Have You Read To Your Child Today?

Reading aloud to your children -- at any age, from birth on up -- is one of the most important thing parents can do to help your children's reading development.  From sharing short, simple board books with your infant or toddler ... to sharing picture books with your preschooler...to reading snippets of chapter books with your school-age child ... reading aloud has been shown over and over again to be beneficial, in many, many ways.  Just a few minutes a day is all it takes, but you may find you're enjoying it so much, you'll be spending more time reading together!

Checkout Reading Rocket's Top Ten Resources on Reading Aloud for some great tips.

One of my all-time favorite resources on reading aloud with children is the The Read-aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.

Of course, you can always visit us at the library, where your friendly children's librarians will be happy to share their favorite read-alouds with you!  Happy Reading!

Remembering 9/11



America Is Under Attack
by Don Brown

  Explaining the events of September 11, 2001 can be difficult, especially with children. Here are some books and websites that may be helpful for parents and teachers.

Books

14 Cows for America
by Carmen Agra Deedy with Wilson Kiimeli Naiyomah
illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez

Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey
by Maira Kalman


Websites

9/11 Memorial: Teach + Learn
The official website of the 9/11 Memorial includes tips for talking with your children about the events.

PBS.org: America Responds
Provides information on the events of 9/11, as well as tips and resources for parents and teachers.

Share Your Stories and Artwork -- Online!

Kids -- have you checked out the library's Summer Reading Program website, yet? You'll find some fun new things there, like...

...stories to read online... (don't forget to keep track of your reading time on your Summer Reading Program timesheet!)

...and a place to write your own stories and submit them to be published online...

...and a place to upload your own artwork that you've created on a computer, or that you've photographed with a digital camera, and submit it to be published online.

We'd love to see what you have to share!

Happy Birthday "I Spy"!

Can you believe it? It's been 20 years since the publication of the first book in the popular I Spy series by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick. To celebrate, visit the library and read some I Spy books! You will also find some fun activities on Scholastic's website.

Celebrate Urban Birds

Calling all ornithologists!   Here's your chance to contribute to science and learn about birds at the same time.  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is offering free Celebrate Urban Birds kits to families who would like to learn about and observe 16 bird species in urban settings.

While you're at it, stop by the library to pick up some great bird books!

April is National Poetry Month!

Jack Prelutsky -- Shel Silverstein -- Douglas Florian
Lee Bennett Hopkins -- Karla Kuskin -- J. Patrick Lewis

What do all of these people have in common? They're children's poets! Now is the perfect time to read -- aloud -- some poetry. We have plenty here for you at the library. But you can also look online. Check out some poets' websites, like Jack Prelutsky's, where kids can read some of his fun poems, and grown-ups can find activities and lesson plans.


Or, try this page from Scholastic.com, in which Jack Prelutsky leads children through the process of writing their own poetry. At the end, kids can even publish their poetry online, and read poems that other kids have written!

Who is your favorite poet?

Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Other Natural Disasters

Can a tsunami happen here? Or an earthquake?...these are questions many adults are hearing after the tragic happenings in Japan this past weekend.

Sharing stories of hope and goodwill in the midst of chaos, such as Tsunami! by Kimiko Kajikawa, or A Mama for Owen by Marion Dane Bauer, may be a help to some children.

Reading Rockets has just published a list of web-based resources, including kid-friendly news reports of the events in Japan, ways to help children cope with disasters, and basic information about earthquakes and tsunamis.

Several of Children's Services Booklists provide resources for children and adults on coping with with disasters:

• Fears Booklists
  
• Talking with Kids about Violence Booklist
  
• Therapy and Healing Booklist
• Peace Booklist

Do you have other resources that you've found? How have you used them with your children?

Our History is Our Strength: Women's History Month 2011

Eleanor Roosevelt...Harriet Tubman...Dolley Madison...Rosa Parks...Susan B. Anthony...Mother Teresa...these are just a few of the many, many famous women who have made their mark on history.

March is Women's History Month, and is the perfect time to read up on the contributions women have made!

Visit us at the library to explore the biographies...

...or explore the Biography Center in World Book Online...

... or try some of the following websites:

• Women's History Month @ History.com
• FactMonster.com: Women's History
• World History Timeline: Famous Women
  

The Great Backyard Bird Count!

Hey, friends! Here's a great chance to help scientists learn about birds.

It's the Great Backyard Bird Count!

To participate, simply watch and count the number of birds you see in your backyard or some other location from Friday, February 18 through Monday, February 21.
Then record what you see here. Anyone can participate -- kids and adults.

