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"F" is for FOX

by ryanikoglu

Ms Rachel brought FOX tales to Storytime.
In FLOSSIE And The FOX ... Flossie has to get her basket of eggs safely to Ms. Viola’s house.
Flossie doesn’t know what a fox looks like but she figures it out.
During “A-Hunting We Will Go” we found many rhyming things ... "And We Always Let Them Go!"
Finally .... we sang along with the GINGERBREAD GIRL … as she planned a more successful ending to the classic story of the GINGERBREAD BOY.

For more FOXES and more fun tales try these favorites:
HOW TO FIND A FOX ... can she do it?
LITTLE FOX In The FOREST ... a book without words. You use your own to describe the "magical world" the fox leads you to.
APPLES For LITTLE FOX ... This little fox's first mystery!
MY LITTLE FOX ... little fox's first year in the woods.
ROSIE'S WALK ... a classic. Watch the pictures as you read the story....
The TOMTEN And The FOX ... another classic. The little gnome-like Tomten is there to protect the hen house.
SHELTER ... a proverb, as well as a "fox story".
PANDORA ... an imaginary world grows around Pandora the fox, and Pandora gently tends to it.

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2017 Man Booker Prize Winner is also a worthy listen

by Lucy S

Narrated by George Saunders, Nick Offerman, David Sedaris and various others
7 Hours and 30 Minutes

Lincoln in the Bardo has just been awarded the 2017 Man Booker Prize. George Saunders is the second US author to receive this honor, and his first novel garnered much publicity and praise upon publication. But have you considered listening to the audio version? Even if you aren’t normally drawn to books on CD, this one is more theatrical production than novel. Read by a cast of some 166 people, many famous voices among them, George Saunders’ story brings to mind Our Town, A Christmas Carol, and As I Lay Dying. The cast does a stellar job in delivering a beautifully read, moving, intelligent, and highly entertaining performance.

Two main plot lines run through Lincoln in the Bardo. Both are suffused with sadness, though there is much humor in the narrations of certain characters from beyond the grave. Many of the voices in this book are residents of The Oak Hill Cemetery, where President Lincoln has interred his son, Willie. They reside in a kind of limbo, “the bardo,” with unfinished business on earth, unaware that they are dead. The chapters alternate between the “action” in the bardo, and the story of the what is happening on the night of Willie Lincoln’s death, as told by Hans Vollman (Nick Offerman), Roger Bevins III (David Sedaris), and the Reverend Everly Thomas (George Saunders). Interspersed with their escapades are chapters focused on the raw grief of a father and his newly departed son. This most poignant story of a man struggling to say goodbye, and his son’s difficulty in letting go of the earth, is particularly moving. Listeners get an inside point of view from Abraham Lincoln himself, burdened with his country’s present agony as well as his own personal bereavement, as "narrated by hans vollman in the body of a. lincoln...
He is just one.
And the weight of it is about to kill me.
Have exported this grief. Some three thousand times. So far. To date. A mountain. Of boys. Someone’s boys. Must keep on with it. May not have the heart for it. One thing to pull the lever when blind to the result. But here lies one dear example of what I accomplish by the orders I …
What to do. Call a halt? Toss down the loss-hole those three thousand? Sue for peace? Become great course-reversing fool, king of indecision, laughing-stock for ages, waffling hick, slim Mr. Turnabout?
...What am I doing.
What am I doing here.
Lord, what is this? All of this walking about, trying, smiling, bowing, joking? This sitting-down-at-table, pressing-of-shirts, tying-of-ties, shining-of-shoes, planning-of-trips, singing-of-songs-in-the-bath?
When he is to be left out here?
Is a person to nod, dance, reason, walk, discuss?
As before?...
Was he dear or not?
Then let me be happy no more."

There are stand-out performances by many, most notably, David Sedaris, Nick Offerman, Julianne Moore as Jane Ellis, Kirby Heyborne as Willie Lincoln, Bill Hader as Eddie Baron and Megan Mullally as Betsy Baron
See more at: Penguin Random House Audio.

