Pieces of Programming: Zombie Week!

The idea for Zombie week started with the release of Dead Island, the ultra-horrific but greatly anticipated video game.  I knew my teens would love to get their hands on the game, and that it would have to be an after-hours event for them to really get the opportunity to play it in our teen room.  An exact week after I started working on their night, I got a visit from a dance instructor in the area who was trying to find ways to connect our library kids to her studio.  Her studio is actually a partner of our library, so I was more than happy to help in any way possible.  From chit-chatting with her, we finally decided to have one of her instructors visit the library during drama club and teach Thriller to my tweens!

Thus, Youth Services Zombie Week was born.

Though we called it a "week", the program really only consisted of two programs.  One for tweens and one for teens.  For the tweens, we had a very special Zombie edition of Drama Club, while my teens were treated to after-hours gaming that featured Dead Island{score}.

Our warm up games for Drama Club were Zombie based on this day and included a riveting round of "Don't Wake the Zombie"

Then came actually making our zombies.

Jackpot in a Lunchbox

And the Winner Is.....

Win a Free Book from Hartlyn Kids!!

So remember a couple weeks ago when I introduced everyone to my friends over at Hartlyn Kids Publishing?  The nifty publisher that seeks to expose readers to the lives and cultures from around the world?  Well, if you were interested in learning more about them, I've got awesome news.

HK is hosting their first book giveaway. Not only are they giving away The Bamboo Dance, signed by illustrator Lisa Butler, but also one of their cute Passports to keep up with this and any other HK books you read.  If I were you, I'd head on over to their blog and enter the givaway.

And if you haven't already, don't forget that I'm hosting a giveaway as well.



Ah...what could be better than free stuff?  MORE free stuff!

Storytime Theme: Snakes and Snails and Reptile Tales

Icky, sticky and gooey goodness was the theme this week at my library.  Well, it was actually desserts and sweets but the week before was cows and ice cream...so its safe to say that I've had my fill of the frilly and fattening.  To give us some much needed balance, (and fun), I decided on a slithery and slimy focus for this week's storytime.  (I just used a LOT of adjectives...and parentheses).  Anyway, ON TO THE BOOKS!

Book Trailer: Hartlyn Kids Books!

I am consistently reminded and convinced that I have in my possession the most outstanding collection of friends.  They are innovative, expressive, and forward-thinking men and women who truly want to see this world improve by way of reaching out to children and young adults. I'm always amazed and excited to see what they think of next.

Today, I present my friends from Hartlyn Kids!

Random Librarian Thoughts: Farewell SRP

I am ecstatic that our Summer Reading Program is over.

Shhh, don't tell anyone.

Storytime Theme: Yummy In My Tummy!

Who doesn't like a good story about food?  Eating tends to bring people together.  It gets us all started talking about what we like and don't like, and it's the one thing that ALL of us do.  No matter who we are, where we live, or what we believe in, we all eat something.

There are so many great picture books about food that I just couldn't fit them all into this one list, and I'm sure you can find others you like if none of these get your stomach grumbling.  One word of caution though:  if you choose to do this theme for your library or home storytime, I would advise having an edible treat for your kiddos (and yourself) immediately afterwards.  Reading about all these tasty tidbits will have everyone leaving a little peckish.

Storytime: It's Raining Cats and Dogs

So I came up with this theme today as I worked on my storytime for this month and I thought I'd hit on some amazing idea, then I found that there have actually been a few other witty librarians who have come up with the very same.  You know what they say about great minds. A couple of the titles: Raindrop, Plop and Kitten's Summer, are great to tie this theme together because they actually feature cats and dogs in the rain. However, if there is anything I've learned from libraries and librarians over the past few years though, its that no matter how simple the theme, each person will execute it differently.  So, that being said, here's my take on the Raining Cats and Dogs theme.

I tried this theme with my nieces last weekend and I think it'll be great for my library kids.  I do Family Storytime, which consists of a LOT of different age groups.  In that respect, I've added books for toddlers as well as older preschoolers.  With the amount of summer storms we've been having, I think this one will be great.

Theme: It’s Raining Cats and Dogs

Books for Babies and Toddlers:

Kitten’s Summer by Eugenie Fernandes

Bad Dog, Marley by John Grogan

Raindrop Plop by Wendy Cheyette Lewison
I Got Two Dogs by John Lithgow
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin

Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, Are You Going to Sleep by Bill Martin

Good Boy, Fergus by David Shannon

Cat the Cat, Who is That by Mo Willems

Books for Preschoolers:

Diggy Takes Charge by Caroline Jayne Church

Doggy Dreams by Nancy Kapp Chapman

Dogs Colorful Day by Emma Dodd

The Cat Barked by Lydia Monks

There are No Cats in This Book by Viviane Schwarz

Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton

No Dogs Allowed by Anne Davis

Tween Read Review: A Tale Dark And Grimm

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Perhaps the best advice found in this book was written in the author's final note: "Trust the stories, and trust that children can handle it, whatever IT is."

I've been convinced of this very thing since I began studying story years ago. Too often we have watered down these tales in the interest of making US more comfortable while robbing children of the stories that they would love. If they can handle the idea of a wretched pair of parents leaving them out in the woods to starve to death or be eaten by a cannibalistic witch with a gingerbread house, then why not hit them with the "real" story of how they fought dragons, cut off heads and fingers, and were almost chopped to bits by their first real crush?

Storytime: Father's Day/Dads

The actual theme of this storytime was Dads and Families because we do like to be cognizant of the fact that all children don't have dads. The books I found were sweet however, and had nice overarching themes that could fit any kind of family. Interrupting Chicken can also be used for a Fairytale or Bedtime theme, and Daddy is a Doodlebug was a great find for touching on how we're alike or different from our parents.

Opening Song: My Hands Say Hello
(To the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell")
My hands say hello, my hands say hello
Every time I see my friends, my hands say hello!

(Second verse, etc. my body/feet/head/etc.)
First Story: Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

FingerPlay: Counting Sheep by Susan M. Dailey(to the tune of This Old Man)

Counting Sheep, Counting Sheep
Helps My (daddy/mommy)
go to sleep.
(Stretch and Yawn)

One sheep, two sheep,
(Hold up appropriate number of fingers.)
three sheep, four--
Soon my mommy
starts to snore.
(Snore.)
(Repeat, replacing family member)

Story #2 - Daddy is a DoodleBug by Bruce Degen

Short Poem:

There are all kinds of families that I see

Some families are large. (spread arms out wide)
Some families are small (bring arms close together)
But I love my family (cross arms over chest) best of all!

Story #3 - I Love My Dad by Anna Walker

Closing Song/Rhyme - We Wave Goodbye:
(Same tune as with My Hands Say Hello)We wave goodbye like this,
We wave goodbye like this,
We clap our hands for all our friends,
We wave goodbye like this.

Craft:

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