Misadventures of the Monster Librarian

We are always super pumped when a new Mo Willems book comes out, especially when it's that silly, funny duo, Gerald (Elephant) & Piggie. Willem's newest book, due out June 3rd, arrived at Sticks Library today, taken from the box by a very excited Prairie Dawn, who exclaimed, "ELEPHANT & PIGGIE ARE HERE!!" (She's pretty enthusiastic about most things--one of the things I love about working with her!) My New Friend is So Fun! is a story about friendship, both new and old, but also in wonderfully illustrated, simply and lovely laid out Mo Willems style, covers that feeling we get when our dearest friends hang out with someone new that's so fun, so so fun! That little voice in your head that makes you wonder if you're replaceable and maybe not as so fun, so so fun ! maybe not even best friends anymore...but also in Willems style there is sweetness and a lovely ending. I won't say more, because let's be honest, Willems' books are as much...

Cover of Rojankovsky's Mother Goose So, I collect books. Yes, I know, person of limited interests, right? I go to old book stores, library used book sales, garage sales, Salvation Army book bins; anywhere there are books I root about like a pig. I've found first editions by some of my favorites, found old ratty tatty books which I read in childhood and have long since lost my copies of; I pick up oddities. I am very particular about what I buy. I'm nostalgic and a book snob rolled into one. I recently purchased a Feodor Rojankovsky illustrated Mother Goose --the artwork so reminiscent of some of the books of my childhood I couldn't pass it up!--and though intended as a gift, couldn't give it away. Upon flipping through the whole book one afternoon, I came upon this version of Humpty Dumpty, obviously poking fun at Adolf Hitler: Curiosity peaked, I decided to do some research into the books' illustrator, Feodor Rojankovsky. Rojankovsky bio: Feo...

I was pleased as punch to get a call from TSO the other night--without fail Christmas came up, and family, and then what he should by his 9mos. old niece for Christmas. And you know, I LOVE giving book suggestions, so I whipped up this quick list before I went to bed--board books for chubby little hands, and gnawing little children: Very Hungry Caterpillar , Eric Carle The book I've read to countless children. A classic. The hungry caterpillar eats his way through this book and many colorful foods to turn into, you guessed it, a beautiful butterfly! Brown Bear, Brown Bear ; Eric Carle A great book which introduces kiddos to colors and animals. Great repetitive phrase, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?" You'll be saying it in your sleep in no time! The Mixed Up Chameleon , Eric Carle  This book is silly and colorful and definitely something the kids will love and love as they grow--the chameleon gets all the things he wishes for until he's nearly ...

Story of day dreaming Gabriella trying to navigate her parents separation, a new school, and being an outsider because of her constant daydreaming. The story is told through poems, some insightful and some laughably grandiose, in the way that children can think and dream!  This book is for elementary aged students, it being made of poems makes it easier for younger students to read it, but its themes would make it appropriate for older students as well. Grimes has done it again! I LOVED it.   These were my favorite: "Summer Shift"   We packed our bags in June, I braced for a summer of impossible good-byes, and the dread of living without friends ever again. To chase away the fear, I flipped through a dictionary, plucked out the word hush and thought about the whisper of wind rustling through leaves. come next autumn, and the silence of their falling. Then I jumped onto a soft deep pile of them, grabbed an armful of red, gold, and burnt-o...

Hello, My Name is Ruby , is the sweetest of  sweet sweet stories, and in true Philip C. Stead's style, the text is endearing, "...sometimes I do not feel small...would you like to see?" --the next page shows a flock of small birds making an elephant shape, in line with other elephants, very Swimmy-esque. Stead's signature beautiful artwork is present, his pictures always so stunning and colorful (watch a demo of Stead CREATING !) Can we just say that I love that things as simple as squiggly lines can make up tufts of fur or feathers! So beautiful! I think kids will enjoy the themes of the books: friendship, being yourself, loneliness, feeling like a part of something, and the adventurous spirit of Ruby. I think children will love talking about the pictures, most especially all the different birds...I just LOVED it.

In, Mr. Tiger Goes Wild , Mr. Tiger lives in a perfect little town, with perfect little houses, surrounding a perfect little fountain. Mr. Tiger is just like all the other animals, dressed to the nines and proper, walking around in the city, until the day he taps into his wild side. He starts running around on all fours and without clothes to boot! He's gone wild! What the other animals don't understand is why? Why would he want to be different? A short and simple picture book about being true to who you are and acceptance. I LOVED it. Very sweet stuff. And, also did anyone else feel like the illustrations were reminiscent of Jon Klassen's?--the plants and the muted color choices!!? How could I not love the pictures in a story that are so very Klassen-reminiscent?!

