Blog Post
Little Pig, Little Pig
by manz
This week Ms. Amanda read piggie stories at preschool storytime and boy did we have fun! We heard the tale of the Long-Nosed Pig and learned how pigs got their short snouts. We listened to Little Pig Joins the Band and we joined Little Pig in marching around the room to marching music by John Phillip Sousa played by the University of Michigan Band. And of course we had to hear an Elephant and Piggie story! These Mo Willems stories are treats and we read Happy Pig Day. If you're in the mood for more stories about pigs, check out some of these titles!
Blog Post
Leopardpox!
by PizzaPuppy
Leopardpox!, by first-time author Orna Landau, is an adorable new addition to our collection. In the story, Sadie is having the funnest sick day ever. The reason why? Sadie has developed a wild case of the leopardpox!
When little Sadie falls ill and is transformed into a leopard cub (claws, spots and all), her mother doesn't know what to do. Sadie's mother takes her to the pediatrician, who cannot help because he is "a doctor for children, not for leopards". Sadie's brother suggests they take her to the veterinarian, who also cannot help due to the fact that Sadie is a perfectly healthy leopard cub. Sadie and her family race around town in an attempt to find a cure. Will Sadie have the leopardpox forever?
This imaginative story features delightful and cartoonish illustrations and small, funny details throughout the book (particularly the ending). Fans of the book may also enjoy other silly stories such as Diary of a Worm, Duck on a Bike or Niño Wrestles the World.
Blog Post
PreK BITS - "G" is for Gardens
by ryanikoglu
Ms. Rachel told garden stories in Preschool Storytime this week.
“The Garden” is from FROG And TOAD ALL YEAR by Arnold Lobel
WHAT DOES BUNNY SEE? is a rhyming color and flower poetry book by Linda Sue Park
You can find the ”Wake Up You Sleepyheads” action song recorded on Sing It! Say It! Stamp It! Sway It! by the Allards.
Ms. Sara sang "The Garden Song" also known as "Inch By Inch". It is recorded on Ten Carrot Diamond by Charlotte Diamond.
For more spring garden stories try the following:
UP IN The GARDEN And DOWN IN The DIRT
LOLA PLANTS A GARDEN
BUMBLEBEE, BUMBLEBEE, DO YOU KNOW ME?
SOPHIE’S SQUASH. Sophie makes friends with a very special squash.
ALISON'S ZINNIA, an alphabet book.
MAKING BUTTERFLY GARDENS, a garden book for children to do with adults.
PLANT A LITTLE SEED. The children participate in community gardens.
TEN HUNGRY RABBITS, a color and vegetable garden book.
MUNCHA! MUNCHA! MUNCHA! by Candace Felming
LINNEA IN MONET'S GARDEN, which can also be seen on DVD
Get out your garden gloves and prepare to plant.
Blog Post
It's Only Stanley!
by PizzaPuppy
"It's very late, and Stanley is up to something. Will you figure out what he's doing before his sleepy family does?"
Author Jon Agee, known for his whimsical and deeply funny picture books, has just published a new gem: It's Only Stanley.
This charming story begins with the family dog Stanley howling at the moon late one night. The Wimbledon family springs awake, only to find that "it's only Stanley". But the story doesn't end there. The Wimbledons are awoken time and time again, as Stanley's activities become more and more fantastical. The clanking sound that wakes the family turns out to be Stanley fixing the oil tank, and the funky smell emanating from the kitchen is only Stanley making catfish stew. The story builds until it culminates in a very satisfying (yet somewhat bizarre) ending.
The entire story is written in verse, which adds a nice rhythm to this fun read-aloud. The simple watercolor illustrations also add to the story, with hidden gags and clues that hint towards the book's surprising ending. This hilarious book is a must-read for fans of Click Clack Moo.
For more interesting and hilarious reads by Jon Agee, check out Orangutan Tongs : Poems to Tangle Your Tongue, The Retired Kid, and Who Ordered the Jumbo Shrimp? : and Other Oxymorons.
Blog Post
Red: A Crayon's Story
by eapearce
Favorite children’s author and illustrator Michael Hall has given us another lovely book with Red: A Crayon’s Story. A red crayon struggles to draw the things that he is supposed to: fire trucks, strawberries, ladybugs… everything he draws and colors turns out blue! The other crayons all have tips and advice for him, but nothing works. Kids will quickly see the problem: the crayon has been mislabeled and is actually a blue crayon with a red papering! Readers will cheer Red on as he struggles to find his true calling… and will celebrate with him when he ultimately draws a beautiful BLUE ocean and realizes his talents.