After two full run throughs, I had to return Lincoln in the Bardo for the next listener’s wonderment, but I miss the voices of Hans Vollman, Roger Bevins III, the Reverend Thomas Everly, and 163 others.

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PreK Bits - "P" is for PETS ... particularly puppies!

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel and Ms. Betsy brought songs and stories about pets to Storytime.
DOGGIES ... Stuffed dogs act-out the story and the audience barks along. The book is a modern classic by Sandra Boynton.
We sang “B-I-N-G-O” ... which can be found on youth CDs SONGS & STORIES For KIDS, BABY BOOST: 48 Interactive Sing-a-longs For Your Little One and LITTLE PEOPLE: Songs From The Farm.
To celebrate the theme we found our puppy parts and played the "Puppy Pokey" together.
ANY of these CDs will have the original song "The Hokey Pokey" ... AND you'll find more fun songs to dance and sing along with too!
15 ANIMALS ... another modern classic by Sandra Boynton. Now we know how to spell "Bob" !

For more famous DOG stories try the following favorites:
RAGWEED’S FARM DOG HANDBOOK by Anne Vittur Kennedy ... Learn From The Best!
HARRY The DIRTY DOG and NO ROSES For HARRY ... old dog classics by Gene Zion.
BUDDY And EARL and BUDDY And Earl And The GREAT BIG BABY ... new dog classics by Maureen Fergus.
MISS MOON: Wise Words From A Dog Governess by Janet Hill ... wise words for All with beautiful illustrations!
ZORRO GETS AN OUTFIT and MR BUD WEARS The CONE by Carter Goodrich ... a pitch-perfect dog point-of-view.
BARK GEORGE by Jules Feiffer... a dog fantasy.
The DOGHOUSE ... critters go in but they don't come out. Surprise?
WE LOVE YOU ROSIE! ... Oh Yes! We Do!
SIMON'S NEW BED ... Simon gets a new bed and someone else is in it!
For screen-time try the DVD BARK GEORGE And More Doggie Tails by Weston Woods Studios.
WOOF! ... snooff snurff ... doggie treat, Please.
... pant ... pant ...
Wooff !!

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PreK Bits - "G" is for Grandparents !

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel did stories about grandparents @ Malletts Creek Branch this week.

BUNNY MONEY ... Ruby and Max go to buy a birthday gift for grandmother.
“Peel The Banana” was our activity rhyme. We prepared "Fruit Salad" for the party. We peeled ... apples, oranges, bananas .... mmmm ... and then avacados for the guacamole dip!

"The Lonely Little Candle" is an original story the Librarians pass around. The grandpa knows what's missing ... the "Little Candle" for the party!
There is not a book to tell this story. You need to remember it (and make up the parts you can't remember). =-)

For more stories with GrandParents in them ... try these favorites:
The HELLO GOODBYE WINDOW … the window is at Grandpa and Grandma’s house.
TWO IS ENOUGH … to have family fun together.
GRANDPA’S GIRLS … love to visit his farm … and share memories.
HOW To TAKE YOUR GRANDMOTHER To The MUSEUM ... a guide book that can also relate to Grandfathers!
MR FRANK ... grandfather moves in with the family and he has a special talent!
The LINES ON NANA’S FACE … each set of wrinkles reminds a child of favorite things they have done together.
OUR GRANDPARENTS: A Global Album … a beautiful multi-cultural photo essay of grandparents with grandchildren around the world.
HOW To BABYSIT A GRANDPA ... lots of great suggestions here!
HOW To BABYSIT A GRANDMA ... and more suggestions here!
HERE COMES GRANDMA is a story of all the transportation Grandma uses to get to her Grandson
OR … choose stories from GrandMothers and GrandFathers In Picture Books.

If you are a SKYPE grandparent, you can pick a story from Ms Rachel's Favorite Books to Read to Babies and read it to your grandbaby ... near or far.

