Sturdy for Common Things

Reading Together

 

***Reading Together is a sampling of books I’m currently reading aloud to L, my toddler daughter. Since I work in the children’s room of a public library, I’m always bringing home stacks and stacks of books to share together. Old and new. These are our favorites.  Some of which have been read over and over and over again…. Times thirty. To the tenth power.***

This most recent list of favorite books we’re reading together is a doozy! And it doesn’t even include L’s recent fascination with ballet (which I’ve decided to clump together in a separate post). Themes this go around include, but are not limited to; whales, dinosaurs, primates, the night sky, and the act of being and the act of becoming friends. Don’t forget to share what you’ve been reading together in the comments below!

Here we go!!

If You Want to See a Whale by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Hands down my favorite picture book of the year so far. This duo always seems to make the most lovely books when paired together. Absolutely gorgeous prose and stunning illustrations! It’s been a regular in our reading rotation and will continue to be until we absolutely must return it back to the library for other children to enjoy.

Tea Rex by Molly Idle

We’re big fans of Molly Idle in our house! Flora and the Flamingo was so much fun, so I made sure our library ordered her newest book, Tea Rex, a book about sister and a brother and their especially extraordinary tea party guest. We’ve had it checked out ever since it came in. It also opened the door to L’s new “dinosaur phase”.

Dinosaur Countdown by Nicholas Oldland

As noted above, we’ve been checking out a few dinosaur books recently and came across this newbie. It’s a fun and simple countdown from 10-to-0, dinosaur style.

One Gorilla: A Counting Book by Anthony Brown

One Gorilla opened a huge can of worms. Or, well, primates. L is infatuated with monkeys after reading this book. Even more so than dinosaurs. After reading it a few times she was able to name the different types of primates depicted and can point them out outside of reading the book. The illustrations are stunning and I’m so happy it has come into our lives.

Monkeys, a Dorling Kindersley Reader

DK Readers are great! Since L is interested in monkeys, I purchased this book for a recent trip we went on. Great photographs and fun facts young readers will enjoy.

Monkey Colors by Darrin Lunde, illustrated by Particia J. Wynne

A simple book exploring the many different colors of monkeys.

Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett

Emily Gravett does wonderful job making books for preschool age children. This sing-song book about a little girl and her stuffed animal monkey has been read so often that L has committed it entirely to memory. Also makes an excellent storytime book!

Red Hat by Lita Judge

Red Sled was such a hit in our house ever since it’s release. I also shared it with my storytimers and it was excellent as a read aloud. When I heard of Lita Judge’s new book with the same cast of characters, I put an book request order in that day. Red Hat is set up in the same story style of Red Sled consisting entirely of onomatopoeia, and is about few curious forest creatures and their tussle over a red hat left out on the wash line. L prefers Red Sled to Red Hat, but I think they are both clever and fun.

The Gentleman Bug by Julian Hector

A darling story about a bug and his quest for true love which inevitable is found in a library. I personally adore this book.

Bunny Days by Tao Nyeu

 A daydream-like book with a bunch of mischievous bunnies, a couple goats, and a bear brought to you by the author/illustrator of Squid and Octopus and Wonder Bear.

Ask Mr. Bear by Marjorie Flack

A darling story about a boy who wants to give his mother a birthday present, but everything he finds she already has. So, the farm animals convince him to go, “Ask Mr. Bear”.

Mary Blair Treasury of Golden Books by Mary Blair

We’re HUGE fans of Mary Blair’s work, especially her concept artwork for Disney. I’m debating whether or not to purchase this book it’s so well put together. Highlights include her famous I Can Fly, Baby’s House, and illustrated depictions of timeless young people’s songs would compliment any child’s library.

Dream Friends by You Byun

Just by looking at the cover of this books, you can expect an exploration of fantastical color schemes and lots of them! A young girl has no friends, except for in her dreams. Can she open up and allow others to also be entertained by what she sees only in her dreams?

The Big Dipper by Franklyn M. Branley, illustrated by Molly Coxe

A very basic introduction to the stars above for preschool children and beginning readers.

A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle

A childhood favorite of mine. Hermit Crab searches and searches to make his shell home to his liking throughout the year until one day and many additions later he has grown and it’s time to move on. A fantastic story about working hard to get what you want and being able to give it all up when it’s time.

