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Entertainment

•   Children’s Book Corner – March 2010
  

  In March, we celebrate the birthday of a seminal author of children’s literature, Dr. Seuss. People of all ages love his books and stories, from early readers that love “Hop on Pop” to the requisite gift of “Oh! The Places You’ll Go” for high school graduates. If you’re looking for a book that’s not so “seussical,” check out Stephanie Dethlefs’ most recent recommendations for young readers.

•   Children's Book Corner – February 2010
  

  Instead of loading up on chocolate this year, a book is a great Valentine’s Day gift for your sweeties of all ages. It’s a treat they’ll enjoy for months and months! Bellingham parent and educator Stephanie Dethlefs offers suggestions of books for developing readers, ages birth to teen, for February.

•   Children's Book Corner - January 2010
  

  Welcome to 2010! What better way to celebrate a new year, and a new decade, than with a new list of book recommendations for kids from Bellingham educator and parent Stephanie Dethlefs. Each month she offers one title each for five different age groups, although by no means should the books be limited to certain ages.

•   Children's Book Corner – December 2009
  

  Kids might clamor for toys during the holidays, but you really can’t go wrong with the gift of literature in their stockings or under the tree. Whether they’re reading on their own or storytime is also family time for your kids, check out Stephanie Dethlefs' recommendations for some titles in children's literature that the young readers in your family will enjoy.

•   Puzzles and Games for the Holidays
  

  As the holiday season marches along, you’re probably busy sorting out Thanksgiving menus and travel schedules. Have you even had time to take a look at the wish list for Santa that your kids started compiling way back in June? In alternative to a new video game system or latest must-have fashion item, here are some suggestions for holiday gifts that double as interactive pursuits that the whole family can enjoy together.

•   Children’s Book Corner - November 2009
  

  What are you most thankful for? That’s the question found in Stephanie Dethlefs’ book recommendation for preschool readers this month. Whether your little readers are just starting out, or if you’re looking for unique stories that will entice teenage readers away from video games for awhile, check out all of Stephanie’s great suggestions. Grown-ups might even want to pick up some of these books for their own pleasure reading time.

•   Children's Book Corner - October 2009
  

  Nothing sounds better than getting cozy on the couch with the kids and some hot cocoa this fall, and taking an exciting adventure into another world with a book. Educator and parent Stephanie Dethlefs shares your enthusiasm, and offers a few suggestions of books for kids that appeal to a range of ages and reading abilities. She has a special recommendation for a book that will be read around the world this month!

•   Children’s Book Corner - September 2009
  

  Just in time for school, check out Stephanie Dethlefs’s reading recommendations for kids of all ages. Along with Baby Bookworms, Preschool Power Readers, School-age Scholars, and Independent Intermediates, she’s included a recommendation for ‘Tweens and Teens in this month’s list. As a parent, teacher, and voracious reader herself, Stephanie’s Book Corner is a must-read!

•   Children’s Book Corner: August 2009
  

  As summer winds down, you might start thinking about books and stories that will get kids back in the learning spirit. But, really, any book that gets kids to read is an awesome way to explore new ideas. Neighborhood-Kids.com contributor Stephanie Dethlefs suggests the following titles for kids in a range of ages and reading abilities.

•   Children’s Book Corner: July 2009
  

  Are your kids participating in the “Be Creative” Summer Reading program at Bellingham and Whatcom County libraries? If you’re looking for some ideas for great reads that will suit your child at their current reading level, check out this month’s Children’s Book Corner. Stephanie Dethlefs provides titles that will captivate readers in a range of age groups, from infants to pre-teens. As a parent and teacher, Stephanie knows that grown-ups will love these stories too!

•   Children’s Book Corner: June 2009
  

  As summer approaches, you might be looking for new ideas to keep kids learning and entertained. But a trip to your local library or book store is always a new adventure for kids. Once again, Stephanie Dethlefs provides some more great titles that will captivate readers in a range of age groups (Baby Bookworm, Preschool Power Reader, School-age Scholar, or an Independent Intermediate).

