Feed Me Books Friday: Answers to All Your Questions

Well, Almost All…

You won’t find suggestions here for the doozies – like where babies come from or what happened to the hamster – but I do have two good book suggestions for most of the others. Preschoolers and kindergarteners are notorious for their curiosity, and enormous cognitive growth occurs during these years as they explore, discover, and question the world around them.

Busy Minds, Lots to See

One of B’s favorite books for some time now has been Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day? It started out as a library check-out, which we renewed until our limit was up, and then I purchased a copy of our own. It includes a collection of stories that take place in Scarry’s famed Busytown. Stories include fighting a fire, building a house, and baking bread, among others. In typical Scarry fashion, the narrative is accompanied by lots of details and labels within the illustrations. B loves reading and re-reading individual stories – some he relates to experiences he is somewhat to thoroughly familiar with (like construction of a road) and others are adventures into new territory (like a trip on a cruise ship). I discovered when I went online to look for it that there is actually an earlier edition that includes some extra stories that might seem a little “dated” or “non-p.c.” to a modern audience. We didn’t miss them, since the library version we had checked out was the later edition, but I am curious – I don’t see a whole lot of value in “revision” of literature carried out by editors.

Lots of Options, Lots to Learn

This week we got to pick out a new book as a prize at our library as part of the summer reading program. All About Things People Do, by Melanie and Chris Rice, is like a slightly younger cousin of Scarry’s collection. Its copyright is 1989, meaning some advances in technology, diversity, and gender equality, but still outside the age of laptops and cell phones. Each page spread has a different theme, including Doing Repairs, Entertainers, and Bringing the News. Many themes include a sequence of tasks, some simply have snapshot-style descriptions of various professions. Many pages also include insets that highlight activities children can try within the theme, like making a clay pot in the Hands at Work theme or identifying athletic gear in the Sports theme. There is also a useful index of professions that helps when your little one gets curious.

Appropriate for: preschoolers, primary grades.

We’re enjoying a variety of activities and other rewards as part of the summer reading program at our library. My explorer, B, is really enjoying the travel theme. Are you signed up at your library? I’d love to hear what’s going on in other places!

Read more...

Happy Earth Day!

5 Earth-Friendly Ways to Make Some Space on Your Bookshelves:

• Donate to your local library, goodwill, salvation army, etc.
• Have a yard sale, sell valuable books online.
• Include “outgrown” books with hand-me-down clothing shared with relatives or friends.
• Create puzzle blocks with favorite book art/characters a-la The Mother Lode.
• Make a paperback shape “sculpture” a-la Cheeky Magpie.

Photo credit: woodley wonderworks via flickr.
5 Earth-Friendly Ways to Feed a Book-Lover

• Visit your local library for a never ending supply!
• Host a book exchange among friends or participate in paperback swap.
• Shop library book sales or thrift stores for gently used books.
• If you shop on-line (like me) be sure to recycle packaging!
• Add Earth-friendly titles like I Love Our Earth! by Bill Martin Jr. and Recycle by Gail Gibbons to help your child understand why being earth-minded matters.

 






Bonus: The text of I Love Our Earth is a free verse poem with some beautiful illustrations – so it fits right in with our celebration of poetry month.
I have yet to find an Easter book that I’m really in love with – we have come across a few that are ok or even entertaining, but not great – can you help? There must be some egg-cellent ones out there! (sorry – couldn’t help the pun…)

Read more...

Feed Me Books Friday: Library Appreciation Week

A Little Goes a Long Way

As a former public school teacher, and as a mom, I can attest to the fact that it only takes a few words of gratitude to make someone’s day. At our public library branch, National Library Week comes and goes without much hoopla. I have to imagine the drastic budget cuts and short-staffing don’t leave much room for celebration, but I don’t want the caring staffers who entertain, motivate, and instruct to go unnoticed. Last year, we made a poster with a short “thank-you” verse highlighted by some strategically placed candies. (If you’re interested in the full text of the verse, leave me a comment and I’ll email it to you.) This time, our project is a combination of this year’s theme (Create Your Own Story @ Your Library) and an extension of a library-themed book we recently found – where else? – at the library!