Invite a friend or two to get involved -- the more information the scientists can gather, the more will learn. How many birds do you think you will see?

World Book Online for Kids

Recently, the library added a great new online resource for children: World Book Online for Kids. Published by the same folks who bring us World Book Encyclopedias, this collection of kid-friendly databases is a great source of info for school reports, but also so much more!


Early World of Learning provides help for beginning readers, as well as games and activities that help teach numbers, shapes, colors, and more.


World Book Online for Kids offers easy-to-read articles and engaging videos, games, science projects, and activities for younger students.


Info Finder is tailored for students in elementary and middle schools & includes all the articles from the print versions of the World Book Encyclopedia, plus thousands of additional articles, learning resources, and research tools.


World Book Discover includes engaging reference resources for students reading below grade level because of language or learning difficulties.


Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos is a beginner's Spanish language reference tool. The site offers World Book's editorial content, rich media, and engaging features in Spanish.

You may access World Book Online from any computer at the Allen County Public Library OR on your home computer by entering your ACPL library card number. Links are available on the Children's Services web page or under the Reference section of the ACPL Research Databases page.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Today is the first day of the new year -- according to the Chinese calendar. Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit by learning more about this holiday. You could even make eggrolls or try your hand at a few crafts.

Chinese New Year begins on the first new moon between January 21 and February 20. On what date will it fall next year...?

Career Info for Kids

The American Library Association publishes a Great Websites for Kids page -- and their featured website this month is...

What Do You Like?
published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Kids can click on activities they enjoy, like Music & Arts or Helping People or Managing Money, and they are directed to career options for those interests, as well as specifics -- what is that job like? how do you prepare? what does it pay?

This site could be a great conversation starter -- it's never too early to start talking with your children about their interests and life goals.

Talking To Children About Art

Grown-ups who are teaching or talking with children about art might want to take a look at the Visual Thinking Strategies website. It gives lots of tips on how to help children learn to interpret and enjoy what they see. Look at the website and then make a trip to the Jeffrey R. Krull Gallery downtown at the Main Library! Or go online to view and discuss some Indiana Art.

Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com.

ArtSmart

Teachers and homeschooling parents...check out ArtSmart! Developed by the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette and the The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, ArtSmart provides a wealth of information on Indiana artists, complete with lesson plans and activities to encourage the study of the art, history and culture of Indiana. Developed originally to support the Indiana history studies of 4th graders, its many ideas can be adapted for use with a variety of grade levels.

You can find a link to ArtSmart, as well as other resources about Indiana and Fort Wayne history, on our Fort Wayne and Indiana History Booklist.

Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com.

TumbleBooks!

Exciting news!

Check out TumbleBooks -- a collection of animated e-books for children. A wide selection of children's books -- stories, non-fiction, chapter books -- and games and puzzles are now available through the library's website.

Simply click on the TumbleBooks icon, shown here and in the upper right hand corner of the Children's Services website, and explore. Children may follow along as a story is read, or turn off the sound to read on their own.

Happy Reading!

amazing photographs

Nic Bishop is an author and photographer of many award winning books for children. He has a doctorate in biological sciences and a passionate interest in animals. His books are filled with the most amazing photographs of animals. We all get so excited when a new Nic Bishop comes across our desks. Check out his website for a taste of what he does www.nicbishop.com
His latest offering is Lizards and it does not disappoint; the photographs are beautiful.
Stop by the library and check out our selection of Nic Bishop books - you will love them.

The Cybrarian is In!

Cybrarian is a website for kids in grades 3 to 8 that is a great source for homework help. It also includes websites that are just interesting and fun to explore. Designed by a librarian, it is organized by subject areas -- Art, Social Studies, Math, etc. Be sure to also check out Neat Links, Museums and News and Magazines for other great kid-friendly sites!

Cybrarian is listed as the Website of the Month on the American Library Association's Great Website for Kids.

Roald Dahl Month

Beloved children's author, Roald Dahl was born on September 13 in 1916. To commemorate this wonderful man's life, September is Roald Dahl Month! Visit the Roald Dahl website for fun facts, games and activities. Stop by your library and ask a librarian to help you choose one of Roald Dahl's books!

Back to School Night Tips

Many schools in the area are scheduling "Back to School Nights" for their families. This is a great opportunity for parents and caregivers to meet teachers and school staff as well as other families. Reading Rockets offers these tips for other things to look for on Back to School Night.

New Seussville Website

Fans of Dr. Seuss may want to check out the recently updated Seussville site -- chock full of new games and activities for kids, as well as lesson ideas for teachers and tips for parents.