Camping in the Inner City

This past Friday I had the pleasure of sharing my book, When You Are Camping, with almost 70

families at a special retreat hosted by the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Family Care Connection.  Held at Camp Guyasuta, a boy scout retreat on the Allegheny River and pretty much smack dab in the middle of Pittsburgh and its suburbs, families enjoyed a special morning of outdoor activities beneath a canopy of trees and along a rambling creek.  Proving, that you don't have to go very far to enjoy a little nature.

When I was writing When You Are Camping I knew that the title would primarily appeal to families who have already made camping a family experience and tradition, but I really wanted it to be a book that a teacher, librarian, or caregiver could share with children who had never gone camping.  I felt that it was really important to include experiences that children who had never slept outside in a tent could relate to: chasing moths, seeing fireflies, walking in the rain and finding a great mud puddle.

FCC's families live deep, deep, deep in the city-- post-industrial neighborhoods in the heart of the Rust Belt kind of deep city.  Only a small handful of families said they had gone camping or fishing. Nonetheless, I couldn't have hoped for a more engaged and excited group of kids who thrilled at recalling how they had seen deer in a cemetery, watched bugs in their yard, or caught fireflies in the park.   Sharing my book with Family Care Connection's families on Friday, I knew that I had achieved that goal of writing a story that any child, any where could enjoy.

If you're doing a camping program this summer here is the copy from the handout that I passed out, including rhymes and an easy literacy-building exercise.  I can't wait to post some photos from the event as soon as possible!  Have a great summer.

Today We Met Author, Anne Lee, and This is What We Did…                                     
We read When You Are Camping by Anne Lee

We learned a rhyme, I AM GOING CAMPING:
I am going camping (point to self),
Time to pack (point to watch or wrist),
My tent (cup hands in a triangle like a tent),
my sleeping bag (hold hands as if sleeping), and a snack (eat).
I’ll sit by the fire, warm and bright, (wiggle fingers and rub hands together)
And tell ghost stories (wave hands eerily)
‘Til I say good night! (wave and hold hands as if sleeping).

We are building narrative skills and vocabulary by talking about the story and what we see around us!

There are many different animals in When You Are Camping.  Which ones do you remember?  What animals do you see in your yard or at the park?  What are they doing?

We sang a song and clapped along to the beat, Let's Go Camping (to the tune of Where is Thumbkin):
Let's go camping, let's go camping.
Pack the tent, pack the tent.
We will all go hiking.
We will all go swimming.
Let's have fun! Let's have fun!
(Ask the audience for things to pack.  Repeat the song and pack different items each time)

We sang a song, MARSHMALLOW HOKEY-POKEY:
You put one marshmallow in, you take one marshmallow out,
You put one marshmallow in and you shake it all about!
You do the hokey-pokey and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!
(Repeat with more marshmallows or different foods….Have fun!)

Earth Day, Arbor Day, and Nature Programs for April

April is a great time for nature programs in your classroom or library.  There is Earth Day ( April 22, 2013) and Arbor Day (April 26, 2013), warmer days, and wonderful Spring things to celebrate.  There are many classic stories about trees, and lots of new favorites, too, but When You Are Camping will, of course, be one of my go-to books this April. I hope you'll consider using it, too. 

Here are some of the other books I'll be bringing along to author visits, and some of the activities I'll be sharing. 

Amelia Bedelia Hits the Trail by Herman Parrish and Lynne Avril.   When You Are Camping's Hazel and Tilly have a friend in young Amelia Bedelia.  This is a perfectly short and breezy read for a school-age group.  Kids always enjoy Amelia's misunderstandings and this book has great tie-ins for activities. 

For example, create a nature table just like Amelia's teacher and invite children to bring something to add to it.  Help them identify and/or label what they found.  Children can work on their narrative skills by telling the story of how they found the object.

Create a "Nature Trail" in your room.  Foot prints and tracks can mark a trail from station to station.  Depending on how many helping-hands you have at your disposal, your space, and your resources, you could set up science experiments, art or crafts, matching or other problems for children to solve, and props for children to explore.

