Monster Puppets

This coming week's program theme is "Monster Mash."  I've never been especially thrilled about doing monster stories with little ones.   I've used only one monster book more than a couple of times at my Bedtime story times, and it's Emberley's Big Green Monster.  I let the kids shout out, "Go away, big green monster!" each time I turn to page, and that helps the monster go away.  It it empowers them.  Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are kinda scared me as a kid, so I've shied away from monster-themed storytimes as an adult librarian.  I don't want anyone to go away frightened from my programs!  But my box arrived with some pretty cute titles (including Emberley's book), and I decided to embrace the theme (for once)  and see if I can pull it off  without scaring anybody.  Of course, it's only with the preschoolers, not the babies or toddlers.  The flannel boards that were included in the program box didn't grab me.  So I even  made some very unthreatening monster puppets from two car duster mitts I picked up on sale months ago.  Usually I have my own back-up materials in case I'm underwhelmed with what's available in the program box.  But this time, since I've never really done the monster thing, I had none of my own materials to fall back on.  Making the puppets was fun.  And trying out a new theme after more than twenty years of doing storytimes will be too.  But mostly, I hope the kids have fun and are not fearful.  We'll see...

LOL

My storytime theme today was "Sillies."  The early literacy skill was print motivation.  The books I used were Audrey Wood's Silly Sally and Marc Brown's out-of-print (personal copy) Pickle Things, among others.  The first-timer little guy's name was Ryan.  And he was laughing out loud by the end of the program.  Afterwards I locked up the program room with a happy sense of accomplishment.  The most important one of the day.

January Bunnies?

In the large library system that I work for we share early literacy program materials that are rotated among branches on a regular basis.  The materials I received for use next week emphasize narrative skills, and the program theme is "Funny Bunny."  While I only loosely use the materials (having developed thematic flannel boards, songs, fingerplays, etc. of my own over the years), I do like having a designated theme, skill, and books for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers already pulled and ready to use (although I often augment with my own favorite titles).  Initially I wasn't too thrilled to be doing bunny/rabbit tales in January.  That's a springtime theme, I thought -- along with eggs, flowers, and butterflies. But, hey, this is Florida.  And even if it's cold, library moms and their "little bunnies"  need to get out of their warrens and hop around a bit.  My cottontail puppet awaits!

Financial Literacy

There's a new bibliotherapy category, it seems, brought on by the current economic situation.  While perusing Albert Whitman's Spring 2010 catalog recently, toward the back I spotted, among sub-categories such as autism, abuse, and asthma, the "financial literacy" category.  Three books were featured which were intended for children ages 5 to 10 yrs. They dealt with topics such as fundraising, earning money, and maintaining savings accounts.  Publishers are quick to jump on bandwagons.  Remember the buzz-word a few years ago --"conflict management"?  And "homeless persons"?  The latter theme will need, unfortunately, to continue to be explored in children's literature.  It truly takes a village to raise a kid.  But it starts with parents modeling desired behavior for their children.  We could all tighten our belts a bit these days, don't you think? 

Recommended Read

This is a quirky one that resonates like a cicada on a lazy summer night.  It's a quick read with a slow feel, like main character Popeye's endless, simple summer.  It's about seemingly long stretches of time punctuated by unexpected events that can turn ordinary days into extraordinary experiences.  Here's the bibliographic particulars + publisher's summary --

THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS by Barbara O'Connor.
(New York:  Farrar, Straus and Giroux, c2009), 150 pages.  Summary:  In Fayette, South Carollina, the highlight of Popeye's summer is learning vocabulary words with his grandmother until a motorhome gets stuck nearby and Elvis, the oldest boy living inside, joins Popeye in finding the source of strange boats floating down the creek.

Recommended Read

Ms. Plum IS magical! And so is this book. Ms. Plum is the 3rd grade teacher that every kid wants. Why? Because she's interesting (allows animals and candy in her classroom), she cares about her students' hearts as well as their grades, and she guides them in important and unexpected ways that have nothing to do with math or reading. How? With her mysterious supply closet, which contains just what each of them needs. This one is 104 pages of positively, yes, magical prose. Here's the pertinent details + publisher's summary --

THE MAGICAL MS. PLUM by Bonny Becker (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, c2009). Summary: The students in Ms. Plum's third-grade class soon learn that there is something very special about their teacher and her classroom's mysterious supply closet.

Recommended Read

I finished this one just in time for Halloween! It's a sort of modern day Hansel and Gretel tale with just enough spunk and spookiness to "grab" young readers. Here's the pertinent details + publisher's summary --

THE WITCH'S GUIDE TO COOKING WITH CHILDREN by Keith McGowan
(New York: Henry Holt, c2009), 176 pgs. Summary: Eleven-year-old inventor Sol must recover his self-confidence if he and his eight-year-old sister, Connie, are to escape the clutches of Hansel and Gretel's witch, to whom they have been led by their new stepmother and the man they believe is their father.