The World’s Greatest Elephant by Ralph Helfer
From Miss Jennie at Ontario Branch

This is one of my favorite non-fiction books.  It is a touching story, beautifully illustrated, of a boy and an elephant and an amazing friendship that lasted a lifetime.  In a little town in Germany many years ago, a boy and an elephant were born on the same day, in the same hour.  The father, an animal trainer in a small circus, named them both and hoped that they would always be together.

As the boy, Bram, and the elephant, Modoc, grew, they developed a bond of friendship like none other. Bram promised his friend that they would never be separated, no matter what happened.  Little did he know how difficult it would be to keep this promise.  The friends faced many incredible adventures as they tried to stay together.  The death of Bram’s father, shipwrecks, work camps, jail and fire could not keep Bram and Modoc apart.  It was only when the circus owner secretly sold Modoc, that they actually became separated.  Many years passed as Bram searched for his friend. Then one day, Bram, an old man now, happened upon a rancher who trained animals for motion pictures.  It was there that he and Modoc were finally reunited, spending the rest of their days together.

Here at the library, we have The World’s Greatest Elephant as well as a more in-depth, grown-up read, Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived, also by Ralph Helfer.

More From the Web

• Find author and animal trainer/behaviorist Ralph Helfer on Facebook!
• Check out San Diego Zoo’s elephant page!
• For more information about elephants, take a look at free downloadable curriculum from The Elephant Sanctuary. (Note: Adobe Reader is required for these documents.)

We don’t really need an official day or week or month to celebrate books, because around here, we LOVE books! 

This week is Children’s Book Week, so we’ve come up with some great ideas for you and your family to come together and share children’s books-whether they are new, old, or somewhere in between:

• Take turns picking favorite bedtime stories to read to each other, a new one every night.
• Look at the past years’ Newbery and Caldecott award books and pick one you haven’t read before (the winners usually get lots of acclaim, but the honor books are really great, too!).
• Pick a day to dress up as your favorite book characters and act out stories.
• Read in unusual places or ways like outside on a blanket, at the park, at the grocery store, on the bus, or to your dog. Take a picture and share it with your family and friends!
• Pick a favorite story to use as a theme for a meal.  For example, read the classic Pancakes, Pancakes! by favorite author/illustrator Eric Carle or the newer Tyler Makes Pancakes! by star chef Tyler Florence, then make pancakes for your family.
• Read a book by an Australian children’s author like Mem Fox, Jackie French, or Graeme Base.  Did you know that the Burnside Library in Adelaide, South Australia is our sister library?  Join our sister library Facebook page and help us choose which book to read in our One Book-Two Continents Program to be held later this summer.

More From the Web

• Learn more about Children’s Book Week and enjoy some great ideas for celebrating
• Print your own bookmark illustrated by Grace Lin
• Beginning May 14th, see this year’s Children’s Choice Book Award winners and finalists for books of the year (with separate awards for K-2nd, 3rd-4th, 5th-6th, and teen), author of the year, and illustrator of the year
• Catch up on all book-related news for children and teens from The Children’s Book Council

When it comes to early literacy and learning, we think of colors, shapes, letters, numbers, and… our five senses!  Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling all help young ones learn about the world around them.  And it makes a great hands-on story time!

Here at the library, we have plenty of books relating to the five senses!  First, try a story about a little one who uses his senses as he follows his family during a busy day in Bear’s Busy Family by Stella Blackstone.  Another great picture book about using the five senses to explore the world is Five for a Little One by Chris Raschka.  If you are looking for a great fact-based title, try My Five Senses by Aliki or The Five Senses by Adele Ciboul.

And that’s not all! Look at these titles we have to offer!

Five Senses Book List (Word Document/.doc file)

Many rhymes incorporate the five senses.  Here are a just a few of our favorites!

Use Your Eyes
(Can be sung to Frère Jacques)
Use your eyes, use your eyes.
You can look and see.
If you’re wearing socks
Point them out to me.
(Repeat with shoes, pants/skirt, shirt)

Did You Ever Hear…?
Did you ever hear a bell ring,
a bell ring, a bell ring?
Did you ever hear a bell ring?
Ding, dong, ding, dong, ding.
Did you ever hear the wind blow,
The wind blow, the wind blow?
Did you ever hear the wind blow?
Whooo, whooo, whooo, whooo, whooo.
Did you ever hear a clock tick,
A clock tick, a clock tick?
Did you ever hear a clock tick?
Tick, tock, tick, tick, tock, tick.
Did you ever hear a train whistle,
A train whistle, a train whistle?
Did you ever hear a train whistle?
Choo, choo, choo, choo, choo.

I Use My Five Senses
(Tune: The Farmer in the Dell)
Author Unknown
I use my eyes to see, I use my eyes to see,
And when I want to see a star, I use my eyes to see.
I use my nose to smell, I use my nose to smell,
And when I want to smell a flower, I use my nose to smell.
I use my tongue to taste, I use my tongue to taste,
And when I want to taste a peach, I use my tongue to taste.
I use my ears to hear, I use my ears to hear,
And when I want to hear a bird, I use my ears to hear.
I use my hands to touch, I use my hands to touch,
And when I want to touch a cat, I use my hands to touch.

You can add some cool tunes to your story time with these music selections!

• Kiss Your Brain! by Dr. Jean (Song #20: Five Senses)
• Circle Time Activities by Georgiana Stewart (Song #4: My Five Senses)
• Science Songs by Have Fun Teaching (Song #6: Senses Song)

How about some activities to teach little ones about their five senses?  Fun With My 5 Senses: Activities to Build Learning Readiness by Sarah A. Williamson contains many activities focusing on the five senses and learning readiness.  Sensory boxes are a fun option for trying out the sense of touch.  Or try some sensory activity worksheets to familiarize your child with the world around them.  Little Giraffes offers several five senses teaching theme ideas.  If that’s not enough to choose from, Twiggle Magazine has even more activities to try!

Finally, here are some great craft ideas to wrap up your five senses story time!

• Five Senses Magazine Activity
• Preschool Five Senses Arts and Crafts
• Texture Flip Books
  Provide materials such as cotton balls, sandpaper, plastic wrap, leaves, yarn, silk fabric and Velcro. Give each child a stack of half sheets of construction paper. Help the children glue or staple a different textured item onto each piece of paper. Have the children describe how each item feels and write their words on the page next to the item. Punch holes in the top or sides of the paper sheets and tie them together with strips of yarn to create a flip book. Ask the children to find different textures in their books and have them show you which item they turned to.

Enjoy!

With the school year winding down and the weather warming up, we’ve got lots of reasons to love the month of May.  A great reason, though, to celebrate this month is that it’s Get Caught Reading Month!  This could be just the excuse you need to pick up a book and plop down somewhere comfy and start reading.

We certainly do love reading, but one of the things we’re most excited about around here is that we’re gearing up for our Summer Library Program.  We begin in June (so we have a month yet to go), but we had a kickoff last Saturday with Trucks, Trucks, and More Trucks & Community Helpers.  This year our theme is “Dig into Reading,” so we had all sorts of big machines and trucks out in the parking lot and some awesome community helpers in the second floor lobby.  We rounded out the event with crafts, a scavenger hunt, and of course, lots and lots of books.  Check out these great truck books and activities.

We are also pleased to offer Scholastic’s Bookflix to our customers to use either in the library or at home with a valid library card.  Getting caught reading just got a whole lot more fun for you and your kids! You can access Bookflix on your computer or tablet.  Bookflix is best suited for children ages 3-9, and offers fictional video storybooks that are paired with nonfiction eBooks.  You can have the story read to you or can choose to read along with it.  There are also pairs of books in Spanish, and included are games, activities, and other teacher and parent resources.

