Join the Speedy Sloth for an unforgettable National Simultaneous Storytime! 📔😊

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Read online

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Hello and welcome!

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What a busy start to the year! It’s been lovely to see everyone coming to our storytimes, borrowing bundles of books, and getting involved in our April School Holiday Program.

Congratulations to all who participated in the Picture This! Comic Book Comp. We are busy judging the entries, and hope to announce winners shortly. We had over 70 entrants in total, each contributing a brilliant and unique story. A huge thank you again, to Dean Rankine and Sabina Wills for sharing their wisdom and skills over the summer in their fun and engaging workshops.

In other exciting news, the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) have announced their shortlist! Among these books, lies the winners for CBCA Book Week 2023. Who do you think will win? Browse the shortlist and see if anything takes your fancy!

In the meantime, stay safe, stay warm, keep reading, and see you on Friday, 16 June for our next round of bookings for the school holidays.

Emma Wallis

Manager of Children's Services

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14-20 May 2023 is Education Week!

Your Library is hosting some fun, free events for our littlest kids as part of Education Week. This year’s theme is Active Learners: Move, Make, Motivate, which celebrates physical activity, hands-on-learning, and providing opportunities for children to share their voices.

Join in the fun (and learning) at the events below:

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Find, follow, fold and fun!

Mon 15 - Fri 19 May (during opening hours)

Realm Library

Pop in during Education Week for this fun activity following the theme of Active Learners: Move, Make, Motivate. Find the clues and instructions hidden around the library to create your very own origami bookmark. No need to book! (Ages 5-13 years) FREE More information

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Sensory play

Mon 15 May, 10:30am - 11:30am

Croydon Library

Come and join us for a fun sensory playtime session, where children will engage their senses of touch, smell and sight, while building their fine motor skills. (Ages 18 months to 4 years) FREE

Bookings required

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Shake, shimmy, sing!

Fri 19 May, 10am - 10:30am at Healesville Library + 2pm - 2:30pm at Knox Express

Join us for a fun music and movement session for children (aged 0 - 6 years) and their families/caregivers as part of Education Week. The sessions will focus on singing, dancing, scarves, and musical instruments, followed by a craft activity. No need to book! FREE More information

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We can't wait for NSS 2023!

Join us for the 23rd National Simultaneous Storytime.

We will be celebrating by reading The Speedy Sloth from Mon 22 - Fri 26 May, along with the rest of Australia! There will be songs, rhymes and a sloth craft activity too!

Rowville Library will also present a bilingual storytime (Chinese/English) at Rowville Library on Friday 26 May, 11am.

Click below to find a National Simultaneous Storytime session near you.

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NSS Storytimes

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Children's Team news

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The Children’s Team are excited to welcome two new members to our team. We would love you to say ‘Hi’ and make them feel welcome:

Penny has joined Miller’s Homestead as the Children’s and Program Officer. Penny runs cosy, gentle storytimes at the beautiful, tranquil Miller’s Homestead, and supports the fortnightly Little Ones Playgroup and Book Chat.

Anne joins Realm Library as the Children’s Service Officer, working alongside Children’s Librarian, Sarah. Anne comes with lots of experience working in public libraries, and plenty of wonderful programming ideas which she can’t wait to share with you all.

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Penny
Miller's Homestead

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Anne
Realm Library

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Bernadette at Boronia Library is going to be taking a short break over Term 2 to go on some adventures outside of the library. We wish her all the best, and can’t wait to hear her stories when she returns for the Winter school holidays!

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Introducing Bilingual Storytime: Hakha Chin + English

Join Zing and Emma every fortnight for a bilingual storytime featuring stories, songs, and rhymes in both Hakha Chin and English for children aged 0 – 6 years. Did you know that engaging in bilingual storytimes can be great for exploring new languages and developing overall language learning?

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Each storytime will be followed by an activity, and families and caregivers are welcome to stay afterwards to socialise in the children’s area. Starting from Wednesday 3 May, 11am – 12pm. FREE - No need to book!

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Toy & Book Swap

Mon 8 May - Sat 13 May (during opening hours) at Ferntree Gully Library

Empty those toy boxes and bookshelves and bring the toys and books that your children are no longer excited about to Ferntree Gully Library and swap them for something new. Donations will be accepted from Monday 1 May, or just bring them with you on the day. Any leftover goods will be donated to charity. More information

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Fun for kids!