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The Dark Tower

by PizzaPuppy

The Dark Tower series (one of author Stephen King's crowning achievements) tells the story of gunslinger Roland Deschain and his quest to find and protect the fabled Dark Tower, said to be the link between all universes. Roland's world is a post-apocalyptic desolate wasteland where time no longer moves chronologically and reality is fraying. The eight book series combines elements of fantasy, science fiction, horror and classic Western into a brand new epic story. The movie adaptation of the Dark Tower series opened on August 4th to mixed reviews (to put it lightly). Even if fans were not quite satisfied with the adaptation, they have devoured the Dark Tower series since the beginning of its publication in the early 1980's. Now is the perfect time to catch up on this epic series!

The series consists of The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass, The Wind Through the Keyhole, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, and The Dark Tower. These novels also have Book on CD (BOCD) counterparts, available here. King's collection of short stories entitled Everything's Eventual also includes Dark Tower related stories, specifically "The Little Sisters of Eluria" and "Everything's Eventual".

Drawing on the popularity of the novels, a series of prequel graphic novels was published after the novels were completed. The prequels begin with The Gunslinger Born and continue with The Long Road Home (available through MeLCat), Treachery (also only available through MeLCat), The Fall of Gilead and Battle of Jericho Hill.

The first two novels themselves have also been adapted into graphic novels, all available through MeLCat. The Gunslinger series consists of The Gunslinger: The Journey Begins,
The Battle of Tull, The Way Station, The Man in Black, and Last Shots. The Little Sisters of Eluria was also adapted into comic book form. The comics continue with The Drawing of the Three series, consisting of The Prisoner, House of Cards, Lady of Shadows, Bitter Medicine, and The Sailor.

There have been several nonfiction works detailing the intricacies of the Dark Tower universe. Stephen King's The Dark Tower: The Complete Concordance, Revised and Updated is an encyclopedia of Dark Tower-related information, originally written by Robin Furth for Stephen King's exclusive personal use while he was still writing the series in order to prevent continuity errors. It was later published once King realized how valuable it would be to his "Constant Readers". There's also The Dark Tower Companion: A Guide to Stephen King's Epic Fantasy.

Additionally, there are many other Stephen King works that reference or are related to the Dark Tower series. A partial list includes Salem's Lot, Eyes of the Dragon, Bag of Bones, Black House, Insomnia, Desperation and its companion novel The Regulators, From a Buick 8, Cell, Rose Madder, Hearts in Atlantis, and The Stand.

The novel It also has ties to the Dark Tower series and has a widely anticipated movie adaptation coming out on September 8th. The trailer is available to watch here (if you dare!) and an interactive VR experience was released yesterday for the bravest of heart. You can also catch up with the 1990 made-for-TV movie, available here.

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Solar Eclipse for the Visually Impaired

by Sunny29

Solar and lunar eclipses happen everyday, but on Monday, August 21st, for the first time in almost 40 years, the path of the moon's shadow passes directly over the United States! The last time a total solar eclipse was visible across the entire contiguous United States was during the June 8, 1918 eclipse.

Viewing parties similar to the one hosted by AADL are not hard to come by, but what about those that are visually impaired? Here are two options for those that are not able to view the eclipse:

The American Council for the Blind in collaboration with Nashville-based trained audio describer Julia Cawthon, will describe the eclipse as it happens and provide a vivid “translation” of the visual event into words for the benefit of anyone who tunes in. Click here to access the broadcast, or dial 605-475-8130 and select option 4 to listen by phone.

The Eclipse Soundscape Project, from NASA's Heliophysics Education Consortium, will also deliver a multi-sensory experience of this exciting celestial event. The project includes real time audio descriptions of the eclipse, recordings of the changing environmental sounds during the eclipse, and an interactive “rumble map” app will allow users to visualize the eclipse through touch. You can download the iOs app here; an Android app will be available soon.

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PreK Bits - "P" is for PRINCESS and PRINCE

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel told Prince and Princess Stories this week.
The PRINCESS And The PEA by Rachel Isadora is a classic folktale re-set in Africa.
"Cinderella Dressed In Yellow" is a traditional jump rope rhyme. We had plenty verses with more colors to clap with the rhythm.
KLIPPITY KLOP is an action and participation story by Ed Emberley. It is out-of-print and AADL copies are gone. You can borrow a copy through MelCat. It is a story about Prince Krispin and his horse Dumpling going on an adventure.

