SUMMER READING PROGRAMS 2015
Watchung Library
Programs are in Age Order
Registration for July and August programs begins June 17 at 10:00 AM
Online Registration for Summer Reading Clubs opens June 22.
For updates on programs, or to register online visit:
http://somerset.evanced.info/signup/EventCalendar.aspx?lib=1008
Story Time for Twos – See Who’s Brave!
Ages: 24 months to 36 months with Caregiver
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes! Come and enjoy age-appropriate stories and crafts that very young children will enjoy!
Wednesday, June 24 at 10:30 AM
Much More Fun for Brave Little Munchkins
Presented by: Mrs. Fine
Age: 2 1/2 to 3 with Caregiver
Enjoy books, songs, fingerplays, flannelboard stories, puppets and crafts that will help young ones discover their power to be little heroes.
Tuesday, June 23 at 10:30 AM
Lunchtime Storytime for Heroes with Mrs. Fine
Ages: 2 and 3 with Caregiver
There’s a story behind every hero! Come dressed as your favorite hero or heroine and hear some great stories. Bring a sandwich or finger food and we’ll make the dessert and serve something to drink.
Wednesday, July 29 at 12:00 PM
Who Flies? Lunchtime Storytime
Presented by: Mrs. Fine
Age: 2 1/2 to 3 with Caregiver
Enjoy books, songs, fingerplays, flannelboard stories and puppets. Bring a sandwich or finger food and we’ll make a flying-friendly dessert and serve something to drink – just for little heroes and heroines!
Tuesday, August 25 at 10:30 AM
Story Time for Incredible Twos
Ages: 24 to 36 months with Caregiver
Find the heroes – from little ants to big bears! Enjoy age-appropriate stories and crafts that are just right for future heroes and heroines.
Wednesday, July 15 and August 5 at 10:30 AM
What Would a Super Hero Eat?
Ages: 3 and up
Presented by: Theresa Hanntz, Family and Community Health Sciences & 4H
Sponsored by: The Garden Club of Watchung
Ever wonder how your favorite super hero got to be so strong? What do they eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Come find out! Listen to a story, learn about SUPER foods, and make a snack fit for a
Friday, July 17 at 11:00 AM
Ages: 4 and up
Presented by: Bob Lloyd, Magician
Heroic feats of magic! Magician Bob Lloyd presents a fast-paced blend of magic, juggling and mime which captivates audiences of all ages. Be prepared to be amazed, entertained, and delighted by the crazy antics of this magical performance.
Wednesday, July 8 at 11:00 AM at the Watchung Arts Center
Ages: 4 and up
Presented by: Margaret Hodge
Sponsored by: the Friends of the Watchung Library
Use your imagination and turn your favorite super hero into a puppet. Make two and give one to a friend and let them know they are a super person – or have a puppet show. Bring a picture of your favorite hero or book for ideas.
Tuesday, August 4 at 11:00 AM
Miss June’s Room
Ages: 4 to 6
Stories are full of heroes – from stars to butterflies. Hear their stories, make a project, and enjoy a snack.
Thursday, July 2 and August 6 at 11:00 AM
YOU can be a Hero! Concert
Ages: 5 and up
Presented by: by Patricia Shih
Sponsored by: the Friends of the Watchung Library
Multiple national award-winning singer-songwriter Patricia Shih wants children to know that THEY can be heroes too, and not just the “super” kind! They don’t have to wait to grow up to fulfill their dreams; they can be everyday heroes NOW by helping others in ways big and small. Using all-audience participation songs, movement, dancing and games Patricia shows why she has been one of the top-booked acts for family entertainment across the US for decades.
Come and show everyone how YOU can be a Hero!
About Patricia Shih: Patricia Shih is an award-winning singer-songwriter, recording artist, TV personality and author based in Huntington. Ms. Shih tours North America, delighting audiences of all ages for decades. She has been featured on numerous radio and TV shows (including hosting Cablevision’s “Tell Me A Story” seen twice daily for a year), at major music festivals, and in various clubs and concert halls with such luminaries as Pete Seeger, Bonnie Raitt, David Bromberg, Tom Chapin, Richie Havens, Odetta and Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary. She has eight albums and two books to her credit.