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Kids Connect - after school club

Every second Tues, 4pm - 5pm. Starts 9 May 2023

- Healesville Library

Fortnightly after school club for kids in Healesville. Alternating craft one fortnight, STEAM the next.
Light afternoon snack provided. (Ages 7-12 years) FREE Bookings required

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Cuddle & Connect

Every Mon, 9:30am - 11:30am. Boronia Library

Cuddle up with your little one, and join us for our special storytime at 10am with gentle rhymes, songs, lullabies and stories. (Ages 0-4 months) FREE Bookings required

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Boronia STEAM+ Club

Every Tues (during school terms) 4pm-5pm. Boronia Library
Join us for creative hands-on projects exploring science, technology, engineering, art and maths. Enjoy games and hear about some great books too! (Ages 6-12 years) FREE Bookings required

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Minecraft at Ferntree Gully

Fourth Thur of the month, 4pm-5pm.

Ferntree Gully Library

Come along to our Minecraft sessions to make friends, learn new skills, and have fun. Each session will have a new challenge or game to enjoy. (Ages 8-12 years) FREE Bookings required

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After school Mother's Day craft

Wed 10 May, 4pm - 5pm. Rowville Library
Shower Mum or Grandma with words of love and affirmation this Mother's Day. Create a flip key ring full of reasons you love her using quotes, stickers, stamps and more. (Ages 7-13 years) FREE Bookings required

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Mother's Day card making workshop

Sat 13 May, 10:30am - 11:30am. Belgrave Library

Learn to make a beautiful origami design and turn it into a greeting card with April from Folded by Me. Perfect for Mother's Day! (Ages 8-12 years) FREE Bookings required

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Scratch-out ceramics with the Hellenic Museum

Sat 13 May, 12:30pm - 1:30pm.

Realm Library

Learn about ancient pottery with the Hellenic Museum, and be inspired to create your own scratch-out vase (Ages 7+ years) FREE Bookings required

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Stop motion animation

Mon 15 May, 4pm - 5pm. Belgrave Library

Join us for this special after school event and create a short movie of your own using stop motion animation and our iPads! (Ages 8-13 years) FREE Bookings required

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Reconciliation Week collaborative mural

Mon 29 May, 4pm-5pm. Realm Library

Calling all aspiring artists...come and help us produce a colourful and inspiring piece of art to celebrate Reconciliation Week 2023, which will decorate the children's area at Realm. (Ages 5-13 years) FREE - no need to book! More information

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Digital music

Mon 19 June, 4pm - 5pm. Belgrave Library

Join us for this special after school event and create some digital music with Noah! Learn the basics of creating digital music including loops and samples using our easy to use apps. (Ages 6 - 13 years) FREE Bookings required

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Knox Repair Café - sewing repair workshop

Sat 24 June, 10:30am - 12pm. Ferntree Gully Library
Come to Ferntree Gully Library to learn fundamental hand-sewing skills and stitches, invisible seam repairs (ladder stitch), visible patch repairs, and sewing on buttons. (Ages 8-15 years). FREE

Bookings required

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Gully Gardeners - Herb Planting Workshop For Adults And Kids

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Gully Gardeners: herb planting workshop for adults & kids

Tues 27 June, 11am - 12:30pm. Ferntree Gully Library
Bring along a special adult in your life and join Ajne and Melissa in learning all about growing herbs, and how to care for them. We will make an origami pot and then plant up some herbs for you to take home. All materials provided. (Ages 6-120 years) FREE Bookings required

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Please note:

Children aged 12 years and under must be accompanied by an adult for all activities.

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Click for more events!

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Staff picks on Story Box Library

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Your birthday was the best!

Author: Maggie Hutchings

Illustrator: Felicita Sala

Read by: Wayne Hope

Reviewer: Sharon from Lilydale Library

Review: It’s a funny story about a birthday party, that is read from the point of view of a friendly cockroach!

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Noni the pony

Author: Alison Lester

Illustrator: Alison Lester

Read by: Noni Hazlehurst

Reviewer: Alison from Montrose Library

Review: What I love about it is the story's rhythms, the illustrations, the fact that it's locally written and you can actually go to Alison Lester's gallery in Fish Creek.

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