Kid Inventors theme (K-5)

In honor of Kid Inventors Day on January 17th!

Books:
Porkenstein by Kathryn Lasky - A lonely pig decides to invent a friend, and after several humorous misfires, he accidentally creates Porkenstein who eats everything in sight (including the big bad wolf, yay!). This would be a good read-aloud for pig, Halloween, friendship or inventor themes.


Iggy Peck Architect by Andrea Beaty - Iggy Peck is a brilliant 2nd grade architect who saves the day in his classroom. Gorgeous art and clever rhymes!


Duck Soup by Jackie Urbanovic - Hilarious! Duck is a soup cook and he longs to make a unique soup recipe. While he is in the garden gathering ingredients, his friends show up for dinner and freak out thinking that he has fallen into his soup and cooked himself. The freaking-out part plays out REALLY well during read-alouds :)


17 Things I Am Not Allowed To Do Anymore by Jenny Offill - I love this one so much! The text is simple but hilarious: "I had an idea to staple my brother's hair to his pillow / I am not allowed to use the stapler anymore. I had an idea to glue my brother's bunny slippers to the floor / I am not allowed to use the glue anymore." Combined with the creative mixed media illustrations, the result is a really funny glimpse into the mischievous imagination of a little girl/big sister.


Movie:
Brave Little Tailor (DVD) - a funny Disney classic with plenty of physical gags, humorous miscommunications and plucky little mice who save the day!


Craft:
I put out a hodge podge of craft materials and the kids got to ‘invent’ whatever they want. I told them "use your imagination!", and what creativity/messiness ensued!

2010-2011 Bluebonnet List (part 1)

I'm not that good about reading for upper elementary and tween readers, so I'm working on that by trying to read all 20 Bluebonnet books each year (for grades 3-6).

That Book Woman by Heather Henson - Wow, I loved this one. I challenge any librarian, teacher or book lover to read this and not choke up at the simple but awe-inspiring story told in lovely, sparse free verse.


Tap Dancing on the Roof by Linda Sue Park - Gorgeous short poems in sijo style. I love the kid-centric imagery and the clever twists and jokes in each last line.


Sparrow Girl by Sara Pennypacker - Not my favorite on the list, but nevertheless a sweet and inspirational story of a girl who fought to save animals during the Chinese "Sparrow War".


Mudshark by Gary Paulsen - A deliciously snarky book about a smartypants cool kid named Mudshark who seems to always know the answer to everything. I'm not sure when Gary Paulsen became hilarious (I always think of boring Hatchet when I hear his name, but this book and Lawn Boy are both such a hoot!), but I like it a lot. He also seems to really love librarians (yay!), calling the one in this book brilliant, joyous, thoughtful, kind, and wonderfully unhinged.


Dying to Meet You: 43 Old Cemetery Road by Kate Klise - Clever epistolary chapter book about a grumpy old children's author who moves into a haunted house, where a ghost, a young boy and a cat do their best to make him feel unwelcome. I really enjoyed the hilarious letters from the entire cast of characters and the overall dry, Lemony Snicket-like tone.


Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea by Steve Jenkins - Eye-popping and dynamic undersea artwork and clear educational text about a progressive journey to the bottom of the sea. I love the color and textures in his images.


Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet by Graham Salisbury - Fun boy-friendly chapter book about a kid who's always getting into scrapes.


All Stations! Distress!: April 15, 1912: The Day the Titanic Sank by Don Brown - Gorgeous illustrations and good simple text that describes the people and events of the Titanic.

Winter Sports theme (K-5)

This whole theme is pretty much an excuse to watch the amazingly awesome LEGO Figure Skating short film, but the books were good too :D

Books:
Tacky and the Winter Games by Helen Lester - Tacky is so goofy and adorable! He is the kind of awkward-but-lovable, blundering-idiot-who-somehow-saves-the-day that kids are used to seeing in Disney cartoons and they adored this book in storytime. A bit long for the preschool kids, but perfect for the older ones.


Dino-Hockey by Lisa Wheeler - The play-by-play style text was a little awkward at first, but once I got into the rhythm of it I think the kids really enjoyed this story. I had them predict who was going to win the game and they all cheered when the Veggiesaurs won in the end.


Sergio Saves the Game by Edel Rodriguez - A soccer-loving penguin--who can resist that! Another cute story of underdog triumph at sports.


Curious George in the Snow by Margret Rey - Good for Curious George enthusiasts but not great as a standalone story (or as a read-aloud for storytime either).


Movie:
LEGO Figure Skating (film reel)


Craft:
Penguin Masks - Penguin faces on cardstock, to be colored/decorated by kids, with a separate yellow or orange nose to tape on. Add a straw or craft stick, and voila! Instant penguin mask!

Zzzzzzzzzzz Theme (K-5)

January 1st is Z Day!

Books:
Z Was Zapped by Chris Van Allsburg


Tiger Can’t Sleep by Fore


Z-z-zoink! by Bernard Most


Zoom by Robert Munsch


Poor Puppy by Nick Bruel


Movie:
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema (DVD)


Craft:
Zebra paper bag craft

Pajama theme (K-5)

We celebrate Pajama Week at our library during the week between Christmas and New Years, including movies at the library and pajama-themed storytimes for little and big kids. And of course everyone is encouraged to wear their jammies too!

Books:

King Bidgood’s in the Bathub by Audrey Wood


The Squeaky Door by Margaret Read MacDonald


Pajama Day by Lynn Plourde


Mother Mother I Want Another by Maria Robbins


Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney


Movie:
The Napping House by Audrey Wood (film reel)


Craft:
A hodge-podge of leftover snowmen crafts including a snowman paddleball and a design-your-own-snowman kit

Cure for Twilight poster (teen)

I read a delightful post on the YALSA blog about different books to cure the various ills/annoyances of the resurging Twilight mania and turned it into a poster with book covers for the teen area:

(Click on the image for the full-sized version)

Underdog Theme (K-5)

In honor of Underdog Day on December 21st. In preparing for this theme I realized that Helen Lester is the secret champion of all underdogs--I love her!

Books:
Score One for the Sloths by Helen Lester - I read this first because the slow 'sloth' voice requires a certain amount of patience and attention-span, but the silliness of the sloth behavior, and the ridiculousness of the school administrator who was testing them, totally kept the kids engaged. Way too long to read with littler kids though!


Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester - I did a funny surfer-dude voice for Tacky that had the kids absolutely howling. They loved the contrast between the perfect penguins and loud, awkward, oddball Tacky too. And, of course, the underdog is the one who saves the day!


Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell - these illustrations are stunning! And the story is delightful: it's all about a quirky little girl whose Grandma taught her to value the things that make her weird/unique and she eventually charms all the kids at her new school.


Other books that I considered for the theme, but passed over because I have read them in storytime pretty recently: Nonsense by Sally Kahler Phillips and Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester. Both are some of my all-time favorite storytime books.



Movies:
Little Toot (film reel) - one of my favorite Disney shorts featuring a wonderful song by the Andrews Sisters.


Craft:
Reindeer masks - in honor of both the holiday season and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, one of the most famous underdogs of all time! This mask template comes from a di-cut. Color and add string for a child-sized reindeer mask.