Talking + Reading = Vocabulary

The phrase “early literacy skills” may sound serious and complicated, but really it means the knowledge that a child needs to gain in order to learn to read. One of these necessary skills is vocabulary. Familiarity with a variety of words helps a new reader make sense of what he or she is reading. The simplest ways to build a child’s vocabulary is through speaking and reading aloud.

When you’re with your child, point out objects with which your child may not be familiar and tell her what they are.  This is also a great activity to do while reading books together. Some books are created with this kind of activity in mind and feature many labeled objects arranged in a scene.

Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy Town by Richard Scarry

Maisy’s Amazing Big Book of Words by Lucy Cousins

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

In other books, vocabulary is an integral part of the story.  In the Fancy Nancy series by Jane O’Connor, Nancy likes to use big “fancy” words.  Author Judith Viorst humorously puts adjectives to good use in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day.

Reading poetry together is another terrific way to discover vocabulary.  Older children will enjoy the nonsense words created by Lewis Caroll in Jabberwocky and Shel Silverstein in Runny Babbit.

-Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist

This April Consider One Great Boat, Poems & Trees

As seems to always be the situation for me, there are too many good books and too little time to read them!  And because this April there are many fascinating themes to consider, I’m including a variety of titles that will appeal to readers of all ages and persuasions.  Enjoy!

Books by the Bunch for Poetry Month
National Poetry Month is the perfect time to explore poetry with children of all ages.

Poetry Speaks to Children by Various Authors (cd included)

Give Yourself to the Rain: Poems for the Very Young by Margaret Wise Brown

Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems by Kristine O’Connell George

Dear Hot Dog by Mordicai Gerstein

We Are America by Walter Dean Myers

Guyku: a Year of Haiku for Boys by Bob Raczka

Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman

Mirror Mirror a Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer

Set Sail with Sea-Worthy Tales
April 15th commemorates the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.

Titanic Sinks! by Barry Denenberg

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson

Unsinkable: Titanic Book One by Gordon Korman

Iceberg Right Ahead: the Tragedy of the Titanicby Stephanie Sammartino McPherson

Kaspar the Titanic Cat by Michael Morpugo

Magic Treehouse: Tonight on the Titanic by Mary Pope Osborne

T is for Titanic: a Titanic Alphabet by Debbie Shoulders

Voyage on the Great Titanic: the Diary of Margaret Ann Brady by Ellen Emerson White

If You Love the Lorax, These Books are for You!
Celebrate Earth Day on April 22 with these green reads.

Annie Glover is Not a Tree Lover by Darleen Bailey Beard

OK Go by Carin Berger

Arthur Turns Green by Marc Brown

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry

Ants in Your Pants, Worms in Your Pants by Diane DeGroat

Flush by Carl Hiaasen

The Earth Book by Todd Parr

Planet Earth: 25 Environmental Projects You Can Build Yourself by Kathleen M. Reilly

-Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist

Road Trip Reads: Audiobook Recommendations for Kids

As you prepare for your spring break road trips this year, consider listening to a great family friendly audiobook during your drive.  Listening to books sparks  your child’s imagination, and is also a great way to shake things up when you get tired of playing the license plate game.  CADL has audiobooks for patrons of all ages.  To get started, check out these child-friendly recommendations from CADL’s collection:

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian

March is Reading Month!

March is nationally recognized as Reading Month, although we librarians consider every month reading month!  There will be many special events taking place in March:

• On March 18th, the literacy event Everyday Moments are Learning Moments will be held at the Hannah Community Center from 1 – 4 p.m.  This event is geared towards families with young children and is your chance to meet favorite storybook characters Clifford, Corduroy and Tacky the Penguin in person!  There will also be interactive stage shows with The Merry Music Maker, who is a perennial favorite performer for our summer reading program.  Between the stage shows there will be storytelling, activity centers, and opportunities to get information from mid-Michigan libraries, Head Start, WKAR, Great Parent, Great Start and more.
• Biscuit, Clifford, Corduroy, Llama and Tacky the Penguin will be visiting our libraries from March 19 – 3oth.  If you weren’t able to attend the show at the Hannah Community Center or if you didn’t get to meet your favorite character, this is your chance to do so.

Please check our events calendar and the website for more information about the show and the character visits at CADL libraries.

-Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist

Literacy Resources for Parents and Caregivers

As a parent, it’s easy to have the best of intentions when trying to instill literacy skills and a love of the written word in your children.  After all, study after study has shown the value of reading to children and early literacy skills when it comes to long-term success in school.  However, it’s not always easy to know where to start when it comes to literacy.  There are so many different resources available both online and in print that the amount of choices can be overwhelming.  If you want to learn more about children’s literacy, here are a few selected resources to get you started.

Online resources
Reading is Fundamental: www.rif.org

Kent District Library: Play, Grow, Read: http://www.kdl.org/kids/go/pgr_main

US Department of Education: www.ed.gov

Reading Rockets: www.readingrockets.org

Books
The Joyful Reading Resource Kit by Sally Reis

The Secret of Natural Readers by Ada Anbar

Growing a Reader From Birth by Diane McGuinness

Every Child Ready to Read by the Lee Pesky Learning Center

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian

The Weather Outside Is Frightful: Indoor Games to Build Literacy Skills

This time of year, cabin fever begins to set in, and many parents find themselves at their wits’ end trying to think of new ways to entertain their little ones.  This is a great opportunity to work with young children on building literacy skills, while playing games indoors and bonding at the same time.  For some fun, educational ways to pass the time, try engaging in one of the following games.

