What If ....

Steve Jobs had an ability to tap into what his customers wanted when it came to producing computer products. Some would actually say that he was a genius at not only tapping into this "Knowledge" but also being able to tell his customer what they "needed" even before the customer could dream it up themselves. That is a gift that very few people possess, yet it is a trait that leads to survival in a competivtive field. Looking at the latest Apple "got to have" products, the iPad, there are many what ifs that come to mind when thinking about future applications of this little but mighty tool.

Going back a decade or so, there was chatter that the printed book would be on the way out the door. It would come as no surprise that Bill Gates and Steve Jobs both envisioned a world where computers would do everything, including replacing books. In this case, Jobs was more of a visionary than Gates. Industry leaders cointed the term "ebook" but it doesn't seem to fit the description of the product since it is not truly a book. It should be named for what it is: digital text. Which makes Jobs seem even more of genius for recoginzing that his product was not a book but a digital pad. Anyone who is familiar with the device knows that it not only downloads digital text of boos, it's also a tool for email, composing text, and surfing the web. Allaccessible by the touch of a fingertip. Using the iPad is also a Apps paradise. Everything one could ever want is available via an App. How wonderfully simple. So now what?

The iPad as a reader has several advantages that the traditional book does not. Easier to read with brighter text, vivid picture color, no "pages" torn out and the list can go on. Keeping this in mind, the question begs to be asked: what next? If reading the classic Pride and Prejudice, will music begin to play when Mr. Darcy first asks Elizabeth to dance? Will youngsters be able to smell strawberries during Story time when The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear is read to them ? For book discussion groups, will the iPad be able to facilitate a virtual book discussion where text is highlighted and comments from other readers about the book be heard, shared and responded to in a mere moments, as if everyone were on a telephone conference? Will books written in Italian, for example, be translated to English via an App that translates almost in an instant? If any of these ideas are in the works, it wouldn't be surprising. Apple, and Steve Jobs specifically, have been known to tweak technology to add a little more oomph and wow to everyday routines. It stands to reason that reading will also be "tweaked" in ways yet to be imagined.

All the possibilities that technology offers are wonderful and exciting. As a curious society driven on innovations, it would be silly not to think about what can happen next. However, it is a bit of a scary proposition that technology may take away a person's ability to enhance their imagination. The power of the written word may be at stake here and what will be left is the power of imagery, with vivid color and 3D capability which takes one to another reality. With technology trying to do one more next "best" thing, it would seem that Deep Space Nine's Holodeck might not be a thing of fiction. Perhaps, reading experiences could be replaced with this type of technology. Frankly, it will be much better if Holodeck remain fiction. If books will eventually become digital text, let's hope that this is not beginning of the end of the power and beauty of the written word.

A Different Take On Valentine's Day Story time

I love holidays, even the minor ones. It's an opportunity not only to celebrate but also to uplift the spirits and think about the positive side of life. As a children's librarian, holidays lend themselves to wonderful story time hours. In the dreary month of February, when many of us in the cold north are thinking about escaping to somewhere warmer, reading Valentine's Day books can warm the coldest hearts. The lesson plan for story times can be quite easy. Find several books on the holiday or books on love, mix in cute fingerplays and add simple heart crafts. Viola! Planning was easy as one, two three. However, this Valentine's Day why not be daring. Escape the traditional story time routine where all the books share the same theme. Excuse me while I put on my Cupid wings, aim my little bow and arrow just right while I target the reader's heart hoping that they will fall in love with the books I will be sharing with them this Valentine's Day. None of these books listed here have anything in common, except that they are in the category of "loves" on my personal list of children's books.

First on my list of "loves" , is Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. I love visiting with the monsters and seeing how the other side "lives". Max's fearless gaze into the Monster's eyes always gives hope that no matter what monsters we face in life, there is always the opportunity to become "King of the Forest" and overcome the fear. The artwork is wonderful, imaginative and captivating. After sharing the book with younger readers, I put on a little music and invite them to dance like the monsters. Inevitably, it ends in a monster parade. If this doesn't get the children to love the story, I'd be really surprised.

Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont is a tale of paint and misbehaving. Goodness, how does one little girl get into some much trouble with a little bit of paint and a brush? What goes along great with this story is either let the children imagine that they have paint brushes or give them a small one. Each time the narrator of the story talks about painting a certain part of the body, like arms, invite the children to do the same. It is so much fun to watch them giggle at the pictures while doing the actions. Ah, but at the end our poor little heroine has to take a bath to clean up her mess. After all that fun, the children reading along with you must remove the "paint" from themselves also.

I can always find children to fall in love with Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman. This adorable book about a sneaky, but friendly Gorilla pick pockets the keys from the Zoo keeper, allowing each of his zoo friends to escape. Well, of course they are caught and brought back to the zoo for the night. Does this deter the Gorilla from trying again? Nope. That's why children by the end of the book are marveling at the Gorilla's ability to get away with his plan again. Allowing the children to set my animal zoo free one by one when I am "unaware" usually ends up with children who are sneakier than Gorilla. If I plan to have the children act like Gorilla, extra time is always needed. That's okay. Once you get the "love" is planted for stories, parents don't mind hanging around a little longer to watch their children having fun in the library.

A very long title for a very short book, but it made the "love" list because it is a perfect book to share with young readers. The Little Mouse, The Big Ripe Strawberry and The Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Woods is an example of what you see is what you get. The title gives away most of the story but who cares! The plot of the story is not ruined by it one bit. As a matter of fact, because of the colorful artwork, readers can almost taste the strawberry. Not only that, each emotions that the mouse feels about his situations come through the pages clearly, allowing the reader to really want to help the furry little mouse. This story about sharing is important because it reminds this librarian, not only to share great stories but to maybe just maybe share a big juicy strawberry with her favorite group of children.

Got a purple crayon? With this next story, the children in my group are invited to help decorate a mural for our reading area. With only a purple crayon, they are instructed to draw whatever is in their imaginations. Once in awhile the complaint of "I don't like purple" or "I need more color" is voiced, but they are always satisfied when told that there is a special story to share soon. After allowing them time to draw for fifteen minutes, they gather to hear the story of Harold and he Purple Crayon by Crocket Johnson. It doesn't take long for them to realize why their masterpiece was done in purple. Interesting discussions often take place after the story is read. Children have no problem explaining their imagination took them when they were drawing. The mural is placed on the wall with the title "The Afternoon Story Hour and The Purple Crayon." One child even commented that his story hour mural was better than the book! I wouldn't go that far, but I would say that that story hour LOVED Harold and the Purple Crayon.

What picture books are your favorite? Share the books that you love with the ones you love! That is the best Valentine's Gift to give. The memories and the stories can last a lifetime. Happy Valentine's Day a wee bit early!