Big Bear Hug by Nicholas Oldland.  Okay, one of the things people often tell me that they like about When You Are Camping, is that there are no bears or other scary animals in the story.  So what am I doing?  Reading When You Are Camping along with a book about a very big bear that scares someone.  Hmmm.  But gosh, this bear is just so darn cute.  Big Bear Hug has a pretty simplistic message--dont' hurt living things--which is just fine for really young children (3-6 years old would be perfect).  Prek and K audiences will love this bear and his big bear tree hugs.  Add a few action rhymes.  Ask children about the animals that Hazel and Tilly saw in the story, and the animal friends that they would like to make in the woods or at the park.  Talk about how to treat small insects and animals.  Now that is one great, Earth-loving, tree-hugging story time!

Painting, coloring, or "collaging" a forest scene would be a nice activity for this young age.  Cut out people figures or a bear for children to glue on.  You could make tree stencils for children to use, or just let them free draw.  Invite families to act out parts of the stories: walking in the woods, telling a story, and especially hugging!

I Can Name 50 Trees Today from the Cat in the Hat's Learning Library is a great non-fiction read for school-age audiences.  The rhyming text is engaging and keeps everyone interested.  Non-fiction books will open up the opportunity for alot of discussion.  What trees would Hazel and Tilly see on their camping trip?  What trees would they see if they camped in the desert, or in the jungle?  What trees have you seen around your house or on camping trips? 

In most parts of the country, April is not a great time for leaf-gathering, leaf rubbings, etc, but there may be flowers, bark, or evergreens to look at.  Help children make a "Tree Journal" so that they can record differences between trees they see, or how one tree changes over the next few months.  Brown paper bags make great journals with perfect pockets for leaves, seeds, bark. and more.

Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World by Laurie Lawlor and Illustrated by Laura Beingessner.  My daughters and I fell in love with this book right away.  It helps that Rachel grew up in Pennsylvania, went to college right down the street from our house, and spent hours looking at the same birds in the Natural History museum that we look at.  These facts brought Rachel Carson to life for me and my children.  Lawlor and Beingessner do a great job of making Rachel Carson a vivid personality who loves nature, works very hard, and creates something very important.  I think most children will find this biography readable and interesting. Biographies can be challenging choices for story times, but I am looking forward to sharing this with young Pittsburgh audiences whether I read it or book-talk it.  Definitely give it a look!



  

Fresh New Programs For 2013

I love libraries.  I love working in them.  I loved managing one.  And I love using them, especially with two young children.  And, I love story time, but I hope that youth librarians will consider some new additions and more frequent alternatives to the same storytime routine on their event calendars in 2013. Here are a couple of the programs that my family and I would love to attend this year:

Digital media or tech labs for kids and families.  These have become practically obligatory for teens, but it's time for libraries to embrace the fact that more and more elementary age children are being taught with tablets, e-readers, and other technologies, and that they love it!  Libraries are missing out on scores of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders who would love to "geek out" at the library with a make-your-own-movie Saturday, or build-a-blog night.  And why leave out our very youngest patrons?  Tech companies and publishers are wise to the fact that babies and toddlers love computers and apps, too.  Where is the family "geek out" night where librarians show off downloadable books for children or great learning apps on their Kid's webpage? 

Creative Movement.   Dancing, stretching, pretending, singing.  Toddlers can't sit still for long.  Instead of fighting their endless need to move, I'd like to just go with it and host a toddler's Creative Movement Morning.  We can help build imagination by stretching and walking liking animals, build vocabulary with song, and build math skills with rhythm and beat...just to mention a few literacy skills we could integrate. 

Bilingual storytimes done well.   Spanish, Swahili, Mandarin, Hindi...it doesn't really matter, languages are amazing and magical, and good for our brains.  Many parents want to expose their children to a second language, but language classes for young children are still rare in most parts of the country and pretty expensive no matter where you live.  Families would love the opportunity to bring their child to a free, weekly program that exposes their youngsters to another language.  Bilingual storytimes aren't unheard of in 2012, but they are rarely in a language other than Spanish and often rely on volunteers.  I would love to see libraries offering consistant bilingual programs that are truly done well: singing, fingerplays, action rhymes, and activity sheets...the works!

