Find Mystery and Adventure at the Ottawa Public Library

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share some great summer books for kids aged 7+. This month’s post is by Andrea Gowing, Centennial Branch, Ottawa Public Library.

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Mysteries and Adventure are this month’s theme.  Cows who talk, world travel, time travel, magical settings, hidden tunnels, and sound science abound in these books for readers aged 7+. 

The Mystery of the Golden Coin / Harper Paris   Series: Greetings from Somewhere - 10 in series.

Who wouldn’t want to travel the world, especially these days?  Join twins Ethan and Ella as they follow their parents around the world on travel assignments.  On every stop around the globe, Ethan and Ella dive into a mystery with the help of their grandfather’s emails.  Sure to become a favourite of Magic Treehouse fans.  Illustrations on each page may help reluctant readers. 

Lost in Bermooda / Mike Litwin 
Series: Welcome to Bermooda – 4 in series.

Lost at sea, Dakota is washed up on an island of cows!   How will his being a “hu’man” not be discovered and how will he fit in?  Along comes Chuck with a “cowmouflage” to save the day.  Lots of bovine puns, a buddy friendship, and even a mystery!  A great read for new readers of chapter books.  Parents love this series too!  Each chapter is short and peppered with illustrations to help keep readers interested. 

Winterhouse Mysteries /  Ben Guterson

When you live with an uncaring aunt and uncle, being shipped off for the Christmas Holidays, may seem very cruel.  Young Elizabeth is nervous; however, she soon realises that the Winterhouse Hotel has a wonderful kind owner, a new friend, and many secrets!  Winterhouse is magical world that is fun and includes a huge library!  What more could you want?  Well, a mystery, a couple of creepy villains, and finding out that you have family you never knew!  This is a terrific first book in a trilogy for middle grade readers but could also be a good read-a-loud for the whole family.

Agatha Oddly / Lena Jones

Are you passionate about mysteries?  Would you love to be named for the most famous of mystery writers?  If so – meet Agatha Oddly – Agatha has always loved mysteries and crime novels.  Agatha lives alone with her dad in Hyde Park in London, England, which is a wonderful setting for this series of books since she is close to the secret underground tunnels where her first mystery starts.  What is this little key that her mother gave her for, is it connected to the mystery?  Can Agatha save the City of London from a toxic algae?  Dive into the first of this series for all the answers.  Another fun read for middle grade readers.

Explorer Academy /  Trudi Strain Truiet

Cruz lives in Kauai, Hawaii.  Surfing every day, eating wonderful exotic treats and spending time with his best friend Leilani, who’d want to be anywhere else.  Both Cruz and Leilani do.  They both have applied to the exclusive Explorers Academy.  Cruz is accepted and off he goes to Washington D.C. to start.  New friends await and super exciting classes begin.  Cool gadgets and cutting-edge science blend in with a mystery surrounding Cruz’s mother’s death.  Traveling the world on a Science ship, Cruz and other students learn so much about geography, anthropology, astronomy and much, much more.  Readers will get swept up in the mystery and adventure of the National Geographic publication.  A wonderful beginning to an at least 5 book series for lovers of science and adventure. 

Tangled in Time / Katherine Lasky

I love greenhouses, and a greenhouse that is portal to the past?  Add to that a mystery about my family?  AND to go back and live in the court of Queen Elizabeth I?  Oh, that would be amazing!  Follow Rose to her grandmother’s house, into the green house, and into the past.  What family secrets are held in the found locket with mysterious pictures inside?  Book 1 of a series will grip mystery and historical fiction fans alike.  A great summer read!

Ottawa Tandem Bike Adventures

KITC would like to welcome back guest blogger, Stephen Johnson. Stephen Johnson is an Ottawa writer who loves to write about family travel. During the summer, you will most likely find him and his family at a local fair or festival. During a non-pandemic winter, a beach in Mexico is a likely bet.

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Date night has not been the same since COVID started. The go-to dinner and a movie has not been an option for most of 2020 and 2021.   

My wife, Sandy and I decided to flip date night on it’s head and have a date day. We decided to rent bikes from Escape Bicycle Tours and Rentals.   

Upon arrival at their Sparks Street location,  Sandy and I felt like we had stepped into bicycle heaven. A local artist was preparing a cycling mural on the interior wall. Final preparations were being done to their bicycle themed café.  Most importantly, the variety of bikes to rent was impressive.   

We had our choice of electric bikes, mountain bikes, city comfort bikes and everything else in-between. In keeping with date day,  Sandy and I chose to rent a tandem bike.  

Before heading off on our adventure,  I had a chance to chat with  Escape Bike Tours owner, Maria Rasouli regarding what motivated her to start up her business. 

“I grew up in Iran and loved riding a bike when I was a kid,” says Rasouli.  “In Iran, girls are not allowed to ride bicycles once they hit puberty. I did not ride a bike again until I moved to Ottawa in 2002. When I rode a bicycle again I was amazed by all the pathways and trails here in Ottawa. Some people say Ottawa is a boring city but I would say they have never explored the city by bike. When I started Escape, I wanted to combine my love of cycling and Ottawa in one business.”

