Maybe this is common at everyone's library, but I've never seen it before and I'm so excited that I have to share!
Our library has these book kits called "Story Express Kits" that are basically multi-media collections that revolve around a single theme. They consist of several books, a music CD, a DVD and toys or action figures. All of the items are neatly contained in this handy blue bag, complete with a laminated card listing the bag's inventory.
I chose the dinosaur themed bag this time due to Colin's still rampant love of dinosaurs (just recently he told me he wants to name his baby sister "diplodocus"). I really wish I had the camera handy when the boys opened the bag because their faces were priceless! Who knew a bag from the library could thrill them this much? The dinosaur bag contains:
- How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
- Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp
- Dinosaur Roar!
- Dinosaur! (couldn't find a link for this one)
- Dinosaur Bones
- Ten Little Dinosaurs
- Wee Sing Dinosaurs (music CD)
- Dinosaur (DVD)
- a Allosaurus
- a Parasaurolophus
- a Styacosaurus
The boys were totally thrilled that there were toys in the bag. We had to break out the dinosaurs and put in the DVD immediately, while they also thumbed through the books. We'll be reading and posting reviews of the books all this week.
As previously mentioned, the library has several Story Express Kit themes to choose from. I stopped at dinosaurs, but I also saw "colors", "alphabet" and "cars". I'll have to pay more attention next time and note what the other themes were.
The way the process works is that the library keeps a binder of laminated cards that describe the theme and contents and when you find one you like, you take the card to the circulation desk and exchange it for the bag. A great thing about this process is that you know when you choose a theme card that it is actually available since they keep that card out of the binder until the bag is returned. No last minute disappointment!
I look forward to reading these books to the kids this week and even listening to the dinosaur songs on our daily commute to school. The only challenge thus far has been making sure that the "library dinosaurs" go back to sleep in the blue bag when they are done playing with them. I'm paranoid that we are going to lose them and I'm going to have to buy the library new ones!
I imagine ours is not the only library with these story kits - I highly recommend that you ask about it next time you go to your local library. If you do, let me know. I'd love to hear about it!
