Goodbye, Zilpha Keatley Snyder

I am feeling so sad today after learning of the death of Zilpha Keatley Snyder. I have fond, fond memories of curling up with The Egypt Game and The Gypsy Game as a child. Although I do not remember the entire plots of the books, I still remember very vividly some of the scenes she created in her stories, almost as if they had happened to me. I feel cozy just thinking about them. RIP, Zilpha Keatley Snyder.

More on Screen Time

Can you tell we liked the presentation by journalist-turned-author, Lisa Guernsey? First Janet, and now I am blogging about it! And I have to admit, my first reaction when I saw we were hosting an author to talk about screen time, was "Great. Now I have another person to make me feel guilty about letting my under-2-year-old watch TV." And it was not that way at all. Lisa focuses more on the quality of TV, apps and video games than the quantity (even for kids under 2), and she offers a pneumonic to help you remember: SPLERN. "SPLERN???" you may ask, "How am I going to remember a nonsense word like that?" That's what I said to myself. But I remembered it without even taking notes, so the acronym did it's job!

• Straight-time story line (the story goes from beginning to end without things like dream sequences, flashbacks, memories, side plots, etc)
• Participation (Dora or Blue's Clues are good examples of this where the kids are actually asked a question and given time to answer, but anything that encourages participation like songs, movement, etc.)
• Labeling (When unfamiliar words or items are shown, they are labeled or defined within the context of the show)
• Engagement (Do the kids like it?)
• Repetition (Speaks for itself)
• Non-Violence (I should probably stop letting Coby watch even the 1981 Spiderman cartoon *cringe*)

So glad I got the opportunity to see her in person, and I highly recommend her book Screen Time: How Electronic Media--From Baby Videos to Educational Software--Affects Your Young Child.

5 Assumptions You May Have Regarding Screen Time & Your Child

In case you missed our guest speaker last week, Lisa Guernsey, author of Screen Time: How Electronic Media—from Baby Videos to Educational Software—Affects Your Young Child, here is a recap of some information from her presentation. 

Lisa’s talk was based upon an article she wrote for the National Association for the Education of Young Children titled How True Are Our Assumptions About Screen Time?  It can be found online here: http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/music-math-more/how-true-are-our-assumptions-about-screen-time
 
I was surprised to learn that there's over 700,000 apps available online and most of them are geared towards children!  Many parents just handover their phones to their kids, thus exposing children to screens without any knowledge of the app or product that their child is using.  What the child is looking at may not be all that bad, there are the “Three C’s” that parents must take into consideration when having their children look at any type of content on a screen, no matter the device (iphone/smart phone, ipad, e-readers, computer, TV, etc.). They are:

1. The content (What is the child really looking at?  What are the features?)

2. The context (What is happening around the child at the same exact time they are looking at the screen?  Are there other kids around playing?  Is no one else around?)

3. The child (What is their needs?  Do they have any stressors in their life?)

Regarding those “Three C’s”, Lisa presented five assumptions that adults have regarding screen time with young children. They are: 

Assumption 1: As long as the content is “educational,” it is good for children.  What research shows is that children don’t always learn what the program creators intend.  Sometimes they learn the opposite.

Assumption 2: The TV may be on in the background, but children aren’t affected.  Research shows that the TV may be impacting a child more than one would think, such as child-parent interactions and how children play.

Assumption 3: All media for children under age 2 is damaging.  Research shows that if parents use media with children under the age of 2, they should make sure that screen time leads to social interactions with their babies and toddlers, instead of replacing those interactions.  This is a good reminder as to why dialogic reading is so important!  Ask your child open-ended questions.  This will help with their vocabulary development!

Assumption 4: Scary movies and TV shows just go over children’s heads.  Research shows that scary programs influence children’s sleep and more, such as their sleep routines/schedules.

Assumption 5: E-books are distracting to young children.  Research shows that it’s all about how they are used.  Some data shows that e-readers can have too many distractions (such as swiping) and they keep the child from understanding the content.  Often times it leaves the parent saying to their child, “don’t touch that” or "don't click that".  These types of responses can feel negative to the child, leading them to have an undesirable reading experience.  When compared to reading a print book, it allows for more positive parent and child interaction, such as dialogic reading because all the fancy places to tap on the e-reader aren't there to get in the way; pages can be turned together too!   The adult who is with the child while using screen media matter—there needs to be guidance in place while operating the device. 