Play With Me by Marie Hall Ets

L loves this story and it’s also a storytime favorite of my fellow children’s librarians. One girl wants to play, but none of the animals she comes across seem to want to play in return. With a bit of patience and by sitting very still, the animal kingdom decides to open up to her before her eyes.

Trixie Ten by Sarah Massini

Another favorite of L’s, Trixie Ten is an wonderful way to get kids counting.

Moongame and Mooncake  by Frank Asch

Also an old childhood favorites of mine, these two Frank Asch classics have been read a lot in the recent months. This is especially so for Moongame (which L prefers), although Mooncake is my reading preference. In Moongame, bear plays hide and seek with the moon. In Mookcake, he is curious what the moon tastes like, so he decides to build a rocket ship to see for himself.

The Little Rabbit by Pheobe Dunn

For some reason we are hitting a bunch of books I used to read as a girl. Like mother, like daughter? The Phoebe Dunn books feature photographs of the birth and life as a baby animal. This one is about about… well… a little rabbit.

Millie’s Marvellous Hat by Satoshi Kitamura

I brought this home with the intention of using it for library storytime during the spring, but ran out of time. Instead we’ve been having fun with this imaginative story at home! Millie walks into a hat shop and wants to purchase a hat she’s been admiring in the window. But there is one problem… She doesn’t have any money. So, the hat shop keeper comes up with a way Millie can wear the most marvelous hat of all.

Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni

A smart inchworm tricks a robin into not eating him by proving how useful he is for measuring things in one of Leo Lionni’s most popular picture books.

Hello Kitty What Will You Be A to Z?  by Higashi Glaser

I have to admit… I’m not the biggest Hello Kitty fan. But L is, so we end up checking out quite a lot of Hello Kitty books from the library. This is the first one I’ve actually enjoyed reading with her. Hello Kitty explores different occupations by choosing one per letter in the alphabet. From artist to doctor to librarian to queen!

The Duchess Bakes a Cake by Virginia Kahl

Full of rhyme and silliness! We love the story of how one day a duchess decides to bake a cake.

If Anything Ever Goes Wrong at the Zoo by Mary Jean Hendrick, illustrated by Jane Dyer

A great read for a rainy day! A young girl tells the zoo keepers at the zoo that if anything ever goes wrong that the animals can stay with her. Well, when the zoo is flooded some familiar animals appear at her home.

Puffin Peter by Petr Horacek

The illustrations in this book are lovely and it’s a sweet story for preschool age children. Puffin Peter gets lost in a storm and a friendly whale helps him find his way back.

A Big Guy Took My Ball by Mo Williems

A new Elephant & Piggie book! Need I say more? A big guy takes a ball that Piggie found, and Gerald seeks retribution.

Ribbit! By Rodrigo Folgueira, illustrated by Poly Bernatene

A group of frogs are baffled to find a pig in their pond that acts like a frog. What could it mean? The frogs and other forest animals soon find out it is all an act of friendship.

The Great Lollipop Caper by Dan Krall

I was worried that this book would be a little over L’s head, but she loves it! Caper is loved by adults, but he wants children to like him just as much as lollipop. So, caper devises a plan to woo kids to his sour ways.

 

And that’s our abbreviated list! Don’t forget to leave in the comments what you’ve been reading together!!

The 2013 Read Across Lawrence for Kids Book

I’m excited to announce that the Lawrence Public Library’s Read Across Lawrence for Kids (RAL Kids) title for 2013 has been selected! The Newbery Honor winning, William Allan White shortlisted…

TURTLE IN PARADISE by Jennifer L. Holm!

(cheering, screaming, back-flips!)

Last year was the inaugural year for Read Across Lawrence for Kids (full recap here & on the ALSC Blog), in which the kids of Lawrence got “on the same page” by reading the same book during the month of September and participated in activities offered through the public library based around that book. The partnership between the public library and the schools was what made this program so successful and it’s already shaping up that this year we will bind together once again and build on that success for our town’s young readers. Preparations will be in full swing over the summer months and I’m beyond ecstatic for this year’s book and featured author! Haven’t read the book? Here’s a little background info:

Synopsis:
“In Jennifer L. Holm’s New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor winning middle grade historical fiction novel, life isn’t like the movies. But then again, 11-year-old Turtle is no Shirley Temple. She’s smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it’s 1935 and jobs and money and sometimes even dreams are scarce. So when Turtle’s mama gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn’t like kids, Turtle says goodbye without a tear and heads off to Key West, Florida to live with relatives she’s never met. Florida’s like nothing Turtle’s ever seen before though. It’s hot and strange, full of rag tag boy cousins, family secrets, scams, and even buried pirate treasure! Before she knows what’s happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of the shell she’s spent her life building, and as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways. Filled with adventure, humor and heart, Turtle in Paradise is an instant classic both boys and girls with love.” – Random House

About Jennifer L. Holm:
“Jennifer L. Holm is a New York Times bestselling children’s author and the recipient of three Newbery Honors for her novels Our Only May Amelia, Penny From Heaven, and Turtle in Paradise. Jennifer collaborates with her brother, Matthew Holm, on two graphic novel series — the popular Babymouse series and the bestselling Squish series. She is also the author of several other highly praised books, including the Boston Jane trilogy and Middle School Is Worse Than Meatloaf. She lives in California with her husband and two children.” – Goodreads

A common question I received after the first RAL Kids was, “How do you select a book for an entire community to read?” Well, it’s a tough decision and there is a laundry list of reasons, so I thought I’d give you a little background behind why Turtle in Paradise is the featured pick this year.

Is there a tie-in with the adult Read Across Lawrence book?

News: The Best Kind

There has been quite a bit of news circulating over here on Sturdy for Common Things lately… Industry recognition, going to library school, but none of it, none of it tops the news I would like to share with you today.

We’re expecting!

As of this week, I’m 13 weeks pregnant and we are over the moon excited about the impending arrival of our new family member.  I’ve been pretty tired, so any sliver of extra time I’ve found in a day I’ve spent napping. That is the main reason why the crickets have been chirping around here. Other than being a sleepyhead and a bit queasy here and there, I feel great. The belly is growing and noticeably so. Hello elastic pants! L is looking forward to being a big sister and has already picked out names for the baby. “Cowboy” if it’s a boy and “Rapunzel” if it’s a girl.

Fortunately, she doesn’t have much of a vote in the matter.

Care to share your favorite baby names? We’re open to suggestions!

Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there and all the nurturing, funny, loving, bizarre, and beautiful stories you’re apart of. The world is so much richer because of you.

Chicken (and Goose) Storytime

Our house has chicken envy. We desperately would like a few hens of our own to roam the backyard. Lucky for us Lawrence is a pretty laid back community that allows domestic chickens, and quite a few of our neighbors already exercise that freedom. We currently rent, so it isn’t in the cards for another year or so, but one can dream! Last week’s storytime was all about chickens (with one book about a tricky goose), and afterward we made playful pompom chicks.

Chicken Storytime Line-Up:

Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman

Whenever something goes awry on the Greenstalk’s farm, it’s chickens to the rescue!

Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman

Deborah Freedman is awesome! I especially love this book about a curious chicken who just wanted to help paint, but ends up turning everything blue.

The Chicken Dance

Taking a break from stories, we all took time to shake out some wiggles by learning to dance the chicken dance!

Chicken Little retold by Rebecca Emberley, illustrated by Ed Emberley

A favorite folk tale told by beloved author and illustrator Rebecca and Ed Emberley. Chicken little is hit on the head by a falling acorn and comes to the conclusion that the sky is falling.

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stien

A laugh out load story about a little chicken who can’t help but interrupt her father’s story.

That Is Not a Good Idea! by Mo Willems

Okay, so this book isn’t about a chicken it’s about a goose. But the little goslings kinda look like chicks, right? I couldn’t not share this one with the storytimers. It’s too good! And it’s Mo Willems! Written in a style that mimics a silent movie with gosling commentators. One goose agrees to go on a walk with a sly fox who has mischievous intentions with a surprise ending that will leave everyone with a smile on their faces. It seemed as though the  parents especially enjoyed this one.

Pom Pom Chick Craft

“Peep peep peep!” Isn’t this little guy the cutest? When the Easter eggs went on sale, I made sure to grab a couple bags to stash away for later in the year. I busted them out for this simple and sweet Pom Pom Chick Craft. The kids had so much fun playing with their chickie friends. My daughter L still plays with the chick she made and its been almost two weeks since we made them. The Pom Pom Chicks were so easy to make, following this craft we made an another easy craft (see below).

Materials needed: Plastic eggs (optional), yellow pom poms, googly eyes, orange felt, scissors, and tacky glue.

First, cut a strip of orange felt about 1/4-1/2 inch in width.

Cut that strip into small triangles.

Using a yellow pom, glue on the googly eyes and orange felt.

Instant chick!

“That Is Not a Good Idea” Gosling Puppets

The Pom Pom Chick Craft took no time at all, so we also make stick puppets using a printout from the Good Ideas Event Kit, an activity guide found on the HarperCollins website for the new Mo Willems book, That Is Not a Good Idea, which we read during storytime. The gosling cut outs are intended to be made into finger puppets, but we made them into stick puppets instead using tape, scissors, and popsicle sticks.

First, using scissors we cut out the goslings. I pre-cut a few beforehand for the younger children unable to maneuver scissors yet.

Next, we taped a popsicle stick to the back of each gosling.

And that’s it! I told the kids they should use their gosling puppets anytime their parents ask them to do something (like clean their room, or eat broccoli) and say, “That is not a good idea!” Har har har. The kids thought that was a good idea.

Sadly, this will be my last storytime post for awhile. I will be managing the library’s kids summer camp for 5-6 year-olds instead of conducting the Sunday storytime. It was a tough choice to make, but since I will be starting grad school full-time, we’re moving this summer, and a whole lot more is going on, something had to give. It will be nice not to work every Sunday, but I will miss my storytimers so, so much! For you library-types– Do you have any storytime themes you’re excited about this summer? Any new books you’re excited to read? I’d love to know so I can vicariously live through your storytime fun during my hiatus!

Review: Genie Wishes

Genie Wishes

by Elisabeth Dahl

Find it at: Your library | Amazon | Indiebound

Published: Amulet Books (April 2, 2013)

Recommended reading age: 8 & up

In a nutshell: I’m 29-years-old and I love blogging. If blogging was around when I was in 5th grade I probably would have been all about it then, too. When I was in 7th grade I created by own zine called Yummy Fiction and Poetry. Lame, I would publish my own poems and poems of other girls may age as well as include book reviews. Lame, I know, but I loved it.  You could say I’ve been attracted to editorial work and the art of sharing from a very young age. So, when I first heard of Genie Wishes, a middle grade fiction book about a girl who is chosen to be the class blogger, it caught my attention immediately.

Genie Knuckle is a smart, quiet 10-year-old girl who keeps to herself and enjoys hanging out with her best friend, Sarah. Little does Genie know that with the start of 5th grade, everything is about to change. On the first day of school, new girl Blair arrives with her fashionable outfits, makeup, and boy-crazy attitude. Genie’s intuition is red flags despite who cool Sarah says she is.  On the second day, the girl’s homeroom teacher announces that their class is going to be apart of a new class blog program hosted on the school’s website. Both Sarah and Genie’s grandmother persuade her to enter, and to her surprise she wins! The theme for all the class blogs are “Wishes, Hopes, and Dreams”, so Genie and Sarah agree that Genie’s blogger name should be “Genie Wishes”. But when Sarah starts to cling to Blair, Genie slowly starts to fade out of the picture. Genie is also confronted with the social changes going on in her classroom, as well as her peer’s and her own body image (read: puberty). Lucky for Genie, she has a gift with words and channels her confusion or thoughts into blogging, and finds a voice she never knew was there.

5th and 6th grade is a rough age. Its when the growing pains really start to kick in. Some boys start to notice girls and some girls start to notice boys. Some just aren’t there yet. Bodies start changing and confusion is rampant. With all the changes and growth, people change and as a result friendships change. Do you remember that time in your life? I sure do. It sucked. And for that reason, I was so impressed with author Elisabeth Dahl and how she handles these changes going on in Genie’s life. Genie’s experience is universal and I think it would be comforting to readers in that age group going through very similar issues in their own lives. I adored Genie and I have a feeling tweens, especially tween girls, will enjoy her story just as much as I did.

Don’t take my word for it: “If I was a fifth grader now, I know Genie would be a character I would keep close to Margaret [from Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume] in my heart. Both would teach me about growing up and comfort me when I felt lost. Genie Wishes is a beautiful book that belongs in your middle grade classroom libraries.” – review via Katherine Sokolowski featured on The Nerdy Book Club

Trailer:

Extras: Learn more about Genie Wishes and author Elizabeth Dahl, on her website.

Source of book reviewed: Review copy provided by the publisher at ALA Midwinter.