Showing posts with label book related. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book related. Show all posts

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Amber's Favorite Seek and Find Picture Books






To celebrate the end of Picture Book Month, I wanted to share some of my favorite picture books that have a seek-and-find element to them. You've probably seen the I Spy books. But have you seen In the Town, All Year 'Round? For every season, there are characters to spot and story lines to follow. Turning the pages brings you through each part of town, from the country to the town center. You can watch the kindergarten building being constructed, the pond at the park ice over for skating, and friendly relationships forming over time.

When I was a kid, there was nothing more absorbing than a thorough read of Professor Wormbog in Search for the Zipperump-a-Zoo. Nobody knows environmental print better than Mercer Mayer, who inserts biplanes creating "brush your teeth" skywriting and flashy signs advertising one way tours the edge of nowhere at every brushstroke.

And if lovely artwork is what you need to make it through another search for a hidden object, check out Britta Teckentrup's spotting books. They are packed with cute animals and soft, rich colors. Happy hunting!

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Kari's Favorite Picture Books!


Slugs by David Greenberg was an all-time childhood favorite of mine. It is a perfect mix of delightfully gross and disgustingly hilarious. In rhyming verse, Greenberg imagines more and more creative and horrible things people can do to the slimy slug while Victoria Chess's illustrations make you want to laugh and cringe at the same time. My favorite part of the book however, comes when the slugs take their revenge!



The basis for the 2007 film Meet the Robinsons, A Day With WilburRobinson by William Joyce was another childhood favorite of mine. A search for Wilbur's grandfather's false teeth leads the reader through the strange and fantastical world of the Robinson family. What I really enjoyed about the book as a young reader was that most of the action and humor took place in the illustrations. For example, the text merely mentions Cousin Pete walking the cats, but the accompanying illustration enlightens careful readers to the fact that the cats in question are in fact tigers. These delightful and often humorous details kept me coming back to re-read the story again and again to look for details I might have missed! 


Saturday, February 21, 2015

STEAM Saturday

At the heart of every scientist, mathematician, musician, or artist is a person who is willing to tinker.The scientist tests and retests (or tinkers with) theories. A musician will work and rework (tinker with) a song before it's finished.
Which leads to me to recommend one of my favorite new books for parents who want to nurture the "tinkerer" in their child. It's called Tinkerlab: A hands-on guide for little inventors by Rachelle Doorley
Doorly poses that the only way to really get to know a subject or process or material is to work with it long enough, over and over again, so that to the tinkerer gets to the place where she can see it or use it in new ways. There are so many fantastic ideas in this book and on her blog! I especially like her quote,

"When children are encouraged to solve problems on their own, they learn a great deal through the questions and hands-on experiements that lead to a solution."

If you use this book for nothing else, use it for the 10 Tinkerlab Habits of Mind
  • Make room for creativity
  • Encourage questions
  • Listen actively
  • Be curious
  • See mistakes as gifts
  • Embrace a good mess
  • Accept boredom as a tool for self-discovery
  • Step back ad enjoy the flow
  • Spend time outdoors
  • Think of everything as an experiement.

What are you waiting for? Get tinkering!





Saturday, January 17, 2015

STEAM Saturday

Are you looking for a charming and funny non-fiction picture book about...um...disgusting critters?
Well, they're only disgusting because of their bad reputation, because these guys are important!
Find out why when you read Elise Gravel's Disgusting Critters series.


While reading aout The Worm, I learned that there is a worm that can grow to be over 98 feet long!
It's called the Ribbon Worm.

STEAM Activity:
Take a tape measure out and mark off 98 feet! How many inches is that? How many centimeters does that equal. How many meters is 98 feet?
You can let us know what your results were by leaving a comment.


Friday, December 19, 2014

I Spy Pete the Cat





What is blue, has two pointy ears and says, “It’s all good”? Pete the Cat of course!  He’ll be moving along and singing his song in a new spot every day beginning December 21, 2014 through Sunday January 4, 2015. Your skills of observation will earn you a small prize!

Saturday, December 13, 2014

STEAM Saturday

Did you know that solving puzzles strengthens cognition abilities? Being able to solve puzzles is the same part of the brain that works math and music as well. So, to celebrate this fact, here's a puzzle for you.

'We eat what we can, and we can what we can't.'
Can you explain who could make this statement?

To find out the answer, check out the book The Puzzle Emporium Presents Amazing Brain Teasers: mathematical diversions, lateral thinking puzzles, riddles, conundrums, and more by Erwin Brecher.


Friday, September 19, 2014

Death By Toilet Paper

The cover and title of Death By Toilet Paper, by Donna Gephart, appear as if this will be a great, funny read. It is in fact, a great read with lots of laugh-out-loud funny parts, but is also a serious, at times very sad, story about poverty, grief and loss. After 12-year-old Benjamin Epstein's dad died last year, his mom has been struggling to make ends meet. On top of that, Ben has to learn to deal with his aging Zeyde (Yiddish for Grandfather) Jake whose memory is failing him more and more. Ben feels the responsibility of taking care of his mom and Zeyde, and so he puts his long-time hobby as a "sweeper" to good use. He enters pretty much any sweepstakes or contest he can find and has a closet full of stuff to prove it. But now the stakes are high; if he does not win a substantial sum of money soon, they may be evicted. Ben and his best friend, Toothpick, team up using both of their talents and hobbies to enter a contest that could make their troubles go away. I would recommend this wonderful story by one of my favorite authors for kids ages 9 to 12.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Dia de los NiƱos/Children’s Day


Wednesday, April 30 5:30-7 p.m.
Burgess Community Room All ages

Take an international adventure through stories! Celebrate languages of the world by visiting several short bilingual story time stations. Grab a passport and get a stamp at each “country” you visit. After your “travels,” enjoy snacks including pan dulce, a delicious bread from Mexico.

