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For me it is geometry. I sucked at linear math. Spatial elements put me in my element.

Which brings me to logic. My favorite. My weakness is this:

I look at the logic problems I get from critiques and try to attack my mss with connecting elements throughout. This takes a real step back and much thought. But I can do it and have done it. It is like solving a puzzle. I love puzzles.

    The University of South Carolina’s First Annual Celebration of Latino Children’s Literature Conference will be held on April 26, 2008. The conference theme is “Connecting Cultures and Celebrating Cuentos.” In addition to breakout sessions related to Latino children’s literature, there will be keynote sessions with Dr. Kathy Short, Yuyi Morales , and Lucia Gonzalez. Dr. Kathy Short from the University of Arizona will discuss international children’s literature and intercultural understandings through youth literature. Lucía González will read from her forthcoming bilingual picturebook The Storyteller’s Candle/ La velita de los cuentos during the luncheon break. Author Yuyi Morales (Little Night) will close the conference with a grand finale performance followed by a book signing of conference and local authors.

Registration prior to March 31 is $55 for full-time Students (with Professor’s Verification) $55.00 and $65 for General Attendees. Fees increase after March 31.

The evening prior (April 25) will feature a free community celebration of El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day) beginning at 7:00 p.m. and featuring Yuyi Morales’ storytelling.

For additional information or to register, visit www.libsci.sc.edu/latinoconf/index.htm.

Spring into the meadows, find a clearing with a little running brook and read to your children.  A fresh early literacy booklist of picture books for your little one’s eyes abounds.  Books are blooming everywhere you look, each one addressing an early literacy skill.  Hopefully you’ll find it just as delightful to peruse this list as it was for me to create it: 

The Core Skills List-

Vocabulary:  Knowing the names of things.

First Picture Nature by Jo Litchfield.  (Usborne Books, 2007). A picture dictionary of nature in spring, bugs and slugs, flowers, birds, seasons and weather.  Helpful thumbnail pictures introduce the concepts of metamorphosis, germination, and the lifecycle of a frog in easy-to-understand sequences.

A Piece of Chalk by Jennifer Ericsson. Illustrated by Michelle Shapiro. (Roaring Book Press, 2007). A little girl with a box of chalk learns primary colors and the colors of the rainbow while discovering the art of drawing animals on sidewalks and appreciating the outdoors.

Drive by Nathan Clement. (Front Street, 2008). When daddy is a truck driver, he drives to work, looks both ways at the intersection, waves hello, and finds other things to do when there is a traffic jam.  At the end of the day, he fills up his gas tank and drives home.  Teaches good manners and kids will learn the meaning of the word, “drive.”

Rhinos Who Rescue by Julie Mammano. (Chronicle Books LLC, 2007). Rhinos who rescue hear the bell, are smoke jumpers and rescue even gomers! They are heroes, rain or shine.  Learn various definitions of words used at the firehouse and fireman slang in the “rescue rap” page.

Print Motivation: A child’s interest in and enjoyment of books.

Maybe a Bear Ate it! by Robie Harris.  Illustrated by Michael Emberley. (Orchard Books, 2008)  Imagine the angst and sadness if you’ve lost a favorite book.  Who are the book-knappers–maybe a bear, a stegosaurus, a rhino, a bat, a shark, or an elephant?  Hold on tight to your favorite book whatever it is and wherever it is.

My Book Box by Will Hillenbrand. (Harcourt, 2006).   There are so many things you can do with a box–make a bug box, pizza box, sock box or toy box.  But the best box to make is a book box.  Kids can construct their very own book box with adults at the end with easy instructions.

Letter Knowledge: Learning that letters are different from each other. Learning that each letter has a name and specific sounds that go along with it.

Lots of Letters from A to Z Tish Rabe.  Illustrated by Kevan Attebary.(InnovativeKids, 2006). Lift the flap letters delivered to a cast of animal characters starting with each letter of the alphabet.  Snail mail written in alliteration and are thematically centered around the alphabet letter like “Pigs in Pink Pajamas,” “Freddy Fish’s friend forever,” and “Rocky Raccoon who really rocks and lives on Red Road, Rainbow Ridge.”

Little Bitty Mousie by Jim Aylesworth. Illustrated by Michael Hague. (Walker & Company, 2007).  Itty bitty mousie snacks on food, tries on lipstick, sniffs the roses and drives toy trucks all the while, tip-tip tippy toeing around the house at night.  

Poor Puppy by Nick Bruel. (Roaring Brook Press, 2007). What happens when a mean old kitty cat doesn’t want to play with the new puppy dog?  We feel sorry for poor puppy as he tries to find other things to amuse himself.  But puppy doesn’t just sit there and sulk, he gets to play with an alphabetical list of toys from around the world.

Narrative Skills: Being able to describe things. Being able to understand and tell stories.

A Closer Look by Mary McCarthy. (Greenwillows Books, 2007).  As each page unfolds, take a closer look…and what do you see? Not your garden-variety picture book.  They all come together somehow and kids can provide the story.  Learn facts about bugs, birds and flowers.

The Butterfly Garden by Sue Harris. Illustrated by Stephanie Boey. (The Templar Company, 2006).  Lift the flap and explore with Tabby Cat and her friends as they try to catch butterflies.  Talk about the shiny surprises they find along the way.  Appreciate nature and pretty gardens everywhere. 

Two Eggs, Please by Sarah Weeks and Betsy Lewin. (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2003). How many different ways can you cook an egg? They can be different yet the same.  The waiter shouts all the orders into the kitchen at the end as a summary of all the different ways you can have an egg for breakfast.

Phonological Awareness:  The ability to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words.

Truck Driver Tom by Monica Wellington. (Dutton Children’s Books, 2007).  Truck Driver Tom vroom vrooms to rev up his engine, clank clanks through the farmer’s working fields, zoom zooms down the freeway, whooshes into the tunnel until the day is done.  Bold phrases instruct storytellers where to emphasize words while reading the story.  Sounds of city, country, construction sites, diners and grocery stores are covered.

City Lullaby by Marilyn Singer. Illustrated by Carll Cneut. (Clarion Books, 2007). Baby needs to wake up but instead falls into deeper sleep with the sounds of the city from 2 bikes growling to 10 horns beeping.  Will baby ever wake up? Count from 1 to 10 with this light-humored book and find out.

A Perfect Day by Remy Charlip. (Greenwillow Books, 2007). A story in rhyme about a parent and child spending a day together.  Nothing can be more perfect than a father being with his son.  Turn the pages and find out all the things to do from morning until night.

Print Awareness: This is really just noticing print. Noticing words everywhere, knowing how to handle a book, knowing how to follow words on a page.

Lickety-Split by Robert Heidbreder. Illustrated by Dusan Petricic. (Kids Can Press, 2007).  Each page a symphony of sounds from thumpity tump, flippity flop, ziggity zag to clippity clop to mishity mash.  Fun-filled alliteration with compound words and words with musical sounds when put together.

The Adventures of Captain Candy by Ryan Lederer. (Seven Locks Press, 2007).  Can Captain Candy, Agent Mint and Fireball apprehend Professor Metal Mouth? A graphic novel style picturebook aimed at the preschool audience.  Action words have punch and words with intonations are highlighted in bubble letters of green, blue, red and every other color of the rainbow.

