Owning a pet unicorn may sound magical, but the reality of keeping such a pet is far from enchanting for the protagonist in Ame Dyckman’s “You Don’t Want a Unicorn.” In this tale, a young boy (whose passion for unicorns is emphasized with his “I love unicorns” shirt and his adorable unicorn plush toy) tosses a coin into a fountain. It’s obvious to the reader what this little boy wishes for.
And suddenly a unicorn appears! But having a pet unicorn isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The rambunctious unicorn causes all sorts of trouble; it sheds golden glitter all over the house, burps up rainbows and even poops out piles cupcakes!
This lively book is full of vibrant illustrations and slapstick humor that both kids and adults can delight in. If you enjoy Dyckman’s playfulness and quirky characters, make sure to check out her other books.
Have you ever heard of bathtub crayons? They’re these cool drawing tools that allow kids to scribble on the tub, and they are a great for incentive for kids to get in and stay in their bath. When bath time is over, just rise the marks off, and you have a clean slate. These crayons can be purchased, but who wants to do that when you can make your own? DIY bathtub crayons allow you to mix your own colors, create crayons in fun shapes and will probably save you some money too.
To make one crayon of one color, you’ll need:
- One block of glycerin soap (available at craft stores)
- Food coloring
- Glass measuring cup
- Spoon (to stir with)
- Ice cube tray, crayon mold or silicone mold
- Knife and cutting board
Continue reading “DIY Bathtub Fun”
I just can’t stop talking about this audiobook. It has everything–children saving the day, dogs that come back from the dead and farting dragons! What’s not to love? Adam Gidwitz’s “The Inquisitors Tale, or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog” is not for the faint of heart. Set during the dark ages, this book deals with medieval politics and religion but is very relevant to today. It was a 2017 Newbery honoree, and it deserves the acclaim.
Both the book and audiobook have their own unique qualities. If you read the book, you will find examples of illuminated manuscripts, but if you choose to listen to the audiobook, you will be treated to a full cast reading (which means every narrator has their own distinct voice). In addition, you will have the pleasure of hearing an old professor singing the classic German battle song “The Song of Hildebrand.” Continue reading “Audiobooks We Love: The Inquisitor’s Tale”
The words “weather” and “climate” are often used interchangeably. But while they both tell us something about what to expect when we head out the door and help us answer important questions such as, “Is this a good weekend to go camping?” they are far from synonymous terms.
Merriam Webster distinguishes between the two in this way: weather is “the state of the atmosphere with respect to heat or cold, wetness or dryness, calm or storm, clearness or cloudiness,” whereas climate is “the average course or condition of the weather at a place usually over a period of years as exhibited by temperature, wind velocity, and precipitation.”
Here at DBRL, we offer a wide variety of books and materials for all ages to help you learn more about weather and climate (as well as climate change and global warming). Here are a few suggestions for our younger patrons! Continue reading “Weather vs. Climate…and What About Climate Change?”
One of the best ways for children to learn is though play and exploration, using as many senses as possible. When children are able to manipulate items and see the results of their actions, their understanding is greater, and their ability to fully grasp a concept is better.
Play is a wonderful way to introduce abstract concepts such as light and shadows. Below is a drawing activity that allows children to explore how shadows are created. All you will need are markers, paper and a few favorite toys. This activity fun to do outside but can be done inside using a light source such as a lamp.
- Find a flat place to lay out some paper.
- Place toys at the edge of the paper, with their shadow falling onto the paper.
- Trace the shadows with markers.
- After you have finished tracing the shadows, pick up the paper and look at the shapes you’ve created. If you would like, you can stop here, color in your shapes and talk about light and shadows. A more advanced option is to label the shadows with the time, and repeat these steps later. You can then observe how the shadows have changed as the sun moved. (If you are doing this activity inside, shift the lamp a tiny bit.)
Continue reading “Shadow Drawing”
With technology constantly evolving, the juggling act of keeping up with the changes and helping your child navigate though them can be a challenge. To help you with this, the library has a whole page dedicated to internet safety. Each of these websites provide tips and resources to help manage your child’s online activity.
For younger kids, “Chicken Clicking” by Jeanne Willis is a great book to introduce the topic of internet safety. Considered the “Little Red Riding Hood for the iPad generation,” “Chicken Clicking” is about a chick that finds her way onto the farmer’s computer and discovers that the online world isn’t as safe as she thought it was. Read the book together, and then discuss with your child how handle an interaction if a stranger tries to communicate with them online.
Want to check out more items about internet safety? Click here for a list of books and DVDs that gives helpful tips and information!
Are you bored with turning pages? Are you tired of your arms falling asleep while you try to read a heavy tome? Then you should try listening to audiobooks!
Personally, I love audiobooks and prefer being read to than reading a book. Not only are they a great way to while away the hours, they are good for you too! Studies show that audiobooks increase reading accuracy by 52% and improve reading comprehension by 76%. Want to learn more about the benefits of listening to audiobooks? check out this infographic from the Audio Publishers Association.
Here are some activities for your family to do as you listen to audiobooks.
- Play “I Spy” using words from your book!
- Act out parts from the book or imitate your favorite characters and see if your family and friends can guess them!
- Ask questions and discuss as you go to enhance the reading experience. It’s a great way to make sure everyone is listening.
Continue reading “Audiobooks We Love: National Library Week Edition”
“The Little Prince,” is children’s chapter book full appeal for children and adults alike, and it also happens to be my favorite book of all time! It was originally written in French in 1943 by WWII pilot Antione de Saint-Exupéry. It’s revered as a classic and is the most translated French work, now in more than 250 languages and dialects.
The story revolves around a pilot who crash-lands in the middle of the desert only to mysteriously meet a strange little boy, a little prince. The boy tells the pilot about his journey getting to the desert; he explains why he left his home on a tiny asteroid, the planets he’s visited, the people he’s met along the way and the lessons he’s learned.
The little prince and the many other characters that inhabit the world are bursting with charm. There’s a king who thinks he rules the universe but has no subjects, a man who believes he is the richest and most handsome man on his planet and many other quirky characters.
Continue reading “Books We Love: The Little Prince”
Well, I did it! I started eating healthy–no more junk food for me. Changing my diet has been the hardest thing I have done in a long time. (I love my carbs!) As difficult as it is, I know it’s even more difficult to encourage your entire family to eat healthy. Especially if your kids are picky eaters.
Now that spring has arrived and fresh foods are becoming more available at the grocery stores and farmers markets, I thought I would sneak you some ideas for healthy snacks that are silly, simple and fun. I hope these quirky cuisines inspire your little ones to try some new healthy foods.
Caterpillar Kabobs
These cute little guys only require three ingredients: grapes, skewers and cute candy eyes (you can use frosting eyes if you choose). Continue reading “Food, Glorious Food!!!”
Spring is officially here! It’s time to put your winter mittens in storage and replace them with your gardening gloves. As you start stretching your green thumb after the winter season, take some time for you and your child to learn more about plants and gardening. Check out some library books on the subject, plant something together and sing the rhyme below.
Watch It Bloom
Here is a green leaf (hold out one palm)
And here is a green leaf (hold out other palm)
That, you see, makes two (hold up two fingers)
Here is a bud (cup hand together)
That makes it a flower (slowly open hands)
Watch it bloom for you (slowly open hands)
~Perry Public Library
