COLTSTRONG, LIBRARYSTRONG
CONTEST RULES
November 26 – December 31, 2012

•    The contest is to promote and encourage young people, 6 to 17 years-old, to use their library cards at the various branches and Central Library of the Indianapolis Public Library (the “Library”).
•    The contest begins 12:00 am on November 26, 2012, and ends 11:59 pm on December 31, 2012.
•    Library card holders are automatically entered into the contest when they use their library card for any library service.  Only one library card usage per day, per person will count for entry into the contest.  No purchase is necessary to win the contest.
•    The more days during the contest period the library card holders use their library card, the more automatic chances are entered into the contest and the greater the odds of winning.
•    After the contest period ends, one winner will randomly be drawn by computer and notified on January 2, 2013.
•    The date and time of the Colts players visit is to be determined by the Indianapolis Colts and the Library.
•    The contest winner will be eligible to choose which Library location hosts the visit.
•   The event is limited to the winning child, the winning child’s family and 20 of the child’s friends each accompanied by an adult – not to exceed 50 people.
•    The contest winner must be a Library card holder, 6 to 17 years-old, and a legal resident of the fifty United States.
•    The contest is open to the general public, not Library employees.
•    The contest is run by the Indianapolis Public Library, P.O. Box 211, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-0211.
•    Contest prize has no retail value.

The Indianapolis Colts are joining The Indianapolis Public Library to promote using your library card during the “COLTSTRONG, LIBRARYSTRONG” campaign through December 31. The campaign seeks to increase awareness about the many ways a library card can be used to take advantage of the free resources of the public library.

Colts quarterback Andrew Luck and tight end Dwayne Allen are spokesmen for the Library card campaign which includes TV and radio commercials and promotion through social media. It is one of the first community endorsements for the duo since arriving in Indianapolis. More

 

 

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Here are 22 kids’ blog stand outs from 2012 – perfect choices for your wish list. These are especially original or funny or action-packed. All of them have memorable characters and are the kind of stories that stick with you long after the last page.

 

 

Adventure and Fantasy

	The Outcasts by John Flanagan Skandian outcasts Hal, Stig, and others do battle at sea against the Wolves and the Sharks, in the ultimate race across icy waters where not everyone thinks of the competition as play.
	The Dead Gentleman by Matthew Cody Eleven-year-old orphan Tommy Learner’s world in 1900 New York City collides with that of twelve-year-old, modern-day Jezebel Lemon in the basement of her apartment building, where together they must use the portals between worlds to thwart the Dead Gentleman, a legendary villain whose last unconquered world is the planet Earth.
	Deadweather & Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey Thirteen-year-old Eggbert, a planter’s son on a pirate-infested Caribbean island chain, is on the run from a wealthy and powerful villain trying to kill him for his connection to a hidden treasure.
	The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart Nine-year-old Nicholas Benedict, an orphan afflicted with an unfortunate nose and with narcolepsy, is sent to a new orphanage where he encounters vicious bullies, selfish adults, strange circumstances, and a mystery that could change his life forever.
	The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen In the country of Carthya, a devious nobleman engages four orphans in a brutal competition to be selected to impersonate the king’s long-missing son in an effort to avoid a civil war.
	The Inquisitor’s Apprentice by Chris Moriarty In early twentieth-century New York, Sacha Kessler’s ability to see witches earns him an apprenticeship to the police department’s star Inquisitor, Maximillian Wolf, to help stop magical crime and, with fellow apprentice Lily Astral, Sacha investigates who is trying to kill Thomas Edison, whose mechanical witch detector that could unleash the worst witch-hunt in American history.
	The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land–Greece itself–to find the Doors of Death.
	Son by Lois Lowry Unlike the other Birthmothers in her utopian community, teenaged Claire forms an attachment to her baby, feeling a great loss when he is taken to the Nurturing Center to be adopted by a family unit.

For Animal Lovers

	Chomp by Carl Hiaasen When the difficult star of the reality television show “Expedition Survival” disappears while filming an episode in the Florida Everglades using animals from the wildlife refuge run by Wahoo Crane’s family, Wahoo and classmate Tuna Gordon set out to find him while avoiding Tuna’s gun-happy father.
	Moonbird by Phillip Hoose Documents the survival tale of an intrepid shorebird who has endured annual migrations between Argentina and the Canadian Arctic throughout the course of a long lifetime while his species continues to decline.
	The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life.

Graphic Novels

	Big Nate Goes for Broke by Lincoln Peirce Big Nate Wright is president of P.S. 38, the after school cartooning club. When he doodles his observations in his cartoon notebook: “Mighty Jefferson Middle School always wins,” Nate decides it’s time to go from zeroes to heroes! Will Nate crack under the pressure of the “Ultimate Snowdown”? Or lead P.S. 38 to its biggest victory ever?
	Dear Dumb Diary School. Hasn’t This Gone On Long Enough by Jim Benton Jamie’s struggles continue with school issues and grades, especially in math, as she ponders life’s big questions.
	Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney A Valentine’s Day dance at Greg’s middle school has turned his world upside down until an unexpected twist gives Greg a partner for the dance and leaves his best friend Rowley the odd man out.
	Giants Beware! by Rafael Rosado Claudette wants nothing more than to slay a giant but her little village is too safe and quiet.

For History Lovers

	Jefferson’s Sons by Kimberley Bradley A fictionalized look at the last twenty years of Thomas Jefferson’s life at Monticello through the eyes of three of his slaves, two of whom were his sons by his slave, Sally Hemings.
	The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine In 1958 Little Rock, Arkansas, painfully shy twelve-year-old Marlee sees her city and family divided over school integration, but her friendship with Liz, a new student helps her find her voice and fight against racism.

Kid Life

	The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee by Tom Angleberger McQuarrie Middle School’s students miss Origami Yoda when Dwight leaves for Tippett Academy, but he sends Sara a paper Fortune Wookiee that seems to give advice just as good as Yoda’s–even if, in the hands of girls, it seems preoccupied with romance.
	Wonder by R.J. Palacio Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student.

Mysteries

	The Dragon Turn by Shane Peacock Alistair Hemsworth produces a real and very dreadful dragon as Sherlock Holmes and Irene Doyle celebrate Irene’s sixteenth birthday. But then the magician is arrested by Inspector Lestrade and his son because they have found blood in Hernsworth’s secret workshop and Hernsworth’s rival has disappeared. There is no body. Has Hernsworh killed the man since he has also stolen his wife.
	Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead Seventh-grader Georges adjusts to moving from a house to an apartment, his father’s efforts to start a new business, his mother’s extra shifts as a nurse, being picked on at school, and Safer, a boy who wants his help spying on another resident of their building.
	Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage Washed ashore as a baby in tiny Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, Mo LoBeau, now eleven, and her best friend Dale turn detective when the amnesiac Colonel, owner of a café and co-parent of Mo with his cook, Miss Lana, seems implicated in a murder.

More ideas for kid book gifts:

• ReadKiddoRead: What They Are Ho-Ho-Hoping For 2012
• Reading Rockets Annual Holiday Buying Guide
• Amazon Holiday Gifts in Books: Kids & Teens
• Barnes & Noble Holiday Gift Guide: Books for Kids & Teens

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That’s right. You can help feed the hungry right where you are playing an online trivia game from FreeRice.com.

FreeRice.com is a non-profit website that is owned by and supports the United Nations World Food Programme.

Thanksgiving Websites

• Turkey FAQ – Because what are giblets anyway?
• National Geographic Kids: The First Thanksgiving
• Plimoth Plantations Thanksgiving Interactive: You Be the Historian
• Fact Monster: How to Say Thank You in 26 Languages
• Talk Like a Pilgrim
• Scholastic: The First Thanksgiving
• Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Thanksgiving Books

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Fall Fun in Historic Irvington: October 20th-27th, 2012

For over 60 years, this week long event includes a 5 mile run, a scholarship pageant, musicians, contests, Halloween-themed movies, storytelling, ghost tours, live theater, roller derby, a haunted puppet show and dozens of other events. Find out all the things there are to do at: Historic Irvington Halloween Festival

 

Call-a-Spooky Story A free phone call! 275-4444 Listen as personalities from MY 107.9 and 99.5 WZPL read some of these creepy stories during October:

Visit the Wicked Workshop—The Children’s Museum Guild’s 49th Annual Haunted House—will take visitors to a wild and whimsical factory where Winny the Witch and her hard-working Witchkins make everything you need for Halloween!

 

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