Now that the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer, it is harder to get the kids to go to bed! How about heading to bed 20 minutes before bedtime for talking, snuggling and some transition time between play and sleep. Once you get them there, then you can sweeten the deal with some fun and funny bedtime stories!
Archive for the ‘Picture Books’ Category
Bedtime, already!?
Thursday, April 28th, 2011Is there a librarian in the house?
Monday, April 11th, 2011This week is National Library Week! Do you have a favorite library memory or did a librarian change your life? We’d love to hear about it! Here are a few of our favorite books about libraries and librarians:
The story of RoseAleta Laurell who arrived in Lockheart, Texas to be the head of the Dr. Eugene Clark Library. The library was outdated so she spent a week on the library roof to raise money and interest in the library.
A first-grade girl who does not like to read stubbornly resists her school librarian’s efforts to convince her to love books until she finds one that might change her mind.
Melvin discovers that the public library is the place where he can find just about anything–including three librarians who help in his quest for knowledge.
The school lunch lady, a secret crime fighter, sets out to stop a group of librarians bent on destroying a shipment of video games, while a group of students known as the Breakfast Bunch provides back-up.
When the children go back to school, the animals on the farm are bored, so they go into the library in town trying to find something to do.
A lion starts visiting the local library but runs into trouble as he tries to both obey the rules and help his librarian friend.
When Lola’s favorite book is not on the library’s shelf, her older brother, Charlie, tries to find another book she will enjoy.
OH-IO Bookworms!
Monday, April 4th, 2011Attention kids aged 4-6 and parents!!
Get ready for fun with these books by Ohio Authors!
In this special Choose to Read Ohio edition of our popular pre-reader book club, Bookworms, children will dance, craft and explore four books by Ohio authors! But wait, there’s more! Will Hillenbrand, Ohio illustrator of Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep will beour special guest on April 18th. Kids will get up close and personal with a real live author and illustrator to learn what it’s like to be a professional picture book writer. You will not want to miss this! Register today!
I’ve been bloggin’ on the railroad…
Thursday, March 24th, 2011All aboard! Choo-choo, we love trains. How about you?
Those of you who have been to our fantastic kids’ programs like Move With Music may recognize the “Train Song.” We love to sing the train song when we are in circle time. The best part is that it’s easy to do!
First, rub your hands together to mimic the choo, choo, choo, choo rhythm of the train. Then sing:
“Choo-choo, choo-choo, choo-choo, choo, Up the Railroad tracks! Choo-Choo, Choo-choo, choo-choo, choo-choo, then we come right back!
First we go to (child’s name)’s house and then we go to (another child’s name)’s house and then we go to (another’s house)’s and then we come right back!
Try working in fun “destinations” for your child. You can “stop the train” at friend’s houses or grandparents’ houses or at the grocery store or post office! You can speed up your train or slow it down by speeding up or slowing down the swoosh movement of your hands.
Can’t get enough of trains? Check out these picture books!
And if you haven’t been to Move With Music or any of our kids’ programs, you should give it a try! Spring II Registration starts today!
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells.” -Dr. Seuss
Today is the birthday of Theodor Geisel, better know to millions of kids of all ages as Dr. Seuss! In his honor, people all over the country will celebrate by reading together during the Dr.Seuss kick-off day of Read Across America. First Lady Michelle Obama will lead a star-studded cast of readers as everyone gets ready to grab a hat and read with the cat.
You can join in the fun! No need to travel to Washington, D.C. or even to Whoville, our friends at Random House have created a fun site with Dr. Seuss activity pages and coloring sheets and games! Don’t Delay! Explore Seussville today!
From your home computer, check out & download the eAudiobook, The Cat in the Hat and Other Favorites. Read by John Cleese, Kelsey Grammer, John Lithgow and others, nine Dr. Seuss tales come alive!
Turn out the lights and read What Was I Scared Of?, a not-so-spooky tale by Dr. Seuss printed in glow-in-the-dark ink!
Un Pez, dos Peces! Dr. Seuss in Spanish! Stop in for fun in Spanish with us and our friends pez rojo and pez azul!
Have a Seuss-tastic day!
Have you met our new friends?
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011The only thing better than a good book is a good friend. Did you know the Westerville Library is now home to three new friends?
This is Guinevere. She is a gorilla!
Find books about gorillas!
This is Lancelot. He is a lion!
Find books about lions!
This is Galahad! He is a giraffe!
Find books about giraffes!
Gorillas, lions and giraffes are all animals that live in Africa! You can find lots of books about African animals at the library and then go on a reading safari!
Or stop in to say “Hi!” to our new friends and read to them while you are visiting!
Did you miss the zoo?
