Marathon County Public Library

May 21, 2019

Space may be “the final frontier,” but staff at the Marathon County Public Library are preparing to share a universe of events throughout the 2019 summer (or at least a really small part of the universe)! Although libraries across the country organize programming throughout the entire year, many of them (including MCPL) put a little extra effort into their summer programs. The kids are out of school . . . The days are longer . . . Libraries have air conditioning, so many people visit us as a relaxing way to beat the summer heat. Each year, the Collaborative Summer Library Program — a grassroots group made up of a consortium of states — chooses a theme and provide resources to libraries across...

April 29, 2019

If your school, organization or daycare wants to bring students or members to see what the library is all about, you can plan a group visit! Groups of 10 or more can schedule a guided tour of any MCPL location and learn about the various materials and services we have to offer. Groups can also get an aquarium lesson, learn how to use the library catalog or attend a special story time just for them! Group visit applications can be found and filled out at www.mcpl.us/group-visits. For more information, call 715-261-7200.  

April 28, 2019

In preparation for the Summer Library Program, we will be taking a break from our regular story time schedule at the Marathon County Public Library - Wausau Headquarters! There will be no story times May 6 through June 7, 2019. Story times will resume on Saturday, June 8, 2019.  Please note: Play & Learn will continue to meet during this time period.

April 26, 2019

This year, MCPL will transport kids into the cosmos with its Summer Library Program! This year’s theme is “A Universe of Stories,” and we’ve planned three months of fun, entertaining and educational events for kids, tweens and teens!  May 28 through August 30, kids, tweens and teens can read books and submit reviews containing their thoughts about what they read. (Adults can do this, too!) Participants will receive a reward for each review they turn in. Younger children (pre-K) can instead complete a reading and activity sheet with their parent/caregiver and receive a prize once their sheet is complete! We also have a ton of great events scheduled at all nine MCPL locations, including visits...

April 15, 2019

The sight of melting snow, budding trees and blooming flowers are all signs that spring is here, and the Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) has one more hallmark to add to the mix! For the second year in a row, MCPL will offer Trail Tales, an interactive outdoor reading experience that families can enjoy together as the temperatures get warmer and folks head outdoors. From April 22 through May 20, kids and families will have the opportunity to walk along the scenic River Edge Trail in downtown Wausau and read the pages of two children’s books that will be posted along the way. The trail will run north-to-south from Kickbusch Plaza (which begins behind MCPL’s Wausau Headquarters) to the River Life...

March 2, 2019

Parents and care givers, join your children in exploring the world of transportation in the Early Literacy Center (ELC) at the Marathon County Public Library's Wausau Headquarters! Throughout March, April and May, the theme for the ELC will be "Transportation." During these months, parents and children can: ·     Play on the magnetic board! Put together magnetic puzzles of trains, cars, and trucks; play a car color matching game; sort transportation pictures and words by type, and much more! ·     Re-create "The Wheels on the Bus" on the felt story board – and sing along! ·     Create patterned pictures of cars, trains,...

January 31, 2019

The American Library Association has announced its 2019 youth media award winners earlier this week! These awards celebrate the most outstanding and high quality materials for children and teens. They are selected by committees of librarians and other literature or media experts and are meant to guide parents, librarians and educators towards quality works for children. Check out the latest winners from MCPL. For a full list of all award winners, visit the ALA website. The John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature was awarded to Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina. Two Newbery Honor Books also were named: The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani and The...

January 28, 2019

On January 9 and January 12, local author Cindy Meyering visited the Marathon County Public Library’s Marathon City Branch to talk about, and read from, her new book I’m There for You. Meyering lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Mark. She is a retired teacher, but continues to enjoy time in the classroom by substitute teaching. I’m There for You is her first novel for children. It was self-published through AuthorHouse and was a winner in MCPL’s Community Writing Competition last year. The following interview took place during the author’s visit to the Marathon City Branch Library on January 9th, 2019, and was conducted by Branch Assistant Elizabeth Lutz. Elizabeth Lutz: Did this book’s story spring...

January 8, 2019

Under the sea is an exciting place to be, so bring your young children to MCPL Wausau to experience the ocean-themed activities and books in the Early Literacy Center (ELC) during the months of January and February!  Some of the activities we have available include puzzles for learning colors and matching animal shapes, a fish felt board featuring the Dr. Seuss book One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (you can read the book together, too) and felt ocean animals paired with their names. Our magnetic boards have ocean animals and words kids learn together, too.  And, of course, there are a few nets, fish bowls with toy fish and other animals to play catch-and-release with! A fun...

November 22, 2018

Due to the winter holidays, we'll be taking a break from our regularly-scheduled story times at most MCPL locations. Please note the "will not meet" dates in the schedule copied below.  For the most up-to-date story time information, please visit www.mcpl.us/story-times. For a listing of library's holiday hours and special closings, visit www.mcpl.us/holidays. Happy holidays, everyone! Family Story Time MCPL Wausau — Weekly on Saturdays, 10:30am (year-round) (will not meet 12/22, 12/29) MCPL Athens — Weekly on Tuesdays, 10:00am (year-round) (will not meet 12/25, 1/1) MCPL Edgar — Weekly on Thursdays, 9:30am (Sept.-May) (will not meet 11/22, 12/27...

November 15, 2018

In the months of November and December, you will find jungle-themed activities and books in our Early Literacy Center at MCPL Wausau. “Early literacy” is a term for what children know about reading and writing before learning how to read and write. They develop these skills by talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing with a caregiver. In the jungle, you can say hello to Gerald the Giraffe, a four foot stuffed animal alongside our safari jeep. Go on safari and talk with your child about what animals they see, what kind of terrain they are driving on, and more! Using the safari jeep is a great time to talk with your children and let their imaginations soar. You will also find a “matching animal halves...

August 24, 2018

This summer, several MCPL locations offered a Summer Craft Day, where kids and families could make a variety of crafts based on popular children’s songs to coincide with our Summer Library Program theme of “Libraries Rock!”  If you and your family missed this craft day, you can still make one of the crafts using a few things found around your home! Provided below are the instructions for making your very own monkey hat, in celebration of the song “Five Little Monkeys.”  Supplies:  2 pieces of brown construction paper  1 piece of tan construction paper 2 googly eyes glue  stapler black marker Cut one of the brown pieces of construction paper in half. Place the...

August 15, 2018

Come visit MCPL’s new Early Literacy Center at our Wausau Headquarters!  In September, we’ll begin offering a variety of pet-themed activities, which will be the first of many rotating themes planned for the Early Literacy Center.  One of the many pet-themed activities you’ll be able to enjoy with your child includes a veterinary dramatic play set, complete with a veterinarian costume and all of the equipment needed to take care of our (stuffed) furry friends! Dramatic play is an integral part of a child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. In learning to follow the rules of dramatic play, a child learns to coordinate with others, make plans, and resolve conflicts. ...

July 17, 2018

The children’s area at the Marathon County Public Library’s Wausau Headquarters is temporarily closed this week. It will reopen again soon, though an exact date has yet to be determined. Though the physical space itself will be closed to the public during the closure, patrons are still allowed to request and check out materials located in the children’s area by asking one of our helpful staff members to retrieve the item(s) for you. All of the upcoming events we have planned for kids and tweens – including this week’s Summer Craft Day, Teen Craft Day and our weekly story times – will be held as scheduled. We will update the public on social media when the children’s area reopens.

July 3, 2018

Wisconsin’s first ever LENA Start sessions are complete! A wide range of Marathon County families participated in LENA Start, a program designed to measure how much verbal interaction a child hears in the first three years of his or her life. A total of 18 families graduated from the program this past May, making the first sessions of the program a success!  In order to graduate, parents had to attend nine parenting sessions where they learned how to talk with their child (as opposed to talking at them). The classes taught parents how to use more adult words, conversational turns, and less TV and electronic noise. In addition to attending classes, families also had to turn in eight audio recordings...

June 14, 2018

The Marathon County Public Library is set to unveil its new Early Literacy Center, a special section in the children’s area of its Wausau Headquarters designed especially for children 0-5 years! The opening of the center will be commemorated with special ribbon cutting ceremony with the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce at 11 a.m. on June 20. Early literacy is a term used to describe what children know about language before learning how to read. This includes knowing what letters look and sound like, knowing words that rhyme, knowing how a book works and that printed text has meaning. These concepts are learned by children through talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing with a caregiver...

May 2, 2018

Most of the story times at the Marathon County Public Library's Wausau Headquarters will go on a brief hiatus later this month as the library gears up for its annual Summer Library Program. From May 14 through June 10, Book Babies, Tales for Tots, Preschool Story Time, Family Story Time and Sensory Story Time will not be offered. The weekly Play and Learn story times on Friday mornings will continue to be held each week. The weekly Family Story Times at our Edgar, Mosinee and Spencer branches will also go on hold from June through August to make way for all of the fun, interactive events those locations have planned. Those story times will resume in September. For more information on MCPL's story...

March 28, 2018

Last month, the American Library Association announced its 2018 Youth Media Award Winners! These titles are considered to be the best current books for children, tweens and teens in literature. Take a look at this year's winners (and some of the runners-up) and see which ones appeal to you most. The John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature was awarded to Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly. Three Newbery Honor Books also were named: Crown, and Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes, Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds and Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson. The Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most...

March 14, 2018

There is a lot going on at your library! The Friends of the Library have moved into their new digs in the old bookmobile garage, and their first book sale was a huge success. The Friends made the transition very smoothly, and we look forward to their being able to enjoy the new room for years to come as they raise money to help the library provide its programs.  On another note, the LENA Project will be gearing up in February and March of this year. The library will be hosting and facilitating this important community collaboration designed to help parents of children aged birth to three years old with the critical brain development that centers around language. There are multiple community...

January 19, 2018

The first three years of a child's life are vital to brain development. Children from birth onward learn through talking, singing, reading, and playing. During these interactions, children learn how the world works, acquire vocabulary, stimulate different parts of their brain, as well as many other benefits. While this may seem easy enough, some caregivers may simply not be talking enough or using a variety of words to build a child’s brain! This is where LENA Start can benefit many children in our community. LENA stands for Learning ENvironment Analysis. The LENA System measures the early language environment of children ages birth to 32 months. Using a “talk pedometer” that children wear in a...

December 29, 2017

Children's literature can be a difficult category to describe, since it consists of everything from board books for infants and picture books for beginning readers to graphic novels and series like Dork Diaries for middle schoolers and tweens.Many book series remain popular year after year, including the Harry Potter, Big Nate and Captain Underpants series, with many of these books being checked out again and again and again. There are also plenty of incredible reads that are popular but not part of a book series, such as Peter Brown's The Wild Robot, R.J. Palacio's Wonder, Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon and Sara Pennypacker's Pax, to name a few. Those books might be popular with...

August 25, 2017

We’ve recently completed our months-long Pennies for a Cause campaign at the library’s Wausau Headquarters! The campaign, which ran 6/12-8/12 in the children’s area, gave kids and parents the chance to donate coins to be given to a local charitable organization. With each donation, folks also voted for which organization they wanted to receive the money. And now, the votes are in! Nearly $100 was raised throughout the summer and will be donated to the Humane Society of Marathon County, which garnered the most votes, with a total of 54! Runners up include New Life Pet Adoption Center, which received 43 votes, and Stable Hands Equine Therapy Center, with 29 votes. MCPL sincerely thanks all of the generous...