Math and Science skill builders.  Let's face it, most librarians are liberal arts devotees.  If more engineering or chemistry majors ended up working in libraries there would be alot more programs about using protractors or learning the periodic table.  And, as a liberal arts devotee myself, I have to admit that, that wouldn't be a bad thing. I love the Super Science Programs that some of our Pittsburgh libraries facilitate for k-5th graders.  With 3 or 4 simple experiments to try out and a few informational texts to listen to these are a great way to include more science in our family dialogue.  How about some Magic Math Programs next year, too, and replacing some of the standard baby lapsit programs with Baby Math Builders (matching, sorting, and counting are super basic math skills for our youngest, future engineers).

Let's Get Dressed

There are so many wonderful new books every year, but it is always nice to rediscover (or discover for the first time!) an older classic.  Up until last week, I had never read The Philharmonic Gets Dressed by Karla Kuskin.  How have I gone my whole bibliophile life without seeing that charming cover and falling head over heels for the clever illustrations and lovely story of a night in the city?  Better late than never as they say, and now I am compelled to make sure that a few other children don't miss out, too.

I am tempted to use this book all by itself for a storytime or kindergarten program.  Just take it slow, and enjoy it, and let it shine.  This book opens up the door for such great dramatic play and narrative skill building, you'll want to save some extra time for families to enjoy musical instruments, play dress up, visit a transportation station (cardboard boxes transformed into buses, taxis, cars, and limos), and build math skills by sorting figures or objects by color, size, etc. On the other hand, there are so many books about jobs, music, or clothes that you could pair this book with, it's hard to choose just a few. Here are a few suggestions below:


Rhymes:
Ten Fingers

Black Socks
Black socks, they never get dirty
the longer you wear em the blacker they get
Sometimes I think I should change em but something keeps telling me
Oh no not yet ... not yet

Books:
One of Laurie Purdie Salas' Whose Is It series, Whose Coat Is This? for example. 
or, Get Dressed! by Seymour Chwast a wonderfully silly and fun book that invites lively, imaginative participation as children imagine getting dressed for silly scenarios and situations.  This book introduces   fresh new words for clothes, too...an excellent vocabulary builder!

Song:
The Wheels on the Bus

Now Go Play!

Self Improvement in 2013

It's never too early to start thinking about New Year's resolutions....following through is another story, but this is work stuff not weight-loss so I'm actually looking forward to putting these resolutions into action.

This year I have a list of things that I hereby resolve to do in each and every story time to make my programming more dynamic and meaningful to my audiences.  I look forward to reading some of your comments and resolutions for better storytimes, too.

1.  Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat.  I hereby resolve that I will repeat any song or rhyme that I use with baby, toddler, or preschool audiences at least 4 times.  One thing that nobody ever taught me as a librarian, but that I have come to understand as a parent is that children need (and want) to hear the same thing over and over again.  Children don't even hear you the first time you say something, you finally get their attention the 2nd, the 3rd they are actually interested, and around the 4th time it is starting to sink in.  Honestly, I think that repeating a rhyme 4 times at the beginning and 4 times again at the end would be the way to go.  Trust me, rookies, the only people who will mind are the rest of the library staff who will be singing "Four and Twenty Blackbirds" for the rest of the day.

2.  Come to terms with puppets.  Little children love them.  They are magic.  I feel stupid using them.  I need to get over it.

3.  Socialize. Parents so often tell me that they bring their young children to storytimes for socialization.  But babies and toddlers are sssllooooowww to warm up to one another and not alot of interaction takes place in the course of their visit.  Therefore, I hereby resolve, as the librarian, to help socialization happen!  Maybe a round of "Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar" so that we learn each other's names at each session or a game of balloon volleyball?  Whatever it is,  I will invite children to talk to one another, play together, and learn together.

4.  Follow the 10 second rule.  Young children (even kindergarteners I suspect) need at least 10 seconds to process a question and formulate a response.  And so, I resolve that I will not answer my own questions.  I will count to 10 and let little minds do their thing.

5.  Get the wiggles out.  30 seconds of a half-hearted action rhyme does not get wiggles out.  If I say, "Let's get some wiggles out!" I resolve to mean it...and really let the kids cut loose for a few minutes.

6.  Messy is memorable.  The programs that kids and parents most often remember always seem to be, for better or for worse, the messiest to clean up: the build your own graham cracker house, making silly putty, or glitter explosion valentines.  I resolve that I will embrace this fact, and make sure that every month I hold one spectactularly messy family program that parents and kids will tell their friends about.