The Medley List:

Pholonogical Awareness/Print Awareness:

Bunny Fun by Sarah Weeks. (Hartcourt, 2008).  Chant along with Bunny, “bunny fun” while figuring out how to play on a rainy day.  What happens when the rain stops? Maybe some puddle fun.

Dino-Hockey by Lisa Wheeler. Illustrated by Barry Gott. (Carolrhoda Books, 2007). Hockey dinosaurs go against each other in the finals.  Meat-eaters versus veggiesaurs, T. Rex and Raptors, Pterodactyl twins and Diplo shins.  A dramatic finish by Stego and Triceratops advances them into the playoffs.

Phonological Awareness/Narrative Skills/Vocabulary:

Shape Capers by Cathryn Falwell. (Greenwillow Books, 2008). Learn your shapes with rhyme.  Shake, shake, shake the shapes.  What will they be? Circle, square, triangle, or semicircle and all you can see.  Find all the shapes at the end and talk about how you can play with shapes all day. Hooray!

Playground Day! (Clarion Books, 2007). Hurray hurray it’s playground day.  Be a bunny, squirrel, monkey…springing, wiggling; scurrying, scattering; stretching, swaying;  kids can talk about all the animals they pretend to be while playing on the playground.  A summary page at the end inspires narration from kids to adults about what they did on the playground that day.

Phonological Awareness/Print Awareness/Vocabulary:

Peek in My Pocket by Sarah Weeks and David A. Carter. (Red Wagon Books, 2007). Each animal has a different pocket with a different shape.  Lift-the-flaps make it fun to find out what each pocket holds as a surprise.  Children will love to chant “peek in my pocket” and will learn the name of each object in no time.

Note: Definitions of the Six Early Literacy Skills were taken from the KCLS Foundation “Ready to Read” Webpage:

http://www.kcls.org/parents/kidsandreading/readytoread/literacyskills.cfm

“Rain, rain, go away” was what quite a few of us in northern and central Virginia were thinking last night! In the spirit of yesterday’s rainy and windy weather, I offer a selection of rain-themed books sure to sweep away those rainy day blues.

Rain makes many different sounds.  It can go “drip drop” or “plip plop,” but it can also “ping ping pingading” on a tin roof, “whoosh and hiss” on a highway, and “bup bup bup bup” on an umbrella.  In Mary Serfozo’s Rain Talk, the many different sounds of raindrops are described to us by a young African-American girl in a yellow flowered sundress.  She delights in the rain as it pours down around her; eventually, her mother calls her in.  After supper, bath, and bedtime stories, she drifts off to sleep as the rain “drum-a-tum-a-Drum[s]” on the roof. The following morning brings bright sunshine, with the hope of spying a rainbow.  Although there is not much story to the book, children will be drawn to the rain sounds and the playfulness of our young friend.  Be sure to practice this one before storytime; you may stumble over the rain sounds.

Remember the fun of jumping into puddles? Jonathan London delightfully captures the simple kid-pleasure of puddle jumping in his aptly titled Puddles.  Nighttime brings fierce thunder and rain, but daytime brings sunshine and puddles.  Mama warns them to stay away from puddles in order to not get wet. It’s not long before our two young siblings discover “[P]uddles! Big one, little ones, long ones, skinny ones–pieces of sky on the ground.  It’s time to puddle-jump! Splash splash splash!” All right!

Not only are there puddles, but there’s mud that slups, worms that squirm, frogs playing in the pond, and on the way home from the great outdoor adventure are more puddles. “It’s time to puddle-jump again! We can hit every puddle from the pond to the meadow-splash splash splash!” Of course, this excursion has made these two rascals very wet, so it’s off to hot baths and hot chocolate….before they run outside for more puddles.

I adore this book! These two little guys are so innocently mischievous that it’s difficult to not cheer them on.  Not only is it a great rain-themed book, but it’s a wonderful celebration of children exploring nature.

Once, there was a water hole.  The animals came to the water hole to quench their thirst, to bathe, and to meet fellow members of the species.  Eventually, the water hole was no more, and the animals went away.  However, a raindrop fell.  It was joined by many other raindrops, providing much needed water for the animals, who were back at the old watering hole.

The Water Hole contains a multitude of goodies; gorgeous illustrations of exotic and/or well-known animals, a counting theme, and a very brief explanation of the rain cycle.  While there are amusing comments sprinkled throughout the story, omitting them from your read aloud will not detract from the story (older children will appreciate the asides).

Some songs-to-story books succeed, while others fail to make a satisfying read aloud.  Maurie J. Manning’s The Aunts Go Marching clearly falls into the former category.  The book opens quite calmly with a two-page illustration of a preschool girl in a jaunty yellow raincoat and hat marching and playing the drums down the street, accompanied by her small white dog and her patient-looking aunt.   We also see other similarly-aged women emerging from their townhouses while opening their sturdy black umbrellas. 

The aunts go marching one by one, hurrah! Hurrah!

The aunts go marching one by one, hurrah! Hurrah!

The aunts go marching one by one

The little one stops to bang on her drum

And they all go marching down to the town

In the rain, in the rain.

Rat a tat-tat! Rat a tat-tat! Ba-rump, ba-rump, ba-rump!

And so it goes.  The (multiethnic) parade of aunts marches down the street, while the little one stops to do a variety of things. 

The illustrations *make* this book.  While it’s a fun read aloud to a crowd, this is undeniably one that benefits from one-on-one close inspection and interaction.  Whether it’s an aerial illustration of the aunts marching nine by nine, the antics of the dog, or the interaction between an aunt and the child, the illustrations practically demand that you spend some time gazing at them. This is one of my “new” favorites.

 Do you have any favorite rainy-day themed books?

Books Mentioned:

Base, Graeme.  The Water Hole.  New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2001. 

London, Jonathan.  Puddles.  New York: Viking, 1997. 

Manning, Maurie J.  The Aunts Go Marching.  Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press, 2003.

Serfozo, Mary.  Rain Talk.  New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1990.

Last week was the first meeting of the new “Father-Son Book Group” at the Hillsboro Public Library, where I work as a substitute Reference Librarian and, starting now, as a once-a-month book group host.  Here’s what I’ve learned so far: 

It will take a while to get going:   Our first meeting drew only two dads and two sons (both age nine).  We had many people asking about the program and checking out the book of the month (Frindle), but it will be a challenge to actually draw them in on a Saturday morning.  All four promised to return next month, and their homework is to find some more people to bring along.    

Reading is not as uncool as it used to be:   I was all prepared to get things started with my sad childhood stories of how I never talked about reading with anyone but my family because it was so uncool to be a boy reader…but it wasn’t really necessary with this bunch.  These four all had no problem being reading males…as one of the boys said:  “you can’t lose at reading.”  We just need to find more guys like them. 

Harry Potter rules the world:   Our Frindle discussion was peppered with references to Harry Potter (one book that I didn’t include on my Frindle Read-Alikes handout).  The HPs provide common ground to so many diverse readers.  Dads and kids all knew them well, and used them as reference points.  “Did the illustrations of Nick match your imagination?”  “No, and neither did Snape in the Harry Potter movies.”  “There wasn’t a lot of life or death action in Frindle, but was it exciting?”  “Yes, but not in the same way as the Harry Potter books.”  “Did Nick or Mrs. Granger change through the events in Frindle?”  “Yes, just like Harry and company.”  I’m exaggerating the abruptness of the transition….we really did talk a lot about Frindle, and HP provided some useful context that helped us define and think about the book we just read. 

