Monday, March 30, 2015

Author Visit: Blue Balliett!


We are pleased beyond measure to welcome Blue Balliett, New York Times bestselling author and Edgar Allen Poe Award winner for juvenile mystery!  She will be a guest author and speaker at Stone on the morning of Friday, April 24th, and will be presenting to our lucky fifth and sixth graders, many of whom are already acquainted with her puzzle-in-pages, Chasing Vermeer!  These grade levels are encouraged to wear all blue on that Friday in salute to her talent!

Ms. Balliett will be autographing only books that are pre-ordered or purchased on the day of the visit. The bookseller is only bringing a limited number of books; pre-ordering guarantees that your child will receive one. Pre-order forms went home and need to be returned by April 14th, and extras are available in the library.  Paperbacks are $8.50 and hardcovers of her newest book, Pieces and Players, are $17.50.  Checks should be made out to The Book Cellar.  Thank you for considering a purchase of a book; owning a book by an author whom your child has met in person creates a strong and lasting reading connection, is a show of courtesy to our guest and it also strengthens our connection to our local independent bookseller, who so kindly arranged this for us. The Book Cellar has been wonderful to us and deserves our mutual support!
Meanwhile, students will be having a good time sleuthing through our Blue Balliett cyber scavenger hunt in library, exploring websites and databases to learn about our guest and her books, and will be well-prepared for her visit.  Discovering the people behind the books we love is no mystery here at Stone!
P.S.  Picture post script:



Blue spoke to us about the power of curiosity, and we are changed!  We love you, Blue!  We can't wait to continue the visit through books. 

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Happy Spring from the Stone Library!



Don't let the Chicago weather fool you...spring is here!  No better time to plant the seed to read.   
Please visit your school and public libraries!


Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Family Reading Night at 5:30 on Tuesday, March 31!


Please join us on Tuesday, March 31st from 5:30 - 7:30 for our annual Family Reading Night!  This year's theme is "The Magic of Story,"  and we will be featuring a performance by celebrated magician Kevin Kelly as well as a Reader's Theater by the primary teachers, a magical, musical story time from parent Nancy Bieschke, mysterious shadow puppet shows created by the sixth grade and more!  The program is geared toward k-3, but of course EVERYONE is welcome!  All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  Hope to see you there, it's not a party without you, our community of readers!