Use whatever excuse you need, but go get caught reading during the month of May!

More From the Web

• Tons of resources and great ideas from ReadWriteThink.org
• More info from Get Caught Reading
• Check out these celebrities getting “caught”

Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst, illustrated by Lane Smith
From Miss Terry at Main

Lulu, a small girl who is a giant pain, is used to getting whatever she wants and lots of it. When her parents tell her no, that she may not have a Brontosaurus for a birthday gift, Lulu tells her parents “Foo on you!” and sets out on her own to find one. When the tables are turned, Lulu almost becomes what she set out to find…a pet!

Lulu’s story is full of danger and adventure with quite a few laughs. She learns some valuable lessons and makes a few friends along the way. A cautionary tale for demanding children and their parents, this story is a perfect book for an adult and a child to share together. Lulu and the Brontosaurus is recommended for school age children.

This would pair perfectly with a couple of picture books from our collection that talk about wanting impossible pets:

• Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown
• Can I Have a Stegosaurus, Mom? Can I? Please!? by Lois Grambling
• Can I Have a Tyrannosaurus Rex, Dad? Can I? Please!? by Lois Grambling

Want more Lulu?  Check out the next great adventure, Lulu Walks the Dog, by Judith Viorst and Lane Smith.

This month’s craft from Miss Melanie will get everyone in the mood for spring! Grass grows in everyone’s yard but did you know you can also grow it inside? But why would you want to? Because you can turn it into your very own Grass Head!

Using supplies from around the house and some grass seed, you can easily start your own Grass Head.

What you need:

• An old pair of pantyhose (Miss Melanie used knee-highs)
• Grass seed
• Sawdust or potting mix (Miss Melanie used potting soil)
• A small plastic container to put the grass head in

To make your grass head, cut several inches off the toe end of the pantyhose. This will be the head of your grass head. Put a couple teaspoons (or more) of grass seed in the toe and add plenty of sawdust or potting soil on top. Pack the soil down and tie a knot in the open end of the pantyhose. You will want to leave about an inch beyond the knot–if you have more, trim it.

You can also decorate your grass head with beads, buttons, and felt. Miss Melanie used pins to attach buttons, felt, and large sequins to her grass head to make a face. Place your grass head in the empty plastic container with the knot in the bottom. Fill the container with plenty of water and place it on a sunny windowsill or somewhere it will get a lot of sunlight.

Now the hardest part–waiting for the grass to grow! It will take several days but little green shoots should start sprouting out the top of the grass head. Be sure to check the water content every day and keep your grass head really moist so it will grow.

Once your grass head grows a fine head of hair, you can play barber and give it a trim! Don’t worry if you cut it too short though–it will always grow back.

Check out some of the other grass heads made during Miss Melanie’s Grass Heads program!

Here’s an alternative to this project using an eggshell. Or try a super simple project option for preschoolers.

Happy crafting!

Sunday, April 21st is National Kindergarten Day.  Here at the library we love educating and entertaining young minds in order to prepare them for school.  In addition to story times, we also have early literacy resources and tips that will help you, as parents, get your child ready for kindergarten.

Some of the basic activities you can do at home or anywhere you go include reading, talking, singing, writing, and playing.  This is part of the Every Child Ready to Read @ Your Library (ECRR) initiative sponsored by PLA, the Public Library Association (a division of the American Library Association) and ALSC, the Association for Library Services to Children.  Other than being a mouthful, what exactly does this mean?

Basically, you as a parent have the opportunity and the responsibility to be your child’s first teacher.  Here are some practical ways you can prepare your child to be a better learner:

• Read daily to your child.  Ask questions about the stories you read and have your child retell the story.  Visit the library (we love that suggestion!) and let your child select her own books.
• Talk with your child about what is happening each day.  Talk about your routine as you are doing it.  Allow your child to talk to you as well, and ask follow-up questions.  Give words to things and ideas you come across and add more detail to what your child says.
• Sing nursery rhymes and silly songs together.  Sing the alphabet song to help your child become familiar with letter names.  Clap along to the rhythm in songs to help him hear the separate syllables in each word.
• Write things down and let your child pretend to read them.  Encourage writing with a variety of of crayons, pencils, pens, and markers.  Point out print all around you and spell out the letters as you see them.
• Play is one of the best avenues for children to learn.  Pretending to do the things they see mommy or daddy do helps them express themselves and put thoughts into words.  When you encourage play, you are helping your children learn important things like how to share, how to take turns, and how to solve problems.

Most area schools either have already had or will soon be having their own kindergarten registration.  Your child will most likely be evaluated to see how ready he or she is to start school in the fall.  If you notice that your child is slightly behind, there are lots of things you can do over the next few months to give her a jump start.  One of the best things you can do is to join our Summer Library Program, which runs through June and July.  You can also focus on basics like shapes, colors, the alphabet, and writing and drawing.

More Resources

• Connect with ECRR on Facebook.
• Ohio’s own Ready to Read initiative goes right along with ECRR.
• This Ohio Department of Education pdf guide tells families what they can do to help their child get ready for kindergarten.
• Here’s what your child needs to know by the end of kindergarten, which is based on the Common Core State Standards adopted by Ohio and 44 other states.

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April 14-20 is National Library Week! 

That’s great for you, but for us, every month is Library Month, every week is Library Week and every day is Library Day!  We don’t typically do things much differently around here because we always love helping people find books and information, read books in story time, and offer movies and music for your entertainment — and we do that every day — so this week is business as usual.

If you need additional reasons why you should come to the library (apart from the most obvious ones), then read on.  You may find some great new reasons to come to the library this week and see what we have to offer.

• Did you know that the library offers computer classes?  We’ve got classes including basics like help with word processing and spreadsheets, tips on staying safe online, and information about eReaders.  We also offer individualized help in the computer lab at the Main Library, which is open whenever the library is open.
• Job searching and resume preparation have never been easier.  We’ve got resources galore for helping adults and youth gain employment.
• In addition to programs and story time for young children, the library also offers programs for adults and teens.  Each branch location has their own schedule, but you can check out all the goings-on in our newsletter, At The Library, which is published quarterly.
• The library has a conference room and a community room that the public is welcome to use.  For free!  All you have to do is check our community calendar for availability, then call 419-521-3100 to reserve a room.
• Cub Scout packs and Girl Scout troops love coming to the library for a quick tour, which can include the Sherman Room and a focus on local history.  We can also show you how to use the microfilm machine and your scouts can find out what happened in Mansfield on any certain day using the newspaper archive and index.
• We offer a huge selection of eBooks and eAudiobooks that you can check out from home!  All you need to do is get your device ready and follow the directions we’ve outlined for you.  If you need one-on-one help, the computer lab staff are only a call or visit away.  We also subscribe to BookFlix, an online literary resource for children in preschool through third grade and their parents that pairs classic video storybooks with related nonfiction eBooks to build a love of reading and learning.  This is something you can access at home with a valid library card and your children can enjoy books just right for them on their computer or tablet.
• Do you ever wonder what you as a parent can do to make sure your child is successful in school?  The library has numerous resources available to help with early literacy and kindergarten readiness.  We can also recommend books to help struggling readers improve their skills.
• We don’t carry every single book ever published, but if we don’t have a book you want, chances are that we can get it from another library for free.  We are linked with SearchOhio, a consortium of other Ohio libraries, that allow their items to be checked out at other libraries.  We also have the capability of connecting with many of the state’s public and private universities and technical colleges through OhioLink.

Thanks for stopping by.  We hope you have found lots of reasons to visit the library during National Library Week — not that you ever even need a reason to come see what’s new!

