10/30 Storytime

At Ms. Eileen's storytimes today you'll enjoy a very cool spider craft, fun games, and other special treats to mark the day before Halloween. Ms. Eileen also shares some of her favorite books of the holiday including "Very Scary" by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Douglas Florian, and "Big Pumpkin" by Erica Silverman, illustrated by S.D. Schindler. One thing you'll notice about Ms. Eileen's favorite books; they are all beautifully illustrated!

Also, don't forget to come by the library on Saturday to show us your costumes and to get a treat.

Two Great Parenting Classics

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen, & Listen So Kids Will Talk", and "Siblings Without Rivalry", both by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish are, in my opinion, two of the most helpful, easy to read, and practical parenting books ever written. The other day I was talking to a patron about a parenting issue and I was once again reminded how essential these two books have been to me as a mother, as well as a former child therapist. We have both books in the library waiting for you. (Although, I'm thinking the copies are looking a little worn...maybe we can get some new copies in soon.) Are there parenting books that you find helpful and that you would recommend? We'd love to hear about them. Thanks.

Storytime Session II, Week One: Monsters!

Yay! Storytime session II is about to start. I'm looking forward to seeing all my old friends and making new storytime friends. This week's theme is Not-So-Scary-Monsters. Halloween can be a tricky time for your preschoolers: on one hand it's fun to dress up and it's exciting and there's free candy. On the other hand your child is likely still not able to separate real from fantasy so seeing people behind masks of any sort and scary costumes can cause fear and trepidation. With that in mind, I will make our "Monster" storytime low-key.

This Week's Books:
Up Pop the Monsters, 1,2,3, by Carla Dijs
Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak
Go Away Big Green Monster, by Ed Emberley
Jeremy Draws a Monster, by Peter McCarty
Leonardo, The Terrible Monster, by Mo Willems
Glad Monster, Sad Monster, by Ed Emberley and Anne Miranda
Go To Bed, Monster, by Natasha Wing, ill. by Sylvie Kantorovitz
My Friend, the Monster, by Eleanor Taylor
When a Monster is Born, by Sean Taylor and Nick Sharratt
Under the Bed, by David Wood and Richard Fowler

This Week's Music
Monster Mash, by Andrew Gold and Linda Ronstandt
Monster Boogie, by Laurie Berkner
Monster Lullaby, by The Family Arts Theater

This Week's Action Rhymes:
1 Monster, monster, turn around. Monster, monster, touch the ground. Monster, monster, reach up high. Monster, monster, squint your eyes. Monster, monster, show your teeth. Monster, monster, stamp your feet.

2 Monster, monster, under the bed, You should go somewhere else instead! Go, Monster, go! Go, Monster, go! Go, Monster, go, go, go!

Plus a dotted monster craft and a game. See you there!

Fall Storytime Session II

You can sign up now for Fall Storytime Session II. We have openings on all days for all ages. As a reminder, we'll meet for five classes with no storytimes the week of Thanksgiving. Some upcoming themes for Session II storytimes include not-very-scary-monsters, squirrels, and firefighters.

Ms. Eileen and I are also planning some unique drop-in events for December. Please let us know if you have any particular interests or suggestions for programming going forward. We are more than happy to try to accomodate your requests. We'd love to hear your suggestions here on the blog or in person.

This morning I leave you with another musical discovery from the very excellent jitterbug.tv website. Here's "Do You Like To Dance?" by Uncle Brothers. My favorite line: "My mom likes to sing when she drives, when the music's playing she comes alive. She sings at the red light in the driver's seat. My mom's really old, but she's really neat."

Someone New Here at the Library

You may be seeing a new face around Richmond Memorial Library lately. We have a new reference librarian, Cindy, who will be here on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Come in and say hi and ask her a question. (Reference librarians LIVE for answering questions!)

Cindy tells us that one of her favorite children's book is "Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type", by Doreen Cronin with silly pictures by Betsy Lewin. All sorts of funny and confounding things start to happen to Farmer Brown when the cows (and other barnyard animals) learn to type. A modern classic.

Ghosts!

Someone's getting ready for Halloween! Ms. Eileen's storytime kids made very cool haunted houses today and read books about ghosts, including "Three Little Ghosties" by Pippa Goodhart, and "We're Going on a Ghost Hunt" by Marcia Vaughan. Check out our collection of Halloween books and music on display in the library now.

The First Snow

Today as storytime ended at 1:45, the kids and I emerged from the storytime room to see falling SNOW! Of all things! In October! To mark the occasion, I present two books. In "The First Snow, written and beautifully illustrated by David Christiana, Mother Nature is a little girl who loves summer, but is soon charmed by Winter with the first snowfall. The similarly named "First Snow" by Bernette Ford has charming soft illustrations by Sebastien Braun and features adorable bunnies as they explore the first snowy night of winter.

It's fun to have a first snow, but let's hope our second snow doesn't come til after Thanksgiving.