Dads and Sons See Things Differently:   I really enjoyed the way both fathers were willing participants in the discussion, rather than leaders or facilitators. And the generational perspectives were clearly evident.  Mrs. Granger reminded one boy of a teacher he knew about who was known for being very strict.  Dad, on the other hand, added that this particular teacher was also one of the best at his son’s school, despite or because of that strictness.  Which is a great example of the two relating the book to their different perspectives on shared experiences.  

Dads and Sons See Things Similarly:   One boy didn’t see why the neighborhood entrepreneur made a fortune from Frindle products, when it was all Nick’s idea.  I expected the older and wiser fathers to mention something about the crucial role of marketing in a capitalist society.  But instead, one of the dads totally agreed that the money that guy made was unfair, then shared his own irritation at modern hip hop musicians who lift samples from the works of truly creative musicians, and then get all the credit.     

Don’t Forget the Donut Holes:   Our snack choice was donut holes, and I bought more than enough, since I didn’t know how many people would show up.  It was pretty impressive how many of these the four participants (especially the two younger ones) managed to put away.  Providing snacks is one of my least favorite program related tasks, and I felt a bit guilty about not coming up with some clever food that relates to the book somehow, but I think I’ll be okay.  I don’t foresee any complaints from these readers if it’s donut holes every time. 

It’s Nice to Have Room to Grow:  Our attendance was low, but the participants were so enthusiastic that I can’t help but think that we’ll grow.  There doesn’t seem to be many book groups like this, but there might be soon.  Author Marc Aronson started one at the Maplewood Library in New Jersey a few years ago and wrote a nice article about it and the Geneva Public Library in Illinois has “The Round Table,” which is for boys plus an adult of any gender.  And Scott County Public Library’s “Pig Skulls” book club looks like terrific fun, as you can see from their blog.  As for our Hillsboro group:  no catchy title yet, and we’re a ways away from a blog, but I’m definitely looking forward to hearing what the guys think about Weasel next month.     

Download the podcast.

Just One More Book!! is one of the ALSC Great Web Sites for Kids, filed under Literature & Languages’ Favorite Children’s Stories category. Advertising- and sponsorship-free, Just One More Book!! (JOMB) is a podcast powered by passion. Mark and Andrea, a husband and wife team, both work full-time jobs and squeeze in a recording session during their morning coffee ritual after dropping their eight-year-old and six-year-old daughters off at school and before heading to work themselves. They publish four shows a week: Mondays being interviews; Wednesdays and Fridays are book chats; Saturday’s content varies.

During their conversation for this approximately 15-minute podcast, Andrea and Mark answer my questions. Mentioned are:

1. Podcasters Across Borders
2. Kidlitosphere Conference
3. Dennis Lee, poet
4. JOMB’s interview with Henry Winkler
5. JOMB’s Interview with Simon James
6. Stuart McLean, storyteller

Episode 2

Just One More Book!!

  One of the fundraiser’s for the Texas Library Disaster Relief Fund each year is a raffle for a piece of original art by a noted children’s book illustrator. You don’t have to live in Texas to take a chance on art.  This year Diane Stanley has donated a piece of art from the book, Charles Dickens - The Man Who Had Great Expectations. The 13 in. by 12 in. original full color gouache illustration features a Christmas holiday scene. This would look great in any library or home. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the upcoming TLA conference or by mail (must be received by the Texas Library Association office by March 31). The drawing will be held at the conference in Dallas on Thursday, April 17 and you could be the lucky winner. You don’t need to be present to win (although we do love to hear the winner scream with delight) so pass this opportunity on to your friends, neighbors, and other children’s book fans. Please take a chance on art. Go to www.txla.org/html/wells/gallery.html for additional details and a raffle ticket form that can be printed out to send with your check. The Disaster Relief Fund helps Texas libraries that have been affected by disasters.

I know, I know.  A “cheep” joke.

(I’ll stop-I promise.)

As you have probably already guessed, today’s storytime was centered on birds.  Quite a few of them had to do with a missing/lost mother, which wasn’t planned.  What is it about lost baby birds? Is it the fact that they look so cute and helpless when they are babies?

Choco can’t find his mother; nevertheless, he goes off in search of a mother who looks like him.  He finds a giraffe; he’s yellow, and the giraffe is yellow, so she could be his mother! Right? Well, no.  Neither can Mrs. Penguin, even though she has wings just like Choco.  Neither can Mrs. Walrus, even though she has big round cheeks like Choco. 

Despondent, Choco meets Mrs. Bear.  This brown bear certainly can’t be his mother!  Out of frustration and sadness, he begins to cry.  Mrs. Bear soothes him by asking him what he thinks a mother would do; he sobs that she would hold him, kiss him, and sing and dance with him to cheer him up.  The capable Mrs. Bear knows how to do all these things, and invites him home to join her family.   Mrs. Bear has quite a unique family; even though they don’t look like each other, they all love each other.

A Mother for Choco is a popular choice for adoptive families (our copy was, in fact, donated to the library by a local adoption group), especially multicultural families.  While the market for cross-cultural adoption stories is growing and maturing, many of them focus on a particular country of origin, such as China.  A Mother for Choco is a sweet story that carries a message that is not overly heavy-handed or saccharine.

Nancy Tafuri’s books are terrific for young toddlers; brief yet appealing text and bigbold pictures are well suited for short attention spans.  In Whose Chick Are You?, we discover a soon-t0-be-hatched egg.  It’s not Goose’s egg, nor is it duck’s egg, nor is it hen’s or bird’s egg.  Thankfully, the mystery is revealed when Swan appears; it’s a little swan chick! Mother and baby are happily reunited. 

Although not specifically a springtime book, this would fit in perfectly with a springtime themed storytime, with its story of new life and gentle pastels. 

Baby Birdby Joyce Dunbar is told in a “This is the House That Jack Built” version (the text isn’t cumulative).  Poor baby bird is eager to fly; unfortunately, his intitial attempt is not successful.  A squirrel sniffs at the shaken bird; a bee buzzes, a frog hops, and a cat and bird prove to be treacherous.  Our brave little bird is not a quitter, though, and he gives flying another try.  Is he successful? Of course, he is!

Baby Bird is irresistibly cute; his comic and endearing facial expressions will undoubtedly win you over.  This is not a long story, yet there’s plenty of action for the toddler set.

I’m sure many of you are already familiar with Lois Ehlert’s Feathers for Lunch.  Cat is mighty tired of the same old-same old cat food, and would prefer a gamey meal for a change.  Cat meanders and stalks a variety of delicious looking bird.  Too bad for him, for he wears a bell fastened to his collar.  When that bell comes jingling and jangling, the birds know that Cat is on the loose. “But cats can’t fly and they can’t soar,” so no matter how diligently Cat tries to catch a bird, he only gets feathers for lunch.  Since it’s natural to cheer for the underbird, this is quite a satisfactory ending (unless you’re on the cat’s side). Further information on the fine-feathered friends featured throughout the book is located at the end of the story. Lois Ehlert’s books are awesome read alouds, and this one is no exception.

Books Mentioned:

Dunbar, Joyce.  Baby Bird.  Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 1998.

Ehlert, Lois.  Feathers for Lunch.  San Diego: Harcour Brace Jovanovich, 1990.

Kasza, Keiko.  A Mother for Choco.  New York: Putnam, 1992.

