'kids'

It is absolutely and completely fine that your child wants to check out Dog Man: Fetch 22 for the nine millionth time. Lots of kids re-read and for lots of different reasons.

We re-read in order to learn

The human brain is not wired for reading. It’s wired for spoken language. When we learn how to read, we are connecting the spoken sounds of language to written letters. When kids first start to read, much of their effort and attention is focused on decoding – connecting letters to sounds and then mushing those sounds all together to form a word! Beginning readers can accurately decode a text, read the words on the page, but they might not be connecting those words with what the sentence actually says. Re-reading can help your child become a more fluent reader – someone who can decode words and comprehend them at the same time.

In Donalyn Miller’s book The Book Whisperer, she says “My most treasured books have been read many times by me and each time I discover something different. Books are multilayered; one reading is not enough.” We base our understanding of books on our background knowledge – when we have a broader vocabulary, more life experience, certain books—even certain words – will mean something different to us.

We re-read for comfort and enjoyment

The Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report found that 41% of kids struggle with finding books they like as they get older. They know what to expect with Dog Man. They know the jokes (and probably think they’re funny), the characters are familiar, the plot is just right. Re-reading Dog Man is like eating your favorite meal. You know what you’re getting and you know you like it. 

If your child is re-reading Brawl of the Wild for the fourth or fifth time, they’re still reading! They’ll glean something new from each re-read, be it new vocabulary, fluency, or just confidence in their reading ability.

Beyond Their Favorite Meal

Just as we know we can’t eat our favorite meal every single day and get all the nutrition that we need, re-reading Dog Man will only take us so far on our reading journey. When your child is ready to branch out, here are some options that should appeal to Dog Man fans.

Catwad: It’s Me

by Jim Benton

Catwad is about two cats, one blue grump named Catwad, and one dim-witted orange tabby named Blurmp. Catwad has the same goofy humor and lively illustrations as Dog Man. // Junior Graphic Novel

The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza

by Mac Barnett & Shawn Harris

Oh no! Rats are eating the moon! The only one who can save all of humanity is……a bioengineered cat who will be jettisoned into space accompanied by a toenail clipping robot and the imperious Moon Queen. Animal science experiments who save the day? JUST LIKE DOG MAN! // Junior Graphic Novel

Lunch Lady

by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

What do your lunch ladies do when they’re not doling out your daily helping of mystery meat? This one serves up JUSTICE! An unlikely hero kicking all kinds of bad guy butt should have a special place in the hearts of Dog Man fans. // Junior Graphic Novel

Honorable Mentions:

• Max Meow: Cat Crusader by John Gallagher
  Junior Graphic Novel
• The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey
  Junior Graphic Novel
• Mac B, Kid Spy: Mac Undercover by Mac Barnett
  Junior Fiction
• Two Dogs in a Trench Coat: Go to School by Julie Falatko
  Junior Fiction
• Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon
  Junior Fiction

It is almost my favorite time of year: SUMMER READING PROGRAM SEASON!

You may be thinking, Summer Reading? What’s that all about? I read all year round. What’s so special about summer?

For Summer Reading Program, we invite children, teens, and adults to come to the library, participate in engaging, hands-on activities, and celebrate their reading!

For kids who have completed grades kindergarten through 5th grade, there’s our traditional Summer Reading Program. 

Kids track the number of minutes they read and can receive weekly prizes. They’re also invited to come to a weekly activity where we experiment, learn and create! This year we’ll be sending rockets in the atmosphere, making paper sculptures, learning about plants and mammals of Minnesota and more! 

You can register your child for Summer Reading Program online or at pick up a form at the circulation desk.

For teens and tweens (kids who have completed grades 6-12), we have RALF. RALF stands for Random, Awesome, Library Fun! Participants are encouraged to bring their own lunch and we’ll eat and play games, make crafts, and generally have a good time.

We’ll be meeting over the noon hour on Fridays in June and July. No registration required!

For us grown-ups, there’s the Lazy River Challenge where community members will compete with staff to get their innertube down the lazy river first. 

Pick up a reading tracker at the front desk in June and start tracking the number of minutes read (and the titles – we’ll be posting those throughout the challenge). Bring your tracker in whenever you’re at the library and we’ll stamp it and add your minutes and move your innertube down the lazy river. 

Can you out-read library staff? I’m not sure…

The best part of all of this? It’s FREE! Absolutely completely free. Check out the library’s website for more information, email Andrea at alorenz@egflibrary.org or call (218) 773-9121.

3/22/2021

The Campbell Library is open to the public Mondays/Fridays (9am-5pm) and Thursdays (10am-7pm). We also offer Front Door Pick Up and half hour appointments for browsing or computer use Wednesdays (9am-5pm), Tuesdays (9am-7pm), and Thursdays (9am-10am).

The Beauty of What Remains by Steve Leder

How Our Greatest Fear Becomes Our Greatest Gift // As the senior rabbi of one of the largest synagogues in the world, Steve Leder has learned over and over again the many ways death teaches us how to live and love more deeply by showing us not only what is gone but also the beauty of what remains. 306.9 LEDER

Lost Companions by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson

Reflections on the Death of Pets // Jeffrey Moussaieff Mason takes a very thoughtful approach to the topic of losing a pet. It fills a specific demand for a meaningful book on pet loss. The author allows the readers to explore through their own grief and meaningful ways to remember their best friends. 636.0887 LP MASSON

Craft: An American History by Glenn Adamson

Glenn Adamson reveals how makers have always been central to America's identity. Adamson documents how craft has long been implicated in debates around inequality, education, and class, as well as America's failures to live up to its loftiest ideals. 680.973 ADAMSON

No-Fail Favorite Eats by Katrina Jorgensen

This book has all of the food kids love to eat but don't know how to make. These kid-cook friendly recipes are easy, delicious, and fun to make. Everything classic comfort food should be. 641.5 JORGENSEN

If you need help accessing any of these titles or using front door pickup, email or call us and we will be happy to assist you!

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