SRP 2011 A Final Wish For This Summer

For many libraries, August is the month where summer reading programs ends. All the reading records are done, prizes have been distributed and programs have had their final bows. This provides for a little quiet time before the Fall brings new storytime and back to school programs. Across the United States, there have been several wonderful programs and ideas this summer. However, if time will permit just one more idea before children librarians close the books on One World, Many Stories, here's one that will do nicely. Every culture has a special way to "capture" luck. Each technique is accompanied with a story, which provides a glimpse of the country's culture. With this in mind, host a program entitled "Make A Wish@Your Library. The idea comes from the book Wish: Wishing Tradition Around the World by Roseanne Thong. It's fun, crafty and carries a wonderful message.

Wish begins with a wonderful question: How in the world do you make a wish? Thus setting the stage for traveling around the world to discover the different traditions, from Brazil to Italy to South Africa and finally to United States. It's a fascinating trip with tons of craft projects for children to make. Thong tells her readers that in Guatemala, children make colorful round kites made of strips of paper attached to a bamboo frame. The kites carry the wishes of the children up to the gods. This is a perfect opportunity for a family craft day featuring circular kites. Once the kites have been made, invite youngsters and their families to fly their kites outside the library. Remind them to make a wish before setting the kite into flight.

If kites are not a practical idea, try making a version of Thailand's krathongs, which are little boats folded to look like lotus flowers. The boats are filled with candles, coins flowers and incense and set afloat at a river edge. (For an idea on how to make this go to http://learn.jacksonhq.com/how-to-make-a-krathong/) The boats are said to carry bad luck way in order to allow the good wishes to come true.

Just one last idea for the perfect ending to summer reading programs. At the very last program create your own little version of the Trevi Fountain. It can be as simple as a kiddie pool with a little bit of water in it with a picture of the famous Italian fountain posted on the wall behind the pool. Legend says that if a visitor of Rome tosses three coins over their shoulders, they will get married. Two coins signifies that they will find love. If only one coin is tossed, it means that they will return to Rome. With a little bit of inspiration, tell patrons if they toss three coins over their left shoulders, they will find their favorite book of all times, two coins signifies that they will discover they love a new genre and one coin means they will return to the library many, many times. Of course, fake coins could be used, but why not try making this a fund raiser for the library? (Just a thought)

There are plenty more ideas that can be found in Thong's book. All one has to do is flip through the pages to be inspired. On a final note, when making the wishes at your library, it might be a good idea to remind patrons that wishes do come true at the library when given the opportunity to explore their world with the many resources that the library has to offer. As wishes fill the air around your library this summer, there is one wish that should come true for every library in every community. The best wish is simply this: that library doors will always be open to children of every age, in every community and in every culture.

SRP One World Many Stories Christmas In July

To be a children's librarian it does not hurt to be wired a little bit differently then the average person. As a matter of fact, it is an added bonus. With summer reading programs ending, it seemed that there should be a "big" surprise finale. After all, if there are no surprises, or big "Ta Da" a the end, then the program is very boring. Who needs the same old same old when do something a little off beat is always fun to try, at least once. This one may take the cake for being the craziest. However, it works well with children of all ages. Including the adults. Get on a Santa hat, gloves and scarf, we are celebrating Christmas in July!

Young children who participate in this program will either admonish the librarian that it isn't Christmas or will giggle delightfully that there is a nut in the library who thinks it's Christmas. Either way, it's a good thing. Parents will either hate the librarian for the reminder that Christmas is not that far off. (As of today it is only 148 days till Christmas 2011.) On the other hand, parents might be grateful for the reminder and begin their shopping today. This year's theme is a great way to celebrate Christmas in July because of the many different ways the story of Christmas is told and celebrated in various countries and cultures. Along with that are the many different foods and pastries that can be brought out to share.

Let's first look at wonderful tales that can help with setting the tone for the programs For example, dePaola's The Legend of the Poinsettia , Augustin's Antonella and Her Santa Claus,and Robbins' Baboushka and the Three Kings. Of course, any combination of Christmas stories told around the world will do well, and these books are solid brain ticklers to be reminded of favorites, old and new. Once the title have been selected, time to move on to the next step. Which is Christmas games that can involve Christmas greetings in different languages, Christmas stocking hunt, or musical chairs with Christmas songs. Last but not least, add a little bit of Christmas treats, Craft with Santa in a bathing suite and the program is set to go. All that's needed to add are children and laughs.

Part One: One World, Many Stories : Getting There By Plane Train or Automobile

Ah, summer is almost here. Children are smiling a little more, parents are bracing themselves for the annual ritual of summer vacations and YS librarians are gearing up for the “season” of reading programs. There is something magical about this time of year. The longer days provide plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors, hang out with friends and escape to special places that make summer months memorable. Along with programming, children's librarians busy themselves with compiling Reader’s Advisory handouts for eager summer readers. Bookworms wishing to escape to somewhere special know it is as easy as opening a book. However, even they need a little help with the decision on what books to read. This year’s SRP theme is perfect for guiding readers of all ages wishing to escape to a locale.

