Can You Dig It?
Performer Paul Miller of Flow Circus takes us back to one memorable summer when his eccentric uncle comes to visit. Unlike any other adult Paul knows, his uncle opens up an exciting, new world of play through stories, books, juggling, magic, and more. More importantly, he encourages Paul not just to copy what others are doing, but to dig deeper and explore his own unique interests and talents.

Paul’s comedy juggling and magic show engages audiences of all ages. Credits include Disney Cruise Lines, Off-Broadway, and performances from coast to coast. He also loves to share his passion for play at schools, libraries, and camps throughout the year.

Our SRP 2013 tween/teen workshops will encourage participants to explore Beneath the Surface and discover skill-based talents such as juggling and skill toys at their library.

We currently have over 100 shows and workshops booked in 8 states, but there are still a few openings. Visit FlowCircus.com/Library for more information about our programs.

Visit the Connections Page for resources needed to get tweens and teens excited about juggling through hands-on workshops that you can run regardless of your juggling skill level. A reading list with both fiction and non-fiction books will help them dig deeper and explore their new interest in juggling. These resources can also serve as a model for other programming ideas to help bridge this gap.

This site has been developed with libraries in mind, but can easily be adapted for schools, camps, and afterschool programs. Flow Circus is available for hands-on training sessions to help your staff take full advantage of this resource. We are available to present sessions at conferences or regional meetings. These workshops are free if we are on tour in your area.

For other free resources and DIY projects, visit FlowCircus.com/freeresources.

We thought it fitting to plan a tour in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday which has been designated by the National Education Association as Read Across America. We will be traveling throughout the Northeast (MA, CT, NY, &NJ) the week of February 25 and the DC area the week of March 4th. We have already booked several shows, but still have openings available to help your community celebrate Dr. Seuss!

If you are interested in booking Paul’s Read Yourself Silly performance or any of our other programs for your school or library during this tour, visit FlowCircus.com for more information. For activity ideas and other resources from the NEA, visit their Read Across America page.

We are thrilled to announce that Dawn’s debut book Grounded for Good won a Moonbeam Award. It won the gold for Best First Book – Chapter Book. The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading. Each year’s entries are judged by a panel of youth educators, librarians, booksellers, and book reviewers of all ages.

Grounded for Good tells the story of 8th grader Derek Dawson’s summer gone wrong. After an incident on the last bus ride home from middle school, his plans of summer camp and hanging out with friends are dashed. Instead he must do community service at a library, work at his family’s store, and spend the rest of his time grounded at home. Torture, until he meets a colorful crew of kids in the next town that help him uncover his hidden talents. As one reader commented, “All in all, Grounded for Good is a book that will have you rooting for Derek Dawson from beginning to end as the searches for the answer to the question inside so many of us…Where do I fit in?“

To see the complete list of winners and categories, visit the Moonbeam Award website. Scroll down to #37 to see Dawn’s name. To learn more about the book visit DawnDaria.com and to order your copy of Grounded for Good, visit FlowCircusPress.com.

In Juggling Money, Paul tells the story of how a trip to the library led him on an adventure filled with high-flying juggling, amazing magic, and the wonders of circus. In the end, he learns that hard work and smart choices lead to rewarding results. The show had a wonderful response as you can see in these photos in our Photo Gallery and this quote from the Nancy Kay Holmes Library in Scranton:

In and of itself, his act (the magic tricks/pantomime/juggling) is amazing, but more importantly, the flawless (and fun!) way he incorporates the themes of Spending, Sharing, and Saving into his act is beyond impressive! Our parents and kids LOVED this event, and this was a TERRIFIC way to kick-off the PNC Grow Up Great financial literacy campaign!

To learn about our other library programs, visit FlowCircus.com/library. Contact Flow Circus if you are interested in learning more about Juggling Money or if your organization would be interested in having Flow Circus customize a performance or workshop to fit specific grant objectives.

Keeping with the tradition we started many years ago, we created a video with highlights from Dream Big – READ! performances. Even if you didn’t get to see Paul’s show this summer, you’ll be sure to get a laugh from the comical ways in which he tries to get the attention of his “mom.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

We are currently booking for the 2013 Dig into Reading Summer Reading Program. Visit FlowCircus.com/library for more information on our programs.

In

Flow Circus Press wants to help readers tap into their hidden talents this summer and Own The Night! The winning entry will win juggling equipment for the creators and their public library. It’s simple – create a book trailer for Grounded for Good and enter it in our contest by August 17th. If the trailer is selected, the team members will each get a signed copy of the book and a set of juggling balls. Their library wins a Flow Circus Juggling Kit which contains instructional materials, 20 sets of juggling balls, and other juggling equipment. Your library will have what it needs to start a juggling club that can meet throughout the year. For more information about the kit contents, visit our Teen Kit page.

Step 1: Read Grounded for Good
Information about how to access the book can be found at FlowCircus.com/teen. The digital version will be free all summer.

Step 2: Research
Watch examples of book trailers on-line to get ideas on how much information a book trailer should reveal. The trailer should demonstrate that you’ve read the book, but not give away too much of the story.

Find out what tools are available to make the trailer. If you want to use music, make sure it is royalty-free. Juggling doesn’t have to be in the video, but if you are thinking about including it, instructional juggling videos can be found at FlowCircus.com/teen.

Step 3: Brainstorm
Whether you are working alone or with a team of up to 4, dream big about your trailer. Spend time bouncing a bunch of ideas around before you settle on a plan.

Step 4: Create
Create a book trailer 1-2 minutes in length.

Step 5: Upload & Complete Entry Form
Upload your creation to youtube and tag it #GroundedforGood and complete the entry form by August 17, 2012. A winner will be selected from all eligible entries and the host library will be contacted by August 31st.

More information and other teen SRP resources for librarians can be found on our Own The Night page.

Sleeping late. Hanging with friends. Freedom.
Ah, Summer…
Derek Dawson couldn’t wait to finish middle school. Unfortunately, a heroic attempt to impress his classmates on the last bus ride home sends him right back to the principal’s office. He’s been in trouble before, but nothing like this.

Working for free. Musty books. Grounded.
Summer Ruined!
Derek’s summer leaves him stuck at home, working at the family store, and “volunteering” at a library. Torture, until he meets a colorful crew of kids in the next town that help him uncover his hidden talents. Will Derek finally be able to prove to his parents that he’s more than just a trouble-maker?

I’ve never fit in before. Football’s not my thing, video games aren’t my thing.
But now…now I’ve found my thing.

As we thought about Own the Night, the 2012 Teen Summer Reading Program theme, we figured many of you would go with the popular zombie, vampire, creatures of the night idea. We struggled at first with how to connect what we do with the theme because you don’t usually see juggling zombies! But when we refocused on our goal of helping kids discover new interests and skills that empower them, a variation on the theme seemed obvious: Take the Stage…Own the Night. Why not have teens learn new skills that provide them with the confidence and self-esteem to Own the Night.

We have compiled a variety of resources that start with teaching teens to juggle including DIY juggling balls that you can make with them on a shoe-string budget. But that’s just a starting point. Why not engage folks in your community to come in a do demonstrations on music, dance, storytelling, or other skills. We’ve also included ideas for showcasing teen talents from using them as opening acts for your SRP programs to a full talent show event. The materials have been developed with libraries in mind, but can easily be adapted for camps and afterschool programs.

All of these resources and more can be found at FlowCircus.com/OwnTheNight. Video contest coming May 1st. Join our mailing list to get details when available.

You can run these programs without us, but Flow Circus is available for family performances and teen workshops. Visit FlowCircus.com/library for more information.