After hearing Maria’s inspiring story, Sandy and I were excited to hop on our bike and start exploring the city. We tested out the tandem bike on Sparks Street. It took us a few tries to get the hang of it but soon enough, we were in sync.  

I wanted to take the tandem for a spin on the Queen Elizabeth Driveway which is closed to vehicles from 8 am - 8 pm until June 30th. It was early afternoon on a weekday. Sandy and I enjoyed ambling along a road that was totally free of cars and was mostly empty of people.  

I loved the tandem bike in that Sandy and I could easily carry on a conversation without fear of crashing bikes.  I teased Sandy that she wasn’t allowed to do any backseat driving.   

We continued along the Driveway and eventually merged on to the Rideau Canal pathway.  We took a brief pause to watch a turtle slowly swimming in the canal. Soon enough, it was time for us to head back to return our bike rental.  Sandy and I both agreed that our date day was a great success.   

After we returned the tandem bike,  I had the chance to try out an electric bike.  To start the electric assist, a person must start pedaling. You can pick various options from no assist to Turbo. I slowly made my way up to turbo. I could see how at the end of a long bike ride, the electric assist would be a very welcome feature.  The other thing I noticed was just how fun the electric bike was.  It would make a wonderful gift for Father’s Day (hint, hint).

Escape has bike rental options for every age including for young children.  Organized bike tours are also an option pending provincial COVID-19 restrictions.  

There is a reasonable chance the summer of 2021 will still emphasize staycations. I know Sandy and I are planning to spend much of our summer exploring Ottawa by bike. 

Family Board Game: Tsuro

Over the years our family has played a lot of board games, but we’ve also found that while in theory board games are fun, they often end up being more like an opportunity for screaming matches more than fun quality time.

As a result, we’re always looking for games that work easily for out family without too much competitiveness, that don’t last too long and that are simple to understand. Lately the winning board game: Tsuro

What is it?

From the publisher:

A beautiful and beautifully simple game of laying a tile before your own token to continue its path on each turn. The goal is to keep your token on the board longer than anyone else's, but as the board fills up this becomes harder because there are fewer empty spaces left... and another player's tile may also extend your own path in a direction you'd rather not go. Easy to introduce to new players, Tsuro lasts a mere 15 minutes and actually does work for any number from 2 to 8.

My description: You lay down tiles to try to bump everyone else off the board and be the last person left!

Tsuro game board, game pieces and game tiles

Tsuro game board with tiles and game pieces on the board to show how pieces move during the game

Game statistics:

2-8 players (we find it better with more people and avoid playing with 3 or less)

8+ (though we think it could easily work for 6+ depending on the kid)

15-20 minutes (this is key - it doesn’t last long enough for people to get bored, antsy and start sniping at each other)

Where can you get it?

We checked in with local games store Kessel Run and they sell Tsuro!

Have you played Tsuro? What do you think? What other board games do your family play without ending up in screaming matches? :)

Cycling in Ottawa

KITC would like to welcome back guest blogger, Stephen Johnson. Stephen Johnson is an Ottawa writer who loves to write about family travel. During the summer, you will most likely find him and his family at a local fair or festival. During a non-pandemic winter, a beach in Mexico is a likely bet.

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After my family and our good health, I have been most thankful for my bicycle during the pandemic. This might seem to be an odd statement but my bicycle has helped both my physical and mental health. Since the pandemic started, I have explored pathways both near and far from my house. Here are a few of my favorites.

Many people in Ottawa are very familiar with the NCC pathways that meander along the Rideau Canal, Ottawa River, and Rideau River. I thought I would focus on some of the more undiscovered gems.

Rail Trails

These pathways are aptly named. They are former rail lines that have now been converted into multi-use pathways. The closest rail trail to my house is the Prescott-Russell pathway. This pathway is found in Ottawa’s east end near Blair Road and stretches all the way to near the Quebec-Ontario border for a total distance of 94 kilometres. I can’t profess to ever doing anywhere near this distance. Most of my jaunts are about 10-15 kilometres.

One thing that I like about this trail is that even when all of the trails near Mer Bleue are packed I can be almost alone on the trail. I have noticed a rise in popularity on the trail since the pandemic started but it is still very manageable.

A bucket list trip for me post-pandemic is to take the PR trail near Navan and discover some of the wineries that are located near the trail.

There are a couple of other rail trails found in Ottawa. In the south end, there is the Osgoode Pathway which extends from Leitrim Road all the way to Osgoode. Portions of this trail are under construction near Leitrim as the city builds the second stage of light rail.

In the city’s west end is the Ottawa-Carleton pathway which extends from Bell’s Corner all the way to Carleton Place.

National Capital Commission Weekend Bikedays

One of my favorite activities during the pandemic has been hopping on my bike almost every Saturday in the summer and cycling along the Sir George Etienne Cartier Parkway. The first time I was cycling on the parkway, I was expecting to be pulled over by a traffic officer or have a vehicle honking at me. Of course, the parkways are closed to motorized traffic during the bikedays so I experienced neither.

I loved the egalitarian nature of the bikedays. You have everyone from lycra-clad cyclists riding bikes that cost as much as a down payment on a house to families teaching their kids to ride for the first time.

Post-COVID, I could imagine bikedays becoming an even more festive occasion with perhaps activities along the way and vendors selling food.

Thankfully, the weekend bikedays have been extended for another season running from May 1 to October 11. Full details about road closures and hours can be found here https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/weekend-bikedays

Mountain Biking

I must admit, this is an activity I have not tried out but it is on my bucket list for 2021. Our family first discovered mountain bikers when we were hiking in the Larose Forest last summer. All the mountain bikers we encountered on the trails were very friendly and considerate. They also seemed to be having a blast.

Upon further research, I discovered via the Ottawa Mountain Bike Association’s website, ottawamba.org, there are extensive mountain bike trails around Ottawa. Larose Forest is located about forty minutes east of Ottawa.

In the west end of Ottawa, mountain bikers can get their fix at the South March Highlands. Reading online, these trails have very favorable ratings for both mountain biking and hiking.

This article only skims the surface of cycling options in Ottawa. There is also road cycling, a trip on the extensive network of NCC and city pathways or just a jaunt around the neighbourhood.

See you on the trails!

Storytime at the Ottawa Public Library

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share some great storytime books for preschoolers and kinders. This month’s post is by Charmaine Atrooshi, Children’s and Teen Services Librarian at the Hazeldean Branch of the Ottawa Public Library.

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The Hazeldean Children’s team loves storytime and all things picture books! In this blog we will share some of our favorite stories, and online resources for preschoolers and kinders!

When I begin my storytime programs here at the branch, I love to begin with the Hello Friends song, with matching sign language actions. It’s great as it has a lot of repetition and teaches children some basic signs!  Want to learn some other hello and good bye songs?  The team at JBRARY has compiled many, many videos of storytime songs for all to learn and enjoy!  Looking to learn some new French songs? Try 1, 2, 3 on chante!

Pete the Cat and His four Groovy Buttons by James Dean and Eric Litwin is a storytime classic! Not only does it have children counting, but it also has humor and a super catchy jingle that everyone can sing along to! (”my buttons, my buttons, my four groovy buttons...”).  Not sure of the tune? Check out the HarperKids video for a sing along!

Is Everyone Ready for Fun? By Jan Thomas

Big bright pictures, ’fun loving cows,’ and a tiny chicken’s sofa- what’s not to love about this book?  The cows love to jump, wiggle, and dance on chicken’s sofa.... but chicken is not too happy about this....  A fun story that will have kids jumping up and down, and dancing, following cow’s actions.

Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

This Caldecott medal winning picture book features a lovely little kitten who just wants to have that little bowl of milk in the sky. She chases it, runs up trees, and tries her very best to get it...but ends up all wet and hungry.  However when she gets home there is a surprise waiting for her!

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

 Little dog George cannot bark!  George’s mother says Bark! But George meows, quacks and oinks instead! What is wrong with George?  His mother takes him to a vet, where the uncover the problem...  A fun story that will have toddlers practicing their animal sounds and laughing out loud as George tries so hard to just ...bark!

The Seals on the Bus by Lenny Hort

Everyone knows the wheels on the bus—but what about the seals on the bus! A great book to sing along to --  tigers on the bus roar, geese go honk, monkeys go eeeeeh, eeeeh and there are even skunks---- and they go sssss, sssss, sssss!  This book is even more fun with puppets!

From Head to Toe by Eric Carle

Eric Carle is a world renowned children’s author who writes beautiful colorful picture books for children that are easy to follow, and fun to read.  Head to Toe features animals trying to show small children how they move, and encourages them to try as well-- for example, cat arches their back-- can the child do it too?!trying to show small children how they move, and encourages them to try as well-- for example, cat arches their back-- can the child do it too?

Mortimer by Robert Munsch

Last (but not least) is Mortimer by Robert Munsch!  We love Mortimer - and all his noise! -- ”Clang, clang, rattle-bing-bang Gonna make my noise all day. Clang, clang, rattle-bing-bang Gonna make my noise all day.”  Children love to sing along with Mortimer as he makes his noise—and adding instruments to the mix makes for even more fun!

All these great books are available to borrow from the Ottawa Public Library!  Really love one of the titles and want to find something similar? Check out NoveList K-8 for read-alikes, recommendations, and we also have a vast array of children’s e-books and audiobooks to borrow available through Overdrive.

And don’t forget Tumblebooks—with read alongs for all ages including picture books as well as chapter books, and even songs!

Don’t have a library card yet?  No problem, you can register online!

Stay safe everyone, and we hope to see you all one day soon.