 Click to enlarge It's been a great year here in the library! We checked out 18,970 items this school year. The most popular categories were comics and picture books with the easy reader Biscuit and the Little Pup in a three way tie for most checked out book (27 times!) Look at the infographic to see the most popular books in each category and more details (click to enlarge). The books will be enjoying a well-earned rest on their shelves this summer, but they'll be ready for even more circulations in the fall!
This year's candidates
The votes are tallied for the third annual picture book character vote! We read our kindergarten through second grade classes books with Otis the tractor, Martha the talking dog, Osbert the penguin, Bear from A Visitor for Bear, and Anatole the happiest mouse in France. It was a close competition, but one character emerged victorious in the end...
Congratulatory high five!
Congratulations Osbert! It's the second time that a penguin was in the running and the second time that a penguin has won. They appear to be very popular with MCDS students!
Previous winners Tacky and Olive passing the crown on to Osbert and congratulating him.
Osbert was crowned during a ceremony in the dragon room and is eager to start his summer as reigning picture book character champion! As usual, for his fabulous prize he will be winning the chance to go on vacation with members of the MCDS community this summer. He is a seasoned traveler and enjoys going all over the globe. He has also told me that he would love to explore the Bay Area more if anyone is willing to take him to see the sights in the area. Whatever you are doing this summer, Osbert would love to join you!
Osbert plans his summer travels.
If you would like to participate, it's easy! Just print out a picture of Osbert and take your picture with him this summer. Then send the picture to ebretall@mcds.org I will collect the images for a display of Osbert's travels in the dragon room. Forgot to print out Osbert before your trip? No problem! Download the png version of Osbert and easily add him to your vacation photos. If you're unsure how to do this, you can always e-mail me the Osbert-less photos and I can add some extra penguins to them for you. Click below to download a version of Osbert to print out at home | Click below to download a png version of Osbert to digitally add to your photos |  Have a wonderful summer full of friends, family, time outdoors, and lots of great books...and don't forget your penguin!
 Who: Jeanne DuPrau Where: Kepler's Books and Magazines 1010 El Camino Real Menlo Park, California When: Friday, May 17, 7:00 p.m. What: (from the site's description) " The City of Ember celebrates its 10-year anniversary and tonight we're celebrating all things Jeanne - one of our favorite authors - from her new deluxe edition of City of Ember, the graphic novel, and the series itself.The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she's sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must decipher the message before the lights go out on Ember forever!" More: http://www.keplers.com/event/youth-event-jeanne-duprau-launch
 Who: Rachel Hawkins Where: Kepler's Books and Magazines 1010 El Camino Real Menlo Park, California When: Saturday, May 18, 4:00 p.m. What: (from the site's description) "School Spirits: Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break. Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as the New York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance!" More: http://www.keplers.com/event/ya-event-rachel-hawkins-anna-carey
 Who: Lurlene McDaniel, Dana Reinhardt and Wendeline Van Draanen Where: Kepler's Books and Magazines 1010 El Camino Real Menlo Park, California When: Friday, May 24, 7:30 p.m. What: (from the site's description) "Realistic fiction at its best! The Year of Luminous Love: In the vein of Eat, Pray, Love, but for teens, this inspirational novel is set against the backdrop of Tennessee horse country as well as the historic cities of Italy and the Italian countryside. The story unfolds as three teenage girls, recently graduated from high school, plan the next phase of their lives while dealing with immediate life issues. The Things a Brother Knows: Levi's older brother Boaz returns from fighting with the Marines in the Middle East. He's safe. Levi's family has waited three long years for this. But Boaz is no longer the brother Levi thought he knew. The Running Dream: Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run? Winner of the 2012 Schneider Family Book Award." More: http://www.keplers.com/event/ya-life-actually-tour-lurlene-mcdaniel-and-wendeline-van-draanen
 Poem in your pocket day is one of my favorite holidays! It's easy to celebrate--just keep a poem in your pocket and share it with others. National poem in your pocket day fell during our spring break, so we're celebrating it at MCDS this Friday, April 26th. Throughout the day ask people if they have a poem in their pocket to share and share your own. Send people to the LRC where we will have a variety of pocket-sized poems available for those who would like to participate. For more information on Poem in Your Pocket day, visit http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/406 For inspiration on how to celebrate the day, watch the Poem in Your Pocket Day Caper video below:
March was a busy month with 2,231 circulations. The kindergarteners in Sequoia checked out the most books of any class. Tintin and Garfield are very popular at the moment and placed in both the top searches on Destiny Quest and the most checked out titles category. It was a good month for communication with 5 blog posts and 25 tweets as we followed the Battle of the Kids' Books.
Last week, MCDS alum Zio Ziegler painted a mural in the Dragon Room. Those of us lucky enough to witness Zio at work were amazed by his skill and watched, fascinated, through the windows. For everyone who didn't get a chance to see Zio at work and everyone who would like to watch it again, Kevin Schoenbohm made this video capturing the process. Enjoy!
