Regularly scheduled programming includes "Toddler Time" (stories, songs and fingerlings for children three years old and under), "Preschool Story Time" (slightly longer and more advanced for older preschoolers), and reading programs meant to encourage reading for pleasure.

The Young Adult collection has materials geared toward ages 13 to 17 and is located in the Youth Services area on the first floor. There is a comfortable place for teens to hang out to study or read.

Also, the library has collected together some Internet tips for kids, as well as Internet resources for parents and teachers. In addition, we have put together a list of World Wide Web book selection tools to help parents, teachers and kids find good books for kids to read. You may also want to check out the American Library Association's "Great Web Sites for Kids," which contains lots of links to educational and fun Internet sites for kids. Feel free to take a look if you are interested.

Need a good book to pass the time away? We can help you find one! Check out one of the newest databases on our Online Databases page -- Novelist K-8 to find fiction for kids in kindergarten through 8th grade. You may also want to check out the library's Internet links for bibliophiles or use the resources in the Reader's Corner for still more good reads.

Check out Reading Rants -- Out of the Ordinary Teen Booklists for some good suggestions -- or take a look at the Children's Literature Web Guide, where you'll find lots of information and resources about reading.

It soon will be time again for the annual Summer Reading Program which runs each year from June 1st until July 31st. Our official 2013 Summer Reading Kickoff Party will be held at ALL Fort Smith Public Library locations all open hours on Saturday, June 1st: 10:00a.m. until 5:00p.m. at the Main Library; noon until 5:00p.m. at each of the branches.

Dig Into Reading is this year's children's theme and Beneath the Surface is this year's teens theme; plus, for all of you grown-up readers, our 2013 Adult Summer Reading Festival's theme is Groundbreaking Reads.

The summer reading program is designed to encourage reading for pleasure; it will help young people who are able to read independently retain the valuable reading skills they developed over this past school year. Preschool children too young to read may also participate and will receive credit for the books read to them. Small rewards will be given to each child for reaching specific goals.

Registration will begin at the Kickoff Party on a June 1st at all four Fort Smith Public Library locations. For more information, please call (479)783-0229, ext. 1131.

The movies have "Oscar," Broadway its "Tony," and the recording industry has the "Grammy." but, in the field of children's literature, no prize is more prestigious than the Newbery and Caldecott awards. These prizes are announced each January at the Mid-Winter Conference of the American Library Association, often with additional books designated as Newbery and Caldecott "Honor" Awards. The Newbery Award is for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children and has been awarded since 1923. The Caldecott is for the most distinguished picture book for children published in the United States; it has been given since 1938. The 2013 awards were given to the children's books published in 2012 that were judged the most distinguished.

In addition to these awards for wonderful books for children, the American Library Association also sponsors the Coretta Scott King Awards and and the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Awards for New Talent, for books which promote an understanding and appreciation of the "American Dream". The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996 and named for the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library, is presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. Since 2000, ALA's Young Adult Division has awarded its Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature for young adults.

For more information about the history and mission of these other ALA children's book awards, as well as previous winners, visit the Awards Page for the Association for Library Service to Children.

2013 Newbery Honor Award books include:

Three Times Lucky, written by Sheila Turnage.

2013 Caldecott Awards

This Is Not My Hat, written and illustrated by Jon Klassen is the winner of the 2013 Caldcott Award for most distinguished American picture book written for children in 2012.

2013 Caldecott Honor Awards went to: