Story Time Starter — Trucks & Tractors

22 Feb
crivers

Story Time Starter

Get ready, get set … GO!  This month’s story time is all about trucks and tractors.  Miss Mary from the Main Library is sharing this month’s awesome ready-to-go story time.

What child does not enjoy rollicking stories about trucks and tractors?  Monster trucks, cranes, garbage trucks and bulldozers all make great topics for story time at home or at the library.  Boys and girls love identifying the pictures of the different machines which are in the stories.

Reading to children is a great way for them to learn new words about different types of trucks and tractors they may see at the construction site or in the fields.  But more than that–it’s fun!  Here are just a few of the great selection of truck and tractor books in our collection which would be fun to share in story time.

 truck & tractor collage

Trucks & Tractors book list (Word Document/.doc file)

 

Rhymes and finger plays are always a great addition to books in a story time.  Here are a few engaging rhymes you might enjoy doing with your child:


PICK UP THE TRASH

Here comes the truck (sweep hands from left to right)
Rumbling down the street (slap hands quickly on legs)
Put on the brakes (pull back with both hands)
Jump to your feet (jump)

Lift the can up high (lift arms overhead)
And dump trash in (lower arms straight out in front of you)
Crush it and smash it (clap on “crush” and “smash”)
Then to the next bin (march in place)

One house, then two (hold up one finger than two)
Til the street’s all done (sweep hands out to each side)
On to the next street (march in place)
Now wasn’t that fun? (nod head)


ON THE MOVE

Here is the tractor so big and strong
Here is the trailer so wide and long.

Here is the cab where the driver will be
Here is the window so the driver can see.

Here is the steering wheel that’s round.
Here are the tires that roll on the ground.

Here is the load that the truck will take.
Here is the engine that can roar and shake.

Here is the truck that’s on its way;
Off to work for another day.


DRIVING OUR TRUCK
(do actions as instructed)

Open the truck door.
Climb inside.
I get to help
My mommy drive.

Fasten the seat belt.
Shut the door.
Start the engine.
Hear it roar.

Turn the corner.
Step on the gas.
If the road’s clear
We may pass.

 

These truck and tractor music CD’s for story time are filled with toe-tapping tunes that can’t be beat!

 

Crafts are a great way to finish off story time!  Here are instructions for simple crafts that are perfect for you and your truck lover.  Just click to follow the link to these printable crafts:

 

Thanks, Miss Mary, for another terrific story time!

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Celebrate Presidents’ Day!

18 Feb
mgross

Featured Article

Today, we celebrate Presidents’ Day!

Established in 1885, Presidents’ Day originally honored our first President of the United States of America, Mr. George Washington. Today, we set aside the third Monday of every February to recognize and celebrate all of our 43 Presidents!

Washington Rushmore

You may wonder why we recognize 43 Presidents when our current leader, Mr. Barack Obama, is the 44th President. Did you know that one man, Mr. Grover Cleveland, served as President twice? He is the only person to have been President, lost the election for second term, and was re-elected in the following election.

So why is Presidents’ Day celebrated in February? The answer lies in the birthdays of two very important past Presidents. Mr. Washington was born on Feb 22, 1732, and Mr. Abraham Lincoln was born on Feb 12, 1809. Two other past Presidents, Ronald Reagan and William Henry Harrison, were also born in February. Since the holiday was originally in honor of Mr. Washington, Presidents’ Day fell on his birthday, but it was decided later to include all Presidents and be observed as it is today.

Lincoln Memorial

Being the President is a huge job! Can you imagine running an entire country? Not just anyone can be the President of the United States, and the process to choose the right person can be tedious. Each and every President deserves a holiday set aside for them and their efforts!

So help us celebrate Presidents’ Day by honoring Presidents of the past and present–and be sure to check out a few of our awesome books on the subject!

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Crafting with Kids — Leftover Lanterns

14 Feb
crivers

Crafting with Kids

Miss Melanie at the Main Library has another great craft idea for us this month.  Using recycled materials and some basic crafting supplies, she shows us how to turn an old can or jar into a lantern.  This project would be perfect for older children to make and hang outside on a warm spring night for a little mood lighting!

Here’s how to make your very own Tin Can Punch Light with some great pictures to help you along the way.  Try using different sizes of cans and making your own designs to punch.  And here’s how to make a Mason Jar Lantern with a pictures and a link to a PDF complete with detailed instructions.  Again, try the technique using different sizes of glass jars and different paint designs.  Miss Melanie’s kids used fabric paint, but you could use any kind that would adhere to glass.  After you’ve made either lantern, tie on some rope or bend some thin gauge wire to hang them up.  Then stand back and admire what you’ve made!

Want to see how Miss Melanie and her crafty kids’ creations came out?  Take a look at these fabulous photos!

lantern collage 1

lantern collage 2

lantern collage 3.3

If this inspires you to want to make some more recycled crafts with your family, look no further than the craft section here at the library.  We’ve got shelves full of books on making crafts with lots of materials you may just have laying around the house.  We’d love to inspire you to make your own leftover lanterns or other craft project.

Happy crafting!

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Book Review: The Family Hitchcock

10 Feb
crivers

Monthly Book Reviews

The Family Hitchcock by Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett
From Miss Sheri at Plymouth and Crestview

A story of mistaken identity leads to a series of hilarious twists and turns for one family on vacation.

Despite the objections from his children, Maddy and Benji, and his wife, Rebecca, Roger Hitchcock finds a way to take a glorious family summer vacation in Paris, without spending a lot of money.

The solution?  A house swap with the Vadim family for a week.

After arriving in Paris, the Hitchcock’s quickly realize that the Vadim family may not be what they seem.  When bad guys start stalking the family and asking for the MGF, they are sucked into a world of mystery and intrigue and they have no idea why!

Now they are fighting for their lives by running over Paris rooftops, escaping from kidnappers, stealing cars and fleeing the country.  When the bad guys catch up and manage to kidnap his family, it is up to Roger to save them.

Will he manage to do it?  Who are the Vadims really?  And what on earth is the MGF?  Find out by reading the book The Family Hitchcock by Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett.

Thanks, Miss Sheri, for a great review!

Did you know that Mark and Jennifer also collaborated on writing the screenplays for the children’s films Journey to the Center of the Earth and Nim’s Island?  Now you do!

the family hitchcock

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Happy Birthday, Laura Ingalls Wilder!

07 Feb
mgross

Spotlight

We celebrate Laura Ingalls Wilder‘s birthday today!

Born on February 7, 1867, in Pepin, Wisconsin, Mrs. Wilder is well-known for penning the Little House series, which describes her life growing up on the American prairie.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Collage

Even though Mrs. Wilder wrote the books over seven decades ago, they are still much loved by children and adults today. Here at the library, we have multiple copies of all nine books in the series. We also have many books about Mrs. Wilder and her life. One of my favorites is The World of Little House by Carolyn Strom Collins and Christina Wyss Eriksson. This is an awesome complement book to the series because it contains maps, recipes, a family tree, an in-depth timeline, and many more useful facts that bring the Little House books to life.

The World of Little House

The Little House books were so popular in the 1970s that a television show was created based on Mrs. Wilder’s books. The TV series was nominated for several awards and even won a few. Interest in Little House on the Prairie continued to grow. So many people liked the Little House books that they began to wonder about other people in Mrs. Wilder’s family. This spawned several new series. Each series of books depicts the young life of a woman in Mrs. Wilder’s family–her daughter, Rose; her mother, Caroline; her grandmother, Charlotte; and her great-grandmother, Martha. A book was also written about the “lost years” on the prairie called Old Town in the Green Groves by Cynthia Rylant.

Old Town in the Green Groves

Today, several museums, memorials, and dedicated spaces around the country remain as a tribute to Mrs. Wilder and her stories. Rocky Ridge Farm in Mansfield, Missouri, where Mrs. Wilder spent most of her adult life and wrote the Little House books, is now the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum. Many people each year visit this museum to catch a glimpse of America’s best-known pioneer family.

