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Monday, June 20, 2022 | View in browser
 Happy Upcoming Fourth! The Evanston Fourth of July Association has announced that Evanston will have a live parade and live fireworks for the first time in two years! Time to celebrate! The library is marching in the parade-will you be there to cheer us on? There is a whole day of celebration planned:
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Games at the Park! There are fun games going on at nine different parks starting at 9 am. Find the one closest to your home!
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Kids Fun Run (ages 10 and under) at 12:45 pm at Ackerman Park on Central Street. More information and to register. There is a fee to participate.
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The Fourth of July Parade kicks off at 2 pm at Central Street and Central Park Ave and marches down Central Street to Northwestern's Welsh Ryan Arena. The theme for the parade this year is Celebrating for 100 years! because it is the 100th anniversary of the association.
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Fireworks start at 9:30 pm near the Clark Street Beach. You can see the fireworks from the Northwestern Lakefill, and also beaches and parks directly south of Clark Street Beach. More Information.
Do some Fireworks Art at home! The Evanston Fourth of July Association is celebrating its 100th birthday by inviting all Evanston kids to submit fireworks artwork to display on the association's website! Submission details here. Here are two great fireworks art projects for your kids:
 Come to the Main Library or the Robert Crown Branch Library now to sign up for our Summer Reading Challenge and get:
1. a free, high quality paperback book of their choice
2. a READ-O bingo card with scratch-able circles and lots of fun reading and writing activities.
Complete five activities in a row (down, across, or diagonal) and come back for an awesome selection of fun activity kit prizes. You will also be registered for our grand prize. More information!
Little Book is back! Watch Little Book's new movie with your kids and see which "off the beaten path" spots in Evanston are featured.
 TOMORROW! Family Storytime @Fountain Square! (best for ages 3-7 but all are welcome) Stop by Fountain Square for a few moments of stories and songs! Tuesdays, June 21 and July 5, 10 am, Fountain Square: More information.
The Young and the Restless Outdoors at Brummel Park! (ages 0-2) Join our sing-a-long storytime outdoors! Singing is one of the best ways for little ones to learn language. Thursdays, June 23 and 30, 10 am, Brummel Park: More information.
Dime Dance-Off! (Kids, Teens, and Adults) EPL and Mr. Marcus from Dime Dance will be at Brummel Park blasting some hip-hop and rap tunes that we'll dance to! Mr. Marcus will lead all of us in a variety of fun dance-related games and the library will be there with free book giveaways and swag, and some craft activities for the little ones once they tire themselves out dancing! Friday, June 24, 5-7 pm, Brummel Park: More information.
Summer Saturdays! (books aimed at ages 3-5 years old) Listen to a story and have some fun with our toys and games! Weather permitting, of course. Saturday, June 25, 10 am, South Boulevard Beach; AND Saturday, July 5, 10 am, Twiggs Park: More information.
EPL On The Fly (elementary school age)! We'll have STEM projects and you can sign up for summer reading:
- Mondays, June 27, James Park, 11 am-1 pm: More information.
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Tuesdays, June 21 and 28, Fleetwood-Jourdain Park, 11 am-1 pm: More Information.
- Wednesdays, June 22 and 29, Mason Park, 11 am-1 pm: More information.
- Thursdays, June 23 and 30, Brummel-Dobson Park, 5-6 pm: More information.
Bottle Rockets Galore! (Kids, Teens and Adults) Come hang out with EPL at James Park, near the Levy Center parking lot, for a super cool STEAM activity: bottle rockets! We'll be making paper rockets and decorating them so you can watch them blast off into the sky! Tuesday, June 28, 4:30-7 pm, James Park: More information.
First Fridays! The library will be there at the City of Evanston's First Friday event! From June through August, community members of all ages can stop by Mason Park (Church Street and Florence Avenue) to enjoy free food, movies, an obstacle course, and a variety of games, including the Senior Foster Club Bingo Tournament in the Park. Come check out books, sign up for summer reading and more! Friday, July 1, 6-9 pm, Mason Park: More information.
All park programs are weather permitting and are canceled if there are dangerous conditions: light sprinkles don't count but 100 degree heat does.
 We love singing, crafting and reading with kids:
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Crown Storytime and Free Play in the Garden (toddlers and preschoolers)! We will sing together and share stories, old and new. Stories and songs are chosen for younger kids. No registration required, just drop in. Monday, June 27, 10:30 am, Robert Crown Branch Library: More information.
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Free Stroller Strides Class for Moms! Meet in the Robert Crown Reading Garden for a free Introductory Class from trainer Miranda Herron of Fit4Mom! Stroller Strides is a functional, total-body conditioning workout designed for moms with kids in tow. Each 60-minute workout is comprised of strength training, cardio, and core restoration, all while entertaining little ones with songs, activities, and fun! This class is all about self-care in a supportive and encouraging environment. Children are required to stay in the stroller for the duration of class. Two registrations required-both EPL and the following link to Fit4Mom. Thursday, June 30, 9:30 am, Robert Crown Reading Garden: Register.
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All By Myself (ages 3-5) This is a special storytime for those "big kids in training" where we share stories, songs and a craft. Mondays, July 11-August 1, 11 am, James Park: Register; OR Thursdays, July 14-August 4, 1:30 pm, Main Library: Register.
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Time for Twos (age 2 with a parent/caregiver) A storytime filled with songs, picture books, puppets and rhymes for children 24 to 36 months. Tuesdays, July 12-August 2, 10:30 am, Main Library: Register.
 Film It Challenge! (rising grades 5-8) Let your movie making skills shine and get a chance to win amazing prizes like a GoPro, green screen, video equipment, gift cards and more by taking part in the Film It Challenge. More information.
On the Same Page! A Fun 2-Person Book Club (rising grades 1-3)! Summer is a great time for kids to create a book club! And we've done most of the work for them! Check out two book club kits which include two copies of Bad Guys Book 1, and two Bad Guys craft kits, plus discussion questions and more! Kits available starting June 17 through the end of the month, while supplies last! More information.
Crafts Open House at Erie Family Health Center: Origami Cranes and more! Come create origami cranes or apply for a library card, check out some books, sign up for Summer Reading! Of course, great health information is available for all. The library and Erie Health Center partner on this event: join us every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. Wednesday, June 22, 4-6 pm, Erie Family Health Center: More information.
Drop In Movies at Crown! We'll have movies running in the Multi-Purpose room. Friday, June 24, 12-4 pm, Robert Crown Multi-purpose Room: More information.
Hora de Aventuras-¡Es primavera! Language Adventure Time, en español (rising grades K-5)! Cuentos y juegos en español. Acompáñanos para escuchar las cuentos y jugar al veo veo, adivina adivinanza, Simon de Palabras y más! Te esperamos en la biblioteca de Robert Crown cada lunes! Monday, June 27, 4 pm, Robert Crown Multipurpose Room: More information.
STEM Mondays: Kaliedoscope (rising grades 3-6)! Learn how to make a kaleidoscope; it’s such a fun way to explore light and reflections! We will create our own components using a cardboard tube, mirrored paper, and drawing our own designs to create beautiful repeating patterns. Registration is required to prepare the materials. Monday, June 27, 4:35 pm, Robert Crown Multipurpose Room: Register.
Grab and Go Kit: Jumping Origami Frogs! Make a jumping origami frog here at the library, or grab a kit to work on at home. Boing! Beginning Friday, July 1, while supplies last: More information.
Experimential Shorts Film Club (rising grades 5-8)! Together we will watch short movies made by daring artists who push the boundaries of filmmaking, then make an experimental video of our own. All the equipment and supplies you'll need are provided by the Library. This Film Club is free, but space is limited so sign up today! Wednesday, July 6, 6-8 pm, Programming Room, Robert Crown Community Center: Register.
Graphic Novel Book Club; Legend of Auntie Po (rising grades 3-5) You love graphic novels; now come talk about them! We're reading the Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor. It's part historical fiction, part magical realism, and 100 percent adventure! Stop by the Main children's desk to pick up a copy to read beforehand. Must be an Evanston resident or attend school in District 65 to participate. Saturday, July 9, 3 pm, Children's Public Conference Room, Main Library: Register.
Microwave Cooking: Lunch and Dinner Part II (rising grades K-5)! Bring EPL into your kitchen and cook with us! Ms. Kim will be teaching us how to make a Burrito, a Corn Dog, and a "Grilled Cheese" using a mug and a microwave. An ingredient list will be sent out ahead of time so you can cook your own meal with Ms. Kim, and all recipes will be emailed to you after the program so you can make them whenever you'd like. Friday, July 15, 10 am, Zoom: Register.
Beach Reads! Finally, it's the season to get to Evanston beaches, with a great book in hand! Check out our great summer Beaches, Boats and Water Booklist for kids.
Brand New Books! Every month we update these booklists with just published books for kids:
District 65's Summer Reading List! Get your kids some books from District 65's fantastic summer reading list. It's called Read Beyond Borders and lets kids "travel" through reading to Europe, Australia, Africa, the Middle East and Asia this summer as well as North and South America. Which continent will your kids travel to first? District 65 also has a Middle school summer reading list for rising grades 6-8.
On June 21, we will enjoy the LONGEST day of the year, the Summer Solstice, also known as Midsummer. Blessed solstice to all those who celebrate! And this is a lovely holiday for all to recognize: greet the sun at sunrise over the lake or greet it at noon. Read The Longest Day A Celebrating the Summer Solstice and of course, read or watch or just retell Shakespeare's Midsummer's Night Dream. Then, create a fun sun pendant with your child!
The Summer Solstice was also selected as the day to celebrate International Day of Yoga! Yoga helps with both our physical and mental heath. Check out our terrific Mindfulness booklist for kids if you want to talk with kids about their emotions. One favorite kids' yoga book is My Daddy is a Pretzel for grades K-3, but there are loads more kids yoga books at the library including another favorite, Peaceful Piggy Yoga. Prime Minister Modi of India in a speech about International Day of Yoga says, "Yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition....Discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature."
What does "rising" mean in "rising grades 5-8"? It means the grade level of your child in the fall. So if the program is for rising 5th graders, it means kids who just finished 4th grade.
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