•   Children’s Book Corner: May 2009
  

  Looking for something to do with the kids on a sunny afternoon? Visit the library or a local book store, get a pile of books, and head to a park for some reading and playtime. Whether your child is a Baby Bookworm, Preschool Power Reader, School-age Scholar, or an Independent Intermediate, you can find some great suggestions by Stephanie Dethlefs for books that will fit their style and reading-level.

•   Lessons to Learn with a Coin Collection
  

  Starting a collection is a great hobby for kids. It can give them a goal or reward for saving their money, gives them a tangible occupation of their time away from television and computer screens, and they’ll cultivate a sense of pride in maintain their collection to show off to friends and family. The third week in April marks the 86th Annual National Coin Week, which might motivate your child to become a numismatic (or a coin collector).

•   Book Review: "The Composer is Dead"
  

  Master of unfortunate events and morosely hilarious storyteller Lemony Snicket is at it again. In "The Composer is Dead," a picture book released in March by HarperCollins, Snicket, alongside San Francisco composer Nathaniel Stookey and Portland illustrator Carson Ellis, detail the untimely demise of an unnamed symphonic composer. The book is designed to introduce children to the instruments in the orchestra and includes an audio CD of Stookey’s original music.

•   Children’s Book Corner: April 2009
  

  April showers bring May flowers, right? So while you’re waiting for the rain to let up, check out this month’s recommendations for books that you can read with your kids or that they can read on their own. Whether your child is a Baby Bookworm, Preschool Power Reader, School-age Scholar, or Independent Intermediate, you’ll find something that will keep them entertained and growing as a reader. Happy reading!

•   April is National Kite Month!
  

  If you head to Zuanich Point Park to take the kids a sunset stroll on a windy day, it’s not uncommon to see kite flyers taking advantage of the bayside breezes. Since April is National Kite Month, take some time to learn a little bit more about the pastime of kite flying. People have been flying kites for thousands of years. The first recorded example of kite flying took place in 200 B.C. in China.

•   Book Review: "Part-Time Indian"
  

  A good coming of age story should allow the reader to transcend differences of class, race, and gender in order to identify with the narrator. While pointing out the distinctions between the fictional character and the young reader, the best examples in this genre will draw out the familiar and universal feelings of all adolescents in all cultures, in all times. Washington author Sherman Alexie achieves this to great success with his first young adult novel.

•   Children’s Book Corner: March 2009
  

  Welcome to the Neighborhood-Kids Children’s Book Corner! Each month, I will offer one title each for four different age groups: Baby Bookworms, Preschool Power Readers, School-age Scholars, and Independent Intermediates. These recommendations are based on my experience as the parent of a bookworm, an elementary teacher, and a voracious reader of children’s literature. Happy Reading!

•   Words Words Words!
  

  The Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar celebrates National Grammar Day on March 4, 2009, encouraging speakers and writers to pay extra attention to the standard use of English grammar and spelling. To pass on an appreciation of words, check out some fun stories and games that all have to do with WORDS!

•   Blast into the Past at a Rocket Sci-Fi Matinee
  

  Although I’m pretty excited for The Pickford Film Center, also known as the Pickford Dreamspace, to open up later this year (fingers crossed…), I still love the intimate setting of their current theatre on Cornwall Avenue in the heart of downtown Bellingham. I don’t go to the Pickford just to see a movie; I go for the whole experience! And there's no experience quite like seeing a classic, sci-fi flick in 3-D, thanks to Rocket Sci-Fi Matinees!

•   Adventures with Scrabble in "Word Nerd"
  

  Set in the beautiful metropolis of Vancouver, B.C., Susin Nielsen’s new novel for young adults, Word Nerd, is a funny, sharp, and engaging tour of adolescent cheek and optimism. Ambrose Bukowski, twelve years old and hopelessly unfit for traditional schools—especially after nearly dying in an incident involving three bullies, a peanut, and a deadly serious peanut allergy—finds himself befriending Cosmo, the ex-burglar and ex-druggie son of his upstairs neighbors, the charming Economopolouses.

•   "We Are the Ship" Shares Baseball History
  

  Baseball is an American rite of spring, but it can be much more than that. Baseball can contribute to building a sense of family. Many families share memories around the game; a first trip to the park, softball at a family reunion, street ball in the neighborhood, collecting cards and catch games between parents and children. I love to tell others about base ball’s (it used to be two words) story and one of the most important parts of that story is the history of the Negro Leagues.

•   American Girl Encourages Play and Reading
  

  If you have a pre-teen daughter, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the American Girls series. The line of dolls, books, and more have been simultaneously entertaining and enlightening young girls about American history and issues for over 20 years. Pleasant T. Rowland started the line in 1986 to offer young girls an alternative to baby dolls and adult/teen dolls. She decided to characterize each girl by various eras in American history.

•   Get the Family Together for Some Disc Golf
  

  What’s a great sport that the whole family can play, no matter their level of skill? Disc golf. Or Frisbee golf. Or frolf. No matter what you call it, disc golf is a great way to spend time together with friends and family while getting some exercise. As the name implies, this game combines the skills of playing Frisbee with the rules of golf. There are some great resources and places to play this sport in Whatcom County.

•   Give Thanks for Holiday Books
  

  This week, kids enjoy a few days off from school, getting to see grandparents and other relatives, and feasting on a delicious meal. In honor of this holiday, check out some books for elementary-age readers that celebrate Thanksgiving and other fall festivities. Just be forewarned that Bellingham Public Libraries and Whatcom County Libraries will be closed on November 27 & 28 this year.

•   Library Offers Families Online Stories
  

  Parents looking for safe, literacy-based content on the Internet for their children can now access Tumble-Books via the Bellingham Public Library website at the Bellingham Children's Library. TumbleBookLibrary is an online collection of 130 animated, talking picture books and a selection of talking chapter books for older children. browse a selection of titles, click on the book they want, and view it online.

•   New Website Explores Whatcom Transportation
  

  The Community Transportation Advisory Group (CTAG) has launched a new website called Transportation Town. The website features information about transportation in Whatcom County and includes an interactive game that lets visitors build their own city and earn points for city appeal, pollution reduction, and mobility. The game appeals to kids and adults alike and models decisions that planners make when thinking about our community.

•   Cheap Ways for Water Fun in Bellingham
  

  As the weather heats up, Whatcom County families are searching for ways to beat the heat that are also easy on the pocketbook. For a free (or pretty cheap) way to cool off with some water fun, consider a trip to a local spray park or a nearby lake with swimming access. Whether your kids love to swim or just want to get a little wet, there are lots of fun ways to cool down in Bellingham for kids and adults.

•   Movie Review: WALL-E
  

  Just in time for the sweltering dog days of summer (and the three-day holiday weekend), "WALL-E" makes its way into theatres. And following in the tradition of previous Pixar Animation Studios movies, their ninth full-length film blends inventive computer-generation animation, a serene score, and thoughtful storytelling that appeals to kids and adults with its likable robot characters and a simple message about taking care of our planet.

•   Great Kid Reads for National Poetry Month
  

  Kids love poetry before they even know what poetry is. Any preschooler just learning their sounds and letters will be happy to tell you all the rhyming words they know. And they definitely know that you don't need to be a scholar to write poetry. All you need is an imagination. If you're looking for some poems to get the kids pumped for National Poetry Month, here are a few personal recommendations of books that will help kids learn while they appreciate poetry.

•   Books and Movies Share Black History
  

  The life’s work of Dr. King and the history of the Civil Rights Movement can be a tricky subject for parents. It's an uncomfortable topic, but it’s also important to remember how far we've come as a nation. Even if parents are uneasy about addressing certain questions, kids can learn lessons about diversity and accepting each other's differences from discussing this history. One helpful way to start a conversation about some of these issues is to use books, films, and songs to share stories about African-American history.

•   Movie Review: Enchanted
  

  Capitalizing on the success of their own Disney Princess brand, a line of clothing, toys and other products featuring heroines of the company’s cartoon features, Disney brings “Enchanted” to theatres for the holiday season.