Happy Birthday, Cat in the Hat!

Click here to help celebrate The Cat-in-the-Hat's 50th Birthday and support Early Literacy!

http://www.seussville.com/


This week's storytime will include a reading of this Dr. Seuss classic!

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

That means Happy New Year in Chinese!

The Chinese New Year started this past Sunday, February 18, and the celebration runs until the full moon, on March 4th.
2007 is the Year of the Pig.

At today's storytime, I read one of many legends about how the 12 animals were chosen for the Chinese Zodiac, and the children helped by placing photos of the different animals onto the flannel board.

I also read This Next New Year by Janet S. Wong

(New York: Frances Foster Books, 2000)

After the stories, we made paper lanterns!

There WILL be Music&Movement this Wednesday!

Winter Greetings to All!
After we've been telling everyone who asks: sorry NO Music&Movement during school vacation week .... Music&Movement ended up getting canceled last week because of the Winter Weather. Deb Hudgins has graciously offered to come this week instead, so: there WILL be MUSIC & MOVEMENT on Wednesday, February 21, at 1pm in the Town Hall!
Hope to see you there!
The StoryTime schedule remains the same (no changes due to vacation week).

Reflections from the week ...

This past week, at Thursday's StoryTime, a smaller-than usual group gathered in a circle on the floor in the Children's area, the brave few who ventured in -OVER- the not-yet-shoveled snow bank outside the Library's door! (HUGE apologies to all, as this should have been taken care of BEFORE the Library opened its doors at 10am!) Anyhow, I just wanted to share the dynamics of this dedicated group ... after reading the very-fun new books, Tippy-Tippy-Tippy-HIDE! and Move Over, Rover! I read Terrible Storm, a new picture book based on the author's memories of her grandfathers' retelling of their own experiences during the Blizzard of 1888 in Westfield, MA. When I finished reading, all the parents and I entered into our own storytelling of OUR memories of the Blizzard of 1978, here in New England, and joked about how, maybe someday, our grandkids may write a silly book about us!

Just goes to show that you're never too old for StoryTime, and there's always something for everyone here at the Library!
Stay warm!
~Lisa
:)

More New Books .... and where to find them!

For kids in grades K - 4, look for the GREEN dot stickers ...

to help you find a great book to read!

And for Middle-Schoolers, look for the BLUE dot stickers ...

for books like these:

(this year's Newbery Winner!):

New Books for StoryTime this week ....

Everyone enjoyed our new book, Slugs in Love last week!
I have a couple of brand new books to share with you again THIS week, about finding a place that's WARM (perfect for February!):

Tippy, Tippy, Tippy, HIDE!

by Candace Fleming (sequel to Muncha!Muncha! Muncha!) ....

... one of the 2007 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Books,

Move Over, Rover!
written by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by Jane Dyer ...
and Terrible Storm by Carol Otis Hurst.

**************
Be sure to be on the look-out for some other new picture books in our newly re-organized Children's Area, including a few by Lauren Child, of Charlie & Lola fame:

This Week's StoryTime ....

We'll be celebrating Valentine's Day this week,

in our newly re-organized Children's Area!

Come on down and listen to some stories,

(including a brand-new book called Slugs in Love!)

then make your own card for someone special!

Spanish Books in Children's Area

¡Hola!
With Kindergarten Registration taking place in the local schools right now, I want parents considering the Spanish Immersion Program to know about the resources available at the Library.

We have a small Spanish section, in the Children's Area, which includes a set of Spanish encyclopedias (elementary/middle school level), along with both fiction and nonfiction books, spanning the range from early readers and picture books up through the 7th grade required summer reading titles. If you have a child in the Spanish Immersion program, or are considering this option, I invite you to take a look at this collection. Please also feel free to make suggestions of other types of materials that may be helpful to you as you help your children through the program.

Some parents have found it helpful to check out a particular title in both the Spanish and English version so they could see the text in both languages. Read the story to your child in English, then have them read the Spanish version to you (this may help w/reading comprehension as well).
¡Hasta la vista!