As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, June 14th is considered by some to be Curious George's Birthday--some say it was June 14, 1940 because that was the day creat ors H.A. & Margaret Rey fled war-torn Paris with the manuscript for what would become Curious George. Interesting facts about the lovable and curious monkey: *Curious George first appeared in Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys (1939); in this book George's name was Fifi *Curious George was published in 1941 * In the U.K. George was originally called "Zozo" to avoid using the name of the then King George VI *What is sometimes called the "Original Adventures", these 7 titles are by Margret & H.A. Rey. Curious George (1941) Curious George Takes a Job (1947) Curious George Rides a Bike (1952) Curious George Gets a Medal (1957) Curious George Flies a Kite (1958) Curious George Learns the Alphabet (1963) Curious George Goes to the Hospital (1966) I was f...

Though we received about 6 inches of snow on Monday, the temperatures have been in the 40s all week, melting it all away. This weekend is looking like 50s and rain showers on Easter Sunday, and I can live with these things because, as Bob at the Farm used to say, "the backbone of winter is broken." It's in the days, the odd way that spring feels tangible even though the temperatures sway back and forth and the winds blow bitterly. It is visible in the way that the bent over remains of corn stalks, plowed down in the last of the season, now act as resting stoops for birds. Not just the winter birds, but the returners too; the lyrical songs every morning, drawing both Hemmy and I to peak out through the curtains and look for the source of that baby bird squeak song we've been hearing. I saw green shoots in a soybean field the other day and breathed a literal sigh of relief. Winter takes such a toll on the soul--a necessary one, as it makes the spring more brilliant. ...

I LOVE Jon Klassen's illustrations! LOVE! Like if I had a baby tomorrow and a load of loot, I would pay Klassen to paint the nursery. Just saw this post and I am so bummed that I can't go to this. Taken from Cuyahoga Library's website: "Meet author Lemony Snicket and illustrator Jon Klassen, two award-winning talents who have partnered for their new picture book, The Dark. Lemony Snicket is best known for his thirteen volumes in A Series of Unfortunate Events and Who Could That Be at This Hour?, the first in a new series which debuted last fall. Jon Klassen won the 2013 Caldecott Medal for This Is Not My Hat, which he both wrote and illustrated, and also received a Caldecott Honor citation for his illustrations in Extra Yarn. Books will be available for purchase and signing courtesy of the Friends of the Berea Branch Library and Mac's Backs - Books on Coventry. Please register for multiple seats by calling the Berea Branch at 440.234.5475." He is comin...

Kids LOVE Mo Willems books. I LOVE Mo Willems books! We just love Mo Willems around here, whether it's his Piggie & Elephant series; Knufflebunny trio; or his popular Don't Let the Pigeon. .. series. Willems just gets it. He gets how to write to kids and really make them laugh. And his books make you, the reader, feel clever, like you're in on the joke too. This week, tired from Dr. Seuss overload, I switched to Mo Willems, doing: Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct Knufflebunny Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus with my storytime groups here at the library and during my Headstart visit. My Headstart kids and I turned our hand prints into Pigeon. Simple art project: Print a template of a bus (I literally googled, "Bus Template") Ask the kids to draw some people in the bus windows Ask them to draw the head and neck of the Pigeon peeking out the front (bus driver seat) window. I gave each table c...

I've been so insanely busy these past few weeks. The fast catch up: Our storytimes that I'm now co-leading with the Education students from Sticks College have been GREAT! As part of their responsibility the kids have to not only pick and read books with the same theme, but also have to plan an art project. Double awesome that I don't have to do that! :) Did I mention something about a mural one hundred years ago?  When I first started I got in touch with an art professor at Sticks College and asked if she and her students would like to donate their services to paint a mural for us. Because of the short notice, Professor Awesome couldn't fit it into their schedule, but offered to do the work PRO BONO over their spring break! That's this week!! And since my office is on the edge of the Children's Dept. I've gotten to watch the mural progress. The Professors Awesome (Professor Awesome's hubby is also an Art Prof) have been coming in before we open and ...

From The Tin Forest, Helen Ward, illus. Wayne Anderson I first discovered Helen Ward when I bought a copy of her The Tin Forest --the story of a man who in his solitude creates for himself a tin forest; once he builds a replica of the real things he desires, it is only a matter of time before real plants and animals begin to appear in the tin forest--at a used book sale at one of my old libraries when I was in grad school. What makes Ward stand out is that she always paints an intimate story, including details that pull you into the world of the story. I just love her!   We recently got a copy of Helen Ward's The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse ; not a new story, but merely a retelling and re-illustrating of a Aesop 's classic. I LOVE Helen Ward's artwork, which is a feast for the senses, so full of color, lavish artwork that leaves you feeling as contented as that adorable country mouse.