There are many books about traveling that invite the readers along for the “ride”. Whether it is by train, cars or planes the stories are colorful, creative and captivating. A few favorites mentioned here are perfect for story time or one on one reading. They are also good for discussion starters that prompt the question such as who has been on a plane? or When traveling, do you prefer to go by land, sea or air? The first title that invites the reader along for the “ride” is Karma Wilson’s Dinos on the Go! In this short tale, dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes are traveling by train, boat, or cars to get to a dino reunion. The fun rhymes make it an enjoyable journey for young readers. Dave Horowitz’s tale of Duck Duck Moose is about an unlikely trio, Moose, Duck and Other Duck going south for the winter. Moose is not really excited about the trip since he loves the North but figures since his friend Bear is hibernating he might as well go along for the ride. All ends well, when Moose is dazzled by the warmth and charm of Florida. For a true original tale that is based on an actual event, reader’s can not go wrong with Eric Carle’s 10 Little Rubber Ducks. The adventure for 10 bright yellow rubber ducks begins when they were loaded onto a freighter destined for faraway countries. Unfortunately, a storm hits and the 10 rubber ducks fall into the sea. Each duck floats in a different direction and each meet different animals along their way. The 10th one meets a mother duck with her offspring and bobs along with them to their nest. They many not have gone to their original destination but the reader is left with the impression that it was one swell trip for each of the rubber nautical travelers. Dinosaurs once roamed the earth but Deb Lund convinces young readers that they also used ships. In her rhyming tale Dinosailors, the dinosaurs are awfully excited about sea life when they first embark on their journey. However after a rough time at sea, some seasick dinosaurs decide that land is really where they were meant to be and perhaps trains would be a better form of transportion. This sets up the next book All Aboard the Dinotrain! Travel diaries are wonderful ways in which to share details about a trip. There is one book that comes to mind that teaches the concept of a travel journal to young children. In Jan Ormerod’s .Miss Mouse Takes Off a rag doll, Miss Mouse, gives a simple, yet engaging account of her trip by plane with her best friend.

Every picture book title mentioned describes a worthwhile journey and different ways in which to reach the final destination or in some cases an accidental destination. There are wonderful titles for juvenile and young adults that pick up on the theme of modes of transportation. Those titles are save for another time. in the meantime, enjoy the five favorites here. Remember, there may be one world, but the many stories will take readers to extraordinary places!

SRP: One World Many Stories: Going On A Bear Hunt

This is the time of year youth librarians love because either they are crazy, creative or both. This year's theme One World, Many Stories provides many opportunities to set young readers off exploring their world. There are so many directions to point them towards, different foods, different ways of saying hello or different bears. Yes, bears can teach children much about the world. Inviting young children to join you on a bear hunt around the world is as easy as putting on a safari hat, gathering together great books about bears, hunting for Brown, polar and panda bears in the library and complete it with the perfect paper plate bear craft. What is wonderful about this story time plan, is that it can be done at anytime during the year

As all children librarians know, story times are not complete without props. (Which is why my basement is filled with hats, stuffed animals, wigs and tons of other stuff that will one day be the greatest garage sale ever.) Safari hats are optional, however if one is available it doesn't hurt to wear it during the "bear hunt". The list of stories that work well with this theme are: Karma Wilson's Bear Snores On, Bill Martin's Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?, Matthew Baek's Panda and Polar Bear and Helen Oxenbury's We're Going On A Bear Hunt. Colorful and brief nonfiction books may be used too. However, since this is an upbeat story hour, it may be better to trick children into learning something by making it a fun experience. The best trick ever known to sly librarians is using a story board to build up to the "highlight" of the program. On the board a children's map of the world is displayed. When children settle down, pass out several pictures of different species of bears. Begin the story time by briefly explaining to your audience that the habitat in which a bear lives can give clues about the continent in which they live. Then ask if anyone has a picture of a bear from China. Children who have pictures of Panda Bears are encouraged to come up and place the bear on China. Do the same for the polar bear and brown bear. Once the bears are on the maps, invite the children to listen to the stories. Afterwards, they will be joining you on a "bear" hunt through North America, the Arctic and China.

Stuffed animals are great props for story times such as this one. Hide each one of the bears around the library before the story time begins. When it's time to go on the bear hunt, instruct each participant that they are to be prepared to spot wild bears in the library. Once they are found, they must be captured and placed back in their cage. Instruct the children that they will need to put on their hats, their bug repellents, and their hiking boots. (All of which are make believe of course.) Once that task is completed they are to follow the safari leader to go find the bears. For each bear, describe the continent/countries where the bears live. For example, in North America where the Brown Bear lives, there are mountains, forests, lakes. Have the children pretend they are going up mountains, walking through a forest or going by a lake to see if bears are eating fish. Once Brown Bear is found it time to go someplace colder, the Arctic. Again, have children make believe that they are in the Arctic. Repeat the make believe for the Panda Bear hunt also.

End the story time with a paper plate bear face. Prepare in advance cut out bear ears in black, brown or white. Photocopy a coloring page of a bear's face, without the ears. Once children have collected two ears of the same color, a paper plate and a bear's face, they can begin their craft. With glue, place the two ears on the top of the plate. Next glue the face onto the center of the plate. Once these are in place, children may color the bears' faces. This craft should take no longer than fifteen minutes to complete.

Give this story time a try during your Summer Reading program. Consider it part of the "bear" necessities to making the program memorable for you and your patrons. Happy Bear hunting! Happy Reading!

P.S. Some additional titles to consider are:


Big Brown Bear’s Up and Down Day David McPhail

Little Polar Bear Hans De Beer

Polar Bear Nights Lauren Thompson

Little Panda Renata Liwska

Panda Whispers Mary Beth Owens