October Programs for Children & Teens

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Free Online Ebooks, Games, and Language Learning for Kids

The Vineyard Haven Public Library has just subscribed to TumbleBooks, a collection of online ebooks and games for kids. Library patrons have unlimited access from their home computers with internet access. To connect, click on the TumbleBooks logo on the library homepage, www.vhlibrary.org.

The TumbleBookLibrary is a collection of TumbleBooks (animated, talking picture books) with fiction, non-fiction and foreign language titles, Read-Alongs (chapter books with sentence highlighting and narration but no animation), TumbleTV which consists of pre-set playlists of a sequence of books, and Tumble Puzzles & Games. TumbleBooks are created from existing picture books which have been converted to the TumbleBook format.

You may want to explore the site by checking out all the books, games and features. The catalogue has book descriptions, book reviews, and author/illustrator/publisher information. You can view a TumbleBook by clicking on the ‘View Online” button or on the cover of the book. There are a number ways you can access a book: The index page lists all the TumbleBooks. Click on the title (hyperlink) and you will be taken right to that TumbleBook. Scroll through the collection in any of the sections to read the descriptions and view the reading levels.

Automatic/Manual Button: TumbleBooks are designed to be experienced in either automatic or manual mode. In automatic mode, the pages turn by themselves and are narrated; in manual mode, the readers turn the pages at their own speed.

The Pause Button: Use the pause button to stop the story at any time in order to practice story prediction, interpret pictures, discuss new vocabulary words, empathize with a character, discuss possible consequences of actions, encourage problem solving, or provide historical, geographical, or other perspectives.

Word Helper: This feature allows you to click on a book to hear a sentence repeated, or click on a vocabulary word in order to hear it pronounced.

Reading Levels: Each title has recommended reading levels: Grade, Lexile and Accelerated Reader information. Click on the reading level to see other books at the same level.

TumbleGames: The TumblePuzzles and TumbleGames are great educational tools.

Language Learning: The Language Learning section has a growing collection of books in Spanish and French, to name a few.

Navigate en Español/ en Français: The drop down menu on the top right hand corner of the site allows you to view the entire site in Spanish or French.

Culture of China Celebrated in Library Programs and Displays

On Tuesday March 15th at 7pm the library will present a screening of a Chinese film (in Mandarin with subtitles). This 1999 film starring Zhang ZiYi (Crouching Tiger...) in a mesmerizing story of love and loss. A teacher wanting to give his knowledge to the next generation and a farm girl wanting to share her very soul with the man she loves. This is how in the winter of a a life, the summer is remembered.

On Wednesday, March 16th at 5:30pm Gloria Wong and some of her friends will give a demonstration of Chinese cooking. Audrey Leaf will make her delicious crab rangoon. Father Rob, rector at Grace Episcopal Church, always enjoys making hot and sour soup and will show us how to make his specialty. Beth LeBeau will be making chop suey and chow mein. Gloria will be teaching us the basics with her ingredients for stir fry. Our cooking classes are always popular, so be sure to sign up in advance.

On Tuesday, March 29th at 7pm, Hal Garneau will present the ancient Chinese game of Mahjong. Mahjong is played with a set of intricately decorated tiles traditionally made of carved bone backed with bamboo. Hal will describe all the fascinating nuances of the Chinese version of the game and will teach the rules of play in an easy-to-understand fashion. Everyone will then be able to watch or play a hand or two after the lecture. A selection from Hal's collection of Mahjong sets will be featured in the library display case throughout the month of March.