Susan Hardesty, Library Media Specialst

“Good children’s literature appeals not only to the child in the adult but to the adult in the child.”
~ Anonymous ~

As the school year winds down, it is time to start planning for summer activities. The Wichita Public Library has created some wonderful summer programs with young people in mind. Programs of interest to teens and children can be found on the Wichita Public Library home page http://www.wichita.lib.ks.us/Kids/TeensRead/Default.htm. The library is sponsoring "Own the Night: Teens Read 2012" which gives teens a chance to win prizes for the reading they do. The library also provides opportunities for volunteer work. Teens accepted into the volunteer program assist in helping thousands of children all over the city learn more about the world around them. For more information on how to become a member visit the library's home site.

The public library also has available e-books from OverDrive. Go to the library website and then
to "Wichita E-Reads" to browse the collection. Books are available for Kindles, Nooks, iPads, or
smartphones. A library card is required.

Here are some of my favorite reads that you might enjoy. Have a great summer and keep reading!

• The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan.High school student Charlie West awakens injured in a concrete bunker, discovers that he has lost a year of his life and has no memory of escaping from prison after being convicted of murdering his former best friend, and learns that he is being pursued by both the law and a group of terrorists trying to destroy the U.S. government. First book in the Homelander series.
• Young Samurai: the Way of the Warrior by Chris Bradford.Orphaned by a ninja pirate attack of the coast of Japan in 1611, twelve-year old English lad Jack Fletcher is determined to prove himself, despite the bullying of fellow students, when the legendary sword master who rescued him begins training him as a samurai warrior.
• Rot and Ruin by John Mayberry.In a post-apocalyptic world where fences and border patrols guard the few people left from the zombies that have overtaken civilization, fifteen-year-old Benny Imura is finally convinced that he must follow in his older brother's footsteps and become a bounty hunter.
• Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Luke is a "shadow child." The society in which he lives allows only two children per family. He is the third child born to his parents, and as other third children, he is forced to hide from the world. He has never been to school nor had a friend until one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. This day changes his life forever. First book in a series.
• Ranger's Apprentice Book One: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan.When fifteen-year-old Will is rejected by battleschool, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt, and winds up protecting the kingdom from danger. First book in a series.

Parents, have you taken the time to explore the district’s library system? The Internet is a wonderful tool for researching information. However, it can also be time consuming, and not all websites are appropriate or reliable sources for students. In order to eliminate time consuming “Googling” for information, the district librarians are encouraging students and teachers to use the online library system called Destiny. The catalog not only allows access to books found in each school’s library, but it also contains a wide variety of age appropriate databases, which have been chosen to meet the information needs of students throughout the district. Databases such as NASA.com, Fact Monster, Atlapeida, and the History Channel can be found by using the online catalog system. Another great feature is that all these databases can be retrieved from the comfort and convenience of home.

To gain access to the card catalog click here

This will bring up all of the district’s libraries. Click on GMS, which brings up the card catalog. To access the databases, go to the “power” tab, which will bring up all of the databases. These databases are user friendly; however, if assistance is needed, please feel free to call Mrs. Hardesty at the Goddard Middle School library.

Helpful Links to Other SItes

World Book Online – access to the World Book encyclopedia & more