Holy super-thorough list(s) of "Best of Childrens books of 2012" by Chicken Spaghetti!

A few weeks back one of the girls asked me to do a Princess storytime, but so as to not entirely alienate the boys, I said we'd do royalty! I am too tired to go into much detail, but wanted to at least share all the titles we used, age appropriateness of books varies, since these are for 3 different aged storytimes: King Bidgood's in the Bathtub Olivia and the Fairy Princesses The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas I want my dinner (Not a big fan of this, but the kids seemed to enjoy, and that's all that matters). The Nothing King The Paper Bag Princess , Robert Munsch **LOVE LOVE LOVE this book**

I loved Lois Lowry's Newbery winner, The Giver, when I read it. I was in my 20s and in grad school, and was left with this feeling that I'd just read something really important and beautiful, profound and touching. I walked away from it wondering about Jonas and Gabriel, and was left, like many people, pondering what came next...until this week when I read, Son , what Lowry herself called the sequel to her beloved, The Giver . Son not only answers the questions about what came next, but also gives us a little more back story on the community that they came from, and more information on Claire, Gabriel's mother. I didn't want a clean, easy-peezy wrap up to The Giver , and was pleasantly surprised with how much she was able to avoid that (though there are definitely character tie-ins with the other books in this series: Gathering Blue and The Messenger --I can imagine it's really hard not to tie stories together and bring back popular characters). The ending was ...

The last Newbery winner that I read was when I was still back in OHCity --Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's, Shiloh, the story of Marty, who meets and falls in love with an abused pup he names, yep, you guessed it, Shiloh. The story revolves around Marty's relationship with the dog, (who belongs to our antagonist, Judd--why are bad guys always Judds? Oklahoma, anyone?) and the lengths he will go to keep Shiloh away from his abusive owner, and keep secret from his family and best friend. Did I enjoy it? It was ok. Would I recommend it? Hmm, I guess. There are definitely other animaly books I would recommend first, though this had some good lessons in it. Ages: 8 and up

This is exactly how I feel when no one shows up for storytimes! Except I am wearing clothes...oh, God, I've made it weird, haven't I?! Since I will be away on vacation next week, we had our Halloween themed storytime this week (only had a family of three show up for my Toddlers group, no one for my Family storytime, no one for my 4s and 5s group). Still working at getting more people to attend! Without further ado I give you, TODDLER HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR! Flannel Board: "5 Little Pumpkins" 5 Little Pumpkins sitting on a gate, 1st one said, "Hey, it's getting late," 2nd one said, "Witches in the air," 3rd one said, "Hey, I'm not scared!" 4th one said, "Let's run, let's run!" 5th one said, "Isn't Halloween fun?!" --author unknown Book 1: Pumpkin Heads, Wendell Minor *we talked about visits to the pumpkin patch; what different faces were carved into pumpkins Book...

If you've never witnessed Strong Bad or Teen Girls Squad...I'm sorry. Strong Bad Email: Kids Book

...my first Board Meeting! And they were really impressed with how much I'd accomplished during my first two weeks. AND they complimented me on my Director's Report, which I'd typed up and mailed out with the Board Meeting Agenda. I was beaming!..and worried that maybe I set the bar too high. :)  Everything went great, except it's really hard sitting in a meeting with someone who looks like Kenneth Brannagh--just saying. Post weeding the VHS and Books on Tapes I am still trying to figure out the best way to get rid of these things: checking with Salvation Army/Goodwill; looked into recycling, but still not sure about the cost; donating some to another library nearby for their book sale. Since moving the Audio/Visual Collection we've labeled the areas, and I had the Circ staff go through and relabel anything that is non-fiction with appropriate Dewey Decimals--these DVDs are now separate from feature films; it didn't take long since our collection is so small. ...

Charlotte's Web-- a story about love and friendship among an most unlikely crew: Wilbur, a pig; Charlotte, a spider; Templeton, a rat--came out 60 years ago today. Along with millions of other children, I loved this book as a child, and am always so glad when kids still come in and check it out! I am thinking fondly of this beloved childhood book today, and wanted to share this quote from Eudora Welty's review of Charlotte's Web. It appeared in The New York Times Book Review : "What the book is about is friendship on earth, affection and protection, adventure and miracle, life and death, trust and treachery, pleasure and pain, and the passing of time. As a piece of work it is just about perfect, and just about magical in the way it is done." From Eudora Welty: A Writer's Eye: Collected Book Reviews, edited by Pearl Amelia McHaney, University of Mississippi Press, 1994. And I also wanted to share a favorite passage from Charlotte's Web : “You have ...