Sturdy for Common Things

Reading Newbies Together

I was off from work last Sunday, so Storytime Sunday will resume next week.

In the meantime, here are few notable and NEW picture books LBD and I have been reading lately…

The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse by Eric Carle

You can view an excerpt from the book here.

We like the green lion.

and the purple fox.

Be sure to read the author’s note in the back of the book if you do happen to check this one out.

The Conductor by Laetitia Devernay.

Wordless wonder.

So lovely.

You Will Be My Friend by Peter Brown

New Peter Brown book!

Dinosaur vs. The Library by Bob Shea

Roaarrrr! Dinosaur wins again!

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

Kinda kooky, but we like it.

Image Sources: The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, The Conductor, You Will Be My Friend, Dinosaur vs. The Library, I Want My Hat Back

Banned Books Week

It’s Banned Books Week! So, here at SFCT I’m observing it by highlighting a few of my favorite blacklisted children’s books.

Remember we have the freedom to read. Read banned books.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. was banned in Texas because of author name confusion. The other banned Bill Martin wrote a book on Marxism, so the Texas Board of Education banned all books under that name. Unfortunately, Bill Martin Jr. died in 2004 and therefore was unable to defend himself, so the children of Texas were banned from their beloved bear.

The Giver, by Lois Lowry, was constantly banned in the 90’s due to the  “book’s treatment of suicide and euthanasia”. Other banned books by Lowry include Anastasia Krupnik and Anastasia at Your Service.

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl has been challenged in the past for “containing mild profanity and depicting positive anti-authority behavior and cruel aunts.” Other banned books by Dahl include The Witches and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle has been challenged for witchcraft and not being Christian enough?

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling… the #1 most challenged book (and series) of the decade for witchcraft, being a bad example, and being too scary.

Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak. Where The Wild Things Are for being “too frightening” and “too dark” and In the Night Kitchen for a nakie nake baby.

A Light in the Attic, Where the Sidewalk Ends, and The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. A Light in the Attic was banned for inappropriate content and because it encouraged children to “break dishes instead of washing them”, Where the Sidewalk Ends for “suggests drug use, the occult, suicide, death, violence, disrespect for truth, disrespect for legitimate authority, rebellion against parents”, and The Giving Tree for being sexist. Bah!

Other challenged and banned favs include:

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White because it has talking animals.

Bridge to Terabithia and The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson for profanity and witchcraft and

Goosebumps by R.L. Stine are too scary.

Where’s Waldo by Martin Hanford for this “revealing” imagery.

Captain Underpants by Dave Pilkey

Hatchet by Gary Paulson for being to descriptive.

Harriet The Spy by Louise Fitzhugh for it’s anti-authoritative message.

What banned book do you hold close to your heart?

For further reading, check out the ALA’s website for the lowdown on banned and challenged books, the official Banned Books Week website, and also the Lawrence Public Library’s facebook page for a week-long celebration of banned books.

Image Sources: book sign, Brown Bear, The Giver, James and the Giant Peach, Wrinkle in Time, Harry Potter, Wild Things, Light in the Attic

Article Sources: here, here, here, here, here,  here, here here, and here

The End of Summer (Reading)

It’s official. Today is the first day of fall.

Which also means summer reading has officially ended. (le sigh…)

What did you read over the summer months? And f you have children, what did they enjoy reading?

LBD and I did quite a bit of summer reading together, but I also manged to read about 12 books myself most of which were youth and teen fiction.

Out of those titles, the below were the ones I enjoyed the most. In no particular order.

Happy Weekend!

Happy Fall!

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (I just picked up Selznick’s latest, Wonder Struck, from the library a couple days ago. yeeeee!)

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan & Perter Sis

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Image Sources: Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, When You Reach Me, The Dreamer, Over Sea, Under Stone, The Magician’s Elephant,  The Hunger Games

Reading Together: Good Night, World

The night is starting to make an appearance earlier and earlier each day. A true sign to the end of summer.

One perk of being a librarian is first dibs on the newbie books that haven’t even made their way on the shelves yet. Good Night, World by Willa Perlman with pictures by Carolyn Fisher is one of those books I was able to nab before anyone else.

Good night sun and other stars,good night Saturn, Venus, Mars.

Elsewhere in the world it’s light,

it’s morning there, but here it’s night.

A sweet, lullaby-like bedtime story, BUT what really prompted me to check out this title was Carolyn Fisher‘s illustrations. Absolutely mesmerizing. Here’s a speed preview from her website. Not nearly a long enough looksie, but you get the gist…

I’ve also included a few other great picture book about the night:

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson and pictures by Beth Krommes

(An LBD approved bedtime book.)

Dark Emperor and Other Poems about the Night by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Rick Allen

(ahhh..Lovely.)

A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na

(Cute owl.)

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and pictures by Clement Hurd

(A classic.)

Goodnight Goon by Michael Rex

(Never too early for a Halloween book to enter the mix. Or a lesson in parody.)

