• Booktalk: The Becket List

    Some kids are back to school, but technically summer’s not over yet! Enjoy this summery title about a lovable wannabe-farmgirl. Great for a family read-aloud, or an independent read for kids in grades 2-4. 

     

    Tip: subscribe to ourYouth Services YouTube channel for more videos of book recommendations, story times, and activity how-tos.

    Youth Services Librarian Allison 

     

  • Can You Escape the Library?

    Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash



    Here at the Barrington Area Library, we are big fans of escape rooms. Since, we can't hold an escape room at the library, we decided to create a virtual one!  See if you can solve all of the puzzles, find the clues, and escape the library!

    The escape room can be done individually or in a group. If you find you are having trouble, try the escape room as a family!

    Ready to start? Click here to go to the escape room.


    Looking for more fun activities? See a list of the library's upcoming events for kids.

      Youth Services Librarian Ann 

     

  • 2020 Summer Reading Update

    2020 Summer Reading has been going great so far and we have gotten so many great responses. With a few weeks left of 2020 Summer Reading here is an update on what some of your fellow readers, and pre-readers, have been doing this summer!

     

    Book Reviews 

    Mapsby Aleksandra Mizielinska, Daniel Mizielinski

    "I love this book because I love learning about the world and all cultures. This book is easy to read, love the pictures and all the information about the countries." - Maximiliano, 7

    From Me to You by K.A. Holt 

    		 "There was a girl her sister Clara died. At the beginning of 8th grade Amelia accidentally recives a letter that Clara has written to her self. On the list was all the things Clara wanted to do just in time before the 8th-grade year ends, but Clara never completed the list. Amelia think if she finishes the list for Clara will her heart stop hearting? You guys have to read this book this book is mostly about friendship breakups and boys. I hope u guys love this book. ?" - Hiba, 11.5

    Dog Man Fetch 22 by Dav Pilkey

    "Dog man fetch 22 is for all ages 1- 100. It is a very funny book. You also can read it to your dog, cat, child or kid." - Leela, 8

    Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

    "This book was very good. It is thrilling and it is a good book for a person who likes mysteries and law." - Colin, 12

    TBH, I Feel The Same by Lisa Greenwald

    "This was a really interesting book. It's about 7th grade girls who are friends. They go away on a school trip. I liked it because I didn't know what was going to happen next. I didn't know if they were going to have the same cabin bunk or if they were going to win the swim meet. I highly recommend this book." - Caitlin, 9.5

     

    Activity Responses

    Find out what some of your fellow readers have been doing to complete activity challenges this summer! Have you found all 5 iguanas hiding outside the library yet? 

     

     

    Prize Updates

    There are still plenty of days left to enter our Summer Reading Prizes! Here is a glimpse of how many tickets are entered in the grand prizes.

    Pre-Readers Grand Prize:

    16 Tickets Entered 

     

    Readers Grand Prizes: 

    173 Tickets Entered

    688 Tickets Entered

    Remember to enter in weekly drawings for some amazing gift cards for places around Barrington. Keep up the great reading everyone!

    Take a Mindful Moment: Imagine you are holding your favorite flower. What is it? What does it smell like? Who would you give it to? 

      Youth Services Assistant Librarian MaryJo 

  • 2020 Summer Reading Prizes

     

     

     

    With a few weeks left for 2020 Summer Reading, there is still plenty of time to log your reading and activities for a chance to earn more tickets! Here are some cool prizes that you could put your tickets in to win. 

    Weekly Drawings 

    Did you know we do drawings weekly? 

    Here are some of the weekly drawing options: 

     

      Gnarly Knots: A $10 gift card to Gnarly Knot.
    Sweet Spot: A $10 Gift card to the Sweet Spot.
    Marvin's Toy Store: $25 gift card to Marvin's Toy Store in downtown Barrington. 
    Barnes & Noble: $25 Gift Card to Barnes & Noble. 

     

     

     

    Grand Prizes: 

    Grand Prizes have a limit of 10 tickets total. There is only one drawing done for each of these prizes, at the end of Summer Reading! Each ticket entered is an additional chance to win. 

     

    Pre-Readers Grand Prize Option: 

    Radio Flyer 5-in1 Stroll 'N Trike

     

     

    Readers Grand Prizes: 

     

    Razor Scooter 

     

     

    Nintendo Switch Lite with the Animal Crossing Game included

    Remember to keep logging to earn tickets, and place those tickets in the prize you would like the most! Grand prize drawing winners will be informed of their winnings after August 19th.

     

    Take a Mindful Moment today and list three people, things, or places you are grateful for today.  

     

      Youth Services Assistant Librarian MaryJo 

     

  • 2020 Summer Reading Update

     

     

    Our 2020 Summer Reading program still has a month left and we have gotten so many great responses already. Remember to keep logging, to get tickets for a chance to win our grand prize and gift card prize drawings! Here is a look at what some of your fellow readers have been doing this summer. 

     

    Picture Reviews: 

     

    Big Nate Blasts Off by Lincoln Pierce 

    Picture Review by: Hiba, 11.5

     

     

    The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene

    Picture Review by: Niharika, 10

     

    Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

    Video Review by: Aaina, 8

     

     

     

    Pictures from Activity Tracks:

     

    Code Breaker: Create a treasure hunt of your own and tell us what you did? Take a picture and send it to ys@balibrary.org.

    "I created a treasure hunt for my dad on Father’s Day. The prize was a basket of secretly baked cookies!" -Colin, 12

     


    Garden Guru: Plant some seeds and email us a photo of your plants as they grow (youthservices@balibrary.org). What did you plant?

    Natalie planted some pumpkin seeds! -Natalie, 7.5 

     

      My Home: Make a map of your home or neighborhood. What are some of your favorite spots?          

     "Thank you for having this challenge each year! My neighbors and I have a tradition of doing it every year together and this year we didn’t know if it was gonna happen this year because of the virus but when we heard it was we were so happy! Thank you!" -Camryn

     

     

     

     

    Activity Track Responses: 

     

     

    Keep up the great reading, everyone! Remember, it's not too late to sign up for Summer Reading!

     

     

    Take a Mindful Moment: Have your next snack in slow motion. Try to eat it as sloooowly as you can.

     

     

      Youth Services Assistant Librarian MaryJo