Between the Lines May Update:
We have a new reading app, ReaderZone where you can track your reading challenges! Use ReaderZone as a challenge for May (more details below), so please give it a try. We will also have the printed reading log in the library and a digital version you can print off at home available as well. Use whichever method you feel more comfortable with to participate.
May Reading Challenges:
Read a Science Fiction or Fantasy Book
On May 4, we celebrate Star Wars Day, May 17 marks the 122 year anniversary of the publication of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by Lyman Frank Baum (published in 1900!) and May 6 is Space Day. What a great month to read a Science Fiction or Fantasy Book!
Read a “Forest of Reading” Award Book (a 2022 nominee or a past winner)
The Forest of Reading is a Canadian reading program with ten different book awards for different age ranges. It celebrates Canadian books, publishers, authors and illustrators and promotes a love of reading. Markham Public Library is inviting you to participate this year by reading one of the 2022 nominees, or a past year’s winner. 2022’s winners will be announced between May 17 to 19.
The children’s awards include:
- Blue Spruce Award for Picture Books, age range Junior Kindergarten to Grade 2
- Silver Birch Express Award for Fiction and Non-fiction books, age range Grades 3 to 4
- Silver Birch Fiction Award, age range Grades 5 to 6
- Yellow Cedar Award for Non-Fiction books, age range Grades 4 to 8
- Red Maple Award for Fiction books, age range Grades 7 to 8
Read a Book From the “Lands & People” Section
May is Asian Heritage Month. Learn more about Asia by reading a book about a country or city in the Asian continent, or try reading a book about a country that is part of your family heritage!
Did you know that the first modern atlas was released on May 20, 1570? That was 452 years ago! You can also find atlases in our “Lands & People” section if you want to give one of those a try.
Learn about Asia, & people of Asian descent
Read a Comic Book or Graphic Novel
We have lots of different related celebrations for comic books and graphic novels this month. May 5 is National Cartoonist Day, May 7 is Free Comic Book Day and of course May 4 is Star Wars Day. Celebrate all of these by reading a comic book or graphic novel this month.
Did you know that our online database, Hoopla, has comic books? Try borrowing one online today. Check to make sure “kids” is clicked before independent browsing.
Related Programs:
- Creative Career Talks on May 4 from 3:00 to 3:45pm online with Howard Wong as the host. (all ages)
- We also have an array of creative programs that you can register for. Take a look on our website or the Varley Art Gallery website for their creative programs.
Beyond Books Challenges:
Go on a Bicycle Ride Through Your Neighbourhood
May is Bike Month. What a great time to take a ride throughout your neighbourhood and enjoy the nice Spring weather and Markham scenery. If you want to try something different, Markham has a lot of great trails that you can try. Visit Markham’s Walking and Cycling webpage for more information. Not one for a bike ride? Take a nice long walk instead.
Markham Cycles is Markham’s Community Bike Hub, which has lots of different programs, events and information that are great for you to try. In partnership with Markham Public Library, Markham Cycles hosted a session on Basic Bicycle Maintenance, and you can still watch the recording of the program here.
Download and start using our new “ReaderZone” App to track your Between the Lines challenges
Did you know that we got a new Reading App where you can track your Between the Lines Challenges? If you belonged to the Summer Reading Club in 2021 then it may look familiar. We hope this will be an exciting way for you to track these challenges!
It is easy to download and use. Look for the Reader Zone App in your App Store or Google Play. Once it is downloaded it will ask you to sign-up with information like a name and email address. It is up to you whose name to use (e.g. caregiver’s name or child's name). You can have one or multiple readers completing challenges with one login. To add the “Between the Lines” challenge, type in the code: c25e1 when prompted. It will open up all the challenges, and you can choose to load them all then complete them as you go, or add each challenge separately. There is one added challenge to the list only available on the app: ”Tell us about you!”. Completing this section isn’t required but if you want to add some personal details in the app (like school name and grade) go into “My Account” to fill in the additional information at any time. This additional information will help us improve future programming.
Get Caught Reading Challenge: Get Caught Reading Outside
It is Get Caught Reading Month! The Get Caught Reading initiative is actually a year-round campaign promoting the fun of reading for all. We hope this program promotes the fun of reading for you and your family so to celebrate this we propose you Get Caught Reading in the outdoors. To complete the challenge all you have to do is take your reading outside and enjoy a beautiful spring day. But if you want to take it further, you can take a picture of where you read outside, or your book outside, and post it on social media, remember to use #MPLBTL on your post.
Other May celebrations:
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Featured Markham Public Library Online Resource for May:
This month we are featuring “NoveList K-8 Plus, opens a new window”. Not sure what to read next? With this database you can find book titles by genre, age range, theme, mood, character etc… or by browsing the regularly updated book lists. Another great feature on this database is the Read-a-Likes feature which helps you find books or authors similar to a book or author you already enjoy. Using NoveList K-8 Plus will leave you with an endless supply of book suggestions for your next great read. Try using this database to find one of the books for your reading challenges, like a science-fiction or fantasy book.
Programming:
Markham Public Library Programming:
Please note that we are going to be starting in-person programming! Check the program listing for if it is online or in-person.
- Show & Share: Join us virtually at the library to share your favourite things/book based on a fun weekly theme. For Grades 3 and 4. (Online - Weekly Starting May 2)
- Backyard Birds Through the Seasons: May 4 - 6:30 to 8:30pm, all ages, Online
- Chess in the Library (a new in-person program) at the Unionville Library (Multiple times May 8 & 22)
- Be a Cybersafety Champion (for Grades 1 to 6) May 11 from 7:00 to 8:00pm Online.
Add a comment to: Between the Lines May 2022: Sci-Fi, Geography, Graphic Novels, and More!