August 8, 2017

As our Summer Library Program draws to a close, a number of our "year-round" story times will be taking a short break toward the end of August. Of course, our "September - May" story times will kick into gear shortly thereafter -- in the second week of September unless otherwise specified. These changes and other relevant dates are described below in brief. For our complete story time schedule and related information, please visit www.mcpl.us/story-times. If you have any questions about story time during this transition period, please don't hesitate to contact us! Family Story Time MCPL Wausau — Weekly on Saturdays, 10:30am (year-round) (2017: will not meet 8/21-9/4) MCPL...

August 7, 2017

If you’re like us, you’ve been eagerly anticipating the total solar eclipse that will happen on August 21, 2017. This out-of-this-world event is something that’s a long time coming, with the last total eclipse to be visible across the entire contiguous United States having happened in 1918 (and not since 1979 has a total eclipse been visible from the mainland United States). The next one will not occur until 2024, and who wants to wait that long to see one again? We here at MCPL have been talking about and planning our own Solar Eclipse Viewing Party for over a year and have tons of fun activities planned for patrons of all ages! Beginning at 11 a.m. on August 21 at our Wausau Headquarters, we’ll show...

July 12, 2017

This summer, children can brush up on their reading skills by attending our weekly Paws to Read events, happening at our Wausau Headquarters, Mosinee Branch and Rothschild Branch. During these sessions, kids have the opportunity to read to very relaxed and well-behaved therapy dogs, courtesy Therapy Dogs of Central Wisconsin. They can sit with their parent, guardian or caretaker as well as the dog’s handler and read from a book of their choosing. Reading to a therapy dog can be a great benefit for a child because it gets them to read out loud without fear of being ridiculed. Some children don’t have a sibling, parent or friend willing to listen to them, or may have been teased in the past for mispronouncing...

June 24, 2017

If your family enjoys nature and reading, you’re in luck! MCPL and Monk Botanical Gardens are teaming up again to present the second annual StoryWalk® Weekend July 15 and 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Monk Gardens, located at 1800 N. First Ave., Wausau. The pages of eight children’s storybooks will be mounted page-by-page along scenic walking trails, and children and their families can read these pages while enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. This year’s featured books include “The Pout-Pout Fish” by Deborah Diesen, “Creepy Carrots” by Aaron Reynolds and “Katie and the Sunflowers” by James Mayhew, among others. Attendees can also participate in a variety of activities at the end of each trail,...

June 23, 2017

What better way to beat the heat than to escape to your local (air-conditioned) library for a few hours of crafting? Throughout June and July, multiple MCPL locations will host crafting events for children of all ages. Crafts will include making sparkling dragonflies, dazzling suns, salt paintings and more! Examples of some of these crafts are shown in this article. Visit www.mcpl.us/crafts for the complete schedule of forthcoming craft events!

May 15, 2017

Join our Summer Reading Club to track your reading and other activities, and you’ll receive a reward at the end of summer!  Registration for all ages opens 5/30 at all MCPL locations and online at www.mcpl.us/slp. Children (Birth-Grade 5)  Calling all kids! We challenge you to read and perform acts of kindness this summer. Track your efforts on the reading log you’ll receive at registration. Show your log to library staff throughout the summer and turn it in by 8/12 to earn rewards! www.mcpl.us/kids Teens (Grades 6-12) Hey, teens! This summer, we’re challenging you to read, explore and improve your community. Upon registration, you’ll receive a BINGO-style reading and activity log...

May 8, 2017

With summer just around the corner, the Marathon County Public Library is putting some of their children's story times on hold in order to gear up for their upcoming Summer Library Program! Beginning today, May 8, all story times at MCPL Wausau will go on hiatus, including their Family Story Time, Preschool Story Time, Tales for Tots and Book Babies. All of these story times will resume on June 6.  Story time changes will also be coming to the MCPL branches this summer. Weekly Family Story Times at the Edgar, Mosinee, Spencer and Stratford Branches will take a break for the entire summer, returning in early September. The Marathon City Branch's Family Story Time will meet as planned throughout the...

April 26, 2017

Earlier this year, we acquired a new Wii U gaming console for in-house use by children and tweens at MCPL Wausau! The Wii U was purchased using funds generously provided by the Friends of the Marathon County Public Library. Not only is this system more up-to-date than the standard Wii console that came before it, but it also allows youngsters to play a wider array of games, including titles for the standard console and ones made specifically for Wii U. Additionally, MCPL offers a wide array of video games for systems like the Wii, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Playstation 4, and more for checkout! These games can be requested from any of the nine MCPL locations and can be borrowed for 14 days at a time. For more...

March 30, 2017

Reading is a developmental process that every child reaches at their own pace. Not every six year-old is ready to learn to read, while some four year-olds are. Early reading instruction is something that most parents do naturally by reading to their children on a regular basis and inviting them to handle books.  By doing this, young children learn that there is a right way to read a book (i.e. reading left to right, top to bottom), as well as how a story is structured (i.e. beginning, middle and end).  They begin to match pictures with the words that Mom or Dad say. Some children even memorize a favorite book and are delighted to “read” it to their parents.  But what happens if you grow up in...

February 28, 2017

Kids visited our Wausau Headquarters recently to celebrate a day off of school with some pet-themed activities and crafts. One of the crafts involved making “pipe cleaner pets” using just a few simple items. Folks who missed that event can still make a pet of their own by following the directions below! Supplies: Scissors, pipe cleaners, pencil, tape. Instructions: Wrap a pipe cleaner around the pen or pencil to form a spiral. Leave a straight, unwrapped section at each end of the pipe cleaner to act as the neck and the tail. Slide the pencil out and set it aside. Using a scissors, cut out one of the pet faces seen here. Tape it on the “neck” end of the pipe cleaner. Using another pipe...

February 27, 2017

It’s a situation no aquarium owner wants to happen: a complete removal of all aquarium contents to make a repair. Yet that’s exactly what happened recently with the Phyllis Donner Aquarium at MCPL Wausau, though we’re happy to say the repairs were completed without the loss of any aquatic life. The aquarium was constructed in 2012 by Las Vegas-based Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM), famous for their Animal Planet television show “Tanked.” In December, Darren Letner, owner of Tank Mates LLC in Wausau and the aquarium’s caretaker, noticed a few spots at the bottom of the aquarium where the seal holding in 650 gallons of saltwater was starting to deteriorate.  A plan was devised that required Letner to...

February 4, 2017

The American Library Association has announced its 2017 youth media award winners! The Marathon County Public Library owns copies of ALL of the major winners and runners-up, so feel free to click the links for each title below and place a hold on these titles today! For a full list of all award winners, visit the ALA website. The John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature was awarded to The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. Three Newbery Honor Books also were named: Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan, The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz, and Wolf...

January 9, 2017

New environments can be intimidating for any child, but for kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder, that fear can be amplified. New places – especially those in public – come with all sorts of unfamiliar sights, smells, and sounds, all of which can be overwhelming for kids on the spectrum. With our new monthly Sensory Story Time starting up in just a few days, we’ve put together a short photo slideshow to help better acquaint kids and parents with the library’s entrance and children’s area, which we hope will help them prepare for what to expect when visiting our Wausau Headquarters.  

January 4, 2017

Autism is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the United States, affecting 1 in every 68 children, according to Autism Speaks, a nationwide nonprofit autism advocacy organization. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be a broad diagnosis, encompassing folks with various levels of functioning. Common characteristics of ASD include difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors, with the most obvious signs becoming apparent around ages 2-3. MCPL will begin offering a brand-new 30-minute story time designed with children with ASD and Sensory Processing Disorder in mind, as well as typically-developing children and kids who may have difficulty...

October 20, 2016

It’s mid-October and the school year is well underway, with teachers handing out homework to reinforce the skills they teach their students in the classroom. Reading homework is just as important as homework in any other class and is a skill used time and time again throughout a person’s life. Most adults have likely been reading so long that it’s hard to remember what it was like to struggle through a sentence. Carolyn Wilhelm at the website Cult of Pedagogy has some great tips for parents when it comes to reading homework. Reading homework often requires a parent to listen to a child as he or she reads aloud. For older children, reading homework may consist of reading for a number of set minutes each day...

August 31, 2016

School is back in session, and with this comes all kinds of tests, projects and reports. What better place to gather research and study materials than your local library? In addition to books on everything from anthropology to Zentangle, MCPL has study guides for tests like the GED, ACT and LSAT that can be checked out. MCPL also has online resources for study purposes, including access to Explora, Britannica, LearningExpress and multiple databases via EBSCOhost. Need someone to administer proctored exams? MCPL has got you covered there, too, with trained staff members on-hand to set up and oversee your testing. Study rooms accommodating one to 10 people can also be reserved for private and group study...

August 31, 2016

We have so much going on at the Marathon County Public Library! We recently have learned that the third floor of the main library will not meet the code restrictions to allow for the Children’s Museum of Marathon County to reside there. A comprehensive engineering study confirmed that the amount of renovation required for the floor to meet codes for a museum would be exorbitant and unrealistic. This is most unfortunate, as we see a tremendous opportunity for partnering with the children’s museum to bring STEM programming to all the county’s residents. The children’s museum group will continue to seek a viable location for their project, and we will continue to support those efforts. We look forward to...

August 24, 2016

MCPL’s Spanish Bilingual Story Time will now be held Mondays at 9:30 a.m. instead of Wednesdays at 10 a.m., effective Monday, September 12, 2016! With English and Spanish as the two most-used languages in the United States, bilingualism will only become more important as the children of today get older. Young children’s minds are like sponges; they absorb more information in the first three years of life than any other time! By exposing children to both English and Spanish early on, they reap many benefits besides the ability to speak and understand both languages. Bilingualism helps children learn new words more easily, improves their listening skills and gives them the greater ability to put words into...

July 17, 2016

With great disappointment, today I announce that the Marathon County Public Library will no longer seek to host the Children’s Museum of Marathon County (CMMC) on its third floor. The final report on the weight capacity for the third floor has been completed by FEH Design, and their conclusions for required revisions are too costly to support having a museum occupy that space. This is most unfortunate, as the partnership between the library and CMMC was full of great potential for providing hands on STEM focused and educational experiences throughout our county. Although we will no longer be co-located, we share the desire to bring a new level of interactive and fun learning to our community. The CMMC will...

April 21, 2016

This year’s summer theme is “On Your Mark, Get Set... Read!” and combines fitness and health with our usual focus on reading and discovery! Summer Reading Club is an important part of our summer program, and we have great activities planned for children of all ages, plus teens and adults! Register at your local MCPL or online starting May 31 to receive a log to track your summer reading, healthful activities and other challenges. Your completed log may be returned to the library by August 27 for a reward! We have a full slate of events scheduled, including performers like children’s musician Tom Pease, magician Jim Mitchell, clowns Miller & Mike, juggler Dan Kirk, instrumentalist Bill Kehl, the Soda...

January 15, 2016

It’s that time of year: the American Library Association has announced its 2016 youth media award winners! Over 20 awards were given out, including the Caldecott, Newbery, Coretta Scott King and Printz winners, with nearly all of the winning titles available for check-out through the Marathon County Public Library. Take a look at a few of the major winning titles below!   "Last Stop on Market Street" by Matt de la Peña – The John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature was awarded to Last Stop on Market Street, written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson. This is the first time in ALA history that a picture has won this...

December 15, 2015

As we reflect on the past year, we have so much to be thankful for and even more to look forward to here at MCPL. During the past several months, we have had the architectural firm Engberg Anderson working with us on planning and visioning the future of your library. This has been an exciting project that allowed us to listen to our public, our staff, and our partners in the community. I am very pleased with the results of their study, and I look forward to implementing many of their suggestions as our board prioritizes their findings. I am also especially pleased to report the partnership we are building with the Children’s Museum of Marathon County, a well-organized non-profit organization that has...

