Programming Spotlight: Bookmarks and Greeting Cards

 Holidays can be difficult when one is separated from loved ones.  With that in mind, we librarians have been collaborating with colleagues to offer crafting programs.  These programs give students the opportunity to utilize library resources and art supplies to make custom bookmarks and greeting cards. Said C. (17), earlier this morning while crafting five original bookmarks, "I think, out of all of the activities, this is really dooooooope!"  D. (15), is pictured above copying inspirational quotes out of a library book, for subsequent use on her bookmarks.

We wish you all happy holidays and hope you find your fair share of what's good to read in 2015!  We'll see you in January.

Love, Passages Academy Libraries

Halloween Programming Spotlight

Raawwwr!  Papertoy Monsters came to life inside three of our libraries last week at Crossroads on Monday and at Horizon and Belmont on Friday. Said one student at Belmont, "I'm nice at this!  I'm gonna make a million monsters!"  At Bronx Hope, students made Halloween-themed bookmarks. Hope you all had Happy Halloweens!

Papertoy Monsters: 50 Cool Papertoys You Can Make Yourself by Brian Castleforte

Like monsters?  Wish they weren’t quite so large and dangerous?  Have I got the book for you!  Paper Toy Monsters is a treasure trove of so-ugly-they’re-cute miniature monsters you build yourself.  Armed with a little time, some glue, and a lot of patience, you can craft an army of tiny, full-color monsters with names like Lil Vamp, Wolfman Joe, and Halloweeny.  Rated “easy” to “advanced,” there’s a monster for everyone.  Once you’ve worked your way through all of the artist-designed monsters, there are templates for you to design your own!

Not only is Paper Toy Monsters a craft book, it is a wonderful introduction to the features of nonfiction texts and technical writing.  With a table of contents, headings, subheadings, pictures with captions, and multi-step directions, there is plenty of information for students to explore. --Regan Schwartz

Castleforte, Brian. Papertoy Monsters: 50 Cool Papertoys You Can Make Yourself. New York: Workman Publishing, 2010. Print.