In a few short weeks, on January 25, it’ll be National Opposite Day! Rooted in the old children’s game, Opposite Day, the aim of this special day is to have fun saying the opposite of what you really mean. So you would say “Goodbye” when meeting someone and “Hello” when you part ways. And you would say, “Today is not Opposite Day,” when you really mean, “Today is Opposite Day” (which is a little confusing!). So in preparation for Opposite Day, here are some of the many books on opposites that we have here at the library:
BOARD BOOKS
Perfect for the littlest readers, “Opposite Surprise” is a fun, interactive board book that uses folded pages to let kids compare opposite concepts — small and big, one and many, hot and cold, curly and straight. (Picture book “Opposnakes” employs a similar method to show opposite types of snakes!) Continue reading “Opposite Day!”
A new year brings with it a swirl of emotions, in keeping with the month of January’s namesake, the Roman god Janus, who symbolizes both entrances and exits, passageways and transitions. There’s excitement and perhaps a little trepidation in welcoming the glitz and glamor of the new, as well as the bittersweet pang of nostalgia “as the Old Year becomes past tense,” as poet Bobbi Katz writes in her poem “New Year’s Eve: A 21st Century Ball Drop.”
To help sort through the variety of feelings you and your family might be navigating this time of year—feelings of reflection, celebration, resolution, affirmation, gratitude, growing pains, grief, commemoration, heartache, hope and more—here is a list of poetry books and anthologies to get you through. May you find a poem or two in the books below to share as you encounter both the old and the new shapes of 2022!
“Every Month Is a New Year” by Marilyn Singer & illustrated by Susan L. Roth
Though the modern Gregorian calendar marks the beginning of each year on January 1st, in many places and cultural traditions around the world the year and its beginning is marked differently. Continue reading “Poetry to Ring in the New Year”
As we head into the colder months, what better way to spend the time than snuggling up with the ones we love — while sharing a big bowl of popcorn and a good book!
Spread a blanket on the floor, cozy up in a warm bed or build a reading fort of your own creation. Pick an old favorite or find a new book to explore.
I’ve included some cozy reading suggestions and my absolute favorite popcorn recipe below.
Yummy things first! POPCORN!
I came across this popcorn recipe years ago through a friend. This is fabulous savory popcorn to make year-round.
You will need:
Continue reading “Popcorn and a Book”
Handmade gifts are special for any celebration. In this blog, I’ll teach you how to create a winter cottage box that can be filled with homemade treats or a special gift!
For this project, you will need:
- Cottage box pattern
- White cardstock paper
- Colored pencils or fine tipped markers
- Scissors
- Glue
- Tape (regular or double-sided)
Continue reading “Create a Cottage Box”
The holiday season is in full swing, and with this exciting time of year comes plenty of opportunities for quality time with the family! In my mind, there’s no better way to spend these cozy days than sharing a book with a loved one.
Coming from a family of voracious readers, some of my fondest memories of this time of year involve good books: snuggling with my sister in the back seat as we listened to “A Christmas Carol” on the drive to Grandma’s house, gathering around my grandpa’s easy chair on Christmas Eve to listen to the nativity story, my dad drifting off in the middle of a sentence while reading “Little House on the Prairie” to me. Even as an adult, these memories stick with me, and I hope to share my favorite childhood reads with my own family one day.
Long car rides, snowed-in days at home or the nightly bedtime routine are all ideal occasions for story time! The challenge often comes in trying to find an appropriate book that everyone, from toddlers to grandparents, will find enjoyable and engaging. Here are some helpful tips for choosing the perfect read-aloud book: Continue reading “Winter Read-Alouds for the Whole Family”
The clocks have changed, the days are getting shorter and here in central Missouri, winter has come with plenty of its characteristic frost and wind. For some, this season and its chill are a welcomed time to gather together in celebration and anticipation, to share stories of the past and make goals for the new year. For others, these colder, darker days are difficult to get through, especially when the previous year (or more) has come with its own challenges and heartaches. Wherever you fall on this continuum, I hope you can find some salve and some brilliance, or even some simple moments of “this gets me” resonance, in the following books of poetry which embody the many reflective moods of this season.
Continue reading “Poetry to End the Year”
2021, it’s been fun, but we’re ready for the new 2022!
Celebrate the new year by printing off a handy-dandy handprint calendar (on cardstock) to decorate with the little ones in your life. These calendars make great gifts for family or special keepsakes to record milestones and accomplishments in 2022. Continue reading “Handprint Calendar 2022”
Brrr! Can you feel the chill in the air? It’s almost wintertime again! Time to pull out our wool socks, heavy coats and gloves. Time to turn up the heat in our homes and maybe dust off our sleds and inner tubes in preparation for the first snow day of the school year! And time to perhaps prepare gifts and/or decorations for the upcoming holidays. Whatever your favorite part of the season, these wonderful books, catchy songs, informative videos and fun craft projects can hopefully serve as a complement to your winter fun.
BOOKS:
FICTION
“Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter” by Kenard Pak
A brother and sister take a walk through their town on a late autumn afternoon, greeting the signs of the coming winter and wake the next morning to a beautiful snowfall. Continue reading “Virtual Activity Bundle: Winter”
Listed below are the Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award nominees for 2021! These books encourage reading aloud to children and are selected annually by a group of librarians from Missouri.
Read to your child at least five of the books from the following list of 10 titles, and then vote for your favorite. If you want to check out all of the books at once, pick up a Missouri Building Block Kit.
Voting is open to children in kindergarten and younger and goes through December. The winner will be announced in February.
The pigeon must go to school, but frets about math, learning the alphabet, heavy backpacks and what the teacher and other birds will think of him.
Continue reading “2021 Missouri Building Block Nominees”
Hand-me-downs, pre-owned, second-hand and well-loved: there’s something uniquely special about giving something a second life. Perhaps it’s as inconsequential as passing along a soccer ball, repurposing a pair of old jeans into a tote bag or sharing a well-loved recipe with a friend. Other times the significance is greater, such as inheriting your grandmother’s necklace, adopting a senior pet or being gifted a plant so old no one remembers where it came from. There is a sense of pricelessness that comes with a long history of many caring, loving homes.
In the spirit of “well-loved” things “living on,” I began pondering what first experiences young children might have with this concept. Today, I present to you a collection of stories that will touch your heart and inspire you and your littles to live a life of conscious generosity and kindness.
“Red Shoes” written by Karen English, illustrated by Ebony Glenn Continue reading “Old to New, Generosity for Children”