Tuesday, July 14 at 11:00 AM at the Watchung Arts Center
Ages: For All who would like to write a book review
Write a review about a book you’ve read on a COOKIE REVIEW card, and get a cookie or other treats while supplies last.
Wednesdays through August 19
Ages: 5 and up
Presented by: Robert Rogers Puppet Company
Sponsored by: The Friends of the Watchung Library
What do you do when your dad is the mighty thunderbolt-throwing Zeus, and you too have incredible strength far beyond your age? Young Hercules just wants to fit in, and the other kids don’t know what to make of him. This story, set in Ancient Greece, is about a little boy who learns what it means to be a leader and hero.
Tuesday, July 21 at 11:00 Am at the Watchung Arts Center
Ages: 5 and up
Presented by Bill Boesenberg,
SNAKES-N-SCALES AND TURTLE TALES
Sponsored by: The Friends of the Watchung Library
Meet some animals whose patience, courage, strength, and intelligence can remind us what a hero is Discover how animal “totems”, which are used to help us remember what a heroic quality “looks Like”, can encourage us to put heroic qualities into practice everyday.
Wednesday, July 29 at 3:00 PM
Ages: 5 to 7
Presented by: Jaclyn Spoleti of Youth Stages
There’s a hero in each of us! Using prompts, Youth Stages will elicit stories from participants. These stories will then be embellished- or not- and converted into improvisational scenes to be shared with one another. What’s YOUR story?
Youth Stages is all about creative drama, where participants are guided by a leader to imagine, enact, and reflect on experiences real and imagined. Prepare to have fun!
Thursday, July 30 at 1:00 PM
Leisa’s Super Summer Crafts!
Ages: 5 to 8 (Must be 5 when program begins)
Power-up your imagination! There will lots to make this summer, including hero masks, hero boxes, and more! Hear great stories about animals and people who use their power to do good.
Wednesday, July 8, 22, August 5 and 26 at 4:15 PM in the Children’s Area
Summer Reading Bingo with Miss June
Ages: 6 to 13
Calling all kids who love to play bingo! Come to the library and see if you can win a prize!
Friday, July 10 and August 14 at 11:00 AM
Power & Flowers: Greek Amphora with Splotchy Flowers.
Ages: 6 to 8
Presented by: Art-4-All
Funded in part by: The Garden Club of Watchung
Greece had its fair share of mythological heroes and heroines. Using a variety of media, you’ll create your own Greek Amphora vase (one with a scene and two handles) and “splotchy” flowers to make a 3-D picture. Materials used will be chalk, markers, tempera paint, oil pastels, and chenille stems. Amphora vases often depicted stories of heroes in action.
Wednesday, July 22 at 11:00 AM
Super Vision – Lights…Color…Action!
Ages: 7 to 9
Presented by: Mad Science
Sponsored by: The Friends of the Watchung Library
Using a Newton’s color wheel that they have built themselves, students in this class will prove that white light really is made up of all the colors of the rainbow! They will witness the wonders of chromatography in an exciting demonstration and will then be introduced to the concept of diffraction. Children will then experience this first hand wearing “rainbow” glasses.
Thursday, June 25 at 11:00 AM
Ages: 7 to 9
Presented by: Environmental Education Center, Somerset County Park Commission
Sponsored by: The Garden Club of Watchung
Think plants are boring? Wrong! They’re amazing AND we can’t live without them! These Green Super Heroes can cure disease, keep us clean and dry, feed us, entertain us, and so much more. You’re surrounded by these Super Heroes, so come learn about what they can do for you. Craft: Make something to wear out of a plant!
Tuesday, July 28 at 11:00 AM
The Amazing Superheroes of New Jersey!