Tafuri, Nancy.  Whose Chick Are You?  New York: Greenwillow Books, 2007.

What are your favorite bird books?

When I look for bathtime-themed books, I tend to look more broadly than I do for other topics.  Not all bathtime books are interesting/suitable enough for a toddler storytime, so I include books that only have a small mention of a bath.  These three books round out a bathtime storytime nicely:

I believe I’ve mentioned Big Smelly Bearin a previous post, but it ties in very well with a bathtime storytime.  Big Smelly Bear has a terrific itch, but refuses to take a bath.  He tries every imaginable way to relieve his itch, but to no avail.  Big Fluffy Bear suggests a bath, yet Big Smelly Bear insists that a bath is not necessary.  A shouting match ensues (you can play this up to great effect), until Big Smelly Bear reluctantly takes a dip into the pond.  Although he enjoys it, he declares that he won’t ever take another bath.  However, he occasionally creeps off to the pond for a surreptitious swim.  Big Smelly Bear is one of the longer picture books I’ve read to my young toddlers, and they enjoyed it very much.  I usually don’t select books with an abundance of conversation; although Big Smelly Bear has more conversation than the books I normally choose, the fact that the conversation is only between two bears makes it a pleasure to read aloud.

Lisa Kopper’s Daisy books are delightful read alouds for toddlers, and Daisy Knows Best is no exception.  Daisy and the kids are romping through another fun-packed day; the babies are old enough to imitate Daisy, which makes for very amusing illustrations.  The babies (both canine and human) “open” the mail (we see everyone chewing on the mail), “set” the table (ending in a great mess), and “clean up” the garbage.  As you can imagine, this results in some very messy babies.  Finally, the much harried human mother scoops them up for some very needed baths.  The illustrations of the babies getting into all sorts of mischief are very cute; this has enough of a storyline to interest older toddlers, but younger toddlers will also enjoy the antics.

Young children will definitely empathize with a bunny that would rather play than take a bath in Little Bunny’s Bathtime! Although his siblings happily hop to the bathtub, Little Bunny continues to play.  When he sees his siblings happily splish-splashing away, he feels a little left out.  He hides (rather noisily) behind the towels and in the laundry basket, and watches his mother dry his siblings.  Feeling rather neglected, he splashes into the bathtub and informs his mother that he is ready for his bath.  Little Bunny gets his own special bath and attention time from his mother; meanwhile, the other bunnies get into a terrific mess in the kitchen.  The soft pastels add to the gentle warmth of this story; this would also be a good Mother’s Day themed storytime.

If you’re doing a bathtime storytime, don’t forget to do the Bathtime Pokey!  It’s the same thing as the Hokey Pokey, except you “do the Bathtime Pokey and you scrub that hand/leg/arm/head clean, that’s what it’s all about!” You can adapt the Hokey Pokey to any theme, anywhere, and the children never tire of the Hokey Pokey. 

Books Mentioned:

Johnson, Jane.  Little Bunny’s Bathtime!  Wilton, CT: Tiger Tales, 2004. 

Kopper, Lisa.  Daisy Knows Best.  New York: Dutton Children’s Books, 1999. 

Teckentrup, Britta.  Big Smelly Bear.  New York: Sterling, 2007.

Confession: There aren’t many Valentine’s Day books that I enjoy reading to toddlers.  To mark the occasion, I create a storytime about families. If you’re looking for alternatives to Valentine-themed books, try these on for size.

I rarely need to find excuses to read Owl Babies.  Gorgeous illustrations and a storyline easily understood and appreciated by toddlers has made this a favorite of mine for many years.  Sarah, Percy, and Bill discover that their (owl) mother is missing.  Although they put on a brave front, they soon become very worried and speculate about what might happen to her.  Of course, Owl Mother returns and everyone is happy. The End.

Owls are a welcome break from the usual parade of dogs, cats, and dinosaurs, and these three little guys are quite adorable.  Your toddlers will giggle at Bill’s repetitive cry of “I want my mommy!” 

While there are many books about baby brothers and sisters, some tend to be quite negative in tone.  It’s normal for a child to be apprehensive about an infant sibling, but “hating” the baby isn’t always the case.  When I’m looking for “new baby” books, I look for books that validate the child’s concern, but not one in which the older sibling states that he/she “hates” the baby.

A Baby for Grace is a loving look at one young girl’s experience with a new sibling.  Grace notices changes and notices that she’s hearing a lot of “nos” on the day her mother and baby sibling come home from the hospital.  One “no” is just too much, and Grace dissolves into tears. 

Naturally, her family consoles her and fusses over her, which makes things a bit better.  Grace’s father asks if she would like to go to the swings; when Grace asks if they should take the baby, her father tells her that it’s just for the two of them.  Watercolor illustrations bring this gentle story to life.  Grace is EveryBigSibling; anxious to see and hold the baby, but bewildered by all the new changes. 

What? Cried Granny: An Almost Bedtime Story will bring down the house if you have older toddlers and/or preschoolers in your group.  For the first time in his life, Patrick is spending the night at his Granny’s house.  There’s just one little problem: there’s no bed for him!

“What?!” cries Granny, and instead of heading out to the store to buy a bed, she chops down trees and makes him a bed.  However, Patrick also needs a pillow, a blanket, and a teddy bear.  One by one, Patrick informs her of his lack of sleeping supplies, and Granny cries” What?!” at each time.  Shearing sheep, sewing blankets, and other activities needed to complete in order to fulfill Patrick’s needs make for a very busy night.  Finally, Granny informs him that it’s time for bed. There’s just one problem-it’s morning!

“What?!”

Silly grandmas make for rib tickling reads.  I’ve read this story twice in the past two days; once to a preschool class, which absolutely cracked up, and once to my toddler group this morning.  Due to last night’s icy conditions and this morning’s cold and wet conditions, I had a very small number of children for storytime, and they were my youngest attendees. While they paid attention to the story, they didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as did the preschoolers.

You can adapt “If You’re Happy and You Know It” to fit the family-themed storytime.  Just substitute “If you love your mommy/daddy/sister/brother/grandma/grandpa/etc” for the lyrics.  It won’t be the perfect cadence, but it’ll do.  After we sang about mommy, I asked the children to name other family members. Inevitably, someone will name a pet.  And since pets are definitely part of our families, we don’t want to leave them out of the song.

Books Mentioned:

Lum, Kate.  What? Cried Granny: An Almost Bedtime Story.  New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1999.

Waddell, Martin.  Owl Baby.  Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 1992.

Whybrow, Ian.  A Baby for Grace.  New York: Kingfisher, 1998.

This was posted to the ALSC and YALSA listservs but in case you missed it…if you are going to the PLA conference next month consider taking a side trip to the Kerlan Collection.

On Wednesday, March 26, 2008, 10-11 a.m. Kerlan Collection Curator Karen Hoyle will talk briefly about the collection and author Megan McDonald will also speak, followed by tour of book/manuscript/storage area and an autographing session.

On Thursday, March 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday, March 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. visitors may also peruse books and manuscripts that you pre select. Books and manuscripts include those by Walter Dean Myers, Christopher Paul Curtis, Francesca Lia Block, Nancy  Garden, Robert Lipsyte, Jacqueline Woodson, Gary Paulsen and many others. To view a manuscript, 1) visit http://special.lib.umn.edu/clrc [Kerlan mss holdings] and  2)email your manuscript request(s) one day in advance to [email protected]. The collection is accessible by public transportation. If you need directions, email [email protected].

The Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota is one of the world’s great children’s literature research collections. The Kerlan Collection  contains more than 100,000 children’s books as well as original manuscripts, artwork, galleys, and color proofs for more than 12,000 children’s books.

The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature (NCCIL) is currently hosting Myth and Magic: The Art of Gerald McDermott. This exhibit will be open through March 21 and admission is free. The NCCIL is in Abilene, TX and is conveniently located in downtown with easy access from Interstate 20. If you are traveling through the area during Spring Break make plans to spend an hour or so enjoying this wonderful museum. Since 1997, the NCCIL has been sharing original children’s book illustration art, and their creators, with children, teachers, librarians, artists, and more. For more information, visit www.nccil.org.

The Fort Wayne Museum of Art in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is exhibiting works by Allen Say from now until April 20, 2008. The exhibit includes works from El Chino, Grandfather’s Journey, Home of the Brave, Kamishibai Man, Music for Alice, The Sign Painter, and Tree of Cranes. Allen Say will be at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art for a book signing from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., Sunday, March 16, 2008.

The American Library Association’s Social Responsibility Round Table and The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Round Table are co-sponsoring the Rainbow List, an annual bibliography for young readers from birth through age 18. According to the official Rainbow List myspace presence, the Rainbow List will create a recommended list of books dealing with positive Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trangendered and Questioning issues and situations for children up to age 18. The 2008 list is the first list and took into consideration books published from 2005 through 2007. Future bibliographies will cover 18 months of publication, from July of the previous year through December of the current review year with selection completed at the ALA Midwinter Conference.

The committee writes in its introduction to the list:

an examination of over 200 books reveals that glbtq books are heavily
weighted toward upper grade levels and that many glbtq characters in
fiction take a peripheral position. Other concerns are public
censorship and the lack of ready accessibility to these books. The
members of the Rainbow Project encourage the publication of more books
with characters validating same-gender lifestyles and cataloging with
subject headings that describe these glbtq characters in children’s
and young adult fiction.

Here are the selected Beginning Readers:

Considine, Kaitlyn. Emma and Meesha My Boy: A Two Mom Story. Il.
Binny Hobbs. 2005. unp. Two Moms Books.

Gonzalez, Rigoberto. Antonio’s Card/La Tarjeta de Antonio. Il.
Cecilia Concepcion Alvarez. 2005. 32p. Children’s Book Press.

Jopling, Heather. Monicka’s Papa Is Tall. Il. Allyson Demoe. 2006.
unp. Nickname.

Jopling, Heather. Ryan’s Mom Is Tall. Il. Allyson Demoe. 2006.
unp. Nickname Press.

Lindenbaum, Pija. Mini Mia and Her Darling Uncle. Trans. Elisabeth
Kallick Dyssegaard. 2007. unp. R&S Books.

Richardson, Justin and Peter Parnell. And Tango Makes Three. Il.
Henry Cole. 2005. unp. Simon & Schuster.

Here are the Middle/Early Young Adult titles:

Fiction

Burch, Christian. The Manny Files. 2006. 296p. Atheneum.

Hartinger, Brent. The Order of the Poison Oak. 2005. 211p.
HarperTeen.

Howe, James. Totally Joe. 2005. 189p. Atheneum/Ginee Seo Books.

Larochelle, David. Absolutely, Positively Not. 2005. 219p. Arthur
A. Levine Books.

Limb, Sue. Girl Nearly 16, Absolute Torture. 2005. 216p.
Delacorte..

Peters, Julie Anne. Between Mom and Jo. 2006. 232p. Little,
Brown/Megan Tingley Books.

Selvadurai, Shyam. Swimming in the Monsoon Sea. 2005. 280p.
Tundra.

Non-Fiction

Marcus, Eric. What If Someone I know Is Gay: Answers to Questions
about What It Means to be Gay and Lesbian 2007. 183p. Simon Pulse.

Miller, Calvin Craig. No easy answers: Bayard Rustin and the civil
rights movement. [Portraits of Black Americans Series]. 2005. 160p.
Morgan Reynolds.

When I Knew. Ed. Robert Trachtenberg. Il. Tom Bachtell. 2005.
120p. Regan Books.

The complete 2008 Rainbow List is available here.

The ASPCA has launched the ASPCA Henry Book Club, an
interactive, online book club for kids, featuring the Henry Bergh Award Winning Books.  The winners are announced each year at the ALA conference.

The website www.aspca.org/henrysbookclub will feature two books per month, one for younger readers ages 5-8 and one for older kids, age 9 and up, with author generated Q&A’s, live author chats, quizzes and instructions on starting your own neighborhood or
family book club.  The two books for February are Buddy Unchained by Daisy Bix and A Dog’s Life:  The Autobiography of a Stray by Ann Martin.

On February 14, from 4-5pm (Eastern Time), Ann Martin is scheduled for a live chat. This is a great chance for your kids to get to know a great author. Check out the website for a lot of other great resources related to book clubs and humane education.

Hop on for a swift ride through transportation-themed books. Today’s schedule is not permitting a lengthy post….my apologies!

I don’t often include nonfiction in my toddler storytimes. Finding good nonfiction read alouds for toddlers isn’t always possible. However, given the fascination that very young children have with trains, trucks, planes, and cars, I browsed through our transportation nonfiction section in the hopes of finding great pictures and simple yet appealing text. Once I glanced through All Aboard! A True Train Storyby Susan Kuklin, I knew I had hit the jackpot. These aren’t pictures of the sorry little trains that you may see chugging along railroads. No indeed. This is about five magnificent Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge steam engines. Their route takes them through the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains; Kuklin’s fantastic photographs allows us to gaze at their power. We see the trains in their garage, admire their fire power, and marvel at the backdrop of the mountains. The text, filled with the appropriate steam engine sounds, carries us through the train’s journey. This is a quick read that will capture the attention of all future conductors.

If you work at a library that’s a day trip from the Richmond International Raceway, you’ll probably count a few race car fans among your patrons. The love of auto racing starts young, particularly in the South, and race car books are extremely popular. Combine race cars with a classic children’s song about transportation, and you have a book that’s guaranteed to be checked out after storytime. Alexander Lane has adapted the lyrics of ‘The Wheels on the Bus” in order to evoke a funny and very competitive car race in The Wheels on the Race Car. A variety of animals race along the track. The engines go vroom-vroom-vroom, drivers steer-steer-steer, race car mechanics go zzz-zzz-zzz, and so on. Lots of room for audience participation, if so desired.

Now, let’s accelerate to the finish line:

-If you’re a Minerva Louise fan, check out Minerva Louise and Her Red Truck.

-Trashy Town is a fun read for a very young group.

-Don’t forget to sing “The Wheels on the Bus!”

We’ve crossed the finish line! Did I bypass any of your favorites?

Books Mentioned:

Kuklin, Susan.  All Aboard! A True Train Story.  New York: Orchard Books, 2003. 

Stoeke, Janet Morgan.  Minerva Louise and the Red Truck. New York: Dutton Children’s Books, 2002.

Zane, Alex.  The Wheels on the Race Car.  New York: Orchard Books, 2005. 

