Safety First

The Forest Park Public Library had some very special visitors on Saturday.  The Forest Park Fire Department stopped by to speak to our patrons on fire safety. We learned about how to stay safe in a fire, how to prevent fire, and also what it is like to be a real firefighter.  Kids got the chance to try on uniforms as well as practice stop, drop, and roll!

The fun at the library doesn't stop in October.  Check out our program calendar and start marking plans for November!

Dairy of a Wimpy Kid Book Party

To celebrate the release of the new book The Ugly Truth, the YS Dept will be holding A Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book Party.  Join us on Saturday, November 6 at 2 p.m. for a fun-filled afternoon of creating your own Zowie Mama comic and other games.  Plus, everyone will have a chance to win a copy of the new book. 

Reserve your spot today!  Click here to register. 

Storytime Halloween Party

Our annual Halloween Storytime Party was a huge success!  We had a great time and got to see some really cute costumes.  And even though Halloween is over, storytime still has a couple of weeks left.  In case you have forgotten, we meet:

• Mondays @ 10:30 a.m.  (2-3 years old)
• Tuesdays @ 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.  (Under 2 years)
• Thursday @ 10:30 a.m.  (3-5 years old)
• Friday @ 9:30 & 10:30 (2-3 years old)

And everyone is welcome to our Storytime Finale Dance Party on Friday, November 19 at 10:30 a.m.  For more information, stop by the YS Desk.

Learn to Knit

Want to learn how to knit?  Stop by the library on Thursday, October 28 @ 3:30 p.m. You will need to bring Size 7 needles, cable needles and worsted yarn.  Stop by the Youth Services Desk for more information!

Scary Stories @ the Library!

Stop by the library on Wednesday, October 27 @ 6:30 p.m. for a haunting night filled with stories to chill your bones!  We have an all star cast of storytellers including Ms. Nicole and Mr. Ridgeway but also Michael Leonard from Dominican University and Anne Huston from the Riverside Public Library.

The event is designed for kids eight and up and the whole family is welcome.  Reserve your spot by registering today.  Just click here!

Twain-tastic Fun @ FPPL

We had a great time celebrating Mark Twain during the One Author, One Community event in Forest Park, River Forest and Oak Park.  From the origami frog races to the whoppers contest to the Twain murals, Forest Park really got into the spirit. 

Books for Halloween

Halloween is right around the corner.  To get ready, we have selected some great Halloween books, movies and music for you.  Look below at some of our favorites and be sure to check out all the fun Halloween activities we have planned over the next few weeks.

Picture Books

• What Will You Be for Halloween by Mark Todd
• Here Comes Halloween! by Caroline Jayne Church
• Alpha Oops H is for Halloween by Alethea Kontis

Easy Readers

•  Max & Mo's Halloween Surprise by Patricia Lakin
• Pooh's Halloween Parade by Isabel Gaines
• Aunt Eater's Mystery Halloween  by Doug Cushman

Fiction

• The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
• The Best Halloween Ever by Barbara Robinson
• The Midnight Curse by L.M. Falcone

Cool Graphic Novel Set in Chicago

 Here's a super cool new graphic novel called Chicagoland Detective Agency:  The Drained Brains Caper.  Not only does it include zombies, a goth girl, a pet store and a computer geek, it also takes place in our very own Chicagoland area. 

Here's the book's description: 
Raf knows Megan is trouble from the moment she steps into his mom's pet food store asking for a tarantula. But there's one thing you can count on in Chicagoland: weird things happen several times a day. Megan is a vegetarian, manga-reading haiku writer. She definitely doesn't fit in at Stepford Academy, her new summer school. The other students are happy to be in class. Too happy. And everyone looks and acts exactly alike. That's weird. Megan is determined to dig into Stepford's secrets, but soon she's in way too deep. Raf may be the only human being she knows who can help. But with zombified students, very mad scientists, and the school psychiatrist on their trail, they're going to need a whole lot more help. We did say that Chicagoland is weird.

A Celebration of Mark Twain Continues

One Author, Three Communities is going strong in Forest Park, Oak Park and River Forest.  On Tuesday night, the Youth Services Department held an Origami Frog Jumping Contest.  Click here to see what else is going on to celebrate Mark Twain. 

And don't forget to stop by FPPL on Saturday for River Adventures.  Families and kids are invited for storytelling, crafts and a whoppers contest.

The library will be closed Monday, October 11.  Happy Columbus Day!

Would You Really Eat Spaghetti Tacos?

They eat it on iCarly all the time, but would you mix tacos and spaghetti together?  More and more kids are asking for this interesting meal.  Click here to see some examples on the iCarly site.

Or maybe you want to make up your own new recipes with your favorites.  The library has a lot of cookbooks just for kids to help you out.

The Everything Cooking for Kids Cookbook

Cooking Up a Storm

Cooking Snacks

PS3 Gaming

Guess what tomorrow is?  The first Thursday of the month.  And that means its PS3 Gaming at the library!  Join us Thursday, October 7 at 4 p.m. to test your skills against your friends.  You must be 10 years old or older to play.

Click here for more information.

Celebrating Twain

October is Twain Month! Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born November 30, 1835 and died April 21, 1910. The year 2010 marks the 175th anniversary of his birth and the 100th anniversary of his death. It’s time to celebrate! Join the Villages of Forest Park, River Forest, and Oak Park to learn more about this prominent author.
A complete list of events can be found here. The following are events taking place at the Forest Park Public Library:

•  Mark Twain Mural: Wednesday, October 5th at 6 p.m.
• Origami Frog-Jumping Contest: Tuesday, October 12th at 4 p.m.
• River Adventures with Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer: Saturday, October 16th at 2 p.m.
• Mark Twain's Music Box: Tuesday, October 26th at 7 p.m.

Paint a Mural @ FPPL

Join us for a truly artistic celebration of Twain Month.  We will be creating murals in honor Mark Twain.  Bring your creativity and we will supply the paint and paper.  After we are all done, our art work will be displayed in the community. 

All ages are welcome!  Click here to register.