The Black Rabbit by Philippa Leathers
From Miss Terry at Main Library

Rabbit steps out of his home into a beautiful sunny morning only to find a big black rabbit that follows him everywhere he goes. No matter what Rabbit tries, running, hiding, even swimming, he cannot seem to escape the big black rabbit! Finally, he runs into the deep dark woods where he seems to be safe only to find trouble of another kind. As he waits for the worst to happen, Rabbit finds that some troubles aren’t nearly as bad as you think.

This fun picture book uses a simple science concept to take a look at being afraid.

You can find The Black Rabbit in our catalog. If you are looking for a book about being afraid, we also have Let’s Talk About Being Afraid by Anna Kreiner. Or check out Follow It! Learn About Shadows by Pamela Hall.

More From the Web

• Check out author and illustrator Philippa Leathers’ website!
• Download a story-hour kit from Candlewick Press, featuring The Black Rabbit and great other books!
• Find more reviews and a few learning prompts on the Teach Mentor Texts blog.

Spring is finally on its way, so what better topic for story time than . . . moose?  OK, well, maybe there are things better suited to spring (like cute baby animals, gardens, rain, or mud), but we’ve got some terrific moose books to share and we couldn’t wait for a better time!

Taking a look at some of our picture books, we of course have to include If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff.  Moosestache by Margie Palatini is another must (don’t forget the Christmas title Mooseltoe or the family-reunion-favorite Moosekitos).  From there, let’s not forget that Dr. Seuss character Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose.  Even though it’s a bit long, you may find that your kids will sit still for this classic story.

Some of our newer titles include the animal alphabet book Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham; Ernest, the Moose Who Doesn’t Fit by Catherine Rayner about an oversized moose just trying to fit in; and This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers, which shows that moose may not be the ideal pet.

Take a look at all the moose books we have to offer!

Moose Books Booklist (Word Document/.doc file)

Next, we’ve got some rhymes and fingerplays to fill in the gaps.

This Little Moose
This little moose went to market
This little moose stayed home.
This little moose had grass and twigs.
This little moose had none.
And this little moose went trot, trot, trot,
All the way home.

Mr. Moose
Mr. Moose is very tall (put hands to head for antlers)
His antlers touch the sky (hands high up in the air)
They make a real good resting place (put hands out to sides)
For birdies passing by (flap arms like wings)

Ten Big Muffins
Ten big muffins on the window sill.
Moose came along and ate his fill.
Now how many muffins are on the window sill?

_____ big muffins are on the window sill.
Moose came along and ate his fill.
Now how many muffins are on the window sill?

(Continue)

_____ big muffin(s) on the window sill.
Moose came along and ate his fill.
Now no more muffins are on the window sill.

(This would make a great flannel with decorated muffins that you take down one at a time.)

Don’t forget the music — we’ve got some awesome tunes to give you something to sing about.

• #1 Best Kids’ Songs by The Learning Station (song #6: Fred the Moose)
• Moose Tunes for Kids by Brent Holmes (any songs)
• Penguin Parade by Banana Slug String Band (song #11: Moose)
• Rockin’ in the Forest with Farmer Jason (song #6: He’s a Moose on the Loose)

Last, we’ve got some fantastic crafts and coloring pages just right to finish your story time.

• Moose Doorknob Hanger
• Moose Head Coloring Page (cut out and put on a long strip of paper to make a headband)
• Moose Paper Bag Puppet
• Moose Toilet Paper Roll Craft
• Rainbow Shape Moose

Enjoy the spring weather and watch out for moose (at least during story time!).

Congratulations to this year’s winners of our annual Poetry Contest!

April is National Poetry Month.  For many years now, we’ve sponsored a poetry contest and have had some awesome poems turned in. We want to thank everyone who submitted an original poem this year! There were many great entries–it was a task to choose just a few winners!

We chose three winners from each of our two age categories (grades 1 – 3 and grades 4 – 5). Each of the winning poems are displayed at Main Library in the Children’s Department. If you can, stop by to check out the winners’ original poems–a few include original artwork as well!

Here are our 2013 winners!

Grades 1 – 3 Category
First Place

Caden Stewart
2nd Grade
Foundation Academy

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs Dinosaurs
listen how they roar,
Dinosaurs Dinosaurs
watch how they soar,
Dinosaurs Dinosaurs
listen how they stomp,
Dinosaurs Dinosaurs
watch how they chomp.

Grades 1 – 3 Category
Second Place

Molly Bradbury
3rd Grade
Lexington Central

I Like, I Love

I like sweets
I love treats
I like fun
I love the sun
I like nooks
I love books
I like and love my library,
‘Cause I think it’s extraordinary

Grades 1 – 3 Category
Third Place

Alexia Gerber
3rd Grade
Mansfield Spanish Emersion

Flowers
Flowers
Beautiful Sweet
Waving Blooming Dropping
Pleasant rainbows in the meadow.
Flying Hiding Surprising
Billowing Adorable
Butterflies

Grades 4 – 5 Category
First Place

Grace Maurer
5th Grade
St. Peter’s Elementary

Nature
Lightning
lightning strikes,
hits the ground,
lights the sky,
all around.
Lights the sky,
strikes the tree,
sends electricity.
River
River flows,
peacefully,
for the deer,
and the bee.
Grass
Grass is my blanket,
and home for the insects,
I can look at the stars,
and lay on the ground.
Tree
Tree is the home of my friends,
birds, squirrels, owls, raccoons
climb the tree,
the fun never ends.
Rain
Rain waters my friends,
the trees, flowers and grass,
leaving dew and the ground,
the sun makes it look like glass.
Sun
Sun lights the way of the earth,
glimmering in the day,
the big ball of fire,
sets during the night.

Grades 4 – 5 Category
Second Place

Olivia Togliatti
5th Grade
St. Peter’s

 

The Silent Woods

Leaves glide to the ground.
All is quiet
Except for the sound of birds chirping,
Talking amongst each other.
The river splashes against the sharp rocks,
Sounding peaceful and active.
The sly fox hides behind a bush
Waiting for something to come.
The wise owl spies from its tree,
The lone wolf howls at the bright full moon.
Although the woods may seem silent,
Everything within it is lively and beautiful.

Grades 4 – 5 Category
Second Place

Ethan Schmitz             
4th Grade
Homeschool

Chameleons

Chameleons are fun.
Chameleons are neat.
They’re the coolest lizards
you ever could meet.

They have amazing eyes
like telescopes.
Their interesting tails
look like ropes.

Their tongue is like a suction cup
so they can catch their prey.
Birds, mice, insects, frogs
should get out of the way.

I really like chameleons,
mostly for their colors:
Purple, orange, blue, green…
along with many others.

Courage Has No Color: The True Story of the Triple Nickles by Tanya Lee Stone
From Miss Caroline at Main

Set against the backdrop of the early to mid-1940s, this is the true story of a group of black servicemen who were serving in the military like their white counterparts with the Service Company of The Parachute School (TPS) out of Fort Benning, Georgia.  Unlike the white paratroopers, however, they were not put into the actual paratrooper training program, but were assigned to patrol and guard the facility.

Although the men were good at doing the job assigned to them, they were left without a real purpose, and felt like they had more to offer than the assigned service duties like driving trucks, cooking, doing laundry, guarding facilities, or unloading cargo.  Tanya Lee Stone’s book Courage Has No Color offers an untold history of these men.

As one soldier said: “It is hard to identify one’s self with fighting a war, when all one does is dig ditches.” And so begins the journey of these men who wanted an opportunity to contribute to the war in a meaningful way.  They wanted “to act like soldiers, not servants.”  The men then began to secretly train and do the same exercises the white paratroopers were doing and morale began to go up.  Surprisingly, the commanding officers not only allowed the training to continue when they were found out, but they authorized the creation of an all-black unit of paratroopers: the 555th (Triple Nickles) Parachute Infantry Company.

The story goes on to document and tell of the hardship and discrimination the Triple Nickles faced during integration and training.  The Triple Nickles persevered and went on to become highly trained and ready paratroopers.  Although they didn’t face active combat, they became smokejumpers, receiving training from the Forest Service and jumping from airplanes to combat wildfires on America’s west coast.  Two years after the Japanese surrendered, the Triple Nickles were eventually integrated into the 82nd Airborne, as the 3rd Batallion of the 505th Parachute Infantry Brigade, finally achieving their goal to become not just black soldiers, but American soldiers.

This is a fascinating look at one of the lesser-known groups of men to train and serve in the military in World War II, and  would be a great pairing with a look at either the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II, or the Buffalo Soldiers of the Spanish American War.  Full of interesting stories and factual information, this is truly nonfiction at it’s finest!

Did you know that author Tanya Lee Stone also won the Sibert Medal for Almost Astronauts: The True Story of the “Mercury 13″ Women in 2010?  We also have 20 other books written by the author in our catalog, with topics ranging from the story of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor, to famous Americans like Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Earhart, and Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Today is author Lois Lowry‘s birthday!

Possibly best known for her Newbery Award winning titles The Giver and Number the Stars, Ms. Lowry was born 76 years ago today in Hawaii. She wanted to write from an early age–writing is what she liked best in school. When she grew up, Ms. Lowry wanted to write books for adults, and even published a couple textbooks. Someone suggested she write children’s books, and she decided to give it a try. This undertaking, along with her love of writing stories and poems in her childhood, turned into more than 30 published children’s books!

Did you know that Ms. Lowry likes photography and bridge, and she enjoys knitting, traveling, and reading in her spare time? If you were to visit her, you may find her at her desk writing but she would stop to share tea with you and chat. Many of Ms. Lowry’s books are based on her personal experiences while others are based on ideas. However, all of her books focus on the importance of human connections.

Even though many of Ms. Lowry’s books are about serious topics, she infuses humor and fun into some, such as in her Anastasia Krupnik series. People label some of Ms. Lowry’s books as science fiction but she doesn’t consider herself a sci-fi writer. She writes to convey to others what she feels about the world and how humans are connected. So what inspires Ms. Lowry to write?

“I write books because I have always been fascinated by stories and language, and because I love thinking about what makes people tick. Writing a story… The Giver or any other… is simply an exploration of the nature of behavior: why people do what they do, how it affects others, how we change and grow, and what decisions we make along the way. Added to that, I love the process of finding the right rhythm of words, and then putting it all together, finally, to make a book.”
(Taken from Lois Lowry Interview Transcript on Scolastic.com)

Help us celebrate the birthday of an awesome author!

Check out this video interview from TIME for Kids!

More From the Web

• For more video interviews with Ms. Lowry, check out this site!
• An interesting author study of Ms. Lowry can be found on this children’s literature site.
• How well do you know Ms. Lowry? Take this quiz to find out!
• Look for The Giver movie being released sometime in the future!

In the past we’ve put the spotlight on authors or illustrators that we like or who have had birthdays.  Today, however, we are going to spotlight something a bit different.  We recently moved our children’s music CDs from the Audiovisual Department to the Children’s Department.  Many people may not have noticed the change, but we love having the music closer to us–it helps in preparing for story time and it makes our area more convenient for “one-stop” selecting.

So in honor of those children’s music CDs, we are going to show off a portion of our collection that is underutilized:  the lullaby and instrumental sleepytime CDs.  These are perfect not only for new parents and their fussy babies, but also for long car rides or quiet times at home.  Now, we’ve certainly got many of the traditional lullabies, but we also have some new (ish) CDs that will rock your socks off (but in a soothing way!).

