Storytime II, Week 5: First Snow

This Week's Books:
Duck Skates, by Lynne Berry, ill. by Hiroe Nakata
Owl Moon, by Nicholas Brunelle
Copy Me, Copycub, by Richard Edwards, ill. by Susan Winter
Snow, by Uri Shulevitz
Oh! by Kevin Henkes, ill. by Laura Dronzek
I Love Snow, by Hans Wilhelm
Snow, by Manya Stojic
First Snow, by Bernette Ford, ill, by Sebastien Braun
First Snow in the Woods, by Carl R. Sams and Jean Stoick

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: A glittery snowflake

Thanksgiving

I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was lovely. I was sick for a few days (sorry, Monday storytime-ers, I'll see you this week!) and then away for a few more days for baking, eating, shopping, and game-playing fun with my loud chaotic family. But, I'm back at RML and gearing up for a wonderful month of Holiday Happenings.

Storytime II, Week 4: Owls

I love owls and have to include an owl-themed storytime once a year. It also gives me a chance to read my daughter's favorite childhood book "Owl Babies".

This Week's Books:
Olivia Owl, by Maurice Pledger
I'm Not Cute, by Jonathan Allen
Night Creatures, by Wade Cooper
Owliver, by Robert Kraus, ill. by Aruego and Dewey
In My Tree, by Sara Gillingham and Lorena Siminovich
The Barn Owls, by Tony Johnston, ill, by Deborah Ray
Owl Babies, by Martin Waddell, ill. by Patrick Benson

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 Action Rhymes:
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!"

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 Black Paper and Chalk Owl!

Books for Holiday Giving

With Hanukkah just around the corner (the first week of December) and Christmas coming quickly after that, websites and publications are beginning their lists of children's' books for gift-giving.

The New York Times Book Review printed their list of the Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2010 (clickable link) which include some of my personal favorites such as the charming "Henry in Love" by Peter McCarty, as well as some books that I am now excited to see, including "A Sick Day for Amos McGee" by Philip and Erin Stead.

The website Imagination Soup ("playful learning for inquisitive kids") published their Holiday Gift Guide to the Best Books for Kids which includes some non-book items such as the Little Librarian kit if your little one wishes to emulate Ms. Eileen or me!

The ALSC (Association of Library Service for Children) division of the American Library Association has issued it's 2010 Notable Children's Books list as well. It is an exhaustive list including books recommended for children up to age 14. You'll be sure to find some great suggestions there.

Holiday Happenings!!!

It's that time of year again, time for special Holiday programs for families at the RML.

SPECIAL EVENTS:
- "A Little House Christmas". Wednesday December 8 at 4:00. Magic Storybook presents a visit to the Log Cabin in the Big Woods to celebrate the Christmas Holiday the way Laura and her family did so many years ago. String popcorn, sing holiday songs, dance and play games that aren’t electronic Decorative scenery, props and costumes add to this nostalgic and festive holiday experience. This program is for families with children ages 5 and up. Registration required.

- Family Ornament Making and Baking. Monday December 13 at 6:00. Join us at the Marlborough Senior Center for making and baking ornaments at all levels of difficulty. For Families. Registration required.

STORYTIMES:
- Drop-in Storytimes for ages 2-5, every Monday at 1:00 from 11/15-12/13.

- Book Tots for babies aged 9-24 months every Wednesday in December at 10:30 a.m. Register OR drop-in.

- Quiet Storytime for ages 2-4, Monday, 12/20 at 10:30. Low lights, quiet music and calm stories for a breath of relaxation during the busy Christmas week.

- Not-Too-Old-For-Storytime: Holiday Edition: For children in grades K,1,2. We'll meet at Elmer Thienes school at the end of the day and walk to the library for an afternoon snack, craft, stories, games, and music. Friday, December 17 3:15-4:30. Registration is required. (Sign-up soon, spots are limited!)

Plus there are several adult programs going on this December including a job-hunt program and Home-made for the Holidays. Check out the library website for more information.

Happy Holidays from your friends at the Richmond Memorial Library!

Storytime II, Week 3: Hide-and-Seek

Week 3 and our theme this week is Hide-and-Seek. Actually, it's more complicated than that. While Monday storytime for 2s will have this theme, because the library is closed this Thursday for Veteran's Day, my Thursday storytime groups will have this theme on December 2. However, I'll also be doing Ms. Eileen's Friday storytimes (she's off to Disney, LUCKY!) and we'll do a 4/5 year-old version of this theme.