 

Monday, April 21, 2014

Pete The Cat

How would you like to experience the book Pete the Cat through the eyes of the author?
Take a look at this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuHzYssjjGc



To find more Pete the Cat books you might not have read, click here, to visit our catalog.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Arbor Week Quiz


If you love trees and picture books, especially picture books with trees in them, you can show your love by playing our tree matching game! See how many trees featured in picture books you can match with their real tree counterparts. Turn in your answers for a chance to win a prize!
This program begins, Sunday, April 6 and continues through Saturday, April 12. Winners will be called Sunday, April 13.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Booklist Update

Do you have an aspiring Fancy Nancy in your house? The Princess, Fairies and Being Fancy picture booklist has been completely updated! You'll find these titles and more.

Willa the Wonderful  by Susan Milord

Princess Palooza by Joy Allen

Princess Super Kitty by Antoinette Portis

Lola the Lollipop Fairy by Tim Bugbird

The Princess and the Pea by Rachel Isadora


Monday, February 10, 2014

Valentime Fun with Junie B.



Are you looking for some Valentine's Day fun?  Look no further! Everyone's favorite kindergartener, Junie B. Jones has some special "Valentime's Day" activities available online, inspired by Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentime.  Share a print and cut Valentime with someone special.  Or print, cut, and assemble your very own Valentime Mailbox to collect all Valentine's Day greetings.  These activities will be sure to please!

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

The Yellow Balloon

When a child lets go of his or her balloon it is often met with tears. In The yellow balloon by Charlotte Demations, we get to see what might happen to the balloon. A lovely wordless picture book following the adventures a yellow balloon has crossing the globe. On each double-page spread is a treasure hunt to find the yellow balloon. Not only will encourage a close family experience, it will create a natural vehicle for building narrative skills.

Friday, December 27, 2013

The 14 Fibs of Gregory K.

You may think you know what a fib is, but Gregory K. has a whole different take on "fibs." Well, yes, he does tell a fib or two or 14, but he has also invented a new type of poetry based on the Fibonacci Sequence. You might think that means he is a mathematician trying to write poetry. Actually, he is anything but. He is a poet trying to fit into a family of mathemeticians, and the only way he can think of to do that is to enter City Math, the citywide math competition his brother has won for the last several years. He tells a few fibs which lead to a few more and pretty soon he is in over his head.



What kind of project will Gregory K. think up for this prestigious math competition? How will his fibs come back to haunt him? Will his family ever learn who he truly is inside?

Read The 14 Fibs of Gregory K., by Greg Pincus, to find out. Recommended for Grade 3 and up.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Purchasing tablets, ereaders, and MP3 players

With the holiday shopping season upon us, many people are interested in purchasing personal technology items such as tablets, ereaders, and MP3 players.  Do you know what kinds of qualities you are looking for in such a device?  Or are you looking for specific features for a child or someone elderly?  Look no further.  The Kansas State Library has put together a great resource on choosing the right piece of personal technology for you or for a loved one.  Visit http://kslib.info/devices and choose the appropriate device you are interested in to learn more about available products. 

And once you've purchased your device, be sure to check out Library2Go to download FREE ebooks, music, and movies from the library!

Monday, November 4, 2013

The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates

Just when I think there can't possibly be a new, original take on magic, I am happily proven wrong. Magic Marks the Spot, the first in the new series, The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates, by Caroline Carlson, is a charming tale about a High Society girl named Hilary who just wants to be a pirate. And that's not a very easy feat when you consider that your dad is an admiral in the Royal Navy who will do anything he can to thwart piracy in the kingdom. Or when you've been rejected by The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates just because you're not the right gender. Or when you've just been sent to Miss Pimm's Finishing School for Delicate Ladies.

If you're in the mood for a frolicky tale of magic and piracy, this is the book for you. 3rd grade and up.

Friday, September 13, 2013

International Dot Day

Sunday, September 15 is International Dot Day! "What is International Dot Day?" you may ask. Why, it is a day devoted to celebrating Peter Reynolds' charming picture book, The Dot. Join us in the Puett Room from 1:30 to 2:30 this Sunday as we do all sorts of dot activities.

 

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Back to School With Seuss!


What time is it?  It's Seuss Time! (And back to school time too!) Join in the back to school fun by inspiring your child’s curiosity. Help your kids continue to be enthusiastic about learning with some Seuss-inspired activities from Seussville.  How about making some pinwheel sandwiches for your child's school lunch?  Or some Big Chrunch-err-oo's for an after school snack?  Check out the Seussville Back to School with Dr. Seuss! page for some more school related activities.  It will be Seuss-tastic!

Monday, August 5, 2013

Summer of Seuss

Parents, are you looking for some last-minute end of summer fun?  Why not check out the Summer of Seuss page located over at Seussville.com?  They've got lots of
Seuss-y like activities, like a recipe for a "Pink Ink Yink Drink" (a strawberry smoothie),  having a "Seuss Spa Day", making a kite, and creating Seussical Musical instruments.  Stop by and join in the fun!

Monday, June 10, 2013

Got a grad in your life?


Do you have a recent graduate in your life?  If so, Seussville Parents has posted lots of creative ways to celebrate that special grad with lots of fun activities, crafts, and recipes all based upon the book, Oh, The Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss.  You'll find lots of printable activity sheets, plus picture frame and scrapbooking ideas, to name a few.  There's activities posted on all different skill levels.  So hats off to the new grad!