Giving Books

Need gift giving ideas? I'm pretty partial to this list of books paired with related items and arranged by age group (tiny tots to teens!). With 105 book titles to choose from (non-fiction and fiction) there's bound to be something for the youngsters you know. Thanks to MotherReader for developing the list!

I'm thinking Scaredy Squirrel with an emergency kit, nuts and a flying squirrel puppet, if such a thing exists.

Animal Weather

Some animals just seem happier at certain times of the year. Frogs seem to croak more on summer nights, birds frolick in spring sunshine and deers seem to love the moments inbetween night and day.

The picture book If Frogs Made Weather by Marion Dane Bauer examines these animal preferences in simple beautiful text and illustrations. Each spread feature an animal at what weather one supposes they would select if they could.

"If geese made weather, / leaves would flare / in the bright blue air. / Frost would tip the lawn. / And the sky would sigh / with the lonely cry of / 'Going. Going. Gone.' "

Perfect for preschoolers and grade schoolers alike, this is a great introduction to animals and their habitats. The art itself combines layered paper to create fantastic texture, something gradeschoolers could mimic in their own art.

Animal Love

Awhile back I posted books by child author, Isabella Hatkoff. They are all stories about remarkable animals. I have run across other books about animals and their special relationships with humans, animals of their own species, or animals outside of their species. I think they're worth sharing.

• Amusing Moments in the Wild: Animals and Their Friends (Babies and up)
• The Tale of Pale Male: A True Story, by Jeanette Winter (Pre-School and up)
• Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle, by Brian Dennis (Pre-School and up)
• Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship, by Isabella Hatkoff (Kindergarten and up)
• Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World, by Isabella Hatkoff and family (Kindergarten and up)
• Tarra & Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends, by Carol Buckley (Kindergarten and up)
  
• Winter's Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again, by Isabella Hatkoff (Kindergarten and up)
• Little Big Ears: The Story of Ely, by Cynthia Moss (2nd grade and up)
• Emi and the Rhino Scientist, by Mary Kay Carson (3rd grade and up)
• The Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World and Ours, by Jane Goodall (3rd grade and up)
  

Jigsaw Jubilee

Like puzzles? Want to make your own? This Saturday from 1:30 to 2:30 in the Puett Room we will be making our own jigsaw puzzles. Come join the fun!

Picture Books for Bigger Kids

Children who are learning to read still enjoy being read to. Picture books often include difficult "rare" words (ones not often used in conversation) which helps their vocabulary and comphrehension skills. Here are some picture books that are great for 1st through 3rd graders.

The Hat by Jan Brett A young girl starts silliness when she airs out her woolen clothes for the winter.

The Mysterious Tadpole by Steven Kellogg It doesn't take long for Louis to realize that he tadpole is not a frog.

Trust Me, Mom! by Angela McAllister Ollie takes his first solo trip to the store, only to find out that his mom didn't warn him about ghosts, witches and aliens!

The Last Badge by George McClements Samuel has earned every badge exept one -- the Moon Frog Badge. Can he earn it and enter his families' book of Scouting Greatness?

Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watts Squirrel is frightened of everything and never leaves his tree, until a fortunate accident has him trying out new things.

Know others? Share in the comments.

National Gaming Day: A Gathering of the Ages

Calling all generations: Celebrate the American Library Association's National Gaming Day at the library on Friday, November 13.

Grandparents grab your grandkids to mingle and play at the Library!

Join us for Board Games, Bingo, Chess, Nintendo Wii, and swing dance and music.

Where is it?

I love the simple picture book Where's Spot? by Eric Hill. Spot's father searches for him everywhere. With each lift-the-flap, he finds a different animal but not Spot.

In addition to reading the words on a page, having a conversation about what you see and think is important as well. For example, "Spot's not under the rug. What is under the rug? What noise does he make?" If you see your child interested in something in particular on the page, focus your questions and answers on that. Even if your child doesn't answer, you can do so saying, "That's right. That is a snake, a green snake, hiding under the rug." This builds vocabulary and comprehension skills.

Continue these skills by playing a game around your house. Pick an object familiar to the child and go on a search for it. Look for it under the sink, behind the sofa, in a cooking pot, under the bed, or wherever else. Wait for your little one's response and then answer them.

Friendship Between the Spinach Eater and Hip Shaker

Qualm (quahm, quawm)

-noun

a sudden feeling of apprehensive uneasiness; misgiving

Reminisce (rem-uh-NIS)

-verb

to recall past experiences, events, etc.

Popeye lives with his grandmother who exercises her brain by constantly reciting the chronological order of all the English kings and queens, and exercises Popeye's brain by teaching him a new word every week, including the ones listed above. After a bunch of rainy days, Popeye is going to go crazy if he has to stay in his house any longer. On a day that seems just like any other, he and his big dog, Boo, meet Elvis. In fact, that day is not just like any other. Popeye, Boo, and Elvis venture further than Popeye's grandma allows him and explore the woods near where he has always lived. But this time, Popeye sees something he has never seen before: a cardboard boat, and it has a message in it! What could this mysterious message mean? Who could be sending it? Will Popeye get in trouble for going further than he is supposed to?

As an adult, The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis, by Barbara O'Connor, made me reminisce about when I was a child and I could completely remember what it felt like to experience the excitement of a child over such seemingly small things. I know I would have loved this book as a child, and I have absolutely no qualms about recommending this book for kids. I loved it and I think your kids will, too. I'm thinking it would be good for 3rd grade and up.

Almost Astronauts

In 1961, thirteen women pilots underwent testing to examine if they were made of the "right stuff" to be astronauts. They passed with flying colors, handling the pressure, stress, isolation and disorientation better than they male counterparts. And then the government said they were incapable of becoming astronauts, because of their gender.

This is their story told in a powerful new non-fiction book Almost Astronauts:13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone. Stopped from their dream by jealousy, prejudice and unwritten rules, these women never accepted their fate. A powerful story for anyone wanting an understanding of America's quest for space.

Written by Kids

Have your kids shown interest in writing and publishing their own books? If so, they are not alone. In fact, there have been a few quite successful child authors in recent years that they could use as inspiration. Take a look:

• Penda Diakite, Portland author of the children's picture book, I Lost My Tooth in Africa
  
• Isamu Fukui, author of the Truancy series for young adults
• Alec Greven, author of the How To Talk To... books for elementary-aged children, starting with How to Talk to Girls
• Isabella Hatkoff, author of several true stories about amazing animals, great books for young and older readers alike
  
• Cayla Kluver, fantasy author for young adults
• Christopher Paolini, author of the popular Eragon series for upper elementary and older kids