Mom Read It

Toddler Storytime: Hugs and Kisses

Posted on February 3, 2017February 19, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

I had my first storytimes (two sessions, both attended by toddlers) at my new library today, and incorporated quite a few ideas from Storytime Underground’s Social Justice kit. The storytime here runs a little bit longer than my Corona storytimes, so I plumped up the outline with a lot of songs and fingerplays. Since I was a little nervous about storytime to a new crowd, I turned to Jbrary for guidance; sure enough, the ladies have a storytime planning sheet that helped me visualize everything I wanted to do.

I had a great crowd – 35 families, including some of my Corona families, who came to visit! Everyone seemed to enjoy the songs and fingerplays, and happily, the Chinese and Spanish that I incorporated into my stories and songs went over well. Here’s the storytime in full, with links as used.

Hello song (ASL)
Hello, my friends,
Hello, my friends, Hello, my friends,
It’s time to say hello.
Source: Jbrary

Song: We Clap and Sing Hello
We clap and sing hello, We clap and sing hello,
With our friends at storytime,
We clap and sing hello!
We wave and sing hello, We wave and sing hello,
With our friends at storytime,
We clap and sing hello!
We stomp and sing hello, We stomp and sing hello,
With our friends at storytime,
We stomp and sing hello!
Source: Jbrary

Action Rhyme: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes,
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes,
And eyes, and ears, and mouth, and nose,
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes!

Song: “Yo te amo”
Yo te amo, yo te amo, all day song, I sing this little song to you,
Yo te amo, yo te amo, darling, I love you.

Wo ai ni, wo ai ni, all day song, I sing this little song to you,
Wo ai ni, wo ai ni, darling, I love you.

I love you, I love you, all day long, I sing this little song to you,
I love you, I love you, darling, I love you.
Source: Jbrary

Fingerplay/Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!
Zoom, zoom, zoom
We’re going to the moon.
Zoom, zoom, zoom
We’re going to the moon.
If you want to take a trip
climb aboard my rocket ship.
Zoom, zoom, zoom
We’re going to the moon.
In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Blast off!
Source: Jbrary

Song: “The More We Get Together”
The more we get together, together, together,
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.
Because my friends are your friends, and your friends are my friends,
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.
Source: http://www.metrolyrics.com/more-we-get-together-lyrics-raffi.html

Song: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap clap)

If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet (stomp stomp)
If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet (stomp stomp)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet. (stomp stomp)

If you’re happy and you know it, shout “Hurray!” (hoo-ray!)
If you’re happy and you know it, shout “Hurray!” (hoo-ray!)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you’re happy and you know it, shout “Hurray!” (hoo-ray!)

If you’re happy and you know it, do all three (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray!)
If you’re happy and you know it, do all three (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray!)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you’re happy and you know it, do all three. (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray!)

Song: “Skinnamarink”
Skinnamarink-e-dink, e-dink, skinnamarink-e-doo, I love you,
Skinnamarink-e-dink, e-dink, skinnamarink-e-doo, I love you,
I love you in the morning, and in the afternoon,
I love you in the evening, and underneath the moon, oh!
Skinnamarink-e-dink, e-dink, skinnamarink-e-doo, I love you!
Source: Jbrary

Song: “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”
The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout,
Down came the rain and washed the spider out,
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again.

Song: We Clap Goodbye
We clap goodbye like this, We clap goodbye like this,
With our friends at storytime,
We clap goodbye like this!
We wave goodbye like this, we wave goodbye like this,
With our friends at storytime,
We wave goodbye like this!
We stomp goodbye like this, We stomp goodbye like this,
With our friends at storytime,
We stomp goodbye like this!

Goodbye song (ASL)
Goodbye, my friends,
Goodbye, my friends,
Goodbye, my friends,
It’s time to say goodbye.

After storytime, I passed out these great alphabet craft bracelets for the kids to color and wear. They went over very well!

Fiction, Horror, Humor, Teen

Drama, demons, and the Revenge of the Evil Librarian

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Revenge of the Evil Librarian, by Michelle Knudsen, (Feb. 2017, Candlewick), $16.99, ISBN: 978-0763688288

Recommended for ages 13+

Cynthia and her BFF, Annie, have finally settled down after the events from Evil Librarian (#1), where Mr. Gabriel, the librarian in question, tried to make Annie his demon bride. Cyn’s now dating her crush, the gorgeous Ryan Halsey, and the two are off together to drama camp, where Cyn’s hoping to start working on set design. She’s ready to embrace the summer and all it has to offer, especially with Ryan at her side, but the demons have other plans: Aaron, demon-ish consort of the demon queen, looks Cyn up and reminds her that she owes the queen a few favors, for one. And things with Mr. Gabriel may not be quite over just yet.

Revenge of the Evil Librarian is the follow-up to 2014’s Evil Librarian, and it keeps a lot of the fun tone set in the first novel. There are demons at a theatre camp, a romantic rivalry, and a showdown to remember. Cyn is head-over-heels for Ryan, and the ups and downs of their romance – impacted by the fallout from the first book – will appeal to YA romance readers. Peter, another camper, is an endearing character whose background will crack readers up, and Jules, Ryan’s longtime summer camp “friend”, is the classic romantic rival.

Liven things up with your drama/theatre club readers and pair this with Stephanie Kate Strohm’s Taming of the Drew. If you’ve got readers who enjoyed the first one, they’ll love this one (and wait for the next one); if you have readers who enjoy their YA with a smidgeon of paranormal or horror, booktalk this one.

Adventure, Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Humor, Middle Grade, Middle School, Tween Reads

Back to Stately Academy for Secret Coders: Secrets and Sequences

Posted on February 3, 2017January 7, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Secret Coders: Secrets and Sequences, by Gene Luen Yang/Illustrated by Mike Holmes, (March 2017, First Second), $10.99, ISBN: 9781626720770

Recommended for ages 8-12

The third installment of the Secret Coders series picks up right where Paths and Portals leaves off: our heroes, Hopper, Eni, and Josh have to code their way out of trouble with Principal Dean, who’s not only a creep, but a creep who’s thrown in with a super-bad guy, Professor One-Zero, who was also one of Professor Bee’s best students way back when. There are more codes to program, more turtles to run, and an evil plot to foil.

This has been a fun STEM series; explaining coding through the graphic novel format is a great idea, allowing kids to help reason out how things work and run. Readers are invited to download activities to expand their learning. This series makes for a great computer club activity and a great comic book club discussion group topic. Put this one with your Scratch and Ruby programming books, and if you have the chance to get the kids in your life, library, or classroom coding, do it! You will be happy you did.

Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Non-fiction, Teen, Tween Reads

Say Cheese! teaches kids how to make their own yummy cheeses

Posted on February 2, 2017December 26, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Say Cheese! A Kid’s Guide to Cheesemaking, by Ricki Carroll & Sarah Carroll, (Apr. 2018, Storey Publishing), $18.95, ISBN: 9781612128238

Recommended for kids (and grownups) 9+

I do love a good kids’ cookbook, and Say Cheese! is the goods. It’s an introduction to cheesemaking for kids – how cool is that? The book provides smart, everyday tips, like how to read a milk carton (the differences between raw, pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized, homogenized, and fortified milks); info about the ingredients that go into milk making, the different animals who provide the milk we drink, and a look at the history and science of cheese and cheesemaking. That all being said, there’s a rundown on the tools and utensils you’ll need, advice on how to clean and prep everything, and finally, without further ado, the recipes! Color photos and step-by-step instrucitons give kids all they need to know on making their first cheese, with an emphasis on adult supervision: they are using the stove and sharp knives, after all. Make a mascarpone or some yogurt, spread some home-made cream cheese on a bagel or skewer some feta onto a toothpick with some watermelon: there are great recipes and tips for snacking to be had. This may not be up every kid’s alley, but it’s a fun, nontraditional cookbook to have on shelves and great for kids who love to cook and are looking for something new to test their skills.

Fiction, Fiction, Fiction, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

A Boy Called Bat is gentle and kind

Posted on February 1, 2017January 9, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

A Boy Called Bat, by Elana K. Arnold/Illustrated by Charles Santoso, (March 2017, Walden Pond Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9780062445827

Recommended for ages 8-12

Bixby Alexander Tam – Bat, for short – loves animals. Fortunately, his mom is a veterinarian, so he gets to be around them quite a bit, and he knows how to handle them, too. One day, his mom brings home an orphaned baby skunk that needs to be nursed and cared for until he’s big enough to go to a wild animal shelter, and Bat falls in love. He just knows that the kit, who he names Thor, is meant to be his pet. Now, he just has to convince his mom!

A Boy Called Bat is a sweet story about a gentle boy who also happens to be on the autism spectrum. It’s never outwardly addressed – no giant, neon arrows here – but Elana Arnold alludes to it in her text, and rather than concentrating on a label for the boy, gives us a well-rounded story about a special boy and the special animal that comes into his life. At only 96 pages, with black and white illustrations, it’s a great book for all kids (and adults!) to read; it also would make for a great classroom read-aloud. It helps further understanding, showing Bat doing the same things most kids do: not loving shuttling back and forth between his divorced parents’ homes; wanting a pet and learning how to take care of it; navigating friendships at school.