I like a good story, and appreciate eloquent writing, but the element that I seem to respond to most strongly in books is characterizations.  And I think many kids respond that way too.  In a year’s worth of children’s books, we get to meet so many very interesting people (and animals).  My favorite 2007 characters include a girl who chases chickens (The Chicken Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice Harrington) (I like Miss Hen a lot too), two boat-loving twins with a language of their own (Mokie and Bik by Wendy Orr), a girl who masters a Neil Diamond song on an organ (A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban), and a dog who serves in the Vietnam War (Cracker by Cynthia Kadohata).     

My favorite character of the year is nine year old Lenny, from Kate Banks’ Lenny’s Space.  On the outside, Lenny’s a disturbance in class, a minor trial to his mother, either made fun of or ignored by his classmates, and a challenge to his therapist.  But readers, and to some degree all of the others, get to know him better.  Banks does a marvelous job of getting us into Lenny’s head so we understand the thought process behind his behaviors, and it really rings true.  He gets in trouble for yelling at a library book when he’s supposed to know better.  But he yells because he’s angry at the red blood cells he’s reading about…the same kind of cells that are threatening the life of his best friend.  This is a marvelous book, and I think Lenny is a character they’ll find interesting and memorable, as I did.    

The only thing is, it’s a lot easier to describe plots than characters to kids who are looking for reading recommendations.  Lenny’s Space is about a misfit boy and the sad thing that happens to his friend, but there’s really so much more to it.  In some other books, the plot summary alone can capture most of the essence of the story in just a few words.   Phyllis Naylor’s “Boys vs. Girls” series is a breeze:  “A family of boys and a family of girls play practical jokes on each other” pretty much sells it.  On the other hand, I’ve had hardly any success in convincing kids to read Hilary McKay’s “Exiles” books.  I clearly remember trying to describe the scene in which Phoebe pretends to fish from a bucket, and why it’s so funny, and noting a polite, but increasingly baffled expression on the face of the eleven year old girl, who really just wanted a good story.  It just didn’t work; you needed to get to know Phoebe and her sisters for that scene to even make sense, let alone make you laugh.  I haven’t figured out yet how I might present Lenny’s Space to a potential reader, but it will be challenging.     

That’s okay, though.  Lenny will find readers.  After all, Hilary McKay’s readership has grown quite a bit in this country since The Exiles came out in the early 90’s.  Some of her books have shown up as state children’s choice award nominees.  Word of mouth among kids and adults must have helped.  And I also believe that youth librarians each play a small part in bringing excellent characters and worthy authors, every time we make that sometimes difficult attempt to introduce kids to unique characters, whether or not their story is instantly appealing.          

Blog touring is a rather new form of promotion for authors and their books (at least to me) but it can offer a great way for us to learn about new books directly from their creators. This week Robie Harris (It’s Perfectly Normal) is touring for her new book Maybe a Bear Ate It! Her first interview is with School Library Journal, http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1790000379/post/420019642.html, with Elizabeth Bird. The topic is very interesting–Fiction and Non-Fiction: Both Need to Tell a Story. Scroll to the bottom of the blog for links to the rest of the blog tour, which continues each day this week.

 I’d be interested in hearing feedback about how people like the blog tour concept and whether it is useful for professional development.

I’d like to introduce you to a project between the Children’s Book Council (where I work as Marketing Director) and Knowledge Quest (the AASL journal). While many ALSC members are also AASL members, some of you are not and will be interested in this new initiative. We have partnered to bring readers a series of articles by children’s book authors and illustrators entitled “Meet the Author/Illustrator.”

I am a member of the KQ Editorial Board. When I joined the Board, KQ Editor Debbie Abilock and I sat down to discuss how we could bring more children’s book coverage to the journal. Debbie had been a fan of our online “Meet the Author/Illustrator” columns and thought such articles would be a great complement to the theme-based issues KQ covers.

As the project developed, we realized that each column really does embody common goals that AASL and CBC share - belief in the power of reading enjoyment and immersive learning and a commitment to a high level of literacy for every child. Columns are written by authors and illustrators with a wide variety of styles, genres and publishers. Readers can draw inspiration by learning about their lives and work. 

The first article, by Ying Chang Compestine, author of Revolution Is Not A Dinner Party (Holt, 2007), appeared in the September/October 2007 issue of the journal and can be found on KQ Web and on the CBC website. The theme of the KQ issue was “A Test of Character.” If you’ve already read Revolution Is Not A Dinner Party, you probably already have a good idea about why Ying was the perfect match for the issue.

The second article by Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton, author of Red, White and Blue (Pelican, 2002), appears in the November/December 2007 issue which recently arrived in mailboxes. This article can also be found on KQ Web and on the CBC website. With “Intellectual Freedom” as the KQ theme and Red, White and Blue as the book title, you can guess the connection.

Future articles from Stefan Pertrucha, author of the Nancy Drew graphic novels (Papercutz); Amanda Lumry and Laura Hurwitz, the author and photographer for The Adventures of Riley (Eaglemont); and Frank Beddor, author of The Looking Glass Wars (Dial, 2006), are scheduled for the Spring 2008 issues. These articles are fabulous insights into the lives and work of the creators of today’s children’s literature. I know readers will find them as fascinating and wonderful as both Debbie and I did when we received them in our email inboxes.

I want to first thank ALSC for inviting me to join this blog; I am very honored and happy to know that they recognize Rayo children’s efforts to better serve our children by providing them with meaningful Latino and Spanish language literature. I am also glad to have made so many supportive friends in the library community. Each and every one of my chats with librarians across the country has provided me with a great deal of insight, and always, a sense of purpose. I look forward to chatting with you some more in person at conferences and elsewhere, and to receiving your comments and ideas on this blog. Also, a disclaimer: This is my first blog, ever, so please bear with me!  I chose to write my first blog now because it is my favorite season: award season! A time when authors and editors rejoice in the fruit of the labors, and when inevitably, we are met with some surprises! And this year was no exception, was it? The Caldecott given to a novel, and the Pura Belpré to a work of poetry! Will wonders never cease? Editors across the country are scratching their heads, wondering what this all means, if it signals a new trend, or if librarians are making a conscious effort to reward quality and novelty, which would not be altogether surprising; what are awards for, if not to reward excellence in craft, and originality? I am happy with this year’s award results.Publisher’s Weekly called THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET “a masterpiece,” and I, for one agree. The book is stunning; both visually and in terms of narrative. It does not underestimate young reader’s imaginations and reclaims a rightful place for books in this age of multimedia. THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA’s wonderful use of verse will hopefully revive a genre that continues to be problematic for teachers, librarians, and publishers. Poetry? Who would think poetry would garner this much interest today? Poets across the nation celebrate! Librarians will continue to support you, and that means that children across the country will have an opportunity to recite your beautiful words!  On a more personal note, I was thrilled to learn that Monica Brown’s latest book also received a prize; the Pura Belpré Honor for illustration. Raúl Colón’s images once again graced the pages of a children’s book to help make yet another lucky author’s words come alive. The personal nature of this award, for me, has to do with the fact that I too have now had the chance to work with the wonderfully talented Ms. Brown. Rayo will publish her first book with HarperCollins Children’s Books in winter of 2009: PELÉ, KING OF SOCCER/PELÉ, EL REY DEL FÚTBOL, a biography of the soccer great, to add to Monica’s stunningly beautiful collection of picture book biographies, thanks to the dynamic and colorful illustrations of Rudy Gutiérrez. Keep an eye out for that one, my fellow bloggers, I promise it won’t disappoint!  I have also been very fortunate this past year to work with other amazingly talented award-winning authors and illustrators, such as Pat Mora, Rafael López, and Joe Cepeda. I want you to know about what Rayo has coming up, and I want you to tell your fellow librarians, and your friends, because for me, managing Rayo is truly a labor of love. I remember arriving in the US when I was 12 years old and rushing to learn English as quickly as I could so that I could get my hands on some of the wonderful literature written in that language. But I also never stopped reading in Spanish. Today, I feel extremely fortunate to be bilingual, and bicultural, and my mission at Rayo, as I see it, is to pass on this wonderful gift to a new generation of bilingual and bicultural Latino children. Please join us, and join me! The next generation deserves nothing less than the best! And again, please don’t hesitate to send me your comments and ideas; tell me about the wonderful authors and illustrators I should know about. What you like, and what you don’t like. What you see working in your libraries, and what most definitely does not. I am all ears. ‘Til next time ALSC!  

