Father's Day Storytime

Hope everyone had a wonderful dad day Sunday! We had a great time at storytime reading a few newbies and an oldie followed by a craft for the kids and a gift for dad.

Here's what we read for Sunday's Storytime...

Father's Day Storytime Line-up:

Oh, Daddy! by Bob Shea

A daddy who is always up to silly tricks in attempt to convince his young son to do what he's supposed to be doing.

Just Like Daddy by Frank Asch

A short and sweet story about a boy who is just like his daddy... well almost.

Mitchell's License by Hallie Durand, illustrated by Tony Fucile

Mitchell never wanted to go to bed until his father gave him a license to drive the dad-mobile piggyback.

When Dads Don't Grow Up by Marjorie Blain Parker, illustrated by R.W. Alley

Some dads are grownups and some dads are more like kids. Here's a tribute to the young at heart.

Father's Day Crafts:

For our Father's Day craft, we made a portrait of dad from this fun free printable by way of  Design Editor, as well as snazzy paper ties that the kids ended up wearing around afterwards.

Materials needed for the Portrait of Dad: this free template printed on regular paper, colorful cardstock, scissors, glue stick, and markers.

Before storytime, I cut the printable portraits with scrapbooking scissors from the library's craft supplies and that was all the prep required for this craft. First the kids drew their portraits with markers.

Then they used a glue stick to glue the back of the portrait. Tip: only glue the boarders. I don't know why I didn't do that originally because it looks all bumpy.

And that's it. Instant and personal gift for dad.

Now for the ties...

Materials needed: colored paper, scissors, hole-punch, ribbon, stickers, and markers.

I drew two ties on one sheet of paper and then photocopied that sheet onto colored paper.

I cut the ties from the color paper and hole punched the top ends. I also cut strands of ribbon beforehand.

The only thing the kids had to do was decorate their tie and slide the ribbon through the top holes. Like they say in Oh, Daddy... "Easy peasy mac and cheesey".

Hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day!

Summer Book Hook: Audiobooks

June is Audiobook Month which is why week 3 of the Summer Book Hook is devoted to all-time favorite audiobooks for kids for Pre-K to the tweenagers.

Listening to books is also a wonderful way to sneak in reading over the summertime. I'm not just talking about the children too young to read yet... Listening to books is an important part of literacy development- and that goes for all ages. It's also a great activity if you plan on traveling by way of plane, train, automobile, leopard, or unicorn. And even if you have no vacation plans this summer, try listening during your short car rides. You'll be able to get a few chapters in the twenty minute trip between a baseball game to swim practice. Listen as a whole family or plug in the headphones for some quiet, solo listening time.

I've grouped the audiobooks into three age groups, 4 & up, 6 & up, and 8 & up which have large overlaps, but for the most part their guidelines are based on content and book length. So, even though Winnie the Pooh is listed in 4 & up, most 8 and 9-year-olds might find themselves more entertained than they'd like to admit. The books listed below are fun listens the whole family will enjoy... Grownups included.

Audiobooks for Age 4 & Up:

Winnie the Pooh Goes Visiting by A.A. Milne, preformed by Judi Dench, Stephen Fry, Jane Horricok, Geoffrey Palmer and Michael Willams

Winnie the Pooh, House at Pooh Corner, and Tigger Comes to the Forest are also great listens and the versions read by Peter Denis are quite wonderful. Also try A.A. Milne's When We Were Very Young and Now We are Six too!

The Cat in the Hat and other Dr. Seuss Favorites by Dr. Seuss, preformed by Kelsey Grammar, Dustin Hoffman, Walter Mattheu, John Cleese, Ted Danson, John Lithgow, Mercedes McCambridge, and Billy Crystal

A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond, preformed by Stephen Fry

Epossumondus Plays Possum by Colleen Salley, preformed by Cynthia Darlow

Mustard, Custard, Grumble Belly, and Gravy by Michael Rosen and Quentin Blake, preformed by Michael Rosen

Miss Nelson is Missing by James Marshall, preformed by Harry Allard

Frances Audio Collection by Russell Hoban, preformed by Glynis Johns

Tikki Tikki Tembo retold by Arlene Mosel, preformed by Marcia Gay Harden

The One and Only Shrek! by William Steig preformed by Stanley Tucci and Meryl Streep

Also try Sylvester and the Magic Pebble and Dr. DeSoto by William Steig.

The Family Storybook Treasury by a variety of authors

This collection includes favorite picture books Tacky the Penguin, Lyle the Crocodile, Martha Speaks, and many more!

The Curious Gardener by Peter Brown, preformed by Christina Moore

 

Audiobooks for Age 6 & Up:

Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne, preformed by the author

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker, preformed by Jessica Almasy

Zelda and Ivy by Laura McGee Kvasnosky, preformed by Randye Kaye and Alexi Komisar

Cam Jansen series by David Adler, preformed by Christina Moore

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, preformed by Jim Weiss

Nate the Great series by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, preformed by John Lavelle

Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, preformed by Cherry Jones

Also try Kate DiCamillo's Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.

Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet, preformed by Robert Sevra

Alvin Ho by Lenore Look, preformed by Everette Plen

The Magic School Bus books by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen, preformed by Polly Adams, Cassandra Morris, and a cast of children

Geronimo Stilton series by Geronimo Stilton, preformed by Edward Hermann

 Frog and Toad Audio Collection by Arnold Lobel, preformed by the author

 

Audiobooks for Age 8 & Up:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, preformed by Jim Dale

Superfudge by Judy Blume, preformed by the author

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. Webb, preformed by the author

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, preformed by Nathaniel Parker

The Graveyard by Neil Gaiman, preformed by the author

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, preformed by Eric Idle

Also recommend Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Glass Elevator, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach and The BFG.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in the Ship of her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente, preformed by the author

The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog by John R. Erickson, preformed by the author

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jaqueline Kelly, preformed by Natalie Ross

The Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Stewart, preformed by Del Roy

Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary, preformed by Neil Patrick Harris

Also try Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary.

Horton Halfpott by Tom Angleberger, preformed by Ron Keith

Over Sea, Under Stone and The Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper, preformed by Alex Jennings

Be sure to check out the children's audiobook recommendations in "Let's Go Reading in the Car" by Judith Shulevitz in the New York Times, as well as this year's Children's Fiction Audie Award Winners and the 2012 Odyssey Award Winners.

Next week, the Summer Book Hook will be devoted to young reader chapter books.

Till then! Happy Reading!!

 

 

Recent Kids Reads

Here's my latest list of Recent Kids Reads from the past few weeks!

And if you haven't checked out The Summer Book Hook yet, please do! I've been busy posting weekly kid-approved book recommendations with the goal to inspire even the most reluctant reader to get hooked on reading this summer.

The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Publisher: Walden Pond Press, 2012

Recommended Age: 8 & up

In a Nutshell: Four Prince Charmings: Fredric, Liam, Gustav, Duncan from the beloved fairy tales Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, and Snow White, have teamed together to save their kingdoms and themselves in a fantastical and comical adventure. Separated they are misfits, but together they surpass odds, triumph over evil, and find friendship along the way.

Perfect For: The How To Train Your Dragon fans.

Don't Take My Word For It: Review from There's a Book!




The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2007

Recommended Age: 8 & up

In a Nutshell: Do not read my review of this book. Since you've obviously overlooked the warning and are now reading the second sentence of this review, I suppose I can reveal this much... The Name of This Book is Secret has mystery, adventure, evil organizations, friendship, magic, and immortality. Cass and her friend Max-Earnest come across an usual book and a peculiar box of smells, launching the reader into a page-turner full of twists and revolving around one BIG SECRET.

Perfect For: Thrill seekers and mystery lovers; especially kids who enjoyed reading Chasing Vermeer or The Series of Unfortunate Events.

Who is Pseudonymous Bosch? video:

Don't Take My Word For It: Review from Story Snoops.

Marty McQuire by Kate Messner, illustrations by Brian Floca

Publisher: Scholastic, 2011

Recommended Age: 7 & up

In a Nutshell: This book is just perfect. Perfect, I say! For the girls that aren't looking for girly-girl princess books with glittery pink book covers, this one's for you. Main character, Marty, doesn't mind getting dirty, but she does mind when her best friend starts hanging out with the clique of girls who only seem interested in girly-girl activities. But when Marty is cast in the third grade play as the main character, she has to search deep down inside for her own princess (with a few of her own twists, of course).

Perfect For: The tomboy, free spirits, and the Clementine devotees.

Don't Take My Word For It: Review from Watch. Connect. Read.




Horton Halfpott by Tom Angleberger

Publisher: Amulet Books, 2011

Recommended Age: 8 & up

In a Nutshell: One part mystery, one part comedy, this Jane Austen-esque spoof for kids all begins with a particularly uncomfortable piece of underwear. M'Lady Luggertuck decides one curious morning that she does not desire her corset to be quite as tight as it usually is, and in this action the whole world in Smugwick Manor is turned upside down. Theft, mischief, pirates, and (gasp!) love. Once again, another enjoyable read for kids of all ages from Tom Angleberger.

Perfect For: A reader who enjoys historical fiction with dashes (or handfuls) of screw-ball comedy.

Trailer:

Don't Take My Word For It: Review from This Kid Reviews Books

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011

Recommended Age: 10 & up

In a Nutshell: When youngest sister Katherine (Kat) finds out her mother was once a witch and that she has inherited those magical talents, she does everything in her power to save her sister from a dreadful marriage to the unfavorable Sir Neville - a man whose plans for her family are anything but well-intended. Think L.M. Montgomary's Anne of Green Gables and then add fantasy and whimsey.

Perfect For: The girl who has dressed up as a witch for seven Halloweens in a row (I was this girl once).

Trailer:

Don't Take My Word For It: Review from Wrighty's Reads

 

Earwig the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones

Publisher: Greenwillow Books, 2012

Recommended Age: 8 & up

In a Nutshell: Yeah, yeah, another witch book. What can I say... witches and wizards live more exciting lives than the rest of us. Earwig and orphan since she was a wee babe and was left at an orphanage that, if it were up to her, she'd never want to leave. It so happens it isn't up to her (it rarely is, no?) and a shadowy couple scoops her up to a home like none she has ever imagined.

Perfect For: Young readers not ready to take the leap into reading the long Diana Wynne Jones beloved classics like Howl's Moving Castle.

Don't Take My Word For It: Review from Random Musings of a Bibliophile



Moving forward, the plan is to start posting each "Recent Kids Reads" book individually. I can hardly remember what happened 15 minutes ago, let alone what I read 2 weeks ago... So, that will be a new venture. I'm currently reading Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage which will make the first solo appearance.