April 29, 2015

Many of our locations will be participating in a story time break before our Summer Library Program begins to accommodate school visits and prepare for our summer programs. Athens, Hatley and Rothschild will continue to have regularly scheduled story times. Marathon City will continue to have regulary scheduled story times but will not meet on May 28th. Wausau will have no story times in the month of May, except for the Family Resource Center’s Play & Learn story time on Fridays. Story times will resume in June, along with Sweet Dreams Story Time Monday nights at 6:30. Some story times may be cancelled due to scheduled Summer Library Program events. See our brochure for these events. Edgar,...

April 2, 2015

If you are a parent, guardian, grandparent, or child caregiver, we would like your input! Raisgreatkids.org is a local website put out by a collaborative effort of community partners under the Early Years Coalition. Marathon County Public Library is a member of this coalition, and we need your help completing a survey. As part of our efforts to make RaiseGreatKids.org a better site for our users, we need your help. We would like to get both your thoughts and feedback on Raise Great Kids as well as gather more information about how you use the internet to search for information you find valuable about children. Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey. Your feedback will be invaluable in helping...

November 21, 2014

Many of our locations are taking a break from regular story times over the winter holidays. Here is a list of story time breaks for all MCPL locations. For further questions, feel free to contact us. MCPL Wausau: No weekly story time from December 21, 2014-January 4, 2015. Play and Learn story time, which is organized by the Family Resource Center, will still occur on Fridays except on November 28 & December 26, 2014. MCPL Rothschild: Thursday story times will start at 2:30 p.m. effective December 4, 2014. MCPL Marathon: No weekly story time from December 19, 2014-January 7, 2015. MCPL Mosinee: No changes. MCPL Edgar: No weekly story time from December 19, 2014-January 7, 2015....

September 22, 2014

The Wisconsin Science Festival is a statewide celebration of science focused on curiosity, creativity and community. Based in Madison, but spread out across the state, a variety of interactive science programs will be offered October 16-19, 2014. Visit their website for a full listing of state-wide events. Here at Marathon County Public Library, we will be hosting two events at MCPL-Wausau in partnership with the Wisconsin Science Festival. Children in grades K-5 can join us for Grossology on October 16 from 6:30-7:30pm. School-aged children will learn about all of the gross things the human body does with demonstrations and experiments. Then, on Saturday October 18, Colossal Fossils, a Wisconsin non-...

July 24, 2014

Beginning this fall, together with our usual literacy offerings, we are incorporating more S.T.E.A.M. into our children’s programs! What’s S.T.E.A.M.?  It is an approach to education that focuses on science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics by providing kids with lots of hands-on activities and experiments. Each program will be designed to engage the imagination and stimulate the curiosity of our future computer programmers, scientists, mathematicians, artists and engineers. S.T.E.A.M. Exploration Stations are planned for preschool children (ages 3-5) at 10:30am on the second Wednesday and the following Saturday of each month at our Wausau headquarters. Occasionally, other Preschool...

July 23, 2014

Music has many benefits to children of all ages; it gives children an outlet for expression, it breaks down language so children hear the smaller sounds in words (also known as phonological awareness), and music stimulates brain development in specific areas including language and reasoning. So, what can you do so your child gets the most out of music? Encourage your child to make his or her own music with household items. Play music in your home and encourage your child to sing and dance. And, even if you have a terrible singing voice, sing to your child! Your child will not care what your voice sounds like, just be enthusiastic and expressive. Sing nursery rhymes, make up songs that rhyme together, and even...

July 11, 2014

The first 1000 days of a child's life will influence his or her future academic achievement greatly. A child's brain is only about 25% developed at birth and develops to about 85% at age 3, or about 1000 days old. Marathon County's Early Years Coalition is taking proactive steps to ensuring parents have information and support for those first 1000 days so they raise great kids. The Wausau Daily Herald interviewed members of the coalition in the hopes of spreading the word about what parents can do to ensure their child is healthy, safe, ready for school, and great! Check out the links to other episodes and information to see how you can raise a great child in Marathon County. New episodes will air Fridays...

May 30, 2014

Developing self-esteem is important to children because confidence will help them in school and life in general. You start developing your child’s self-esteem at birth by being responsive--talking, singing, reading, and being playful. These are also practices that will set foundations for your child’s reading readiness! By being responsive, your child will start to understand who they are and what they do matters to "the world"-- a.k.a. you, the caregiver! By interacting and responding to your child, he or she responds, and you respond back.  As your interactions continue, the child’s self-esteem and trust in you as a caregiver grows and gains strength. For more information about childhood self-esteem and...

April 28, 2014

Your child needs positive human interaction to fully develop physically, mentally, and emotionally. Human interaction includes simple tasks such as talking, singing, playing, writing and reading; the five suggested practices to get your child ready to read! Through human interaction, your child’s brain will develop to its fullest potential and he or she will feel loved and be more willing to learn, listen and grow. How can you interact with your child? Below are a few ideas: Play with your child outside, or play make believe inside Talk with your child about his or her day, favorite color, or anything you can think of! Sing favorite songs, sing sentences in books, or make up silly songs that rhyme...

April 23, 2014

Summer is fast approaching, and as usual, there will be some changes to the regular story time schedules at most MCPL locations. Most branches will take a break from their story times to focus on Summer Library Program events. At MCPL Wausau, we'll be taking a break from story times in May to focus on school tours, and we've added a unique, summer-only story time ("Sweet Dreams"). Additionally, special children's events will supersede concurrent story times (particularly "Tales for Tots" at Wausau), but don't let that stop you from visiting the library -- there will be plenty of fun and learning for your child in either case. As always, the story time schedule is viewable at www.mcpl.us/storytimes,...

April 7, 2014

Are you trying to tackle the task of potty training your child? Check out the titles below to share with your child. The Family Resource Center is also available to answer questions and provide support while potty training.  No More Diapers for Ducky  On Your Potty, Little Rabbit Caillou: No More Diapers Calliou: Potty Time Dinosaur vs. the Potty Have You Seen My Potty? Ian's New Potty My Big Girl Potty The Prince and the Potty My Potty Book for Boys Pete's Potty Potty Duck Goes Potty A Potty for Me! Tinkle, Tinkle, Little Tot: The Toilet Training Songbook You Can Go to the Potty Your New Potty Once Upon a Potty: Boy Once Upon a Potty: Girl  

February 17, 2014

Make an extra effort to show affection to your child, especially while reading. Kids need a nurturing, healthy relationship to prosper academically. When your child feels loved, he or she is more willing to learn, listen, and grow and will therefore do better in school! Visit http://www.raisegreatkids.org/physical-affection-tips-every-parent-and-caregiver-needs-know for more information. Reading is a great way to show your child affection. Have your child sit on your lap while you read, read and snuggle before bedtime together or, if your child is a baby or toddler, attend a lap-sit story time. All of these activities promote parent-child bonding and early literacy. Check out these picture books about...

January 24, 2014

Helping your child get ready to read is easy! Just do one fun activity from this calendar each day. Plus, sign up for our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program. Ask your children's librarian for more tips and ideas to promote pre-reading skills in your child. http://wla.wisconsinlibraries.org/images/yss/2014_Early_Literacy_Calendar.pdf  

January 20, 2014

Starting in February, several Marathon County Public Library locations will host programs aimed at promoting positive parenting skills, Internet safety and encouraging quality family time. Our MCPL Parenting Series begins with a presentation by Aaron Ruff of the Marathon County Health Department about The Real Happy Hour, a multi-agency effort to share resources and ideas that promote and encourage families to spend quality time together. Other programs cover safety, both online and at home. The “Raising Safe Kids” program, held at both the Rothschild and Wausau MCPL locations and presented by staff from Marathon County Social Services, covers personal and traffic safety, and tips on how to stay safe...

December 11, 2013

Due to the holiday season, all MCPL locations will be taking a break from all regularly scheduled story times. The Edgar branch will start this break the week of December 16, and all other MCPL locations will break December 22, 2013-January 4, 2014. All regularly scheduled story times will resume the week of January 6, 2014. Even though there are no story times, there are still plenty of things to do at the library! You can do puzzles, play games, read books, and check out book bundles to put on your own story time at home. Book bundles come with a set of themed books and an early literacy sheet with suggested songs, fingerplays, and activities to get your child ready...

November 18, 2013

In December, MCPL Wausau celebrates the first anniversary of its 650-gallon, saltwater aquarium filled with tropical fish and other sea creatures. The aquarium officially opened on Dec. 5, and was funded through a generous donation from the estate of Phyllis Donner. Las Vegas-based aquarium company Acrylic Tank Manufacturing built the aquarium, which is home to dozens of fish, crustaceans, coral and other aquatic life typically seen solely through the lens of a scuba mask. Over the past year, some fish have more than doubled in size, and several species of coral have taken hold and started to create reefs. Darren Letner of Wausau maintains the aquarium and said he’s happy to see so many fish flourishing...

September 24, 2013

Traveling Tales kits are new, improved and ready to use! Now stored in clear, easy to carry bags, our kits have endured a makeover and are available for checkout. Located in the children’s department in Wausau, Traveling Tales include themed books, CDs and in some, a puppet. These kits are a great tool for parents, homeschooling families, and daycares. Traveling Tales help promote early literacy and reading readiness for little ones in a fun and exciting way. Check out a kit or put one on hold today! Find "Traveling Tales" in the Library Catalog (V-Cat): www.mcpl.us?k=traveling+tales+kit.  

September 23, 2013

The library wants to help preschoolers get a jump on learning with its monthly Exploration Station classes. Preschool-age children and their caregivers can work together on interactive activities designed to build skills in reading, math, science and writing on the second Wednesday of each month, 10:30–11:30 a.m., at the library’s Wausau Headquarters. There is no cost to participate, but class sizes are limited. To register or for more information, call 715-261-7220. Math / Oct. 9 & Feb. 12 Science / Nov. 13 & Mar. 12 Reading / Dec. 11 & April 9 Writing / Jan. 8 www.mcpl.us/childrens   (from the MCPL Newsletter, Sept.-Nov., 2013)

August 29, 2013

Mem Fox's book Reading Magic inspired the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program.  When reading aloud to your child, try Mem Fox’s Ten Read Aloud Commandments: 1. Spend at least ten wildly happy minutes every single day reading aloud. 2. Read at least three stories a day: it may be the same story three times. Children need to hear a thousand stories before they can begin to learn to read. 3. Read aloud with animation. Listen to your own voice and don’t be dull, or flat, or boring. Hang loose and be loud, have fun and laugh a lot. 4. Read with joy and enjoyment: real enjoyment for yourself and great joy for the listeners. 5. Read the stories that the kids love, over and over and over again,...

August 15, 2013

Parents and kids! Become SMARTer about the SMART board and learn about all the many ways you can learn on it! A SMART board is available in the children’s activity room @ MCPL headquarters. The SMART board combines the simplicity of a white board with the power of a computer (http://smarttech.com/smartboard). Kids naturally gravitate to the ease of the touch screen. Children’s excitement in ‘operating’ the SMART board boosts their self-esteem and builds confidence in science and technology and aids them to work independently at a later time (Teaching Science magazine, June ‘08). Are you interested in learning what else you can do besides “draw and doodle” on the interactive white board? The...

July 31, 2013

Exploration Station is a new program being offered for children at the Wausau Headquarters Library beginning this September. It is a hands-on curriculum based class for preschool children ages 4-6 that features rotating lab activities in the core areas of math, science, reading, and writing. It is a participatory class where a child and his/her parent/caregiver work together as a team. It is not a storytime. Each class begins with a discussion and stories about the theme and then breaks into smaller groups that rotate to lab stations to complete activities at each of the 5 stations. Children spend 5-6 minutes at each station. Caregivers are given the tools that they need to create a dialogue with the child...

July 22, 2013

There’s still time to participate! Summer events continue throughout August, featuring engaging, informative presentations and activities for all ages. Upcoming events include movie nights, workshops, crafts and a pool party!  Also, adults and teens still have time to vote in our Literary Smackdown competition to pick the most influential book in Marathon County: www.mcpl.us/smackdown. Reading logs for children and teens will be accepted through Aug. 24. Prizes are available throughout the summer for completing each excavation dig! www.mcpl.us/slp (from the MCPL Newsletter, Jul-Sep., 2013)

July 22, 2013

Enjoy learning with your children through stories, songs and literature-based activities! Several story times were discontinued for the summer and will resume on the dates given below. Also, Wausau's "Sweet Dreams" story time and Rothschild's Friday story time will be discontinued soon. Recurring weekly: Family Story Time (all ages) MCPL Wausau — Sat., 10:30am [Resumes 9/21/13] MCPL Athens — Tue., 10am MCPL Edgar — Thu.,  9:30am [Resumes 9/19/13] MCPL Hatley — Tue., 10:30am MCPL Marathon City —Thu., 10:30am [Resumes 9/12/13] MCPL Mosinee — Wed., 10am [Resumes 9/11/13] MCPL Rothschild -- Tue., 10:30am MCPL Rothschild -- Fri., 10:30am [Ends 7/26/13]...

July 22, 2013

The Marathon County Public Library is challenging parents to read more books aloud with their children! The "1,000 Books Before Kindergarten" initiative is meant to introduce children to a wide range of literature, encourage families to spend quality time together and promote pre-literacy and learning so children enter school ready to read, listen and learn. Although 1,000 books sounds like a huge number, consider this: If you read one book a day, you could finish in less than three years. Ten books per week? Less than two years. We’ll give you more tips and suggestions, too. Families who register will receive a folder with a sheet to record each 100 books, a garden sheet, and instructions. Incentives...

June 26, 2013

Common Sense Media has just unveiled a new website that makes searching for the best educational games and apps easier. The site, graphite.org, is designed for teachers, but parents will enjoy its streamlined site as well. The site provides an easy search for educational games, apps and websites based on subject area and grade level. Common Sense Media, an independent, non-partisan nonprofit provides trustworthy reviews about media and technology for kids and families. Their website, commonsensemedia.org. rates media for children on quality and learning potential. Common Sense Media's reviews allow busy parents to gather lots of info about a game in a few seconds. A snapshot look at the game’s...

May 23, 2013

It’s time to get ready to “Dig Into Reading” @MCPL this summer.  The Summer Library Program starts June 8 and ends August 24.  We have lots of fun activities, programs, therapy dogs to listen to kids read, and a summer reading club all ready to go for children and families at all MCPL locations. Children can register for the reading club and pick up the Excavation Site Map @ any MCPL location.   For every 15 minutes children read, visit the library, attend a library program and complete a suggested activity, they cross off or color a rock.  When all 7 rocks are colored, the site map can be brought to the library and children can claim their treasure.  Children will need their...

May 7, 2013

Summer is coming, and with it the Summer Library Program at MCPL! The next couple of weeks the Wausau Headquarters children's department will be busy with school tours, so there will be no story times May 12th through June 9th at the Wausau Headquarters library.  Book Babies, Tales for Tots and Preschool Story Times will continue through summer with an adjusted schedule. Beginning June 10th, join us for Sweet Dreams Story Time. This story time will be offered every Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. throughout the summer. Come join the summer fun!  

April 15, 2013

Kids- Vote for your Favorite in the Children’s Choice Book Awards!  Who do you think should be “2013 Author of the Year?”  Jeff Kinney?  Rick Riordan?  Which book do you think should be “2013 Book of the Year?” Pete the Cat?  Bad Kitty?  Dork Diaries? Celebrate Children’s Book Week, May 13-19, by choosing your favorites!  From now thru May 9th kids can vote for their favorite author, illustrator and book.  Your voice counts!  To vote, use the link below and start by choosing your age category and vote for your favorites.  Then visit the MCPL Wausau children’s department and receive your very own “I Voted” sticker.  And join us on May 20th for a Children’s...

March 20, 2013

Spring Break at the Library!   Family LEGO Club   11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 26th  Families can create creative LEGO structures. LEGOs and DUPLO blocks will be provided.   Movie Matinee   2 p.m. March 27th Free children's movie matinee in our story time room.   DIY Crafts    11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 28th Stop in and make your own creations. Supplies will be provided.  

February 7, 2013

Please note: Effective the week of February 18, 2013, Family Story Time at MCPL Rothschild will meet Tuesday and Friday mornings at 10:30am. (Previously, this story time met Wednesdays and Fridays at the same time.)  

February 6, 2013

Kids! Get into the festive book spirit and check out a "Mystery Book" found in the children's area at the Wausau Headquarters Library. The "mystery" is that you don't know what book it is until you check it out! If you like, write a review or draw a picture about your "Mystery Book". A review sheet/drawing sheet is included. Return your book review or drawing to the children's desk at MCPL Headquarters and receive a nifty bookmark to save your place in the next book you read. Happy Reading!  

January 31, 2013

At the Wausau, Marathon County Public Library location, books for children who are learning to read independently are now shelved together by authors' last names.  Parents and children can now choose books that match their abilities using the following recommendations from the library children’s staff when choosing a reading level. RED- beginning reader: simple short stories, with easy text, only a few words on each page and many pictures to help tell the story. BLUE- emergent reader: books have one or two lines of text on each page with simple sentences and pictures to help tell the story. GREEN- semi-fluent reader, these books have more complex story structures with a plot, more sentences to a page...

January 29, 2013

The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books for children and young adults this week. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the awards encourage original and creative work. Please note this is a partial listing. Use the link at the bottom of this post for a complete list.   This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen -- Winner: Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children.       Creepy Carrots by Illustrated by Peter Brown, written by Aaron Reynolds -- Honor Book: Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children.        ...

January 15, 2013

Attention kids!  Join the MCPL Rainbow Fish and Tween Reading Clubs any time, now thru April.  Pick up a club card at the Children's Desk in the Wausau Library.  Each time you check-out library materials get your card punched at the Wausau children's desk.  When you have 5 punches you will be able choose a prize from our Treasure Chest.  In addition, children 2nd grade and under, will be able to put their name on a scale to add to the fish mural in the children's department and 3rd thru 5th graders will be able to add their name to the ocean map in the Tween Scene.  Cards can be punched thru April 26th, so join now!!!  

January 8, 2013

We have fish! The saltwater aquarium in the children's department at the MCPL Wausau Headquarters is now open to the public. Stop by and check it out, or visit our aquarium photo album on Facebook.

December 28, 2012

Change in the scheduled time for Book Babies Story Time! To provide a quality story time that specifically addresses the developmental needs of children from birth to 23 months, we are offering one story time session at 10:00 a.m. on Monday mornings.  Change in Tuesday's Story Time! Story time for two-year-olds will now include three-year-olds and is renamed, "Tales for Tots". Most two-year-olds and three-year-olds share the same developmental milestones. According to www.usa.gov, developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. In our efforts to provide quality story time and foster the language skills and learning skills of two-year-olds and three-year-olds,...

December 5, 2012

Due to the holiday season, Marathon County Public Library will have a break in story times. No need to worry though, Book Bundles are here! By checking out a Book Bundle, you can put on an educational story time for your children at home. Each Book Bundle has a set of three themed books and an accessory sheet. The accessory sheets have suggested songs, fingerplays, and early literacy activities that match the theme of the books. Some themes we have include “Bears and Hibernation,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Under the Sea,” and many more. Book Bundles are currently located near the picture books and “favorite characters” shelf in the Wausau Children's Department. Simply pick out a theme and check it out at the...

November 19, 2012

To accommodate the upcoming holidays, there will be short breaks in our regular story time schedule over the next few months, as follows:  last meetsresumes Wausau12/151/2 Athens12/181/8 Edgar12/201/10 Hatley12/181/8 Marathon City12/201/10 Mosinee12/19 **1/9 Rothschild12/21 *1/4 Spencer12/191/16 Stratford12/191/9 * The Rothschild story time on 12/28 will still meet. ** Also, the Mosinee story time on 11/21 won’t meet (from the MCPL Newsletter, Nov. 2012-Jan. 2013) {{2013-01-01}}

November 3, 2012

Nintendo Wii is now available for students 8-12 years old in the Tween Scene at the Wausau Library!  The new gaming system offers tweens a new way to learn and experience gaming.   "Why do libraries celebrate gaming? Library gaming programs encourage interaction between patrons of all ages and cultures. As games have evolved over the years to become more dynamic – requiring more interaction and socialization amongst players – so have libraries, by re-energizing themselves as community learning centers. Libraries still provide traditional services, but continue to change by offering new formats like video games and programs like family gaming nights...." states the American Library...

October 26, 2012

The Winner is Duck!!! Hey kids- Your parents weren't the only ones that had a chance to vote. 367 Marathon County kids voted for "President" in the MCPL Children's area in Wausau. 2 library books were up for election "Grace for President" by Kelly DiPucchio and "Duck for President" by Doreen Cronin. Duck won by a landslide with 229 votes to 138 votes for Grace. Thank you to all of the kids that voted! {{11-11-12}}

September 18, 2012

A special area with books, computers and resources for kids in grades 3-5.   With the ongoing success of TeenZone and further improvements in the Children’s Department, the Wausau library is developing an area and programming for members of an age group who often feel left out: tweens.   Tweens are in that awkward time of life when they are no longer just children, but not quite teenagers. We’ve defined them as ‘children in third, fourth or fifth grade.’   The Tween Scene features colorful artwork, a carefully selected collection of books, computers, funky furniture and a gaming station. Our goal is to provide a safe and engaging place for...

August 24, 2012

What's all the Bzzzz about?  BeeHive Books in the Tween Scene!  Are you looking for a good book to read and don't know where to start?  We suggest trying a book with a beehive on the spine.  If you are a kid who typically doesn't like to read, there is a good chance you will like these books.  BeeHive books have an attractive appearance, clear vocabulary, a high interest hook within the first 10 pages, well-defined characters, humor and an interesting, action packed plot.  Ask at the Wausau Library Children's Desk for more information or start looking for a BeeHive book only found in the Tween Scene.

July 14, 2012

This list is modified from the New York Public Library's "100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know." 1. Hug – Jez Alborough 2. Old Black Fly – Jim Aylesworth 3. Ten, Nine, Eight – Molly Bang 4. Machines at Work – Byron Barton 5. Madeline – Ludwig Bemelmans 6. The Mitten: a Ukrainian Folktale – Jan Brett 7. Goodnight Moon – Margaret Wise Brown 8. Bad Kitty – Nick Bruel 9. Mr. Gumpy’s Outing – John Bunting 10. Little Cloud – Eric Carle 11. The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Eric Carle 12. Maisy Goes to the Library – Lucy Cousins 13. Ten Black Dots – Donald Crews 14. Freight Train – Donald Crews 15. Click Clack, Moo: Cows That Type – Doreen Cronin 16. Good Dog, Carl – Alexandra Day 17. Jamberry –...

July 9, 2012

Several locations ended their story times in May. The dates these story times will resume are noted below. Ongoing story times are also included. For the most up-to-date information throughout the year, visit www.mcpl.us/childrens/storytimes Family Story Time (all ages) · MCPL Wausau - Sat., 10:30am (starts 9/22) · MCPL Athens - Tue., 10:00am (starts 9/18) · MCPL Edgar - Thu., 9:30am (starts 9/13) · MCPL Hatley - Tue., 10:30am (ongoing) · MCPL Marathon City - Thu., 10:00am (starts 9/13) · MCPL Mosinee - Wed., 10:00am (starts 9/12) · MCPL Rothschild - Wed., 10:30am (ongoing) · MCPL Spencer - Wed., 10:00am (starts 9/5/12) · MCPL Stratford - Wed., 10:...

June 27, 2012

Start reading to your child early; read board and picture books to your baby, repeat nursery rhymes, and sing and talk to them often. Set aside some special time daily to read to your child separately and together with your family. Ask your child questions about books that they are reading; read the same book and discuss it with them. Get them hooked on books in a series; there are lots of good series books,  like the Magic Tree House series, that will keep them interested and reading for a long time (48th book to be released this July) Discover what type of books they like and help them find similar books and authors. Find books and magazine articles about anything that your child is interested...

June 5, 2012

Finding books at the right level is key to reading enjoyment and enrichment. Here are a few tips:   Use the five-finger rule. Have your child open the book to any page and start reading. Hold up one finger for every word your child does not know or has trouble pronouncing.  When you have finished the page, look at the number of fingers you have up. Zero to one finger means that the book may be too easy for your child. Two to three fingers means that the book is at your child’s level. Four fingers means the book may be challenging for your child. Five fingers mean that the book may be too frustrating for your child at this time. If you would like a list of books at your child’s individual level...

May 16, 2012

Dreams and wishes and sleepy-time kisses!  It’s Dream Big-Read, the Summer Library Program @ your MCPL library.  We have so much fun planned this summer for kids, teens and families that you just have to stop in, grab some good reading and go to a program or two. Visiting a Marathon County library near you this summer are musicians/songwriters Tom Pease and Rich Baumann, juggler Bob Kann, the Raptor Education Group with large raptor birds, magician Professor Marvel a.k.a. Rob Halbrook,  and more.  You can also join us for a pool party at Memorial Park, meet us at the ballpark for a Woodchucks game, read to (and pet) therapy dogs, do some dreamy crafts, and bring the family (in your “...

May 8, 2012

Sadly,  well-known children’s author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak, recently died at age 83.  Fortunately for all children, and everyone who loves children’s literature,  he left us so many wonderful, unforgettable  books to enjoy over and over again. Sendak’s more than 50 works have evoked praise and criticism, sometimes both for the same books.  His best-loved work, Where the Wild Things Are, was also criticized for being too scary for children, and his Caldecott Honor book, In the Night Kitchen, was frequently challenged or banned for the depiction of a nude child.  His recently published book Bumble Ardy is about an orphaned pig and his birthday party.  My Brother...

May 2, 2012

Children's Book Week is May 7-13. We are celebrating @MCPL Wausau with a special "Mother Goose is on the Loose" program and some of the earliest children's literature-nursery rhymes, on Saturday May 12 at 10:30am. We will have stories and rhymes, crafts, food and other activities for children and their families. Mother Goose and her goose may also make an appearance. Children's Book Week began in 1919 to celebrate literacy, books for children, and the joy of reading. It was founded with the belief that literacy and children's books are life-changers. Regular storytimes are held @ all MCPL locations and are an excellent way to build early literacy, social skills, and help develop a love of books, reading...

April 18, 2012

Celebrate National Poetry Month with these fun-filled and kid-friendly poetry books! Behind the Museum Door : Poems to Celebrate the Wonders of Museums by Lee Bennet Hopkins         A Book of Nonsense by Edward Lear         Be Glad Your Nose is On Your Face and Other Poems : Some of the Best of Jack Prelutsky by Jack Prelutsky           A Whiff of Pine, a Hint of Skunk : a Forest of Poems by Deborah Ruddell           Better Together by Sheryl Shapiro         Runny Babbit : A...

April 5, 2012

From picture books to easy readers to older children's fiction, the staff at MCPL-Wausau list their favorite children's books! Uno's Garden by Graeme Base The Witches by Roald Dahl Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride by Kate DiCamillo The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo The Best Nest by P.D. Eastman Olivia by Ian Falconer Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

March 31, 2012

Don’t miss these fun events scheduled for National Library Week  2012, “You Belong @ Your Library. Help us celebrate libraries with some free, fun, educational programs for you @MCPL Wausau. Monday April 9 11:00am-3:00pm- National Library Week kicks off with a reception and refreshments for customers. 6:30 pm--A Light-hearted Look at Wausau/Marathon County History--Gary Gisselman, historian with the Marathon County Historical Society will take us on an interesting tour of some of the stranger parts of our hometown history.     Tuesday April 10 6:00pm—Movie Night—“Courageous”—When tragedy strikes four policemen struggle with faith and their roles as husbands and fathers....

March 15, 2012

These books are on my e-reader and in my book bag. I heartily recommend all of them. If you can suspend reality for a while you will enjoy these fun, absorbing adventures. Happy reading!   Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey -- In 1192 A.D. on Wilde Island, Tess, the daughter of a cruel blacksmith, is accused of witchcraft and must flee, but when she meets a handsome and enigmatic warden of Dragonswood who offers her shelter, she does not realize that he too harbors a secret that may finally bring about peace among the races of dragon, human, and fairy. Janet Lee Carey definitely knows how to tell a story; you won’t be disappointed.         Dragon's Keep by Janet...

March 1, 2012

Beautiful, colorful student artwork from Wausau School District’s Art Cluster 2012 is transforming the Children’s area @MCPL Wausau.  The students this year were challenged to create self portraits.  The fourth graders did acrylic paintings on canvas and fifth graders made life masks using plaster tape.   The life masks were painted after formation and many students incorporated many found objects in their sculptures.   Several of the self portraits include mixed media and are wonderful to see.  The reception is Saturday, March 3 beginning at 11:30.  This artwork will be displayed during the month of March.   You won’t want to miss this opportunity...

February 22, 2012

Hurry in. It is Youth Art Month.  You will not want to miss the Northcentral Region Art Exhibition on the second floor @MCPL Wausau.  Represented are works of art from students in grades K-12.  You are invited to a reception that will be held this Saturday, Feb 25 from 1:00-3:00.   Winning artwork will go to Madison.  Pictured artwork is by Andrew Murdaugh (12th grade, Stratford) titled “B-Man the Tractor Man”. 

February 3, 2012

Castles, wizards, witches, dragons, ogres, knights, princesses, adventure, mystery--all of my favorite ingredients blended into wonderful stories that hook me every time. Here are a few flights into fantasy that have kept me up late at night turning pages.   The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens -- Kate, Michael, and Emma have passed from one orphanage to another in the ten years since their parents disappeared to protect them, but now they learn that they have special powers, a prophesied quest to find a magical book, and a fearsome enemy.           Ogre of Oglefort by Diane Stanley -- When the Hag of Dribble, an orphan boy, and a troll called Ulf are sent...

January 26, 2012

The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books for children and young adults this week. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the awards encourage original and creative work. Please note this is a partial listing. Please use the link at the bottom of this post for a complete list.   Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos -- Winner: John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature. In the historic town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelve-year-old Jack Gantos spends the summer of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he is assigned to help an elderly neighbor with a most unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax,...

January 11, 2012

On Saturday, January 21 @MCPL Wausau we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the publication of the children’s picture book, The Snowy Day, authored and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats (1916-1983).  In 1963 Keats received the Caldecott award for his illustrations in The Snowy Day, published in 1962.  This award is given annually to an artist of the most distinguished American Picture Book for Children published in the previous year.  The Snowy Day was one of the first children’s picture books to feature an African American child as the main character.  It is the story of a boy named Peter experiencing the simple enjoyment of the first snowfall. The Snowy Day Anniversary Party...

December 12, 2011

Recently the MCPL mission changed and our spaces are changing too.  A new children’s Learning Center is debuting this Saturday @ MCPL Wausau.  Join us at 10:30, Saturday, December 17 @ the Wausau location as we celebrate the Grand Opening of the new Children’s Learning Center/Story Room.  Perhaps you too will be transported to the seaside while looking at the wall art by our very own Kitty and Deb.   Stories, cake, fun and learning for all. Don’t miss it!  

November 22, 2011

On Saturday morning, December 10 at 10:30, at MCPL Wausau, join us for a free surprise birthday party for Frosty the Snowman. The whole family is invited. Frosty’s Magic Birthday Party is guaranteed to have everyone rolling with laughter as they help our presenter, Bob Halbrook get ready for this fun-filled winter event. Magic, story-telling, comedy, and songs will all combine to bring this very magical birthday party come to life. During this highly interactive show, lots of kids will be chosen to help Bob Halbrook with his silly tricks and crazy antics, and all of the kids will help make this Frosty’s best birthday ever. Watch for a couple of very magical creatures who are sure to be dropping by....

October 27, 2011

We want your LEGO® and Duplo® blocks!  Please consider donating building blocks in all shapes and sizes to the library at Wausau. We promise that we will be kind to them and let lots of children play and learn with them. A regular Lego Club and other special events for children with Lego and Duplo blocks is in the planning. Unfortunately we have one rather big problem; we have no blocks.  Lego and Duplo blocks can be dropped off at the main desk, in Children's, or at the library drive-thru all hours that the library is open.  Please help us out and donate some today. We, and the kids in Marathon County thank you.   

October 18, 2011

Have you or a member of your family ever dreamed of being a writer?  Then don’t miss hearing nationally recognized author,  Marion Dane Bauer on Tuesday, October 25, 6:30pm at the John Muir Middle School auditorium in Wausau.  “My Story, Your Story:  Creating Stories Together” is a free, family-friendly presentation blending short readings from some of her books with tips for beginning writers.  Marion Dane Bauer has written 81 books, receiving a Newbery Honor Award for her book, On My Honor in 1987.  She has written books ranging from baby board books and picture books, to novels for tweens and teens, and books on writing for young people. Her books will be...

September 27, 2011

Ahoy mateys. Well blow me down! If ye landlubbers and me harties are wantin’ to talk pirate, here’s yer chance. Mango Languages is offering a free Pirate Language Course again, available until November 2011. So ye can have some swashbucklin’ good fun and start learning from the Library's Online Resources page here. After you are proficient in pirate, you may want to try some Spanish, Arabic, German, Greek, Russian or any one of the 29 foreign language courses for English Speakers. Mango Language courses are available to you for free year-round through the Library’s subscription to Mango Languages. Use your library card to login each time, or create your own user login and password to help track your...

September 15, 2011

Storytimes are great opportunities for learning and growth for children,  and give parents and caregivers time to connect with each other as well. New this fall @Wausau for families is a Play and Learn session on Fridays, 9:30-11:00, available through a partnership with the Marathon County Family Resource Center.   Drop in and participate in all or part of the weekly activities.  Book Babies (children 0-23 months), Tales for Twos (children 24-35months) , Preschool storytimes (children 3, 4, and 5  year olds not in kindergarten), and family storytimes for all ages are some of the other regular storytimes offered.  Storytimes consist of stories, songs, rhymes, and other...

August 26, 2011

Congratulations Marathon County!  You made reading and learning a priority this summer.  Over 4,000 people in Marathon County participated in the Summer Library Program Reading Club.  Prizes have been drawn for the Summer Reading Club.   Congratulations to winners of the Children's prizes: David B., Latylia R., Anna B., Mikala B., Katherine G., Ethan C., Ashley B., Brianna L., and Selena E.   Teen prize winners are: Marissa H., Colton L., Jimmy D., Sarah H., and Ava G.  Thank you to all of the sponsors for the Summer Library Program.  It would not have been possible without the support of our community and the Friends of the Library...

August 16, 2011

You will be amazed at the wonderful, imaginative colorful murals that have hit the walls in the Children’s area @Wausau.  These tempera paint murals were created collaboratively by students in grades K-5 at Hawthorn Hills Elementary School, under the direction of art specialist, Steve Loftus.  Students were challenged to integrate their themes with illustrations from story books and include science, social studies, history, and math.  All students needed to contribute by drawing or painting. Older fourth and fifth grade students drew animals, people, objects, architectural elements and natural objects like flowers, birds,  and fish.  Third and fourth grade students painted and...

July 15, 2011

There is still plenty of summer left to soar through the clouds and have adventures galore—all by visiting your library, attending programs, and reading.  One World, Many Stories, the Summer Library Program, is still operating at full speed.  It’s not just for kids. All ages are encouraged to participate, including babies, teens, and seniors. Because reading and learning are important parts of the Summer Library Program, a Reading Club is part of the summer fun.  After you have read ten books or 25 pages, cross off a symbol on your reading ticket and turn it in.  Children 12 and under receive a small prize bag for their first ticket. July and August are prime vacation months. ...

July 11, 2011

The ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opened the exciting, new entrance to the Children's area @MCPL Wausau, generously funded by the Wausau Noon Optimists.  The artwork for the project was donated by artist Dorie Klassen.  Come and see this exciting new entrance, featuring 6 chidlren's tales on the wall, and of course the yellow brick road from the Wizard of Oz.  Bring your chidlren and walk or skip down the yellow brick pathway to lifelong learning and discovey, all for free @ your public library.  Help us thank the Wausau Noon Optimists and help support their fund-raising efforts.  They will be at the Wisconsin Valley Fair, so visit their...

July 11, 2011

Join us on Tuesday, July 12 for children’s musician, Randy Peterson @MCPL Wausau for two shows: 2:00pm and 6:30pm.  Randy will be performing @MCPL as part of the Summer Library Program, One World,  Many Stories. Please note:  there will not be a morning performance.  An afternoon performance @2:00 pm and an evening performance @ 6:30pm are the correct times.  There were some errors on other listings in the community.   Escape the summer heat and come and sing along with Randy.  You will not want to miss these free performances, funded by the Friends of the Library. Bring the whole family, have some fun, and learn some things too.  See you there! If you can...

July 5, 2011

Follow the yellow brick road, but not to see the wizard, to enter the Children’s area @ MCPL Wausau.  The new “yellow brick road” leading to the Children’s area is only one part of the new entrance that has been generously funded by the Wausau Noon Optimists.  A colorful wall mural, featuring characters from children’s folktales, fairytales, an Aesop’s fable, and a nursery rhyme is the other piece. Look for these six stories when you visit: "Hey diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon,..." nursery rhyme Jack in the Beanstalk, folktale Rapunzel, fairytale The Three Little Pigs, fairytale Tortoise and the Hare, Aesop’s Fable Bremen Town...

June 28, 2011

The holiday weekend is coming, and I am packing my bag, my book bag that is. I have quite a few children's books in it for a first read, and some for re-reads. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and the The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo are in the read again category. I love her warm, interesting characters, beautiful prose, and tales where love conquers, maybe not all, but a lot. She clearly writes for all ages, or for at least for all who have their imaginations and belief in love and magic still intact. Okay, I'll admit it. I love dragons. So, Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton, where all the characters are dragons is also in my bag. What's a holiday read, without a villain, so...

June 14, 2011

“There’s music, there’s music, there’s music inside of you,"   as today’s participant's, young and old, discovered today with Bill Kehl as our guide.   In his program, One Earth, Many Sounds, kids discovered musical instruments from around the world made from found objects in nature.  They learned the instrument's history, and even had the chance to play them.  Today was the kickoff for the Summer Library Program @ Wausau.  At MCPL Spencer Branch, Randy Peterson captivated an audience of 240.   If you missed Bill Kehl or Randy Peterson, there’s still time to see them.   They will be at other MCPL locations this summer.  Check out the...

June 2, 2011

Stories, stories, stories;  what would we be like without them?   What would the world be like without them?   One World, Many Stories is the theme for the 2011 Summer Library Program! Stories from all cultures and all parts of the world help us make sense of the world, enable us to understand and relate better to each other,  try on different occupations, experience different situations.  Few of us will ever get a chance in our lifetime to travel around the world and immerse ourselves in all cultures.  But all of us can travel through the pages of books, glimpse another’s world,  imagine another universe, and escape ours for a while. As well as improving...

May 16, 2011

Summer is coming,  and with it “One World Many Stories”, the Summer Library Program @ MCPL,  and changes to the storytime schedules. The next two weeks we will be very busy with school tours, so there will be no storytimes May 16-28.   There will also be no storytimes July 4-9. Family Storytimes, Saturday’s @ MCPL Wausau are not held during the summer months; they will resume again in the fall, on Saturday, September 24. Books for Babies @MCPL Wausau will be held per the usual schedule this summer on Monday at  9:45 and 10:30. Tales for Twos @MCPL Wausau will be held on May 31 and the rest of the summer on Tuedays' at 9:45 and 10:30 except on the following dates...

May 13, 2011

Ahoy mateys.  Well blow me down!  If ye landlubbers and me harties are wantin’ to talk pirate, here’s yer chance.   Mango Languages is offering a free Pirate Language Course.  So ye can have some swashbucklin’ good fun and start learning from the Lirbary's Online Resorces page here. After you are proficient in pirate,  you may want to try some Spanish, Arabic, German, Greek, Russian or any one of the  29 foreign language courses for English Speakers.    Mango Language courses are available to you for free year-round through the Library’s subscription to Mango Languages.    Use your library card to login each time,  or create your own...

May 2, 2011

Happy Children's Book Week! Children's Books Change Lives.  This initial idea began the countrywide celebration of Children's Book Week beginning in 1919.  Literacy and reading are essential for all children from birth onward, not only for their own pleasure and enrichment,  but for their future success.  The library has a wide, wonderful collection of quality children's books for you to share with your child,  or have your child check out and read to you.  As well as building literacy, reading together helps bring your family closer together. In honor of Children's Book Week all MCPL locations are giving out the bookmark by Jeff Kinney, author of Diary...

April 16, 2011

As National Library Week draws to a close for this year,  the “Create Your Own Story @ Your Library” drawing sheets from Culver's will continue throughout the month of April.  Pictured is a drawing by  Mya P.,  11 years old,.  from the book Arthur's Nose  by Marc T. Brown.  This drawing is part of the Culver’s National Library Week  drawing contest . There’s still time for kids to draw their picture and submit it to the Library.  Kids can pick up a Culver’s sheet @ any MCPL location,  draw a picture from  a book ( character, event, or scene), return the sheet to the Library  for a coupon for free single scoop of...

March 20, 2011

Spring has sprung, and with it  the National Library Week celebration @ your library.  Create Your Own Story @ Your Library is the theme for the 2011 celebration.  During National Library Week we celebrate the importance of libraries.  You won't want to miss these FREE, fun programs for you and all members of your family.  Sunday 4/10:  Opening Celebration  @ Wausau Headquarters 1:30pm, MCPL Wausau--Library Director officially pronounces National Library Week 2:00pm., MCPL Wausau--Mr Steve (Lundquist) , "Master Facilitator of Fun"--fun-filled  family program of music, magic and ballooning Monday  4/11: 6:30pm, MCPL Mosinee --Family...

March 11, 2011

The old entrance to the children’s area @ Wausau headquarters was taken down this morning before the Library opened.  A wonderful new one will be coming soon, thanks to the Noon Optimists who are funding this project as a part of their 50thanniversary celebration.    What will the new entrance look like?   Keep your eyes and ears open as the magic unfolds.   Think nursery rhymes, fairytales, and a wee sprinkling of pixy dust.

March 5, 2011

You won't want to miss the beautiful bird artwork in the Children's area.   The bird paintings and metallic bird sculptures are @ the Wausau location courtesy of the students (and teachers) who participated in the Gifted and Talented Art Cluster, 2010-2011, Wausau School District. The Fourth Grade students painted their interpretation of a bird using acrylic paint on canvas.  They repeated the bird's color and pattern.  The individual paintings are hung together to form one large bird scene. The Fifth Grade students were inspired by the artist Helen Ward.  They created a metallic bird sculpture out of paper mache' material and other found...

February 16, 2011

Mr. Pig is all decked out in his “Cat in the Hat” party hat and is ready to party. Spread the word, because everyone is invited to come to the early birthday party for Dr. Seuss. The party begins at MCPL Wausau on Saturday, February 26 with a sharing of Dr. Seuss stories at 10:30, followed by “Seussical” crafts, and of course a birthday cake. At 1:00 join us for the classic Dr. Seuss movie about a mischievous cat, wearing a red and white striped hat and bowtie, who visits the home of two bored children on a cold, wet day. Dr. Seuss was named Theodor Seuss Geisel at birth, and was born was born on March 2, 1904 in Massachusetts. His first children’s book, “And To Think That I Saw it On Mulberry Street “ was...

December 21, 2010

I attended the Wausau Noon Optimists' meeting on 12/20 to accept a check for an exciting new computer for the Children's Computer Lab in Wausau. The AWE Early Literacy Station brings our computers for children into the 21st century in terms of both hardware and software.  A touch screen, a color-coded keyboard and a mouse designed for little hands provide ease of navigation for young children.  All of the software is preloaded--no more handling of discs!  More than 50 programs were selected in seven subject areas, based on current educational standards for children ages 2-10.  Funding for the Early Literacy Station was co-sponsored by an Early Childhood Reading grant from Target and...

December 13, 2010

A New Preschool Storytime at the Spencer Branch Library! Spencer will be going to an all-new schedule for storytime in 2011.  Their current program schedule  will end with their December 28 storytime.  A new Family Storytime will be held every Wednesday at 10:00 am, starting January 19.  New Evening Storytimes at the Edgar Branch Library! Beginning in January, the Edgar Branch will hold Family Storytime on the second and third Monday evening of each month at 6:00 pm.  Stories will be presented in Spanish on the third Mondays.  Everyone is welcome to attend! A Storytime Holiday Break! Most of the libraries in Marathon County, including Wausau, will be taking a...

November 24, 2010

The final numbers have been tallied and released!  In October, Marathon County Public Library participated in Read for the Record, a world-wide event sponsored by Jumpstart and the Pearson Foundation, to bring attention to the importance of reading to young children.  Libraries and other organizations gathered children to listen to the book, The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats, in an effort to break the record for the most children listening to the same story on the same day. And--we did it!  The official record-breaking number was 2,057,513 children!  Many events were held throughout the country.  The Empire State Building was adorned in orange lights--the official color of...

November 5, 2010

We wrapped up our 2010 Marathon County Reads with animal fun in the Wausau library's garage.  Even though our READS selection, Seedfolks, is a book best suited for upper elementary through adult readers, we always include related activities for all ages, including children.  Over 250 people came to cuddle with kittens, bond with bunnies, and pet lots of other farm animals, including Duncan, the miniature Angus bull.  Our thanks to Allen Kraft from Kraft's Kuddly Kritters for bringing his farm menagerie to the library for all ages to enjoy. If you have ideas for the book we should read for next year's READS program, we would love to hear your suggestions.  Click here to leave your READS...