Ages: Students in Grades 1 to 5
Presented by: Walter Choroszewski
Sponsored by: The Friends of the Watchung Library
“Mr. C” presents short biographies of New Jersey’s most important Superheroes from history to the arts, including Washington, Barton, Edison and many more. This fun-filled family program instills NJ pride in our homegrown heroes and is suitable for school-aged children Grades 1 – 5.
Wednesday, July 1 at 3:00 PM
Super Vision – Lights…Color…Action!
Ages: 7 to 9
Presented by: Mad Science
Sponsored by: The Friends of the Watchung Library
Using a Newton’s color wheel that they have built themselves, students in this class will prove that white light really is made up of all the colors of the rainbow! They will witness the wonders of chromatography in an exciting demonstration and will then be introduced to the concept of diffraction. Children will then experience this first hand wearing “rainbow” glasses.
Thursday, June 25 at 11:00 AM
Knitting for Kids!
Ages: 7 to 12
Presented by: Pam Mckenzie
The Courier News Knitting blogger/columnist Pam MacKenzie will offer classes in basic knitting for kids 7 to 12. The first project will be a garter stitch doll blanket or a head-band/ear warmer. Boys are welcome. After the garter stitch project is completed, kids will learn purling and finger knitting. Any child who has trouble with knitting needles will have an opportunity to use a knitting loom instead.
Required materials: a set of knitting needles, size 8, 9 or 10 and worsted-weight yarn (weight #4). Any parent or child who has questions about what to buy before the first class can email Pam at pmackenz@gannettnj.com.
Class is limited to 10 students.
Three Classes: Monday, August 3, 10 and 17 from 1:00 to 2:30 PM.
The class on August 17 will begin at 1:15 rather than 1:00 PM.
Please register for EACH class.
Ages: 8 to 10
Presented: Linda Howe
Sponsored by: The Friends of the Watchung Library
Did you know it takes courage to be an artist, and that you can draw out your hero? Come and learn a simple, safe, new and easy way to draw called Touch Drawing, and see how much fun you can have discovering how brave you really are!
About the Presenter: Linda Howe is an experienced artist, storyteller, educator, writer, muralist and poet. Touch Drawing is a beautiful, expressive, hands-on process that engages the audience to draw out themselves and their own stories.
Tuesday, July 7 at 11:00 AM
To Mask or Unmask – That Is the Question!
Ages: 8 to 10
Presented by: Jaclyn Spoleti, of Youth Stages
Using various materials (paper plates, paper bags, styrofoam trays, etc.) along with scissors and tape, participants will make their own masks from recycled items. Who is this character? How do they move? We will explore the life and antics of these new creations!
Youth Stages is all about creative drama, where participants are guided by a leader to imagine, enact, and reflect on experiences real and imagined. Prepare to have fun!
Thursday, July 30 at 2:00 PM
The King’s Castle (A Chess Club for KINGS!)
Ages: For Students in Grades 3 to 8
Be a HERO and escape your Fate!
Defend your King from Checkmate!
Come to play and learn the fabulous game of chess, The Game of Kings. Learn new ideas in chess ranging from basic to advanced play. Both beginners and experienced players are welcome!
Monday, July 6 and August 3 at 7:00 PM
Ages: For teens entering Grades 5 to12
It’s everything Minion tonight. Crafts, games, food and drink celebrating those cute little yellow guys from the movies.
Thursday, July 23 at 7:00 PM
Ages: For teens entering Grades 5 to12
Make some super crafts from comic books, with a little help from duct tape and other supplies.
Registration Required.
Thursday, August 6 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Ages: For Teens Entering Grades 6 to 12
Heroes and villains may be the stars, but it’s the minions making things work. Become a minion for two nights. Create a chain reaction machine from a variety of materials. When the machine is done, will it catch a hero or villain? Need some ideas? Visit: https://vimeo.com/album/3298630 .
Tuesday and July 1 and Wednesday, June 30 Register on June 30 for both nights of this program.
