Art Exhibit

“A Sight for Sore Eyes,” featuring the works of eight local artists, is on view until June 30 in the Olga Knoepke Memorial Meeting Room. Represented in the show are Bill Carney, Fred Declement, Barbara George, Jeanne Ireland, Mario Oquendo, Lisa Ann Regina, Randi Rote and Victoria Westphan.

Children’s Programs

*Summer Reading Kick-Off: Summer reading kicks off on Monday, June 29.

The Friends of the Library will sponsor a day-long children’s book sale with lots of popular titles at reasonable prices. The comedy and magic antics of David Alan and Bogus will provide the entertainment at 11 and again at 2 pm. Tickets are free and can be picked up in the children’s department on June 29.

If you can’t make to see us or the magic show that day, stop in any time and sign your child up for the independent summer reading program open to children ages 4 through grade 5.

* Monday Afternoon Crafts: Marie Walker will conduct one-hour craft workshops on five consecutive Mondays beginning July 6. The workshops will begin at 3:30 each week and are for ages 6 and up.

Sign ups begin June 29 and need to be done in person at the children’s desk starting. A $3 material fee is due upon registration. 

 *Stories with Curtis: Popular story teller Curtis Urbina is back with his unique sense of humor and love of stories on Tuesday mornings beginning July 7 at 10 pm in the library meeting room.

Curtis is a member of the National Storytelling Network (NSN) who loves to tell stories because it’s fun and exciting for everyone.  His greatest gift is finding the four year old in each of us. Recommended for ages 4-6, there is no registration. Just be ready to have fun.

*FETCH Science: Fans of the PBS series Fetch can register to try some of the tasks and experiments featured on the show.

John Renjilian, a retired teacher and library volunteer, will conduct FETCH Science on Tuesday afternoons at 3:30 pm beginning July 7. The first activity will be “Toy Chemistry,”  in which participants will discuss the chemical makeup of polymers and make our own gooey solid that can be manipulated and stretched.

Recommended for ages 7-10, register at the children’s desk. There is no fee for this program.

*PJ Story Time: PJ Story Time has moved to Tuesday evenings (July 7-28 and August  4) at 6:30 pm in the library meeting room.

Each week we will feature a puppet play along with songs stories and generally silliness just before bedtime. Bring your blanket, pajamas encouraged. Recommended for ages 3-7, no registration required.

The play for July 7 will be The Elephant’s Sneeze.

 *Ross MacDonald Drawing Workshop and Book Signing: Author, illustrator and Newtown resident Ross MacDonald will lead children in a drawing workshop on Friday, July 9, at 3:30 pm.

Mr MacDonald has written and illustrated several popular children’s books including Another Perfect Day, Achoo! Bang! Crash! The Noisy Alphabet and Hey Batta Batta Swing! The wild old days of baseball. Every child will have paper and pencil to work along with Ross as he describes his illustrative style.

Titles will be available for purchase and signing following the program. Recommended for ages 5 and up. Register online at CHBoothLibrary.org.

Young Adult Programs

*Cool Drinks & Cool Stories is Monday, June 22 at 3:30 pm. This is the kickoff program to ‘Tweens & Teens Summer Reading for rising grades 6-12.

We’ll make you a fruit smoothie, then you can sit back and relax while renowned storyteller Rona Leventhal regales us with her stories and fables. Signups are required and can be done online.

*Creative Writing Summer Camp for young adults will welcome returning author Kathleen Kudlinski to lead the program for 2009.

Camp will meet from 3:30 to 5:30 pm for Rising Grades 6&7, and from 6 to 8 pm for Rising Grades 8 & 9, on Mondays, June 29 and July 6-27, with a makeup date of August 10 if needed.

All sessions will allow time for writing and sharing stories as well as creative activities and one-on-one communication between adults and young people. Sharing is an important part of all writing groups. 

Participants are expected to attend all five sessions. Each group is limited to ten students who either live or attend school in Newtown. Signups are required and can be done online.

*Basic Drawing Techniques for rising grades 5-12 (ages 10 and up), led by Newtown artist Suzanne Lang, will be Friday, July 10, from 12:30 to 2:30 pm.

The program is limited to 15 students who either live or attend school in Newtown. Young artists will use professional grade materials in this workshop.  A $5 supply fee will be charged, payable at the program.  Signups required online.

*Chess Club News: Kai Hedin of Newtown won the six player junior tournament this week at the Newtown Chess Club  He finished with a perfect 3-0 score.

Ian Villamil, also from Newtown, finished second at 2-1.

Families And Adults

*Play Ball! Julie Stern is leading a summer book series on America’s favorite past time, baseball. This discussion series is for both baseball fans and those who love a good story. Programs are Tuesday evenings beginning at 7:30 pm.

Discussions will feature The Natural by Bernard Malamud on June 30, and Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella on July 14.

*Book Groups: The Daytime Group will talk about Fifth Business by Robertson Davies on Monday, July 13, at 1 pm.

*Authors & Illustrators Reception: Meet and greet forty of Newtown’s talented writers and illustrators at the C.H. Booth Library’s Newtown Authors and Book Illustrators Champagne Reception on Sunday, June 28, at 2 pm.

C.H. Booth Library is at 25 Main Street in Newtown. Call 426-4533 or visit CHBoothLibrary.org for information on these and future programs and offerings.