I hope everyone is adjusting well and feeling good as we transition into fall. I know it’s still almost two weeks away, but I can’t wait! If you and your little one are finding the changes difficult this year, why not escape into a good book? Reading won’t solve the world’s problems, but it can offer you a little pocket of peace in the midst of chaos. (If you need a grown-up book for yourself, take a look at our blog for adults for inspiration!)
The first day of school looks very different this year. Littles that were confident last year may be more anxious about how school will go this year. This book is a great choice to open up a discussion about anxieties. Different animals are all nervous about starting school—Sloth worries he won’t get there on time, while Snake is concerned his backpack won’t stay on. Even their armadillo teacher is nervous! As the animals learn to support each other, they’re able to move into the school year with more confidence. In addition to the great message, the cartoon-like illustrations look absolutely adorable! Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: September Favorites 2020”
Kids love potty humor (but who doesn’t, really?). As soon as they learn to talk, they realize how funny it is to talk about pee and poop and farts. In my family, we have to try not to laugh too much at my four-year-old niece’s jokes about bodily functions just so she knows that it’s not appropriate to talk that way at the dinner table or in other social situations. But when toddlers are in the midst of potty training, it’s important to treat the issue with a light touch and a sense of humor, both so that they don’t feel too much pressure to be perfect and so that this important transitional stage doesn’t feel too scary or strange. There are many potty training books at the library to choose from, but I want to highlight the funniest and silliest (and sometimes totally absurd) ones that will give kids and parents something to laugh about as they navigate a sometimes difficult and emotionally-fraught process.
“Potty” by Leslie Patricelli is a cute, simple story of a toddler who really has to go! But where should they go? In their diaper? In the litter box, where the cat goes? Outside, where the dog goes? Or maybe in their potty? Continue reading “Potty Humor!”
Have you heard of First Chance For Children? Their mission is to provide early childhood programs and family resources to foster healthy outcomes for children and families in mid-Missouri. Their vision is that all children will arrive at school ready to learn and succeed in school and in life. This organization has SO much goodness going on, so I would like to take a moment to highlight the Stay at Home, Play at Home Activity Kits they have created to help families in Boone County. These bundles provide fun and learning for kids and parents, helping them cope with some of the staying at home struggles that have developed due to COVID-19.
This summer is shaping up to be a hot one, that’s for sure! To beat the heat, here two outdoor water activities geared towards toddlers and preschoolers that are sure to delight both kiddos and parents.
Food Coloring Fun
What you need:
Water
Cups
Cupcake pan
Droppers
Food coloring
What you do:
Toddlers will be amazed with this simple water play activity. All you do is add water to each cup in the cupcake pan and put in a few drops of food coloring. Have fun mixing and swirling colors together!
Summer reading is in full swing, and I’m here with some awesome suggestions for you! Since the library is partially reopened again and we are still doing curbside pickup, I chose to highlight physical books I’ve bought recently. But if you enjoy reading things digitally, never fear! I’m still buying all kinds of exciting ebooks and audiobooks for OverDrive.
The sweetest story time I ever did was with a small group of toddlers and Matheson’s “Tap the Magic Tree.” Interactive read-alouds are my favorite, and I can’t wait to get my hands on this one. Gardening! Counting! Colors! This book has so much to offer. Little ones will help brush snow off flowers, blow away raindrops and encourage the bees as they go about their vital business of pollination. Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: July Favorites 2020”
As I wrote in a previous blog, my baby girl is OBSESSED with touch and feel books. We’ve checked out so many that she’s pretty disappointed when we read books with “normal” pages. Where’s the lift-a-flaps? Where’s the fluffy bunny?
While the Never Touch a… series was my baby’s favorite for a while, it has been officially kicked to the curb! The books she prizes above all are now the Poke-a-dot board books.
These books, created by Melissa and Doug, teach different concepts, with an emphasis on counting. Each page has plastic dots that you can poke, and they make a snapping sound similar to that made when you pop bubble wrap. My daughter absolutely loves poking these dots. Even before she had the fine motor coordination to poke them herself, she stayed engaged in the books because of the satisfying pop each dot made when I pressed them in. Continue reading “Do the Book-y Poke-y”
I fell in love with the “Red” book by Michael Hall
So many reasons!
What I did not expect was the love that poured out from everywhere!