Ages: For Teens Entering Grades 6 to 12
Come develop the tools you need to make a stage fight look realistic whether you are playing the hero or the villain. Learn how to achieve realistic (but fake) pushes, hair pulls, chokes, slaps and punches. All are explored in a safe and educational workshop, with special attention always focusing on safety.
Of course, once you learn how to fake a slap/choke/hair pull/punch you will need to have the bruises to show for it! In the second part of this program, you will learn how to apply trauma simulation makeup – and even get a chance to look like you just stepped out of an action movie! This is a hands on, physical activity, so be dressed comfortably and ready to move.
Please note: An SCLS Release/Waiver must be filled out and signed by the parent or the child cannot participate in this program. Waivers must be returned to the library before or at the event. Forms are available at the library, or you can print one by going to http://www.sclsnj.org/PDFs/SCLSrlsformchild.pdf.
Thursday, July 9 from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM in the Seniors Room
Heroes & Villains Trivia Challenge
Ages: For Teens Entering Grades 6 to 12
Join a team and test your knowledge of heroes, villains and sidekicks from movies, comics, TV and books. We’ll actually give you the answers, which could include anyone from Albus Dumbledore to Professor X. Will you know when to use them?
Tuesday, July 21 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Ages: For Teens Entering Grades 6 to 12
Presented by Pinnacle Parkour
Test your skills as you run, jump, climb and swing to move around obstacles. Parkour coaches will demonstrate moves and provide instructions so you can find new ways to maneuver through the course. We’ll take an ordinary set-up and change it into a giant playground.
Registration required.
**Please note: An SCLS Release/Waiver must be filled out and signed by the parent or the child cannot participate in this program. Waivers must be returned to the library before or at the event. Forms are available at the library, or you can print one by going to: http://www.sclsnj.org/PDFs/SCLSrlsformchild.pdf
Thursday, July 16 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Watchung Arts Center
Ages: For Teens Entering Grades 6 to 12
Are you a hero in disguise? Reveal your skills on our super-powers obstacle course. Overcome fun mental and physical challenges as you race to the finish line. This is a physical activity so dress comfortably.
Registration Required.
**Please note: An SCLS Release/Waiver must be filled out and signed by the parent or the child cannot participate in this program. Waivers must be returned to the library before or at the event. Forms are available at the library or you can print one by going to: http://www.sclsnj.org/PDFs/SCLSrlsformchild.pdf
Wednesday, July 29 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Ages: For teens entering grades 6-12
Create a treat from the sundae bar. Share book recommendations and watch book trailers while eating. Registration Required to ensure enough ice cream for all.
Wednesday, August 12 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Ages: For teens entering grades 6-12
Teens have voted all summer for their favorite movies in our Comics vs. Novels Hero Movie Showdown Brackets. Watch the winning movie while enjoying movie snacks and more movie related fun & games.
Registration Required.
Tuesday, August 18 from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
WACC Watchung Adult Chess Club
Ages: Adults Only
Escape the ordinary – be the Hero! Outwit, outplay, battle and defeat your opponent in the ultimate game of wills
Play chess at Watchung Library! You bring the body and the brain, and we’ll provide the boards, pieces and clocks. Registration is not necessary, but appreciated. By providing and email address, you’ll receive a reminder about the program.
Monday, July 13 and August 10 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
New Jersey in the American Revolution
Ages: Adults
Presented by: William R. Chemerka
More battles and skirmishes were fought in New Jersey than any other state during the Revolutionary War. Bill Chemerka, a former History Teacher of the Year in New Jersey and a member of the Brigade of the American Revolution, explains the important battlefield events that took place in New Jersey between 1775 and 1783. Chemerka will also set up a display of items used by frontier riflemen during the War for American Independence.