Owls! Storytime Week 5

This Week's Music:
Owl Song, by The Bossy Frog Band
How an Owl Says Howdidoo, by Jim Stolz
Return to Pooh Corner, by Kenny Loggins

This Week's Books:
Owl Babies, by Martin Waddell
I'm Not Cute, by Jonathan Allen
Owliver, by Robert Kraus, ill. by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey
Good Night Owl! by Pat Hutchins
Olivia Owl, by Maurice Pledger
Whoo-oo Is It? by Megan McDonald, ill. by S.D. Schindler
Who Hoots? by Katie Davis
The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark, by Jill Tomlinson, ill. Paul Howard

This Week's Action Rhymes:
1 There's a wide eyed owl with a pointed nose,
Two pointed ears, and claws for toes.
He lives in a tree and when he looks at you
He flaps his wings and he says "Whoo Whoo!"

2 To whit, to whoo, he stares right through
whatever he looks at, maybe YOU!
And so whatever else you do
Don't, ever, ever, be a mouse
Or if you are, stay in your house!

3 Whooo, said the owl in the dark old tree
Whee, said the wind with a howl, wheeee
Whoo-hoo, whee-whee
They didn't scare each other,
But they sure scared ME!

This Week's Art: A Paper Plate Owl
This is the last storytime for this session. Don't forget to sign-up for Session II.

New Stuff

The Sally books are here! I mentioned Stephen Huneck's "Sally" books a bit earlier on this blog and, happily, we now have a full compliment of Sally books, including "Sally Goes to the Vet", and "Sally Goes to the Farm". They all have the wonderfully beautiful wood-cut illustrations along with a sweet, funny story of Sally the Labrador Retriever's adventures.

Also new in the library, several Halloween themed items including a Kidz Bop CD of Halloween tunes, the creative Lois Ehlert's collage-illustrated "Boo to You!" picture book, and the newest monster book by Ed Emberly, creator of the classic "Go Away Big, Green, Monster". The new one is called "There Was an Old Monster". As always, if these items are currently out to another patron, you can put a "Hold" on them and we'll call you when they come in.

Mittens, we need Mittens

It's getting chilly and we here at the library have been thinking about mittens. We have an idea and you can help us.

First, we need your SINGLE mittens, y'know, ones that have lost their pairs. We will be putting up a bulletin board display with them at the beginning of November.

Second, if you have mittens or gloves that are too small we will happily collect them and donate them to a local charity.

So as you get out your cold weather gear keep us in mind. (There will be two boxes in Ms. Eileen's office where you can put PAIRS and SINGLES.) Thanks.

Whoo Whoo Who Whoo!

Both Ms. Eileen and Ms. Patty are talking about owls these days. Today Ms. Eileen's storytime kids made very beautiful owls out of just circles, ovals, and triangles and read books such as "I'm Not Cute" by Jonathan Allen, and "Owliver" by Robert Krauss. Ms. Patty's kids will be up to some owl-y fun next Thursday and the following Monday. So, in honor of our feathered friends, we thought you might appreciate this link to the Owlcam which highlights several seasons in the life of a pair of Barred Owls and their family in Eastern Massachusetts. It's fascinating.

Pie! Storytime Week 4

Today's Music:
Making Pie, by Kira Willey
Peggy's Pie Parlor Polka, by Ralph's World
Shoo Fly Pie, traditional, by Andrew and Polly

This Week's Books:
The Apple Pie Tree, by Zoe Hall, ill. by Shari Halpern
Pie in the Sky, by Lois Ehlert
All for Pie and Pie for All, by David Martin, ill. by Valeri Gorbachev
The Apple Pie that Papa Baked, by Lauren Thompson, ill. by Jonathan Bean
A Apple Pie, by Kate Greenway
Blueberry Mouse, by Alice Low
Where is the Apple Pie, by Valeri Gorbachev

Today's Action Rhymes:
I see an apple, big and round
It falls from the tree onto the ground
I pick up and wash it and cut it in two
Half for me, and half for you.

Five little pumpkins sitting on the ground The first one said, "I'm big, orange and round!" The second one said, "I'm fresh off the vine!" The third one said, "I taste divine!" The fourth one said, "I'm ready to be tasted!" The fifth one said, "Bake my seeds so they're not wasted!" Someone from the kitchen picked them up and we know why.... The five little pumpkins all became Pumpkin Pie.

Blueberry, blueberry, blueberry pie
If I don't get some, I think I'm going to cry
You can take away the grass
You can take the sky
But don't take away my blueberry pie!

Today's Craft: Pie Playdough!

Kevin Henkes

Kevin Henkes is one of those rare childrens book authors whose picture books can take your child from diapers to first grade. From Kitten's First Full Moon to Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, his books are beautifully illustrated, and often poignant. The books for older kids have lovely stories of being brave, and being yourself and his books for younger kids are sweet and beautiful. We have 29 items by Kevin Henkes in the library, so check one out today.