Ages 2-5.
Blog Post
Play Connection for Families with Children on the Autism Spectrum
by StoryLaura
Play with toys, pet gentle dogs and chat with Dr. Rick Solomon, from the Play Project on Sunday, February 2nd at the Downtown Library from 2:00 – 4:00 pm. We have a fun space for construction toys and a quiet space for relaxing. For this third Play Connection event we have the awesome Therapy Dogs from Therapaws joining us just for fun!
Blog Post
Gemini is Back!
by StoryLaura
We had too much fun at this concert last year so we are bringing back this song/story stew for young children on Sunday, January 19 at 2:00 pm at the Downtown Library. Giant books like Where is the Green Sheep? and Silly Sally, in call and response style, as well as traditional Shake-It-Up Tales, won’t leave anybody sitting still for long. I am thrilled to join Gemini for this musical event!
Blog Post
Baby Bits - SNOW
by ryanikoglu
It is blowing ... It is SNOWing ... flitter flutter snowflakes ... falling down ... On the ground ....
Baby PlayGroups take place as long as the Library building is open.
Find a good day and time, Bundle up the Baby, and come and play in a big room with other babies 0-2 years old (no older siblings please).
You can view the schedule here.
Here are some nice wintery items to take home and enjoy during a warm cuddle-up.
BITTY BABY LOVES The SNOW
Raymond Briggs' The SNOWMAN
IF IT'S SNOWY And YIOU KNOW IT CLAP YOUR PAWS!
YOU MAKE ME SMILE
OVER And UNDER The SNOW
A PERFECT DAY
TEN On The SLED
NO
SUPER SNOW DAY SEEK And FIND
STRANGER In The WOODS
... Now where ARE those mittens?
Blog Post
KinderConcert This Friday!
by StoryLaura
As the temperature rises, the tot parade will head to KinderConcert when we partner with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra to teach the very young about classical music. We’ve got Kathryn Goodson on piano, Eric Amidon on cello, and Gari Stein leading the way on Friday, January 10th at 9:30 and 10:30 am at the Downtown Library. It's a joyful experience!
Blog Post
At the Art Table: Self Portraits!
by manz
The next time you’re at the Downtown Library, pop into the Youth Department and check out the new art project at the art table.
This time around you’ll be working with paper and pencil to create a self portrait, suitable for framing. Sit at the art table and glance in the mirror at yourself. What are your brightest features? What are the features you want to focus on? Will you make a simple line drawing? Will your art be black and white or full of color? Will you just draw your face? Let's find out!
To see some famous self portraits or get tips on creating your own, check out these children’s books and adult books.
Blog Post
Magic Mushroom House
by StoryLaura
The tot table at the Downtown Library feeds into the fairy frenzy when the Magic Cabin's Mushroom House, gnomes and winged creatures come out to play. Any fairy hunters looking for the famous door will want to stop and enjoy the cozy forest scene. Make sure to take a peek at our fairytale collection and a fairy book or two while you are here. Remember that Sunday in A2 is magic fairy dust day when parking everywhere is free!
Blog Post
The Snowman
by prlhw
Every winter, when I was little, I would get out one of my favorite books, The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. But I would not read this book – because there are no words – only pictures. These pictures tell a magical, yet simple story of a young boy who builds a snowman, only to wake up in the middle of the night and find that the snowman has come alive. The boy and his snowman get into all sorts of mischief during the night, from trying on his dad’s clothes to flying across the big night sky. This cozy story is ingrained in my memory to this day, and carries with it so much nostalgia!
This classic picture book is available in the AADL collection, not only in its traditional format, but now also in the reader format and as well as a movie on DVD.
Blog Post
Pirate Stories
by manz
Ahoy there, me hearties! Arrrrrgh! Perhaps you visited a preschool storytime recently where pirates stories were featured and are looking for more swashbuckling fun? AADL has a slew of picture books featuring pirates on grand adventures. Here are a few to set sail with:
Pirate Nap by Danna Smith
Shiver Me Letters by June Sobel
Pirates Don’t Take Baths by John Segal
Blog Post
Shapes In Art
by manz
The next time you’re at the Downtown Library stop by the art table in the Youth Department and work with shapes! We have a variety of wooden shapes that children will enjoy making into different designs. We have some templates out for you to get ideas from.
If you’re inspired to read some picture books about shapes, check these out. And for more shapes in art books check out: Museum Shapes, I Spy Shapes In Art, and Shapes.
Blog Post
Charlotte Zolotow, children's author, has died
by sernabad
This has been a hard week for children's literature. First, we said goodbye to Junie B. Jones creator, Barbara Park. Now, we learn that Charlotte Zolotow, died yesterday at home in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY.
Ms. Zolotow, a fearless champion of facing head-on the tough issues of childhood -- loneliness, anger, death -- began her illustrious career, as a powerful editor for children's literature at Harper and Brothers (now HarperCollins Publishers). On her rise through the ranks (she eventually became head of the publisher's children's division, a vice president, and associate publisher and, 22 years ago, she was named publisher emerita), she made the careers of M.E. Kerr, Robert Lipsyte, and Paul Zindel whose 1968 teen novel, The Pigman, a grim tale of the troubled friendship between two unloved high school students and a lonely old man. She also represented Patricia MacLachlan, author of the the children's classic, Sarah, Plain and Tall (19850, which not only won the 1986 Newbery Medal, but was also turned into the 1991 Hallmark Hall of Fame movie by the same name, starring Glenn Close and Christopher Walken.
Ms. Zolotow's work as an editor was a natural segue to her own writing career. She used her books to help children and their parents face emotional subjects. William's Doll (1972) tells the story of a little boy determined to play with dolls when his dad wants him to embrace basketballs and trains. Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present (1962), a 1963 Caldecott Honor book, teaches the abstract idea of the power of color. Maurice Sendak illustrated this perennial favorite.
Ms. Zolotow's titles have been illustrated by some of the giants of children's illustrators. Garth Williams, Tana Hoban, and H.A. Rey are just some of the artists paired with Ms. Zolotow's books.
The death of Ms. Zolotow, who was 98, was announced by her daughter, Crescent Dragonwagon, a well-known children's author in her own right.