Going back to “The 3 C’s”, Lisa reinstated that content and context matters, and that every child is different in their reactions, temperament, and language development.  Children with lower vocabulary levels have a harder time understanding what is being presented on the screen.  Plus children who are engaged in a lot of gaming don’t have enough of an ability to describe the world around them due to lower vocabularies. 

Next week, Holly will post important information on WHAT to look for in screen media and how to evaluate it's appropriateness for using it with your child.  Stay tuned!

Favorite Book Fridays: Steve Jenkins

I pretty much love everything by Steve Jenkins. It's pretty rare that I use non-fiction for story times, but his books are an exception.

Move! introduces different animals and the way they move in their own unique ways. The way an armadillo leaps straight up into the air when it is startled is a little different than the way a crocodile leaps toward its prey. It's hard to believe that the same word can be used to describe a jumping spider traveling through air as it spins its silk and a polar bear reclining on its back in icy waters: Float.

Any guesses what Actual Size is about? If you guessed that it shows the actual size of animals, you were right. See what it might be like to look straight into a great white shark's mouth. Compare the size of the smallest fish in the world (about 1/3 inch) to the largest moth (about 36 times that size!).

I bet you never knew a cricket has ears in its knees or a four-eyed fish can see above and below water at the same time. I didn't either, until I read What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

Farewell, Mr. Sendak

The world of children's books has lost a beloved author.  Maurice Sendak, best known for Where the Wild Things Are passed away today at the age of 83.  For the full story, read this New York Times Article.  The library also has a display of his books available for check out, located in the children's room.

Growing on Me

Do you ever first pick up a book and immediately not like it, but decide to persevere and end up loving it? I found a series of picture books like that: Adventure of Meno, by Tony DiTerlizzi of Spiderwick fame. The cover of the book immediately caught my attention because it was so cute. I checked the book out and read it to my son. I just didn't get it. But for some reason, my son loved it. So I checked out a few more from the series, and I have to admit, Meno has grown on me, and now I look forward to reading them to my son. Meno and his friends, Yamagoo, Wishi and Zanzibar are always dealing with some kind of every day situation: Meno is sick, Yamagoo misses his friends, etc. My two favorites, Wet Friend and Uh Oh Sick! even include a couple of celebrities from my generation (I'll let you check them out to find out who). I think it's hilarious, and even though my son doesn't know these celebrities from Adam, he laughs as much as I do!

Author Talk: Travel to Prehistoric Times This Month With Jean Auel

Did you read bestselling author Jean Auel’s novel The Clan of the Cave Bear as a young adult, like I did? I remember the book as a great mix of steamy soap opera, survival story and fascinating historical detail about the Ice Age and a time when both Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons existed simultaneously. Ayla, a little orphaned Cro-Magnon girl (i.e., modern human), is adopted by a Neanderthal clan and grows to maturity. Her more modern ways due to her different brain structure create conflict at times with the clan. The Clan of the Cave Bear is the first of six books, and the long anticipated last book in the Earth’s Children series, The Land of Painted Caves, was just published this year.

I’m excited to tell you that author Jean Auel is speaking at the Tigard Library this month, on Friday, July 15^th at 7 p.m. in the Community Room! Did you know she lives in Portland? Auel conducted extensive research for the novels, and her vast knowledge infuses the books’ descriptions about what the characters looked like, ate, wore, and thought, and about the landscape, flora and fauna. Some of her practical research about skills such as fire making, spear throwing, and stone tool creation was done in the high desert of Central Oregon. We invite you to come and listen to her speak about the series and her latest book on Friday. Copies of her books will be for sale by a local book store, and Auel will be signing books after the talk.

Roland's Reluctant Readers

Do you have a reluctant reader at home? You might try suggesting some of Roland Smith's books. We were lucky enough to have him visit our library last summer, and I took the opportunity then to read some of his books. His stories are full of excitement and action, and his latest, Storm Runners, is not any different.



Shortly after losing his mom to cancer, twelve-year-old Chase Masters' dad is struck by lightning. He becomes obsessed with weather, sells everything they own, uproots Chase, and begins chasing storms all over the country. This time, they are chasing Category 5 Hurricane Emily in Florida. This book is just the beginning of his harrowing adventure through Emily. A sequel is set to come out, and I believe it is going to be a trilogy.

Other books I read and loved by Roland Smith:

• Sasquatch


• Cryptid Hunters


• Tentacles (sequel to Cryptid Hunters)

Illustrated Envelopes

Over his storied (get it?) career as a children's book publisher, Klaus Flugge received hundreds of envelopes illustrated by authors. He's shared some of his favorites (like the one above) here.

As I perused these in wonder and delight, I found myself pondering why someone would spend so much time customizing something as disposable as an envelope. Were these letters particularly important? Did Klaus Flugge include a clause in his contracts that illustrators had to grace him with periodic free art? Then it occurred to me that there doesn't have to be a reason, the illustrators could have just felt like creating for the pure joy of art. Can you imagine the delight of the mail sorters and carriers? The secretaries? These envelopes must have passed through numerous hands before they reached Klaus and elicited all kinds of smiles. So, why not do the same when you send off a letter with your little ones. Even if they're not writing yet, have them decorate the envelopes. I'll bet the lucky recipients will treasure what was once mundane made beautiful!

Todd Parr at the Library

A couple of years ago, I shared a post about a great picture book author, Todd Parr. So you can imagine my excitement that he is actually coming to OUR library! And this time he's here to entertain the kids instead of the grown-ups! He will be here Thursday, April 21 from 4 to 5 in the Community Room. Lucky me, I don't work Thursdays, so I get to come as a patron with my little one to enjoy Todd's visit! Plus, you can get a free copy of his book Reading Makes You Feel Good while supplies last. And Reading Makes You Feel Good is just one of many of his books.

We would also like to invite you to share why Reading Makes YOU Feel Good. We are decorating the story time room with everybody's musings about why they like to read. Feel free to fill out one of the little forms we have waiting on the bulletin board in the story time room, give it to one of the children's librarians, and we'll find a place to hang it up!

Fare-thee-well, Diana Wynne Jones

This Saturday we had to say goodbye to a wonderful author, Diana Wynne Jones, who died on March 26 at age 76, leaving behind many, many wonderful books. Jones began writing fantasy books for children and teens in the 70s, and is known for her rich imagination, sense of humor and ability to write complex, engaging characters. Some of the most well known of her 40 or so books include Howl's Moving Castle and The Chrestomanci series.

"[Diana] was passionate about what children want and deserve from their literature. Adults would approach her at signings, wanting to know why she wrote such difficultbooks. In one case, when a woman protested, the woman’s young son spoke up and assured Diana, “Don’t worry. I understood it.” She believed in the flexiblility of her readers’ minds, their willingness to puzzle things out, and to wait for clues to anything they couldn’t yet puzzle."

I didn't discover her work until I was an adult, but I have loved what I have read, and I look forward to the pleasure of reading more. Thank you, Diana, for your beautiful legacy!

Farewell Brian Jacques

Yesterday we learned that Brian Jacques, author of the Redwall series, passed away over the weekend due to a heart attack. Jacques wrote so many wonderful fantasy books loved by readers young and old. I'm grateful that he was so prolific and we are left with nearly forty fantastic novels. Redwall begins when the peaceful life of ancient Redwall Abbey is shattered by the arrival of the evil rat Cluny and his villainous hordes. Matthias, a young mouse, determines to find the legendary sword of Martin the Warrior which, he is convinced, will help Redwall's inhabitants destroy the enemy. The exciting Redwall stories make great read-alouds, so come by the library to check one out, or one of Jacques many other books, and share it with your young reader.

Janet's Top 10 Children's Graphic Novel Picks for 2010

2010 is almost to a close and the publishing world has released a number of great graphic novels for children this past year. It is always a pleasure to help you and your children choose the right graphic novel to take home. And if your child isn't a big reader, graphic novels make for great reading entertainment for reluctant readers. Here's a list of my top 10 favorites (in alphabetical order) and I hope that your young readers will enjoy them too!

1. Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean by Sarah Stewart & Ben Towle--I really enjoy historical fiction and this book is no different. Follow Grace, an aspiring young journalist who is excited when Amelia Earhart arrives in her town of Trepasey, Newfoundland in June 1948. The illustrations match the time period quite well and the book is nicely researched. For grades 4-6.