William R. Chemerka is an award-winning educator, author, actor, and History channel commentator. He is the founder of The Alamo Society, a co-founder of the North Jersey Civil War Round Table, and a member of the Western Writers of America. Chemerka, a member of SAG-AFTRA, was a writer on the Emmy-nominated History channel production First Invasion: The War of 1812. He is the author of over a dozen books including Davy Crockett from A to Z, Music of the Alamo: From 19th Century Ballads to Big-Screen Soundtracks; Fess Parker: TV’s Frontier Hero, General Joseph Warren Revere: The Gothic Saga of Paul Revere’s Grandson, The Battle of Bunker Hill, and Rock and Roll Recollections: A Journalist’s 50-Year Diary.
Wednesday, July 15 at 1:00 PM
Ages: Adult
They say that every story has a HERO. We say the real HERO is the author who is brave enough to tell it. Be a HERO! This writer’s workshop brings together writers of all abilities to share their stories of fiction and non-fiction. We will provide helpful critiques and ideas to conquer the unending struggles with the written word.
Wednesday, July 22 and August 19 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Ages: Adult
Love Canasta? Want to Learn? Join us!
Thursdays from 1:00 to 4:00 PM.
All Ages
The Mah Jongg Club of Watchung meets every Monday and Tuesday from 1:00 to 4:00 at Watchung when the library is open. Contact Melanie Novello at Novello1800@aol.com for more information, or to be placed on the distribution list to receive evites for both clubs. No fee – All welcome.
Mondays and Tuesday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Ages: Adult
Second Monday of the month at 11:00 AM (with exceptions for holidays).
Mark your calendars:
Monday, August 10 at 11:00 AM
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
Private detective Maisie Dobbs must investigate the reappearance of a dead man who turns up at a cooperative farm called the Retreat that caters to men who are recovering their health after World War I.
Ages: Adults
Third Thursday of the Month
7:30 PM for Books; 7:00 PM for Movies
Thursday, July 16 at 7:00 PM:
MOVIE:
Shadows of Liberty
The film reveals the extraordinary truth behind the news media censorship, cover-ups, and corporate control. The film takes a journey through the darker corridors of the US media where global conglomerates call the shots. For decades, their overwhelming influence has distorted the news journalism and compromised its values.
Thursday, August 20 at 7:00 PM
The Healthcare Movie
This documentary provides the real story of how the health care systems in Canada and the U.S. evolved to be so completely different, given that at one point they were essentially the same. The movie dispels the propaganda still active today in the U.S. to dissuade the public from supporting national health care. Produced by a Canadian/American couple, it reveals the personal and emotional impact on Canadians who how have access to universal health care, and also shows the struggle in the U.S. between the fear of government intervention and the right to quality health care for all people.
TASTY BITES AND BOOKS Book Club
Ages: Adult
Bring a bag lunch and share your thoughts! (time is subject to change – please check online calendar to confirm)
Monday, July 20 at 11:30 AM:
My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
The first Hispanic American on the U.S. Supreme Court shares the story of her life before becoming a judge, describing her youth in a Bronx housing project, the ambition that fueled her ivy league education, and the individuals who helped shaped her career.
Monday, August 17 at 12:00 PM:
July’s People by Nadine Gordimer
Brothers Subhash and Udayan Mitra pursue vastly different lives–Udayan in rebellion-torn Calcutta, Subhash in a quiet corner of America–until a shattering tragedy compels Subhash to return to India, where he endeavors to heal family wounds.
Watchung Book Discussion Group
Second Thursday of the Month at 7:00 PM
We throw in books you would otherwise never read, but are worth reading! Drop-ins are always welcome.
Thursday, July 9 at 7:00 PM
Infected by Scott Sigler
CIA operative Dew Phillips, working together with CDC epidemiologist Margaret Montoya, race to stop the spread of a mysterious disease that is turning ordinary people into murderers. A former football player who has become infected with the deadly bioengineered parasite may carry the cure.
Thursday, August 13 at 7:00 PM
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
Fleeing his violent master at the side of abolitionist John Brown at the height of the slavery debate in mid-nineteenth-century Kansas Territory, Henry pretends to be a girl to hide his identity throughout the raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859.