This Week's Books:
Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin, by Tad Hills
I Will Surprise My Friend, by Mo Willems
Where's Tumpty? by Polly Dunbar
The Hidden Alphabet, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Missing Molly, by Lisa Jahn-Clough
Where is the Green Sheep? By Mem Fox, ill, by Judy Horacek
Daisy's Hide-and-Seek, by Jane Simmons
Bear in a Square, by Stella Blackstone, ill. by Debbie Harter
Where is Ben? by Marisabina Russo
Where's Spot, by Eric Hill

This Week's Music:
Where Have You Been? by Burl Ives
Elephant Hide-and-Seek, by Steve Songs
Can You Find It? by They Might Be Giants

This Week's Action Rhymes:
One fine Thanksgiving Day
Two little turkeys came out to play
One turkey says, "We'll play hide-and-seek,
I'll go hide, and you don't peek"

Will he hide high, will he hide low
Will he hide far, I don't know
Will he hide left, will he hide right
Or will he hide back out of sight?

The other little turkey then looks around
But his turkey friend can't be found
Did he hide high, did he hide low
Did he hide far, I don't know
Did he hide left, did he hide right
Or did he hide back out of sight

"Aha, I found you! Come on out!"
"Gooble Gooble Gooble!" both turkeys shout.

Also, Where is Thumbkin

This Week's Craft: A hide-and-seek turkey

Guys Read

A patron came in this morning looking for holiday book suggestions for 4 grandsons ages 8-13. While helping her I was reminded of an excellent website designed specifically for finding books for boys. The website Guys Read (clickable link) is the brainchild of Jon Scieszka, author of dozens of picture books including "The Stinky Cheese Man", as well as plenty of juvenile fiction such as the Time Warp Trio series.

The mission of Guys Read is "to motivate boys to read by connecting them with materials they will want to read, in ways they like to read". What a great mission! And what a great website. Books are reviewed, discussed, and listed in genres such a funny books, books about outer space, books about building stuff...and more.

Session II, Week 2: Cats

Everybody wants to be a cat...or so they say. It's this week's theme:

This Week's Books:
Bad Kitty, by Nick Bruel
A Kitten Tale, by Eric Rohmann
Hondo and Fabian, by Peter McCarty
Kitten's First Full Moon, by Kevin Henkes
Top Cat, by Lois Ehlert
Mama Cat Has Three Kittens, by Denise Fleming
No, No, Jo! by Kate and Jim McMullan
Kate, the Cat, and the Moon, by David Almond, ill. by Stephen Lambert

This Week's Music:
Stray Cat Strut, by The Stray Cats
The Cat Came Back, by Laurie Berkner
Everybody Wants to be a Cat, from the movie the Aristocats

This Week's Action Rhymes:
Creeping creeping comes the little cat
But bunny with his long ears hops like that!

I have a teeny tiny cat
Well actually he's really fat
He runs around from here to there
And sometimes jumps into the air
But when he wants to take a nap
He comes and curls up in my lap

This Week's Art: Cat masks

Our Storytime Alums Returned!

Ms. Eileen and I had sooooo much fun on Friday when 30 of our storytime alumni (in grades K,1,2) returned for an afternoon of stories, songs, a craft, games, and a snack with a Halloween theme. We squeezed a lot into the hour and a half we had together, including a walk from the elementary school to the library. The children were remarkably well-behaved, and just plain fun to be with. Thank you to Maria's mother for supplying all 30 kids with popcorn and to my own daughter for helping me make "Dry Bones" (meringue cookies) to share as an after-school snack.

We hope all of your children enjoyed this nostalgic visit and we certainly hope to do it again soon. We'll keep you posted. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you all at the library.

Happy Halloween Everyone! (Be safe.)

Storytime Session II, Week 1: In the Night

Storytime session II begins this week and our first theme (for 2s and 3/4s) is 'In the Night'.

This Week's Books:
In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak
Scaredy Squirrel at Night, by Melanie Watt
Night Lights, by Susan Gal
Night's Nice, by Barbara and Ed Emberley
Mouse at Night, by Nancy Hall, ill. by Buket Erdogan
The House in the Night, by Susan Swanson, ill. by Beth Krommes
One Dark Night, by Lisa Wheeler, ill. by Ivan Bates

This Week's Music:
The Starry Night, by Jessica Harper
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, traditional

This Week's Action Rhymes:
The big yellow moon shines so bright
And glides across the starry night
It shines on me asleep in my bed
And whispers, "Good night you sleepy head"

This Week's Art: Starry night pictures with crayons, glitter and liquid watercolor
Plus: "The Bats in the Night" (to the tune of "Wheels on the Bus") and a flannel board game