7.  Make parents happier people.  Every parent I know sighs a heavy sigh when they consider the luxury of browsing the stacks at the library, slowly ruminating over jacket flaps, and reviews.  Ahhh, the days.  With kids in tow, there is no time for browsing the hushed adult deparment. You either grab it off the end-cap, had the foresight to order something (not I, ever), or you go without.  I hereby resolve to make parents happier people by displaying adult books in or near the storytime area (yes, I know I will have to fight the rest of the library staff over this, but I'm already working on my arguments), copies of lists of suggested readings, reviews, and a periodical or two.....and I love my neighborhood library that serves coffee.  Now that is happy people.

Wanted: New Children's Early Chapter Series (No Fairies Please)

It is official, my daughters and I have read every Geronimo Stilton book published including the most recent "Geronimo Stilton and the Enormouse Pearl Heist."  We have listened to all available audio books over and over and over and over again.  We are in need of a new early chapter book series...desperately in need.   Fairies didn't take.  Junie we love...but again....read 'em.  Magic Treehouse, read 'em but not enough pictures.  Katie Kazoo, no thank you.  Where to turn?

I think that I may have stumbled upon a very unlikely answer, Echo and the Bat Pack, a chapter book mystery series by Roberto Pavanello.  Oddly enough this series, like Geronimo, is written by an Italian and came to the States after years of being available on the European market.  Perhaps Pavanello has been influenced by his writing colleague, the mystery man/woman/team behind Stilton?  Or not.  In any case, his team of young detectives, rodent leading man, and cartoonish graphics have been a big hit.  It may be a chapter book, but it's a great pace for reading aloud to younger children and a very accessible reading level for those who are ready to go it alone.  We had to know what would happen next, and we are so happy to see that almost a dozen titles are already available Stateside.  Great literature?  No, but the children characters are smart and respectful to one another, Echo is charming, and the mystery pulled us in.  We can't wait to read another.

Cookies Anyone?

Yes, it seems to be that time of year when everyone is holding bake sales, decorating Halloween cookies, or getting themselves in gear for the great holiday-baked-goods giveaway that is a tradition in our house.  In short, we have cookies on the brain, and many of our friends and classmates do to, so I have created two Cookie Programs.  One is for little people, and one will be short and sweet for your little toddler people.  Both programs are a great opportunity to talk about themes of sharing and politeness.  You can practice counting skills, and visual discrimination for toddlers with a colorful felt board rhyme.  Even young toddlers can participate in a game "Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar?" and it is practically a must for a group of preschoolers.

Practice early math skills by sorting candies and other cookie decorations by color, size or shape ( paper cut-outs are probably easier).  Give each child a big, round cardboard cookie to decorate.  Create a dramatic play station with a tea set and puppets so children can create their own narratives with their cookies.

Toddler Program ( 20 minutes)

Rhyme/Finger Play:
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, Baker's man.
Bake me a cake as fast you can.
Pat it, and roll it, and mark it with a B,
And put it in the oven for Baby and me.

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, Baker's man.
Bake me a cookie as fast you can.
Pat it, and roll it, and mark it with an B,
And put it in the oven for Baby and me.

Book:
The Best Cookie for Mouse by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond

Rhyme and Felt Board (Repeat 2-3 times):

Five Little Cookies

From Blog, Rhymes and More

Five little cookies with frosting galore,
Mommy ate the white one, then there were four.
Four little cookies, two and two you see,
Daddy ate the pink one, then there were three.
Three little cookies, but before I knew,
My sister ate the blue one, then there were two.
Two little cookies, oh, what fun!
My brother ate the green one, then there was one.
One little cookie, watch me run!
I ate the red one, then there were none

Book:

The Duckling Get a Cookie!? by Mo Willems

Chanting Game: 

Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar...Pass, throw, etc bean bag or fake cookie

Preschool Program (30 minutes)

Rhyme/Finger Play:
Five Cookies 
Five little cookies in the bakery shop. 
Shinning bright with the sugar on top. 
Along comes (child's name) with a nickel to pay. 
He/she buys a cookie and takes it away. 
(continue with four, three, two and one).
From: http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/preschool-rhymes.html

Books:
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond

Who Ate All the Cookie Dough by Karen Beaumont and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin

The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins

Rhyme/Felt Board:
Five Little Cookies (see above)

Chanting Game:
Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar