Last week of Space! We say goodbye with a set from my coworker:
Mail Harry to the Moon!
Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley
Our unnamed narrator is QUITE DISPLEASED with the new addition to the family, especially now that his things (and food, and parental affection) are getting seriously infringed upon. When smaller ideas - toss him in the trash, flush him down the toilet - don't gain any traction, he goes for the ultimate solution and decides that they need to just Mail Harry to the Moon! But the next morning he's shocked by the silence - did they ACTUALLY do it? But the baby's too young to be on the moon by himself! So off he goes to the rescue, deciding it's really not that bad to have a baby brother after all.
Space Cows (easy reader)
Eric Seltzer, illustrated by Tom Disbury
This silly story reminds me of Sandra Boynton's goofyness, but in a easy-reader format. Nothing serious or ponderous, just a silly little nonsense rhyme featuring cows in spacesuits cavorting about in space and on the moon, and in spaceships.
A Big Mooncake for Little Star
Grace Lin
This sweet fable (adapted from childhood memories of the actual Chinese Moon Festival, although not from the mythology associated with it) has Mama and Little Star as a small family, baking lovely tasty mooncakes that Little Star can't resist slowly nibbling on through the month, leaving a trail of crumbs as the milky way. Sweet and gentle and a fun "just-so story" for the phases of the moon being caused by a hungry little girl.
Showing posts with label SRP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SRP. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Summer Reading Storytime, space, week 7
Last week of the SRP, but we're going to roll the storytimes for 8 weeks and end on the last day of July.
Here are our second-to-last space summer reading books for Pendleton's Family Storytime group!
Moondogs
Daniel Kirk
His parents are desperate to get him a pal, but Willy is convinced that no pet will be as good as a moondog. But when an alien threatens everyone, a good old earth mutt saves the day, and changes Willy's mind.
Boy + Bot
Ame Dyckman, illustrated Dan Yaccarino
A cute short fable of good friends trying their best to meet needs even in the face of unexpected challenges (and operating systems). The weird tiny scientist at the end is icing on the cupcake.
Garcia and Collette go Exploring
Hannah Barnaby, illustrated by Andrew Joyner
Garcia and Collette can't decide WHERE to explore, so they build their own devices (rocket and submarine) and head off on their respective adventures, but they realize the true fun of exploring is having someone to share the fun. Back they come, the inventions are invented upon, and a mutually-enjoyable destination is discovered in the end.
Here are our second-to-last space summer reading books for Pendleton's Family Storytime group!
Moondogs
Daniel Kirk
His parents are desperate to get him a pal, but Willy is convinced that no pet will be as good as a moondog. But when an alien threatens everyone, a good old earth mutt saves the day, and changes Willy's mind.
Boy + Bot
Ame Dyckman, illustrated Dan Yaccarino
A cute short fable of good friends trying their best to meet needs even in the face of unexpected challenges (and operating systems). The weird tiny scientist at the end is icing on the cupcake.
Garcia and Collette go Exploring
Hannah Barnaby, illustrated by Andrew Joyner
Garcia and Collette can't decide WHERE to explore, so they build their own devices (rocket and submarine) and head off on their respective adventures, but they realize the true fun of exploring is having someone to share the fun. Back they come, the inventions are invented upon, and a mutually-enjoyable destination is discovered in the end.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Summer Reading Storytime, space, week 6
The end of summer got away from me!
For this week, we had some cute stories picked out by my coworker:
Little Fox and the Missing Moon
Ekaterina Trukhan
After a nightmare where he eats the moon, Little Fox (and eventually his friends) head out into the dark night to find it. A bit wandering, but cute illustrations, and a sweet story.
No, No, Kitten!
Shelley Moore Thomas, illustrated by Lori Nichols
Kitten just needs a bowl and a basket and a laser pointer and a spaceship... What? Kitten wants to go to Jupiter, of course!
Roaring Rockets
Tony Mitton, illustrated by Ant Parker
Nonfiction content in a narrative form, with anthropomorphic animals as the cast, and wobby "crayon" faux naif illustrations. Super cute and I appreciate the attentiveness to veracity.
For this week, we had some cute stories picked out by my coworker:
Little Fox and the Missing Moon
Ekaterina Trukhan
After a nightmare where he eats the moon, Little Fox (and eventually his friends) head out into the dark night to find it. A bit wandering, but cute illustrations, and a sweet story.
No, No, Kitten!
Shelley Moore Thomas, illustrated by Lori Nichols
Kitten just needs a bowl and a basket and a laser pointer and a spaceship... What? Kitten wants to go to Jupiter, of course!
Roaring Rockets
Tony Mitton, illustrated by Ant Parker
Nonfiction content in a narrative form, with anthropomorphic animals as the cast, and wobby "crayon" faux naif illustrations. Super cute and I appreciate the attentiveness to veracity.
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Summer Reading Storytime, space, week 5
Our 5th week of summer reading, and another week of themed storytimes for the little kids to go along with the program themes. Today we're looking at Science and Exploration!
Cece Loves Science
Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
ISBN: 9780062499608
Cece and her science partner Isaac are documenting a science experiment for class: everything from coming up with a Hypothesis to Testing Parameters, to the Experiment itself, and Documenting Results. They're trying to see if Cece's dog Einstein likes vegetables. I'd like to see some interesting science-based story-stretchers based on this book and some of the narrative and scientific elisions it makes, but that's just me being picky. It's cute and fun and Cece is a great science-based protagonist.
Life on Mars
John Agee
ISBN: 9780399538520
Our intrepid ungendered protagonist marches steadfastly around on Mars, missing the forest for the trees, or in this case, the giant red alien monster for the dirt and rocks and one pretty flower. At least until he gets back to his spaceship and discovers that SOMETHING is out there in a cute little finale.
Mae Among the Stars
Roda Ahmed, illustrated by Stasia Burrington
ISBN: 9780062651730
A fictionalized account of "daydreamer" Mae Jemison, who made history as the first African-American woman astronaut, AND in space. An excellent if slightly trite rendition of the "follow your dreams and don't let the haters (or well-intentioned realists) get you down" tradition of inspirational storybook, with illustrations that drag the quality up by main force.
Cece Loves Science
Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
ISBN: 9780062499608
Cece and her science partner Isaac are documenting a science experiment for class: everything from coming up with a Hypothesis to Testing Parameters, to the Experiment itself, and Documenting Results. They're trying to see if Cece's dog Einstein likes vegetables. I'd like to see some interesting science-based story-stretchers based on this book and some of the narrative and scientific elisions it makes, but that's just me being picky. It's cute and fun and Cece is a great science-based protagonist.
Life on Mars
John Agee
ISBN: 9780399538520
Our intrepid ungendered protagonist marches steadfastly around on Mars, missing the forest for the trees, or in this case, the giant red alien monster for the dirt and rocks and one pretty flower. At least until he gets back to his spaceship and discovers that SOMETHING is out there in a cute little finale.
Mae Among the Stars
Roda Ahmed, illustrated by Stasia Burrington
ISBN: 9780062651730
A fictionalized account of "daydreamer" Mae Jemison, who made history as the first African-American woman astronaut, AND in space. An excellent if slightly trite rendition of the "follow your dreams and don't let the haters (or well-intentioned realists) get you down" tradition of inspirational storybook, with illustrations that drag the quality up by main force.
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Tuesday Storytime: still space, even though the SRP is on a break for the 4th
This week's selections were chosen by my coworker:
The Babysitter from Another Planet
Stephen Savage
ISBN: 9780823441471
The Moon (Bamboo and Friends)
Felica Law, illustrated by Nicola Evans
ISBN: 1404812822
Chicken in Space
Adam Lehrhaupt, illustrated by Shahar Kober
ISBN: 9780062364128
The Babysitter from Another Planet
Stephen Savage
ISBN: 9780823441471
The Moon (Bamboo and Friends)
Felica Law, illustrated by Nicola Evans
ISBN: 1404812822
Chicken in Space
Adam Lehrhaupt, illustrated by Shahar Kober
ISBN: 9780062364128
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Summer Reading Storytime: space, week 4
My coworker picked these out, they're super cute!
Planet Kindergarten
Sue Ganz-Schmitt, illustrated by Shane Prigmore
ISBN: 9781452118932
Really cute gloss of the first day of kindergarten as a mission to space, and it holds together quite nicely. I especially like the touches of having various kindergartners be various types of aliens just through hair and clothing and poses. Very fun, and lots of nudge-nudge wink-wink about what things "really" are. Short and cute.
Kitten's First Full Moon
Kevin Henkes
ISBN: 9780060588281
Kitten roams outside at night and discovers the moon, the night, and a nice puddle of what looks like milk, but is in fact the reflection of the beautiful moon. Soft, gentle, and sweet. A classic.
On the Launch Pad: A Counting Book About Rockets
Michael Dahl, illustrated by Derrick Alderman and Denise Shea
ISBN: 1404805818
Lovely little counting book with BRIGHT simple illustrations of rockets getting ready to blast into space. Super short and sweet, with lovely primary colors and nice textural color washes and collage pieces to add depth and visual interest. An excellent visual walkthrough of the process (very simplified) of getting a rocket ready to liftoff and head off into space, centered into a counting book where the visual elements match the number of that particular page. Hard work to set it up, but it's a breeze to read through, and a delight to look at the finished design.
Planet Kindergarten
Sue Ganz-Schmitt, illustrated by Shane Prigmore
ISBN: 9781452118932
Really cute gloss of the first day of kindergarten as a mission to space, and it holds together quite nicely. I especially like the touches of having various kindergartners be various types of aliens just through hair and clothing and poses. Very fun, and lots of nudge-nudge wink-wink about what things "really" are. Short and cute.
Kitten's First Full Moon
Kevin Henkes
ISBN: 9780060588281
Kitten roams outside at night and discovers the moon, the night, and a nice puddle of what looks like milk, but is in fact the reflection of the beautiful moon. Soft, gentle, and sweet. A classic.
On the Launch Pad: A Counting Book About Rockets
Michael Dahl, illustrated by Derrick Alderman and Denise Shea
ISBN: 1404805818
Lovely little counting book with BRIGHT simple illustrations of rockets getting ready to blast into space. Super short and sweet, with lovely primary colors and nice textural color washes and collage pieces to add depth and visual interest. An excellent visual walkthrough of the process (very simplified) of getting a rocket ready to liftoff and head off into space, centered into a counting book where the visual elements match the number of that particular page. Hard work to set it up, but it's a breeze to read through, and a delight to look at the finished design.
Saturday, June 29, 2019
Summer Reading Storytime: space, week 3
My turn again!
Three fun ones about rockets and heading off into space, to tie into our program this afternoon where a team from the local amateur radio club will be using HAM radios to ask questions of an astronaut (an actor in costume, hidden in the building).
Hedgie Blasts Off!
written and illustrated by Jan Brett
ISBN: 0399246215
Hedgie works the clean-up crew for the Professor's space program, but something's gone terribly wrong, and the robot that they want to use to for the mission has malfunctioned. Only someone Hedgie's size can fit into the rocket, so Hedgie finally gets to realize his dreams of being an astronaut, as he heads out to the mini-planet of Mikkop and the malfunctioning magic geyser that shoots up the sparkles needed to nourish the beautiful tourist-pleasing plants of the tiny planet. A cute look at astronauts, eco-tourism, conservation, and the interdependence of life, even on tiny little planets in outer space, all narrated by a humble Hedgie.
Space Boy
written and illustrated by Leo Landry
ISBN: 9780618605682
While no formal diagnosis is given, this book seems written with Spectrum individuals in mind. Nicholas is headed to bed, but the world is too noisy. Dogs are barking, kids are crying and playing, cars are zooming outside; there's nothing for it but to drag on the spacesuit, head out back to the rocketship, and head to the moon for some peace and quiet. But after a while, and once he's settled down, he realizes he misses his family, (and hopes things have settled down there also) and heads back home to bed. Very sweet, and a good allegory of taking time to yourself and creating a quiet place in your mind (or backyard) to retreat to when things get too overwhelming.
Otter In Space
written and illustrated by Sam Garton
ISBN: 9780062247766
I dearly love the Otter books. They're just too adorable for words, but this one might be my favorite. After Otter Keeper takes Otter (and friends) to the Space Museum, and there's a familiar breakdown in the gift-shop when money never goes quite as far as it ought to, Otter (and friends) hatch a plan to find a moon rock of their very own in their back yard, building space suits and rockets and rock-retrieval-systems to help with the very hard work. They pick an excellent moon rock from the garden (and by excellent I think they picked the biggest, dirtiest one they could find) and dragged it triumphantly inside, whereupon Otter Keeper comes home from work and is Not Pleased. Compromises are made, rocks are washed, and Otter (and friends) decide that Pirate Treasure is an easier journey than Moon Rocks for tomorrow.
Three fun ones about rockets and heading off into space, to tie into our program this afternoon where a team from the local amateur radio club will be using HAM radios to ask questions of an astronaut (an actor in costume, hidden in the building).
Hedgie Blasts Off!
written and illustrated by Jan Brett
ISBN: 0399246215
Hedgie works the clean-up crew for the Professor's space program, but something's gone terribly wrong, and the robot that they want to use to for the mission has malfunctioned. Only someone Hedgie's size can fit into the rocket, so Hedgie finally gets to realize his dreams of being an astronaut, as he heads out to the mini-planet of Mikkop and the malfunctioning magic geyser that shoots up the sparkles needed to nourish the beautiful tourist-pleasing plants of the tiny planet. A cute look at astronauts, eco-tourism, conservation, and the interdependence of life, even on tiny little planets in outer space, all narrated by a humble Hedgie.
Space Boy
written and illustrated by Leo Landry
ISBN: 9780618605682
While no formal diagnosis is given, this book seems written with Spectrum individuals in mind. Nicholas is headed to bed, but the world is too noisy. Dogs are barking, kids are crying and playing, cars are zooming outside; there's nothing for it but to drag on the spacesuit, head out back to the rocketship, and head to the moon for some peace and quiet. But after a while, and once he's settled down, he realizes he misses his family, (and hopes things have settled down there also) and heads back home to bed. Very sweet, and a good allegory of taking time to yourself and creating a quiet place in your mind (or backyard) to retreat to when things get too overwhelming.
Otter In Space
written and illustrated by Sam Garton
ISBN: 9780062247766
I dearly love the Otter books. They're just too adorable for words, but this one might be my favorite. After Otter Keeper takes Otter (and friends) to the Space Museum, and there's a familiar breakdown in the gift-shop when money never goes quite as far as it ought to, Otter (and friends) hatch a plan to find a moon rock of their very own in their back yard, building space suits and rockets and rock-retrieval-systems to help with the very hard work. They pick an excellent moon rock from the garden (and by excellent I think they picked the biggest, dirtiest one they could find) and dragged it triumphantly inside, whereupon Otter Keeper comes home from work and is Not Pleased. Compromises are made, rocks are washed, and Otter (and friends) decide that Pirate Treasure is an easier journey than Moon Rocks for tomorrow.
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Summer Reading Storytime: space, week 2
And my turn at bat!
City Moon
Rachael Cole, illustrated by Blanca Gomez
ISBN: 9780553497083
Sweet city-based story about walking the streets of a city and seeing the moon and the stars among the city lights and features, and wondering why all the rest of the city seems so busy and bustling. Very sweet and a good addition to my "here's what cities are like" collection for all of my current very rural kids.
Moon Plane
Peter McCarty
ISBN: 0805079432
Classic sweet story of imagination and freedom.
Sleepy Solar System
Dr John Hutton, illustrated by Doug Cenko
ISBN: 9781936669493
Much less fact-based than 8 Little Planets from last week, this one is more fantastical, focusing pretty exclusively on the fantastical idea of bedtime from a planetary perspective, with Mother earth and Father moon, and all the other planets as various siblings. Cute but super light and fluffy.
City Moon
Rachael Cole, illustrated by Blanca Gomez
ISBN: 9780553497083
Sweet city-based story about walking the streets of a city and seeing the moon and the stars among the city lights and features, and wondering why all the rest of the city seems so busy and bustling. Very sweet and a good addition to my "here's what cities are like" collection for all of my current very rural kids.
Moon Plane
Peter McCarty
ISBN: 0805079432
Classic sweet story of imagination and freedom.
Sleepy Solar System
Dr John Hutton, illustrated by Doug Cenko
ISBN: 9781936669493
Much less fact-based than 8 Little Planets from last week, this one is more fantastical, focusing pretty exclusively on the fantastical idea of bedtime from a planetary perspective, with Mother earth and Father moon, and all the other planets as various siblings. Cute but super light and fluffy.
Friday, June 14, 2019
Summer Reading Storytime: Space, week 1
And we're off to the races!
These were selected by my coworker.
8 Little Planets (board-book/cut-out book)
Chris Ferrie, illustrated by Lizzy Doyle
ISBN: 9781492671244
Sweet little rhymes are filled with easy facts and fun info about all the different "official" planets.
Best Frints in the Whole Universe
Antoinette Partis
ISBN: 9781626721364
I've read this cutie before about two alien "frients" who get into a spectacular argument over sharing and responsibility and owning up to mistakes. Very cute, and full of fun tongue-twisters for the reader.
Earth Space Moon Base
Ben Joel Price
ISBN: 9780385373111
Funky 1950s esque story about a tag-team of astronaut, robot, and test monkey who have to save the world (and their moon base) from scaaaaary moon aliens.
These were selected by my coworker.
8 Little Planets (board-book/cut-out book)
Chris Ferrie, illustrated by Lizzy Doyle
ISBN: 9781492671244
Sweet little rhymes are filled with easy facts and fun info about all the different "official" planets.
Best Frints in the Whole Universe
Antoinette Partis
ISBN: 9781626721364
I've read this cutie before about two alien "frients" who get into a spectacular argument over sharing and responsibility and owning up to mistakes. Very cute, and full of fun tongue-twisters for the reader.
Earth Space Moon Base
Ben Joel Price
ISBN: 9780385373111
Funky 1950s esque story about a tag-team of astronaut, robot, and test monkey who have to save the world (and their moon base) from scaaaaary moon aliens.
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Tuesday Storytime (and Summer Reading): Closeout Dance Party!
Despite technical difficulties and scheduling conflicts, our very last 2018 summer reading program went off without a hitch. We read some books, danced some dances (courtesy KidzBop) and had a big flashy final event that the kids really enjoyed.
Books read for the Storytime Dance Party:
Dancing Feet!
Lindsey Craig, illustrated by Marc Brown
ISBN: 9780375861819
A fun "identify the animal" progression, using cute little dancing rhymes about various kinds of dancing feet. At the end, it's revealed that all the dancers are kids, acting out dances in the style of "their" animal. It's fun to match them by pose and costume to their particular creature.
Amazing Me! Music!
Carol Thompson
ISBN: 9781846439612
This book wins the "arrived just in time" award, having shown up on the Friday before this last program. I was thrilled to see it, because even though it's short, it's got great representation and rhythm and a good solid set of fun, lively illustrations.
Feel the Beat: dance poems that zing from salsa to swing
Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Kristi Valiant
ISBN: 9780803740211
Shoutout to Valiant for her amazing body and facial expressions all through this book. It really takes a good solid poetry entry and just slides it up into a really really great read. There are LOTS of poems, and so I cheated: we only read the doubled poem: All of the World, Dancing is Joy; Hip-Hop; Merengue; Square Dance; Conga; Waltz (so LOVELY to see a strong black boy dancing); Bhangra; and ended with Swing Dance. There's quite a few more, and also a fun CD of the author reading the poems with the rhythm and mood of the dance style in question. Very cool.
Books read for the Summer Reading Dance Party:
Jazz on a Saturday Night
Leo and Diane Dillon
ISBN: 9780590478939
Moody and jazzy imaginary scene of many of the jazz greats playing all together in a fictional club. Comes with a CD of music either by or inspired by the particular artists featured: Miles Davis, Max Roach, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Stanley Clarke, Ella Fitzgerald,
Hip Cat
Jonathan London, illustrated by Woodleigh Hubbard
ISBN: 0811814890
Practically a jazz improv in book form. Love the colors and the big bold chunky shapes and shimmies of the paintings, love the beat-poetry form of the text on the page, love the visuals and imagery of the Hip Cat wandering through his city.
Books read for the Storytime Dance Party:
Dancing Feet!
Lindsey Craig, illustrated by Marc Brown
ISBN: 9780375861819
A fun "identify the animal" progression, using cute little dancing rhymes about various kinds of dancing feet. At the end, it's revealed that all the dancers are kids, acting out dances in the style of "their" animal. It's fun to match them by pose and costume to their particular creature.
Amazing Me! Music!
Carol Thompson
ISBN: 9781846439612
This book wins the "arrived just in time" award, having shown up on the Friday before this last program. I was thrilled to see it, because even though it's short, it's got great representation and rhythm and a good solid set of fun, lively illustrations.
Feel the Beat: dance poems that zing from salsa to swing
Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Kristi Valiant
ISBN: 9780803740211
Shoutout to Valiant for her amazing body and facial expressions all through this book. It really takes a good solid poetry entry and just slides it up into a really really great read. There are LOTS of poems, and so I cheated: we only read the doubled poem: All of the World, Dancing is Joy; Hip-Hop; Merengue; Square Dance; Conga; Waltz (so LOVELY to see a strong black boy dancing); Bhangra; and ended with Swing Dance. There's quite a few more, and also a fun CD of the author reading the poems with the rhythm and mood of the dance style in question. Very cool.
Books read for the Summer Reading Dance Party:
Jazz on a Saturday Night
Leo and Diane Dillon
ISBN: 9780590478939
Moody and jazzy imaginary scene of many of the jazz greats playing all together in a fictional club. Comes with a CD of music either by or inspired by the particular artists featured: Miles Davis, Max Roach, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Stanley Clarke, Ella Fitzgerald,
Hip Cat
Jonathan London, illustrated by Woodleigh Hubbard
ISBN: 0811814890
Practically a jazz improv in book form. Love the colors and the big bold chunky shapes and shimmies of the paintings, love the beat-poetry form of the text on the page, love the visuals and imagery of the Hip Cat wandering through his city.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Tuesday Storytime (and Summer Reading): Musical People
This one was given by my cohort, and was their first Summer Reading Program - they were quite nervous, but realized once they were in there that it really isn't much different.
For Storytime, we have younger kids and an easier craft (and sometimes easier books).
Tito Puente: Mambo King (bilingual, Spanish/English)
Monica Brown, illustrated by Rafael Lopez
ISBN: 9780061227837
Drum Dream Girl
Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael Lopez
ISBN: 9780544102293
Ella Queen of Jazz
Helen Hancocks
ISBN: 9781847809186
And then for the older kids we try to add in some more conceptual or free-flowing books:
Bird and Diz
(this is an accordion-fold book, folds out to about 5 feet, then the reader has to reverse and read back through the other side)
Gary Golio, illustrated by Ed Young
ISBN: 9780763666606
For Storytime, we have younger kids and an easier craft (and sometimes easier books).
Tito Puente: Mambo King (bilingual, Spanish/English)
Monica Brown, illustrated by Rafael Lopez
ISBN: 9780061227837
Drum Dream Girl
Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael Lopez
ISBN: 9780544102293
Ella Queen of Jazz
Helen Hancocks
ISBN: 9781847809186
And then for the older kids we try to add in some more conceptual or free-flowing books:
Bird and Diz
(this is an accordion-fold book, folds out to about 5 feet, then the reader has to reverse and read back through the other side)
Gary Golio, illustrated by Ed Young
ISBN: 9780763666606
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Tuesday Storytime: 4th of July interlude, and The Dance of the Violin
There was a program break over the week of July 4th, but parents/caregivers are notoriously creatures of habit, so we always pull aside a few books just in case enough someones come by and we just do an ad-hoc program on the fly. Last Tuesday, it was given by my coworker, who used one of our pre-selected Summer Reading titles, and two more general "music and noise" books she selected.
The Happy Hedgehog Band
Martin Waddell, illustrated by Jill Barton
ISBN: 1564020118
The hedgehog band all plays drums, and they're so good that the other forest creatures want to join the band too, but they don't have any instruments at all!
Barnyard Banter
Denise Fleming
ISBN: 080501957x
There's a ruckus going on in the barnyard that requires the reader to put forth some serious farm animal noises.
Jazz Baby
Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
ISBN: 9780152025229
Jazz baby's AA family is all about the music and love, and the illustrations are quirky and sinuous.
Back into the swing of official programming, we're on our first week of reading programs instead of performer programs. I'm expecting a slightly smaller turnout, but it's always hard to know for sure. We've got two weeks of reading programs before our final Dance Party and then it's back to the normal selection of themes and titles for the rest of the year. These were the books read for BOTH the storytime and the Summer Reading Program.
The Bear and the Piano
David Lichfield
ISBN: 9780544674547
A bear discovers a thing in the woods that makes very interesting, and eventually, very beautiful, noises. He goes on to become a renowned concert pianist, but his fond memories of his friends and homeland eventually bring him back full circle.
Music Is...
Brandon Stosuy, illustrated by Amy Martin
ISBN: 9781481477024
A boardbook with a basic contrasting content structure for the first 7/8ths, then blossoms into a nearly free-verse experience at the very end. Really good illustrations, and just right for a young age to think about music. Be prepared to explain things like cassette tapes and LPs tho.
The Dance of the Violin
Kathy Stinson, illustrated by Dušan Petricic
ISBN: 9781554519002
About violinist Joshua Bell, who at age 12 entered a music contest and nearly wiped out, but gave it another try and performed beautifully. The art is lovely, but doesn't really align with the way that the "visuals" are described in the book. I think this may just be me being too literal, but when the text is talking about dancers and bears and shipwrecks, I do wish that the art was a LITTLE more representational.
The Happy Hedgehog Band
Martin Waddell, illustrated by Jill Barton
ISBN: 1564020118
The hedgehog band all plays drums, and they're so good that the other forest creatures want to join the band too, but they don't have any instruments at all!
Barnyard Banter
Denise Fleming
ISBN: 080501957x
There's a ruckus going on in the barnyard that requires the reader to put forth some serious farm animal noises.
Jazz Baby
Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
ISBN: 9780152025229
Jazz baby's AA family is all about the music and love, and the illustrations are quirky and sinuous.
Back into the swing of official programming, we're on our first week of reading programs instead of performer programs. I'm expecting a slightly smaller turnout, but it's always hard to know for sure. We've got two weeks of reading programs before our final Dance Party and then it's back to the normal selection of themes and titles for the rest of the year. These were the books read for BOTH the storytime and the Summer Reading Program.
The Bear and the Piano
David Lichfield
ISBN: 9780544674547
A bear discovers a thing in the woods that makes very interesting, and eventually, very beautiful, noises. He goes on to become a renowned concert pianist, but his fond memories of his friends and homeland eventually bring him back full circle.
Music Is...
Brandon Stosuy, illustrated by Amy Martin
ISBN: 9781481477024
A boardbook with a basic contrasting content structure for the first 7/8ths, then blossoms into a nearly free-verse experience at the very end. Really good illustrations, and just right for a young age to think about music. Be prepared to explain things like cassette tapes and LPs tho.
The Dance of the Violin
Kathy Stinson, illustrated by Dušan Petricic
ISBN: 9781554519002
About violinist Joshua Bell, who at age 12 entered a music contest and nearly wiped out, but gave it another try and performed beautifully. The art is lovely, but doesn't really align with the way that the "visuals" are described in the book. I think this may just be me being too literal, but when the text is talking about dancers and bears and shipwrecks, I do wish that the art was a LITTLE more representational.
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Tuesday Storytime AND Summer Reading: Sound Science!
For storytime, a trio of "school" themed books featuring music or noisemaking. For the summer reading program, a visit from Miss Frizzle, who also read Max Found Two Sticks during her fantastic science-filled program.
Storytime:
Violet's Music
Angela Johnson, illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith
ISBN: 0803727402
Violet lives breathes dances walks sings and exudes music - which is fine, and generally satisfying, but there's no one else at school who really understands her passion. They all have their own different passions. So Violet starts to look for her people, and when she finds some others who REALLY dig music, they all validate her previous passion and vague loneliness, and then happily start up a band.
Music Class Today!
David Weinstone, illustrated by Vin Vogel
ISBN: 9780374341311
A boisterous music class is kept on a gentle schedule by a bearded teacher, while a shy/introverted/sensitive child hovers around the edges, unsure about all this noise and commotion, until they gather their courage and happily join in the fun. Very short, but very inclusive and positive look at a classroom setting.
Ruby Sings the Blues
Niki Daly
ISBN: 1582349959
I've used this one before, because I love Ruby, with her volume control permanently set to HIGH. She's just excited and happy and wants to be heard, which drives everyone at school and home absolutely bonkers, until someone suggests music lessons, and Ruby discovers Jazz and Blues, and puts her BIG voice to excellent (and finally appreciated) use.
Storytime:
Violet's Music
Angela Johnson, illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith
ISBN: 0803727402
Violet lives breathes dances walks sings and exudes music - which is fine, and generally satisfying, but there's no one else at school who really understands her passion. They all have their own different passions. So Violet starts to look for her people, and when she finds some others who REALLY dig music, they all validate her previous passion and vague loneliness, and then happily start up a band.
Music Class Today!
David Weinstone, illustrated by Vin Vogel
ISBN: 9780374341311
A boisterous music class is kept on a gentle schedule by a bearded teacher, while a shy/introverted/sensitive child hovers around the edges, unsure about all this noise and commotion, until they gather their courage and happily join in the fun. Very short, but very inclusive and positive look at a classroom setting.
Ruby Sings the Blues
Niki Daly
ISBN: 1582349959
I've used this one before, because I love Ruby, with her volume control permanently set to HIGH. She's just excited and happy and wants to be heard, which drives everyone at school and home absolutely bonkers, until someone suggests music lessons, and Ruby discovers Jazz and Blues, and puts her BIG voice to excellent (and finally appreciated) use.
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Tuesday Storytime AND Summer Reading! Dance Party!
Our summer reading program was a blast this week, with pulsing african drums and all sorts of great encouraging yells to our dancers and kid (and adult) volunteers. The troupe was amazing, had lots of energy, and was unfailingly kind and professional, even when confronted with about 80 kids and toddlers.
But that's not what we're here for: BOOKS!
Dancing books are so much fun. There are so many, and I do them so often, that I try to find something new to read when I can, rather than recycle ones that are my own personal favorites. This time I ended up with a favorite from a couple years back, a really great read that I'd enjoyed before but never used in storytime, and a delightful newcomer who just stole my heart.
The Newcomer:
Dance is for Everyone
Andrea Zuill
Ballet class isn't quite the same when an alligator joins the practice sessions. But they name their new student Tanya (after the school's prima ballerina founder) and everything goes pretty well once they figure out how to deal with language barriers and very large and swishy tails. In fact, it goes so well that they create a piece specifically for their recital and it goes perfectly! But Tanya doesn't come back to class afterwards. After a few disheartening weeks, the class gets a note (you'll love the note) and they head over to the nearest swamp for an encore performance of their recital. Really cute, and a good match up with Lyle Crocodile or the snake one with the old lady that I can't remember at the moment.
Older Cutie:
Everybunny Dance
Ellie Sandall
This one is very sweet and cool because it totally subverts the fox and bunnies thing, and I love it when the kids are all shook when the fox appears, and then slowly grin and get into the joke when it all turns out all right. An excellent plot and twist and finale for such a short book.
Great (non-storytime) Read:
I Got the Rhythm
Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by George Morrison
Our unnamed sassy AA protagonist girl sashays down the streets, into the parks, and into the hearts of literally everyone she meets as she emits a cool funky beat with every move she makes. Eventually the beats compose into a dance, and there's glimpses of like an Enchanted (Disney live action princess movie, it's great, go watch it) sort of dance montage where you wonder if the rats and roaches are also cutting the rug under everyone's feet, and then it's all faded back and she's left alone sashaying back into the next chapter. No plot worth speaking of, but style and moxie for miles.
But that's not what we're here for: BOOKS!
Dancing books are so much fun. There are so many, and I do them so often, that I try to find something new to read when I can, rather than recycle ones that are my own personal favorites. This time I ended up with a favorite from a couple years back, a really great read that I'd enjoyed before but never used in storytime, and a delightful newcomer who just stole my heart.
The Newcomer:
Dance is for Everyone
Andrea Zuill
Ballet class isn't quite the same when an alligator joins the practice sessions. But they name their new student Tanya (after the school's prima ballerina founder) and everything goes pretty well once they figure out how to deal with language barriers and very large and swishy tails. In fact, it goes so well that they create a piece specifically for their recital and it goes perfectly! But Tanya doesn't come back to class afterwards. After a few disheartening weeks, the class gets a note (you'll love the note) and they head over to the nearest swamp for an encore performance of their recital. Really cute, and a good match up with Lyle Crocodile or the snake one with the old lady that I can't remember at the moment.
Older Cutie:
Everybunny Dance
Ellie Sandall
This one is very sweet and cool because it totally subverts the fox and bunnies thing, and I love it when the kids are all shook when the fox appears, and then slowly grin and get into the joke when it all turns out all right. An excellent plot and twist and finale for such a short book.
Great (non-storytime) Read:
I Got the Rhythm
Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by George Morrison
Our unnamed sassy AA protagonist girl sashays down the streets, into the parks, and into the hearts of literally everyone she meets as she emits a cool funky beat with every move she makes. Eventually the beats compose into a dance, and there's glimpses of like an Enchanted (Disney live action princess movie, it's great, go watch it) sort of dance montage where you wonder if the rats and roaches are also cutting the rug under everyone's feet, and then it's all faded back and she's left alone sashaying back into the next chapter. No plot worth speaking of, but style and moxie for miles.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Tuesday Storytime AND Summer Reading!
Two-fer posts all summer long, aren't you lucky!
Last week started off with a literal bang, with a great SRP performance by a local magician and musician who did a delightful and very well choreographed performance using a lot of classic music cues. Very clever and thoughtful and the music was integrated into every part of the performance except perhaps the magic rabbit that turned into a real rabbit for the kids to pet, but I'm going to overlook that because soft cuddly rabbit. But enough about him, this blog is about the books.
For the storytime earlier in the day, I focused on general music books to set the mood: later programs have more specific themes (dance, jazz, biographies) so I wanted to keep any of those back to make a connection between those programs.
I ended up with an old favorite, a new classic, and a fun little cutie.
New Classic:
88 Instruments
Chris Barton
ISBN: maybe later
So this kid goes into a music shop and there are 88 instruments for him to choose from; which one does he want to take lessons with? We wander past the strings, triangles, electric guitar, are dreadfully tempted by the drum set, but then he discovers the piano, which (amazing coincidence not at all contrived by the writer) has 88 keys ALSO! And once he masters them all, he's going to play beautiful music, and then perhaps pick another new instrument to learn after all.
New Cutie:
Rock and Roll Soul
Author: hmmmm
ISBN: reply hazy
I don't normally like "scribbly" art, but I do want to give all different art styles and approaches a fighting chance, and the bubbly happy beat of this book was too much to pass up. I feel like there was a bit of a story (girl is going to perform in her school's talent show) but there really isn't any urgency or flow to that, just a set of spreads of her bopping and rocking out with her bad self and her amazing self esteem. Really fun.
Old Favorite:
My Family Plays Music
Author: I should know this but it's summer reading and a tuesday so I can barely remember I need to buy cat food tonight.
ISBN: not a chance
This is my "platonic ideal" book when I want to show people what diversity in picture books looks like. All these people are family, and they are all different, and all different-looking, and they all love each other and NOTHING in the story references their color or their nationality AT ALL. It's beautiful and I love it and it's nearly perfect. The narrator is a young girl, and she plays along with a VERY large musical family in lots of venues, picking just the right percussion instrument to fit in with a dizzying array of differing musical styles and traditions. Clean, clear, crisp, straightforward, no explanations or apologies. Just a family who loves music.
Last week started off with a literal bang, with a great SRP performance by a local magician and musician who did a delightful and very well choreographed performance using a lot of classic music cues. Very clever and thoughtful and the music was integrated into every part of the performance except perhaps the magic rabbit that turned into a real rabbit for the kids to pet, but I'm going to overlook that because soft cuddly rabbit. But enough about him, this blog is about the books.
For the storytime earlier in the day, I focused on general music books to set the mood: later programs have more specific themes (dance, jazz, biographies) so I wanted to keep any of those back to make a connection between those programs.
I ended up with an old favorite, a new classic, and a fun little cutie.
New Classic:
88 Instruments
Chris Barton
ISBN: maybe later
So this kid goes into a music shop and there are 88 instruments for him to choose from; which one does he want to take lessons with? We wander past the strings, triangles, electric guitar, are dreadfully tempted by the drum set, but then he discovers the piano, which (amazing coincidence not at all contrived by the writer) has 88 keys ALSO! And once he masters them all, he's going to play beautiful music, and then perhaps pick another new instrument to learn after all.
New Cutie:
Rock and Roll Soul
Author: hmmmm
ISBN: reply hazy
I don't normally like "scribbly" art, but I do want to give all different art styles and approaches a fighting chance, and the bubbly happy beat of this book was too much to pass up. I feel like there was a bit of a story (girl is going to perform in her school's talent show) but there really isn't any urgency or flow to that, just a set of spreads of her bopping and rocking out with her bad self and her amazing self esteem. Really fun.
Old Favorite:
My Family Plays Music
Author: I should know this but it's summer reading and a tuesday so I can barely remember I need to buy cat food tonight.
ISBN: not a chance
This is my "platonic ideal" book when I want to show people what diversity in picture books looks like. All these people are family, and they are all different, and all different-looking, and they all love each other and NOTHING in the story references their color or their nationality AT ALL. It's beautiful and I love it and it's nearly perfect. The narrator is a young girl, and she plays along with a VERY large musical family in lots of venues, picking just the right percussion instrument to fit in with a dizzying array of differing musical styles and traditions. Clean, clear, crisp, straightforward, no explanations or apologies. Just a family who loves music.
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Tuesday Storytime (& LAST SRP): Monster Foods
Our last summer reading program - I feel like I've missed so much of the program this year because I've been assigned to other tasks away from the circulation desk, and also had to miss several program days. It seems to have gone smoothly and everyone in my programs enjoyed themselves (and reported good things about the others). Now for the long awaited recovery period until next spring!
Book Lists for Storytime and Summer Reading were identical this time around, so titles are in the order I gave them, and simply listed the once.
Monster Chefs
Brian and Liam Anderson
ISBN: 9781596438088
Monster Chefs have to find something new for the king to eat, but keep coming up empty-clawed.
Very cute, and the twist at the end is very nice (I very much appreciate the character design of the twist.) The king of monsters is tired of eating eyeballs in ketchup, and demands his four chefs venture into the world to find something new to eat, or become dinner themselves. Each finds an animal, who is clever enough to talk themselves out of being dinner, to the sadness of the chefs, except the last chef, who goes in a completely different direction (no pun intended) to get themselves out of the stew.
Betty Goes Bananas
Steve Antony
ISBN: 9780553507614
Betty the baby gorilla has a bit of a temper problem, exacerbated when she encounters a recalcitrant banana.
I love the way that temper tantrums are presented here, with a quick escalation, and a just-as-quick calming - just the way kids themselves at that age operate. Betty really wants to eat that banana, but things just keep going wrong! It won't open, then it is open, but SHE wanted to open it, then it BREAKS! Whatever will Betty do? Throw a tantrum, of course.
LMNO Peas
Keith Baker
ISBN: 9781416991410
Lively peas in costume frolic thematically around giant pastel capital letters.
I normally don't read straight alphabet books in storytimes, and even number/counting concept books are difficult, because they're soooo limited as far as actual story arch. It's just a straight recitation of things, with a common theme or a silly catch, or perhaps both (looking at you, chicka chicka boom boom) but not much substance. LMNO Peas is not the best storytime read, but it's at least cute and has enough interesting vocabulary to get through a recitation. These peas are alphabet peas, and they have professions and interests that span from A-Z. The drawings are quite detailed, but the pages are large and well-filled, so they're visually interesting even to the kids in the back rows. It helps that Baker has a great ear, so the reading (despite the vocabulary lessons) is smooth and the rhymes and cadence just flows right out. Makes it so much easier when it rolls nicely out like that.
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Tuesday Storytime (and SRP): Knights and Princesses
Knights and Princesses today, and a lovely line-up of books, with a list of alternates and second-stringers.
Reading Lists:
Storytime:
The Princess Knight (a bit long, but we managed)
King Jack and the Dragon
The Bravest Knight
Summer Reading:
The Princess Knight
Princess Grace
Walter the Baker
Pubdata and Reviews:
The Princess Knight
Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Kerstin Meyer, translated by Anthea Bell
ISBN: 0439536308
Line drawings of spunky characters. Violetta is trained in knighthood, and the King is shocked when she acts on it.
Violetta is the youngest royal child and after raising three Princes to be virtuous and powerful knights, the King sees no reason to change tacks, and raises Violetta the same way. By training at night in secret, she masters the challenges despite being small and frail, and fights under a pseudonym to win her own hand in marriage, handily beating all comers (including her big brothers).
King Jack and the Dragon
Peter Bently, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
ISBN: 9780803736986
Oxenbury's signature drawings, and a trio of adorable and imaginative young knights and kings.
King Jack and his two loyal knights built the castle and the throne room, and had adventures all day, but Jack is left behind alone in the castle (a large packing box) when giants (parents) carry the knights off into the gathering darkness. Jack holds up as best he can, but he's menaced by a giant four-footed creature - a dragon! ... well, actually mom and dad with flashlights, fetching him off to bed himself. So cute.
The Bravest Knight
Mercer Meyer
ISBN: 9780803732063
A pugnacious page serves in a vividly imagined fantasy world until things get a little too grim.
Princess Grace
Mary Hoffman, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright & Ying-Hwa Hu
ISBN: 9780803732605
Grace of "Amazing Grace" fame appears once again, learning about real princesses.
Grace is back, and this time she's inspired to be a fairy-tale princess on her class float in the yearly parade - until she looks a little closer and realizes that wearing floaty non-specific dresses and waiting around to be rescued by a prince isn't very fun. Teacher comes to the rescue with stories of actual princesses, and of princesses from specific cultures and countries, inspiring the whole class to take the princess (and prince) idea and make it their own.
Walter the Baker
Eric Carle
ISBN: 0689800789
Walter screws up the Duchess's scone, so he's got until morning to create an impossible bread that ends up becoming the first pretzel.
This one is only somewhat shoehorned into the Princes and Princesses and Knights theme, but it does have a Duke and Duchess, and I falsely remembered Walter becoming Knighted at the end (he doesn't, sadly). But it's still a cute story, and a great "just so" origin for pretzels.
Second String:
Princess Me
Karma Wilson
ISBN: 9781416940982
A smidge too "pretty pretty princess" for a mixed-gender group, and also some of the qualities of princesshood are a little limiting and traditional. It's sweet and cute and mostly harmless, but just not enough to make the cut against something like Princess Grace.
A Frog Prince
Alix Berenzy
ISBN: 0805004262
Waaaaaaaaaaay too long. Illustrations are to die for, and the fairy tale is delightful, but there's no way I could get through that AND two other books, even for the older crowd.
The Princess and the Pig
Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Poly Bernatene
ISBN: 9780802723345
A very close call, but I had read it recently in storytime, and wanted to read Walter the Baker for SRP.
The Princess and the Pea
Rachel Isadora
ISBN: 9780399246111
LOVED this African-inspired rendition of the Princess and the Pea, but decided to go with non-traditional fairy tales instead.
Reading Lists:
Storytime:
The Princess Knight (a bit long, but we managed)
King Jack and the Dragon
The Bravest Knight
Summer Reading:
The Princess Knight
Princess Grace
Walter the Baker
Pubdata and Reviews:
The Princess Knight
Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Kerstin Meyer, translated by Anthea Bell
ISBN: 0439536308
Line drawings of spunky characters. Violetta is trained in knighthood, and the King is shocked when she acts on it.
Violetta is the youngest royal child and after raising three Princes to be virtuous and powerful knights, the King sees no reason to change tacks, and raises Violetta the same way. By training at night in secret, she masters the challenges despite being small and frail, and fights under a pseudonym to win her own hand in marriage, handily beating all comers (including her big brothers).
King Jack and the Dragon
Peter Bently, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
ISBN: 9780803736986
Oxenbury's signature drawings, and a trio of adorable and imaginative young knights and kings.
King Jack and his two loyal knights built the castle and the throne room, and had adventures all day, but Jack is left behind alone in the castle (a large packing box) when giants (parents) carry the knights off into the gathering darkness. Jack holds up as best he can, but he's menaced by a giant four-footed creature - a dragon! ... well, actually mom and dad with flashlights, fetching him off to bed himself. So cute.
The Bravest Knight
Mercer Meyer
ISBN: 9780803732063
A pugnacious page serves in a vividly imagined fantasy world until things get a little too grim.
Princess Grace
Mary Hoffman, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright & Ying-Hwa Hu
ISBN: 9780803732605
Grace of "Amazing Grace" fame appears once again, learning about real princesses.
Grace is back, and this time she's inspired to be a fairy-tale princess on her class float in the yearly parade - until she looks a little closer and realizes that wearing floaty non-specific dresses and waiting around to be rescued by a prince isn't very fun. Teacher comes to the rescue with stories of actual princesses, and of princesses from specific cultures and countries, inspiring the whole class to take the princess (and prince) idea and make it their own.
Walter the Baker
Eric Carle
ISBN: 0689800789
Walter screws up the Duchess's scone, so he's got until morning to create an impossible bread that ends up becoming the first pretzel.
This one is only somewhat shoehorned into the Princes and Princesses and Knights theme, but it does have a Duke and Duchess, and I falsely remembered Walter becoming Knighted at the end (he doesn't, sadly). But it's still a cute story, and a great "just so" origin for pretzels.
Second String:
Princess Me
Karma Wilson
ISBN: 9781416940982
A smidge too "pretty pretty princess" for a mixed-gender group, and also some of the qualities of princesshood are a little limiting and traditional. It's sweet and cute and mostly harmless, but just not enough to make the cut against something like Princess Grace.
A Frog Prince
Alix Berenzy
ISBN: 0805004262
Waaaaaaaaaaay too long. Illustrations are to die for, and the fairy tale is delightful, but there's no way I could get through that AND two other books, even for the older crowd.
The Princess and the Pig
Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Poly Bernatene
ISBN: 9780802723345
A very close call, but I had read it recently in storytime, and wanted to read Walter the Baker for SRP.
The Princess and the Pea
Rachel Isadora
ISBN: 9780399246111
LOVED this African-inspired rendition of the Princess and the Pea, but decided to go with non-traditional fairy tales instead.
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Tuesday Storytime and Summer Reading: Dragons!
The very best Fantastic creatures are dragons. No question about it. And there are getting to be some really good dragon books in the picture book world.
Storytime Lineup:
Me and My Dragon
The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water
Dragons Love Tacos
Summer Reading Lineup:
Not Your Typical Dragon
When A Dragon Moves In
Dragons Love Tacos
Info and (short) Reviews:
Me and My Dragon
David Biedrzycki
ISBN: 9781580892780
A boy walks through the process of adopting a dragon like any other pet.
The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water
Gemma Merino
ISBN: 9780735841635
Our croc isn't like his siblings, but he really wants to be around them - just not in the water.
Dragons Love Tacos
Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
ISBN: 9780803736801
Dragons love tacos, but watch out for that spicy salsa - it'll get you every time!
Not Your Typical Dragon
Dan Bar-el, illustrated by Tim Bowers
ISBN: 9780670014026
Crispin (best dragon name ever) doesn't breathe fire - he's just a bit different, but it'll all turn out ok.
When A Dragon Moves In
Jodi Moore, illustrated by Howard McWilliam
ISBN: 9780979974670
A boy at the beach gets into a little bit of trouble with his "dragon's" crazy antics.
Storytime Lineup:
Me and My Dragon
The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water
Dragons Love Tacos
Summer Reading Lineup:
Not Your Typical Dragon
When A Dragon Moves In
Dragons Love Tacos
Info and (short) Reviews:
Me and My Dragon
David Biedrzycki
ISBN: 9781580892780
A boy walks through the process of adopting a dragon like any other pet.
The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water
Gemma Merino
ISBN: 9780735841635
Our croc isn't like his siblings, but he really wants to be around them - just not in the water.
Dragons Love Tacos
Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
ISBN: 9780803736801
Dragons love tacos, but watch out for that spicy salsa - it'll get you every time!
Not Your Typical Dragon
Dan Bar-el, illustrated by Tim Bowers
ISBN: 9780670014026
Crispin (best dragon name ever) doesn't breathe fire - he's just a bit different, but it'll all turn out ok.
When A Dragon Moves In
Jodi Moore, illustrated by Howard McWilliam
ISBN: 9780979974670
A boy at the beach gets into a little bit of trouble with his "dragon's" crazy antics.
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Tuesday Storytimes (and Summer Reading)
I've been away at a conference the last few weeks, but life (and storytime, and the summer reading program) goes on, so we had surrogate storytellers the last two Tuesdays. Nonetheless, I set up the books and programs as I always do, and I'll give the titles and a quick overview of what we did the last two Tuesdays (There's no storytime this Tuesday: we're on a short break. The whole system takes a week to breathe in the middle of the summer over 4th of July holidays.)
As a note, our state theme this year is "get up and go" with focuses on sports, exercise, health, and nutrition. We here decided to mix it up and go with our own county-wide theme of "Fantastic Reads and Where to Find Them" to link up with our upcoming comicon on August 6th. I personally got bitten by the programming/RA bug too hard as a child, so I decided that I was going to link the Fantastic Reads weekly themes back into nutrition, and go with a personal branch theme of "Fantastic Foods and Where to Find Them" - thus at least one title, sometimes more, once or twice ALL of the titles each week not only are about fantastical or fantasy creatures/situations, but also have to do with food or eating. Because it was fun to find them all. Because I'm weird.
So, for Tuesday the 21st, our theme was Extra-Ordinary Animals
For storytime I set up these three:
1) The Gruffalo
2) Gobble it Up
3) Bear Wants More
and for the Summer Reading Program with the older kids, I set aside these three:
1) The Gruffalo
2) Gobble it Up
3) I YAM a Donkey
For Tuesday the 28th, our theme was Magical Moves
For storytime I set up these three:
1) Runaway Wok
2) Potato Joe
3) Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great
and for the Summer Reading Program, these three:
1) Runaway Wok
2) Strega Nona's Harvest
3) Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great
As you can see, there's a bit of overlap each week. That's on purpose. I don't like that the little storytime kids miss out on a lot of the fun of the summer reading program because they're not quite old enough for the big kid programs. That's why the "special programs" at Pendleton are always "all ages" and why I also try to overlap the reading themes for them during the summer, to the point of even choosing the same books to read as often as I can. I don't know if they'll be talking or thinking about the program when they're not here, but I feel like it's important not to leave them out or have them be doing something totally different and unrelated.
Now for the pubdata and some short reviews:
The Gruffalo
Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
ISBN: 0803723865
A mouse talks a big game, making up an imaginary predator, and has to bluff it out when it actually appears.
I really love the smack-talking mouse, and how well and cleverly it thinks on it's feet, and the fact that the author made up the monster because she couldn't get "tiger" to scan in the original rhymes.
Gobble It Up! A fun song about eating!
Jim Arnosky
ISBN: 9780439903622
No we did not sing it. Yes there's a CD with this book. Various wild animals (heavy on the sea-life) celebrate eating.
It's a great silly story with a great silly refrain that aims to be catchy and also revolting at the same time - perfect for kids in a group setting to yell "ewwwww nooooo grooooosssss" when each new preferred food (from baby ducklings to giant squid) come down the pike. Delicious fun.
Bear Wants More
Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman
ISBN: 9780689845093
Bear and Friends are back as Bear wakes up in spring with a post-hibernation hunger.
Chapman's illustrations remain perfect, and the pastel Disneyfied multi-species friendship between all these animals makes it a perfect fit for the fantastical realm - there is no hard-hitting journalistic realism about animal behavior here. But that's ok, because what we do have is a lovely sweet tale of friends helping friends find good things to eat.
I YAM a Donkey!
Cece Bell
ISBN: 9780544087200
No real connection to fantasy or food other than the ongoing pun/wordplay/confusion, but fun regardless.
Cece Bell has a really fun naughty streak that she shows off to perfection in this story, where a talking yam and a donkey have a decidedly silly battle over verbiage. This gets into slang, into accents, into changing social registers and what's appropriate to say (or imply) and is overall funny and preposterous.
The Runaway Wok
Ying Chang Compestine, illustrated by Sebastia Serra
ISBN: 9780525420682
"A Chinese New Year Tale" celebrates generosity and plenty with a magical wok that steals from the rich and gives to the poor.
Delightful twist on the general "magic cooking pot" theme, where the magical wok finds its way to a poor but generous family and brings about the ruin of a snobby and greedy rich family into the bargain.
Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great
Bob Shea
ISBN: 9781423159520
An Eeyore-like goat (blue and everything) mopes about the Unicorn who just moved in.
This isn't really my style of book, but it's fun and clever, easy to read, and the illustrations are cute enough. It's not as painful as Skippyjon Jones, I'll say that. I think we were supposed to read it last year, but I didn't pick it out - unfortunately the craft for this program relied on there being a unicorn book, and I wasn't able to find a good substitute (seriously you picture book people? this is a glaring flaw!). The set-up comes as the unicorn goes on about how awesome the goat is at various things, leading (of course) to the goat grudgingly complimenting the unicorn to make it feel better.
Potato Joe
Keith Baker
ISBN: 9780152062309
I flipping love Keith Baker. A counting book with potatoes. Talking ones. Exactly.
You know the old "one potato" rhyme? Well, now it's actually got real potatoes, and it goes on and on and on, with various named potatoes, (and a tomato AND a really big special guest) and counts all the way up to 10 and back down again, putting the potatoes to rest in the soil once more. It's the cutest ever.
Strega Nona's Harvest
Tomie dePaola
ISBN: 9780399252914
Compare and contrast Big Anthony's and Strega Nona's gardens and harvests as the season goes on.
Strega Nona has a nice lovely organized garden, where she lines the patches up and makes the rows straight, and asks for juuuuuust enough garden magic to get a good crop. Big Anthony isn't quite that careful, and to be safe, asks for twice as much garden magic. As the season goes on, Big Anthony has a bit of a jungle on his hands, and Strega Nona's garden is as perfect as ever - but where are all these bunches of mysterious vegetables coming from every night?
As a note, our state theme this year is "get up and go" with focuses on sports, exercise, health, and nutrition. We here decided to mix it up and go with our own county-wide theme of "Fantastic Reads and Where to Find Them" to link up with our upcoming comicon on August 6th. I personally got bitten by the programming/RA bug too hard as a child, so I decided that I was going to link the Fantastic Reads weekly themes back into nutrition, and go with a personal branch theme of "Fantastic Foods and Where to Find Them" - thus at least one title, sometimes more, once or twice ALL of the titles each week not only are about fantastical or fantasy creatures/situations, but also have to do with food or eating. Because it was fun to find them all. Because I'm weird.
So, for Tuesday the 21st, our theme was Extra-Ordinary Animals
For storytime I set up these three:
1) The Gruffalo
2) Gobble it Up
3) Bear Wants More
and for the Summer Reading Program with the older kids, I set aside these three:
1) The Gruffalo
2) Gobble it Up
3) I YAM a Donkey
For Tuesday the 28th, our theme was Magical Moves
For storytime I set up these three:
1) Runaway Wok
2) Potato Joe
3) Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great
and for the Summer Reading Program, these three:
1) Runaway Wok
2) Strega Nona's Harvest
3) Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great
As you can see, there's a bit of overlap each week. That's on purpose. I don't like that the little storytime kids miss out on a lot of the fun of the summer reading program because they're not quite old enough for the big kid programs. That's why the "special programs" at Pendleton are always "all ages" and why I also try to overlap the reading themes for them during the summer, to the point of even choosing the same books to read as often as I can. I don't know if they'll be talking or thinking about the program when they're not here, but I feel like it's important not to leave them out or have them be doing something totally different and unrelated.
Now for the pubdata and some short reviews:
The Gruffalo
Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
ISBN: 0803723865
A mouse talks a big game, making up an imaginary predator, and has to bluff it out when it actually appears.
I really love the smack-talking mouse, and how well and cleverly it thinks on it's feet, and the fact that the author made up the monster because she couldn't get "tiger" to scan in the original rhymes.
Gobble It Up! A fun song about eating!
Jim Arnosky
ISBN: 9780439903622
No we did not sing it. Yes there's a CD with this book. Various wild animals (heavy on the sea-life) celebrate eating.
It's a great silly story with a great silly refrain that aims to be catchy and also revolting at the same time - perfect for kids in a group setting to yell "ewwwww nooooo grooooosssss" when each new preferred food (from baby ducklings to giant squid) come down the pike. Delicious fun.
Bear Wants More
Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman
ISBN: 9780689845093
Bear and Friends are back as Bear wakes up in spring with a post-hibernation hunger.
Chapman's illustrations remain perfect, and the pastel Disneyfied multi-species friendship between all these animals makes it a perfect fit for the fantastical realm - there is no hard-hitting journalistic realism about animal behavior here. But that's ok, because what we do have is a lovely sweet tale of friends helping friends find good things to eat.
I YAM a Donkey!
Cece Bell
ISBN: 9780544087200
No real connection to fantasy or food other than the ongoing pun/wordplay/confusion, but fun regardless.
Cece Bell has a really fun naughty streak that she shows off to perfection in this story, where a talking yam and a donkey have a decidedly silly battle over verbiage. This gets into slang, into accents, into changing social registers and what's appropriate to say (or imply) and is overall funny and preposterous.
The Runaway Wok
Ying Chang Compestine, illustrated by Sebastia Serra
ISBN: 9780525420682
"A Chinese New Year Tale" celebrates generosity and plenty with a magical wok that steals from the rich and gives to the poor.
Delightful twist on the general "magic cooking pot" theme, where the magical wok finds its way to a poor but generous family and brings about the ruin of a snobby and greedy rich family into the bargain.
Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great
Bob Shea
ISBN: 9781423159520
An Eeyore-like goat (blue and everything) mopes about the Unicorn who just moved in.
This isn't really my style of book, but it's fun and clever, easy to read, and the illustrations are cute enough. It's not as painful as Skippyjon Jones, I'll say that. I think we were supposed to read it last year, but I didn't pick it out - unfortunately the craft for this program relied on there being a unicorn book, and I wasn't able to find a good substitute (seriously you picture book people? this is a glaring flaw!). The set-up comes as the unicorn goes on about how awesome the goat is at various things, leading (of course) to the goat grudgingly complimenting the unicorn to make it feel better.
Potato Joe
Keith Baker
ISBN: 9780152062309
I flipping love Keith Baker. A counting book with potatoes. Talking ones. Exactly.
You know the old "one potato" rhyme? Well, now it's actually got real potatoes, and it goes on and on and on, with various named potatoes, (and a tomato AND a really big special guest) and counts all the way up to 10 and back down again, putting the potatoes to rest in the soil once more. It's the cutest ever.
Strega Nona's Harvest
Tomie dePaola
ISBN: 9780399252914
Compare and contrast Big Anthony's and Strega Nona's gardens and harvests as the season goes on.
Strega Nona has a nice lovely organized garden, where she lines the patches up and makes the rows straight, and asks for juuuuuust enough garden magic to get a good crop. Big Anthony isn't quite that careful, and to be safe, asks for twice as much garden magic. As the season goes on, Big Anthony has a bit of a jungle on his hands, and Strega Nona's garden is as perfect as ever - but where are all these bunches of mysterious vegetables coming from every night?
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Summer Reading Program: Animal Heroes
Last Program!
Between the summer activities, and me missing so many of these programs this year, it just seems like the summer has flown by. Unreal that it's the last program already.
Two Bobbies
Kirby Larson & Mary Nethery, illustrated by Jean Cassels
ISBN: 9780802797544
Vaguely sepia-toned illustrations are gritty and lifelike, often with a distancing view.
Another true story, this time about a pair of bob-tailed friends (one cat and one dog) who were left behind in the evacuation of post-Katrina flooded New Orleans. The story takes a biographical tone, and covers the pair from the hypothetical conjecture (their life before, their journeys before they were rescued) to their rescue, rehabilitation, move to a Utah rescue facility, and their re-homing with a dedicated lady who learned about them via a television broadcast. A twist halfway through made some of the kids actually gasp when I read it, which I think is a first for me.
Next up we did Bertie Was a Watchdog again, because I might never again get the chance to bark for 45 seconds straight inside a library without getting hospitalized.
The Hermit Crab
Carter Goodrich
ISBN: 9781416938927
A shy hermit crab finds a strange shell, and unwittingly becomes a community hero.
This is an odd but cute little story. Our hero is so shy and retiring that he doesn't even participate in community events, but prefers to watch them quietly and contentedly from the sidelines. One day, he discovers a strange segmented "shell" (the top half of a superhero figure) that he loves, so he puts it on immediately. Unknown to him, while he was happily re-shelling, a lobster-trap has descended from the surface and trapped the flounder. He returns after the rest of the community retreats in terror, and they watch in awe as this heroic figure wanders around the terrifying trap for a few scant moments before banishing it back to the surface, with the flounder safely left behind. The resulting parade and accolades scares the hermit so much that he hides deep inside the new shell, and escapes as soon as possible. Really cute, and an interesting complement to another story I read recently: Robert Venditti's newest juvenile fiction / graphic novel crossover Miles Taylor and The Golden Cape.
And that's all she wrote for Heroes this year - we are DONE. We'll be back next year with the next batch of books on whatever topic comes around next.
Between the summer activities, and me missing so many of these programs this year, it just seems like the summer has flown by. Unreal that it's the last program already.
Two Bobbies
Kirby Larson & Mary Nethery, illustrated by Jean Cassels
ISBN: 9780802797544
Vaguely sepia-toned illustrations are gritty and lifelike, often with a distancing view.
Another true story, this time about a pair of bob-tailed friends (one cat and one dog) who were left behind in the evacuation of post-Katrina flooded New Orleans. The story takes a biographical tone, and covers the pair from the hypothetical conjecture (their life before, their journeys before they were rescued) to their rescue, rehabilitation, move to a Utah rescue facility, and their re-homing with a dedicated lady who learned about them via a television broadcast. A twist halfway through made some of the kids actually gasp when I read it, which I think is a first for me.
Next up we did Bertie Was a Watchdog again, because I might never again get the chance to bark for 45 seconds straight inside a library without getting hospitalized.
The Hermit Crab
Carter Goodrich
ISBN: 9781416938927
A shy hermit crab finds a strange shell, and unwittingly becomes a community hero.
This is an odd but cute little story. Our hero is so shy and retiring that he doesn't even participate in community events, but prefers to watch them quietly and contentedly from the sidelines. One day, he discovers a strange segmented "shell" (the top half of a superhero figure) that he loves, so he puts it on immediately. Unknown to him, while he was happily re-shelling, a lobster-trap has descended from the surface and trapped the flounder. He returns after the rest of the community retreats in terror, and they watch in awe as this heroic figure wanders around the terrifying trap for a few scant moments before banishing it back to the surface, with the flounder safely left behind. The resulting parade and accolades scares the hermit so much that he hides deep inside the new shell, and escapes as soon as possible. Really cute, and an interesting complement to another story I read recently: Robert Venditti's newest juvenile fiction / graphic novel crossover Miles Taylor and The Golden Cape.
And that's all she wrote for Heroes this year - we are DONE. We'll be back next year with the next batch of books on whatever topic comes around next.
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