This is a solid addition to diversity collections. Booktalk this with Daniel Stefanski’s How to Talk to an Autistic Kid and Ben Hatke’s Mighty Jack; graduate readers to books like Ann M. Martin’s Rain Reign.

Espionage, Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Humor, Middle Grade

Introducing Pops and Branwell, an all-ages teamup!

Posted on February 1, 2017August 29, 2019 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Short Con, by Pete Toms/Illustrated by Aleks Sennwald, (Feb. 2017, Alternative Comics), $9.95, ISBN: 9781681480084

Recommended for ages 8-12

In the first installment of a new mystery teamup, Pops and Branwell – two orphans in an orphanage that’s a cover for a full-scale detective operation run by kids – take on their first mystery: who killed Branwell’s parents, and what does her Uncle Lamb know?

This is an all-ages graphic novel that’s too much fun; taking on the hard-boiled detective genre with kids. Branwell is the new kid, the only survivor of the fire that destroyed her life. “Pops” is the seasoned detective that takes her under her wing, with a smart comment and nickname for everyone around her. (My favorite was “Sylvia Plath” for the disconsolate Branwell.) Being assigned the new girl doesn’t sit right with Pops, who prefers to work alone, but it creates a hilarious relationship between polar opposites. The supporting cast includes a nun who wonderfully apes the frustrated boss, and a John Watson-type fangirl, who writes fanfiction adventures where she inserts herself and a “hot guy” into the detectives’ adventures. The conclusion is laugh-out-loud hilarious, and the ending left me happily waiting for another installment.

Booktalk this with your Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and Encyclopedia Brown series. It would also work nicely with the Series of Unfortunate Events, which is getting renewed interest thanks to the Netflix series. Display with any Adventure Time graphic novels you have around; artist Aleks Senwald is a writer and storyboard artist for the series.

family, programs, Storytime, Storytime

Family Storytime: Pizza!

Posted on January 31, 2017January 30, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

I led a family storytime in Corona and decided go with a pizza theme. Who doesn’t love pizza, right? Since family storytimes are for all ages, I included a fun pizza craft after the storytime, and everyone seemed to have a great time.

Books:

Hello song!

Story: Secret Pizza Party, by Adam Rubin

Story: Hi, Pizza Man!, by Virginia Walter
This is such a great book, and I hope it gets put back into print. While waiting for a pizza delivery, a child and caregiver imagine what they would say to a gaggle of different pizza delivery… folks.

Song: “I Wish I Were a Pepperoni Pizza” (Tune: Oscar Meyer theme)
Oh, I wish I were a pepperoni pizza,
That is what I’d truly like to be,
For if I were a pepperoni pizza,
Everyone would be in love with me!

Rhyme: “Pizza Man!” (Tune: Pat-a-Cake)
Pat a pie, pat a pie, Pizza Man.
Make me a pizza as fast as you can!
Roll it and toss it and sprinkle it with cheese.
And don’t forget 5 pepperonis please!

Story: Pete’s a Pizza, by William Steig
This is a great story to get little ones and caregivers interacting. As Pete’s parents make Pete a pizza, they roll him out (tickle him), cover him in “pepperoni”, and carry him to the oven (the couch) to bake him. Parents can play along with kids at the library or even more fun, at home.

Song: “If You Want to Eat Some Pizza” (Tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It)
If you want to eat some pizza, clap your hands,(clap, clap),
If you want to eat some pizza, clap your hands, (clap, clap),
If you like bubbly cheese ,then just say “Pizza, please!”
If you want to eat some pizza, clap your hands, (clap, clap).
If you want to eat some pizza, stamp your feet,(stamp, stamp)…
If you want to eat some pizza, shout “Hooray!”, (“Hooray!”)…
If you want to eat some pizza, do all three, (Clap, clap, stamp, stamp, “Hooray!”)

Thanks to Storytime Katie and Perpetual Preschool for the pizza songs!

Goodbye song!

Craft: Make Your Own Pizzas!
For this craft, I handed out small paper plates and construction paper in red, brown, green, and yellow for toppings. Families used safety scissors and glue sticks to create their own pizzas and took them home.

Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Non-fiction, Tween Reads

Time For Kids Presidents is a good desk reference for middle graders

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Time for Kids: Presidents of the United States, by Editors at Time for Kids, (Jan. 2017, Time for Kids), $15.95, ISBN: 978-1683300007

Recommended for ages 8-12

Time for Kids’ Presidents of the United States is a slim, backpack and desk-friendly reference guide for middle graders. Loaded with color photos and illustrations, there are facts about the Presidency, branches of government, political parties and why we have them, a spotlight on the First Ladies, and more. Each President receives a brief biography, fast facts, including birth and death dates, political party, Vice President, wife, children, key dates during his administration, and a Did You Know? fact. A 2016 election spotlight and President portrait gallery completes the volume, along with links to the White House website, Presidential homesteads and museums. The volume includes an index.

This is a helpful resource for middle graders – it will help with social studies and current events homework, and provides a quick, easy reading experience by chunking information into readable bites. A good buy for classroom libraries and social studies collections.

Infant/Baby, programs, Storytime, Storytime

Storytime: What Baby Can Do

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

This was a storytime I tried out with my Corona infants a little over a year ago. It’s meant to be a lapsit for babies about 6-10 months, but toddlers had fun with this one, too. I tried to keep a good mix popular songs and fingerplays, with some books that encouraged parents to be interactive with the little ones.

Books read:

Opening Song: Hello, My Friends! (to the tune of “A Hunting We Will Go“)

Hello, my friends, hello!
Hello, my friends, hello!
Hello, my friends, hello, my friends,
Hello, my friends, hello!

Story: Wiggle Your Toes, by Karen Katz

Song: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

And eyes, and ears, and mouth,
And nose.

Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

(When I’m doing this with preschoolers, I’ll have the kids do it faster, and again superfast. They love it!)

Fingerplay: This Little Piggie
This little piggie went to market,
This little piggie stayed home,
This little piggie had roast beef,
And this little piggie had none.
But THIS little piggie went WEE, WEE, WEE, all the way home!

Story: Peek-A-Baby, by Karen Katz

Rhyme: One Hand, Two Hands
One hand can wave, (wave)
One hand can tap, (tap your knee with your hand)
But they each need a friend
If they want to clap! (clap hands together!)
Thanks to Perry Public Library for this one!

Rhyme: We Can! (great for toddlers, but easily adapted for babies)
We can jump, jump, jump, (bounce baby on your lap!)
We can hop, hop, hop, (bounce baby!)
We can clap, clap, clap, (clap baby’s hands!)
We can stop, stop, stop. (hold baby’s hands in a stopping motion)
We can nod our heads for yes, (nod)
We can shake our heads for no, (shake your head)
We bend our knees a little bit, (gently bend baby’s knees)
And we can sit down slow.
Thanks to Perry Public Library for this one!

Rhyme: My Hands (copy the actions)
My hands upon my head I place,
Upon my shoulders, on my face,
On my hops, and by my side,
Now behind me they will hide,
I can raise them way up high,
And make my fingers fly, fly, fly,
Now they are in front of me,
I will clap them, 1, 2, 3!
Thanks to Perry Public Library for this one!

Story: Counting Kisses, by Karen Katz (I encourage my parents to kiss along with the story, with adorable results and giggling babies)

Song: Hokey Pokey (again, great for toddlers, easily adaptable for babies by having caregivers sit in a circle and raise each body part for baby)
You put your right hand in,
You put your right hand out,
You put your right hand in,
And you shake it all about,
You do the hokey pokey
and you turn yourself around
That what it’s all about!

2) left hand
3) right foot
4) left foot
5) head
6) tush
7) whole self

Closing Song: Goodbye, My Friends! (same tune as the Hello song)

Goodbye, my friends, goodbye!
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye!
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye, my friends,
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye!

Fiction, Middle Grade, Middle School, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

A girl tries to bring her family back together in The Haunted House Project

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Haunted House Project, by Tricia Clasen, (Oct. 2016, Sky Pony Press), $15.99, ISBN: 9781510707122

Recommended for ages 8-12

When Andie’s mom died in a tragic accident, she left a huge hole in her family. Andie’s dad drifts from job to job, spending more time drinking and gambling away their insurance money. Andie’s older sister, Paige, holds down a diner job in addition to being a high school student, just to make sure there’s food on the table. Andie’s having a harder time holding it together at school, and teachers are starting to notice. Seemingly left on her own most of the time, Andie comforts herself with ghost stories; she wants desperately to believe that there’s a way she can reach out to her mother, somehow. When Isaiah, her science partner, suggests they study paranormal activity for their project, Andie gets a spark of inspiration: what if she were to haunt her family’s home, making them believe her mother was reaching out to them? Would it bring them back together? She sprays perfume, leaves objects and writes messages around the house, hoping to get a reaction from her father and sister. Whether or not it will be the reaction she wants remains to be seen.

The Haunted House Project is a touching story of grief and loss, and one girl’s attempt to bring her mother back the only way she knows how. She grieves not only for her mother, but the normalcy of everyday life. It’s an honest look at a girl coming of age under difficult circumstances; it’s a look at how friendships can change, and it’s a story about one child trying to repair her broken family. Readers will feel sympathy for Andie; some will, empathize with her, and most readers will understand the desperation of wanting. This is a strong yet gentle work of fiction that will go well with Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Cynthia Rylant’s Missing May.