Categories
2018 marks the 10th year of the Giant Puppet Project at Mountainside Elementary School (MES) on Fort Carson. Concrete Couch works with the students to design and build a marionette puppet that is based on a favorite children's book. The most recent project, inspired by The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister, is now installed at Library 21c.
The project involves kids from military families, their parents and siblings, and community volunteers. It is designed to boost literacy skills, has a pre-engineering element, and is just plain fun! Kids ages 6 - 10 are involved in the 11-day experience. The installations are up at MES for one year, and each puppet has about eight different moving parts! For the installation at Library 21c, Rainbow Fish was simplified to be a non-moving sculptural piece.
Sponsors of the program include the Bee Vradenburg Foundation, Joseph Henry Edmondson, El Pomar and Quail Roost Foundations, the Hillsdale and Alpenglow Funds, Colorado Industrial Recyclers, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, and Barb and David Winter.
Special thanks go to the many volunteers who assist in this and other Concrete Couch projects. You guys are the bomb!
~The Staff at Concrete Couch
Aru Shah and the End of Time, by Roshani Chokshi
Release: March 2018
Percy Jackson fans rejoice! There’s a new hero in town and a new mythology to explore in Aru Shah and the End of Time. Aru Shah’s tendency to stretch the truth has landed her in some hot water after she lights a cursed lamp and sets things in motion that will be difficult to undo. Chokshi’s new series is part of a new imprint of titles handpicked by Rick Riordan himself.
See Also: The Serpent’s Secret, by Sayantani DasGupta (Release February 2018)
Legends of the Lost Causes, by Brad McLelland
Release: February 2018
After Bad Whiskey burns down his home, Keech finds himself on the path of finding the Char Stone, a legendary stone of massive power. Can he and a band of orphans outlast against undead outlaws, and find the stone?
The Last Grand Adventure, by Rebecca Behrens
Release: February 2018
A journey to find her grandmother’s sister, might just make Bea’s summer a lot more bearable. But any epic road trip is bound to have some bumps along the way.
The Ambrose Deception, by Emily Ecton
Release: February 2018
Three students are chosen to participate in the scavenger hunt of a lifetime. Winning could mean a scholarship that would make a lot of things better. When the three start the hunt they find themselves running around Chicago, chasing down leads, but the scavenger hunt may have more in store for the three than a simple scholarship.
See Also: Spin the Golden Lightbulb, by Jackie Yeager (Release: January 2018)
Winterhouse, by Ben Guterson
Release: January 2018
When orphan Elizabeth Somers is sent to the Winterhouse Hotel, she finds a lot of things charming, like the library. But as she continues to live at Winterhouse she stumbles upon secrets and she starts to think that maybe she’s connected to the house and it’s family in a way she can’t really explain.
PPLD's Maker in Residence for January/February 2018 was Charlie Mussi, an award-winning retired photojournalist whose work has appeared in national newspapers, international magazines, and table-top books. In 2001, he was recognized as one of the world's 125 finest photographers and set out on a unique global photographic essay to record "A Day in the Life of the U.S. Armed Forces." Since retiring, Charlie has rediscovered the fun of photography and enjoys teaching, coaching, and conducting photography workshops. In 2015, Charlie started the PPLD Community Photography Contest to recognize the amazing photography talent in the region.
Charlie taught Digital Photography as Art & Play classes throughout the Library District, as well as hosted studio hours at Library 21c, where patrons could talk to him about his work.
Visit PPLD's Maker/Artist in Residence page for more information about this program.