We Love Cookies!

Ms. Patty and I are enjoying a wonderful week of cookie-themed storytimes! 'Tis the season for all that baking goodness! Here are a few of the stories we've been sharing:

This one is such a great storytime story! And of course, some of the kids have no problem guessing why the cow loves cookies so much!
This one is always a favorite around here this time of year:

More Stories:
Who Ate All the Cookie Dough? by Karen Beaumont
Ginger Bear by Mini Grey
The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems

Song: Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?

And to top it off, we're playing with 'dough'! The recipe can be found here on the blog under 'links'.

Fall Storytime Update

Oh poor neglected blog...

But we've been having fun with Fall Storytime, Session 2.  The 2s, 3s, and 4s, started off with stories about families and made collages based on "The Family Book" by Todd Parr.  We followed up with windy day stories playing a fun kite game on the flannel board. Books included "Who Took the Farmer's Hat" by Joan Nodset, and "Like a Windy Day", by Frank Asch.  Finally, this past week the children made decorated card stock pine trees with mini pine cones and mixture of glue and shaving cream which hardens like puffy paint.  We shared a brand new book called "Penguin and Pinecone" by Salina Yoon.

Meanwhile, Ms. Eileen's 4s, 5s, and 6s shared books about silly birds, windy days, and Thanksgiving.  An adorable bird craft and funny books including "Grumpy Bird" by Jeremy Tankard made for lots of fun.  For Thanksgiving storytime the kids made paper bag turkeys and played with a gigantic felt board turkey and shared a new book, "Five Silly Turkeys" also by Salina Yoon.  (I guess she's our children's author of the month!)

We don't meet for storytimes during the week of Thanksgiving, but Ms. Eileen and Ms. Patty will be back next week with more great books, games, and terrific crafts.  Have a great holiday.

Library closed

The town of Marlborough is closing town buildings for Monday and Tuesday, October 29 and 30, hence the Richmond Memorial Library will also be closed.  Any items you have that are due on those days will be now due on Wednesday.

Stay safe and enjoy the opportunity for some family time and for reading. I have fond memories of my mom reading aloud by candlelight when we would lose power as kids.  Have fun making memories of your own.

The End (of Storytime Session 1)

We ended the first session of Fall 2012 Storytimes at RML with Ghosts (Ms. Eileen) and Spiders (Ms. Patty).  Ms. Eileen's 4,5, and 6 year old crafters made lovely ghosts using contact paper and all sorts of white scraps, while Ms. Patty's 2 and 3 year olds made spider webs with weaving and spiders from cupcake liners and chenille sticks.  Great fun!

Our books included the Bake Shop Ghost, by Jacqueline Ogburn and Marjorie Priceman, and the tale of the Three Little Ghosties (eating burnt, or was it buttered, toasties!).  Toddlers were fascinated with Eric Carle's "The Very Busy Spider" with its spiderweb.  And of course we sang the classic "Itsy Bitsy Spider". 

Storytime Weeks 3 & 4: apples, pumpkins and monsters, oh my!

For the last few weeks, we have been focusing on those favorite fall themes (leaves, apples, etc) and reading some favorites that lend themselves to this colorful and favorite time of year for many. Above is an illustration from David Ezra Stein's Leaves. This is how Ms Eileen feels when Fall comes around!
Ms Patty's classes also learned this fingerplay:

Leaves are falling from the trees
Swirling, twirling, in the breeze.
On the ground in a great big pile
Jump on in with a great big SMILE!

Ms Eileen's 4s & 5s enjoyed MONSTER stories this past week, so of course we had to do Tickle Monster by Josie Bissett. Not that the kids enjoyed getting tickled. No, not at all. And the 'Monster Boogie' song by Laurie Berkner provided a great backdrop!

JUST A REMINDER THAT NEXT WEEK IS THE LAST STORYTIME WEEK FOR SESSION I - CALL US, STOP IN OR REGISTER ONLINE FOR SESSION II - you can register anytime for Session II if your child hasn't done Session I - if they have, they can register after their last class next week for Session II. Online registration can be found at :
http://www.richmondlibrary.info/events.html

An Old Favorite & A New Favorite!

Ms. Eileen here - just wanted to continue with what Patty posted about my storytimes this week and the theme "Outdoors". I have sooo enjoyed it as a theme and the books are ALL just great storytime books! But I wanted to specifically mention 2 that I love- the old favorite being "We Were Tired of Living in a House" by Liesel Moak Skorpen.  Originally released in 1969 with illustrations by Doris Burn, here it is:

 And here is the 1999 version illustrated by Joe Cepeda that I used:

It is a beautifully written book, so lyrical and full of alliteration. The children move to various locations like the sea, a tree, and a pond, where they truly enjoy living until someone or something happens, and they ultimately end up back home.
"So we packed our bag with sweaters and scarlet leaves and gold, and a frog who was a particular friend, and precious stones that caught and held the sun.  And we moved to the sea. We liked the sea."
My 4 & 5 year olds were entranced!

My newish favorite is this one by Susan Gal:

For something that is really a spacial-relationships concept book, this book is pretty and funny and reads like a dream!  Check it out and be sure to follow the cutest bear ever through the pages!

Storytime Week Two: Lions and Outdoor Fun

Ms. Eileen is focusing on Outdoor stories this week, while Ms. Patty is tackling Lions as a theme.  Ms. Eileen and her 4 to 6 year old friends are doing scratch-off leafs as a craft, and reading "Are You Ready to Play Outside" by Mo Willems, and "Acorns Everywhere" by Kevin Sherry, among other books.  The two and three year olds have been making lion masks, a beginner cutting exercise, and roaring up a storm with this little action rhyme:

Lion, lion, jungle king
Doesn't whisper, doesn't sing
Doesn't yell, and doesn't snore
The only sound he makes is ROAR!!!!

We've also read "We're Going on a Lion Hunt" by David Axtell, and interpreted the very gorgeous "The Lion and the Mouse" by Jerry Pinkney.

Storytime Week One:

We began this Storytime season with Friends for the 2s and 3/4s and stories about Harvest for the 4-6 year olds.  In Ms. Patty's groups we played "Round and Round the Village" and decorated friendship cut-outs while Ms. Eileen's groups did potato printing and read about the wonderful vegetables being harvested now.  Here's a glimpse of some of the books we read.

Storytimes Begin!!

It's that time of year again; time for Fall Storytime!  So here's the run-down for everyone.

Two year olds,with a caregiver, Thursday or Friday at 10:00 a.m.  
I keep storytimes with 2 year olds very consistent in terms of time and general outline: We start at the craft table with a simple, child-directed craft, then move to the storytime rug at about 10:10 and begin with a sing-along to 'The More We Get Together" and a simple action rhyme.  Stories, flannel board games and more action rhymes round out the next 20 minutes and we end promptly at 10:30.

Three & Four year olds, Wednesday or Thursday at 1 p.m.
Storytime with 3 and 4 year olds are generally without caregiver, although some children may wish to have their special person stay in the storytime room with them, at least initially.  if your four year old is not yet ready to be on his or her own at storytime, this is the session they should choose, but all 4 year olds are welcome.  Storytime lasts for about 40-45 minutes and generally END at the craft table.  Some children will finish the craft within moments, others will linger for quite some time, and that is fine with me.

Four, Five, & Six Year olds, Tuesday at 10 a.m. or Friday at 1 p.m
This storytime is best for the independent 4, 5 and 6 year olds and last for about a hour.  Crafts will require more dexterity and skill, and the stories will often be longer in length.   Sessions include games, interactive activites, and stories and end at the craft table.  Note that the Friday session fills up early.

Call the Richmond Library at 295-6210 to sign-up
Sign-up begins September 5 for Marlborough residents and September 10 for non-residents.

Storytime Session 1 starts September 18th.
Storytime Session 2 starts October 30.
Sessions last for 5 classes (not class the week of Nov. 19)

Some general guidelines: 

-Children must be the proper age at the beginning of the storytime session. 

-You may sign-up for either Session 1 or Session 2 (see below for dates) at this time.  At the last class of Session 1 attendees may then sign-up for Session 2.

- Please be prompt to storytime.

Ms. Eileen's Storytime: Eggs!!!

I discovered a new theme for storytime that is super fun - eggs! I've done chickens and spring and bunnies before, but a whole storytime on eggs was a new one. I wondered if I could find enough books at first that didn't have to do with "Easter eggs" but ultimately I did. The theme just lends itself to other themes like chickens and even patterns if tying in the Easter egg theme.

For our craft, I saved the shells from Easter eggs my family had dyed, and separated them by color scheme. I cleaned the shells and let them dry, then peeled off the dried paper-like membrane. Be sure to break them into small pieces (like the size of a fingernail or so) because if they are too big, the curve won't stick in the glue well. I drew out a basic flower picture on paper, and had the kids glue the shells to the flower in any arrangement they wanted. They could do patterns or even one color. They did a great job! And that was just the 3-5 year olds. We'll do the same on Friday for the 4-6 year olds. Older kids with more patience could make a nice mosaic with the shells.

Here are some books I used, depending on the age group:

Eggs and Legs: Counting by Twos by Michael Dahl

One Little Chicken by Elka Weber

An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston (beautiful!)

Spotty, Stripy, Swirly: What are Patterns? by Jane Brocket's Clever Concepts

Good Egg by Barney Saltzberg

Spring Storytime II, Week 1: Boo-boos and Bandaids

This week's theme is all about ouchies, boo-boos, getting hurt and getting better with kisses and band-aids.

This Week's Books:
Bunny Days, by Tao Nyeu
How to Heal a Broken Wing, by Bob Graham
I Broke My Trunk, by Mo Willems
Boo Hoo Bird, by Jeremy Tankard
A Sick Day for Amos McGee, by Philip Stead, ill. by Erin Stead
Doctor Ted, by Andrea Beaty and Pascal Lemaitre
Bark George,by Jules Ffiefer

This Week's Music:

This Week's Action Rhymes:
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

This Week's Art/Craft: Band-aid Fireflies
Plus Boo-Boo Bear!

Storytime Week 5: Some Favorites

For this week I'll share some of my storytime favorites!

This Week's Books:
The Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf. ill. by Robert Lawson
Caps For Sale, by Esphyr Slobodkina
Go Away, Big Green Monster, by Ed Emberley
Where's the Green Sheep, by Mem Fox, ill. by Judy Horacek
My Friend is Sad, by Mo Willems

This Week's Music:
If You're Happy and You Know It
 Plus some other favorites

This Week's Action Rhymes:
Zoom,zoom,zoom We're going to the moon
If you want to take the trip climb aboard my rocket ship
Zoom, zoom, zoom We're going to the moon Whoosh!

I have a little turtle He lives in a box
He swims in the puddle. He climbs on the rock
He snaps at a mosquito. He snaps at a flea
He snaps at a minnow. And he snaps at me
He caught the mosquito. He caught the flea
He caught the minnow. But he didn't catch me!

This Week's Art/Craft: Playdough
Plus Two Little Blackbirds and a flannel board game

Storytime Week 4: Goats

A patron recently showed me a great book I had missed, "Catch That Goat!", and it inspired this week's storytime theme!

This Week's Books:
Catch That Goat! by Polly Alakija
Let's Count Goats, by Mem Fox and Jan Thomas
There's a Billy Goat in the Garden, by Laurel Gugler, ill. by Clare Beaton
G is for Goat, by Patricia Polacco
Scapegoat, by Dean Hale, ill. by Michael Slack
Beatrice's Goat, by Lori Lohstoeter

This Week's Music:
The Lonely Goatherd, from The Sound of Music
The Goat, by Burl Ives
Billy Goat Stomp, by Jelly Roll Morton
Rocky Mountain GOat, by Travis Wells

This Week's Action Rhymes:
Goats, (maaa) give us cheese
Goats (maaa) give us milk
Goats (maaa) give us sweaters with wool as soft as silk.

This Week's Art/Craft: A Fingerprinted Goat
Plus The Three Billy Goats Gruff flannel board story

Storytime Week Three: Bathtime!

Ah, my favorite part of the day...bathtime.  It's our theme for this week.

This Week's Books:
King Bidgood's in the Bathtub, by Audrey and Don Wood
Harry the Dirty Dog, by Gene Zion, ill. by Margaret Graham
Animal Baths, by Bob Barner
Big Smelly Bear, by Britta Techentrup
Elephant in the Bathtub, by Kristina Andres
Sam's Bath, by Barbro Lindgren, ill, by Eva Eriksson
A Bath for a Princess, by Harriet Ziefert, ill. by Amanda Haley
Scrubba Dub, by Nancy Van Laan, ill. by Bernadette Pons

This Week's Music:
Singing in the Bathtub, by John Lithgow
Rubber Ducky, by Ernie
Splish, Splash, by Bobby Darrin

This Week's Action Rhymes:
After my bath, I try, try, try
To wipe myself 'til I'm dry, dry, dry.
Hands to wipe, and fingers and toes,
And two wet legs and a shiny nose.
Just think how much less time I'd take
If I were a dog, and could shake, shake, shake!

This Week's Art: Bubble Painting
Plus a flannel board game and rhyme

Storytime Week 2: Who's Coming to Visit?

This week's theme is about visiting and having visitors.  It's in preparation for our Take Your Child to the Library Day next Saturday.  This day is planned as a celebration of children at libraries and is designed to encourage visitors, old and new, to visit their library.

This Week's Books:
Who is Tapping at My Window, by A.G. Deming and Monica Wellington
A Visitor for Bear, by Bonny Becker, ill. by Kady Denton
He Came with the Couch, by David Slonim
The Relatives Came, by Cynthia Rylant, ill. by Bonnie Kelly-Young
A Friend for Minerva Louise, by Janet Stoeke
My Friend Gorilla, by Atsuko Morozumi
Making a Friend, by Alison McGhee

This Week's Music:
Come on a My House, by Rosemary Clooney
Keep-a Knockin', by Little Richard
If I Knew You Were Coming, by Elaine Barton

This Week's Action Rhymes:

Knock, knock, who's there?

Two little feet that go tap, tap

Knock, knock, who's there?

Two little knees that go slap, slap

Two little hips that go wiggle, wiggle

One little tummy that goes jiggle, jiggle

Two little arms that go flap, flap

Two little hands that go clap, clap

Two little eyes that go blink, blink

One little head that goes think, think

Knock, knock, who's there?

Open the door and see.  

Knock, knock, who's there?

It's every part of me.

Knock on the door

Who's inside?

Knock once more

The door's open wide

Step once, step twice, 

Who do you see?

People who are nice

It's my family

This Week's Art/Craft: A lift-the-flap, who's coming to visit, card.

Family Game Night is February 1st

Okay, here's the thing:  I LOVE GAMES.  I grew up in a family where there was always a game in progress.  I learned to play Cribbage in kindergarten, and was playing Scrabble as soon as I could spell.  Family get-togethers today involve marathon games of Trivial Pursuit, Apples to Apples, Pitch and other card games, Cranium, and so forth.   As a family of four we like Sequence, Rat-a-tat Cat, Jenga, and Scattergories, among others.

One day, Ms. Eileen and I got to talking about games (her family is also a big fan) and we thought it would be fun to share games with our RML family.  So, on Wednesday February 1st, we'll have a big game night.  We'll start the evening with a large group game (maybe something like "Simon Says"), we'll end the evening with a big game of Pictionary (or some variation), and in between they'll be lots of games to try with your own family and others.

We'll have snacks, of course, and Ms. Eileen and I will bring some our favorite family games. Come out on a winter night and have some fun.  By the way, this will be best for families and their children age 5 and up. 

Don't forget to register!

Storytime Begins, Week One: First Snow

This week marks two important milestones; our first snow of the winter and storytimes return!  So, we'll celebrate both with our storytime theme of First Snow.

This Week's Books:
A Kitten Tale, by Eric Rohmann
Snow, by Uri Shulevitz
Snow Sounds, by David A. Johnson
A Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
Jingle-Jingle, by Nicola Smee
Where Did Bunny Go?, by Nancy Tafuri

This Week's Music:
Suzy Snowflake, by Rosemary Clooney
Aspenglow, by John Denver
Marshmallow World, by Johnny Mathis

This Week's Action Rhymes:
1 Snowflakes are falling on the ground
On our houses, on our town
On my nose, and in my hair
Snowflakes are falling everywhere

2 Let's all make a snowman
Make him big and tall
Now see if you can hit him
With a big snowball!

This Week's Art/Craft: Sponge painting 
And Five Little Snowmen Flannel board game!

Happy New Year and Fun Doings!

Happy New Year ! Okay, okay, I'm a bit late :)
There are lots of fun happenings about to occur at the Richmond Memorial Library. First up: Spring Storytimes.  Sign up begins on January 11 for Marlborough residents and on January 18th for all others.  Here's the run-down:



2 year olds: Monday or Thursday at 10:00 a.m. with parent or caregiver
3 year olds: Thursday at 2:00 p.m.
3-5 year olds: Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.
4-6 year olds: Friday at 1:00 p.m.

Session I storytimes start the week of January 23rd and go for 5 weeks. Session II starts the week of  March 5th, also for 5 weeks. All storytimes include a craft and run from 30 minutes for the 2 year olds to 45 minutes for the older kids.  Your child must be the prescribed age at time of sign-up.

For the older kids, how about "The Next Chapter"?  This is a monthly program for kids in grades 2 through 4 where we'll discuss chapter books, share stories and other fun stuff.  Sort of like a book club, but better!  You can come each month or just once in awhile.  We'll meet kids at the Marlborough Elementary School, walk them to the library, have an afternoon snack and begin sharing our love of books.  Our first meeting is January 27, Friday, from 3:15 (when school gets out) to 4:00 (or so).  Sign-up is required.

Look forward to:
Family Game Night!  Wednesday February 1 at 6:30.  More info coming soon.
February 4th, Saturday, is Take Your Child to the Library Day! A guest reader will be here and we'll kick off a sticker scavenger hunt and maybe we'll have a few other surprises too.  
March is Cookie Month at the Library.  Hmmm, what could that mean?