Hello Ashland families!

Summer has begun, and summer reading at the library is in full swing. Make sure to grab a paper logging calendar from the Children's Room Desk or use Beanstack to track your reading, and every kid can earn up to 10 prize books at the end of the summer!

Do you need something to do during the days? We have a bunch of exciting programs this July- come meet Blades (Boston Bruins mascot), see a master magician, have fun at Dog Man Day, and visit with live animals!

The Friends of the Library will be hosting their book sale this month on Saturday, July 1 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Drop by to find some great books.

The library will be closed on Monday, July 3, and Tuesday, July 4.

Thanks for stopping in!
Ryan
Children's Library Assistant

July Events!

One Time Programs

Visit with Blades

Tuesday, July 11 from
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Boston Bruins are sponsors of the State-wide Massachusetts Summer Reading Program. The Ashland Public Library is lucky to have won a visit with the Bruins mascot Blades. Blades will help Miss Lois read a funny story, then kids can meet Blades, pose for photos and do some fun activities. Goody bags and sweet treats!

Todd the Magician

Wednesday, July 12 from
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Magician Todd Migliacci will perform his sensory friendly, award-winning magic show. Todd was voted the "Best Specialty Act" at Walt Disney World.

Dog Man Day

Saturday, July 15 from
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

A day themed entirely around Dav Pilkey's beloved Dog Man series!
Take pictures with our life-sized Dog Man!
Try your skill on our Police Academy obstacle course.
Play I SPY Dog Man in the book shelves.
Scheduled activities:
Visit with our Read-To-A-Dog friends Knives and Machete from 10:30-11:30
Meet a real K-9 Police dog from 1:30-2:30

Recurring Programs

Teacher Tales
Select Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
For families

Come to the Ashland Library to hear some of your favorite teachers read stories.
Featuring teachers from the Mindess and Warren Schools.
Click here to find out which teachers are coming on which days.

Story and Craft
Wednesdays at 3:30.
Fridays at 3:30.
For ages 4-8

Each week we will read a story and do a related craft project. Wednesdays and Fridays will have the same craft.

STEM Thursdays

Thursday, June 1, 15, and 29
at 4:00 p.m.

For ages 5-9

Alternates between:

Lego Club
Your challenge is to build a creation using only what's inside a box full of Legos. Finished creations will be displayed in the Children’s Room for a few weeks. (Held every other week)
10-Min Creation Station
As the timer counts down, kids will have 10 minutes to create something using only the materials in their mystery  box. Everyone will have a chance to build with at least 4-5 different boxes.
Engineering Exploration
Each session kids will build a different engineering-based project as a group.  Projects this summer include a suspension bridge and a free-standing arch.

New Books!

The Proudest Color
by Sheila Modir, PhD &
Jeff Kashou, LMFT

Zahra sees the world in vivid color. When she’s happy, she feels a razzle-dazzle pink in her hands. When she’s sad, she feels a deep blue behind her eyes. But she isn’t quite sure how to feel about the color of her skin. Kids at school tell her she is different, but her mother tells her to be proud! From a diverse team and based on extensive research, The Proudest Color is a timely, sensitive introduction to race, racism, and racial pride.

Little Dumplings
by Susan Rich Brooke

When a sheltered little dumpling accidentally rolls away from her family’s tent at a World Dumpling Fest, she is surprised to discover that there are lots of different ways to be a dumpling!

Bear Out There
by Jacob Grant

Bear's favorite place is inside. He loves sharing his tidy home with his friend Spider. Spider loves the outdoors!

When Spider's kite flies away, Bear must venture out and into the messy forest to help his friend.

As their quest in the forest goes from bad to worse, Bear and Spider show readers that being a friend means being there for each other, no matter what.

The Miracle Seed

by Martin Lemelman

Thousands of years ago, in a time of rebellion, the Jewish people fought against their Roman rulers. The brutal Emperor Titus ordered the destruction of everything precious to the Jews: towns, villages, even their beloved Judean date palm trees. Centuries passed. Then, in 1963, a team of archaeologists uncovered two-thousand-year-old date palm seeds at the ruined fortress of Masada. For another forty years the seeds waited—until Dr. Sarah Sallon had a big, courageous idea. What if those ancient seeds could bring the Judean date palm back to life?