So help us celebrate a beloved author’s birthday by reading one of these great books Mrs. Wilder!

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February is Black History Month

03 Feb
crivers

Featured Article

Happy February!

Groundhog Day has come and gone, and hopefully winter will soon make way for spring.  One of our favorite times of the year is the month of February when we celebrate Black History Month at the library.  We have a whole slate of entertainment, information, and food planned for Saturday, February 9th.  From 11 am until 3 pm, you can join us at the Main Library for a day of celebration.  Get those cookbooks out, because this year’s contest is for Sweet Potato Pie!  Entry forms are available at all library locations.

Don’t know much about Black History Month?  Background information is plentiful on History.com with people, themes, and events to explore.  The Ohio Civil Rights Commission has put out a handy PDF full of reasons and ways to teach African-American history (or history in general).

There are definitely a lot of good resources available on the web for teaching children about the culture and origins of black history in America, but you don’t have to look too hard because we’ve picked out some of the best ones.

  • This Scholastic teacher page is a great place to start: from the Underground Railroad to President Obama and everything else in between, you’ll find fun and creative ways to make learning fun.  If you want to learn more about the history of Jazz music or African-American inventors, this is a perfect site for useful information and multimedia resources.
  • A comprehensive listing of resources for teaching and sharing with students–including activities for the classroom, home, and community–is available at ReadingRockets.org.
  • If you want to do some crafts with your kids (’cause who doesn’t love crafts?!?), a good site is DLTK.  You can focus on crafts celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr., or take a look at the Kwanzaa craft section.  Another great site is Nick Jr., where you can download and print Black History Hero Cards to learn more about famous African-American activists and leaders, artists and entertainers, and scientists and athletes.
  • Embracing black history is easy with PBS Kids!  Here you can find recommended reads for children of all ages, traditional recipes with a twist, and activities which encourage diversity and feature PBS characters like Arthur, Clifford, and Mr. Rogers.

muddy waters with attribution

Whether you celebrate Black History Month with us, or plan your own activities at home, remember that the library is a great resource for all your information, entertainment, and educational needs!

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Book Review: Turtle in Paradise

31 Jan
mgross

Monthly Book Reviews

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
From Miss Melia at Main

In 1935, money is tight and mothers do what they have to do to make ends meet. For Turtle’s mother, that means sending her child away to live with extended family in order to keep her job.

Turtle in Paradise

When Mama’s new housekeeping boss states that she hates children, eleven-year-old Turtle is sent away to live with her aunt and aunt’s family in Key West, Florida. Turtle in Paradise follows Turtle’s new life in a very different place than she is accustomed to. Her mother told Turtle that Florida would be a wonderful place to stay because “it’s beautiful, the weather’s perfect, there’s fruit dripping from trees,” and Turtle would be able to live with other kids. Turtle isn’t sure about all this but is tough and decides to handle the move with poise, no matter how decrepit the houses are or how rotten the kids seem. Issues arise as soon as Turtle shows up at her aunt’s doorstep before her mother’s letter does, which was meant to explain that Turtle was on her way. Things only get crazier as everyone tries to adjust to Turtle’s arrival and her addition to the family.

From trying to make money and changing baby diapers to outsmarting everyone around her and not fitting in with the “conchs” (or locals), Turtle has many adventures to keep her occupied. A good amount of adventure and mystery permeate the story, especially from the mischief Turtle’s cousins bring to the story and the mystery that surrounds cranky old Nana Philly. As Turtle adjusts to her new life, she realizes that life is not always as it seems and people who love you are what make up a family.

The eccentric characters Turtle becomes acquainted with beautifully enrich the story. The fact that the story is set during the Great Depression also adds an enriched dynamic and makes Turtle in Paradise a great historical work of fiction. Little things such as icons of the 1930s that are mentioned through, including Shirley Temple and funny pages Krazy Kat and Little Orphan Annie, give the reader a great sense of life during the time period. Turtle in Paradise is a Newbery Honor Book, and it won Ms. Holm the School Library Journal Author Award, Young Adult Services Division.

Here is a Turtle in Paradise book trailer from Book Trailers for Readers!

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Happy Birthday, Jules Feiffer!

26 Jan
crivers

Spotlight

Today we celebrate the birthday of Jules Feiffer!

This extraordinary author has not only written and illustrated numerous books for children, but he has also illustrated comics, written novels, plays and screenplays, and has garnered many awards for his body of work.

As the illustrator of the well-loved The Phantom Tollbooth, written by Norton Juster, Mr. Feiffer has had a successful career throughout the years.  The popular picture book, Bark, George, is a perennial story time favorite (we love how George tries all kinds of animal sounds before finding his own voice!) here at the library.  His latest collaboration is illustrating books written by his own daughter, Kate, including the latest, No Go Sleep!.

jules feiffer collage

With so many creative ways to showcase his talent, picture books like I’m Not Bobby! and The Odious Ogre (partnering up with Norton Juster once more) have become library staples.  And while it takes a bit of time to accustom yourself to his style of humor, once you pick up one of these books, you’ll see why they are so popular with kids and adults alike.  Mr. Feiffer also provided an original story to go along with one of the pieces of artwork in Chris Van Allsburg’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (which we previously reviewed).

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It’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

21 Jan
crivers

Featured Article

It’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

Take a moment today and reflect on one of the greatest Americans this country has ever known.  A man of humility and quiet dignity, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lives on because of the legacy of peace and tolerance he left behind.

Don’t know much about the man or what he taught?  We have lots of books to help you out with that!  We’ve got everything from simple biographies for younger children to books that go into much greater depth for older children.  We also have books that talk specifically about why we celebrate this great man with a national holiday.

One particular standout title is Martin’s Big Words: the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Bryan Collier.  This book received a Caldecott honor award in 2002.  It was also a Coretta Scott King Honor for the illustrator in that same year.

martin's big words 2

Although we don’t have anything specific going on today at the library to celebrate Dr. King, we do have our annual Black History Day celebration coming up on Saturday, February 9th.

Activities will be held at the main library from 11 am until 3 pm that day.  This celebration includes activities, crafts, food, and fun for the whole family.  We’d love to see you at the library that day–or any day!

Posted in Award Books, Book Reviews, Children's Authors, Feature Article, Featured Books, Holidays, Nonfiction, Upcoming Events, What's Going On | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Crafting With Kids — Snow Crafts

17 Jan
mgross

Crafting with Kids

January in Ohio usually means snow. Even though the fluffy white stuff has melted away for now, there are plenty of crafts available to bring winter back to your home!

First, who doesn’t like traditional paper snowflakes? These can be simple or super complex but always produce the same result–beautiful pieces of art!

snowflake

If a bunch of folding and cutting is just a little too much work, you can make really cool snowflakes out of coffee filters! Just fold the filter in half a couple times, cut out a few shapes along the edge, and you have pretty paper art. Or if you are looking for something a little more sophisticated but still less work, visit Paper Snowflakes for a wide selection of paper snowflake templates you can print off and cut out. This site has a lot of patterns to choose from, including both very simple and more challenging designs.

Looking for even more snowflake craftiness?

What else do you see a lot of in the snow? Snowmen, of course! Here’s a simple craft to do as a family:

Bottle Cap Snowman
Materials:

  • 3 bottle caps
  • ribbon
  • acrylic paint
  • permanent marker
  • orange scrap paper
  • embellishments (if desired)
  • hot glue
  • optional magnet dots

Just follow these easy instructions to make a cute, recycled snowman!

snowball

Do your kids really miss forming that cold, white stuff into an awesome snowball? While not the perfect substitution (and we don’t recommend throwing it at people), you may find this recipe for Snow Dough to be a fun alternative to going outside in the cold. Where else can you stay warm and toasty indoors while playing in the snow?

Finally, if you are looking for a more artistic project, check out this snowstorm art from TLC Family!

Happy crafting!

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