Wednesday, February 16th, 2011Did you miss our special Preschool Storytime about going to the zoo? Never fear; you can recreate the fun at home!
Read These Books!
Check out more great books about the zoo!
Try These Activities!
- Talk with your child about the animals in a box of animal crackers. What sounds do those animals make? What do those animals eat?
- Play “Monkey See, Monkey Do” with your child and copy his/her silly actions. Then have your child take a turn copying your silly actions.
- After reading Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? by Eric Carle, take a walk around your neighborhood to see what you can hear. Are there birds chirping? Do you live near a busy street? Ask your child to be still and use his/her “animal ears” (made by cupping your palms around your ears) to listen for sounds.
- For more ideas on how to take zoo fun home, visit Kid Territory, hosted by The Zoological Society of San Diego.
Sing This Song!
Here’s a trick: while you sing this song with your child, have fun pretending to be the animals mentioned!
We Are Going To The Zoo
(to the tune of: London bridges)
We are going to zoo,
To the zoo, to the zoo.
We are going to the zoo,
Won’t you join us too?We’ll see lions, tigers too,
Tigers too, tigers too.
We’ll see lions, tigers too,
All at the zoo.We will find some chimpanzees,
Chimpanzees, chimpanzees.
we will find some chimpanzees,
Swinging from the trees.We will look for kangaroos,
Kangaroos, kangaroos.
We will look for kangaroos,
Hopping at the zoo.
And be sure to keep checking back to the Westerville Public Library’s events calendar for more Preschool Specials!
Is it Spring Cleaning time yet?
Wednesday, February 9th, 2011Spring is getting closer everyday and with spring comes SPRING CLEANING! Share the fun with your child with these books about keeping it clean.
Arthur Helps Out by Marc Brown
Arthur has a lot of chores, but he wants to go out and play–will he be able to get his work done in time?
How to Clean Your Room in 10 Easy Steps by Jennifer Huget
A young girl provides humorous advice on how to tidy a bedroom-in 10 easy steps. The first step is the easiest–mess up the room!
Mrs McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash by Sarah Weeks
Not many of us hang our wash on a line like Mrs. McNosh, but even fewer of us hang up everything around the house like Mrs. McNosh! Bats and newspapers and even the phone, Mrs. McNosh is on a spree. This silly rhyming book is a perennial favorite.
Check out more books about cleaning!
For silly cleaning fun, try dancing to the tune “I took a bath in a washing machine” by Jim Gill
Or sing this camp song with your child for even more silly clean fun!
Wishy Washy Washerwoman
Way down in the valley where nobody goes
There’s a wishy washy washer woman washin’ her clothes
She goes (wash motions)
She goes (wash motions)
She goes (wash motions)
She goes (wash motions)
That’s how the wishy washy washer woman washes her clothes
Way down in the valley where nobody goes
There’s a wishy washy washer woman dryin’ her clothes
She goes (drying motions)
She goes (drying motions)
She goes (drying motions)
She goes (drying motions)
That’s how the wishy washy washer woman dries her clothes
Way down in the valley where nobody goes
There’s a wishy washy washer woman foldin’ her clothes
She goes (folding motions)
She goes (folding motions)
She goes (folding motions)
She goes (folding motions)
That’s how the wishy washy washer woman folds her clothes
…pickin’ her nose…
…eatin’ oreos…
…paintin’ her toes…
…puttin’ on pantyhose…
…sayin’ goodbye…
Just one more bite!
Thursday, January 6th, 2011“One more bite for mommy!” “You can’t eat only white food!” “Potato chips are NOT lunch!” If these phrases are in your daily repertoire, chances are you’re dealing with the dreaded picky eater. (Insert scary movie sound clip here.)
As always, your friendly librarians have your back. Check out some of these fun kid’s books and just maybe your little food critic will be inspired to be a bit more…adventurous. If your problem runs deeper than picture books alone can solve, these books for grown ups might be right up your alley.
Now…where’d I put those goldfish crackers?
Read This: Higher! Higher!
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
Higher! Higher! by Leslie Patricelli
A little girl being pushed on a swing has just one request: Higher! Higher!
Her grown up pal happily complies, pushing the girl so high that she makes friends with a giraffe, some kids playing board games on the roof of an apartment building, a mountain climber, travelers on a plane, and many others.
Kids will delight in this fantastical story. And with only a handful of words in the entire book, many will be able to read it on their own! Or you can sharpen your child’s vocabulary and narrative skills by having her tell you the story or describe what’s happening in the pictures.
If Higher! Higher! isn’t in and you can’t stand the wait, check out some of Leslie Patricelli’s other books. She’s quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!
