Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Summer Reading Clubs @WVPL

The Wissahickon Valley Public Library is pleased to announce that our Summer Reading Club for Children and Teens is now available (the Adult Summer Reading Club will begin on June 24)! The Summer Reading Club (SRC) is available online here and is open to anyone who plans to read this summer!

Here is what you need to know:
  • The Summer Reading Club is online! Register online now and start recording the books you've read! You can access it anywhere with an Internet connection.
  • Make sure to log on anytime between June 10 and August 6 (dates for the Adult SRC vary). The log will automatically close at 9 PM on August 6.
  • There are goals for those ages 0-12:
    • Ages 0-6: Read (or be read to) 40 picture books. Count story times, grandparent visits, camp visits and all the reading you do!
    • Ages 7-12: Read 10 chapter books.
  • Celebrate and pick up your prize on August 7 at 7 PM at Blue Bell! Those who reach the goal by August 6 will get a free t-shirt and a book to take home. (Can't make it? Let me know and we'll schedule a way for you to pick up your prize).
  • You do not have to be in the SRC to attend our events. Events are open to everyone as well!
Any questions? Contact me here.  (Please select Youth. That goes directly to me). 

We hope you'll join us for a fun filled summer with activities and reading!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

What Was Read: Morris Arboretum - June 11

On Tuesday, June 11, I made my way to Morris Arboretum. It was a beautiful day for walking around and to enjoy stories! We were inside though because the outdoor seats were still wet. This was my second story time there. If you've been to one of my "Stories In the Park," it is very similar to that, only at Morris Arboretum.

Our theme for the day was BUGS to celebrate their large bugs that are hanging out at Morris Arboretum. If you go to Morris Arboretum to check out the giant bugs, spend some time talking with your child. Help created background knowledge by talking about the giant bugs and facts or experiences with the real bug. Example: Are ants really that big? Do they go in rows? Remember when there were ants in the kitchen and we watched them?

What We Read
  • The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle. - JJ CAR - The wind blows spider to a fence post and she begins building a web. The farm animals ask her to join them, but can she?
  •  Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr. ; illustrated by Lois Ehlert- JJ MAR - Ten very different caterpillars are doing ten very different things. Check out the caterpillars featured in this book as well as what kind of butterfly or moth they become!
  • I love Bugs! by Emma Dodd. - JJ DOD - Big bugs, little bugs, slimy bugs, bouncy bugs. This little boy LOVES bugs and he'll tell you all about them, including his favorite bug.
  • Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas- A bug asks us to play pretend, so I asked the crowd to participate with us!
  • Monday The Bullfrog - This puppet is a book! The book is in his mouth! Monday the Bullfrog is a hungry frog and he eats lots of yummy-to-him things.
What We Did
  • Sang my favorite opening and closing songs: "If You'd Like to Hear a Story" and "The More We Read Together" 
  • Sang the "Itsy Weentsy Spider" 3 times, normal, squeaky, and low voices.
  • Recited "Here is a Beehive" and I had five bees fly from my hands to my board.
  • Acted out Can you Make a Scary Face?
I'll be at Morris Arboretum again on July 9 at 10:30 AM*! (Stories in the Park at Wentz Run will be with Miss Sally that day).

*Please note if you want to attend this story time, you must register in advance and you may need to pay an admission fee (unless you are a member). We do have a Morris Arboretum pass available to check out of the library.  I am there once a month and another librarian from Montgomery County is there on the other Tuesday.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

What Was Read: Morris Arboretum Story Time - May 28

On a wet and rainy Tuesday (May 28), I made my way to Morris Arboretum for my first every story time* there! We've started a new partnership with Morris Arboretum where I'll be visiting once a month to read stories, sing songs, and perform action rhymes. If you've been to one of my "Stories In the Park," it is very similar to that, only at Morris Arboretum.

Despite the rain, we had a good crowd from all over to hear stories, sing songs, and act like a train! Our theme that day was trains since the garden railway opened just before my story time.

What We Read
  • Trouble on the Tracks by Kathy Mallat. - JJ MAL - Everything is in order for the train to travel the route it has traveled many times before. Wait! What is that on the tracks? There are two large green eyes! Oh no!
  • Two Little Trains by Margaret Wise Brown ; pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon. - JJ BRO - Two little trains are heading west. One little train is a real train traveling across the country while another is crossing the house. This is a fun story for the juxtaposition of the pictures and use of imagination to find the similarities in the differing situations.
  • And The Train Goes--:- JJ BEE - Here comes the train! See all the colorful train cars as they travel down the track. A fun one for making silly sounds with your child.
What We Did
  • Sang my favorite opening and closing songs: "If You'd Like to Hear a Story" and "The More We Read Together"
  • Recited a flannel song called "Clickety-clack, Clickety-Clack" and counted the lovely trains.
  • Sang an echo song called "Down by the  Station" From SurLaLune Story Time
  • Recited a rhyme called "This is a Choo-Choo Train" where we acted like trains! From SurLaLune Story Time
  • Sang The ABCs!

*Please note if you want to attend this story time, you must register in advance and you may need to pay an admission fee (unless you are a member). We do have a Morris Arboretum pass available to check out of the library.