October 30, 2013
October 22, 2013
Read Up!
Time for another small handful of books for you to check out. The only connecting thread here is that I happen to like them all!
The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas
Tony Wilson & Sue deGennaro
Princesses aren't all they're cracked up to be, but real girls--and frozen peas--sure are cool! That's the premise of this twist on a "once upon a time" classic, and I sure agree! The prince in this story: his brother married the "pea princess." His sister-in-law helped him decide something very important: "...he didn't want to marry a real princess...he wanted to marry the exact opposite. She didn't have to be beautiful or sensitive. She just had to like hockey and camping and have a nice smile." So, do you love this book yet?
Why?
Lila Prap
This is a nonfiction book about animals, and what I really like about it is the fact it can be read at two levels. The first is the silly joke book that asks questions like, "Why do snakes have legs," and then responds to itself with silly answers like, "because they'd hate cutting their toenails." The second level of this book is the more detailed, true, explanations to all of the questions. They're more suited to one-on-one reading, or classroom sharing, than the large preschool storytime groups I often face during my book sharing--but this book is up to satisfy whatever group it can!
Not Me!
Nicola Killen
We're not talking about movies here, but whenever I hear anyone talking about a movie, and they call it "cute," I know that means it is not GOOD. Well, here we have a very cute book--that I think also happens to be good. My own rule of thumb has me questioning my judgement, though--so maybe you'd better have a look for yourself! What I like is all of the clues that children can take in to decide whether the characters of the book are as innocent as they proclaim to be; also, the surprise ending wins me over. Like I say, see for yourself & tell me what you think. Maybe it's good, but not at all cute...
The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas
Tony Wilson & Sue deGennaro
Why?
Lila Prap
Not Me!
Nicola Killen
Check these books out! Have fun with them, & let me know what you think. Do you have any favorite books about princesses, or animals, or too-cute kids--or whatever? Please let me know!
October 21, 2013
Read Up! A pair of silly animal tales
Have you got your library card handy? Hop over to your local branch's website & reserve these fun books today!
Ribbit!
Rodrigo Folgueira & Poly Bernatene
The frogs are quite surprised to find a pig on their lily pad--a pig that says, "ribbit!" What is it doing there? Is it making fun of them? Pretty soon, all of the animals are trying to figure out the pig, and you can sense their disappointment when the object of their attention disappears. I love the ending of this book, wherein all things become clear.
Hippospotamus
Jeanne Willis & Tony Ross
"Hippopotamus had a spotamus... on her bottomus." Oh, my--do we really want to read this? We DO! So many diagnoses: is it hippopox, or hippolumps, or potomumps--or something else entirely? When the answer finally comes, you may not be sure whether you are relieved or about to retch. Better re-read the book until you finally figure it out! I was kind of sick of all of the cutesy rhyming, but the ending makes it very much worth multiple readings.
Ribbit!
Rodrigo Folgueira & Poly Bernatene
Hippospotamus
Jeanne Willis & Tony Ross
Check these books out! Have fun with them, & let me know what you think. Do you have any favorite books about frogs, or pigs, or hippos, or mysterious red spots--or whatever? Please let me know!
October 18, 2013
Halloween Storytelling
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| Spread the word! Plan on attending with a group of friends to share the fun! |
SPECIAL STORYTELLING APPEARANCES:
Wednesday, October 30
BALSAM HILL SHOWROOM
1561 Adrian Rd., Burlingame
Not-Too-Scary Halloween Storytelling
11am
The first of 3 open-to-the public storytelling events at this new physical site for realistic artificial Christmas trees.
Thursday, October 31
MENLO PARK LIBRARY
Not-Too-Scary Halloween Storytelling
4pm
Don’t miss this kick-off event to a brand-new weekly storytelling series (this is NOT a storytime) for school-agers and their grown-ups!
October 17, 2013
A Wonderful, Happy Obligation
"We have an obligation to read aloud to our children. To read them things they enjoy. To read to them stories we are already tired of. To do the voices, to make it interesting, and not to stop reading to them just because they learn to read to themselves. Use reading-aloud time as bonding time, as time when no phones are being checked, when the distractions of the world are put aside."
--Author Neil GaimanFrom Neil Gaiman: Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreamingA lecture explaining why using our imaginations, and providing for others to use theirs, is an obligation for all citizens
The Guardian
More excerpts from the same piece (please click on the source link above & read the whole thing!):
"The simplest way to make sure that we raise literate children is to teach them to read, and to show them that reading is a pleasurable activity. And that means, at its simplest, finding books that they enjoy, giving them access to those books, and letting them read them.
"Well-meaning adults can easily destroy a child's love of reading: stop them reading what they enjoy, or give them worthy-but-dull books that you like... You'll wind up with a generation convinced that reading is uncool and worse, unpleasant.
"We need our children to get onto the reading ladder: anything that they enjoy reading will move them up, rung by rung, into literacy. "
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