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Yesterday was the 43rd anniversary of the Earth Day. Individuals across the globe took place in a variety of celebrations. "The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. The passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and many other groundbreaking environmental laws soon followed." You can learn more about the movement at Earth Day Network. Google supported with an interactive doodle. What did you do? Continue on the journey by picking up one of these interesting titles in our booklists, Eating Well and Eating Good or Eco Futures Eco Alternatives.



 

The American Library Association webcast just concluded and the winners are . . .

Caldecott Award

Winner:               This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen        

 

Honor Books:     Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds; illustrated by Peter Brown

                                Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett ; illustrated by Jon Klassen

                                Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

                                One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo; pictures by David Small

                                Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

                               

Newbery Award

Winner:               The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate      

 

Honor Books:       Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

                                Bomb: The Race to Build -- and Steal -- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

                                Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Congrats to our librarians who also chose Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett; illustrated by Jon Klassen.

This Is Not My Hat
This Is Not My Hat
The One and Only Ivan
The One and Only Ivan

The  American Library Association honors books, videos, and other outstanding materials for children and teens.  According to their  website, "2013 marks the 75th anniversary of the Randolph Caldecott Medal, which honors the illustrator of the year's most distinguished American picture book for children. For generations Caldecott selections have fostered a love for reading among children and guide educators, parents and librarians in selecting the best of the best in children’s picture books.

Presented every year since 1938, the medal is named for Randolph Caldecott, a 19th-century English illustrator known for the action, vitality and humor of his picture books. No other literary prize for children’s picture books has the economic significance as the Caldecott Medal. Receiving a Caldecott Medal practically guarantees that the winning title will remain in print and on library and bookstore shelves for decades to come."

A team of librarians at the Free Library of Philadelphia held Mock Caldecott voting. 

3rd Place: Baby Bear Sees Blue, written and illustrated by Ashley Wolff.

2nd Place: Extra Yarn, written by Mac Barnett  and illustated by Jon Klassen

And in a convincing win…

1st Place: Little Dog Lost, written and illustrated by the Free Library's own Mônica Carnesi. 

Our staff may be proud of Mônica's accomplishment but the book has already won acclaim. (Litte Dog Lost Finds a Home with the Best Books of 2012!)

The 2013 announcements will take place at 8 a.m. PT on Jan. 28, from the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle.

Follow Results in Real-Time
The ALA will offer a free live webcast of the award announcements. Those that are not able to join the webcast can still follow results in real-time by logging on to the ALA Youth Media Awards Facebook page, or via Twitter by following hashtag #ALAyma.

We will update here too! Stay Tuned!

Baby Sees Blue
Baby Sees Blue
Extra Yarn
Extra Yarn
Little Dog Lost
Little Dog Lost

Join the Parkway Children's Department as we celebrate summer on the Parkway.

Mondays at 10:30 a.m. from June 18 - August 6, staff will present a nature-inspired story. We will be joined by staff from the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Department who will present a nature-inspired craft. This program is designed to connect kids to their environment using the amenities of Sister Cities Park. This program is for kids ages 4 to 6 (older and younger siblings are welcome).

Before or after the program be sure to look at the wonderful Children’s Discovery Garden, Boat Pond, and Fountain.

For more informtion on this space visit: http://www.centercityphila.org/life/sister_cities.php

Outdoor storytime is also taking place on Friday, July 13th, August 10th, and September 14th at 10:30 a.m. at FREE PLAY on the Parkway.

FREE PLAY is located on the south side of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway between 21st and 22nd Streets.

Use the imagination playground blocks, the sand box and the table tennis to extend your outdoor activity.

For more information visit: http://www.playinbetween.com/

Whenever you visit these Parkway destinations be sure to stop in on the ground floor of Parkway Central and participate in our Summer Reading Game begining June 18th!

Sister Cities
Sister Cities
FREE PLAY
FREE PLAY
Summer Reading
Summer Reading

Children's Book Week was established in 1919 and almost from the beginning the Children's Book Council enlisted an illustrator each year to design a commemorative Children's Book Week Poster and Bookmark. A complete collection of Children's Book Week Posters is always on display on the ground floor of Parkway Central. As you walk the hallway you will see the artwork of legendary illustrators including Mercer Mayer, Maurice Sendak, Lauren deBrunhof, and David Wiesner. 

Wiesner, who created the original artwork for the Free Library’s 2007 Philadelphia Book Festival, has walked down this hall and is excited to see his newest poster added to the collection.  You can listen to him describe the posters and his experience at the 21:10 mark of the 2012 Children's Choice Book Awards Red Carpet Interviews.

David Wiesner's Poster
David Wiesner's Poster