For more stories of Princes and Princesses try these titles:
DARING PRINCE DASHING ... a twisted fairy tale.
The PRINCE WHO WAS JUST HIMSELF
The PAPER BAG PRINCESS
The PRINCESS And The FROGS
The PRINCE'S BEDTIME
The PRINCE And The PORKER
PRINCESS LILA BUILDS A TOWER
The SEVEN PRINCESSES
WOULD YOU RATHER BE A PRINCESS Or A DRAGON ?
The FROG PRINCE

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Baby Bits - Books and Music for fun with Babies

by ryanikoglu

People ask where we find our songs that we use in programs. Here you can View All Public Lists on the AADL website.

Here are some lists created especially for enjoyment between Babies and Caregivers.
Ms Rachel's Favorite CDs for Preschool Songs and Music
The CD artists and titles on this list have been personal favorites for many years.
Choose something to calm you ... something to rev you up ... something with a different beat ... and something great for background sound during play.

Ms Rachel's Favorite Books to Read to Babies
The artists and authors on this list have also been special favorites.
Choose something to talk about ... choose something to laugh about ... choose something of interest ... choose something to make you feel good.

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PreK Bits - "C" is for CAMPING and CANOES

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel and Banjo Betsy brought camping stories to Storytime.
ONE DOG CANOE … a girl paddles her canoe down the river and more animals want to join for the ride.
“We’re Floating Down The River” is a historic American folk song we use as an action song. You even learn that you can’t stand up in the middle of the boat! You can hear the song on the CD UP IN The BATTEN HOUSE: Old Time Music Of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
“Skunk’s Picnic” is an original story about making friends in the woods.
We chased "Fireflies In The Night". You can hear this song and sing-along with the CD HAPPY As CLAMS by Lena.

For more favorites that go with the CAMPING theme try these:
GLOW: Animals With Their Own Nightlights ... real information for curious kids.
QUIET NIGHT ... counting night-time sounds ....
CAMPING SPREE WITH MR MAGEE ... a silly adventure with fun illustrations.
SCAREDY SQUIRREL GOES CAMPING ... and he's VERY prepared! If you like Scaredy Squirrel there are many more titles here by Melanie Watt.
The CAMPING TRIP by Sven Nordqvist ... and the chickens and the cat want to come along!
HANK FINDS An EGG ... while camping in the woods. What do we do with it?
WHISTLING ... a boy learns to "whistle up the sun" with his father on a camping trip.

If You like gathering CAMPING INFORMATION then try these titles for your next outdoor adventure:
SLEEPING In A SACK: Camping Activities For Kids.
CAMP OUT! The Ultimate Kids Guide, From The Backyard To The Backwoods.
COOKING IN A CAN: More Campfire Recipes For Kids.

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"T" is for Trickster

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel brought African trickster stories to Storytime.
WHO'S IN RABBIT'S HOUSE?... We see the footprints outside the door. Who's inside?
Rachel led a copycat rhythm from Ghana "Kye Kye Kule" ... a versions can be found on the CD WORLD TRAVELS: World Music For Kids and you can see and hear clips on youtube.
Then we found Anansi up to his usual tricks in ANANSI And the MOSS-COVERED ROCK.

For more troicky stories try the following favorites:
ANANSI And The TALKING MELON ... another Anansi story by the author/illustrator team of Eric Kimmel and Janet Stevens.
COYOTE And The LAUGHING BUTTERFLIES ... a Native American trickster tale with Coyote.
The GRUFFALO ... a small mouse develops this trick.
MUNCHA! MUNCHA! MUNCHA! ... rascally rabbits are in the garden! Can the farmer trick them?
PIRATE GIRL ... knows some tricks.
The RUNAWAY TORTILLA ...
GOHA The WISE FOOL ... iconic "wise fool" from middle eastern folklore.
SIX SHEEP SIP THICK SHAKES: And Other Tricky Tongue Twisters ... can you train your tricky tongue?
DON'T WAKE UP The TIGER! ... but how?
The REAL STORY OF STONE SOUP