux (741.5 LOU)

Attention art enthusiasts! The County of Los Angeles Public Library (aka the public library) is hosting its annual bookmark design contest again. (It's the 33rd year!) This year's theme is It Came From a Book! If you're interested in participating, create an original design, preferably relating to the theme, and submit it to Ms. Yukari by Friday, October 26. Alternatively, you can submit it directly to the Manhattan Beach library by Saturday, October 27.

Entry forms are available below or at the public library's website. 

Guidelines are as follows:

• Draw a design about books or reading in dark blue or black ink only.
• Designs must be the original work of the artist.
• Bookmarks are judged on creativity, originality and neatness.
• Please, no cartoon characters, color, or pencil drawings.
• Artists must be in Kindergarten through 12th grade, or between the ages of 5 and 18 years old.
• Artists must live in Los Angeles County.
• Limit one entry per person.
• Entries become the property of the County Library.

Four students are chosen in each age category from all of the submissions. Categories are: Kindergarten~Grade 2, Grades 3~5, Grades 6~8, and Grades 9~12. Students whose design is chosen from the Manhattan Beach branch will receive a gift bag and will be invited to the December 18th City Council meeting to be congratulated. Results will be announced by November 6. Good luck, Riptides!

The PTSA generously donated a betta fish to the library (Robinson gave away bettas as prizes at this year's Hometown Fair booth). For the first week I called him Fishy but I knew he needed a proper name. Since he's the library pet now, I asked the kids to submit name suggestions. I received 189!

There were a few I really liked: PJ (short for Purple Jelly), Ms. Yukari, Jr., Twitchy, and Library Monster were contenders. But, in the end, I chose Mr. Westing as the betta's name. It was suggested by Ethan in 5th grade who recently read and enjoyed The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (FIC RAS).

It's a book that I also highly recommend. It is a fantastic, very sophisticated mystery that won the 1979 Newbery Medal. It was my best friend’s favorite book growing up and she recommended it to me as an adult. If I remember correctly, I read it in my late-20s and I was riveted by the plot.


I hope Mr. Westing is comfortable in his bigger tank and enjoys hearing the library read alouds as much as the kids do!

It's week five of It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

We're starting to read this year's California Young Reader Medal nominees this week so I'm concentrating on those books and any books that correlate with them. And, as usual, I'm trying to sneak in some of the many new books we get each month.

The chapter book I'm currently reading is the second in John Stephens' The Books of Beginning series: The Fire Chronicle. The publication date is early October but I received my copy (an ARC -- Advance Reader Copy) at the American Library Association conference in June. It's one of the perks of being a library media specialist!