March is Reading Month
Welcome Spring & Celebrate Reading with these activities during the month of March!
Kids Birth – K | Early Literacy Activity Table: Try our monthly manipulative activity that supports Early Literacy! Easter Egg Match – Match the number on the bottom of the egg to the picture on the top. Fill the egg with that number of pom-poms!
Kids Birth – K | Guest Readers: We have special guests coming to the library for our Tuesday morning 11am Preschool Storytimes and visiting the library on parade day Saturday, March 16 for a Special Storytime to hear a flamazing story! See below for more info.
Kids All Ages | Scavenger Hunts: Hunt for objects around the library and earn a candy prize! See below for more info.
Adults| Guess this Book: Adults, can you “Guess this Book”? We’ve stuffed pages from a damaged book in a guessing jar. Guess the title and the author from just what you can see! Winner drawn on March 31!
Tiny Book Art Show: Stop by the library to see all the wonderful tiny pieces of art created by members of our community. Our theme is “Another World” – each piece depicts a literary place the artist would like to visit if it was real. Vote on your favorite for our “People’s Choice Award”!
Library Scavenger Hunts!
March is Scavenger Hunt Mania at the Library for March is Reading Month! Each week will feature a new scavenger hunt type activity taking place inside the library for a total of four different hunts. Kids, come anytime to do the week’s new hunt and the previous weeks hunts will also be available to do until the end of March.
Starting March 1
I Spy! – Our Bulletin Board will be turned into giant “I Spy” board! Kids get a paper list telling them what to find on the board. Turn in the paper at desk for candy prize!
Starting March 8
Explore GLADL – Kids get a paper list of important GLADL locations. Each location will have a letter, kids will then write the letters on their paper to make the punch line to a cheesy library joke. Turn in the paper with completed word to get candy prize!
Starting March 14
Popular Book Characters – Laminated pictures of popular children’s book characters are hidden throughout Children’s Department. Kids get a paper list of hidden characters, and will check them off as they find the characters. Turn in the paper for candy prize!
Starting March 21
Library Art – Kids get a paper list of certain things to look for library art, posters, and the Tiny Art Show. Kids check off items as they find them and then turn in paper for candy prize.
Special Guest Readers
Steve Boughton; Pre-Parade Party, Saturday March 16
Steve will be sharing his book, “Francisco takes Flight” before the St. Pat’s Parade Day. Everyone is welcome, especially all of our Flamingo Reading Challenge readers to hear about a Michigan flamingo! Francisco loves his life at the historic Detroit Zoo, but dreams of seeing the world from the SKIES! He’s asking all his amazing animal friends to see if they can help Francisco take Flight!
About the Author: I grew up in the small western Michigan town of Whitehall, and as the son of two teachers, creativity was always encouraged. I studied film at Michigan State University, where I also played trombone in the marching band, and where I first met my now wife and editor, Beth.
After a few years of working in Iowa in film and as a television producer, I was able to move back to Michigan and put my story telling chops to work at the MSU College of Music, where I produce videos for students, faculty, and ensembles, among other fun projects.
Ben Hassenger; Preschool Storytime, Tuesday March 5 at 11am
Ben Hassenger is well-known as Michigan’s Ukulele Ambassador, teaching ukulele in Michigan classrooms and communities through the Music is the Foundation non-profit. He is also the founder of the Mighty Uke Day festival and the Lansing Area Ukulele Group, and is involved in many other ukulele adventures. As a voracious reader in his younger days, Ben loves nothing more to read to, and sing with, his three grandchildren and is looking forward to sharing his joy of reading and music with you!
Cindy Langenberg; Preschool Storytime, Tuesday March 12 at 11am
Cindy Langenberg is a local favorite storyteller sharing the history of Grand Ledge and art appreciation with thousands of children over her career. Cindy has been working with the Grand Ledge Area Historical Society since before the society was formed in 1975. Her role then was record keeping with the local newspaper, the Grand Ledge Independent. She is now the secretary for the society as well as the society’s museum curator. She is also the president of the Grand Ledge Garden Club.
Grand Ledge Chief of Police Ron Erickson; Preschool Storytime, Tuesday March 19 at 11am
The Library welcomes Chief Ron Erickson to Grand Ledge and as a father himself he loves storytime. Ron is originally from Lake Orion, Michigan. He attended Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan where he obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement. Ron started his career as a patrol officer with the Adrian Police Department in Adrian, Michigan, where he worked for two years prior to laterally transferring to the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office-Illinois in January of 1995. He retired from the sheriff’s office in December of 2023 as the Operations Commander/Captain. Ron was hired as the Chief of Police with the City of Grand Ledge on January 3rd, 2024.
Linda Kuhlman; Preschool Storytime, Tuesday March 26 at 11am
Linda graduated from MSU with a degree in Child Development & Teaching long ago and spent years teaching preschool & kindergarten. She graduated to work in a library in Lansing with all ages but her favorite activities were story times for babies and children. Linda has presented programs in many schools and libraries as The Storybook Quilt Lady.
Her hobby has always been quilting and she combined her love of children’s books and quilting to have a collection of books & quilts to go with them. Some have been autographed by the author! Linda has been married to her husband John for many years, has one daughter, and three grandchildren.
Exciting March Events! Women’s History — Literacy — Fun Events for Kids of All Ages!
Next Steps Ukulele Workshop [Registration Req.]
Thursday March 21 | 6pm – 7pm | Ages 8+
Next Step Ukulele lessons are monthly sessions designed to teach a variety of techniques that will expand your skills and make you a better player. Attendees must know a handful of chords; including C, F, G7, and Am chords; switch smoothly between them; and keep a steady tempo. Materials provided and loaner instruments are available. March 21: Strike a Chord. Taught by Michigan’s Ukulele Ambassador, Ben Hassenger, and sponsored by the Music is the Foundation non-profit. Registration required, class size limited for personalized instruction. “Looking forward to playing and singing with you soon– aloha!” Ben Hassenger.
Writing Prose Workshop: Conversations & Backstories [Registration Req.]
Saturday March 23 | 2pm – 4pm | Adult
Conversations and Backstories: How to write better conversations and interweave backstories into prose to enhance plot. Presenters: G. Scott Smith, Sarah Hauck Smith, Lori Hudson, Brigette Thornes, with Mary Fox as moderator. This workshop divides into two forty-five-minute sessions. The first looks at weaving conversation into a scene while keeping the action and plot moving. Avoiding common mistakes that make reading frustrating and the story boring will help writers edit writing effectively and create better wording. The second shows ways to use backstory to intensify dramatic tension and engage the reader by timing when to reveal backstory relevant to plot. Attendees may bring in their own prose pieces to work with or work with a sample piece developed in the workshop.
Journey into Manga – The Works of Tezuka Osamu
Monday March 25 | 1pm – 2pm | Ages 12+
Fans of Anime and Manga! Join us for this presentation by Professor David Humphrey, Director of the Japanese Studies Program at MSU on Tezuka Osamu, best known in the US as the creator of Astro Boy, is widely recognized in Japan as one of the original founders of modern manga. Prof. Humphrey will explore the aspects of Tezuka’s manga that made them so influential, from his fusing of a cinematic style with comics to his lasting impact on both girls and boys manga.
EggStrava-ganza! – Easter Egg Decorating
Monday March 25 | 6pm – 7pm | Ages 2+
Celebrate spring and decorate amazing Easter eggs with dye, paint, glitter, feathers and more! Decorate Easter Eggs to take home, enjoy a snack, and Easter story time for little ones too! NOTE: We provide dyes and trims while supplies last, patron brings 6 hard-boiled eggs per child. Best for ages 2+, with adult assistance.
Balloon Workshop with Mr. Greg
March 27 | 11am – 12pm | Ages 8+
NEW! Kids–Love amazing balloon animals? Have fun this Spring Break and learn some basic skills to make them too! Join Mr. Greg, Balloon Zoo Wrangler for a beginning class in Balloon Animal making. Learn types of balloons to use, where to get them, how to inflate, twist and bend balloons to make a fun creation to take home! No Registration requires–while space /supplies last.
Spring Break Movie Day at the Sun Theater
Thursday March 28 | 2pm – 4pm | All Ages
Sun Theater
Looking for something to do over spring break? How about a free movie at the Sun Theater! Admission is free, kid’s pop and popcorn is a $1 each, and we will be playing the Super Mario Bros. Movie!
Glow-in-the-Dark Egg Hunt
Thursday March 28 | 6pm – 8pm | Ages 2 – 10
Have some spring fun at our Glow-in-the-Dark Egg hunt. Bring the kids anytime between 6pm and 8pm to participate. Venture into the darkened Children’s Department to find three eggs per child, then trade the eggs in for an Easter treat.