2. Johnny Boo and the Mean Little Boy by James Kochalka--This is the latest installment in the Johnny Boo series. Johnny Boo 's little buddy Squiggle wants to play, but Johnny's in no mood, so he makes friends with a butterfly-hunting little boy. For grades 1-4.

3. Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett Krosoczka--In this fourth installment of the Lunch Lady Series, the school lunch lady spends the summer as the camp cook at Camp Shakedown where she investigates the mystery of the legendary swamp monster. And of course, the Lunch Lady does all her crime fighting using her kitchen gadgets. For grades 2-5.



4. Meanwhile by Jason Shiga --This is the first ever "choose your own adventure" type of graphic novel I've ever seen. After making a choice between chocolate or vanilla ice cream, follow the tubes that lead to different panels throughout the book. According to cover, you can have over 3,ooo different story possibilities. For grades 3-6.

5. Michael Townsend's Amazing Greek Myths of Wonder and Blunders By Michael Townsend--This is one of the funniest books I've read all year. I really enjoy Townsend's fun illustrations and the characters are so cute. Full of humor, this book will entertain readers with bickering sheep, unruly rulers, and lots of jokes. This book also makes for a great introduction to Greek myths for young readers! For grades 3-6.

6. Olympians Series: Book One: Zeus: King of the Gods & Book 2: Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess both by George O'Connor--For more advanced readers, writer and illustrator O'Connor does a phenomenal job portraying the power of both of these Greek gods. Their strength and emotions jump off the pages and contain more depth for advanced readers. For grades 4 and up.

7. Peter H. Reynolds and FableVision Present Zebrafish by Sharon Emerson--Vita forms a band with her new peers to raise awareness and generate donations to help a classmate with a terminal illness. Through their example, children will gain a sense that they too can make a difference, no matter how big or small. Plus, I love the blue hues used in this book and Vita's purple hair! For grades 4-6.

8. Smile by Raina Telgemeier--From 6th through 10th grade, Raina copes with a variety of dental problems all because she tripped and fell, knocking her front teeth out. Telgemier is also the illustrator for the Babysitter's Club graphic novel series. For grades 4 and up.

9. True Things: (Adults Don't Want Kids to Know) by Jimmy Gownley--The latest installment of the Amelia Rules! series, where Amelia celebrates her 11th birthday. But before the birthday party, she must endure some hardships among the people she loves. For grades 4-6.

10. Zig and Wikki in Something Ate My Homework by Nadja Spiegelman--This is the latest publication in the Toon Books line, graphic novels perfect for beginning readers. New characters, Zig and Wikki, travel to earth to find a pet for a class assignment. For grades K-3.

Author to Watch: Donna Gephart

I recently ran across a couple of books by Donna Gephart that I knew I wanted to read. I had seen the cover and title of As If Being 12 3/4 Isn't Bad Enough, My Mother is Running for President! Who wouldn't want to read a book with a title like that? And then I saw a review on another book. I didn't realize until I went to pull those off the shelf that they were by the same author. Here's the caption on the cover of this one: Dealing with an ex-best friend, a new girl best friend, and a heartbreaking hamster, David Greenberg is learning...How to Survive Middle School. And on the cover is a real hamster holding a microphone. Again, with a lead-in like that, of course I wanted to read it! A heartbreaking hamster who apparently can sing, too???

Anyway, I was not disappointed. Both books are from the point of view of a middle-schooler (one is a boy, the other is a girl), and the reader gets to experience all of the fun, difficulty, heartbreak, and fear along with the main characters. I highly recommend them for 4th grade and up, and I know I'll be watching for Donna Gephart's next book, Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen!, publication date pending.

Why adults should start learning from kids.

I recently came across this video of incredible child author Adora Svitak speaking about how childhood optimism, innovation and creativity is our key to a successful future. In her talk, Spitak illustrates that kids thrive in a collaborative environment, and that adults should aspire to trust them and be receptive to their ideas. Check out the video and Svitak's Blog.

News, News, News

So if you haven't seen it online yet...the new fall schedule is out! You can pick up your copy in the library or check it out here. New this fall...a second Family Story Time on Fridays (now 10:30 and 11:30), a second Preschool Story Time on Thursdays (1:30, in addition to Mondays at 10:30) and a special monthly story time for children with special needs. As always, we're offering fantastic Weekend Adventures, Super Tuesdays and special events.

In reading world news...Reading Rainbow will be off the air shortly. Have no fear, you can still check out episodes at your library.

You or your kids fans of The Series of Unfortunate Events? If so, glad tidings for you, as Lemony announces that there is a new series in the works. Bad news...not until 2012!

Fall means new events for grown ups as well. Check out the full offerings here, or pick up a schedule at the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor. Highlights include book groups, computer classes, job seeker classes, music and movies.

Fat Cats, Cow Birthdays, and Rhyming Dust Bunnies???

Time for me to share another of my recent favorite picture book authors and illustrators: Jan Thomas. He (or she, not sure which) has a very recognizable style with silly, cartoon animals. The books are all very short and very silly. His (or her) newest is called Can You Make a Scary Face? It's all about pretending and it will get your child standing up and sitting down, chasing a tickly bug off her nose and into her mouth, and scaring away a giant frog. It's got a great and yes, silly, ending that I won't give away. And if you can't get enough of the first Rhyming Dust Bunnies, a new Dust Bunnies book, Here Comes the Big, Mean, Dust Bunny, is coming out in November.

Reading Makes You Feel Good

I'm particularly inspired after coming back from an Early Literacy conference to share some early literacy information with you. The keynote speaker was Todd Parr, the author of Reading Makes You Feel Good and about 33 other books. I highly recommend his books for your little ones. They are fun, colorful, easy to read, and kids love the illustrations that look like they could have made themselves. His books are very encouraging and emphasize feeling good about yourself. He ends every book with a little note to his readers and always signs it "Love, Todd."

For those of you who don't know, early literacy skills are skills that kids need to develop before they learn to read. No need to sit down with flash cards or anything like that; in fact, PLEASE, I beg you, don't sit down with flashcards to teach your kids early literacy skills.

One early literacy skill, print motivation, is the simple thing of loving books. There are several ways you can help your children develop print motivation. Find books about topics that interest them; don't read them a book they show no interest in even if it was your favorite book as a kid. Ask them questions about the pictures and the words to encourage their participation and engagement. Take them to story times at the library. Don't force them to read when they don't feel like it; try to find times when both of you are in a good mood to share books together.

"Love, Holly"

Carl Hiaasen: Fun for the Whole Family

My most recent favorite author is Carl Hiaasen. His books are entertaining, quick reads and I LOVE them. There is a definite environmental focus in most of his books (although not all), many of them are mystery/suspense, and most of them take place in Florida. He has some bizarre and somewhat twisted plots in most of his books, and they are all great fun to read. Some of his more quirky characters make appearances in multiple books, but he doesn't write sequels, and you don't need to read his books in any kind of order. He writes for adults, teens, and older elementary kids. Here is just a sampling:

Adults
Basket Case
Nature Girl
Skinny Dip
Stormy Weather

Teens
Scat

Teens/Kids
Flush
Hoot

Is There Life After Television?

Yes, there is! Don't worry, you don't need to make your kids stop playing video games, or throw out your TV. TV-Turnoff Week, which is celebrated April 20th-26th this year, is really just about being aware of how much "screen time" we have in our lives. We all know too much of anything isn't a good thing, and too much screen time can lead to obesity, learning problems, isolation and loss of community and creativity. Even making small changes in the amount of time we spend in front of the screen can make a big difference in our lives and the lives of our children.

We have some fun family activities planned all week long to entince you off the couch and into the library to celebrate TV-Turnoff Week. In addition to our regular weekly story times, check out these events:

• Poetry in the Lobby (Sunday April 19th 1-5pm)


• The Giving Tree Revisited with Dave the Earthsinger (Tuesday April 21st 7pm)


• Food Art with Addie Boswell (Wednesday April 22nd 7pm)


• Getting Unplugged with local author and former self-proclaimed TV-addict Ellen Currey-Wilson (Thursday April 23rd 7pm)

For detailed descriptions of all these events, please visit our website:

http://www.tigard-or.gov/library/kids_families/programs/tv_turnoff_week.asp

To learn more about TV-Turnoff Week and Screen Awareness, please visit:

http://www.tvturnoff.org/