 Who: Robin LaFevers Where: Kepler's Books and Magazines 1010 El Camino Real Menlo Park, California When: April 2nd, 7:30pm What: (from the site's description) "Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge-but at a price. The convent views Sybella, naturally skilled in the arts of both death and seduction, as one of their most dangerous weapons. But those assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?" More: http://www.keplers.com/event/youth-event-robin-lafevers
 Who: Katherine Applegate Where: Kepler's Books and Magazines 1010 El Camino Real Menlo Park, California When: April 18th, 7:00pm What: (from the site's description) "Come and celebrate Katherine Applegate's Newbery Award win with her wonderful book, The One and Only Ivan. Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it. Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line. Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better. Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan’s unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope."More: http://www.keplers.com/event/youth-event-katherine-applegate
 Who: Chris Raschka Where: Book Passage 51 Tamal Vista Blvd Corte Madera, CA 94925 When: April 22nd 10:00am What: (from the site's description) "Learning to ride a bike is one of the most important milestones of childhood, and no one captures the emotional ups and downs of the experience better than Chris Raschka, who won the 2012 Caldecott Medal for A Ball for Daisy. In Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle ($16.99), a simple yet emotionally rich work, a father takes his daughter through all the steps in the process — from choosing the perfect bicycle to that triumphant first successful ride. Using very few words and lots of expressive pictures, here is a picture book that not only shows kids how to learn to ride, but captures what it feels like to fall . . . get up . . . fall again . . . and finally "by luck, grace, and determination" ride a bicycle. Chris Raschka, the 2012 Caldecott Medalist, is an avid bike rider and wrote a 2010 New York Times op-ed piece, "Braking Away," about the importance of obeying the rules of the road while on a bicycle. He has written and/or illustrated over 30 books for children, including the 2012 Caldecott Medal winner A Ball for Daisy, which was also a New York Times Best Illustrated Book and described byThe Horn Book in a starred review as "noteworthy for both its artistry and its child appeal." His other books include the 2006 Caldecott Medal winner, The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster; the Caldecott Honor Book Yo? Yes!, and the ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book Good Sports. "More: http://bookpassage.com/event/chris-raschka-everyone-can-learn-ride-bicycle
 Who: Lemony Snicket & Jon Klassen Where: Book Passage 51 Tamal Vista Blvd Corte Madera, CA 94925 When: April 30th, 6:00pm What: (from the site's description) " The Dark ($16.99) is a book for kids (and for big, big kids) who appreciate the wicked wit of Lemony Snicket and the artistry of Jon Klassen. The dark lives in the same house as Laszlo. Mostly, though, the dark stays in the basement and doesn’t come into Lazslo’s room. But one night, it does. ... Lemony Snicket (who sometimes answers to the name of Daniel Handler) is the author of the phenomenally successful A Series of Unfortunate Events. Jon Klassen just won the 2013 Caldecott Medal for his illustrations." More: http://bookpassage.com/event/lemony-snicket-jon-klassen-dark
Two Halves of Titan, 2009 NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
Saturn has dozens of moons, but Titan stands out from the pack. It is Saturn's biggest moon and the second largest in our solar system (The biggest is Jupiter's Ganymede.) Not only is Titan bigger than our moon, it is bigger than the planet Mercury. Titan was first discovered by the Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens on March 25th, 1655. As the anniversary of this date approaches, it's a wonderful time to learn more about this mysterious and unique moon.
Huygens Probe and Titan by Craig Attebery
For years, Titan remained a mystery. It has a thick atmosphere of nitrogen, methane, and ethane that hid its surface from cameras for years. It is the only moon in our solar system that is known to have a planet-like atmosphere, and it may even resemble Earth's atmosphere in primordial times. In 1997 the Cassini launched with the Huygens probe. In 2005 the Huygens Probe landed on Titan, seeing the surface for the first time. Since then our knowledge of Titan has grown immensely. Data collected by Cassini sugest the presence of an underground ocean on Titan. Titan even appears to change according to seasons and time of day. It may also look younger than it really is because its craters are slowly being filled in.
Moons Small to Large, 2011 NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
If you would like to learn more about Titan, Saturn, or the Cassini-Huygens Mission NASA's website has the lastest, up-to-date information as well as gorgeous images and videos to browse. You can also watch the TED talk from 2007 by the leader of the Imaging Team on the Cassini mission below.
It's St. Patrick's Day this weekend, but do you know who St. Patrick was and how the traditions of the holiday started?  My favorite way to celebrate the holiday is to read Irish folktales. Brave Margaret is one of my favorites. It takes the damsel in distress theme so common in folktales and turns it on its head. Not content to wait at home, Margaret fights a monster to save her love. Another great way to celebrate the holiday is to listen to some Irish music like the traditional music below.
 Ireland has a rich history, dating back to ancient times. This can be seen in the hauntingly preserved bog bodies that can be found in its peat bogs. Eve Bunting's new picture book, The Ballywhinney Girl, tells the story of a little girl and her grandfather who find a bog body in their own backyard.
 Siobhan Dowd explores similar themes in Bog Child for a teenage audience. This book, set during The Troubles, tells the story of a boy who discovers a body in a peat bog and an archaeologist who comes to investigate it. It looks at Irish history from multiple perspectives to create an engaging story.
 For those who want to learn more about bog bodies and other types of mummies, we have several nonfiction books on the subject. You can also find a lot of information online. National Geographic has an article on two bog bodies found in Ireland in 2003. Archaeology.org has many articles on bog bodies for those interested including one on the poetry to be found in them. It highlights the poems of Seamus Heaney, an Irish Nobel Laureate who has written poems on the subject including "T he Tollund Man," " Bogland," and " The Grauballe Man."
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