The Award Winner for 2008:
Birmingham, 1963 by Carole Boston Weatherford (Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press)

Two Honor Books:
Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems by John Grandits (Clarion Books)

This Is Just To Say; Poems Of Apology And Forgiveness by Joyce Sidman (Hougton Mifflin)

Sylvia Vardell posted about it on her blog, Poetry for Children. The Lee Bennett Hopkins Award for Children’s Poetry is administered by Pennsylvania State University College of Education and the Pennsylvania State University Libraries.

Download the podcast.

There are four different sections in this roughly 10 minute audio file.

1. Sing At Your Library, a great part of the Kids! @ Your Library Campaign. At Your Library by Bill Harley © 2005 Round River Records, used with permission www.billharley.com
2. Listen to a brief intro to the rest of the podcast. Special thanks to ALSC member Elizabeth Bird. She is a children’s librarian at New York Public Library’s Donnell’s Central Children’s Room and in her spare time, she writes A Fuse #8 Production for School Library Journal and A Fuse #8 Production - Podcast Edition. She kindly shared her audio files from 2008 ALA Midwinter with us.
3. Aaah along with the people present at the Hyperion Book Preview Event.
4. Be prepared to adjust your sound for these snippets from the 2008 Media Awards Presentation.

Episode 1

Sing, Aaah, Jump, and Scream Along

While I do plan a number of storytimes that are non-animal in nature, I have to admit that many of them do feature animals.  Toddler-friendly picture books overwhelmingly feature animals doing all sorts of adorable things and getting into all kinds of mischief.  The children love them and the parents want to check them out after storytime, so who I am to argue with this kind of success?

This morning’s storytime was multi-species; we read books featuring ducks and chickens.  If you’re including chickens in your storytime, there’s no better way to start out your storytime than with a telling of The Little Red Hen.  While there are many versions of The Little Red Hen available, my favorite for a toddler storytime is Byron Barton’s The Little Red Hen.  Barton includes the familiar aspects of the tale (including “new” words such as thresh); the illustrations and text are simple, but not watered down.  The only major difference I noticed is that the hen has chicks, instead of being the solitary diner that we normally hear in other versions of the story.  Preschool groups would probably enjoy more detailed versions of the folktale (try versions by Paul Galdone or Margot Zemach).

A Hat for Minerva Louise was a big hit with this morning’s crowd.  Minerva Louise loves to play in the snow (too bad I didn’t plan this storytime two weeks ago, when we did have snow; northern Virginia is now in the 40s and the snow has turned to slush), but she doesn’t have proper winter garb.  She sets off to find a warm hat for wintry weather.  The children laughed at Minerva trying on a garden hose and a bucket before finding the perfect hat (which is really a mitten, as they pointed out).  Minerva Louise is in luck, for she finds two hats (which is really the other mitten, as they also pointed out).  Minerva Louise hangs the hat on her bottom (which they thought hilarious).  Oh, the gales of giggles this one produced!  Janet Morgan Stoeke’s text is minimal (1-2 sentences on each page for the most part), but Minerva Louise’s antics will keep your audience’s attention until the very end. 

After singing and performing “5 Little Ducks,” we settled down to read Come Along, Daisy by Jane Simmons.  Mama Duck is always calling to Daisy, but Daisy would rather explore and play with animals she discovers, such as a frog.  Unfortunately, Daisy explores too far away from mama!  Suddenly, there’s a rustling sound….what can it be?  The suspense builds over several pages, until we find that it’s Mama Duck rustling along the riverbank, looking for Daisy.  Mother and daughter are reunited, and Daisy has learned her lesson about straying too far from mom.  Expansive illustrations and large text make this an easy read for the story reader, while Daisy’s enjoyment of exploring, worry when separated from mother and relief when reunited will resonate with toddlers.

Richard Waring’s Hungry Hen features two common adversaries: a fox and a hen.  Fox is hungrily watching Hen grow larger and larger every day.  Fox is *really* hungry, but he tells himself that if he waits one more day, Hen will get even bigger.  Hen indeed grows bigger and bigger, but Fox grows thinner and thinner.  Finally, Fox cannot stand it anymore.  He races down the hill and smashes into Hen’s house.  Unfortunately for him, Hen has not yet satiated her appetite, and gobbles him down.  The surprise turn of events will pack an interesting punch to this tale of toddler-friendly suspense. 

It’s not difficult to find chicken/duck related fingerplays and songs.  We had fun performing “5 Little Ducks.”  Our “5 Little Ducks” was the one in which five little ducks “went out one day/Over the hills and far away/Mama Duck called quack quack quack/And four little ducks came waddling back.”  We showed five fingers on “five,” traced an arc in the sky on “over the hills and far away,” made the quacking noises, and waddled at the end.  I’ve heard slightly different versions for the final verse; we sang “Sad Mama duck went out one day/Over the hills and far away/Mama Duck called quack quack quack/And five little ducks came waddling back” Yaaay!

There’s also “5 little ducks that I once knew/Fat ones, skinny ones, short ones too/But the one little duck with the feather on his back/He lead the others with a quack, quack, quack,” et cetera.

The ChildFun family website also has several chicken-themed fingerplays (scroll to the very end).  We did the “5 Eggs and 5 Eggs” fingerplay.

One of my colleagues made adorable felt board figures for the “Hens of Different Colors” poem found on the Lesson Exchange site. The children “helped” me complete the end of each “This little hen is _____” and “All of these hens live at the farm, out in the ______.”

Books Mentioned:

Barton, Byron.  The Little Red Hen.  New York: HarperCollins, 1993.

Simmons, Jane.  Come Along, Daisy!  Boston: Little, Brown, 1998.

Stoeke, Janet Morgan.  A Hat for Minerva Louise.  New York: Dutton Children’s Books, 1994.

Waring, Richard.  Hungry Hen.  New York: HarperCollins, 2001.

Did I miss your favorite fowl-themed story?

It’s so disgustingly simple to create a cats storytime that I’m almost ashamed of myself.  There’s such a huge assortment of cat-themed picture books that I had difficulty in choosing which books to include in my storytime.  The books that were not read were placed on display (if you don’t already do so, creating a temporary display in your program room/storytime area is an easy way to increase circulation, extend your storytime theme, and give parents and children something to do while they are waiting for the storytime to begin).