October 28, 2010

Friday, 11/5, 2:00pm @ MCPL Wausau -- Join us for a free movie on the Library's 3rd floor! (rated G) We can't advertise the movie's title online, but if you call 261-7200, or send us your email using the form below, we'll tell you: © Disney / Pixar 2010

October 26, 2010

We've been keeping it under wraps, but soon all will be revealed.  Our reading bathtub has been gone for a long time, but it is back now, with new carpet from Olson Carpet One, and a spiffy new paint job!  We will be unveiling the tub right after storytime this Thursday, October 28, at 11:00. Come and give it a test drive with your favorite book! Thank you to Christine Bremer-Zoromski for funding our tub's new look.

October 7, 2010

A Pearson Foundation survey found that 95% of Americans felt that the development of early childhood literacy skills is an important issue receiving too little priority in our society.  Yet one in three children enter kindergarten without the skills they need to learn to read, which can lead to life-long consequences for their future success.  Today we are participating in Read for the Record, an event to increase awareness of the importance of reading aloud to young children, the best way to develop pre-reading skills. Children everywhere will be gathering today to listen to a reading of THE SNOWY DAY. Come and join us at these MCPL locations today for our readings of THE SNOWY DAY: Wausau...

September 20, 2010

The 2010 Marathon County READS program features Paul Fleischman's Seedfolks, a simple yet inspiring tale about a diverse group of people who find common ground by starting a community garden. The READS program is designed to promote reading, literacy and cultural awareness. A variety of program and activities for all ages will be offered countywide. First and foremost will be Seedfolks book discussion sessions which will be held at all branches. Check with your local branch or click here for dates and times.  Here are some of the special Seedfolks events the Wausau Headquarters will be offering. On Monday October 4th, Master Gardener Carol Bray will present two gardening programs for...

August 30, 2010

Congratulations to Casey C., the winner of the aquarium kit donated by Ace Hardware in Weston.  Casey was one of over 1300 reading club participants at the Wausau Headquarters Library.  His ticket was drawn from tickets from all the library locations in Marathon County, so he is a very lucky boy!

August 27, 2010

I have had this question from many children in the last couple weeks.  So--here it is--sitting in the library's garage, in the middle of a much-needed makeover.  Kitty has completed the painting (look at the snazzy gold feet!), and Olson Carpet One will soon be replacing the old, worn carpet.  Our thanks to Christine Bremer-Zoromski, who is funding the tub's makeover. What's that in the tub?  All the Summer Library Program reading tickets from throughout the county, waiting for the drawing of the grand prize.  Wow, what a lot of reading our customers did this summer! And the Grand Prize winner is... ...stay tuned...

August 27, 2010

September means back to school with both new challenges and exciting opportunities for students, their teachers and families. However, according to mothers and authors  Leslie E. Packer, Ph.D. and Sheryl K. Pruitt, M.Ed., ET/P, who wrote Challenging Kids, Challenged Teachers (now in our collection),  for those children diagnosed with multiple neurological disorders,  school-related problems increase exponentially. If your child or student has been diagnosed with overlapping disorders such as Asperger's Syndrome, Sleep Deprivation, Tourette Syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder and Anxiety Disorder, for example, this book will help you...

August 26, 2010

Congratulations to Quinn B, the winner of the Bubble Package, including a bubble flyer, a Buzz Lightyear bubble wand, and loads of bubble solution.  Quinn won his prize by listening to stories and turning in tickets during our Summer Library Program.  Thank you to the Friends of MCPL for donating this prize.  Have fun with all the bubbles, Quinn!

August 24, 2010

Congratulations to Ian W, one of the prize winners in our Make a Splash summer reading club.  Ian won the "Baby" prize, with bathtub letters, towels, and, Ian's favorite, a rubber ducky.  Thank you to the Friends of the library for donating this prize!

August 18, 2010

It's not too late to turn in a ticket for the summer reading program--but time is running out soon!  All tickets must be turned in by 1:00 this Saturday, August 21 to be included in the prize drawings. We have had a record number of participants at the library in Wausau.  Thank you for making this our best summer ever!

August 9, 2010

I can't think of a better way to wrap up our "Make a Splash" summer reading program than with a pool party on one of the hottest days of the year! The pool party will be held Tuesday, August 10 at Memorial Park pool in Wausau. Kids received a free family admission pass in their "goody bags" when they turned in their first completed reading ticket.  Teens also received free admission with their first completed reading ticket.  These admission passes may be used for Memorial Park Pool anytime between 1:00 and 7:50 pm Tuesday.  You can also show your library card for free admission that day. Children's craft activities will be featured from 1:00 to 3:00.  I also have a few prizes to give...

July 28, 2010

Congratulations to Briah, 6, and Austin, 8, state-level winners in the 2010 PBS Kids Go Writers Contest.  Briah’s story, “Barbershop Bella,” earned First Place in the Kindergarten Division and has been entered in the national competition. You can see a slide show of Briah’s story at this Wisconsin Public Television link:  http://www.wpt.org/kids/writerscontest.cfm Austin’s story, “The Thug Get-Away,” earned a Judge’s Choice award in the Second Grade Division.  Briah and Austin were two of the participants in a 5-week writing workshop at the Marathon County Public Library.  The library’s writing workshop was funded by a materials grant from Wisconsin Public Television.  Thank you to...

July 14, 2010

 James and Evie were happy to model the pirate hats, fishbowl necklaces and "fish sticks" that they made at Tuesday's craft afternoon at the Wausau Headquarters library.  One hundred fifty kids visited our craft stations, where volunteers helped kids make an array of splashy items to celebrate our "Make a Splash" summer.  Thank you, volunteers! Recording artist Randy Peterson will present a "Beach Party" family concert at the Wausau Headquarters library next Tuesday, July 20, at one show only--2:00 pm.  Come and join us for more splashy fun!  

July 6, 2010

We had a blast at last year's talent show!  David (pictured here) presented a karate demonstration with Escrima sticks; other kids performed dances, and instrumental and vocal solos.  It was so much fun, we have decided to have another Talent Show this year--Tuesday, July 27 at 2:00 pm at the library in Wausau.  I have five acts signed up to perform so far--but we need more!  School age children may perform a solo or group act.  Performances must be four minutes or less in length, and will be presented to an all-ages audience (toddlers through grandparents).  Every performer will receive a "thank you" gift for their participation. So come on and do your thing--Sing...

June 30, 2010

Over 800 people of all ages were thoroughly entertained by singer, songwriter Tom Pease @MCPL Wausau yesterday.  His utra-enthusiastic mixture of sign language, songs, humor and audience participation is infectious.   Tom Pease's programs are part of "Make a Splash, READ" Summer Library Program  at the Marathon County Public Library.    If you missed Tom Pease's performance  yesterday, you can still catch him this summer.  He will be @Marathon Branch, performing at Marathon Elementary on 7/21 @10am, @Mosinee Branch on  7/28 @10am,  and also on @Stratford Branch on  7/28 at 1:30pm.  There is still lots of...

May 25, 2010

Come to MCPL Wausau and see the "Pulp to Paper" artwork display from students from area schools. More than 50 students, primarily with disabilities, learned the art of papermaking and paper arts sculpture. Using the theme, "Around Our Mountain", students created artwork responding to the question, "What does Rib Mountain say to you about the environment?" Their answers are depicted by their artistic creations as well as embossed into their creations. Participating schools in the VSA Arts of Wisconsin project include Franklin Elementary School, John Muir Middle School, Horace Mann Middle School, and D.C. Everest Senior High School. The mission of VSA Arts of Wisconsin is to expand the capabilities,...

May 16, 2010

It really feels like summer today!  With the change in seasons comes changes to our storytime schedule: Our last Family Storytime at the Wausau Headquarters will be held Saturday, May 22.  Family Storytimes are not held during the summer months; they will resume again in the fall. Book Babies, Tales for Twos and Preschool Storytimes at the Wausau Headquarters are going on hiatus for three weeks, May 17-June 4.  During those three weeks, the staff will be visiting over 2000 students at their schools to give presentations about the summer reading program.  Another 600 students will be visiting the library for tours. Book Babies and Preschool Storytimes in Wausau will resume their...

April 30, 2010

Ninety-nine people gathered in the Children's Library last Saturday to meet author Craig Pierce and his Greyhound, Honey.  Honey lounged during the program (Greyhounds sleep about 18 hours per day!) while Craig talked about dogs and the many jobs that dogs have in our world.  We learned about rescue dogs, therapy dogs, police dogs--and racing dogs.  Honey was a racing Greyhound until she was three years old, when she was adopted by Craig and his family.  Craig read from The Greyhound's Tale, a story about Gator, his first Greyhound.  At the end of the program, Honey made the rounds, greeting people and receiving lots of love.  Many people commented on how soft her fur was--"...

April 15, 2010

Look who joined us last night at MCPL Wausau for El Dia de los Ninos/El Dia de los Libros celebration as a part of National Library Week.  He/she didn't eat much food or candy though.  Many thanks to El Mezcal who donated the delicious food and to all who came to the Library and had fun. 

April 14, 2010

Just a reminder to join us tonight, April 14 at 6:30, at MCPL Wausau for El Dia de los Ninos/El Dia de los Libros (Children's Day/Book Day) and continue celebrating National Library Week with us. We invite children, parents and grandparents to join us on Wednesday, April 14 at 6:30 pm in the Children's Department to enjoy a taste of Mexican food, music, crafts, and readings from our Spanish collection.       We'll also be breaking a pinata!  El Dia de los Ninos/El Dia de los Libros (Children's Day/Book Day) recognizes the value of each child and the importance of early activities that encourage literacy.  Books...

April 6, 2010

Families with children ages 3-12 will want to be sure to check out all the free, fun activities happening at Marathon Park's East Gate Building this Saturday, April 10, 9:00-3:00.  A variety of agencies that provide services for children will present crafts, demonstrations and other activities.  Stop by the library's fishpond and try a little fishing for small prizes, and learn about our "Make a Splash!" summer reading program!

March 27, 2010

As part of our NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK celebration at the Wausau HQ Library, we invite children, parents and grandparents to join us on Wednesday, April 14 at 6:30 pm in the Children's Department to enjoy a taste of Mexican food, music, crafts and readings from our Spanish collection.  Plus, we'll be breaking a pinata!  El Dia de los Ninos/El Dia de los Libros (Children's Day/Book Day) recognizes the value of each child and the importance of early activities that encourage literacy.  Books will be given away to each child participant; this event is free and no registration is necessary!!     

February 24, 2010

March is Youth Art Month, and the Wausau library is once again lucky to be the location for the Art Cluster exhibition, a display of projects created in special art sessions by the gifted and talented 4th and 5th graders in the Wausau School District.  Our the Children's Library in Wausau has been transformed into a dazzling array of color and pattern.  The 5th graders studied form and line before creating fantastic metal sculptures, like the moose pictured here, out of colored wire and a variety of other materials.  The 4th graders learned to use repeated patterns in their beautiful acrylic-on-canvas paintings of butterflies. Everyone is welcome to come to the Children's Library...

February 1, 2010

We have had an overwhelming response to our writing workshops for K-3 children.  We have a full slate of twelve students registered for the workshops, which will be held for five Thursdays, beginning February 18.  If you would like your name added to the waiting list, please call the Children's Library at 715.261.7220. We are offering these workshops in conjunction with the PBS Kids Go! Writers Contest for children in Kindergarten through third grade.  Lesson plans, writing supplies, and funding for other workshop materials is being supplied by Wisconsin Public Television. Even if you are not registered for the library's workshops, you can still enter the contest!  Check out...