The Rockabye Baby series of music takes rock music from well-known singers and bands and turns it into instrumental versions of your favorite songs.  Who says you can’t rock out to a little classic rock like Led Zeppelin, Queen, or Journey with the newest member of your family?!?  You’ll find yourself singing or humming along, but you won’t have to worry about questionable lyrics or music that is too hard for little ears.  In addition, we’ve also got a variety of artists to select from, like The Beatles and Elvis along with Nirvana and Tool.

If you’re not a fan of rock music, we’ve also got country hits turned into lullabies just right for you and your baby.  The Hushabye Baby collection features artists like Patsy Cline, George Strait, and Taylor Swift.  These soothing lullabies can make bedtime much more enjoyable and fun for everyone.

Other sets of lullabies feature more contemporary artists like Train, Jason Mraz, and Adele.  The Twinkle, Twinkle Little Rockstar CDs turns popular hits by these artists into lullabies that might be a bit more to the liking of younger parents.  The Jammy Jams CDs feature Lady Gaga and “Hair Metal” songs; the Sleepytime Rangers feature Nashville hits; the Sweet Little Band CDs feature artists like Beyonce, Shakira, and Pink; and Sleepytime Tunes feature singers like Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen.

Whatever your taste in music, you can be sure to find something that you’ll enjoy listening to in the wee hours with that new little bundle of joy who just won’t go to sleep yet!

March is all about the arrival of spring and celebrating all things green!  This month’s story time starter brings all the best books, music, and crafts that the color green has to offer.  From frogs and turtles to grass and leaves, we’ve got plenty of green things to choose from.

• You can focus on the color green and how mixing yellow and blue creates the color.
• Or you could focus more on things that are growing now that warmer temperatures are here to stay.
• You could even talk about “going green” and how important it is to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
• Or make it a St. Patrick’s Day theme with a selection of holiday books.

We’ve also got lots of nonfiction reads included to teach AND entertain.  Keep on reading for all of these great story time ideas and much more!

Take a look at these green books:

Green Books booklist (Word Document/.doc file)

Rhymes and fingerplays are a great addition to story time.  These are not only good time fillers, but they are also good for getting some wiggles out!

Five Fat Peas
Five fat peas in a pea pod pressed  (put fists together side by side)
One grew, two grew, and so did all the rest  (open fingers slowly, one at a time)
They grew and they grew and they did not stop  (open hands wider and wider)
Until one day, the pod went “POP!”  (clap hands loudly)

Green Leaf
Here is a green leaf
And here is a green leaf  (hold out two palms)
That, you see, makes two
Here is a bud
That makes a flower  (cup hands together)
Watch it bloom for you  (spread fingers slowly)

The Frog on the Log
There once was a little green
frog, frog, frog
Who played in the wood on a
log, log, log
A screech owl sitting in a
tree, tree, tree
Came after the frog with a
screech, screech, screech
When the frog heard the owl, in a
flash, flash, flash
He leaped in the pond with a
splash, splash, splash

Next, we’ve picked out some winning music to go along with the fingerplays and rhymes.

The Merry Goes ‘Round CD by Jewel
Song:  The Green Grass Grows All Around (#12)

Seasonal Songs in Motion CD by The Learning StationSongs:  Hungry Caterpillar (#1), Spring is Here (#2), Green Grass Grows (#3)

Time Out to Rock CD by The Not-Its!
Song:  Green Light, Go! (#4)

Shakin’ in Chicago CD by Thaddeus Rex
Song:  Where Can I Find Green Eggs and Ham (#9)

And last, but not least, we’ve got some fabulous green crafts picked out that would be a great way to end this awesome story time for you.  Have fun this month being silly and enjoying green!

• Alphabet Snake craft
• Easy Frog craft
• Heart Shamrocks craft
• Swirly Snake Dangler craft