Brrrr! Chilly temps and frozen precip are on the way! But for those of us who love to read, this is not a problem. Honestly, what could be better than a cozy chair and a good book? So, while making preparations for this time of year is a good idea – such as stocking up on woolly socks – equally important is stocking up on books!
This time of year is also the beginning of the long holiday season, so, holiday books are a real treat for young and old alike. Who doesn’t like to hear stories about family traditions, special foods and (of course!) gift-giving?
At DBRL we offer a wide assortment of wonderful holiday books to delight all ages! To start you off, here are a few suggestions that go particularly well with hot cocoa and a toasty fire. Enjoy!
Thanksgiving: November 23
”Old MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O. And on that farm he had an… Excavator?” Wait. I have never heard of an excavator in the Old MacDonald song before! If you love silly versions of this classic song, then the Missouri Building Block nominee “Old MacDonald Had a Truck” by Steve Goetz is the perfect book for you! See what other heavy machinery drive into this story as you figure out what Old MacDonald is building.
After you’ve read the book, try out this fun and simple fingerplay.
Where Are Trucks? (To the tune of “Where is Thumbkin?”)
Where is pickup truck? Where is pickup truck? (Hide your hands behind your back.)
Here I am. Here I am. (Bring out one hand, then the other.)
How are you today, sir? Very well, I thank you. (Wiggle one hand, then the other.)
Drive away. Drive away. (Drive one hand away, then the other.)
Insert different machinery in the rhyme, such as tow trucks, dump trucks, moving trucks or firetrucks.
Once you have read at least five Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award nominees, help your child vote for their favorite.
Should you read the book then watch the movie, or should you watch the movie then read the book? Some folks will tell you the book is always better than the movie. Those same people may even judge you if you read the book after seeing the movie. However, I am not one of those folks. Read then watch. Watch then read. As long as you are reading, you really can’t go wrong! You do you!
Speaking of books turned into movies, the amazingly moving book “Wonder” by Raquel J. Palacio has been turned into a film, releasing on November 17. “Wonder” is the story of a boy named Auggie who has been homeschooled for most of his life due to a number of surgeries he had as a young boy. When he hits fourth grade, his parents decide to put him in public school, but his surgeries have left him with scars that draw unwanted attention from his new classmates.
This story is told from three different points of view, triumphantly sharing how you can overcome any obstacle with the help of friends and family. Reserve a copy of “Wonder” at your library now (or after you’ve seen the movie)!
You can find more books to movies in our catalog.
If you think that dragons are noble, selfless creatures, you’re mistaken in Dragon’s case in the Missouri Building Block nominee “Dragon Was Terrible” by Kelly DiPucchio. Dragon starts out the book by proving his terribleness–he depants the castle guards, spits on cupcakes and even scribbles in books. The king hires knights to try to tame dragon’s bad attitude, but none succeed. Who will finally civilize the dreaded Dragon? Read the book to find out!
Once you’ve read the book, build a castle of your own! You can use blocks, LEGO bricks or you can build it with boxes from around the house. Once you’ve made the castle, you can reenact the book with either you or your little one playing as dragon.
Once you have read at least five Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award nominees, help your child vote for their favorite.
Have you ever had trouble sharing? Or know of a certain little one who is in the midst of learning this important life skill? Author and illustrator Ross Collins has created the perfect read-aloud story, “There’s A Bear on My Chair,” that humorously tackles the emotions of sharing through the lovable characters Mouse and Bear.
Grumpy Mouse would much rather not have Bear in his chair, and he lets readers know this as he rhymes his way through the sharing dilemma. Enjoy bright, bold and simple full-page illustrations as Mouse tries his best to entice Bear out of his chair. Even with a pear, stare and scare, Bear will not budge from the chair.
Follow the links below to print out your own mouse and bear finger puppets! Encourage your little ones to help act out and retell the story.
Once you have read at least five Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award nominees, help your child vote for their favorite.
Although there are more books available now than ever before, not all books are appropriate for all audiences. For this reason, parents and guardians can struggle with helping children make good choices in regards to selecting age-appropriate reading materials.
This is especially true when it comes to young children. For instance, some subjects can be too intense for little ones who have trouble distinguishing between what is real and what is imaginary. Keeping up with precocious readers can be equally challenging. Kids reading above their level can be exposed to situations, language and content that is beyond their maturity.
At DBRL, we offer a list called “Gentle Reads: Chapter Books for Kids” that recommends great chapter books for kids that contain little to no violence, sex or strong language. The selected books also tend to be positive and have happy endings. The list includes titles from beloved classics such as “Winnie the Pooh” and “The Giving Tree” to more recent favorites, such as “Crenshaw” and “Seagulls Don’t Eat Pickles.” Continue reading “Discovering Gentle Reads”
Have you ever found something weird in your food? Like a piece of lint or a hair? In the Missouri Building Block nominee “There’s a Giraffe in My Soup,” a little boy gets something even weirder in his bowl of grub–animals! First, the boy is surprised to find a giraffe in his soup. Aghast, the waiter runs to get him a fresh bowl. The silliness ensues with new animals in his soup each time, from alligators to ostriches. This lively, quirky book is sure to send your kiddos into fits of laughter.
A great rhyme that pairs well with this book is “The Yellow Giraffe.” Give it a try with your kids.
The yellow giraffe is as tall as can be (stand and reach up high)
His lunch is a bunch of leaves off a tree (pretend to grab leaves)
He has a very long neck (point to neck)
And his legs are long, too (point to legs)
And he can run faster than his friends in the zoo (run in place)
Once you have read at least five Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award nominees, help your child vote for their favorite.
Photo by Ross Burach on rossburach.com
On October 10, the Columbia Public Library had its first ever “Pumpkin Parade.” Teens and adults carved or painted pumpkins based on the themes of reading, libraries or book characters. We invited kids to the library to judge and vote for their favorites. There were 12 book-inspired pumpkin submissions, and 217 folks came by to view them!
The three winners were “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Cinderella” and “Charlotte’s Web.” Congratulations!
As both a book lover and library employee, it is my duty to encourage everyone to read the books that movies are based on. Some folks like to read before they watch, while others watch then read. Either way, I’ve put together a list of movies that will be released this fall or winter that are based on well-known children’s books.
If your family wishes to read (or reread) the books before watching the movies, click on the titles below for their link to our catalog.
“Marta! Big & Small” by Jen Arena is a fun book about a young girl named Marta who explores the jungle while describing different aspects of animals. This book is a great example of opposites and also incorporates Spanish!
To reinforce the theme of opposites, here is a call and response chant, courtesy of Miss Meg’s Storytime. Practice this with your child after you read the book.
I say fast and you say…SLOW!
Fast! Slow! Fast! Slow!
I say up and you say…DOWN!
Up! Down! Up! Down!
I say happy and you say…SAD!
Happy! Sad! Happy! Sad!
I say over and you say…UNDER!
Over! Under! Over! Under!
You can add as many verses as you would like! Continue reading “2017 Missouri Building Block Nominee: Marta! Big & Small”