An Alphabetic Introduction:

When I came across L is for Library during one of our weekly visits, my first thought was “yikes! I hope I didn’t miss library appreciation week!” My second thought was, “If I didn’t, I’ve got to do something fun with this book!” Sonya Terry’s rhyming tour of the library functions both as a review of the letters of the alphabet and a introduction to library vocabulary for young listeners. A is for author, D is for Dewey decimal system, F is for fiction, and while the couplet on for each letter gives a brief explanation, opportunities abound for extended explanation of the vocabulary presented. The illustrations include lots of humorous details that invite close and repeated readings. While the bouncy rhymes (April is poetry month, after all) and funny illustrations are enough to keep listeners entertained, the language begs for expansion and cognitive development.
Appropriate for: Toddlers, Preschoolers, Primary Grades


Our Story:

Letters and beginning sounds are the topic of conversations, questions, and games more and more often lately. So I decided to use L is for Library as a jumping off point for our appreciation project. We are actively building our list of alphabetic words that B associates with the library and his activities there. So far, we have B is for book, F is for friends, and S is for songs, among others. My plan is to have B illustrate each word on a square of paper, then assemble the squares quilt-style for presentation to our children’s library staff. I’ll add a picture once we complete the project this weekend.


A Couple Worthwhile Links:

• Use this page from the American Library Association to find out current political issues facing libraries and how you can become involved.
  
  
• This interesting compilation of 85 reasons to be thankful for librarians is sometimes serious, sometimes tongue in cheek.
  
  1. You can find a bunch of lesson resources if you want to expand on library appreciation with your little on at home. There’s even a playlist of library songs, including: "The Story of My Feelings" by Laurie Berkner, "Tell Me Another Story" by Barney Saltzberg, "When You Start to Read" by Russ, "Go Wild - READ" by Lucas Miller, "Seven Nights to Read" by The Good Rockin' Daddies, "Hangin' Out with Heroes at the Library" and "Take Me to Your Library" by Monty Harper, "At the Library" by Hap Palmer, "Library" by Meeka and her Cool Cousins, "The Library Boogie" by Tom Knight, and "The Library" by Barney.If you’d enjoy another great library-themed book, check out my Comin’ Down to Storytime post from last year’s Love My Library link-up at Little Page Turners.
     
  
  
  Give your library a shout-out in the comments!
   
  
  
  
  
  
  

Read more...

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Read Across America is an event that is near and dear to my heart for obvious reasons: I majored in literature in college, taught language arts and literacy, adore reading with my boys, and voraciously devour anything in print! B has a rather enormous collection of Dr. Seuss books thanks to Mommy’s aforementioned love-affair with text and Daddy’s appreciation for nonsense and silliness. Daddy’s favorite is probably Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? He’s excellent at the sound effects. Mommy’s favorite is hard to pick between I Can Read with My Eyes Shut and Oh the Thinks You Can Think. I have a fondness for the light-hearted but genuine message of each. B can’t commit to a favorite. It depends on the day, but it seemed only appropriate to enjoy Happy Birthday to You! in honor of Dr. Seuss and it is one of B’s top picks.


Celebration Time!

We began our celebration in preschool a day early (since B's program only meets two days per week) with a cute striped hat project and a reading of There’s a Wocket in My Pocket. The creation of all the nonsense words for the purpose of entertaining rhymes emphasizes the importance of recognizing rhymes for preschoolers and understanding the letter and phonics patterns present. (But it’s really fun to read aloud too! *wink*) All the kids in their hats were adorable – so what if they didn’t all get the red-white pattern! My privacy-minded readers will appreciate the blurred faces in this shot of the class, and the rest will just have to understand. For the official birthday, we’ll celebrate with green eggs and ham for breakfast. (I’ll update with a photo if they come out remotely appetizing.) We’ll enjoy some more of our Seuss collection and other favorite books. And what better outing for Read Across America Day than a trip to the library? It just so happens to be preschool story day, and I’m hoping for some Seuss-inspired fun there too.



Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast
B was leery at first, but gobbled them up!

Who wants a Cupcake?

We love our library staff, and B has many friends that we see regularly at story-hour, so I decided to whip-up a little birthday treat to share. I intend to create Cat in the Hat cupcakes in the morning before library time – hopefully it will be both a fun celebration activity and a cool treat to share. I’ve got some inspiration for marshmallow hats from Sugar Swings and smaller scale lifesaver hats from Kara’s Cupcakes, but I’m toying with a creation involving ice cream cone hats… will certainly post photos if successful.

Chocolate cupcake baked in ice cream cone.
Oreo cookie "head" attached with frosting.
Paper hat and face.

The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About…

Reading. When the National Education Association created Read Across America in 1997 to motivate young readers and encourage adults to make reading to children a priority, selecting Dr. Seuss’s birthday to mark the event only added to the significance. Dr. Seuss books are among the most widely recognized, easily readable, thoroughly enjoyable, timelessly collectible books to be had. The flagship of our celebration, Happy Birthday to You, is appropriate any day of the year. Whether your birthday celebrations are small family affairs or complex extravaganzas, you’ll enjoy the birthday adventures in Katroo, escorted by the Birthday Bird. In classic Seuss-style, the language and imagination are over the top, but the underlying message is at once simple and profound. The focus of the celebration in Katroo is “If we didn’t have birthdays, you wouldn’t be you.” Besides enjoying hotdogs on spools and mustard-off pools and the Birthday Pal-alace, readers are encouraged to shout out loud, “I am what I am! That’s a great thing to be!” And that is a message I think anyone could use, any day of the year.

Appropriate for everyone!


Will you be celebrating Read Across America? What are your plans?



Check out more fun projects and ideas at Obseussed!

Read more...

Make a Splash with Ocean Books, Crafts, and Activities

Waves of Reading Fun

Have you signed up for the summer reading program at your local library? This year’s theme (at most public libraries) is Make a Splash – READ! We got signed up last week and we’ve been enjoying all the activities our local branch has to offer. We attend children’s story hour on a regular basis, but it’s exciting to see so many new families making the library a part of their summer vacation. Our library staff is really playing to the theme.


Sparkly Fish Decoration


This week’s story hour craft was a cute and easy fish to hang in your window or on your patio. Materials include: 2 CDs or DVDs (out of style or a little scratched are just fine), craft foam in the color of your choice, glue, thread or floss, and optional googly eyes or stickers.

• You’ll cut two triangular fins, fishy lips, a tail, and a center fin shaped like an eight from the craft foam.
• Glue the edges of the triangular fins, tail, and lips just inside the edge of the label side of the first CD.
• Glue second CD on top, label sides together.
• Push center fin through holes of CDs. Punch a small hole in top fin and thread hanger through.
•  Add eyes to CD with stick-ons or markers.

I don’t have the templates as all pieces were precut for us, but if it gives you fits, contact me and I’ll trace the pieces from B’s.

Vacation-Inspiring Learning Activity


Another fun feature this week was a presentation on tide pool life. The kids listened to a short presentation on the animals that inhabit different types of seashells while they passed around examples. Then they got to practice their matching, detective, and map skills as they looked for creatures matching their handout in gridded tide pool model boxes around the room. B was not really ready for the grid skills (the octopus is in B7), but we treated it like a game of Eye Spy: he looked at the pictures on the handout, pointed them out in the boxes, and I recorded. After looking at all the seashells and listening to the conch, I’m longing for the beach!

Oceans: Fiction and Non Fiction

We couldn’t enjoy these activities without taking home some ocean-themed books, and I decided the combination of the fish craft and the shell demonstration was a good bridge to the concepts of fiction and non-fiction. Preschool is the age to differentiate the cognitive concepts of fantasy and reality, and all it takes is an explicit mention of which stories are true and which are imaginary. We brought home Life in an Ocean, by Carol Lindeen, and Over in the Ocean, by Marianne Berkes. Life in an Ocean introduces several sea creatures with simple text and photo illustrations. It also includes a short glossary and additional ocean facts at the back. Over in the Ocean is a variation on the traditional Over in the Meadow poem, and you can count sea creatures and enjoy the rhythm and rhyme.

Appropriate for: Toddlers, Preschoolers

Linking up With:

Read Aloud Thursday

Feed Me Books Friday

Meme’s the Word (on Saturday)

Wishing Janna at The Adventure of Motherhood an enjoyable, well-deserved break as she takes July off from Feed Me Books Friday. Each week will be “guest-hosted” by some FMBF regulars, including ME! I’m excited to be part of one of my favorite memes. Hope you’ll come back here July 23 and link up!

Read more...