Reading Together: Summer

It’s an ordinary day when I show up at home with a tumbling pile of books after work. My choices inspired by favorite books of children I see day in and day out at the library, books suggested by my fellow coworkers (the know-all when it comes to great children’s books), or books I happen to find on my own accord.

Our library, like many other libraries across the nation, participated in a summer reading program, an initiative that not only encourages children to read, but also helps keep their language skills sharp during the summer months. Just the other day I heard on the radio that kids lose almost half a year of learned school work over the summer and one of the best ways to inhibit this from happening is by reading. And while it is important for school-aged children to continue their reading, it’s just as important for younger children to be introduced to books. In the final days of summer it’s been inspiring (as a librarian and a parent) to see thousands and thousands of children and parents embrace this program.

So, in honor of summer’s last hurrah, I’ve chosen a few books, favorites of LBD’s and a couple favorites of my own, to highlight what we’ve been reading this summer:

After “mama” and “dada” came the word “dog”. Mostly because we read RRRALPH over a hundred times in the course of a week in a half. She enjoyed this book that much.

I would have to say this is LBD’s all time favorite book. Hands down. We’ve had to renew it twice already. She also enjoys the sister story by Emma Dodd,  I Don’t Want a Posh Dog.

Dinosaur! Roarrrrrrr!!!

ABC’s for night night time.

Bee and Bird. About a bird and a bee.

Okay, so this was my pick. I would go as far to say it was my favorite book we read together all summer. Can’t go wrong with the Jane Goodall. If you have a chance to check it out, take a glance at the photograph on the last page. Pure beauty.

Fun little adventure.

Brought to you by the same author and illustrator as An Egg Is Quiet. This is their latest.

Another pick from me. Big fan of Peter Brown.

One of LBD’s top picks that has also been renewed at least once.

Home is where the heart is.

Last but not least, another favorite of LBD’s. Wonder why…..

Image Sources: RRRALPH, I Don’t Want a Cool Cat, Dinosaur vs. Bedtime, Sleepy Little Alphabet, Bee and Bird, Me… Jane, Red Wagon, A Butterfly is Patient, The Curious Garden, Not A Box, Castles, Caves, and Honeycombs, Frankie Works the Night Shift

Reading Together: Agate: What Good Is A Moose?

LBD and I picked this book up at the library last week. Feeling sorry for himself, Agate the moose feels all the other animals are far more unique than he. Each animal symbolizing a different gemstone, we learn of their shining traits, and the the reveal of Agates’s own extraordinary characteristics.

A clever little story with absolutely breathtaking illustrations.

Absolutely breathtaking…

Read More

Children’s Book Week

Happy Children’s Book Week!

If you couldn’t tell… I’m kinda a fan of reading. Especially, when it involves inspiring kids to read.

What was your favorite book to read as a child?

If you have kids, do you have a favorite you read to them?

I have too many. A few favorites include My Garden by Kevin Henkes, An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton, Corduroy by Don Freeman, Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery, The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (which I didn’t fully appreciate until I was much older), and Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. The list goes on and on and on….

image

And the award goes to…. ?

Last week, I was asked what children book awards I’m currently aware of. Excited by the question immediately blurted out, “The Caldecott Medal, The Newbery Awards, and…well… um…..that’s it.” Embarrassing. I worked in a children’s book department for almost two years and that’s all I’ve got? It was some time ago, but even so my answer bugged me.

For my own information and redemption, I did a little research and put together a list of popular children and teen book awards supported by the American Library Association. Click the seal or the link below each award you’ll be directed to a current list the winners and honorees. Read More

Reading Together: Snuggle Puppy

Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton is easily LBD’s favorite book. It’s a quick, little broad book complete with singing and kissing. Reading, singing, and kissing? They’re our favorites.

It starts:

Well, I have a thing to tell you,
and it won’t take long:
The way I feel about you
is a kind of a song.
It starts with an OOO,
and ends with a kiss,
and all along the middle,
it goes something like this—

And so the Snuggle Puppy song begins.

Well, the way I feel about LBD is kinda like a song. Lots of songs. So many songs!

Songs we sing to. Songs we dance to. Songs we laugh to.

The go something like this— Read More

Poem-A-Day

Did you know April is Poetry Month?

I thought I’d share Knopf’s annual Poem-A-Day offering.

Thought I’d also share a poem by my all time favorite poet, William Stafford. It’s also the poem that inspired this here blog.

What’s your favorite poem?

Allegiances
It is time for all the heroes to go home
if they have any, time for all of us common ones
to locate ourselves by the real things
we live by.

Far to the north, or indeed in any direction,
strange mountains and creatures have always lurked-
elves, goblins, trolls, and spiders:-we
encounter them in dread and wonder,

But once we have tasted far streams, touched the gold,
found some limit beyond the waterfall,
a season changes, and we come back, changed
but safe, quiet, grateful.

Suppose an insane wind holds all the hills
while strange beliefs whine at the traveler's ears,
we ordinary beings can cling to the earth and love
where we are, sturdy for common things.

-William Stafford