While it’s always fun to showcase the latest and greatest in your collection, including oldies-but- goodies is a good way to reconnect parents/grandparents/childcare providers with childhood favorites or to introduce “neglected” picture books.  Marjorie Flack’s Angus and the Cat (first published in 1931) fits the bill quite nicely.  Marjorie Flack created a series of charming picture books centered around a Scottish terrier named Angus; in this “episode,” Angus has to deal with a newcomer to the family-a mischievous black and white (and some blue; the primary colors in the colored illustrations are yellow and blue, while the opposing illustrations are black and white) cat.  This cat is T-R-O-U-B-L-E with a capital T. Angus is a very well-behaved dog; he knows he’s not supposed to steal food, jump after frogs, and generally do anything else ill-mannered dogs do on a regular basis.  However, he’s never had his curiosity about cats trained out of him (thankfully, the leash is always too short for further investigations).

Apparently, the New Cat didn’t attend any such thing as “Kitty Kindergarten.” This cat lounges on the sofa (uh oh), boxes Angus’s ears (hey!), attempts to steal his food (what the?!), and even sits in his “own special square of sunshine.”

This is clearly uncalled for.

No matter what Angus does, he never manages to catch the beastly little cat.  Until one day, the cat disappears after being chased.  Angus looks everywhere, but he can’t find that silly cat.  And wouldn’t you know….Angus misses it!  As you can imagine, the cat comes back (he just couldn’t stay away).

The illustrations, which are indicative of 1930s children’s picture books, alternate between color (blue, yellow, and black, with some additional colors in the family rooms) and pen and ink illustrations.  It’s definitely old-fashioned, but absolutely not dated.  The physical book is a medium-sized rectangle (at least, the copies that we have are), which may make the book tricky to share with a large group. 

The Cat Barked by Lydia Monks is in a similar vein of “the grass is always greener” attitude.  While Angus and the Cat was presented from the perspective of a dog, The Cat Barked is presented from a cat’s point of view.  We meet a cat that wishes to be a dog, because he/she thinks that “dogs have all the fun!”  Dogs get to go to the park, guard the house, and are “always the heroes in movies and books.” 

Fortunately, this sorry little cat has a young girl as her life coach.  Little Girl tells her of the annoying things that dogs have to do; do tricks, fetch sticks, and they’re always on leashes.  Cats, on the other hand, can see in the dark, climb up trees, and “go where they please” (as we see a house-confined dog looking mournfully out the doggie door).  And best of all, “they’re just the right size for cuddling in laps.”  At the end, Little Girl tells her to “please, stay just as you are-a most wonderful cat” (and we see a dog thinking, “I wish I were a cat!” while also being hugged by the child).

If you have children on the younger end of the spectrum in your storytime group, this is a great read aloud that is the perfect length and cadence for toddlers, but is not so baby-ish that it will bore the older children.

Drat That Fat Cat! By Pat Thomson is the longest selection in this group, but the action should keep the attention of your audience.  This is a cumulative tale of a very large cat with an insatiable appetite; after asking various animals (on an individual basis) if they have any food to share (and receiving the inevitable “no” and exclamation that he is portly enough already), the cat gobbles him/her/it up.  This malarkey continues on until the cat encounters a bee.  The cat swallows the bee without critically thinking the matter through; and hiccup! Out tumbles the various animals (and one very annoyed elderly lady).

Plenty of opportunities for animal noises and the repetition of “But was that cat fat enough?” will undoubtedly encourage some children to quack-quack, squeak squeak, and shout “No!” along with you.  This will definitely be one of your more livelier reads in your storytime!

Finally, we have Why Not?  by Mary Wormell.  This simple and attractive story centers around a very curious kitten and his mother, who is forever warning him about chasing the chickens, scaring the birds, and generally annoying the other animals on the farm.  After every warning, young Barnaby asks, ‘Why not?”  His question is answered by the aggravated animal in question (rather forcefully), but Barnaby always manages to slip away.  Barnaby eventually meets his ultimate foe-the hay bales!  Poor Barnaby is stuck, but with the forgiveness of adults toward a child that has eventually learned its lesson, the farm animals that he had previously annoyed come to his rescue.  Freed (by his own will and work), Barnaby saunters off to enjoy an inarguably much anticipated supper. 

The story of a trouble-seeking (albeit innocently) kitten and his mother will ring true to your storytime crowd.  While not as short as The Cat Barked?, this serves as a fine bridge between two longer stories. 

If you are looking for cat fingerplays, the Step by Step website has several good choices.  “The Mouse Ran Around the Room” is one easily performed by toddlers.

What are your favorite cat stories (or any that you are allergic to)?

Books Mentioned:

Flack, Marjorie.  Angus and the Cat.  New York: Doubleday, 1931.

Monks, Lydia.  The Cat Barked?  New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1999.

Thomson, Pat.  Drat That Fat Cat!  New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2003.

Wormell, Mary.  Why Not? New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2000.

I promise that this is the final post on the Notable CBC of 2008.

Some quick answers to FAQ’s:

Q: How many books did you receive?
A: I think someone counted to about 1,780 or so.

Q: How long did you have to read all these books?
A: We started really reading intensely about March since that’s when the boxes of finished books arrived. Since we cannot discuss a book unless everyone has access to the finished book (meaning, not galleys, F&G’s or ARCs,) most of us stopped reading galleys really quickly.  So, we basically had about 9 months to read.

Q: Did you read ALL those books personally?
A: No, silly.  That is just not humanly possible.  That is why we have a Committee — so that many different kinds of books are being looked at and then nominated for the other Committee members to consider.  I am so grateful for my colleagues who read lots of nonfiction and picture books so I have an inkling what to look at in those fields that I don’t usually work with.  The colleagues are not just the committee members — my co-workers, friends on goodreads.com, and reviewers are all really helpful resources here.

Q: But when a book got nominated, you had to read it?
A: Indeed.  So, I’d say maybe I read between 400 - 500 books last year.

Q: What is the reading and nominating “schedule” like?
A: We basically read for one month, nominated books that we’d enjoyed and thought noteworthy, and then read everyone’s nominated titles for another month, and then voted to select those we would DISCUSS face-to-face at the Conferences.  So, before Annual, we had one round of nominations and voting.  And between Annual and Midwinter, we had another four rounds (8 months) of nominations and voting.

Q: You mean, if a book did not get “voted” for those rounds, it doesn’t even get discussed?
A: Indeed.

Q: How many votes got a book “on the table” for discussion?
A: It’s a simple majority rule: 6 or more YES votes got a book onto the discussion Table.

Q: How many books did you have to have on the list?
A: It’s not specified.  It depends on many factors: how strongly we feel about including the books that only receive five votes at our final balloting; how many books we have to put on our list automatically (all ALSC award winners and honored titles); how many votes the Chair decided to “give” us, etc.

Q: How many votes did you get this year?
A: We each had to vote for 60 titles.  It’s lower than the previous couple of years, partly because there were a lot of overlapping with the award winners.

Q: How many books did you have on your final list?
A: We have 74 titles — 21 of them are from the ALSC Awards pool and 53 of them were “voted in.”  Many of the 21 automatic titles would have gone on our list if we had to vote for them. They were all strong and strongly supported titles.

Q: Were there surprises?
A: Oh, yes.  We all changed our minds during the process of our discussions.  There were books that I thought were shoot-in’s that didn’t make it, and there were books that really grew on me after listening to others’ opinions.  It’s a highly interesting and energizing process.  I recommend this for anyone seeking to hone their public book discussion skills and wishing to look at books closely and not minding being told to look at a book very differently from time to time.