Other books by Michael Hall are My Heart is Like a Zoo, Cat Tale, and Perfect Square.
Blog Post
2015 "Write On!" 3rd-5th Grade Short Story Contest Winners!
by BugsAndSlugs
Congratulations to the 2015 “Write On!” 3rd-5th Grade Short Story Contest Winners!
After a record 138 entries, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place stories were chosen from each grade, and the 2015 winners were announced at the Awards Celebration held on April 19th!
Come back soon to read this year’s short story submissions on the library website!
Blog Post
The Lion and the Bird
by manz
The Lion and the Bird is a beautiful picture book written and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc and published by Enchanted Lion Books. They are creating some of the most wonderful books lately and the illustrations in this book are no exception. It’s a gorgeous book that tells the story of friendship through the seasons.
Lion is working in his garden when he hears a sound. He soon finds an injured bird that he decides to care for. Since Bird can’t fly with an injured wing he stays with Lion all winter long and they become the best of friends. Then spring arrives, and with the warm season comes more birds. Lion knows that Bird must fly off with them. As the seasons change and autumn arrives, the birds start to fly off for winter. But what about Bird? Where will he go? You can only guess.
Blog Post
At the Art Table: Springy Flower Stencils!
by manz
The next time you're at the downtown library, bring the kiddos into the youth department to check out what's out at the art table. This month we're exploring texture by using crayons and stencils to make flower rubbings! We have a bouquet of flower stencils for you to work with. And afterwards take a look at the children's art books that are on the kiosk right next to the art table. We have a lot of books on a variety of art styles as well as individual artists!
Blog Post
Gardening with Kids
by SaraP
It's Spring! It's National Gardening Month! It's even almost Earth Day! Perfect time for the whole family to start or nurture a garden together! Gardening with kids is a fun, engaging activity that encourages learning and exploration, building quality relationships, and creating something rewarding. Check out these books for ideas about gardening with youngsters, from toddlers on up:
Gardening Lab for Kids: Fun and easy projects - plant seeds, plan your garden, and make things for your garden (tool totes, rain gauges, stepping stones, terrariums, and way way more!). A beautiful layout and page design makes this an extra good choice for inspiration.
Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: Ever heard of a sunflower house? And what's a pizza patch?? A bean tunnel sounds fun! This highly recommended book will help the family create inspiring, kid-friendly garden spaces and special projects! Illustrated with colorful drawings by the author.
Fairy Garden Handbook: Fairy gardens are a big hit with all ages these days. Why not get a wee one to help make one?! Those little imaginations can run wild with these fairy garden projects and tips. Beautiful photos accompany the text.
The Family Kitchen Garden: A practical guide to growing a garden with the whole family. This book is full of the info adults need to make a successful kitchen garden, while also including guidance on choosing plants, tools, and tasks that make sense for kiddos. Perfectly balanced for creating a functional garden that includes the whole family in a meaningful way.
Ready Set Grow!: Each simple, fun, and colorful spread features a different project, plant, or tip for the garden. Very easy to follow along step-by-step.
Grow It, Cook It: Bright photos for each step of growing edible plants, and then cooking with them, will engage youngsters who are ready to try something new. Recipes include cute tomato eggplant towers, mini pumpkin pies, scrumptious chocolate mint mousse, and more.
Blog Post
A Fine Dessert: a "treat" of a story!
by eapearce
What a charming and special new book! A Fine Dessert, by Emily Jenkins and Sophie Blackall, tells the story of four families in four different centuries who are all making the same delicious dessert. The ingredients for the yummy treat, blackberry fool, remain the same over the years, but the methodology for getting the materials and making the dessert changes with the times.
In the 1700s, a girl and her mother collect blackberries and then whip cream by hand from the milk from their cow. In the 1800s, a slave family in Charleston, South Carolina, picks blackberries from the plantation garden and uses a whisk made by the local blacksmith to whip the cream. In Boston in the early 1900s,a girl and her mother buy blackberries from the market and use pasteurized cream delivered by the milkman that morning. And in modern day San Francisco, a boy and his dad buy blackberries and cream at the grocery store, print a recipe from the Internet and use an electric mixer to whip the cream.
The authors do an amazing job of depicting both the similarities and differences between the families and lifestyles over time. They manage to weave in some bigger topics (slavery, gender roles) in a subtle way and provide great historical portraits of each of the time periods. And, the best news is, the recipe for blackberry fool is included at the end of the book!
Yum!