• Build vocabulary in young children by playing a rousing game of “I Spy.”  Choose a picture book with vivid illustrations containing lots of different elements.  Pick out one object on each page, and have your child guess which object you have selected by asking questions.
• Sing nursery rhymes that have active movement components to them.  Try “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider,” “Ring Around the Rosie,” “Hickory Dickory Dock,” and “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.”  If these are already regulars in your repertoire, check out a nursery rhyme collection from CADL for new inspiration.  If you come across a rhyme where you don’t know the motions, be creative and make up some of your own!
• Work on learning letters by having your child identify where in the house there are letters. Point them to brand names on appliances, titles on books, words written on shopping bags, etc. See how many can be discovered in a given amount of time. If your child already knows the alphabet, ask him or her to identify the letters as they are discovered.
• Work on building narrative skills by playing dress up. There’s no need for fancy, expensive clothes if you can’t afford them. The point of this game is imagination. Pull out a few unusual articles of clothing from your own closet, put out some costume jewelry, and have a blast! During the game, ask your child what character he or she is dressing up as? What did the imaginary person do today?  What will he do tomorrow? What is his favorite color? The possibilities are endless. Feel free to throw on a silly hat and join the fun yourself.
• Finally, pass some time reading together. Read old favorites or new titles. Have your child “read” to you by describing what’s happening in the pictures of the book. Ask him or her to guess what will happen next in the story. Make reading time fun and interactive.

There is no wrong way to play. Any time you spend making memories with your children, encouraging imagination, and fostering literacy skills is time well spent. For more ideas on creative play, make sure to check out the resources for parents available in CADL’s collection.

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian

Reading About Reading

These picture books address many of the aspects of learning to read: the joys, the fears, and the reluctant kid who just doesn’t want to.  One of these books just might provide the encouragement that your emerging reader needs.

Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I Don’t) by Barbara Bottner

Hooray for Reading Day by Margery Cuyler

How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills

Lola Loves Stories by Anna McQuinn

How to Teach a Slug to Read by Susan Pearson

Wild About Books by Judy Sierra

Yoko Learns to Read by Rosemary Wells

Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates

For parents looking to get their kid hooked on reading, or if you can’t imagine reading the same favorite book again, give one of these guides a try:

What to Read When: The Books and Stories to Read with Your Child and All the Best Times to Read Them by Pam Allyn

Reading Together: Everything You Need to Know to Raise a Child Who Loves to Read by Diane W. Frankenstein

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

- Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist

Graphic Novels for Kids

The variety of graphic novels continues to expand, and there are some terrific selections for young readers who may not be ready for the sophisticated and more mature themes addressed in graphic novels for older kids. While some may argue that reading graphic novels isn’t really reading, there are benefits to making graphic novels available to kids:

• The appeal to reluctant readers can’t be denied.  Graphic novels include lots of illustration, and the pacing of the story tends to be fast and full of action, which will capture the attention of many who resist reading chapter books.
• Learning to read between the panels.  Graphic novels are more about illustration than words – but this doesn’t mean that the story is any less detailed than a standard narrative.  Rather, readers of graphic novels develop comprehension skills as they decipher how the words and illustrations complement each other to tell the story.

Give some of these graphic novels a try with your young reader:

Benjamin Bear in Fuzzy Thinking by Philippe Coudray

Fashion Kitty by Charise Mericle Harper

Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke

Babymouse: Queen of the World! by Jennifer Holm

Squish: Super Amoeba by Jennifer Holm

Chi’s Sweet Home by Konami Kanata

Dragon Puncher by James Kochalka

Johnny Boo: the Best Little Ghost in the World by James Kochalka

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett Krosoczka

The Unsinkable Walker Bean by Aaron Renier

Silly Lilly in What Will I Be Today? by Agnes Rosenstiehl

-Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist

Civil Rights Picture Books

With Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on the horizon, now is a great time to talk to children about turbulent times in our nation’s past.  It can be difficult to broach the subject of the Civil Rights Era with young children, who often don’t understand the injustice which ran rampant during this time.  Here are a few great picture books which address the concept of inequality, and the struggle faced by African Americans.  Read them with your children to begin a dialogue on this dark but vital moment in our nation’s history.

The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson: Two young girls of different races learn to compromise in order to play together.

A Taste of Colored Water by Matt Faulkner: Two country boys learn the truth of segregation on a visit to town in the 1960s.

Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Ramsey: On a road trip south, Ruth’s family must rely on the Green Book in order to find establishments to eat, sleep, and get gas.

Rosa by Nikki Giovanni: A vivid retelling of the story of Rosa Parks and her quiet defiance.

March On!: The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World by Christine King Farris:  This book tells the story of the March on Washington in 1963, and Dr. King’s famous “I have a Dream” speech, from the perspective of his sister.

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian

Best Books of 2011 for Kids

Of the great many books published in 2011, the following are titles that stood out for reviewers and have been praised by our staff.

Middle grade readers
Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick: This Caldecott winner presents a new beautifully crafted novel in words and pictures.  Read staff review here.

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne Valente: A charming young adult fairy tale.  Read staff review here.

Small Persons with Wings by Ellen Booraem

The Cheshire Cheese Cat: a Dickens of a Tale by Carmen Deedy

My Name is Not Easy by Debby Dahl Edwardson

Non-fiction
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson

Amelia Lost: the Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming

Everything on It by Shel Silverstein

A Nation’s Hope: the Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis by Matt de la Peña

Titanic Sinks! by Barry Denenberg

Drawing from Memory by Allen Say

Picture Books
Grandpa Green by Lane Smith: A little boy tells the story of his great grandfather against the backdrop of a topiary garden of memories.  Read staff review here.

Mouse & Lion by Rand Burkert

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

Me…Jane by Patrick McDonnell

Press Here by Hervé Tullet

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star illustrated by Jerry Pickney

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker

Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit by Il Sung Na: A simple picture book with a surprise ending!  Read staff review here.

-Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist