Contest ends at 9:00 p.m. on Friday, March 19th, 2010
The Library invites young writers to enter a Short Story Contest. The short story must begin with line:
"Maybe it was my imagination but yesterday I looked through the library window and I thought I saw ..."
Our panel of judges will select one winning entry from each of the following categories:
- JK - SK
- Grades 1 - 3
- Grades 4 - 6
- Grades 7 - 8
- Grades 9 - 12
All winning entries will be published on the Library's website. Writers must live in Pickering, attend school in Pickering, or have a valid Pickering Public Library card.
The short story can be no more than two pages long and must be accompanied by an entry form. Entry forms are available to download or at your local branch.
To submit your entry you may drop it off at your local library branch starting Monday, March 1st, 2010.
If you want to motivate students who enjoy reading; get a team together and match wits with some of the best readers in town or even across the Durham Region!
The Durham Region Battle of the Books Committee annually puts together two booklists, one for Juniors (grades 4, 5 and 6) and one for Seniors(grades 7 and 8.) Your Battle of the Books team reads their list of books and then in April, the teams from each school meet for the Semi-Battle competition.
The Semi-Battle consists of three rounds of play where each team is asked a series of questions. The top three teams from each division then go on to the Final Battle to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals. The gold medal winners are awarded a trophy for their school and go on to compete in the Regional Championship against the other Durham Region Gold medal winners.
For more information about Battle of the Books and how it all works please check out Battle Of the Books.
At the Central Library
Saturday, April 24th
2:30p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Do you enjoy arts and crafts? Do you like making things out of stuff you can find around your house? If so, sign up for the Library's Recycled Art Contest.
Prizes will be awarded for the entries that best meet the judges ' criteria. For full contest details visit your local Pickering Library Branch.
- All materials used in artwork MUST be able to be recycled but the use of non-recyclable fasteners such as glue or tape is permitted
- Entries must be free standing and not exceed 6ft x 2ft x2f
- Entrant is responsible for the carrying and set up of own art work
- There will not be electrical outlets available
- The contest is open to children JK-Grade 6 who live, attend school in Pickering or have a valid Pickering library card. Only one entry per child will be permitted
- Fully completed entry form must accompany all artwork
- Entries must be handmade by entrant
- Entries must be delivered to Pickering Central Library's Auditorium between 3:30p.m. and 5:00p.m., Friday, April 23rd, 2010, and picked up no later than 4:30p.m., Saturday, April 24th, 2010. Artwork not picked up by the artist will be recycled
- All materials used in artwork must be clean and safe (no dirty containers or sharp edges)
Judging will be based on the artwork's creativity and the artist's adherence to these contest rules.
The TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards honours the most distinguished children's book of the year. This year's English-language winner was Shin-chi's Canoe by Nicola I. Campbell with illustrations by Kim LaFave. The finalists were: Death in the Air by Shane Peacock, Libertad by Alma Fullerton, Thing-Thing by Cary Fagan, and Word Nerd by Susan Nielsen.
Creative Pickering kids had a chance to showcase their artistic skills as well as to tell us why they love their library in the Pickering Library’s “Why I Love the Library” Bookmark contest. In celebration of Ontario Public Library Week, the winning bookmark in each category has been made available at each Pickering Library Branch.
Congratulations to all of the winners (from left to right):
Andrew, JK
Miranda, Grade 3
Shazma, Grade 6
Fall programs will start the week of September 14th. For more information on our weekly storytimes and other programs please check out our Programs & Events page, here. You can also talk to a library staff person at your local branch, contact information
Click on the titles below to read the stories that won the Library's Short Story Contest! The files are in PDF format.
Junior Kindergarten to Senior Kindergarten
Secret Library Friends by Layan
Grade 1 to 3
Delicious Stories by Nura
Grade 4 to 6
Mystic Past by Taylor
Top Ten Reasons to Have a Library Class Visit
- It’s free.
- It’s fun.
- It has something for everyone.
- It encourages them to get excited about books and reading.
- It builds good homework & research skills.
- It helps them visit new worlds; both real and imaginary.
- It provides students with free access to computers and the Internet.
- It introduces students to fun programs at no cost.
- It helps create life-long learners who have the tools to help themselves.
- Without your help they might miss out on this wonderful resource!
Class Visit Services
- Bring your class into the Library for a tour and so much more!
- Can’t make the trip? Let us bring the library to you!
- Have an assignment? Theme-specific presentations on request!
- Invite the Library to participate in your school event!
For more information contact:
Grades JK - 6
Central Branch: Randy Jarvis
905-831-6265 ext. 6247
randyj@picnet.org
www.picnet.org/kids
Petticoat Creek Branch:
Monica Mahabir
905-420-2254 ext. 6004
monicam@picnet.org
Grades 7 - 9
Elizabeth Demarco
905-831-6265 ext. 6252
elizabethd@picnet.org
www.picnet.org/teens
Friday July 4th, at the Junior Puppeteer Show, Mr. Sam Solomon, from the Canadian Progress Club Durham South, presented a $500 donation to Library Board Member Mrs. Shirley Van Steen. This money was donated to the Pickering Public Library to be used for the Summer Reading Club.
I came across an interesting idea today while reading one of my favourite blogs,The Crafty Crow.
The idea is for children's activity bags. You fill plastic ziplock bags with activities for your child to do while in the car, on the plane or where ever you are when the need to occupy your child arises. Each bag holds one complete activity. The activities could just be a fun way to pass time but they often also help your child learn something or practice a skill. The author of The Crafty Crow has 13 examples of ones she has made to use with her toddler but the possibilities are endless.
These activity bags seem like they would be a great way for kids to practice the six pre-literacy skills that we teach here in our storytimes. Here is one of my ideas for Letter Knowledge, aimed at the preschool set:
Take pictures that start with the letter A, B and C. Like - Apple, Ant, Ball, Bug, Cat, Crow. Include containers labeled with A, B and C. The child then has to divide the pictures into the containers based on what letter they start with.
This would help children connect the written letters to the sound they make in words. Knowing the names and sounds of letters helps children figure out how to say written words.
What ideas do you have for activity bags? Post your ideas in the comment section and I will post them.
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