Do you ever start a project assuming it will go one way, only for it to end up turning around, doing a cartwheel and laughing at your assumptions? This project did that to me. Originally, I questioned whether or not we would be able to see a difference between the childhood books that were influential to different generations. I ended up wondering about universal themes instead.
Before working at the library, I was never really a part of any multigenerational workplaces. When working in a preschool, it was really just people relatively close to my age. When nannying, it was just me. Now I regularly work with people of all ages, from late teens to early 70s and everything in between. Because of this, I have become fascinated with the little generational differences that pop up, from how we talk to each other to our reactions to external events. Knowing that, working in a library, most of us have pretty deep connections to books, I began to wonder whether some of the generational difference I saw came from the books we consumed in our youths. With this in mind, I staged informal interviews with 20 of my coworkers, hoping to uncover trends in the responses across the different ages.
Continue reading “A Generational Look at Influential Childhood Books”
Did you know that gummy worms were invented in 1981, almost 60 years after the first gummy bear? Hans Riegel, a factory worker in Bonn, Germany (who later went on to start the Haribo company) originally made the bears with black licorice, which isn’t my jam. But that paved the way for worms, inspiring one of my favorite childhood treats: dirt and worms. Maybe that’s why this experiment grabbed my attention when I was browsing “The Curious Kid’s Science Book.” When submerged in different substances overnight, will gummy worms shrink, grow or stay the same? It’s a pretty simple setup (minimal supplies most of you already have at home) with a fun ending. Plus, there will surely be leftover worms for you to gobble up!
Original image by Willis Lam; background added
Continue reading “Shrink or Grow? Gummy Worm Experiment”
Every year in the fall, the library’s Outreach Department sponsors a contest for first through sixth graders in our outlying communities, challenging them to design new covers for their favorite books. Thanks to all who participated! Here are this year’s winning entries.
Continue reading “Book Cover Contest Winners 2023”
Does anyone else start to miss bright colors in January? This is the time of year I find myself thinking about dying my hair, seeking the brightest socks in the drawer and choosing the doughnuts with the most sprinkles. That is one of the reasons I chose this craft to share. The watercolor paints are so bright and cheerful. Perfect for a cold winter day.
Continue reading “Watercolor Winter Hat Craft”
Becoming the best versions of ourselves is a lifelong journey, one which I firmly believe starts with the values and habits we form growing up. And as we enter 2024, the new year feels like a clean slate — a time to take stock of the progress we’ve made and chart a path forward, not only for ourselves but for our families and children as well. If you’re an organized, goal-oriented family who thrives on checking off to-do lists, traditional New Year’s resolutions might very well work for you and your kids. But if you’re anything like me, and your resolutions get completely forgotten come February, shifting your focus towards the little steps it takes to make long-term change can take the pressure off.
I appreciated this Psychology Today article, in which the author makes a case for setting intentions rather than resolutions in the new year. Intentions require us to think more deeply about our values and priorities, the things that make us happy and give us purpose. Rather than stressing over specific tasks and strict deadlines (and feeling that dreaded sense of failure when life inevitably gets in the way), intentions allow us to refocus our efforts and take small, sustainable steps toward the person we wish to become.
Especially as kids enter their tween years, knowing oneself, gaining confidence and learning to set achievable goals become all the more important. To that end, I’ve compiled a few of my favorite titles to encourage kids on their self-improvement journey. Continue reading “New Year, New You: Self-Improvement Books for Kids”
It is almost impossible to avoid the message that products equal happiness. We are inundated with advertisements that promise health, happiness and everything in between, if only we buy what they’re selling. However, in my years of working with children, I have found that the best learning comes from the most unexpected places. You don’t always have to buy fancy new toys for your kids to have a fun time full of learning opportunities. This is where loose parts come into play. Continue reading “My Love of Loose Parts Play”
When you crack open one of Phoebe Wahl‘s intricately illustrated and thoughtfully plotted children’s books, you may very well be opening a treasure chest. But the scintillating trinkets and down-right adorable baubles Wahl offers you are not so precious that they must be held at a remove, kept behind glass or under the belly of a sneering dragon. Instead, Wahl wants you to hold them, feel them, cup and ponder them delicately close to your heart and mind, like you might do with a freshly fallen oak leaf or a young phlox bloom at the first sign of spring or a glimmering pebble that sings out its iridescence from the creek bed. Continue reading “Author-Illustrators We Love: Phoebe Wahl 🍄”
“Weeds gone wild, refusing to be tamed. I hope more people start to rethink why some plants are considered weeds and start to see the beauty in their resilience.” – SJ Okemow
You’re probably thinking “Megan, why are you writing about dandelions in the winter?” Don’t worry this book takes place across all the seasons, so you’ll get a taste of winter. “Dear Dandelion” by SJ Okemow follows the life cycle of the dandelion all year long. According to the author’s note, it was made as a part of the Animating Our Stories Program at Banff Centre of Arts and Creativity. Okemow uses Cree words throughout the book and has translations at the end of the book.
This book goes through the life cycle of a dandelion in such a beautiful way. Most people see dandelions as weeds, but they are often seen as a symbol of resilience and overcoming adversity. Dandelions come back year after year in our yards and sometimes through cracks in the concrete, and a wise woman told me recently they are a reminder to look for beauty in unexpected places. And that’s exactly what this book is about — finding joy in the small things like making a flower crown in the summer or making wishes on a mud pie. So even though it’s cold and dreary, I challenge you to pick up this sunny book about dandelions and look for a bit of joy in the world around you.
People all over the world have constructed traditions over time to create intentional spaces for unity, festivity and collaboration. Many of these traditions take place during specific times of the year, such as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and Samhain, which take place around the midpoint of autumn. These holidays, which both memorialize those who have passed on, are inspired by culture and traditions, and also by the weather, as trees begin to lose their leaves and animals retreat into their nature homes. Many of our holidays are connected with Earth’s trip around the sun and the effects it has on our weather. In the case of winter holidays, humans like to celebrate warmth, hearth and home. Because people are inside more often, they spend more time with their family members, which makes winter a wonderful time to celebrate family and friends! Continue reading “Holiday Crafts”
I don’t know about all of you, but 2023 has flown by for me. I have definitely felt the truth behind this wonderful quote from Gretchen Rubin: “The days are long but the years are short.”
Being (miraculously) at the end of 2023 means it’s time for us to bring back our handprint calendar once again! These calendars can be wonderful personalized gifts for loved ones. They can also serve as heartfelt mementos. If you decorate a calendar every year, you’ll have a beautiful way of showing your child’s growth through the years. If you can, continue your collection. But remember, it’s never too late to start. Continue reading “Handprint Calendar 2024”
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