When I first started the LGBT picture book list, I had around 30 books. I asked some staff members, brought in a few of my favorites, read some reviews and did solid amount of research for my list. As of right now, that original list has tripled in size, and it is still growing as we add titles that we receive from our Facebook page, purchase requests, teacher requests and more! My inbox has been flooded with wonderful books recommended by community members. As I get them and read them, I have been adding to this list.
So, one year later, I want to send out a big thank you to everyone who built this list with me!
I also want to showcase some of the new titles I’ve received that I absolutely loved and hope will continue to entertain young readers in our community.
“Maiden & Princess” written by Daniel Haack, illustrated by Becca Human
The kingdom is holding a ball for the crown prince to find a bride. The villagers are thrilled and begin planning immediately. However, one maiden isn’t as excited. She sees the prince as her brother, someone she has fought alongside. The other villagers see this as her opportunity to become his bride. She goes to the ball, hoping to enjoy herself, but finds others pressuring her to dance with the prince. The young maiden escapes and finds herself being comforted by the kingdom’s princess.Continue reading “LBGT+ Picture Books for Kids”
Today is a very exciting day—it’s the first day of Summer Reading! This year’s Summer Reading theme is “Imagine Your Story.” It’s all about fantastic fantasy, fables and fairy tales. If your kids love magical tales, then we’ve got some amazing reading suggestions for them.
The more you read, the quicker you’ll finish Summer Reading and get your reward!
Librarian Hilary’s spouse and kiddo enjoying their own porch picnic!
While going on picnics at your local park is always fun, don’t forget that you can have a picnic anywhere! You can have a picnic in your home, in your yard or on your porch. I love porch picnics most because you’re technically outside and can appreciate the great outdoors, but you’re close to your fridge if you forget a tasty treat.
Porch picnics are super easy! Some things you might want to bring:
A blanket, of course. Sheets or towels also work.
A meal or snacks with a drink. Play food also works if you want the fun but not the mess.
Plates and utensils. (Or paper bags for finger foods.)
Stuffed animals. Bring your favorite fluffy friends to enjoy the fun.
Games. These can be board games or simple games like “I spy” (“I spy…something red and crunchy…an apple!”).
Books to enjoy!*
*Don’t have any good books on hand? Try these eBooks from OverDrive on your device.
When the Berenstain Bears set out to find the perfect spot for a picnic, Father Bear says he knows just the place. But each ideal location turns out to be a complete disaster, with a train roaring past or hordes of mosquitoes. At last they find a place with no pesky crowds or noisy planes, and nary a mosquito . . . until it starts to rain.
Summer the kitten loves long days in the meadow, but as she daydreams about climbing trees one afternoon, she notices a large tree nearby and decides to climb it! Suddenly, Summer is stuck high in the tree, and even worse, it begins to rain and lightning! As the thunder roars, Summer spots a girl running through the rain toward the tree. Will Summer ever make it out of the storm? Follow along with word-for-word narration as Summer makes a friend and finds a place to call home.
I just looked at the calendar and realized that this Friday is the day we had originally planned my Bubble Bash program at the library. Though the program is canceled, I thought I would bring the Bubble Bash to you with some ideas! And trust me, almost all kids (and teens and adults!) love bubbles. There’s just something magical about them!
You can make bubbles at home with this simple yet AMAZING recipe and have some bubble fun of your own.
Here’s what you need:
¼ cup dishwashing liquid
2 ½ cups water
2 tsp. white corn syrup
Mixing spoon
Bowl
Sealable container
Bubble wand
Here’s what you do:
Gently mix dishwashing liquid, water and corn syrup.
Pour into a sealable container such as a plastic milk jug.
Let it sit for one day. (The bubble mix improves after sitting. Plus, waiting to play with the bubbles is a great opportunity to practice patience and self-control with your child.)
After you’ve waited a day, it’s time to play with the bubbles! You can use bubble wands, straws or other circular objects from around the house (examples above!) to blow bubbles. When your children jump, run and kick to pop the bubbles, they’re working on their balance and their control over large movements. If you have older kids, you can talk about the science behind bubbles— elasticity, chemistry, light and even geometry! The fun and learning opportunities are endless. Enjoy!
“First Day Critter Jitters” written by Jory John and illustrated by Liz Climo
As I wrote in a 
I just looked at the calendar and realized that this Friday is the day we had originally planned my Bubble Bash program at the library. Though the program is canceled, I thought I would bring the Bubble Bash to you with some ideas! And trust me, almost all kids (and teens and adults!) love bubbles. There’s just something magical about them!