January 14, 2010

As we have been going about our daily lives this week, important negotiations have been going on behind closed doors in Boston.  That is the site of this year's American Library Association Midwinter Meeting. People everywhere have been buzzing about the decisions that will soon be announced: what were the best books published for our children in 2009?  Everyone has their favorites, and they have been blogging and Tweeting about them for the past month or more.  Children, teachers, librarians and other book lovers have been holding "Mock" elections to make their choices.  But what will the results of the real elections be? These decisions will be kept completely secret until...

December 21, 2009

Our regular storytime schedule--Book Babies, Tales for Twos, Preschool Storytimes and Family Fun--will be suspended for two weeks over the holiday season.  Storytimes will resume after the holidays, beginning with Book Babies Monday morning, January 4. However, we will be showing "School's Out" movies on two days, in our Wausau Room Theater on the downtown library's third floor: Tuesday, December 29 at 10:30--a movie featuring the Care Bears. Tuesday, December 29 at 2:00--a movie featuring the Chipmunks. Wednesday, December 30 at 10:30--a movie featuring the Muppets. Wednesday, December 30 at 2:00--a movie featuring animals in the Ice Age. All ages are welcome to attend!

December 1, 2009

Friday, December 4 is the night of the annual Wausau holiday parade, where Wausau really shows its stuff!  The parade starts at 6:30 pm and treks from Marathon Park east to the downtown City Square where Mayor Tipple will light the official Christmas Tree.  The gaiety then moves inside to the warm Great Hall where hot chocolate and cookies will be served while the hopeful  kiddies visit with Santa.  MCPL will provide some fun Christmas craft activities - make Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with googley eyes, or a set of jingle bells to ring in the new year!  Don't miss it and dress warm!

November 10, 2009

You may know Stevens Point native Kathy Kinney best for her role as the flamboyant Mimi on the Drew Carey Show.  Kinney’s latest venture is a storytelling website, www.mrsp.com, which is celebrating its first anniversary today.  In her role as Mrs. P, Kinney sits in an armchair in a cozy room, filled with items to click on for interactive fun. Clicking on the bookcase causes the bookcase to roll out into the room. Each shelf contains a different category of classic stories—bedtime stories, stories about girls, scary stories, “knee huggers,” and more. Children can click on a shelf to see the titles, and pull out individual books to see a description and a rating system to help children...

September 30, 2009

Read for the Record is a campaign sponsored by Jumpstart and the Pearson Foundation.  Last year, 688,000 people gathered at locations around the world to read and listen to the same book on the same day.  This year, they hope to break that record--and you can help them reach their goal of one million readers and listeners by participating in programs at four libraries in Marathon County. This year's featured book is Eric Carle's classic picture book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Read for the Record programs will be held Thursday, October 8 at these MCPL locations and times: Edgar Library: Preschool Storytime at 9:30 am and a special Family Storytime at 7:00 pm Spencer Library...

September 8, 2009

Kids are back in school, the leaves are starting to turn, and that means it’s time for storytimes to kick into high gear again at all Marathon County Public Library locations. Storytimes are a fun way for your child to develop several vital early literacy skills*: Print Motivation: Excitement for books and reading. Phonological Awareness: Having fun with the sounds that words make. Enriched Vocabulary: Learning the specific names for lots of things, as well as an increased vocabulary of descriptive adjectives and adverbs. Narrative Skills: The ability to tell a story in their own words. Letter Knowledge: Recognition of letter shapes and the sounds that the letters represent....

August 19, 2009

We had a wonderful talent show to conclude our "Be Creative" programs at the library this summer.  David (pictured here) had feet tapping and heads bobbing all over the library as he performed his drum solo.  Who says the library has to be quiet all the time? Our Talent Extravaganza also featured karate, keyboards, singing and dancing.  You can see other pictures of our creative performers on the library's Facebook photo album.. Thanks to all the performers for a great show--and thanks to our enthusiastic audience who cheered them on! Saturday, August 22 is the last day to turn in your reading tickets--it's not too late to get that first ticket in and have a chance to win some fun...

July 29, 2009

Are your kids and teens looking for something to do? Join us for these upcoming events in Wausau! Read to a Dog! for Young Readers. Thurdsay, July 30th from 1-3 pm at the Wausau Library.  Practice your reading with the most adorable friends. Certified Therapy Dogs from Therapy Dogs International will be on hand to listen to young readers. Hip-Hop and Modern Dance for Teens with professional choreographer and dancer Brenton Wildman. Tuesday, August 4th from 6-8 pm at the Wausau Library. Join us to learn some new moves. Afterwards, challenge your friends on DDR. Read to a Dog! for Young Readers. Thurdsay, August 6th from 1-3 pm at the Wausau Library.  Practice your reading with the...

July 8, 2009

Our Summer Library Program theme is "Be Creative," and over 250 people had lots of opportunities to explore their creativity at our Art Extravaganza yesterday. Special thanks to Mort McBain who helped kids collaborate to create Scooby Doo and Shrek chalk paintings on the library's patio.  Scooby is pictured here.  The kids did a great job!  Remember that you can see Mort in action on the 400 block at  Chalkfest this weekend. Thanks also to Jayna Hintz and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, who helped kids make fabulous sculptures out of pipe cleaners and foam--this project gave kids a chance to create some really awesome sculptures. Also--thanks to the volunteers...

July 6, 2009

Lots of kids are finding cool, free entertainment at the library this summer.  Our Art Extravaganza will be held at the Wausau library tomorrow--Tuesday, July 7.  This is an open house-style craft and art program, so come anytime between 1:00 and 3:30 in the afternoon.  We will have special guests participating in this year's art program!  Mort McBain, well-known artist from the Downtown Sidewalk Chalkfest,  will be helping kids create a cartoon mural with chalk on the sidewalk.  Mort will be here rain or shine--but keep your fingers crossed for shine!  If the weather is nice, he will be out on the raised patio by the library's front entrance.  If the weather is...

June 23, 2009

The temperatures were in the 90's today, but many adults and children found a fun, free, wonderful way to cool off and have fun at the library. Bill Kehl  (pictured here) delighted enthusiastic audiences at morning and afternoon programs today at the library with his mix of jokes, juggling, music, songs, and natural instruments that children from the audience played.  Facts about the earth and space were intermingled in this program titled Earth, Music...Magic!.   Ice cold ice cream, donated by the Farm Bureau concluded today's program.  Don't miss out children, adults and teens! Teen and children's summer library programs with cool prizes and fun activities are waiting...

June 14, 2009

Lots of special events will be happening this summer at all Marathon County Public Library locations. Most of the libraries will be having their first special program this week.  Bob Kann—juggler, musician, storyteller and all-around entertainer extraordinaire, will be performing at three shows (10:30 am, 2:00 pm, and 6:30 pm) Tuesday, June 16 at the Wausau Library. He will also be at the Rothschild Branch (program held at Rothschild Elementary School) for two shows Thursday, June 18. If you’re looking for a chance to make your own crafts, Athens has the program for you--Tuesday June 16, featuring crafts and sidewalk chalk art. Musician Bill Kehl will present “Earth, Music, Magic”--a...

May 6, 2009

With the change in seasons comes a change to programming schedules for children at libraries throughout Marathon County. Family Storytimes will be held in Wausau for two more Saturdays--May 9 & 16.  During the summer months, the library will be open 9:00-1:00 Saturdays, but Family Storytimes will not be presented. Book Babies, Tales for Twos, and Preschool Storytimes in Wausau will be on hiatus May 11-May 22.  During these two weeks, grade school children will be visiting the library to learn about the Summer Library Program. These storytimes will resume after Memorial Day. Storytimes at most of the branch libraries are presented only during the school year, so these programs will be...

March 24, 2009

National Library Week is April 12-18, but you can celebrate during the entire month of April!  Children who are age 11 & under can stop at the Children's desk in Wausau or any branch library and pick up a coloring sheet. Draw a picture about your favorite book--it can be a character, or a scene, or anything about the book.  Bring the picture back to the library, and you'll receive a coupon for a free single scoop of frozen custard from Culver's! We will display your picture on the wall at the library.  At the end of April, we'll draw names from all the entries to win a Culver's ball and activity book! The coloring sheets and coupons will be available during the month of April, while...

July 31, 2007

The 100th birthday celebration continues at the Marathon County Public Library.  Join us Friday, August 10 for a party at the Memorial Park pool in Wausau.  The fun begins at 1:00 and will last until 5:00.   Kids can get free admission to the pool for their whole family by reading books and turning in a reading club ticket.  Anyone can get in free by showing their library card. So, bring your picnic lunch and come and enjoy a day of free swimming, birthday cake, and prize drawings, and make yourself a cool summer visor! Our thanks to the Wausau/Marathon County Park Department for co-sponsoring this event.  It's not too late to start the reading...

July 11, 2007

Get a Clue!  There are two "crime scenes" set up at all the Marathon County Public Library locations.  Every week, a new clue appears at the crime scene, and a new question is posted on the wall.  Junior detectives must use their best sleuthing skills to examine the crime scene and solve the weekly question.  After six weeks, they will be able to solve the mystery!   With each correctly answered question, detectives will receive another piece of their detective kit--an ID badge, a magnifying glass, etc. If you haven't started the crime solving-game yet, there is still time!  You can answer the previous week's questions and get caught up with the other super sleuths.

June 18, 2007

Summer Library program events are happening all over Marathon County!  Tuesday, June 19 is kick off day for programs at the Wausau Headquarters.  Who better to help us kick off the "Get a Clue!" theme than one of those masters of mystery--a magician!  Bruce Hetzler comes from Appleton, WI--Houdini's hometown.  His perfomance ingeniously combines magic tricks with the library and the summer mystery theme to astound and entertain audience members of all ages. Bruce's perfomances will be held Tuesday, June 19 at 10:30, 2:00 and 6:30 at the Wausau Headquarters library.  Come and join the fun! Still thinking about a good mystery to read for the reading club?  How about...

June 4, 2007

Today is the first official day for the Summer Reading Program at the Marathon County Public Library.  Everyone can join the reading club--even babies, who have someone read to them.  Adults can join, too! To begin, you need a reading ticket.  These are available at the desks in all MCPL libraries and in the summer reading brochure.  They can even be printed from the library's website! Each ticket contains twelve little pictures.  To cross off a picture, you need to read a picture book, read 25 pages in a longer book, or attend a library program.  When all the pictures are crossed off, bring your ticket to any Marathon County Public Library location.  You will have...

May 8, 2007

Bruce Lansky, the author of many hilarious poetry books for children, came to Wausau for a whirlwind week of classroom visits to thousands of school children. He also stopped at the Wausau library, where he coached 78 children in the joys of creating poetry. Our thanks to Aspirus and Wausau Dance Theatre for sponsoring Bruce's visit to Wausau and the Marathon County Public Library.

April 24, 2007

We have a new Booker T. Woofington in the Children's Library! Booker was donated by Therapy Dogs of Central WI, Chapter 184, in memory of Sue Wilde-Harn. Sue visited the library many times with her wonderful dog, Smokey, as part of our Reading to the Dogs program. Booker is adored by many children, who stop to give him a pet or a hug when they visit the library. Booker and the children visiting the library will soon have a new and colorful rug to play on--also given by the Therapy Dogs of Central WI in memory of Sue. Thank you to the members of Therapy Dogs of Central Wisconsin for their meaningful tribute to Sue's memory.